Impressions from the spring game

Today I had to chance to watch the annual spring scrimmage with a free burrito. To be honest, the game wasn’t too spectacular but seeing the team play increased my excitement for the upcoming season.

In addition to the starters, the second and third stringers got a great deal of playing time. In terms of the spread, we didn’t see too much of the predicted complexity in the offense, but some option plays out of the shotgun. Overall, it felt like there was a lot left to be seen.

Joe Ayoob did not get a chance under center (he was injured) but did hold for the placekickers. Of the other three QBs, Nate Longshore looked the sharpest throwing, having the luxury of running the first-string offense. While he had some touchdown passes, he did struggle somewhat in running plays. We also got a glimpse of Kyle Reed in play; he showed a lot of potential but definitely needs more experience before taking the starting position. Steve Levy showed a lot of heart and made some great runs, but had some difficulty with passes. I heard he hurt his hand early on in the scrimmage, but I’m not able to confirm that. A nice surprise was seeing him make a few punts as well. They actually looked pretty good.

We didn’t see much from the receivers, as most of the plays in the air were short passes. In the opening drive, DeSean Jackson caught a pass from Longshore and took it something like 75 yards to score. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. There were a few more catches from Lavelle Hawkins, Robert Jordan and LaReylle Cunningham, but nothing much to talk about.

Tight end Craig Stevens also caught a touchdown pass from Longshore in the red zone. I’m not sure if we saw much from the other tight ends.

Marshawn Lynch didn’t appear as explosive as usual and lacked any jaw-dropping plays, but looked solid up the middle. Justin Forsett looked good too, and had some nice moves.

The offensive line looked decent, but not as dominant with the loss of last year’s seniors. They could improve, but they don’t look bad either.

On the defensive side, things look very good. The players are strong and fast. The line always put the pressure on, sometimes overwhelming the offensive line. The linebackers made a lot of tackles, with Desmond Bishop making quite a few plays. The defensive backs did well and got close to a bunch of interceptions, with Tim Mixon returning a pick off Reed for a touchdown.

Overall, the team looked ready for the season. The offense seems to be progressing well, and with a more experienced offensive line they will be a powerhouse. Meanwhile, the defense is definitely solid and will be feared next season.