Bears Starting to Get Serious in Practice
The Bears were back at work Tuesday after their second day of fall camp as the preseason preparations for the football team neared the midpoint.
Things will get serious for the football team as the intensity amps up.
Head coach Justin Wilcox, who had a Zoom call with the media Tuesday before practice, said there would be some serious head-knocking in the next week of practices, starting with a six-day block
“It is a really important block,” he said. “This week we are ten practices in. It will be more physical this week. We have built up over the nine practices the number of team reps. The amount of individual work we are doing. That will grow gonig into this week. There will be some very competitive days. We will have a block of six and then we will have three, three and three. And that leads us right up to the game (Nov.7 vs. Washington).
“We have not had a live scrimmage yet,” he said later. “We are still working ourselves into condition, ….We anticipate having some live work this week. Whether that results in a 100-play scrimmage I don’t know if we will get that far yet, but we will have some live work this week.”
One player who won’t be doing any live work is outside linebacker Curley Young. Young, a redshirt freshman, sustained what Cal described as a lower-body injury and will be out for the year. He played in two games last year and was expected to compete for playing time this season.
Wilcox was asked about his two senior wide receivers Kevon Clark and Kekoa Crawford. Wilcox said both are doing well in camp.
“Trevon is working himself back into shape,” Wilcox said. “He can do some things that can really help us on offense. Kekoa, he looks quick and fast right now. Last year he was battling through some injury things. He’s leaned up he knows the offense. I am really looking forward to watching those guys.”
As for special teams Wilcox is impressed by punter Jamieson Shehan and that Dario Longhetto seems to have a leg up (sorry) in the battle for the placekicking job.
Jamieson Shehan has done a real good job,” WIlcox said. “As you all know he’s a punter who’s never punted in a game before. He is a talented guy.
Dario Longhetto is kicking well. It is still competitive at that position, but Dario has noticeably improved.”
Related:
Fall Camp Practice Day Six, Sirmon Talks Tackling