Super Bowl Update

Sharing some stuff from today's media gathering.

***Offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield said that Luke Barnes is the No. 2 quarterback now behind Corey Robinson after Jamie Hampton's injury, but they still hope to be able to redshirt Barnes and two other freshmen QBs. However, Barnes is getting the 2nd team reps.

***Starting Y-WR Jaquon Robinson did not play against UNT, except to hold for PATs, because of a foot injury. His foot is still in the boot. Troy moved Corey Johnson to Y-WR and Chris Anderson to a backup H-WR role for the game, and it'll likely stay that way as long as Robinson is out.

***Defensively, coordinator Jeremy Rowell made some switches, putting in Cam Hudson at safety for Brynden Trawick and Ethan Davis at corner for Chris Pickett. Here's what he had to say about it.

"Trying to find the right dynamic to help us, whatever it may be to give us the spark to play better and to finish things and to make more plays and to do the things it takes to win," Rowell said. "Obviously, we're searching for answers."

"I thought Ethan did some good stuff. He cost us on two plays. The big play early (a big pass play that wasn't a TD) and the big play late (last TD pass), that were both his. That's busts from being a young guy, seeing too much and not zeroing in on what you should be zeroed in on. He sees a little bit too much of the field and what's going on around as opposed to staying locked on his guy. If we would have done that, we'd have been in the right situation to help. He should have had some help from other people also. It's not just his fault, but he should have had some help from some other guys, too, to help him a little bit and didn't have that, either."

"I thought Cam did some good stuff. Again, he made some mistakes, too. That's part of it. Like I said, I was trying something different. Trawick still played. Pickett still played. I was just trying to get a different chemistry going."

***Not quite sure if he'll stick with that lineup - depends on health for this game of Jimmie Anderson (ribs) and Bryan Willis (hamstring). They were more optimistic about Willis, but Anderson did appear to be practicing. I think they both end up playing.

***Left guard Kyle Wilborn wasn't practicing (knee) - but I'd be surprised if he didn't play.

***Here's what head coach Larry Blakeney said about the defense. Remember, he gets long-winded, which is good, but here's the full quote:

"I don't know how to describe it," Blakeney said. "We play pretty good and then, bang, give something up and it's another series before we ever get back on our feet. We don't recover quick enough. Part of that, I guess, is some young guys, though we've got a few experienced guys. We're not great athletically on defense. We're not as good as we've been athletically. We're young in the secondary. We've had to play young. Some of them have been back. Jimmie has been back. It's hard to put your finger on it.

"Willis hasn't played in several weeks. Jimmie is questionable this week. Willis may play this week. (Pickett) has played a lot. The kid, 34, Ethan Davis, is a redshirt freshman. He's played a lot. Those two safeties, LaDarrius Madden and Trawick and No. 8, Camren Hudson. Probably the best football player, not the best athlete is LaDarrius Madden. Trawick is probably the best combination of the two, ability and football player. The young guy (Hudson), there ain't no telling what the (heck) he may do back there. He's smart, he's got plenty of sense, just sometimes he makes the wrong check.

"Defense, everybody thinks you just line up and sic 'em. When the ball turns over, I guess that's true. You've got to get to certain places. You have to make checks. When they motion a guy from here to there, that changes. We have to make a check in the secondary to compensate for that two receivers over there to two receivers over here."

"It's not rocket science, but it's obviously not the easiest thing in the world, either, especially for a young player who is trying to stay alive back there."

***I did ask Rowell about the motivation for these guys playing out the season even though it'll be one with a losing record

"They have to keep playing," Rowell said. "It's a game, but it's still what they're here to do. We have to get better because we've got games next year. We've got to get ourselves better to help ourselves for next year. We have to keep working, keep grinding. They have to have some pride, too, to finish the season and play hard and get better."