UT camp competitions

8/15/2007

I ve been at University of Toledo football practice the past few days and wanted to share some insights.

At quarterback, Aaron Opelt is taking all of the snaps I've seen with the No. 1s. After 18 practices, he has given the coaches no reason to think he can t do the job come Sept. 1 against Purdue.

Splitting the reps with the 2s the past two days are Clint Cochran and true freshman D.J. Lenehan. Cochran has a jammed finger on his right hand, but coach Tom Amstutz said he hasn t been affected by it; it s more to give Lenehan experience. Travaris Cadet, the other freshman, is handling scout team duties.

One competition that might not seem important but becomes so with a new rule change is who will handle kickoffs. The tees are being moved back five yards to the 30-yard line, which means some kickers won t be able to get touchbacks and there will be more kickoff returns.

Amstutz said freshman Brett Brodbeck, or Tennessee as he calls him, is the leading candidate to handle kickoffs. Brodbeck, from Brentwood, Tenn., was kicking the ball four yards deep into the end zone from the 30 in last Saturday s scrimmage, according to Amstutz. He is battling senior Michael Krispinsky for the kickoffs job.

Another true freshman who might see playing time this fall is linebacker Drey Lon Pree. Pree was working with the 2s today and made his presence felt.

The team will start practicing in the Glass Bowl on Saturday and will be in there for the next two weeks. They will start working on Purdue next week.

Please feel free to email me at mfulton@theblade.com with any questions you have. You can make your own observations Saturday at the public practice and autograph session, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Glass Bowl with autographs afterward.