Texas Tech University Athletics
Receivers Spring Profile
March 29, 2005 | Football
March 29, 2005
By Jenna Sampson, Texas Tech Media Relations
Wide receiver coach Sonny Dykes and inside receiver coach Dana Holgorsen will have the pick of the litter this spring when it comes to potential route runners. With just a few practices under their belts, the receivers are already making strides in honing skills and fighting for spots.
"This is always a great time of year. Guys are hungry to get out here. What I like about spring training is that you get to focus on fundamentals without playing a game on Saturday. You come out here and stress the little things and try to get these guys fundamentally sound and improve those areas. Guys that haven't had a chance to compete all of the sudden get some reps, so you're always surprised at who emerges and who doesn't," said Dykes.
One of the surprises this week has been the performance of Robert Johnson. Initially recruited as a quarterback last year, the junior college transfer will be working hard to become an integral part of the receiving corps.
He's extremely talented. We all knew that. He has done a great job making the transition to that position. I think playing quarterback gives him a good sense of picking up on the holes in the defense. He's really picked it up a lot faster than I thought he would. It's been a pleasant surprise," said Dykes.
Dykes also has several veterans out on the field, including stellar 6-4 wide-out Jarrett Hicks. Hicks spent his sophomore season rising above the competition, literally. His height and speed, combined with raw athletic ability, created a challenging package for opposing secondaries last fall.
Hicks became the first player in school history with four-straight games of 100-plus receiving yards. He finished the season with 76 receptions for 1,177 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 80-yard catch against Nebraska was the longest touchdown of the Mike Leach era.
"I think Jarrett Hicks had a good year last year, but he's still got a long ways to go in terms of working on consistency and developing that attitude that comes with being `the' guy. And I think Joel Filani has had a great spring so far with two good solid practices. He's got big play capabilities. This is also a great time of year for guys like Marquis Johnson and Brandon Douglas. Todd Walker has jumped in there and done extremely well, and Anthony Jenkins as well. Really, all of those guys have looked good," added Dykes.
Dykes is also expecting dependable starter Cody Fuller to return for his senior season, depending on how the MLB draft plays out. Fuller currently patrols centerfield for Tech's baseball team and is expected to get plenty of attention from major league scouts this spring.
As far as the inside receivers go, Coach Holgorsen is busy sizing up his new players and assessing the improvement of last year's back-ups.
"There's a transition after the season is over. There are about three months of offseason that changes kids' mentalities. They develop, get mature, get older, so we're just out there evaluating and seeing who is doing that," he said.
One of the more noticeable players on the field in a white jersey is newcomer Rylan Reed. The former minor league hurler spent the last four years on the mound in the Chicago White Sox system before deciding to give college football a try. Better yet, the 6-7, 270-pound Reed enters the roster as a true freshman, giving the coaches plenty of time to develop him into an impact player. After the rust wears off, he will be battling for reps at the Y receiver spot.
"He hasn't played football in five years, so he has to learn the game. He's a big body that has some potential. He's a guy that we will evaluate and continue to evaluate in the fall to see what kind of reps we can get out of him," Holgorsen added.
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Bruising tight end Bristol Olomua also entered last year's roster after a break from the game, but quickly adjusted and was on the receiving end of a few noteworthy trips into the end zone last season. However, the big target missed the end of the year with academic problems and won't be participating in spring drills.
"He has some academic stuff to work out this summer. He'll be here in May and he'll go through summer school, so we'll see how he does with that. I'm not repping him now, so I'm not counting on him, but I anticipate him being back," said Holgorsen.
One player that Holgorsen is glad to have on the field right now is Danny Amendola. The H-back speedster made quite an impact on the field last season as a true freshman, starting with a 90-yard return against KSU to tie for the second-longest punt return in school history. Amendola led the conference with 29 returns for 371 yards and finished the season ranked 22nd in the NCAA.
"Being behind Nehemiah (Glover) was fun. Getting out there and playing a little bit was fun. I learned a lot from him because he's a great player, but getting out there and playing well this year will be great," Amendola said.
His performances during the first week of spring drills make it obvious that he spent the offseason improving strength and speed. He will most likely be a great replacement for last year's senior inside receivers Trey Haverty and Glover.
"Yeah, he's looking like it. I would probably compare him a little more to Wes (Welker) because Wes started as a true freshman. Danny is a lot better receiver than Wes was at this point in his career," Holgorsen stated.
Welker, who plays for the Miami Dolphins, went on to set school records in career receptions, career receiving yards, and every punt return record in the book.
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"Danny Amendola has been really consistent the last two days. He's the guy that has really benefited from the offseason, because he's never had one. In high school he always went from football to baseball. This offseason has really been important to him. Last year you could tell he was a little weak- a little slow. As good of a player he was last year, he needed to be stronger, quicker and faster. He's there now," Holgorsen summed up.
Not surprisingly, the receivers are already looking forward to facing a few Big 12 rivals in just a few short months.
"The Big 12 South teams, especially the ones we lost to last year- UT, OU, A&M. I always like to play in the Big 12. We're getting ready for them. We would have liked to get a few more wins, but we'll take the last one we got," said Hicks.
That last win, the Holiday Bowl victory over fourth-ranked Cal Berkeley, set the tone for the offseason and has continued to fuel the tempo during spring drills.
"It was big for us going into the offseason- workouts got a little rowdy. The momentum was high, a lot higher than it would have been if we had lost. We're trying to carry that momentum into the spring," Hicks added.
Hicks and the rest of the receiving corps are off to a good start. Spring drills continue every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday on the practice fields until April 18. The traditional Red-Black Game takes place on April 16 at 1 p.m. at Jones SBC Stadium. Practices are open to the public.
