Unfortunately the scrimmage over the weekend was closed so this will be a short update, however I did get to see a smaller scrimmage two Saturdays ago and a few full pads practices. The Spiders now enter the final week before Lehigh prep starts.

Practice Updates

Offense

Wickersham is settling into this offense well. He seems comfortable, is running well, and has displayed nice touch on deep throws. A lot will be put on his shoulders so this camp was extra important. Even though Kyle himself admitted “the games are totally different… things are easier out here,” it still felt like a strong camp was imperative given how much time he missed in 2024. I’m hoping what he’s shown the past couple of weeks will give us the confidence to let him loose two Saturdays from now.

Offensive line – The five starters from day 1 remain the same. Gray III, Hummel, Capristo, Hudley, and Carbajal continue to work with the 1s. We have seen Gray III and Carbajal flipping tackle spots, so I’m curious how we line up against Lehigh. Ronald Anderson and Godwin Burger are also working at tackle, with transfers JT Sowell and Jason Smith continuing to work inside with the 2s. We have to be able to run the ball early and often, so how well this group comes together is likely the #1 indicator of how well this offense performs.

Running backs – What I said on Friday hasn’t changed – King, Brown, and Foster-Powell all continue to split reps. In my mind no one has distanced themselves from the pack yet. I do think Foster-Powell is moving much better playing at 212 lbs. compared to 230 lbs. As an RVA guy, I would love to have guys from powerhouse Highland Springs starting at both WR (Veney) and RB. That said, there’s just something about the way Jamaal Brown runs that always catches my eye. His toughness really shows when he’s running inside the tackles, something I think we would’ve seen more of last year before his injury.

Defense

The defense is winning sideline to sideline. The offense is trying to find balance by running wide and getting to ball to the edges but these guys are quick horizontally. Some really good battles throughout camp and definitely some days where a clear top 25 defense is simply better. The high level of competition is fun to watch and it’s beneficial for everyone in the end.

Defensive line – Byrd and Hoilette are just so athletic at defensive end. The quickness they play with is obvious in their pass rushes and in winning the edges in run support. Fitz continues to be a force inside, with the only real question being how often TJ Baldwin will play. He said he went down to 280 lbs. to improve agility and conditioning. I think many viewed him exclusively as an early down DT but he’s working to stay on the field longer. The D-line preview on Wednesday will discuss how we could see the rotations work up front, and having Baldwin available for more snaps only makes this unit better.

Linebackers – Tayshaun Burney is getting most of the reps with the 1s at Will linebacker. Harrison Wood is getting a lot more time there as well, mostly with the 2s. Looks like we are prioritizing more “safety-like” players for this role. Remember, Quantraill Morris-Walker was a safety at Idaho State before assuming this role for two seasons. Burney/Wood don’t offer the same size as QMW but there’s clearly a vision. This likely allows the Spiders to stay with this package in any down/situation, which should really help a defense with a bunch of younger/newer starters.

Final Camp update

Should go out Sunday, August 24th. Will wrap up any thoughts I have from the last practices and highlight the true freshman that stood out.

Next Post

2025 Position Group Preview – Defensive line – Wednesday, August 20th