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1. Notebook Things | The LAJ talks about how yesterday was a day of pads and hitting, but I didn't see any video from the official site. Maybe it will be posted sometime today. DT Kerry Hyder talks a bit about how he's getting ready, but he also talks about how the offensive line is progressing:
"They’re doing good," he said. "There’s a lot of people worried about the offensive line, but they’re a good group. They’re working together, and I feel like they’re going to surprise a lot of people this year."
Also of note is that Tyler Middleton and SMU's Traylon Shead both played JUCO football together at Navarro College (this never occurred to me) and Middleton and Shead are friends, but the interesting thought for me is that Middleton appears to be okay with redshirting this year :
"It would probably be better," he said, "so I can learn the plays, weigh more and get bigger, stronger, faster."
And CB-Coach Kevin Curtis just mentioned Bruce Jones and Ola Falemi are locking down the cornerback spots:
"Those two older guys are standing out, doing a great job," cornerbacks coach Kevin Curtis said. "Our goal is to try to get the rest of the group to play up to those guys’ level."
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2. Amaro Getting Stronger and Healthy, Maturing | The LAJ profiles TE Jace Amaro, who is learning from a rough freshman campaign, an injury and the incident during the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Amaro is getting healthy and feels better:
"Being injured, that’s just one more thing to be grateful for," Amaro said. "Every single practice you have or every time you’re out there, you have a chance to play. That really dealt to me, and I feel like that grew me up pretty quick because I saw my team lose and that’s just the last thing I wanted to see.
"I feel more involved, I feel more mature and a better football player. I’m a much better person and I have a better mindset. My mentality is stronger than it was before. I feel like I’m really ready to go this season."
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that Amaro is progressing:
"He’s come a long way," head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "During the spring coming off that injury was still a little tentative to start, and by the end of spring he was getting at it pretty good. From what I’ve heard, he’s had an incredible summer. He looks great and he’s a big part of our offense."
3. Stripe Out | The official site has details on how the first home game against SFA will be a stripe out and the fans in the even numbered sections and all students will wear red and the fans in the odd numbered sections will wear black.
4. ESPN's Preview | ESPN (not Ubben) has a preview of the season and Ubben takes a look at the non-conference schedule, including a very scientific percent of winning the three non-conference games.
5. All-Americans | SI has released their 2013 Preseason All-American team.
6. Realignmentpalooza | Frank the Tank talks a bit about how recently OU AD Joe Castiglione has mentioned that the realignment game isn't over and the mythical "grant of rights".
7. You Ready?
8. Leach Suit vs. ESPN, Craig James and Spaeth Communications | Yesterday, 99th District Judge Sowder dismissed the Mike Leach case versus ESPN, Craig James and Spaeth Communications. I didn't have a lot to say about this yesterday, but I really thought that there would at the very least be a trial to argue the facts and things, not an outright summary judgment. I do believe in the judicial system, I really always have, even if the outcome doesn't agree with my personal feelings. Leach's attorneys say that he will appeal.
9. Manziel Stuff | ESPN's Wright Thompson has another article about Johnny Manziel and his manager, "Uncle Nate," and I link to this because I really love the way that Thompson writes. It's fantastic. In any event, the premise of that article is that Nate allegedly was running an autograph business for Manziel and was Nate smart enough not to get caught. Bylaw Blog opines that some of the presumptions that Nate and Manziel are making about their relationship can easily be dismissed by the NCAA. I like the juxtaposition of the two articles because Bylaw Blog gets to the actual rules of the case, so you get some idea as to how the rules might be enforced.