BC wraps up 3-day stretch with 12th practice

It was a light one with no pads on Thursday as BC wrapped up three consecutive days of work in some brutal heat.

There’s also another important scrimmage on deck Saturday, which will be the exact two week mark from the opener against Fordham. Gotta think that’s as close to full speed as it’ll get before the opener.

As always, here’s everything we saw from the hill:

Quick early observations

Chiefs and Steelers (I think) scouts in the house. Always a pleasure seeing Mike Reiss too, who came by just to watch practice while the Pats are in Minnesota. Any chance I can pick his brain it’s like Drake Maye getting to pick the brain of Brady in our profession.

Few guys appeared to get some maintenance days too (Bowry, Allick, Martinez, Harris and Turbo). Allowed Ryan Mickow, Michael Crounse and Pap Sye to get some more run with Dylan and Grayson. Better now than in October or November. Good to know there’s depth up front just in case. Pass pro was pretty good overall for the day.

Early team period/walkthrough

The usual routine. Didn’t really realize just how damn big Mickow is until watching him a bit. Great asset to have. Lonergan had a couple incompletions and a two completions to Bond and McDonald. James hit Zamor, Chudzinski and McLaughlin.

Team period

Lonergan: short to Bond, great diving snag by Dawson Pough (these young receivers continue to impress and make the room even deeper than anticipated), combined run stuff by like 3-4 guys, short pass to Ty Lockwood.

James: Run by Bo MacCormack, incomplete pass to Zamor, run stuff by Josiah Griffin, high incompletion over the middle intended for McLaughlin.

Lonergan: Pressure by Favor Bate forces an incompletion to Datrell Jones, QB run (chase down by Edwin Kolenge).

James: Diving grab by Nedrick Boldin Jr. (young receivers showing up again X2), hard run by Broome (sprung a bit by Mickow).

Field goals

Biggest question on the team by far. The three of us there had Lombardo, Connor and Sam Stone all starting 2-2 but missing their third kicks (all left). Kicks were on each hash from between 30-35 yards.

7-on-7

Fantastic period for both QBs.

Lonergan: Swing to Broome, PBU by Isaiah Farris vs. Skeete, dart to Skeete on a crosser, dime dropped in between the defenders to Skeete over the middle.

James: Short to MacCornack (X2), bullet slant to Boldin Jr. against Townsend, dart in the middle of the field (apparently didn’t write down to who).

Lonergan: Bullet outside to Franklin (probably should have been picked by Crouch), deep in to Skeete.

James: Hitch to Brady Clough, dump off to MacCormack (receivers all covered).

Lonergan: Incomplete in the end zone to Franklin, slant to Franklin, incomplete crosser to Skeete, PBU in the end zone by Max Tucker vs. Pough.

James: Laser up the seam for a TD to Clough but dropped, incomplete in the end zone to Zamor vs. Townsend, one-handed tip up and grab for a TD by Chudzinski in the back of the end zone, PBU for Charlie Comella in the end zone.

Third down situations

Fairly length period of third down work with various downs and distances. Good first down throws by Lonergan to Pough and Skeete. James had first downs to Boldin Jr. and McDonald. Crouch also had a run stuff on one snap and Griffin Collins had a would-be sack. Arjona had a completion to Semaj Fleiming and Mekhi Dodd had a first down run on 3rd-&-2. I can’t say enough about Collins who like MacCormack, Boldin Jr. and Pough, continue to show up regularly.

Punt returns/downing punts inside the 5

Once again, it looks much, much better on all accounts. Still not sure who punts first against Fordham (ideally no one), but it won’t be a shank and should travel at least 45-50 yards. Not the most riveting analysis, I know, but it’s all we’ve got until we see it in a game at this point.

Team period (full drive)

Lonergan: Run stuff Kolenge, out to Bond, incomplete pass to the sideline, incomplete high to Bond, Griffin pressure forces an incompletion on a swing, out to Skeete with a sick juke and YAC pickup, Broome stopped quickly by Jason Hewlett Jr., incompletion over the middle (pressure by Tim Hays, out to Franklin, short pass to Bond (down inside the red zone), Omarion Davis stops a screen, Kolenge sack/throw away.

James: Incompletion to the sideline, PBU Farris vs. McLaughlin (great break on the ball), short to MacCormack, TJ Green shuts down a short pass to MacCormack, short pass to Broome, PBU by Davis (more of a drop by Chudzinski), slant to Chudzinski, incomplete to Clough, crosser to Clough, 10-ish yard TD to Chudzinski.

End of game situational work (red zone)

Eight seconds left, ball at the eight, down by five (23-18 on the scoreboard)…

Lonergan: Incomplete back left corner, unreal one-handed leaping grab by Skeete against Farris (it’s all over social media now).

James: Incomplete fade to Chudzinski, interception back of the end zone by Carter Davis.

Two seconds left, ball at the 20, same score…

Lonergan: Sack by Q Hutchins

James: PBU by Comella

Couple Hail Marys (without the defense) and sprints before calling it a day. Saturday is critical in terms of getting the true game-like competition up and locking in. It’s been an extremely competitive camp so far, but assuming this is a dress rehearsal of sorts, I’d expect one of the more physical days of the summer.