Pok’s Football Week in Review: FIU Panthers start spring practice

Welcome to the newest, and hopefully most entertaining, football column around!

My name is Brandyn Pokrass, and if you have not heard of me, I do not blame you. I am just a 23-year-old from a small town in New Jersey. But for work, I have covered both the NFL and college football. Whether it has been the ups and downs of the New York Jets or going up and down the East Coast for college football, I have already seen plenty of things.

As my coverage continues to expand in 2025, I am bringing something new to the table! Each week, I will provide a week-in-review for my football coverage. Some weeks will contain practice coverage, while others will contain predictions. Others may be a combination of both or even have some game coverage!

But at the end of the day, this is going to be my way to bring you the best coverage possible while also putting my own twist on things. So, without further ado, welcome to the first edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review.

FIU sets the tone early in spring football

It may be the spring, but football practice is in full swing in the 305 for the FIU Golden Panthers.

Under new head coach Willie Simmons, FIU is working to establish a new culture and mentality as a program. With multiple key transfers and new schemes, the spring sessions are a perfect time to set a good foundation for the upcoming season.

From what I have seen so far, Simmons is doing exactly that.

The first word that comes to mind after watching a week of FIU practices is energy. All over the field, players are flying around. They are being vocal and are extremely engaged at all times.

Additionally, the coaches are bringing it just as much as the players. When someone makes a big play, their positional coach is flying down the field to celebrate with them. If they make a mistake, they are just as energetic to make sure their guy improves on the next play.

You can feel this energy on the football field, as it is breeding competitiveness. The defense has specifically stood out in this regard; whether it is a safety or a defensive lineman, every player is swarming the ball. In other words, they are leaving no doubt in terms of finishing the play.

However, the offense hasn’t been lacking in this regard either. They are bringing it in the running game, whether it is the offensive line clearing lanes or the running backs ripping off a big run through traffic. The wideouts are consistently playing at full speed, attacking the secondary with their routes and ensuring that they stay in front of defensive backs in the run game.

None of this matters if it doesn’t occur week over week. FIU must ensure that the foundation they are setting translates all the way to the spring game and then into the regular season.

But with a great head coach in Simmons and what looks to be a very fun staff, I do not expect a downturn in energy or effort anytime soon.

Standouts from the week

In terms of standout players, there were some on both sides of the ball.

On offense, that came from the wide receiver and running back positions. At wideout, Kyle McNeal and Alex Perry popped in different ways. Perry, a bigger-bodied wideout, showed very strong hands throughout practices. His ability to make contested catches was very consistent, whether it was in drill work, 1-on-1 drills, or team drills. Additionally, Perry showed some nice speed down the field throughout the week. With this combination of skills, the wideout could easily emerge as a big-time contributor for the Golden Panthers.

As for McNeal, the route running was on full display. He was quick in and out of his breaks, creating separation against the team’s defensive backs. More impressively, he flashed impressive contested-catch ability. Alongside a player like Perry in this offensive scheme, McNeal could have plenty of room to operate and find success.

When it comes to the running backs, the trio of Ajay Allen, Devonte Lyons, and KJ Owens all made their presence known in different ways. Allen, who is a transfer from the University of Miami, showed great speed, vision, and overall movement skills. He had a long touchdown run early in the week, bursting through the line and outracing the entire defense to the end zone.

Lyons showed a little bit of everything during practice. He looked natural as a receiver, displaying soft hands and the skill to immediately transition to a runner. In the running game, he showed some nice contact balance and speed, highlighted by a play where he bounced off multiple defenders and found a lane for a big gain. The same could be said with Owens; he looked very solid during practice and had a great touchdown run where he sifted through traffic and had a huge gain.

Move the ball period! Offense gets two positive plays, with RB Devonte Lyons looking very shifty after the catch and QB Keyone Jenkins scrambling for a decent gain. However, the defense immediately responds, with Kenton Simmons and Jaylan Anderson getting PBUs. #FIU pic.twitter.com/Ir6EjavYC1

— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) March 15, 2025

On the offensive side of things, RB KJ Owens sifted his way through traffic and ripped off a huge run for a TD. He is poised to potentially be an early contributor for the offense this year. #FIU #CFB

— Brandyn Pokrass (@BPok24) March 15, 2025

On defense, there were so many players that flashed or had great plays during the week. The entire unit was constantly flying around and had some big-time plays, with Mister Clark‘s dropping the hammer during drills arguably being the best one of the entire week.

However, linebacker Percy Courtney and defensive back Sadonnie Gay had arguably two of the more impressive performances on defense. Gay had a great interception that would have likely been a pick-six in-game, and displayed some great movement skills in coverage. I was impressed specifically with how he clicked and closed on that specific throw and how solid he looked within the defensive scheme. With a further ability to get comfortable within the scheme, Gay could be a huge asset for the Golden Panthers.

As for Courtney, he consistently was flying off the ball in team drills. Did every rep result in pressure? No. However, it is evident that the linebacker is ready to make a big impact once again in the team’s new defensive scheme.

Significant Quotes

Alex Perry gave his thoughts on his role and fit within the offense. “My favorite part is just being a true X. Another interesting part of the offense is the pre-snap motion and the shifts in-between the snap. I am used to reading coverages post-snap, but there is a difference between all of the pre-snap motions that we do.”

In another very cool post-practice interview, I spoke to Hawaii transfer Alex Perry about the vibes around the Golden Panthers, how he specifically fits the offensive scheme, and more! Make sure to check it out! #FIU #CFB

— Brandyn Pokrass (@brandyn-pokrass.bsky.social) 2025-03-12T00:53:23.058Z

Eddie Walls III on the team’s defensive mentality: “It was emphasized inside the team meeting room. They said that we have to fly. Even if there is not a play to make, we still have to fly around and get to the ball.”

After today’s practice, I spoke to FIU LB Eddie Walls III about how his spring has been, the mentality/play style of the defense, and more! #CFB

— Brandyn Pokrass (@brandyn-pokrass.bsky.social) 2025-03-15T23:33:09.087Z

Willie Simmons on what he wants to see from the team throughout the spring: “You hope to see better communication across the board. Football is a game of communication; all 11 guys have to be on the same page. So, you want to see them talk more and be confident in their calls. When you are confident, you can speak loudly … if you can’t speak loudly at practice, it is going to be really hard to hear during a tough road game. They are learning how to play fast. Not as fast as we need to play, but they are starting to understand how to chase the ball and chase the hashes on offense. Those details will separate us from other teams.”

When I asked HC Willie Simmons about what he wants to see for the rest of the spring, he emphasized communication. Said he wants his players to be “confident in their calls”

— Brandyn Pokrass (@brandyn-pokrass.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T17:20:00.787Z

What I’m watching this week

For this upcoming week, here is what I’m keeping an eye on:

• Progress, progress, progress. How can the Golden Panthers build off a successful first week? What does the energy level look like this week? I am very excited to see the continued foundation Simmons will build during the spring sessions.
• On offense, how is the scheme expanded upon? Do we see an emphasis on installing downfield passing this week? Or is a further foundation of RPOs and the quick game installed?
• On defense, will the energy be the same? Will the battles be more balanced, or will the offense still be dominated at times by the defense?
• NFL note: Is this the week Aaron Rodgers signs? I am very intrigued by what team he signs with and what a potential contract looks like.