Aug. 10, 2007
By Alfredo Moreno
UNM Athletics Media Relations
After five full pads practices, the intensity around the University of New Mexico football practice fields is building to a crescendo. Tempers have flared, coaches’ voices have become raspy and there is a clear sense of urgency in training camp with the Lobos’ 2007 season opener at regional rival UTEP just three weeks away.
There has been plenty to watch on offense, defense and special teams during training camp and much left to be resolved as well before the opener in the Sun Bowl. Here are some of the news, notes and observations from the past few days of practice on UNM’s South Campus.
1. A sizeable question mark after spring practice, the first string offensive line has begun to establish themselves as a consistent force. Senior right tackle Devin Clark is still favoring his surgically repaired right ankle when he walks, but the injury hasn’t slowed him down in the trenches. Fellow senior Vince Natali has solidified the center position and continues to sharpen his technique each day after missing the spring due to shoulder surgery. The third senior starter, left guard Anthony Kilby, has also been solid through the first week of practices after sliding inside from left tackle during the spring. Meanwhile…
2. Junior transfer Sylvester Hatten is moving closer and closer to securing the starting job at left tackle. The 6-3, 308-pound Hatten has improved his footwork and confidence with each day of practice at the position, earning kudos from offensive line coach Jason Lenzmeier and separating himself from the rest of the contenders for the open starting spot.
3. Senior Bart Miller has maintained his hold on the right guard job vacated by all-MWC honoree Robert Turner (now with the New York Jets). Decimated by injuries for the first half of his career, Miller has done a solid job through the first week, but continues to get pushed by versatile sophomore Erik Cook. Cook has played center, guard and has even worked out at tackle during one-on-one blocking drills during training camp. True freshman tackle Byron Bell, meanwhile, has shown real promise in early action and is putting himself in line for a spot on the travel team with his play.
4. The Lobo secondary suffered a blow on Thursday morning when up-and-coming sophomore Lobo safety Ian Clark suffered a dislocated shoulder in a non-contact drill. Clark landed awkwardly after diving over a tackling dummy and will miss 1-2 weeks of action. With Clark out, fellow sophomore Clint McPeek jumps into the starting lineup with another sophomore in Frankie Baca close behind on the depth chart. McPeek played in 12 games last year, mostly on special teams, but also saw defensive action in a pair of games. A former walk-on from Albuquerque La Cueva HS, McPeek has added 17 pounds of muscle since joining the program and is tough, physical player in the secondary.
5. Despite Clark’s injury, the Lobo safeties still boast outstanding depth and experience with very little drop off between the first and second string. While the group is still polishing its overall coverage consistency, they have forced quarterback Donovan Porterie into several coverage sacks during scrimmages with their high pressure man coverage.
6. Sophomore quarterback Donovan Porterie is far from a finished product, but the 6-3, 206-pounder continues to flash an incredibly strong arm in practice. Threading the ball through defenders with uncanny zip and accuracy when on his game.
7. Thursday night’s scrimmage situations featured three big catches from tight ends Luke Walters and Mitch Straub, and wide receiver Daryl Jones. A bulked up Walters absorbed a pretty good hit by a DB and held onto a pass across the middle, while Straub, a converted defensive end, slid between two defenders to make a tough reception. Jones, the No. 3 wide receiver, later went high down the left sideline to reel in a deep pass from Donovan Porterie to put the offensive in the red zone.
8. Senior kicker John Sullivan has inched ahead of fellow senior Eric garrison in the competition to replace 2006 MWC Special Teams Player of the Year Kenny Byrd. Sullivan has shown virtually no ill effects from the torn ACL in his left plant leg he suffered during spring practice. He has booted the ball with excellent confidence and strength in each practice, but none of the kickers in camp have proven themselves yet to be as reliably accurate as Byrd (who kicked 2 PATs and a FG in the Detroit Lions’ preseason win over Cincinnati on Thursday night). Garrison and rookie Reece Zunker, the younger brother of former Lobo standout Wes Zunker, are still very much in the mix for the starting place kicker job on opening day.