Here's the news from Wednesday's practice:
Coach Clay Helton said Matt Fink has been cleared for contact and is available to play. They plan to continue monitoring his health through the week before ultimately deciding whether he'll be the backup. As I reported yesterday, QBs coach Bryan Ellis said Fink would be No. 2 if he's in uniform Saturday.
I asked Helton, given the small but successful sample size of Jack Sears, what makes him certain that he's playing the best QB? The question is part of a story I'm writing for the Tenfold later in the week, but here was his response:
"I've been doing it 24 years and I know from experience that right now JT [Daniels] is playing good football," Helton said. "I do know that we're extremely fortunate to have both Jack and Matt. I thought Matt came in the Utah game and did some great things too. And that's what you want. You want as many good quarterbacks as you can have on your football team. But right now JT is our starter."
Helton was then asked if he would consider playing Sears in a second half if the offense stalled.
"I think it's a hypothetical. Last week's stall was not an act of the quarterback," Helton said. "It was an act of three dropped balls on second down. It was an act of two false start penalties and a snap going over our head that produced five third-and-7-pluses. That's hard on any quarterback. I don't care what level you are. ... I don't put that on the quarterback."
Helton said he spoke with Biggie Marshall 1-on-1 in the aftermath of Saturday's loss abut his late penalty and that Marshall insisted he apologize to the entire team during a meeting, which he did
"I thought it was really a pro move by Biggie, and that's who he is," Helton said.
Helton reminded the players they'll need to keep their emotions in check the following two weeks given that they're playing their biggest rivals.
Injuries:
TB Aca'Cedric Ware (shoulder) appeared to increase his workload.
DL Jacob Lichtenstein returned to practice after being limited Tuesday because of a shoulder injury.
OL Chuma Edoga, OL Clayton Bradley, DL Brandon Pili, DL Caleb Tremblay and LB Juliano Falaniko remained out.
We did interviews with CB Biggie Marshall (about his penalty), DC Clancy Pendergast, DL coach Kenechi Udeze, DT Jay Tufele and QBs coach Bryan Ellis (from Tuesday).
Coach Clay Helton said Matt Fink has been cleared for contact and is available to play. They plan to continue monitoring his health through the week before ultimately deciding whether he'll be the backup. As I reported yesterday, QBs coach Bryan Ellis said Fink would be No. 2 if he's in uniform Saturday.
I asked Helton, given the small but successful sample size of Jack Sears, what makes him certain that he's playing the best QB? The question is part of a story I'm writing for the Tenfold later in the week, but here was his response:
"I've been doing it 24 years and I know from experience that right now JT [Daniels] is playing good football," Helton said. "I do know that we're extremely fortunate to have both Jack and Matt. I thought Matt came in the Utah game and did some great things too. And that's what you want. You want as many good quarterbacks as you can have on your football team. But right now JT is our starter."
Helton was then asked if he would consider playing Sears in a second half if the offense stalled.
"I think it's a hypothetical. Last week's stall was not an act of the quarterback," Helton said. "It was an act of three dropped balls on second down. It was an act of two false start penalties and a snap going over our head that produced five third-and-7-pluses. That's hard on any quarterback. I don't care what level you are. ... I don't put that on the quarterback."
Helton said he spoke with Biggie Marshall 1-on-1 in the aftermath of Saturday's loss abut his late penalty and that Marshall insisted he apologize to the entire team during a meeting, which he did
"I thought it was really a pro move by Biggie, and that's who he is," Helton said.
Helton reminded the players they'll need to keep their emotions in check the following two weeks given that they're playing their biggest rivals.
Injuries:
TB Aca'Cedric Ware (shoulder) appeared to increase his workload.
DL Jacob Lichtenstein returned to practice after being limited Tuesday because of a shoulder injury.
OL Chuma Edoga, OL Clayton Bradley, DL Brandon Pili, DL Caleb Tremblay and LB Juliano Falaniko remained out.
We did interviews with CB Biggie Marshall (about his penalty), DC Clancy Pendergast, DL coach Kenechi Udeze, DT Jay Tufele and QBs coach Bryan Ellis (from Tuesday).
