MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 6, 2018) - Select members of the West Virginia University football team met with the media on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On how practice is progressing
It’s going good. I like where we are at, I like the guys. They’re giving great effort. I haven’t done any live situations yet so still really don’t know from a tackling standpoint, which is our main emphasis this spring, but right now I really like where we are at.
On if moving sophomore Derrek Pitts Jr. from safety to corner is a better fit for him
I think so. It has been hard for him to put weight on as well. He is 185 pounds, runs well. Give him a shot, let him try to win the job this spring and see what happens in fall camp. Right now, I really like the way he is progressing though.
On how you emphasize tackling in the spring without full contact practices
Well, what we are doing right now, we do a tackling circuit every day, we have four stations, we’ve hit that every single day. Also, we are not tackling to the ground right now which is good. It’s good in our teaching progression and how we want to get it done with no pads on. We just call it a tracking drill really. We are going to track the offensive player and once we get pads on, which we’ve had one padded practice uppers, where we got to bang a little bit but nothing to the ground. It teaches good technique and also you see bad technique with guys on the ground and we are able to correct that. It is a work in progress right now but we are going to spend, what do we have 10 more practices, to make sure that we do it the right way.
On redshirt senior safety Dravon Askew-Henry moving to the Spur position
Well, Dravon has played a lot of football. He has more starts than anyone else in the program. I think he has a good understanding of the defense. We can move him anywhere really, spur, bandit, free, but he gives us that cover guy that we need in the slot as well.
On the depth at defensive tackle
Right now, we have nine guys, counting three or four walk-on guys, that are getting a lot of good reps. As we all know, we have three more freshmen that we signed that are going to come in and be able to help us. We haven’t closed the door on recruiting yet, so we still have two to three scholarships left on defense where we can get a guy if needed.
On if sophomore defensive lineman Darius Stills matured ahead of schedule last season
Coming in I did not. I didn’t think that he would be ready. He surprised me and he continued to get better. I played him a lot in nickel packages and then towards the end of the year he got some valuable snaps. I really like him, moving him into nose, letting him get that part of it. It’s going to help his toughness a little bit drawing a lot of double teams. It’s a good spot for him right now, if we leave him there or move him out to end it really doesn’t matter because he plays nose in our nickel package. So, we like him, we think he is going to contribute a bunch. He will be considered a starter going into camp, just for the fact that we roll six, seven, eight guys in.
Assistant Coach (Safeties) Matt Caponi
On who could potentially step into an open safety position
Free safety will be (sophomore safety) Kenny (Robinson) still. We have (redshirt junior safety) Josh Norwood, who was an early enrollee guy from junior college. He has done a pretty good job in those first couple of practices. And in that bandit spot, we have (redshirt senior safety) Toyous Avery back healthy, and we’re still looking for a little bit of depth behind him. We have a couple of guys that we’ve been rotating in and a couple guys that might not be playing bandit right now that we might rep there towards the end in the last couple weeks here of the spring.
On sophomore safety Derrek Pitts
He’s primarily focused on corner; he’s done a good job. We can, obviously, create more depth and more competition at that position. We know that he’s a guy that played for us at safety last year, so if need be, if guys start getting dinged up, we can move him back there. But we have all the confidence in the world that no matter where he’s at on the field, he’s going to play hard and he’s going to do the right thing.
On how players should value spring reps
They don’t have a choice. They have to take advantage of every rep. Even the younger guys, I tell them whether they’re getting five reps at practice, 10 reps at practice, we’re trying to build some depth, so we’re trying to take advantage of it no matter what team period we’re in or what individual period we’re in. I’m expecting the guys to go out there and compete and just take advantage of their opportunity for when they get called on.
Assistant Coach (Linebackers/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On younger players gaining reps during the spring
We’re working ones, twos and threes. So, we’re getting as many guys reps as we can. (Redshirt sophomore) Zach Sandwisch is a guy who is back. He’s younger, doesn’t have as much experience, but letting him settle into that Mike spot has been good for him. In the past when we’ve had injuries, we’ve had to shuffle guys around and patch holes. We have enough depth right now where that’s not the issue.
