Tuesday report, 3/31

Hey everyone. Practice still is an hour away, but we've already spoken with players today. It's a scheduling miracle.

Here are the best things I heard:

• Big Snacks Berry (above, No. 66) is always fun to see. I asked him if Jeff Grimes, the Tigers' new OL coach, verbally decimates players. He paused before answering: "No really. Not the Nall way. I've not seen him do that." That got a big laugh.
  
  
• Berry on Grimes: "He's more supportive."
  
  
• I asked Berry if Gus Malzahn is a nerd. I then rephrased with bookworm. He laughed. He said Malzahn "definitely knows his stuff," but didn't refute my hypothesis.
  
  
• Berry confirmed that he's the only offensive linemen who hasn't gained weight. He's at 305 and he's aiming to weigh ... no more than 310.
  
  
• I had a good talk with Craig Stevens. He said the long arms keep blockers from "getting up in you and holding," which means he can shuck aside their advances more easily.
  
  
• Stevens said he used to crave big hits in high school, but his coach admonished him for frequently missing tackles. Since then, Stevens has played with a more calculated approach. That may explain why nobody few people outside the Complex appreciate his contributions.
  
  
• Josh Bynes said Stevens does things "nobody else sees," but didn't elaborate.
  
  
• I asked Bynes about Onterio McCalebb, who said the other day that "9 out of 10" linebackers can't catch him. Bynes seemed amused by the quote. "He's gotta get by the front seven first."
  
  
• Bynes is jealous of Stevens' arms: "I hope I can get some big guns like that someday, but I've got him in the legs."
  
  
• Bynes said Eltoro Freeman is prone to "act a fool" (ie celebrate like mad) after making a big play. Not that Bynes minds: "I ain't going to knock his hustle down. He's fitting perfectly. He's going to be a very good linebacker."
  
  
• Vance Smith, who recently moved from TE to OL, still seems shocked by the move. He made the decision and seems OK with it. At the same time, I think life in the trenches puts new strains on his body that he's not yet prepared to handle all that well.
  
  
• Smith currently weighs 262 pounds. He's trying to gain five pounds per week until to get himself in a better position to brawl with defensive linemen.