re: Fall Practice - Official Thread - News & Notes

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Here are my thoughts on today's post practice press conference with Bret Bielema:

My observations: Mekale McKay possibly transferring. That was the big shocker of the day.

I was surprised to hear that from Bielema. No one was allowed to be at practice so no one outside the team would have known he wasn't there. I was impressed that he gave us that information. That was something we probably wouldn't have heard about before until WAY after the fact.

Hunter Henry was very impressive today.

The comments that Bret made about Grady Ollison being a different body type and the fact that Pittman is the best OL coach in America was good to hear. Coach Herbert has definitely impressed people with how he has been able to turn around the way our players have looked.

The rest of the week schedule goes like this:
Tues - Wed helmets and shirts and shorts.
Tues - Friday one practice a day.
Saturday will be first live hitting and they will have two practices on Saturday.

All of that at this point is closed to the public.

I like how Bielema talked about today was an easy day to have a good practice because everyone was excited to get going. The tough days will be in day 15-20. It is true.

(My thoughts) With the offseason conditioning that takes place now the start of summer practice isn't like it was when you and I were starting two-a-days in high school, or even like it was on the Hill 10 years ago. There will actually be less physically taxing work going on now than what they have been doing over the summer.

Bielema said that yesterday was a day full of REALLY boring stuff. They couldn't talk football stuff or x's and o's yesterday so it was a bunch of meetings. It was more HR stuff than actual football stuff. Bielema said that team seemed really engaged though.

I'm going to be interested to see what Bielema means by "building a walk-on program." We didn't get that far in to it today. He said "No one has taken the bit" (that is an old farm boy term basically meaning taking something and running with it. Comes from putting a bridle on a horse so it can be ridden) "on what we are doing around here." I didn't know there was anything to report on when it came to that. I will certainly be looking into it more.

So many of you have sent me questions about walking on, and when walk on tryouts would be, and what does it take to walk on...well, it looks like there is more information coming on that. Bielema seemed very interested in developing a significant walk-on program for instate kids (though he also mentioned out of state kids).

Again, those are more my observations and thoughts about what was said. For the whole thing I'm sure videos will be posted in a few minutes if they haven't been already.

Over all, it was a nice opening press conference. I'm trying not to be negative about the "media room" that is smaller than a two car garage and no bathrooms anywhere in the building. I still think they are joking about that being the actual media room...if it is, then that has BP's finger prints all over it.

Like I said...I'm only "trying" not to be negative.

Outside of that, WE HAVE FOOTBALL!!!!! WOO HOO.

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best QB to come through there probably ever.

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I also find it amusing that Petrino would cramp the reporters into a closet, not allow them access to bathrooms by design, or give them a lounge area where they can work or hang out waiting for their appointments to do their job.

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Lol at Herbert's camo boonie

LINK

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Allen needs to quit locking in on a receiver and go through his progressions. No way is Cowan going to catch every pass we throw during a game, if we even pass it 15 times in a game.

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