On the kicking competition
(Redshirt junior kicker Skyler Simcox) has more experience right now. Now, (redshirt sophomore) Evan (Staley) gained quite a bit of experience last year, obviously with kickoff and the last part of the year in kicking field goals. Both guys have really good legs. Again, we’re going to be deeper there than we’ve been since I’ve been here. We have two quality guys, and whoever wins that field goal battle, the other one is probably going to have a leg up on the kickoff competition. We’ll see how that plays out and see how durable those guys are. We don’t want to throw too much at them, especially early in the spring, and progress them along.
On long-snapping competition
We want to get those guys as many reps as possible and chart them every single day in pre-practice and in drills. Once we get into full-group reps, we’ll try to put those guys into pressure situations. Again, whoever comes out in the spring as No. 1, that’s the first step in the battle. We have all summer long, all of fall camp to really hone in to see who our guy is going to be. We want to create as much competition with those guys as we can and give them as many reps as possible.
Assistant Coach (Defensive Line) Bruce Tall
On the transition from coaching players in the spring and the summer
Well, I think it’s going to work well for us because, like anything else, you like the continuity in one regard but also, when you split it in half, it allows the guys to get fresh again and see what they can retain. It’s the same thing. They’ve got to learn how to retain from leaving spring ball and returning in the summer. So, this will show us, even though it’s obviously a bigger gap, how well guys can retain from a gap.
On his approach to coaching this spring
There’s no question that we’re trying to develop depth because of the guys that we have coming back and the guys that we have working with us right now. But like I said, we have great energy right now. The guys are working really hard. So, I am excited about how everything’s rolling right now.
On the increased motivation amongst the defensive lineman
I think the players see that, and like anything else, any time you give them something that is tangible, they feel like they can accomplish it. There’s no question that they feel like they can make it happen. No question.
On the strength of the defensive line group as spring practice begins
I love the way we’re running to the ball. I think our guys are doing a really good job doing that. We understand we have a high priority on working on escaping blocks. Every year, I try to focus on something, and one of the things we really have set a big goal for ourselves is to be much better at winning through our gaps.
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
On the feel of this spring’s practices compared to previous ones
It’s very similar, somewhat standard. We want to progress a certain way, throw a lot at the guys, see how they respond earlier and then kind of repeat some of the same things as we move on and move forward into the spring. We’ll see how they progress and develop.
On who’s getting reps at cornerback
I try to mix it up every day. (Redshirt junior cornerback) Hakeem Bailey is the only guy that we have that has played significant game reps. So, we’re trying to mix it up, make it competitive, switch who’s in and out with the ones and kind of go from there.
On if this is the most inexperienced group of cornerbacks he’s coached
Probably so, but it’s a positive thing. We’ve got a lot of young guys who are eager to play, have good energy, speed and athleticism. So, it’s a little different than it was last year. There’s more youth, more energy and guys who want to play and develop a role on the team.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
On redshirt senior quarterback Will Grier and his game management skills
It’s more of adding extra checks to what we did last year. Last year, we were big on if you called a run play, then this would be, ‘Is that a good run play?’, and then look for your RPO (run-pass option). Then, we would end up maxing up and throwing. Well, now, it’s, ‘What’s the situation with the game?’ ‘Do we need to hand the ball off in this situation?’ ‘Do I have an efficient RPO that I can get to?’ ‘Is the best situation to mix it up and throw deep?’ So, it’s been some really good conversations in terms of what runs work in certain fronts and when to hand it off and when to throw it. I think that he is enjoying spring that way because it’s actually very challenging for him. We’ll go out there and say, ‘This is first-and-10 mentality,’ or ‘This is third-and-short mentality.’ He’s got to find a way to get the first down. So, it’s been pretty efficient so far.
