Joe Adams was everywhere on the field … and looking good. 

He was returning punts.  Short kicks that he had to run up on.  Long kicks that he had to back pedal for.  He didn’t flub up on any of them.  And … man is he fast.  Catch that ball and accelerate down the field.  Sure there weren’t any SEC linebackers trying to take his head off.  But … mark my word … we’re going to be happy with Joe being our return man.

Punt returning will be his second job obviously.  First and foremost Joe is a wide receiver.  Remember last year … when he was a freshman?  He made some great catches.  He had everybody looking in their programs to see who it was that just made that catch. 

You’ll know Joe this year.   My money is on Joe making a name for himself with yards after the catch.  He has some moves on him.  Stopping on a dime.  He knows where the end zone is and we’ll see him in there this fall.

Back to punts.  It was fun to note that others on the sidelines were making the same mistake I did yesterday.  Number 14 is not always Youngblood.  Sometimes it’s our new punter Dillion Breeding.  They’ve got to give him a new number, soon.  Please.

No, he isn’t the scholarship junior college transfer from California.  He’s just the walk on from Helena, Alabama (Hoover).  But gee … he can sure kick that ball.  He has leg strength.  He has distance.  And … in Friday’s practice he kicked one boomer after another. 

Now … don’t get me wrong.  Briton Forester didn’t look bad.  He’s just doesn’t look as graceful on the field as long legged Breeding does.  His experience on the field may be what puts him in first chair.  He’d better stay focused though and on his game.  Petrino has somebody else he can go with in Breeding … if need be.

And … don’t think for a second that the offense was the only guys practicing out there.  Two things pop out at you when you look around at the defense squad on the field:  they’re big and NOT fat.  OK.  We do have a few returning linemen who obviously like to eat.  Dang … I’m glad I’m not feeding them. 

Yesterday … a mini focus for the defense was fumbles.  In one drill, they practiced sandwiching a ball carrier between two defensive players and while the fellow in front held him up, another comes up from behind and pries that ball loose.  I can’t wait to see that in a game.

A second fumble drill was running sideways with a medicine ball coming towards you, the job was to collect the fumble being shuttled at you and run down the field with it.  Another potential game changing play I look forward to see.

Saturday’s practice is at 3 PM.  I’ll be there in my gardening hat.  It was pretty darn hot out there yesterday.