Fall Scrimmage Reflections

Why, oh why, Pat Hill, did you decide to close fall camp to the public so soon? We here at the Bounce are bummed about it, but feel confident we saw enough live practice to gain valuable insight into the season (check for our position-by-position breakdowns in the coming days).

As for Saturday's fall scrimmage, there were more takeaways than a Richard Marshall career. And it's tough not to feel optimistic about the effort on display. Check out the categories below...

Give him a 'Dog bone decal now!

• QB Ryan Colburn for leading the offense on a commanding first possession and being the Mr. Encouragement of the team with his "Good job ____" quotes. Oh, and for the crackback block he delivered after a bubble screen to Jamel Hamler despite wearing a yellow jersey so defenders knew not to hit him.
• QB Derek Carr for taking advantage of his late scrimmage snaps by zipping passes in places others can't and being on the money on the bulk of his throws (if only we can get those WRs to hang on to them now...).
• QB Greg Watson for not wearing one of those sissy-looking yellow don't-hit-me jerseys.
• WR Josh Harper for having perhaps his best showing of camp, making the redshirt decision that much more tough on coaches.
• WR Jalen Saunders for burning the heck out of CBs twice on go routes, culminating with a 65-yard TD from Greg Watson (his other burn notice ended in an incompletion when he was underthrown by Ryan Colburn).
• RB Robbie Rouse for being really good at football.
• RB A.J. Ellis for showing he's going to be a heck of a weapon catching passes out of the backfield.
• TE Michael Butler for reeling in a ridiculously good pass from Derek Carr deep downfield in traffic, and holding on after a big hit.
• C Joe Bernardi for making forming a hog circle and making the young linemen dance in front of 1,000 fans during warm-ups.
• G Matt Hunt for easing our worries about next year's starting line.
• DE Tristan Okpalaugo for picking off a pass at scrimmage the way opposing D-linemen used to against Tommy Brandstater (sigh...).
• DT Cornell Banks for being our best hope for a dominant interior lineman.
• LB Pat Su'a for starting and looking the part, making us wonder who the better prospect is between Su'a and Jeremiah Toma (go future Fresno State LB stars!).
• LB Ofa Fifita for reminding us of Dwayne Andrews (he's a beast).
• CB Sean Alston for being possibly the most impressive player of the evening, sticking with giant Victor Dean on the fade-to-the-corner-of-the-end-zone route that works every time and batting the pass away, and then for picking off a pass in zone coverage later on. Alston just might be the most under-the-radar stud of this recruiting class, and showed great progress the past 3-4 days of camp.
• CB Jermaine Thomas for being the team's best CB so much so that the Bulldogs' QBs didn't throw his way all night.
• CB Isaiah Green for turning in a heck of an effort, and being a sure tackler, after being sidelined with a minor injury much of the week.
• S Derron Smith for once again impressing as a true freshman, with a would-be pick 6. And he even got CB Desia Dunn to tweet about him live from the sideline.
• P Andrew Shapiro for booming a 48-yarder with serious hang time after having a punt blocked. Consistency will be key for him.