On redshirt sophomore quarterback Jack Allison’s knowledge and feel of the playbook
With Jack right now, last season it was more of the base of the offense – getting the communication down and the operation down. Now, it’s more about the execution of it, and he’s getting a lot of valuable reps. Last year, he was with the scout team the entire time, and we had a little bit of a bowl prep with him. Now, he and (freshman quarterback) Trey (Lowe III) are splitting reps with the twos. They’re all getting quality reps right now.
On freshman quarterback Trey Lowe III
He’s young, and that’s the thing I love about him. He’s got a great work ethic. He’s a coach’s kid. His desire to be good is exceptional, and that’s something I feel comfortable with Trey. I throw him into the fire. The things I’m putting on him, again, he should be in high school right now. Probably, going to prom and doing high school things, but right now, I’m throwing him in with the twos in certain situations, and I’m telling him to figure it out, and he studies the game, he works at it. I think these reps are going to be very valuable for this kid. I think he’s going to be a tremendous player in the future.
On freshman quarterback Trey Lowe III’s strengths
Again, he is young and he is still trying to figure out what he is capable of doing. He has a great work ethic. Again, that’s part of being a coach’s kid. He likes to put in the hours, he likes to study, he wants to know the answers to everything. But, you throw him into the fire right now and he can communicate it all and he is capable of making all the throws, but at the same time he has a great athletic ability where he can extend plays and you can see him doing some quarterback run game in the future. I am really pleased with where the quarterback room is and moving forward I think we have some quality kids to put in the game if anything happens to (redshirt senior quarterback) Will (Grier).
Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On the depth at the wide receiver position
What I’ve seen, now, is maturity. A lot of those guys, the backup guys, the year twos and under. You’re seeing a lot of productivity out of the (sophomore wide receiver) Reggie’s (Roberson), the (senior wide receiver) Dominique Maiden’s, the (redshirt sophomore wide receiver) Druw Bowen’s, the (redshirt senior wide receiver) William Crest’s, and, also, we have a new addition in (sophomore running back/wide receiver) Tevin Bush, which is going to be a big change for us. He does things that nobody else in that room can do.
On sophomore running back/wide receiver Tevin Bush
He’s really shifty. Being inside, people think that because you’re that height, that catching the ball will be a problem. He actually has some of the best hands in the room. He did a little bit of that in high school. Of course, he did a little bit with us last year. Just giving him a full-time role and starting to sit in that room and listen to the lingo a little bit more is going to help him out a lot.
On redshirt sophomore wide receiver T.J. Simmons
T.J. is T.J. He’s my new energy in the room. He’s talkative, he’s strong, he’s physical. He understands the game and when we’re in meetings, everything I say to him, I could open up his notebook and it’s verbatim, exactly what I critiqued him on. It’s more of a professional guy in the room with T.J.
Assistant Coach (Offensive line) Joe Wickline
On what his goals are the next coming week
The process has been similar to what we’ve always done in the past. We have a program where you put in portions of the offensive, whether it be run game, pass game, the way you audible something. It’s been pretty similar to what we’ve always done, but I think what (offensive coordinator) Coach (Jake) Spavital and what Coach (Dana) Holgorsen has done, we’ve kind of slowed it down even to a slower crawl. Let’s make sure that we’re having quality practices on the back end. If you hurry it on the front end, you spend most of your time in the middle, trying to get done what you should have gotten done before it started. So, the advantage that we have recognized is slowing it down a little bit from a thud, hit, whatever standpoint, and there’s a lot more teaching and learning going on in this phase. Now, when we get back, we’ll move forward. So, from the installation standpoint, we’ve been slow and deliberate, but it has gone well.
On if he likes the spacing between spring practices
I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it. I’ve never been able to do that, or at least I can’t remember doing it. I will say this: for whatever reason, it has always been like two or three days before the break, other places I’ve been, and the fact that we have a larger number of opportunities before the break, I would say the carryover would be better. Sometimes when you have a shorter number of days, by the time they get back from spring break, you’re going over some stuff again. I think we’ve laminated and submitted some concepts to where you have better carryover from having six days as opposed to having like two or three.
