* Damien Thigpen spent some time rotating in with the first unit at cornerback, albeit at nickel. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly he catches on at nickel; that could be a good fit for him. College slot receivers typically aren’t that big, so if Thigpen can compete with his speed advantage, that might not be a bad idea. I still think he should be an offensive player with the ball in his hands at least three or four times a game.

* Malcolm Jones also got some reps with the first unit, and he performed admirably. Kid has a lot of raw talent, and he’s proving he can take contact. Anyone who watched him at Oaks Christian knew that was the case.

* The biggest difference for Ricky Marvray this year? Route-running. He’s always had great hands – several told me last year that he had the best hands on the team – but he is getting open. And even when he’s not open, he’s positioning his body to have the best shot at the ball. He had a beautiful comeback route during team drills where he just broke off Courtney Viney, and he had a spectacular grab with about 15 minutes left in practice, leaping over two defenders for the catch and bringing it down. Rick Neuheisel immediately turned around and yelled at the other players to watch him.

* Awesome, AWESOME, interviews to come later today with both Ricky Marvray AND Marvray and Aaron Hester together. The multi-player videos are pretty cool; you get a good feel for how to guys view each other and their positions.

* I don’t know if Justin Edison can be an elite defensive tackle this year, but he’s definitely shown that he can hold the fort. During fall ball, gauging the line play is by far the most difficult – it’s very easy to see if a receiver has hands, can get open, etc. – so the only think I watch are hands and feet. Does a guy initiate contact? Does he know how to shuck blocks? Does he have a feel for where the lineman is trying to take him? For Edison, yes, yes and yes.

* Jayson Allmond was back in a white jersey today after being switched to defense yesterday. I suspect the coaching staff really has no idea what to do with him.

* Tony Dye missed the morning practice with some tightness in his leg, but Neuheisel said he’d be back for the afternoon session.

* Neuheisel said he expects Stan McKay back tomorrow, but Kevin Prince said he’s not sure when he’ll return.