The View From Scott: 2013 Spring Game Edition

Since the game was just a scrimmage - with no kickoffs, no punt returns and no tackling the quarterbacks - this edition of The View From Scott is going to follow suit by just providing the random musings that normally conclude the article.

• There has got to be a better way to handle the sale of the jerseys and helmets. Or maybe I'm just biased because I got there at 11:05 and all the white helmets and all the jerseys I wanted were already gone. So maybe there has got to be a better way for me to get what I want.
• Speaking of which, anyone know how I can get #23 game-worn jerseys (or at least real, non-replica jerseys) for any sports other than football and lacrosse?
• Watching the little kids run around on the football field, attempting to throw and catch footballs and doing various football drills... that's really cool. I wish I had had that opportunity as a kid. Thankfully I at least have it as an big kid "adult."
• I sometimes feel awkward bringing my camera with the good lens to events like this. Until I see the guy with the same camera and lens... and a monopod.
• Having the recruits and their families all walk out together and line up on the East sideline to watch the warmups is a good move. Gets them all together to talk and also gives me the opportunity to scan the group and see how I recognize. Oh, and they probably enjoy being on the field together and seeing how things are done.
• Probably the most entertaining part of that lineup was watching the recruits and their families interact with Cavman (the real one, not the big head one) and Sabre (the horse).
• Tiki has already covered the QB situation for us in his review of the offense. I'll say "I agree" with his assessments. The most clear thing is that Sims is #3 right now. I have no idea what is wrong with him, but he looked uncomfortable in every facet of his game on Saturday, including the time he spent off the field. For the future, I give the nod to Lambert, like Tiki did. But I have to think that Watford's experience and leadership gives him an edge in what is a very close battle.
• I did watch Watford and Lambert toss the ball around while the kids were playing on the field. Both looked good throwing. Both looked like they could be D-I starters. Lambert's height advantage does make him look more like a classic star QB.
• Rob Burns is a big dude to be playing tight end. I almost thought we had mistakenly thrown to a lineman when he scored the TD. Of course, his #92 jersey might have had something to do with that.
• David Watford must hate the touch football rules that apply to QBs in this game. I guarantee that half of the times he was "sacked" wouldn't have been sacks in a real game. He was able to show off his scrambling ability on a few plays that seemed like designed runs, but we missed out on a bit of a show because of that rule, I do believe.
• The punters got some of the biggest cheers of the game. I wasn't paying enough attention to see who got all the snaps, but Vozenilek definitely got the loudest cheers for chasing down a bad snap and getting off a desperation 40 yard punt... though since he had to run back so far to get the ball, I think it was only about a 10 yard net. Still, it was an impressive job both chasing it and getting off a solid kick. There were plenty of other solid kicks as well. High, air time, etc. Seems we should be just fine in that department.
• It appeared that the ushers initially tried to get everyone to move from the West side stands to the East side stands. But then there were plenty of people sitting over there on the West by halftime. Not really sure what that was about, but if they wanted us to all sit on one side, they should have been a lot more clear (and not let us park on the West side).
• Even though I had to move really quickly to get from Scott Stadium to Klockner Stadium, I'm still glad they didn't play the lacrosse game at Scott. I still have nightmares from the combined rainy spring game and bad loss to Maryland the last time they tried that.
• I'm finishing up this column while watching the basketball national title game. Oh how I envy those Louisville/Michigan fans right now. That said... at least I'm not a Hokie.
• I really hope the coaches figure out what to do with the O-line so that our running game can be effective this year. I miss the days of having a dominant running game that our passing game can feed off of. The passing game had to stand on its own on Saturday.
• The Varina High School recruits sat down around me for most of the first half. As best I could tell, that included both Tyrell Chavis and Tim Harris (which led to some awkward moments when other people would say "Hey Tim!" and I looked like an idiot for responding). Listening to them yell to the players on the field - in particular Maurice Canady - was very amusing.
• One of these times I'm going to win the Matt Schaub jersey. Of course, by that time I will likely have spent enough on raffle tickets to buy myself a plane ticket to Houston and a driver to help me stalk Schaub until he signs the jersey that I pay for.
• I need to stop wearing V-Sabre polos to events. Random fans keep thinking that I work for U.Va. Speaking of which... Hey U.Va. Athletics Department: you hiring?
• Stay healthy Richardson - I didn't like the look of you lying on the ground on the sideline so early in the game.
• I know some people think the Spring Game is boring. And those people would be kind of right. But I don't care. It got me excited for football season. Watching Tim Smith catch passes from just about everyone. Watching Parks running the ball. Watching the secondary's aggression and hard hits. August 31st can't come soon enough.