Assistant Head Coach (Tight Ends/Fullbacks) Dan Gerberry
On his transition into becoming a full-time coach again after working as an analyst
It has really been an easy transition that I have been waiting a year for. It came back very easily. It’s one of those deals that it never really left I just had to keep it inside, it’s been great.
On if there are things that he learned working as an analyst that can help him now as a coach
Yeah, it gave me some time to sit back and not have to just dive into it. You can just sit back and go ‘Oh, well next year this or next year that’ or ‘If I had that opportunity,’ and it’s just such a relief that it worked out and it’s such a relief that now I can just go and actually be who I am.
On what he sees out of the tight end/fullback position now
Well, right now, yeah we lost Eli (Elijah Wellman) and with Eli you lose a lot of experience; you lose a lot of game time that you can’t just replace. That just doesn’t happen. With that said moving forward, (redshirt senior tight end/fullback) Trevon (Wesco) has been fantastic. He has really taken ownership of our room. Call it the way that it is, that kid is 6-4, 270 pounds, he offers a different element. I don’t mean to compare and contrast but right now with our room we are so much taller, we are so much longer, we are so much heavier. (Redshirt sophomore tight end/fullback) Jovanni Haskins is doing a good job. He is six-foot, I don’t know four or five, 240 or 45 pounds and he brings a different element. Now all of a sudden you have different types of bodies in there and they are working really hard and we are going to get better as we go.
Assistant Head Coach (Running Backs) Marquel Blackwell
On if he likes the variation of skillsets that he has at running back
No doubt. Where I come from and if you look around the country, you have to play with two or three backs. So it’s good to have each one of them complement each other. We’ll see how that goes.
On who has stood out to him in the room
Obviously (junior running back) Kennedy (McKoy) has had a lot of reps and has played a lot of games as well as (junior running back) Martell (Pettaway), but (redshirt freshman running back) (Alek) Sinkfield is coming along for a young guy and doing really well. I was just talking about the different skill sets so hopefully they complement each other. I’m just proud of the way that they are competing and challenging one another.
On if he looks at last year’s film to evaluate guys or if he just evaluates what he sees
You have to look at last year’s film in order to fine tune some things and just come in and learn some of what the guys possess out on the field. Like I told those guys, whatever happened in the past here doesn’t concern me, all I’m concerned about is what you do right now. It’s been great, the guys have accepted me well. I’m a big relationship guy and I’m looking forward to building a relationship with those guys and continue to have success.
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On how practice is progressing
It’s going good. I like where we are at, I like the guys. They’re giving great effort. I haven’t done any live situations yet so still really don’t know from a tackling standpoint, which is our main emphasis this spring, but right now I really like where we are at.
On if moving sophomore Derrek Pitts Jr. from safety to corner is a better fit for him
I think so. It has been hard for him to put weight on as well. He is 185 pounds, runs well. Give him a shot, let him try to win the job this spring and see what happens in fall camp. Right now, I really like the way he is progressing though.
On how you emphasize tackling in the spring without full contact practices
Well, what we are doing right now, we do a tackling circuit every day, we have four stations, we’ve hit that every single day. Also, we are not tackling to the ground right now which is good. It’s good in our teaching progression and how we want to get it done with no pads on. We just call it a tracking drill really. We are going to track the offensive player and once we get pads on, which we’ve had one padded practice uppers, where we got to bang a little bit but nothing to the ground. It teaches good technique and also you see bad technique with guys on the ground and we are able to correct that. It is a work in progress right now but we are going to spend, what do we have 10 more practices, to make sure that we do it the right way.
On redshirt senior safety Dravon Askew-Henry moving to the Spur position
Well, Dravon has played a lot of football. He has more starts than anyone else in the program. I think he has a good understanding of the defense. We can move him anywhere really, spur, bandit, free, but he gives us that cover guy that we need in the slot as well.
On the depth at defensive tackle
Right now, we have nine guys, counting three or four walk-on guys, that are getting a lot of good reps. As we all know, we have three more freshmen that we signed that are going to come in and be able to help us. We haven’t closed the door on recruiting yet, so we still have two to three scholarships left on defense where we can get a guy if needed.
