Spring practice day 6: Defense debuts ‘jumbo package’

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Fullback Cameron Griffin takes the hand off from quarterback Josh Rosen. Photo by Brad Graverson // Daily Breeze

Fullback Cameron Griffin takes the hand off from quarterback Josh Rosen. Photo by Brad Graverson // Daily Breeze

A notebook is coming here, featuring fullbacks Ainuu Taua and Cameron Griffin and the relationship between football, hammers and nails.

Video interviews with Griffin, Taua, wide receiver Darren Andrews and defensive line coach Angus McClure.

Here are some notes and observations from day six of practice:

— As McClure talked about in his interview, the team did a lot of situational work during the scrimmages: goal line, backed up, short yardage, red zone, etc. Taua thought the defense won overall, but said the receivers seemed to get the best of the defensive backs. From my perspective, the offense definitely had one of its better days overall but perhaps still not better than the defense.

— Kenny Walker had a good day, both in one-on-ones and during 11-on-11 periods. He made two great catches in one-on-ones: an over-the-shoulder catch for a touchdown and another one that he leaped up for and hauled in while falling backwards.

— After Jim Mora celebrated having only two false starts on Monday, the head coach was much less pleased with the concentration Thursday. I counted four false starts, but there were probably many more. After one, Mora shouted: “That’s embarrassing! A delay of game and a false start!”

— Interestingly enough, the offense responded almost immediately to Mora’s complaint, as it scored three straight touchdowns on consecutive plays. Mike Fafaul found Ishmael Adams for a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone, which Josh Rosen then followed with back-to-back touchdown passes. Rosen fired a perfect pass through traffic to Eldridge Massington in the back of the end zone and then found Walker for a touchdown on the next play.

— The defense responded with consecutive sacks on Rosen, one coming from Jacob Tuioti-Mariner and the second coming from Jayon Brown, who blitzed from his linebacker position and came untouched into the back field.

—Brown laid a crushing hit on Darren Andrews on a goal line play during an 11-on-11 period. Mora kicked Brown out of practice for it. It was a ridiculously hard hit. Read more about it in the notebook here. After Brown left, freshman Breland Brandt came in with the first string.

— The defense unleashed a “jumbo package” during the goal line situations, with Rick Wade, Matt Dickerson, Eli Ankou, Tuioti-Mariner, Takkarist McKinley, Keisean Lucier-South and Deon Hollins all on the field together. It has mixed results for the defense as McKinley dropped running back Soso Jamabo for a tackle for loss on the first play as the defensive lineman looped all the way around from his spot on the right side to the left side to make the tackle, but the offense also scored multiple times in the short-yardage situations.

— JJ Molson hit three of his five field goals at the end of practice, missing wide left from about 40 yards and coming up short on the long field goal from more than 50. Andrew Strauch hit four of his field goals and connected on the long field goal. It was the first time either kicker had hit from 50 yards during spring. But Strauch’s one miss was a shank from about 35 yards.

— Cornerback Nate Meadors was on the sideline with the injured crew.