Spaulding Roundup - Freshmen Making an Impact

Thanks to BruinSportsReport for the video.

Yesterday's practice at Spaulding was set up as a mock game situation, and the Bruins will travel to the Rose Bowl tomorrow for their first walk-through of the season.

Coach Mora spent most of practice praising the incoming freshman class.  This highly recruited incoming class looks to figure into many snaps this season, and Mora is high on all of them.  Quickly noting:

• Caleb Benenoch sounds like he will start at RG.  Mora mentioned that Benenoch is used to big games, playing in front of 20k in Texas.  While it's not the Rose Bowl, he understands these situations.  Kenny Lacy could play at left guard, if Simon Goines or Torian White are nicked up, or even just to give them a spell.
• Thomas Duarte will be an impact, and Mora feels that will also push Darius Bell, and with how many plays the offense likes to run, he feels like they both could be starters.
• They are still considering the redshirts of Jalen Ortiz and Darren Andrews, along with Eldridge Massington.  The original plans were probably to redshirt them, but they are working and pushing themselves into game situations.

On Defense:

• All there defensive lineman will figure into the rotation.  Kenny Clark was also once a potential redshirt but they are changing how they are moving guys in and out up front and he can make an impact.
• Mora also rattled off the names of Deon Hollins, Myles Jack, Isaac Savaiinea, Cameron Judge, Jayon Brown, Priest Willis, Tahaan Goodman, and Johnny Johnson before he was hurt as freshmen that could play this season.
• Sean Covington is assured to start, but he is also the only punter we have on the roster.
  

As for punting, Mora did acknowledge that we do have a freshman punter and a sophomore kicker and they will think about some alternate plays on fourth down, but he sounds confident in Covington.  I think it'd be more fun to see Brett Hundley try to make something happen on fourth down.

Mora is ready and yet also wishes he had more time.  We're ready for some football in a week.  Let's go, Bruins.