Q&A with Tim Scandurro on Saturday's Scrimmage

Tim Scandurro and Jake Weinstock were unable to connect for a podcast interview, this week, so Tim, who also attended Saturday night's scrimmage at Yulman Stadium, was kind enough to provide some written responses to Jake's questions and share his different perspective.

Q:  Did anything make a big impression on you last night on the offensive side of the ball?

A:  Probably the offensive execution, especially after watching the spring game.  When I say that I don’t just mean whether a play was successful or not, I mean the rhythm and the timing.  This was a game simulation scrimmage where there was a play clock, officials, and helmet communication on the play calls.  I  missed a few plays talking with people, but I don’t recall a single play clock violation or forced timeout, and I don’t recall any pre-snap penalties.  Considering all the new faces and the complexity of the system, it was remarkable this early in camp.

Q:  What about on the defensive side?

A:  I would say the team speed in the back seven, and the tackling.  The only missed open field tackle I saw was by a freshman defensive back on Jamauri McClure near the sideline, and he turned it into a long touchdown run.  But overall this is a team that can run and hit.  The closing speed, the contact courage of our defensive backs running full speed to the ball and bringing some sand in their pants when they got there, all of that stood out.  And it wasn’t just the first team.

Q.  Everybody wants to talk about the quarterback battle.  Anything stand out to you there?

A:  I heard your post-scrimmage podcast earlier, and I agree with you on Brendan Sullivan.  I think we can see the vision for what he will bring to the offense situationally, but I think in must-pass situations or against faster defenses who pressure your receivers and tighten up windows, he could have some limitations.  He’s not as big or as fast as Taysom Hill, but our fans might see some similarities in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of his game at that particular position. I saw Jake Retzlaff last weekend, and then again last night.  He’s coming.  I’m not going to say it’s all slowed down for him; he and Javin Gordon fumbled a handoff exchange in the pre-scrimmage warmups, and during the scrimmage he threw a ball in the middle of the field to a tight end that should have been intercepted by linebacker Makai Williams.  He was also pressured a couple of times and aborted plays, even in a red jersey.  That might be an indication that he’s still learning where his protection is, where his safe throws are in those situations and where everyone is going to be generally.

                  But man, he’s got that ‘it’ factor people talk about at the position.  He had a third and fifteen play and threw a 30 yard seam route to CJ Lewis.  Just dropped it in there.  A lot of inexperienced quarterbacks or guys who don’t fully trust their arms are looking to dump that off presnap.  He made another throw over the middle to Mmahat where he had some pressure and he threw it sidearm through a small lane and into a window that he saw before it opened.  A classic “no, no, no, yes!” throw.  Then a touchdown pass to Shackleford on a fade right after.  He just needs to keep pushing and get to where there are more “wow!” plays than “how?” plays.

                  Semonza is still the guy who is most comfortable and most on time with the whole playbook.  He’s a technician with his footwork and his ball placement.  I thought the interception was the right read, but he didn’t get enough on it and if you’re throwing a ball in the vicinity of TJ Smith you can’t put it anywhere that he can run it down.  But the play illustrated one of the issues you’re going to have.  That was middle pressure and we all learned watching Drew Brees that middle pressure is the Kryptonite of the shorter quarterback, regardless of how smart they are.  Semonza slides and moves in the pocket better than you’d think, but if there’s no angle or leverage and it’s just a guy coming free in his face, it’s probably over while the other guys can run away from it.  On another play he had a ball batted down at the line, the only one I saw all night.  Can he play from behind, or with no running game?  Can he stand in and get the ball out against heavy pressure that he can’t run away from? Is his timing good enough to get us first downs in clear passing situations where he has to push the ball past the marker?  Those are the questions he will have to answer, but there’s a lot to like about his intense preparation and competitiveness.

                  It’s a fascinating competition because they all have strengths and weaknesses and they are different strengths and weaknesses.  In a perfect world with a “tune-up” opener or two, you’d love to play the highest upside guy and let him play his way through any mistakes.  We don’t have that luxury courtesy of Troy Dannen. 

                  Last week I was pretty confident it would be Semonza, at least week one.  This week I’m going to hold the phone on that one.  A lot can happen in 20 days because a lot has happened in the last seven.

Q:  Give me an  individual player and a play that stood out on each side of the ball.

A:             On offense if I had to pick a play, it would be the third and short on the first drive where we ran Omari Hayes on a shallow cross where he caught the ball a few yards past the line and kept on running for another 12 or 15 yards.  Sometimes having a Makhi Hughes on your team can limit you on third and three because you figure ‘I can give it to him twice if I have to and pick this up.’ From what I’ve seen any throw to Hayes is an extended handoff.  He catches all of them and he’s a problem in space.  Right now I think Hayes and Shackleford are the two guys our quarterbacks have the most confidence in.

                  As far as a player on offense, I’m going to go with Oliver Mitchell.  He’s only a freshman, but with Jimmy Calloway down last night he got a lot of opportunities.  He’s a very smooth route runner, he’s a little taller and longer than guys like Hayes and Brown-Stephens, and he has flypaper hands.  I don’t know what kind of long speed he has if any, but his routes get him open underneath and the quarterbacks know that and looked to him often last night.  He should play for us this year.

                  On defense, the play would be Sam Howard just obliterating Duda Barnes one-on-one.  Barnes is a load, but he was no match on that play.  I was standing outside the locker room when Howard came out, and I can’t imagine anyone had a better offseason in the weight room than he did.  He is what the coaches today call ‘a unit.’  On top of that he is the unquestioned leader on that side of the ball and gives off those Nick Anderson vibes.  He’s poised to have a great season.  Honorable mention to a play Joker Johnson made on a shallow cross.  He was in man and we ran a guy underneath on a low cross.  Very difficult play to cover.  You have to navigate traffic and try and get on that  hip.  He was probably two yards behind the receiver when the ball was thrown, but as soon as it was caught he just accelerated, closed the gap and made the tackle for about a four yard gain.  We all know how teams like Ole Miss and Memphis like to get the ball to their athletes running in space, and I think this year we have guys who can run with them and get them on the ground.

                  As far as a player, I’m going to go with Javion White.  He’s not the biggest guy but he’s utterly fearless, and he gives you that combo ability to play coverage and also tackle people that Caleb Ransaw had.  He made some impressive individual tackles last night and like a lot of our guys on that side, he runs to the football very well.  Just a versatile, instinctive football player.

Q:  Any observations on the kicking game?

A:              I thought Patrick Durkin kicked with a lot of confidence last night.  He missed one in the pre-scrimmage warmup session against a live rush, and hit his other three with a long of 48.  He then made his kicks during the live scrimmage.  He’s showing plenty enough leg and accuracy so far.  The strides he’s made are important, because we all remember some of the struggles in our placekicking game at times last year—some of which to be fair were problems with our holder.          

                  I don’t know if we’ll be better or worse in the punting game.  I think the consensus is that Alec Clark will be a more consistent punter than Will Karroll was, but maybe less likely to unleash some of the bombs we occasionally saw from Karroll.  Karroll was a taller, longer-limbed guy, and sometimes you get some feast and famine in that body type at that position where the drop and leg swing motion is a little longer.

                  One thing I feel very confident in saying is that our punt return game will be vastly improved.  I still haven’t seen Omari Hayes drop one, and if he gets a little room he makes the cover team look like Rocky Balboa trying to catch that chicken.