The outside linebacker group was still down by three player. Coach Smart confirmed after practice that Jermaine Johnson has a sprained ankle and should be back soon. Smart also said that he was not sure when Brenton Cox and Robert Beal would return. How they progress in their disciplinary program will determine there return to the practice field. I noted after the las practice that both were spotted running inside the indoor facility.

Defensive lineman Julian Rochester was riding a stationary bike during our observation period.

The offensive line was unchanged from our last time at practice. Although I am reluctant to call what we see a unit rotation, it would appear that if the offense was breaking the huddle today the first two line (from left to right) would be: Andrew Thomas, Solomon Kindley, Trey Hill, Cade Mays, and Isaiah Wilson – the next unit would consist of: D’Marcus Hayes, Justin Shaffer, Clay Webb, Ben Cleveland, and Jamaree Salyer.

Zamir White is still running on the side, but he is doing some cutting.

Stetson Bennett is the number two quarterback at this point. Here is what Smart said about the backup QBs during his presser:

“It is a competition. They (Stetson Bennett and D’Wan Mathis) have split the snaps 50-50. Stetson got action with ones and little bit of twos. D’Wan got some with twos and some with ones, but mostly with threes. They have gotten the same number of reps but not with the same groups.”

“I have no expectation he’s going to come in here and conquer the verbiage and the words that we have by scrimmage one. So, you know Stetson Bennett has the advantage of having been in the offense before. Every quarterback we have has to get better. Every player we have has to get better. D’Wan has a lot of growth because he hasn’t been here, he hasn’t taken reps. I was very pleased with where he was today. I’m taking it that he is improved and he has a long way to go, but I am pleased with where he is right now. And we tried to simplify for it him today so he can go out there and play football and we could evaluate him at where he is now, not giving him the same menu that Jake (Fromm)’s got.”

Based on the recent rep rotation at safety, Otis Reese is going to be tough for Richard LeCounte to keep off the field. Reese was ahead of LeCounte Saturday.

Smart talked about the receivers during his presser. While I was watching that group Demetris Robertson made a nice leaping catch – but the Coach wants to see greater consistency:

Matt Landers had some drops that we were frustrated with that, but then all of a sudden he has a couple really good plays, so again that is some of the inconsistencies that we need to get consistent about in order to get to where we need to go. We are looking for wide receivers to step up and he made a couple really good plays, but the average play you should make everyday, he didn’t. We need him to grow up for us to be a good offensive football team. We have to have vertical outside threats. Tyler (Simmons) and J.J. (Holloman) are playing well, but it is not going to get done just by them. The Matt Landers, the Trey Blount, the Kearis Jackson types have to step up, Demetris (Robertson). They have to step up to make us dangerous on offense.”