Another beautiful day in South Bend -- really, why couldn't this weather have come Saturday -- and Notre Dame practiced outside while the men's lacrosse team worked out on an adjoining field.
We didn't see tight end Will Yeatman with football today, likely meaning he was working out with the lacrosse team, which hosts Villanova on Tuesday. We didn't get as much today, but that's not surprising because things seem to be flattening out a bit as there is less than three weeks until the spring game:
- Rising sophomore nose tackle Chris Stewart is still feeling effects of his ankle injury suffered on Friday. He rode the bike during the media portion of practice and despite the nice weather was bundled up in sweats under his No. 59 jersey.
- First team defense, lined up still in the 3-4 with no nickel package: Defensive line: Pat Kuntz; Trevor Laws; Dwight Stephenson Jr. Linebackers: Anthony Vernaglia; Maurice Crum Jr.; Joe Brockington and John Ryan. Defensive backs: Terrail Lambert; Tom Zbikowski; David Bruton and Ambrose Wooden.
- Second team linebackers and defensive backs: LBs: Scott Smith; Steve Quinn; Toryan Smith and Morrice Richardson. DBs: Raeshon McNeil; Darrin Walls; Ray Herring and Kyle McCarthy.
- Third team defensive backs: Leo Ferrine; Sergio Brown; Leonard Gordon and a sighting of Munir Prince, working at cornerback.
- Judging from this, it would seem like a depth chart is beginning to shake out somewhat -- although things could change drastically once the media is escorted out of practice.
- First-team offense: Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen worked at quarterback; Travis Thomas was at running back; David Grimes, George West and Robby Parris were at wide receiver; John Carlson at tight end and the offensive line consisted of John Sullivan, Sam Young, Paul Duncan, Matt Carufel and Mike Turkovich. Remember, though, that these are just running drills and no actual plays are going on.
- In individual group drills, the first wide receiver group was Grimes, West and Darrin Bragg; the second group consisted of Richard Jackson, Barry Gallup Jr. and Parris; the third group was D.J. Hord, Brandon Erickson and Nick Possley. This could be a bad sign for Hord, as Erickson and Possley are walk-ons.
- Robert Hughes is at practice more than some current players. He was there again on Monday, making it at least three straight from our count.
Remember the mailbag on Sunday. Get your questions in to mrothstein@jg.net or drop them in a comment box below. We won't be at practice Wednesday due to other obligations for the Indianapolis 500 in late May.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette
What is a "rising sophomore"?
Posted by: Mike Sullivan | April 03, 2007 at 11:08 PM