On if sophomore defensive lineman Darius Stills matured ahead of schedule last season
Coming in I did not. I didn’t think that he would be ready. He surprised me and he continued to get better. I played him a lot in nickel packages and then towards the end of the year he got some valuable snaps. I really like him, moving him into nose, letting him get that part of it. It’s going to help his toughness a little bit drawing a lot of double teams. It’s a good spot for him right now, if we leave him there or move him out to end it really doesn’t matter because he plays nose in our nickel package. So, we like him, we think he is going to contribute a bunch. He will be considered a starter going into camp, just for the fact that we roll six, seven, eight guys in.
Assistant Coach (Safeties) Matt Caponi
On who could potentially step into an open safety position
Free safety will be (sophomore safety) Kenny (Robinson) still. We have (redshirt junior safety) Josh Norwood, who was an early enrollee guy from junior college. He has done a pretty good job in those first couple of practices. And in that bandit spot, we have (redshirt senior safety) Toyous Avery back healthy, and we’re still looking for a little bit of depth behind him. We have a couple of guys that we’ve been rotating in and a couple guys that might not be playing bandit right now that we might rep there towards the end in the last couple weeks here of the spring.
On sophomore safety Derrek Pitts
He’s primarily focused on corner; he’s done a good job. We can, obviously, create more depth and more competition at that position. We know that he’s a guy that played for us at safety last year, so if need be, if guys start getting dinged up, we can move him back there. But we have all the confidence in the world that no matter where he’s at on the field, he’s going to play hard and he’s going to do the right thing.
On how players should value spring reps
They don’t have a choice. They have to take advantage of every rep. Even the younger guys, I tell them whether they’re getting five reps at practice, 10 reps at practice, we’re trying to build some depth, so we’re trying to take advantage of it no matter what team period we’re in or what individual period we’re in. I’m expecting the guys to go out there and compete and just take advantage of their opportunity for when they get called on.
Assistant Coach (Linebackers/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On younger players gaining reps during the spring
We’re working ones, twos and threes. So, we’re getting as many guys reps as we can. (Redshirt sophomore) Zach Sandwisch is a guy who is back. He’s younger, doesn’t have as much experience, but letting him settle into that Mike spot has been good for him. In the past when we’ve had injuries, we’ve had to shuffle guys around and patch holes. We have enough depth right now where that’s not the issue.
On the kicking competition
(Redshirt junior kicker Skyler Simcox) has more experience right now. Now, (redshirt sophomore) Evan (Staley) gained quite a bit of experience last year, obviously with kickoff and the last part of the year in kicking field goals. Both guys have really good legs. Again, we’re going to be deeper there than we’ve been since I’ve been here. We have two quality guys, and whoever wins that field goal battle, the other one is probably going to have a leg up on the kickoff competition. We’ll see how that plays out and see how durable those guys are. We don’t want to throw too much at them, especially early in the spring, and progress them along.
On long-snapping competition
We want to get those guys as many reps as possible and chart them every single day in pre-practice and in drills. Once we get into full-group reps, we’ll try to put those guys into pressure situations. Again, whoever comes out in the spring as No. 1, that’s the first step in the battle. We have all summer long, all of fall camp to really hone in to see who our guy is going to be. We want to create as much competition with those guys as we can and give them as many reps as possible.
Assistant Coach (Defensive Line) Bruce Tall
On the transition from coaching players in the spring and the summer
Well, I think it’s going to work well for us because, like anything else, you like the continuity in one regard but also, when you split it in half, it allows the guys to get fresh again and see what they can retain. It’s the same thing. They’ve got to learn how to retain from leaving spring ball and returning in the summer. So, this will show us, even though it’s obviously a bigger gap, how well guys can retain from a gap.
On his approach to coaching this spring
There’s no question that we’re trying to develop depth because of the guys that we have coming back and the guys that we have working with us right now. But like I said, we have great energy right now. The guys are working really hard. So, I am excited about how everything’s rolling right now.
