The Sock 'Em, Bust 'Em Board Because that's our custom

Scrimmage preview

That’s cool. You know what’s not cool? Blue Adams in workout pants and a turtleneck under a T-shirt.

We’re live at the scrimmage, but we’re not allowed to report on it as it happens. I can tell you there are answers to some questions but no real surprises. I’ll explain later.

One thing I cal tell you is that Rushell Shell won’t work out today. Remember when he was absent Tuesday and I said didn’t know why? Nobody would tell me, until Saturday. “He’s been concussed,” Dana Holgorsen said.

More Justin Crawford!

Seeing more of Crawford and Kennedy McKoy is good for the coaches. “We know what we have with Russ,” Holgorsen said. (Russ? Rush? Why do we keep doing this?)

He nevertheless wants to see some activity at a few spots today.

“Right tackle is one,” he said of the competition betwixt Marcell Lazard and Colton McKivitz. “From a starter’s perspective, obviously free safety is one now. We’ve got a pretty good battle at corner going on with a bunch of guys. Will linebacker, Sean Walters is doing pretty well, but David Long is a guy we’re having a hard time blocking.

“So, I think we know who about 90 percent of our starters are now. A couple of slots we’re focusing on when it comes to starting spots, and then it’s always who the next guys are as we develop depth.”

<> Speaking of free safety, the play that felled Dravon Askew-Henry for the season was not quite as fluky as the one that got Karl Joseph last season, but it wasn’t reckless or dangerous, either.

“Karl’s was 100-percent non-contact,” Holgorsen said. “This year, the same thing. Nobody rolled up on him. It wasn’t a tackle. It was jumping for a ball, him and one of the receivers. He went up and just landed on it funny. There’s no explanation for it.”

 

<> Holgorsen said he and defensive coordinator Tony Gibson took the news about as badly as you’d expect.

“When we found out yesterday, me and Gibby were in the locker room and we both about puked,” Holgorsen said.

<> Holgorsen called Askew-Henry the team’s “best defensive player and team leader.”

“The kid has NFL aspirations,” Holgorsen saud. “If had a very, very solid year this year, he could have come out. I think he’s that good.”

 

<> Holgorsen said redshirt freshman Chris Chugunov would be the team’s first backup quarterback in the scrimmage.

“Chugs has had a good three or four days,” Holgorsen said. “He’s had a really good three or four days.”

<> The team’s top four receivers — in whatever order you choose — are Daikiel Shorts, Shelton Gibson, Ka’Raun White and Jovon Durante.

“Gary Jennings is a real, real close fifth, and Devonte Mathis has had a very solid camp as well,” Holgorsen said. “Those are our six. The rest of the guys are not there yet.”

<> The situation at right tackle is anything but dire, even is a redshirt freshman threatens to overtake a junior who started six games last season.

 

“It’s Colton developing,” Holgorsen said. “Marcell’s got starting experience and a lot of game reps, and he’s better than he was last year. I’m happy for Marcell. It’s simply Colton’s athletic body, his smarts and that he’s probably a little ahead of the curve right now.”