Jalil Carter Moved to Wide Reciever

[Dr Z]

Soure PD (click here)

AKRON, Ohio -- Opening day is months away, but Akron football coach Rob Ianello is hard at work trying to meet all the fundamental promises made when he was hired to replace ousted J.D. Brookhart at the end of a 3-9 season in 2009.

A 6 a.m. practice is just completed, and Ianello -- who could use some coffee but doesn't drink it -- sits to answer a few questions about a team that, according to Akron athletic director Tom Wistrcill, is poised to be an immediate Mid-American Conference contender.

"We have a lot to do," he said.

"Just look at scheme," Ianello began. "We go from a shotgun, spreadlike scheme to a more conventional scheme. There's something as fundamental as the center-quarterback exchange. Patrick played in high school in the shotgun and his first year here in the shotgun. The young man who played center here last year is not with us.

"So we have two new guys playing center, and a quarterback who has never been under center taking snaps. Just that fundamental alone is going through some growing pains."

Ianello, 44, said simple fundamentals like that at several positions, including offensive line, are where Akron's cupboard is being rearranged.

Offensively, one thing that will be novel for the MAC is that Akron plans to use a fullback extensively. Over the years, MAC teams have gone to variations of the "spread" offense, which features not a fullback, but backs and receivers scurrying all over the field, and quarterbacks with varying abilities to run the football to get out of trouble.

"We've moved three guys to fullback [blake Fraley, James Heiss, LeVon Morefield] who have not played fullback before," Ianello said.

Big-play safety Jalil Carter also has been moved to wide receiver, requiring another learning curve on offense. "We'll see where that takes us," coach said.

The spring game is April 17.

[GP1]

according to Akron athletic director Tom Wistrcill, is poised to be an immediate Mid-American Conference contender.

Hats off to the AD for setting the right tone.

[johnnyzip84]

Moving Jalil to WR seems to make some sense. He's got size and speed. The obvious question is his hands. It's a bit unfortunate that he'll only have a year to make the transition. JD was pretty good at moving guys around. I wonder if he ever considered this move?

And how about LeVon Morefield still plugging away! Recall he won the Rudy award last year (ZNO links). Hmmmm the ND connections continue to crop up.

ZNO Link1

ZNO Link2

If there is a "heart" position on the field, it's got to be fullback. Rocky Bleier is a great example of this. I'd love to see LeVon contribute in 2010. And he has had at least one big pass play out of the backfield so far this spring (GoZips Link).

GoZips Link

[UA Fan]

Soure PD (click here)

AKRON, Ohio -- Opening day is months away, but Akron football coach Rob Ianello is hard at work trying to meet all the fundamental promises made when he was hired to replace ousted J.D. Brookhart at the end of a 3-9 season in 2009.

A 6 a.m. practice is just completed, and Ianello -- who could use some coffee but doesn't drink it -- sits to answer a few questions about a team that, according to Akron athletic director Tom Wistrcill, is poised to be an immediate Mid-American Conference contender.

"We have a lot to do," he said.

"Just look at scheme," Ianello began. "We go from a shotgun, spreadlike scheme to a more conventional scheme. There's something as fundamental as the center-quarterback exchange. Patrick played in high school in the shotgun and his first year here in the shotgun. The young man who played center here last year is not with us.

"So we have two new guys playing center, and a quarterback who has never been under center taking snaps. Just that fundamental alone is going through some growing pains."

Ianello, 44, said simple fundamentals like that at several positions, including offensive line, are where Akron's cupboard is being rearranged.

Offensively, one thing that will be novel for the MAC is that Akron plans to use a fullback extensively. Over the years, MAC teams have gone to variations of the "spread" offense, which features not a fullback, but backs and receivers scurrying all over the field, and quarterbacks with varying abilities to run the football to get out of trouble.

"We've moved three guys to fullback [blake Fraley, James Heiss, LeVon Morefield] who have not played fullback before," Ianello said.

Big-play safety Jalil Carter also has been moved to wide receiver, requiring another learning curve on offense. "We'll see where that takes us," coach said.

The spring game is April 17.

RI quote retweeted on FootballScoop to keep the nation up to date on the Zips:

http://www.footballscoop.com/?cat=41