Rough start for SoFLA at UA

The start of the Armour All-American Game practices did not got as well as hoped by some SoFLA prospects.  Read how the ten players from Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties did during the opening practice.

Chris Dunkley WR Pahokee: Dunkley hardly got going in practice before reinjuring his hamstring that kept him out of his final game at Pahokee.

“I hurt it running a bomb. I’m going on it tomorrow. I’m going to rehab all day, ice, and then at the hotel rehab, ice.”

In the game, Dunkley looks forward to taking it to his enemy, opposing defensive backs.

“I’m looking forward to going up against the DB’s. The DB’s got thrashed in practice today, I don’t know if you saw it. I’m just ready to get out there.”

Torrian Wilson OG Northwestern: Wilson showed signs of rust early taking his licks from some of the nation’s top defensive tackles. He did start to come around holding his own, but the knee that kept him out for most of the season was not as strong as he had hoped.

“When I came up here my dad told me I shouldn’t have really played. I felt like I could go, but I really wasn’t 100% coming up here. I figured I would try it out, test it out, and it’s not really going too good right now. I figure I would just sit it out.”

Though he is not competing anymore, Wilson has still enjoyed the experience.

“It’s a great experience, meeting a lot of different people, meeting a lot of different coaches, everything. When I was playing out there it felt good going against the best in the nation.”

James Louis WR Delray Beach Atlantic: Louis looked smooth running routes and just gliding across the field with ease. Nerves of stepping on the practice field with some of the nation’s best and having the practice aired on ESPNU looked to have got to some of the players practicing, Louis seemed to take everything in stride and go about his business as usual.

“The first practice today was good. I think each one of us got better play by play. We just got to keep getting better.”

Louis did not have many balls thrown his way as most of the passes were going to the outside receivers. In 1-on-1’s Louis shined.

” You know I knew I was going against the best DB’s out here so I just said in order for me to get better I got to play at my best. I think I did good and I will just be ready to compete tomorrow.”

Todd Chandler DT Northwestern: Chandler took a little time to adjust to the increased level of competition he was going against. Once he figured out he needed to stick to his bread and butter, his quickness, he was fine.

“I feel that no one man should block me, they should have help. One on one is my biggest asset, and people think I’m going to come out and use a power move, so I got to throw them off with a speed move which is fun.”

Chandler, often the vocal leader for Northwestern, enjoyed meeting players with similar traits.

“I bonded with a lot of new guys like people I’ve read about, but never got a chance to meet. Jeff Luc, that’s the number one guy, he’s a real good leader, good motivator, he takes charge just like I do.”

Shane McDermott C Palm Beach Central: McDermott got beat a few times in 1-on-1’s, but certainly had his moments of stoning guys at the line. Overall McDermott was solid at his home in college, center.

Cody Riggs CB St. Thomas Aquinas: Riggs was solid on the day, and did what you ask of a cornerback. He was not tested deep much at all on the day, and mixed it up with the wide receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Lamarcus Joyner CB St. Thomas Aquinas: Joyner struggled in coverage today playing cornerback. He got too hands on with receivers a few times and would have drawn a pass interference call in a game.

Corey Lemonier DE Hialeah: Lemonier showed a good motor today, but was not much of a factor in the team portion of practice. Compared to the other defensive ends in the game, Lemonier looks very lean in the waist and legs. In 1-on-1’s he did beat a few offensive tackles.

Demar Dorsey S Boyd Anderson: Dorsey played mostly free safety, but he did see time at wide receiver and cornerback briefly. There was not a lot Dorsey could have done today, with few opportunities to make plays coming his way. He did come up with an interception though.

Cody Parkey K Jupiter: Neither kicker did a whole lot today. They went through special teams a little, but a very limited amount of time.