Super Bowl Update

Some quick hits from the media day Saturday on the offensive side from the offensive coaches.

INSIDE RECEIVERS - Inside at the Y, senior Jaquon Robinson has had a great fall and he's backed up by junior Felton Payton, who can also play outside. Sam Haskins and K.D. Edenfield are battling to see who can help more and if someone can play special teams, that helps them get a travel spot. At the H, senior Justin Albert is a guy coaches are really counting on and sophomore Chandler Worthy proved last year he had big-play capability. Walk-on Trey Page and  true freshman Michael Lindsey are also battling at H.

Jim Teknipp is a good tight end for the Trojans and his backup, Tommy Blevins, has been a good surprise, according to coach Kenny Edenfield.

OUTSIDE RECEIVERS - At the X, Chip Reeves is the starter with Bryan Holmes behind him. Eric Thomas has moved to Z. Thomas told me Saturday he's struggling a little bit with that transition. B.J. Chitty "has had as good of a camp as anybody" per coach Shayne Wasden. Other guys battling are walk-ons in sophomore Hakeem Haynie, who played a little bit last year, Mississippi Valley transfer Chris Williams, who looks pretty good when he's in there against the 2s and J.J. Harbin. The two true freshmen, Brandon Brooks and Bobby Walker, "have shown as much potential as anyone as far as young guys go."

RUNNING BACK - More on this in tomorrow's paper, but this is a deep group. When it all comes down to it, Shawn Southward and D.J. Taylor are the top guys but there are options behind them. Freshmen Brandon Burks and (redshirt freshman) Daron White provide a good base for the future.

QUARTERBACK - Coach Sean Reagan said starter Corey Robinson's fundamentals are night and day better than they were a year ago. Deon Anthony is the solid No. 2 and Dallas Tidwell is getting enough reps to stay sharp. That's the only three quarterbacks on scholarship this fall.

OFFENSIVE LINE - OL has a ways to go before the opener, coach John Schlarman said. Kyle Wilborn is the leader of this group and he'll start either at center or left guard. After that, eight guys are battling for the next for spots. At the center/guard positions, you've got Wilborn and senior Andrew Phillips, who is battling an injury and Jimmie Arnold, who missed the Saturday scrimmage. Three guys to watch here, it seems, are returning starter Zach Johnson, senior Cody Woodiel "a young man I'm really excited about" and redshirt freshman Dalton Bennett "has a little nasty streak." At tackle, the three guys battling for two spots are Jarred Fleming, the No. 1 LT right now, Terrence Jones and Chris Hawkins. After that, Schlarman mentioned the "guys who are trying to make the bus" in guys like former DL Tommy Stephens and walk-ons Evan McKissack, Caleb Carbine and Patrick Shotts. Seems like the true freshmen - Luke Lawrence, Tyler Lassiter and Antonio Garcia - have a ways to go, but that's to be expected for most true freshmen OL.