Quick Hits: Scrimmage Recap, Evaluating the Two-Deep + More

West Virginia University head coach Neal Brown recaps the final scrimmage of fall camp

West Virginia University head coach Neal Brown. / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The West Virginia University football program held its 15th practice of fall camp Saturday afternoon and head coach Neal Brown gave some insight on the Mountaineers final intersquad scrimmage of the season.

Scrimmage Recap

We went a little over 100 plays. We hit all four core special teams. Had a Big 12 officiating crew. A lot of really good video. We worked goal line. We worked a backed-up situation. [We] did an opening drive of each half. Got some good red zone stuff in. Did a third and fourth down period. A lot of good work. I wasn’t real fired up about some of it. I thought some individuals really showed up and I thought there was some disappointing things in it as well. Really the last three practices we’ve kind of been trending upward and just not at our best today, and I could make excuses for them but I’m not… we have to be better than we were today.

- Special Teams

Kickoff, Michael Hayes hit the ball really well, which is encouraging. He’s starting to get stronger. Had a couple of quality reps covering kicks.

Kickoff return, (redshirt sophomore receiver) Hudson Clement is really competing and he’s probably, right now, if we played today, he would be our kickoff returner. He’s really trending in the right way. He hit a big one today in a kickoff return drill, so that was exciting to see.

Punting the ball, we just need to be more consistent, and that’s really our whole punt team.

Punt block, we did some nice things. I think (redshirt junior receiver) Preston (Fox) continues to do really well returning. I think he’s got a chance to be an all-conference player in that role.

- Defense

We started off very good. I thought we fell off as the scrimmage went – some guys got tired. We played some of those guys a bunch of snaps against the one and two. I think its really important for us, especially at the safety position, to find out who are the guys that are going to step up there.

We need to play cleaner. We missed some tackles in space and that’s a combination – we got some good offensive skill guys but also, we’re not using great technique. I thought our d-line was effective today, I thought we did a good job of using our hands. Created some TFLs.

- Offense

Got off to a slow start – picked it up later – some explosive plays. Again, not clean enough. I thought the run game got going during the second part but just not clean enough for a veteran group.

We held (senior starting quarterback) Garrett (Greene) after two series, he played two series and then (redshirt sophomore quarterback) Nicco (Marchiol) came in and got a lot of quality reps with the ones which we wanted to do so that was good. Preston Fox had a really nice day. He made a couple really big plays and he’s probably been as consistent as anybody we have offensively.

Two Deep

It will start narrowing down. These scrimmages expose for the good and the bad. It either shows you’re ready or shows you’re not ready. I’ll spend a good chunk of this afternoon watching the film and we’re going to evaluate it from a personnel standpoint probably harder than we will from a schematic standpoint.

What are plan is, Monday and Tuesday we’ll treat like a Tuesday Wednesday in season practice and so some really good on good work but also start a little bit of Penn State prep.

Third running back and tight end

I thought (freshman running back Trae'von) Dunbar and (freshman running back Diore) Hubbard did some good things today. (redshirt junior) Jaylen Andrson had a really nice touchdown run where he broke some tackles. The three of those guys got the majority of those carries today. Jahiem and CJ they got some [carries].

I think Jack Sammarco really has made a move as a freshman. He was here and the spring, he’s done a great job blocking and he had a big pass reception today too. He’s a guy for sure making a move.