On the increased motivation amongst the defensive lineman
I think the players see that, and like anything else, any time you give them something that is tangible, they feel like they can accomplish it. There’s no question that they feel like they can make it happen. No question.
On the strength of the defensive line group as spring practice begins
I love the way we’re running to the ball. I think our guys are doing a really good job doing that. We understand we have a high priority on working on escaping blocks. Every year, I try to focus on something, and one of the things we really have set a big goal for ourselves is to be much better at winning through our gaps.
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
On the feel of this spring’s practices compared to previous ones
It’s very similar, somewhat standard. We want to progress a certain way, throw a lot at the guys, see how they respond earlier and then kind of repeat some of the same things as we move on and move forward into the spring. We’ll see how they progress and develop.
On who’s getting reps at cornerback
I try to mix it up every day. (Redshirt junior cornerback) Hakeem Bailey is the only guy that we have that has played significant game reps. So, we’re trying to mix it up, make it competitive, switch who’s in and out with the ones and kind of go from there.
On if this is the most inexperienced group of cornerbacks he’s coached
Probably so, but it’s a positive thing. We’ve got a lot of young guys who are eager to play, have good energy, speed and athleticism. So, it’s a little different than it was last year. There’s more youth, more energy and guys who want to play and develop a role on the team.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
On redshirt senior quarterback Will Grier and his game management skills
It’s more of adding extra checks to what we did last year. Last year, we were big on if you called a run play, then this would be, ‘Is that a good run play?’, and then look for your RPO (run-pass option). Then, we would end up maxing up and throwing. Well, now, it’s, ‘What’s the situation with the game?’ ‘Do we need to hand the ball off in this situation?’ ‘Do I have an efficient RPO that I can get to?’ ‘Is the best situation to mix it up and throw deep?’ So, it’s been some really good conversations in terms of what runs work in certain fronts and when to hand it off and when to throw it. I think that he is enjoying spring that way because it’s actually very challenging for him. We’ll go out there and say, ‘This is first-and-10 mentality,’ or ‘This is third-and-short mentality.’ He’s got to find a way to get the first down. So, it’s been pretty efficient so far.
On redshirt sophomore quarterback Jack Allison’s knowledge and feel of the playbook
With Jack right now, last season it was more of the base of the offense – getting the communication down and the operation down. Now, it’s more about the execution of it, and he’s getting a lot of valuable reps. Last year, he was with the scout team the entire time, and we had a little bit of a bowl prep with him. Now, he and (freshman quarterback) Trey (Lowe III) are splitting reps with the twos. They’re all getting quality reps right now.
On freshman quarterback Trey Lowe III
He’s young, and that’s the thing I love about him. He’s got a great work ethic. He’s a coach’s kid. His desire to be good is exceptional, and that’s something I feel comfortable with Trey. I throw him into the fire. The things I’m putting on him, again, he should be in high school right now. Probably, going to prom and doing high school things, but right now, I’m throwing him in with the twos in certain situations, and I’m telling him to figure it out, and he studies the game, he works at it. I think these reps are going to be very valuable for this kid. I think he’s going to be a tremendous player in the future.
On freshman quarterback Trey Lowe III’s strengths
Again, he is young and he is still trying to figure out what he is capable of doing. He has a great work ethic. Again, that’s part of being a coach’s kid. He likes to put in the hours, he likes to study, he wants to know the answers to everything. But, you throw him into the fire right now and he can communicate it all and he is capable of making all the throws, but at the same time he has a great athletic ability where he can extend plays and you can see him doing some quarterback run game in the future. I am really pleased with where the quarterback room is and moving forward I think we have some quality kids to put in the game if anything happens to (redshirt senior quarterback) Will (Grier).
Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On the depth at the wide receiver position
What I’ve seen, now, is maturity. A lot of those guys, the backup guys, the year twos and under. You’re seeing a lot of productivity out of the (sophomore wide receiver) Reggie’s (Roberson), the (senior wide receiver) Dominique Maiden’s, the (redshirt sophomore wide receiver) Druw Bowen’s, the (redshirt senior wide receiver) William Crest’s, and, also, we have a new addition in (sophomore running back/wide receiver) Tevin Bush, which is going to be a big change for us. He does things that nobody else in that room can do.
