1. Quick hits
For the first time in the three days of training camp, there were selected “vet days” based on what Coach Kellen Moore said “injury history, experience, and workload.” Not practicing Friday were running back Alvin Kamara (who celebrated his 30th birthday Friday), defensive end Cameron Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and center Erik McCoy. Moore also made clear there have been no injury-related absences for the first three practices. … With McCoy out, former LSU Tiger Will Clapp got all the first team center reps. … Wide receiver Chris Olave left the practice field briefly after individual drills and headed into the training room for about 10 minutes, then returned and finished practice. … After Thursday night’s heavy rains, the Bermuda grass fields at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center were not perfectly dry, but held up nicely, despite two separate spells of rain at 9:40 a.m. (which caused a couple of slips by wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (who still made both plays despite slipping), and during Blake Grupe‘s five field-goal attempts. Battling a downpour and a stiff south breeze (right to left into the east endzone goalposts), Grupe went four of five with his only miss on the final kick of 48 yards from the left hash that sailed wide left. Immediately after Grupe’s final kick, the rain stopped and bright sunshine graced the complex for the final periods of practice…Quarterback Jake Haener took first team reps for 7-on-7 and team drills and performed well in his first opportunity. … Moore mentioned to the media post practice this was the “cleanest” practice of the first three as far as the offensive execution was concerned.