Tag: fall camp

Notre Dame football: Watch Morrison and Merriweather battle in camp

A couple of members of the 2022 Notre Dame recruiting class went head-to-head in one-and-one drills and it was certainly entertaining.

The top returning Notre Dame defender has matched up frequently in fall camp with sophomore wide receiver Tobias Merriweather.  Morrison was a freshman All-American last season while Merriweather struggled to get playing time despite showing flashes.

At practice on Wednesday the two did one-on-one battles and fortunately for us, Andrew Sanders of WNDU was able to capture a couple of the plays.  The first saw Merriweather show every bit the hype he’s received as he worked Morrison.

The good news for Notre Dame fans is that Merriweather did that against an absolute stud of a cornerback.  Perhaps just as good of news is that Morrison bounced right back and won the next round.

A ton has been made of the freshmen receivers but in Merriweather’s second go-around expectations are clearly high for him.  As exciting as these were for what they are, thank God a game against an actual opponent will be played in less than 10 days.

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Everything Jim Harbaugh said at his fall camp press conference

Tons of great stuff coming out of fall camp! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Halfway through fall camp for Michigan football, we finally got a better idea of the state of the team.

And the Wolverines appear to be living up to the offseason hype.

The maize and blue are ranked No. 2 in both the AP Top 25 and the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, and while you’d know it from the crowd that gathered at Schembechler Hall on Tuesday, you could also tell from the enthusiasm of head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh touched on all of the position battles, why the team is ‘vibrant,’ the newly-called ‘Michigan method,’ and much more in his 25-minute press conference. Here is everything he had to say.

Everything Michigan football OC Sherrone Moore said in his fall camp press conference

This will get you pumped up for the offense this year! #GoBluye

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football is inching closer and closer to the start of the 2023 season and is now seven practices into fall camp. The season is but three weeks away, and the Wolverines are working to get their offense into the fashion they’ve designed during the offseason.

Jim Harbaugh said earlier this offseason that the intention is to be more balanced. On Thursday, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore indicated that is, indeed, the case.

Moore met with reporters at Schembechler Hall for his first media availability previewing the 2023 season. Here is everything he had to say in his nearly 20-minute media availability.

Not bluster: Michigan football emphasizing the pass game early in fall camp

Do you think the pass game will be much more heavily featured in 2023? #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — On June 1, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh told media at the SoundMind SoundBody camp at Wayne State that the plan was to diversify the offense. And five practices into fall camp, it appears that he’s remaining true to his word.

A handful of players had their first fall camp media availability on Monday, and those who hail from the offensive side of the ball are already noting the difference from this year to last year.

Not only do the Wolverines appear to be repping the pass game more to this point, which could pay dividends for the offense, but senior right guard Zak Zinter notes that it’s benefitting the defensive side of the ball, too, because they’re able to work more on their pass rush.

Either way, both sides of the ball will be that much more prepared for the pass-heavy teams that come later in the schedule.

“I can promise you we’ve passed the ball a lot these last couple of practices!” Zinter said. “And the D-line has gotten a lot of work in the pass rush moves. But yeah, I mean, it’s a big focus this year. If we know we can run the ball and when we want to, even if they know we’re gonna run the ball, we can run it. But the pass rush and just passing in general has definitely been an emphasis for us this camp and it’s been going really well for us.”

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy feels that diversifying the offense is the right way to go if Michigan wants to go for the top prize of a national championship. Having balance should therefore allow the team to be more unpredictable on one hand, but should also allow for the aerial attack to get more in rhythm compared to finding that element of the game later in the season.

“I feel like in order to get over that hump, in order to push through and be — wring out the most potential we have as an offense, you got to be balanced,” McCarthy said. “Whether you’re a human being, whether you’re an offense, the more balanced you are, the more successful you’re going to be. So feel like that just opens up to different levels of attack. And we’ve been working on it crazy.

“I mean, the pass game, we’ve been more heavy focus on the pass in these first five practices. So it’s been great to be able to get those reps, get those opportunities. But like you said, we’ve got to be balanced. So no matter what it is, or how it gets there, we’re gonna get there.”

Fans will get an opportunity to see whether or not Michigan has truly emphasized the pass game starting on Sept. 2 when the Wolverines host East Carolina for the 2023 season opener at The Big House.

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In first camp as bona fide starter, J.J. McCarthy eager to move Michigan football forward

He’s gonna surprise a lot of people this year. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football has high, high expectations for the 2023 season, and it’s reflected in how the Wolverines are thought of nationally at this point.

The maize and blue came in as the preseason No. 2 team according to the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, behind only Georgia. But the Wolverines will likely only go as far as their quarterback will take them, despite being something of a complete team.

That’s because to win a national championship, you need enigmatic performances. But the whole of the team can propel Michigan, at the very least, to the College Football Playoff — if all goes to plan.

The good news is Michigan is using last year’s early exit in the playoff to motivate them, quarterback J.J. McCarthy says.

“It really is just a train that kept on rolling ever since TCU,” McCarthy said. “We ran into a little bit of an obstacle but that train kept moving and all the guys that came in — the young guys, the transfers — they hopped on and they kept helping us push all the way from the start of this winter offseason and it’s just been really awesome to build off of that. Because a lot of times it’s like you build everything up for the season. You get to a certain point then it goes back down, you’ve got to build it back up. It doesn’t feel like we went back down, we just kept going.”

