2nd day notes

[mad dog]

I showed up for the last hour of practice due to a scheduling conflict with my class, but here's what I saw in that limited time.

Big guns all around...

First thing I noticed was a few guys who had done some considerable weight work in the off season. Just like how then-DB Deavin Cox and FB/RB James Mitchell showed up to two a days looking bigger and more cut, S Steve Warren and TE Charles Brown look like they did some serious lifting in the off season. I don't think Brown will ever be the biggest tight end, but he definitely showed he has as much dedication in the weight room as he does on the field. Take a look at his arms the next time you get a chance. Same with Steve Warren, who was practicing with the first team defense. The guy was never exactly a beanpole, and, with just a couple of months, has put on noticable muscle in his upper and lower body, especially his upper and lower arms. Joe Miller looks like he has bulked up a little, I wouldn't be surprised to see him at 285 or so. Daniel Meager might look at first glance like he's much bigger, but, after a while, I started to see that he looks more toned. He might have added muscle, but not bulk.

I guess you notice those results a lot more when you play so many young players, who have a lot of room to get bigger.

Notes:

* With so many people bulking up, there was one guy who was notable for losing weight. Jamario looked terrific, with a burst of speed and a lean to his cuts that I haven't seen from him since his freshman year. He looked a lot happier, too. At times last year, it seemed like he was overburdened by the additional weight, and was not performing to his level of capability. But it sure was nice to see him catch a swing pass out of the backfield and turn on that next level of speed that left so many tacklers in the dust in 2004.

* I guess I didn't see enough of Woody Wilson to make an accurate judgement on how good he is. From what I saw in the pass skel, he wasn't head and shoulders above Daniel Meager. Perhaps it was an off day for him, or perhaps Meager's gotten better, or maybe I just didn't see enough of practice. I did notice some little things. He says "hike" or "hit" instead of the traditional "hut" when he snaps the ball. He has a shambling dropback that reminds me a little of Kellen Haynes'. But he has a nice spiral most of the time and probably the quickest release of any QB I saw.

* Also in quarterback news, I saw more overthrown balls during a half hour of pass skel than I think I saw during a week of two-a-days. I know that sounds like a weird thing to praise, but it looks like Daniel Meager's got a lot of juice back in that arm that was bothered by the rotator cuff injury he sustained during spring ball last year. I would rather see an overthrow than an underthrow on deep balls any day of the week. (Though obviously 'on the money' works best for me )

* It seems like they are emphasizing the dump off pass in drills. I know I said that last year, so i'm not sure how much that will play into how next season goes, but it seems like Ramon Flanigan wants his guys to feel comfortable hitting the hot read (the flat or the curl or the slant) if the primary read isn't open. Wilson drew a lot of praise from Flanigan after a simple dump off pass when the fade wasn't there.

* Speaking of deep balls, Senior CB Tyrone Carter impressed in coverage, staying stride for stride with his man on a go route and cutting off the pass. He looked comfortable in coverage and seems to be taking a leadership role in the defense, often coming over and making sure his guys know if they screwed up or did something good.

* New DB coach Fred Bliel, at first glance, looks like DL Coach Mike Bugar's friendly twin brother. For a second, I remember thinking "why the heck is Bugar out there coaching the secondary?" But then I heard how he talks to his players. Coach Bliel, like Cerebus said yesterday, is even keeled handing out praise and criticism. After a pick by Cliff Higgs, he reiterated to his guys "there you go! Make plays every day!!!" I think the main difference between him and Van Malone was that where Malone brought experience as a player, Bliel brought experience as a teacher. He seems to guide his players, and not assume they know anything at all.

* Aaron Weathers did not practice. (I'll try and find out today why) Jeremiah Chapman, who stopped by practice, told me that he's feeling better, and he'll go and revisit a doctor here in the next few days (presumably for a checkup).

Edited February 15, 2006 by illuvius32

[MeanGreenPOP]

I showed up for the last hour of practice due to a scheduling conflict with my class, but here's what I saw in that limited time.

Big guns all around...

First thing I noticed was a few guys who had done some considerable weight work in the off season.  Just like how then-DB Deavin Cox and FB/RB James Mitchell showed up to two a days looking bigger and more cut, S Steve Warren and TE Charles Brown look like they did some serious lifting in the off season.  I don't think Brown will ever be the biggest tight end, but he definitely showed he has as much dedication in the weight room as he does on the field.  Take a look at his arms the next time you get a chance. 

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Charley weighed 250Lbs on the NT scales this morning and its all muscle. Another 10 or 15Lbs and he will be right there with Jason Witten of the Cowboys who is 6'4" 265Lbs. Just throw him the ball where he can catch it and he will do the rest, nough said!

Edited February 15, 2006 by MeanGreenPOP

[Stan R]

Charley weighed 250Lbs on the NT scales this morning and its all muscle.  Another 10 or 15Lbs and he will be right there with Jason Witton of the Cowboys who is 6'4" 265Lbs. Just throw him the ball where he can catch it and he will do the rest, nough said!

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Stupid question but has Charley played any yet? Did he play at all in 2005? Just Curious.

[Guest JohnDenver]

Stupid question but has Charley played any yet? Did he play at all in 2005? Just Curious.

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Yep, he played in the very first game against MTSU ... I believe.

[mad dog]

In 2005, he caught three passes for 14 yards with a long of 10. He also returned one kickoff 1 yard (popup).

[MeanGreenPOP]

In 2005, he caught three passes for 14 yards with a long of 10.  He also returned one kickoff 1 yard (popup).

