Quarterbacks Kevin Riley and Brock Mansion continued to take advantage of the opportunity to earn valuable 1st and 2nd team reps with senior QB Nate Longshore’s camp-ending pectoral injury.
Both QB’s, particularly Riley, are showing a greater ability to hit receivers for long gains –both down the sidelines as well as up the middle.
Riley started camp slowly and has steadily progressed throughout camp.
Mansion especially struggled early in camp but has improved his accuracy, although he remains a work in progress as illustrated by a Darian Hagan interception of a Mansion pass returned for a touchdown.
Wide receivers Nyan Boateng and Michael Calvin are increasingly utilizing their superior size to go up for balls and fight off blocks. Both are showing good speed and an ability to stretch the defense as well as the ability to block downfield –an ingredient sorely lacking in the Bear receiving corps in the past few seasons.
In one of the best examples of effective receiver blocking in recent memory, Calvin took a quick pass from Mansion around the right side, with Boateng cracking back solidly on Calvin’s defender, freeing the big receiver up for a td down the sideline.
The running back trio of Tracy Slocum, Shane Vereen and Covaughn Deboskie had a strong day as well, with Vereen having the play of the day.
On a run around the right side, Vereen briefly hesitated and froze two defenders before cutting left and up-field. Encountering another sure would-be tackler, Vereen planted, made a 360 degree spin and sped off to the races.
The defensive line turned up the pressure in the tail half of practice, especially as 2nd and 3rd team offensive linemen were worked into the rotation.
Some of the most consistent pressure came from defensive end Keith Browner and linebackers Zack Follett, Charles Johnson and Devin Bishop –the latter two clearly benefiting from redshirt years after transferring in from junior college in 2007.
Although no real contact was allowed on the quarterbacks, both Riley and Mansion showed excellent pocket presence and escapability, particularly Riley.
Other plays that highlighted Wednesday’s practice included:
• A burst up the middle with a cut outside and up-field for a touchdown by tailback Tracy Slocum
• Kevin Riley, under pressure from both sides, stepped up to elude the rush and pick up 8 yards up the middle
• Tailback Shane Vereen picked up 7 yards up the middle, dragging a pair of defenders the last 2 yards before going down
• Tailback Covaughn Deboskie with a 15 yard pickup around right end, showing good burst and elusiveness. Deboskie’s noticeably improved his ability to handle contact and read the defense as his confidence has grown.
• Devin Bishop, with a stop of Vereen for a 1-yard loss on an attempted sweep to the left side with a strong tackle
• Charles Johnson with a big stop on Slocum for a 3 yard loss
• Cody Jones with a pass deflection in the backfield
• D.J. Holt on back-to-back stops, including a 2-yard loss
• Boateng with a leaping 25 yard catch on a Riley pass up the middle along with a deep post
• Riley hitting Calvin in stride, streaking down the left sideline
• Mansion hitting Calvin deep up the middle over safety Bernard Hicks
• Safety Brett Johnson with a nice breakup down the sideline
• A Holt interception on an errant Mansion pass over the middle
• Receiver LaReylle Cunningham with a leaping grab down the right sideline on a Mansion pass as well as another 25 yard completion up the middle
The Bears have one more practice in helmets only on Friday before wrapping up the spring session on Saturday morning in full pads.
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