What’s somewhat understated for the Wolverines is that this is McCarthy’s first time entering a fall camp as the bona fide starter. Last year, he split time in camp battling with incumbent Cade McNamara before winning the job outright in Week 2. Now McNamara is at Iowa and McCarthy has the benefit of being healthy while getting all of the first-team reps.

While that is a blessing in his eyes, McCarthy says he personally prefers to face a bit more adversity as it helps him elevate his game. Thus, he’s focusing on growing when it comes to things like reading defenses — something he now feels he excels at.

“I’m always a person that strives for the past the most resistance but it’s been the most fun in my entire life playing football right now when everything’s just clear everyone knows what’s going on,” McCarthy said. “And it’s just — things are effortless right now with the defense and with the chemistry of the guys. And like I said defense — I’ve been reading that defense for two, three years now so it’s so much fun out there going against those guys. But yeah, it’s just been so much fun.”

McCarthy is still young, entering his third season in college football. Michigan, of course, deploys a more run-oriented offense, something Jim Harbaugh has said he intends to change more entering 2023. Given the system’s limitations for passers the past two years, there aren’t a lot in national media who are giving McCarthy much credence in terms of his skill set and abilities.

Most returning quarterback rankings have him firmly in the top 10, but near the bottom end. He understands why, but isn’t concerned about having the type of stats that would earn him that national recognition as much as he’s striving toward having a zero in the loss column at season’s end.

“It’s a great question. I don’t get too caught up in the rankings and stuff like that, because most of them go off of stats, most of them go off of just like little stuff that’s out of your control,” McCarthy said. “The only thing that I focus on is to be the best quarterback I can be for this football team, because that’s all that matters, because that’s what’s gonna get the wins. Like, I don’t care about being top five, or top three, or top one. None of that because that’s not winning football games, I want to win football games. And when all that stuff pans out, it pans out. All that stuff’s out of my control. So I just try to focus on what I can control.”

Fans will get an opportunity to see McCarthy in action on Sept. 2 when Michigan hosts East Carolina for the season opener at noon EDT at The Big House.

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Notable quotes from Jay Johnson’s fall camp press conference

Jay Johnson spoke to the media on Monday, going over the state of the Spartans offense as fall camp moves along

Michigan State offensive coordinator Jay Johnson took the podium on Monday afternoon to discuss the state of MSU’s offense going as fall camp starts to move forward.

There are a lot of things to discuss when it pertains to the Spartans offense, particularly the new wide receiver room and the ongoing quarterback battle. Johnson spoke to the media about all these things, and more, when he spoke to the media.

Check out what MSU’s signal caller had to say about the state of his offense:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Best photos from Auburn’s first fall practice

Here is a look at Auburn’s first fall camp under Hugh Freeze.

The Auburn Tigers opened fall camp on Thursday and the excitement about [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s tenure continues to build.

It isn’t just his first fall camp at Auburn though, the Tigers roster is full of newcomers, including a rebuilt offensive line, linebacker room and wide receiver group.

Freeze and the rest of the coaching staff will have to work quickly to get everyone ready for the season opener against UMass on Sept. 2, which is now less than a month away.

Here is a look at the best photos from Auburn’s first practice of fall camp, which is the first time several important newcomers were able to practice together and in front of the coaching staff.

 

Wisconsin will be on-site for its first week of fall camp under Luke Fickell

Wisconsin will travel for its first week of fall camp

The Wisconsin football program announced yesterday it will open its 2023 fall training camp on the UW-Platteville campus.

The team will be on-site from August 1-8 as it begins camp and prepares for the 2023 season.

“We are extremely grateful to partner with UW-Platteville on this opportunity,” Fickell said in the press release. “This is a tremendous way for our team to start fall camp and focus on coming together as a group both on and off the field. I think it will greatly benefit us as we prepare for the season.”

UW-Platteville previously hosted the Chicago Bears for preseason NFL training camp from 1984-2002. All Wisconsin practices and activities on-site will be closed to the public.

WATCH: A inside look at Wisconsin football in Ep. 3 of the ‘The Camp’

Watch linebacker Nick Herbig and wide receiver Chimere Dike in the latest episode of Wisconsin football’s ‘The Camp’

On Tuesday evening, Wisconsin football released the third installment of ‘The Camp,’ which gives Badgers fans an inside look at fall practices and the team ahead of the 2022 season.

Related: Two Wisconsin Badgers named to AP Preseason All-America team

The latest episode features interviews with senior outside linebacker Nick Herbig and junior wide receiver Chimere Dike. They spoke extensively about their excitement for the talented underclassmen getting their opportunity to play this season, as well as the relationships that they have formed as Badgers.

It is outstanding to see the team coming together as one in fall camp, especially with the start of the 2022 season less than two weeks away. The Badgers will open their season at Camp Randall against Illinois State on Sep. 3.

Players who raised their stock during fall camp

Here are the seven players who raised their stock the most during fall camp.

Every year some players will have impressive fall camps and this year was no different for Auburn.

With fall camp all but over, let’s take a look at some of the players who boosted their stock the most during fall camp. While some of these players are now the favorites for a starting spot, some are now key backups.

The group includes several veterans who have started to put it together as well as some youngsters and even a couple of newcomers who look like players Auburn will be able to count on this season.

Here is a look at the seven players who boosted their stock the most as well as some players who deserve recognition for their progress.