The intensity level at practice today was extremely high. Both players and coaches were very vocal, and there were multiple altercations between teammates. Coach Rick Neuheisel said that the scout teams in particular were very "spirited."
"I just like coming to work with these guys," Neuheisel said. "They just keep trying, they keep busting their tails, and it’s a great group that way. We just got to keep working to do the little things so we don’t beat ourselves and give ourselves every chance to be successful and win games."
Here are more highlights from practice:
– Quarterback Ben Olson was in pads but did not participate in any of the drills. Olson is working his way back from a foot injury that has kept him sidelined since fall camp. Neuheisel said that he was in the "infancy stages" in terms of coming back and will not play this week against Stanford. There could be a possibility he could be healthy enough following the team’s bye week.
"You never know," Neuheisel said. "That would be the probable time when you’d have the chance to get him some work and give him the chance to develop back into game shape."
When asked if Olson would have to win the starting job over current quarterback Kevin Craft, Neuheisel said it would depend on what happens over the next two weeks and how Olson is.
"I don’t have any problem with Ben coming back and being our quarterback. If Ben can come back and is our best quarterback, then obviously we’d like him to play."
– Neuheisel talked about the play of tight end Jeff Miller, who caught two balls for 27 yards and one touchdown in the loss to Oregon. Miller switched to tight end from defensive tackle.
"We’ve just been a little bit snake-bit with injuries. Cory Harkey looked like he was going to be just a brillant young tight end, but he’s still just nursing a bad ankle. Miller got called into duty and did a nice job."
Neuheisel said that Miller is still developing as a blocker, stating that he just needs to get lower.
– Terrence Austin is now in the concussion protocal and is "doing well." Neuheisel said that he was "at worst questionable, maybe even better than that." If he did play, he would not return punts or kicks. The duty would fall to Ryan Graves.
– An emphasis was placed upon tackling. One of the team’s weaknesses in the loss to Oregon was the poor tackling. To address that, the defense went through tackling drills and did a lot of "live stuff."