Notes from spring practice: Day 7
April 5, 2011
- Interceptions from defensive back Dominique Ware and defensive end Joe Windsor highlighted a strong early showing by the defense in Tuesday morning’s practice. Ware picked off a poorly-thrown ball from quarterback Chandler Harnish, while Windsor intercepted a Jordan Lynch pass at the line of scrimmage. Toward the end of practice, the offense started to click with Lynch. Wide receiver Anthony Johnson caught a touchdown pass on a fade pattern from Lynch when the team was practicing its goal-line offense.
- The energy that characterized the start of Tuesday’s practice boiled over when starting center Scott Wedige and defensive lineman Frank Boenzi engaged in a shoving match after a running play. Both players ended up on the ground before the players were quickly broken up by teammates. It didn’t appear the incident created any bad blood, as both players continued with team work as usual.
- Two players that stuck out to head coach Dave Doeren on Tuesday were running back Akeem Daniels and offensive tackle Trevor Olson. Daniels has shared carries with Jamal Womble on the first-team offense through the first seven spring practices. Olson is a redshirt senior described by Doeren as someone who, “is the same guy every day, shows up to work and does a lot of good things.”
- Wide receiver Nathan Palmer has looked good during spring practices, but at no point has he looked nearly as spectacular as he was in the And 1 halftime dunk contest on Friday night at the Convocation Center. The redshirt senior threw the ball up in the air from the three-point line, then let it bounce once before catching it in mid-air and dunking it. Palmer was unable to connect on his second-round dunk attempt, but enjoyed the experience nonetheless. “It was fun; they wanted me to play in the game, but I told them that I’m in the middle of spring ball so I can’t do that, but I said that I would be in the dunk contest,” Palmer said. “Dunking is just one of my hidden talents.”