In my recent Q&A with running backs and tight ends coach Jay Graham I asked about how the two defensive guys who switched over to TE were doing after a week at their new position.
Graham said then:
"Chaun Gresham and Corey Simmons have worked really hard and they're just learning the little things: you line up different, your stance is different, you're not a defensive end anymore you're a tight end. Looking at signals every play, doing stuff totally different, trying to avoid people as opposed to running into them. They've done a good job in week one, their learning curve has been very fast because we're not slowing down the plays that we're putting in for them. They're learning. I tell them not to get frustrated, just keep working hard and by the end of the week you'll feel a whole lot better about what we're teaching."
Gresham and Simmons are working for second on the depth chart behind junior starter Justice Cunningham. Cunningham and Mike Triglia (who is sitting out spring practice after injuring his knee in December) are the only returning players with game experience at the position, which presents an opportunity for Gresham and Simmons to possibly get more playing time sooner than had they stayed on the defensive side of the ball. The 2011 season will be Gresham's third as a Gamecock. He redshirted as a freshman in 2009 and this past season played mostly on special teams while listed at defensive end. Simmons will be a redshirt freshman this season.
A couple weeks after I first talked with Coach Graham I followed up to see how the two young guys are progressing. Simmons played both tight end and defensive end in high school, so the transition has been somewhat easier for him.
"It's fun, I'm enjoying it," Simmons said of the transition. "I played both in high school so I'm just getting back to what I used to do."
Gresham said he played a little offense in high school as well, but that the biggest differences are the contact and the speed of the game.
"I'm so used to running and hitting people instead of having to set up and block or take a hit," said Gresham. "And the speed, it's just so much faster, so much more up tempo than high school."
And although he's feeling more confident now, that wasn't necessarily the case on the first day of practice at his new position.
"Oh it was crazy," Gresham said, laughing. "I didn't know what to do, I was all over the place. I was getting aggravated because I kept messing up, but as I've kept practicing I've started getting the hang of it. Coach [Jay] Graham and Coach [Andy] Boyd drill us and drill us. They make sure we know the plays, know our assignments, make sure we know what we got to do."
Simmons said the hardest part of the transition for him has been understanding everything that is happening on the field at one time, but that the coaches throwing him right in the mix and letting him make mistakes has helped him learn.
"Learning the concepts of each route [has been the hardest]," Simmons said. "You can't just run your route and be in the way thinking you're going to get the ball every time. You have to make sure you're in the right position so the person who is supposed to get the ball for each play is in the right place. You have to understand the whole offense not just your role."
For his part, Coach Graham has seen improvement throughout the first few weeks of practice, particularly in the players' ability to make a quick turn after catching the ball to try to run and make plays compared to initially, when they would just catch the ball and get down.
"They're doing a good job now, understanding they're offensive players, starting to move like offensive players," said Graham. "That's the thing I've noticed the most. They're improving and understanding the offense so they're getting the plays and lining up quicker. I'm yelling out there, 'you got it?' and they're saying 'yeah, I got it!' They're getting a little more confidence in what they're doing so that's a good thing to see."
Keep an eye out for Gresham (#29) and Simmons (#95) during the Garnet & Black Spring Game on Saturday at 1:00 PM and be sure to stick around afterwards. The first ever Gamecock Fan Fest will start on the field at Williams-Brice Stadium about 30 minutes after the end of the spring game.
Brittany Lane
*Interesting side note about Gresham - Gamecock legend George Rogers is his uncle (his mother's brother). Gresham said it was a small part of why he came here, but that he didn't really get to come to many games with Rogers when he was younger. "My mom really didn't let me come see him because of the publicity. She really didn't want me to come here because of him," Gresham said, smiling. Apparently there is a bit of sibling rivalry - Gresham's mom went to Alabama.
Graham said then:
"Chaun Gresham and Corey Simmons have worked really hard and they're just learning the little things: you line up different, your stance is different, you're not a defensive end anymore you're a tight end. Looking at signals every play, doing stuff totally different, trying to avoid people as opposed to running into them. They've done a good job in week one, their learning curve has been very fast because we're not slowing down the plays that we're putting in for them. They're learning. I tell them not to get frustrated, just keep working hard and by the end of the week you'll feel a whole lot better about what we're teaching."
Gresham and Simmons are working for second on the depth chart behind junior starter Justice Cunningham. Cunningham and Mike Triglia (who is sitting out spring practice after injuring his knee in December) are the only returning players with game experience at the position, which presents an opportunity for Gresham and Simmons to possibly get more playing time sooner than had they stayed on the defensive side of the ball. The 2011 season will be Gresham's third as a Gamecock. He redshirted as a freshman in 2009 and this past season played mostly on special teams while listed at defensive end. Simmons will be a redshirt freshman this season.
Above: Gresham (#29) vs. Tennessee in 2010
A couple weeks after I first talked with Coach Graham I followed up to see how the two young guys are progressing. Simmons played both tight end and defensive end in high school, so the transition has been somewhat easier for him.
"It's fun, I'm enjoying it," Simmons said of the transition. "I played both in high school so I'm just getting back to what I used to do."
Gresham said he played a little offense in high school as well, but that the biggest differences are the contact and the speed of the game.
"I'm so used to running and hitting people instead of having to set up and block or take a hit," said Gresham. "And the speed, it's just so much faster, so much more up tempo than high school."
And although he's feeling more confident now, that wasn't necessarily the case on the first day of practice at his new position.
"Oh it was crazy," Gresham said, laughing. "I didn't know what to do, I was all over the place. I was getting aggravated because I kept messing up, but as I've kept practicing I've started getting the hang of it. Coach [Jay] Graham and Coach [Andy] Boyd drill us and drill us. They make sure we know the plays, know our assignments, make sure we know what we got to do."
Simmons said the hardest part of the transition for him has been understanding everything that is happening on the field at one time, but that the coaches throwing him right in the mix and letting him make mistakes has helped him learn.
"Learning the concepts of each route [has been the hardest]," Simmons said. "You can't just run your route and be in the way thinking you're going to get the ball every time. You have to make sure you're in the right position so the person who is supposed to get the ball for each play is in the right place. You have to understand the whole offense not just your role."
For his part, Coach Graham has seen improvement throughout the first few weeks of practice, particularly in the players' ability to make a quick turn after catching the ball to try to run and make plays compared to initially, when they would just catch the ball and get down.
"They're doing a good job now, understanding they're offensive players, starting to move like offensive players," said Graham. "That's the thing I've noticed the most. They're improving and understanding the offense so they're getting the plays and lining up quicker. I'm yelling out there, 'you got it?' and they're saying 'yeah, I got it!' They're getting a little more confidence in what they're doing so that's a good thing to see."
Keep an eye out for Gresham (#29) and Simmons (#95) during the Garnet & Black Spring Game on Saturday at 1:00 PM and be sure to stick around afterwards. The first ever Gamecock Fan Fest will start on the field at Williams-Brice Stadium about 30 minutes after the end of the spring game.
Brittany Lane
*Interesting side note about Gresham - Gamecock legend George Rogers is his uncle (his mother's brother). Gresham said it was a small part of why he came here, but that he didn't really get to come to many games with Rogers when he was younger. "My mom really didn't let me come see him because of the publicity. She really didn't want me to come here because of him," Gresham said, smiling. Apparently there is a bit of sibling rivalry - Gresham's mom went to Alabama.
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