With spring practice more than halfway over, the Nittany Lions have managed to make it through with only minor bumps and bruises.
Offensive tackle Garry Gilliam has missed almost all of spring practice with a calf injury and running back Bill Belton has been sidelined this week with a minor toe injury. Belton is expected to be back on the field sooner rather than later and O’Brien doesn’t expect Gilliam to miss any of the regular season.
Beyond those injuries, tight end Kyle Carter and safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong are both recovering from ailments remaining from last season. Carter is currently practicing without contact per O’Brien’s call.
“When I first had my surgery and all that the doctor said I wouldn’t be ready for spring ball at all, not even the no-contact stuff,” Carter said during Wednesday’s conference call. “The rehab has definitely been going well and I’m definitely coming back ahead of schedule. I’m able to do 7-on-7s, 1-on-1s and some blocking.”
“I will definitely be back by the beginning of the season. If I had to play a game now I would be able to.”
So far the injury bug has avoided the Nittany Lions and O’Brien is hoping to keep it that way. The biggest key is making sure contact in practice is light, and that drills only involve tackling once a week be it at a Friday or Saturday scrimmage.
“It’s April 10,” O’Brien said looking at his watch Wednesday. “August 31 is when we need to be ready to tackle and have our best players ready to go. That’s where I have to personally, I can’t depend on anybody else other than me, to do a great job of making sure that I stay on top of that. There’s nothing more important — this year, next year, the year after — than the health of this football team. So we’re going to try to do that, and teach these guys how to practice on their feet.”
The Nittany Lions took the practice field again on Wednesday, this time indoors as the sounds of a massive thunderstorm echoed though Holuba Hall. The noises inside mirrored those outside as large weights clanged on sleds being pushed by offensive linemen across the field.
Here are just a few observations from Wednesday’s practice:
- Following stretches, the team broke out into 7-on-7 drills putting the offense against the defense in a no-huddle situation. Both Bench and Ferguson had time under center and both completed a few nice passes. Bench a short strike to Allen Robinson for a touchdown and Ferguson a long completion to Geno Lewis in stride. Lewis made the grab against the second defensive unit.
- Ryan Keiser dropped a should-have-been interception to which O’Brien yelled that it should have been “Game Over.” The ball hit Keiser squarely in both hands, Bench threw the ball low to Robinson on the play.
- O’Brien has been true to giving both quarterback equal reps in practice. He stated earlier in the day that both have received 168 reps in scrimmage situations.
- In the 7-on-7 drill Mike Hull and Glenn Carson were the two linebackers. Jordan Lucas and Trevor Williams were the first-team corners. Malcolm Willis and Keiser the safeties with Adrian Amos working at the nickel.
- In the 7-on-7 drill the second unit rotated in three linebackers — Nyeem Wartman, Gary Wooten and Charles Idemudia — Malik Golden and Jesse Della Valle worked as safeties alongside corners Jordan Smith and Anthony Smith.
- O’Brien spent time working with the receivers on running routes properly. One thing that a good eye will notice is the attention to detail the receivers spent last season. Routes were always the exact same length and it showed with the timing McGloin had with his targets. O’Brien took the time Wednesday to actually run the route himself, showing –Allen Robinson of all people– how he wanted it done.
- State College native Alex Kenney received some praise from O’Brien for a few nice routes. Kenney had quietly knocked Kenney’s practice habits last season. As Allen Robinson receives more and more double teams receivers like Kenney will play a bigger role in the offense. It might finally be time for the State College speedster to see more passes thrown his way.
- Overall the quarterbacks each have their own pros and cons. O’Brien understandably hasn’t given either of them an edge in public and without Christian Hackenberg in the picture it’ll be a while before anyone really knows what kind of quarterback Penn State could have under center. O’Brien has stressed consistency as both quarterbacks have had their share of ground balls to follow up a nice pass.
- Penn State will scrimmage inside Beaver Stadium this Saturday.
