I went to UH Fall Practice on Saturday Morning. I was one of about thirty onlookers during the humid, yet crisply run 2 hour workout at the TC Ching Athletic Complex. Practice started at 10:15am. At 10:10am all of the players were out on the field. If you are on time, you are late according to Coach Chow.
Music blared from the speakers. Soundtrack consisted of mainly hip-hop and rap. Artists such as DJ Khaled, Lil' Wayne, Drake, Eminem, Snoop and Akon. Special Teams was there prior to the start of things and were routinely booming 40 yard field goals through the top of the uprights. Special Teams could very well be the strongest unit and backbone of this team once again this season. Is that a good thing? I don't know. But its true.
Offense sells tickets and defense wins championships is the old adage, right? Which is why our program is at the brink of slipping into the abyss of college football. Let's start with the quarterbacks. This is Sophomore Ikaika Woolsey's job to lose. He can get the ball out fast to his pass catchers and has the legs to scramble down field better than any of the other players in the mix for the starting job. He took the first snap on most drills and led the 2 minute/red zone offense at the end of practice.
Taylor Graham looks to have recovered from surgery to his shoulder. But his slow and deliberate wind up might not be beneficial to the offense. As defensive linemen will look to swat the ball away in the pocket and defensive backs are looking to jump a WR's route down field. A quarter second can be the difference between a sack or a touchdown. I'm still not convinced that he can get through his progression fast enough and get the ball out quick enough to be, "Da Guy".
I liked what I saw out of Freshman Beau Reilly. He could very well be the QB of the future for the Bows. Maybe even starting this year if the season goes off the tracks and we find ourselves at 0-7 or 0-8.
The offense at times looked like what June Jones ran at Hawaii. Running 4 WR's and motioning a RB/FB out to the flat. Working to get the ball out quickly from the QB's hands. Chow still prefers to pound the rock (ball) using power option, toss sweeps and trap plays when it matters most. Joey Iosefa has NFL talent and will be the workhorse. I just hope Chow doesn't pound him into the ground with 35+ touches a game.
The starting WR's have talent. They lack depth. I have a feeling the freshmen will play. Any more injuries at this position would be a detrimental catastrophe to this decimated unit. Was really impressed with Marcus Kemp and Don Yeh Patterson. Didn't see that much from the TE's. Seemed to be mostly used as blockers. What little balls went their way were either poorly thrown or outright dropped. Would be surprised if this position is an important part of the offense this season.
Defense dominated the 2 minute and red zone offense at the end of the practice. Team worked on alignment and assignment during practice. I didn't pay much attention to their drills. Choosing to focus more on the QB's and WR's.
I came away impressed and not as pessimistic as my 1 win game total for next season. Team has potential to win 4+ games if a QB steps up and injuries aren't an issue going forward. Those are big ifs though. Is it enough to get Chow to year 4? Not sure. But it was by far the best practice I have seen in the Chow Era.
Go Bows!
