After 3 weeks (with 1 more to go) I thought I’d bring forth a few guys that have really made strides so far. Ones that have stood out to this fan who has been watching from the sidelines. This isn’t meaning to say there aren’t others that are having a good spring – but these guys seem to be making the most of their time and their efforts could equate into solid playing time this fall.
1. Ryan McKinley – Ryan was looked upon to be a promising contributor in the secondary in 2014 but an early injury cost him more than half of the season. He’s returned this spring with a vengeance. One of our taller and bigger corners at 6-1, 190 he’s stepped up to run with the 1’s while Nate Harris sits out this spring. JR Nelson opposite of McKinley has had a solid camp as well and with Ryan rising to the occasion it would seem that the cornerback position is suddenly deep and very talented (Garner, Sanders, and Parker also playing well). McKinley will presumably be used as the 3rd corner and will rotate with Harris and Nelson this season. He’s looking like he’s ready for the job. He plays very physically and goes after the ball when it’s in the air really well. He’s had a handful of picks this spring.
2. Manu Rassmussen – Manu, much like McKinley, has had the benefit of playing in the place of an injured starter. In his case it’s for Justin Whitted who is out recovering from an off-season surgery. Rassmussen is a hard hitter, an enforcer type of guy. He could benefit even more with 10-15 more pounds of muscle and I’ll bet he gets there (listed at 180 pounds). Rassmussen is playing out of his mind good this spring as a freshman. The future at safety is bright, and it gives hope that if Whitted has more injury issues in 2015 that we’ve got a rising star behind him.
3. Brady Gustafson – Brady appears to have cemented himself as the starting QB for the Griz. Barring a major melt-down that would have to carry all the way into fall camp that is. Brady started as #1 on the first day and hasn’t relinquished his role. He has a strong arm and is one of the few QBs that is better (but not great) about scanning the field and looking off coverage. He’s also shown more ability to attack downfield instead of just opting for check-downs. Gus has a long ways to go and the QB race isn’t over… but he’s in the lead and he’s showing that he could be the right guy for the job. Keep in mind too Griz nation, Stitt isn’t looking for the most mobile QB but one that can attack what the defense gives him, one that recognizes gaps in coverage, and one that can effectively manage long drives that take 12 or more plays. Brady’s the guy at this point.
4. John Nguyen – While egriz drools over the next incoming prospect or hypes up another guy they’ve been posting about for years it seems that Nguyen was getting passed over from the message board experts. John’s had an awesome spring camp and he showed it last night in the scrimmage. He’s the perfect fit for this offense. As we’ve read and seen with CSM teams, Stitt’s feature back will be 1000+ yards on the ground and 500+ yards receiving. John has shown the ability to be a powerful runner, a quick and shifty runner, and a good receiver (not as good as his brother yet but he’s getting there). If Nguyen stays on ST duty he could lead the league in all purpose yards this year.
5. Nate Bradley & Caleb Kidder – One name you expect, another you may not have. While Zach Peevey works his way back from some injury Bradley has stepped into his spot on the #1 interior d-line. He’s done really well. This was a scout team guy that I think scratched and clawed to stay on the team last spring. Now he’s going to be one of the three interior tackles that gets a lot of playing time this season. I expect a healthy Zach Peevey gets his job back but Bradley has shown some Ben Hughes-like traits as a D-tackle (if you recall Hughes was also a little forgotten as an undersized DT who had a great final year in 2011) Bradley’s difference is that he’s only a sophomore! Caleb Kidder I’m also listing because it seems that we’re finally getting the see the Caleb Kidder we’ve been expecting. He’s been pressuring the QB very well, tracking down runners, getting some sacks, and batting passes down. He’s the size of a DT but playing like a D-end, he’s going to be a handful for a lot of O-lines.
6. David Reese, Devon Dietrich, and Ben Weyer – While the left side of the O-line is testing out multiple LG’s and has its primary LT in sweats this spring (Schmaing) – the right side and center have shown good improvement. By no means is this group anywhere near where they probably want to be, but the right ride has (I believe) protected much better and allowed quite a few longer run plays. I recall a handful of Nguyen and Logwood runs on the right side going for good gains. I suppose it’s no surprise that these three guys would be looking better considering that Dietrich started every game last year and Weyer and Reese played in all but 1 or 2 games as starters.
7. Caleb Lyons & Zach Hollenbeck – Lyons has lead in receptions in both scrimmages and shown incredible ability to pile up “yards after catch”. He’s been doing kick returns as well. Caleb has a chance to get some time on the field this season. He needs to keep working on blocking and probably not grabbing negative 6 yard passes (ha) but he’s been one of the younger guys that’s really jumped out. The other is Zach Hollenbeck, who I’m going to presume is a walk-on. The first practice I saw I was wondering, “who is #20?” because he was getting a handful of throws his way with the younger squad. Hollenbeck has a bit of a road ahead of him to seeing the field, being a freshman in a very crowded position, but he’s making the most of his efforts and scored a TD last night and had over 50 yards receiving on 3 catches.
Like I said, it’s not just these guys… however these are some of the players that have stood out to me. It’s been a fun spring camp so far.
