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Spring Practice Notes: Post Spring Break Edition

By Alejandro Narciso

It was particularly hot on Green Tree practice fields today. Players "looked" exhausted, but they performed with energy, swag and all that good stuff. One player in particular seemed energetic on and off the field, KC McDermott.

KC

- KC was active today, he was at right tackle, helping out with some key blocks on 11 on 11 drills, breaking open a few holes for Gus Edwards and Joe Yearby. But he knows that it'll be a hard fought battle to obtain his first goal of the season of becoming a starter.

McDermott has three goals on the season:

1) "First goal is to be a starter," said McDermott. "I want to try to be a starter by the spring game."

2) "Bring this team together and win the ACC Coastal."

3) "My last goal is to win a National Championship," said McDermott. "I'm not accepting anything else."

The optimism from McDermott is certainly something that will rub off on players and will serve as a constant internal motivator until the season begins. It's actually rare to hear someone say that right now the goal is a national championship.

Players mostly say they "want to bring the U back" or "We have to get the U to where it belongs," but McDermott was the first to literally say that it was national championship or bust, which is encouraging to hear from only a sophomore.

McDermott's first goal, however, is most reachable right now.

To become a starter, McDermott said he needs to "work his ass off" and show the coaches exactly what he can do by fighting and bringing his teammates to the highest standards. I fully expect him to indeed start come the spring game.

Pace is changing

McCord

Injured Tyriq McCord watches flood play to Rashawn Scott

By now you've likely heard the rumblings on the Game of Thrones version of Twitter.

"Brace yourself...a fast paced offense is coming."

The reactions from comments by OL Nick Gall and RB Trayone Gray about the offense changing up a bit have been interesting to say the least.

Gall mentioned that they are going a lot more fast paced now, trying to switch things up.

I did notice some of those fast paced plays today at practice. Particularly on flood plays. James Coley would send Joe Yearby, Malcolm Lewis and Rashawn Scott to the right, while Stacy Coley stayed behind on the left for the check down. That play worked at least three times on the day. We'll know more and more about this "new offense" after Saturday's second scrimmage and the Spring Game on March 28th.

****** Tyriq McCord sat out today's practice due to a knee injury, which Al Golden says is not really serious.

****** Malcolm Lewis had a solid practice. He came down with two tremendous catches, including this wayyy up (drake voice) catch over Jamal Carter.

Lewis

First Spring Depth Chart Came Out

Although it's wayyy (Drake voice) early into the year, the first spring depth chart came out. Obviously it had some "huh?" names placed, but one stood out to me.

Depth Chart

Having Dallas Crawford as backup holder may come in handy when it comes to fake field goals, if the Canes are willing to try a play like that. The former high school QB that used to throw touchdowns to Sammy Watkins, has expressed that it would be interesting to try some trick plays as a wildcat.

When I asked Golden about that possibility, he admitted he'd rather let Crawford play just safety, where he's improved tenfold.

"We ask a lot of Dallas right now," said Golden. "Everybody has things they need to work on. For Dallas it's being consistent and communicating, and run the defense. He's answering that bell for us right now, and I don't want to complicate that by running a wildcat. He's got a little swagger about him right now."

VINE OF THE DAY:

Kaaya Finding Scott Down Low for a TD on 7 on 7: