A week and a half in and it seems pretty quiet. Hopefully we've gotten over the initial let down from the Huldon Tharp injury, the quarterback battle is still carrying on and a scrimmage with a depth chart following has passed.
Thoughts? Opinions? Questions? Answers? Probably not a whole lot in the way of answers still but there are a few odds and ends worth pointing out.
First off Daymond Patterson has been drawing very strong reviews so far in camp. Moving him back to offense could turn into one of the best moves for this team in 2010. The offense will look to get the ball in his hands and let him work when possible.
On that note, the return game could also see a bit of a resurgence this year as a healthy competition seems to be ongoing for that responsibility. Giving the right players the opportunity and putting them in a position to succeed could be all it takes, unfortunately this wasn't always the case in the last regime. This applies across the board not just in the return game.
Getting back to Christian Matthews who we spoke about a week ago, several reports of a "wildcat" formation including the quarterback turned wide receiver taking the snap. If you've watched any high school film on Matthews, this would be good news to you. He's only a redshirt freshman and still learning a new position, but Matthews has serious potential.
The running back position appears wide open from Angus Quigley to Toben Opurum and down to James Sims and Brandon Bourbon. Quigley is still working with the ones but all four are in the hunt for time and Turner Gill has continued to make it clear that they want to commit to running the football more.
Kale Pick continues to be the word at quarterback. I know the battle at QB is being hyped in the media and maybe Jordan Webb is in on it, but from what I can gather most expect Pick to win out. He's more versatile and a better fit for what the staff wants to do at this stage.
All in all the attitude and vibe around the team continues to be VERY positive. If you can accomplish that as a staff while practicing in 140 degree heat during August in Kansas, then you're doing some good things. More specifics coming next week relating to each position, depth chart and any surprise position battles/players shaping up.