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lol, I believe he was only thrown at about 7 times...of the other 4 times 2 were behind him and 2 bounced off the ground in front of him. One that was thrown behind was on ESPN2 against Troy..it would have been a sure 1st down...another thrown behind him was also on ESPN GamePlan but I can't remember who we were playing...He was running across the middle on a drag and would have had 6 if the ball was thrown where he could catch it

[UNTLifer]

lol, I believe he was only thrown at about 7 times...of the other 4 times 2 were behind him and 2 bounced off the ground in front of him.  One that was thrown behind was on ESPN2 against Troy..it would have been a sure 1st down...another thrown behind him was also on ESPN GamePlan but I can't remember who we were playing...He was running across the middle on a drag and would have had 6 if the ball was thrown where he could catch it 

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[Harry]

Pop Charley's weight room work is very impressive and he should be a role model in that regard to the rest of the team. Please send him my congratulations on his strength and weight gains.

[ipEAGLE]

Weight room work is so hard to judge today with all the supplements and legal steriods... you can take a kid who works out 4 hours a day with no supplements/legal steriods then you can take a kid who works out 45 mins a day with 10 different kinds of supplements and compare the two... doesn't seem fair to me. Money. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the NCAA outlawed all use of supplements/performance enhancing drugs.

Edited February 15, 2006 by ipEAGLE

[MeanGreenPOP]

Pop Charley's weight room work is very impressive and he should be a role model in that regard to the rest of the team.  Please send him my congratulations on his strength and weight gains.

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Thanks Harry! I'll tell him

[MeanGreenPOP]

Weight room work is so hard to judge today with all the supplements and legal steriods... you can take a kid who works out 4 hours a day with no supplements/legal steriods then you can take a kid who works out 45 mins a day with 10 different kinds of supplements and compare the two... doesn't seem fair to me.  Money.  It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the NCAA outlawed all use of supplements/performance enhancing drugs.

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I agree ipEAGLE...It all should be outlawed except the 100% WEY protien which help with the weight gain. Charley only takes the suplement that UNT provides for him. Before that he took the GNC 100% WEY only. He tried the Creatine once and it gave him the galloping trots so he never used it again. When we came up for the offcial visit last year and I met with the Strenght and conditioning coach I asked him about creatine and the other supplements and he said they (NT) does not allow creatine and only the supplement that they provide would be allowed. I believe it is NOS or something in the catagory of NOS. It is WEY and an amino acid to help gain weight and get over soreness quicker (simular to what creatine does without the side effect of dehydration which is why creatine is not allowed). I can tell you Charley is NOT the 45 minute kid that takes the other stuff. He believes in staying completly natural and working extreamly hard. He is in the weight room at 6am till 9am doing exactly what the strenght coach has lined out for him. He used the bigger faster stronger weight program in high school and when NT sent him their program he followed it to a T. Charley wants to play at the next level and his devotion to the weight room and the field shows it with his play and his body.

[DeepGreen]

Creatine. I've come to realize that this product could be present in every piece of food that enters my mouth. How else could I put on these pounds?

[Stan R]

Creatine.  I've come to realize that this product could be present in every piece of food that enters my mouth.  How else could I put on these pounds?

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I think you're onto something deep. In fact I can remeber back when I was trying to bulk up to play baseball... umm. well anyway my ma told me "Why do you need to drink those protein shakes?? I know how to put on weight. I'll give 10 ice cream shakes and see if you don't gain weight".

[MootPoint]

I believe it is NOS or something in the catagory of NOS.

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LOL I just got this mental image of a mix between Fast and the Furious and the Mean Green football team.

[ntmeangreen11]

I doubt it is NOS, It is probably NO2, which,(taken with creatine) gets into your bloodstream faster and will(supposedly) give you better results.

[MeanGreenPOP]

I doubt it is NOS, It is probably NO2, which,(taken with creatine) gets into your bloodstream faster and will(supposedly) give you better results.

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I think your right about it being NO2...Like I said above though...they don't allow the taking of creatine...I know Charley doesn't because he can't stand the stuff...plus, it's very expensive and since I'm the only one giving him money and it's not enough to by creatine and eat at HOOTERS all the time which is on his monthly Debit card statement I know he's not on it

[NCMeanGreen]

I think your right about it being NO2...Like I said above though...they don't allow the taking of creatine...I know Charley doesn't because he can't stand the stuff...plus, it's very expensive and since I'm the only one giving him money and it's not enough to by creatine and eat at HOOTERS all the time which is on his monthly Debit card statement I know he's not on it   

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You know, I gotta say...you seem to be a really cool Dad. My son is only 2 now, but when he turns old enough he will definitely be in some pads. You seem to be a great role model as far as how a father can support his son. You must be so proud of your boy Charley, and the Mean Green faithful are proud to have both him and you.

[MeanGreenPOP]

You know, I gotta say...you seem to be a really cool Dad.  My son is only 2 now, but when he turns old enough he will definitely be in some pads.  You seem to be a great role model as far as how a father can support his son.  You must be so proud of your boy Charley, and the Mean Green faithful are proud to have both him and you.

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Thanks for the kind words...My wife and I do the best we can. We're real fortunate that our kids have had alot positive influences in their lives from sports (their coaches since 3rd grade have been great) It really makes a difference in a kids life to keep them involved in something positive so their not hanging out on street corners or sitting on their hineys playing bloody video games...a kids friends also make a big difference in their lives...Chucks best friend is Adam Pemberton which was his QB from the time he was 3rd grade till he graduated..Adam is now in the armed services and has always been a positive influence on Charley and Brent

[Stan R]

I doubt it is NOS, It is probably NO2, which,(taken with creatine) gets into your bloodstream faster and will(supposedly) give you better results.

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Yeah, but a nasty side effect is a really, really high pitched voice.