On sophomore running back/wide receiver Tevin Bush
He’s really shifty. Being inside, people think that because you’re that height, that catching the ball will be a problem. He actually has some of the best hands in the room. He did a little bit of that in high school. Of course, he did a little bit with us last year. Just giving him a full-time role and starting to sit in that room and listen to the lingo a little bit more is going to help him out a lot.
On redshirt sophomore wide receiver T.J. Simmons
T.J. is T.J. He’s my new energy in the room. He’s talkative, he’s strong, he’s physical. He understands the game and when we’re in meetings, everything I say to him, I could open up his notebook and it’s verbatim, exactly what I critiqued him on. It’s more of a professional guy in the room with T.J.
Assistant Coach (Offensive line) Joe Wickline
On what his goals are the next coming week
The process has been similar to what we’ve always done in the past. We have a program where you put in portions of the offensive, whether it be run game, pass game, the way you audible something. It’s been pretty similar to what we’ve always done, but I think what (offensive coordinator) Coach (Jake) Spavital and what Coach (Dana) Holgorsen has done, we’ve kind of slowed it down even to a slower crawl. Let’s make sure that we’re having quality practices on the back end. If you hurry it on the front end, you spend most of your time in the middle, trying to get done what you should have gotten done before it started. So, the advantage that we have recognized is slowing it down a little bit from a thud, hit, whatever standpoint, and there’s a lot more teaching and learning going on in this phase. Now, when we get back, we’ll move forward. So, from the installation standpoint, we’ve been slow and deliberate, but it has gone well.
On if he likes the spacing between spring practices
I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it. I’ve never been able to do that, or at least I can’t remember doing it. I will say this: for whatever reason, it has always been like two or three days before the break, other places I’ve been, and the fact that we have a larger number of opportunities before the break, I would say the carryover would be better. Sometimes when you have a shorter number of days, by the time they get back from spring break, you’re going over some stuff again. I think we’ve laminated and submitted some concepts to where you have better carryover from having six days as opposed to having like two or three.
Assistant Head Coach (Tight Ends/Fullbacks) Dan Gerberry
On his transition into becoming a full-time coach again after working as an analyst
It has really been an easy transition that I have been waiting a year for. It came back very easily. It’s one of those deals that it never really left I just had to keep it inside, it’s been great.
On if there are things that he learned working as an analyst that can help him now as a coach
Yeah, it gave me some time to sit back and not have to just dive into it. You can just sit back and go ‘Oh, well next year this or next year that’ or ‘If I had that opportunity,’ and it’s just such a relief that it worked out and it’s such a relief that now I can just go and actually be who I am.
On what he sees out of the tight end/fullback position now
Well, right now, yeah we lost Eli (Elijah Wellman) and with Eli you lose a lot of experience; you lose a lot of game time that you can’t just replace. That just doesn’t happen. With that said moving forward, (redshirt senior tight end/fullback) Trevon (Wesco) has been fantastic. He has really taken ownership of our room. Call it the way that it is, that kid is 6-4, 270 pounds, he offers a different element. I don’t mean to compare and contrast but right now with our room we are so much taller, we are so much longer, we are so much heavier. (Redshirt sophomore tight end/fullback) Jovanni Haskins is doing a good job. He is six-foot, I don’t know four or five, 240 or 45 pounds and he brings a different element. Now all of a sudden you have different types of bodies in there and they are working really hard and we are going to get better as we go.
Assistant Head Coach (Running Backs) Marquel Blackwell
On if he likes the variation of skillsets that he has at running back
No doubt. Where I come from and if you look around the country, you have to play with two or three backs. So it’s good to have each one of them complement each other. We’ll see how that goes.
On who has stood out to him in the room
Obviously (junior running back) Kennedy (McKoy) has had a lot of reps and has played a lot of games as well as (junior running back) Martell (Pettaway), but (redshirt freshman running back) (Alek) Sinkfield is coming along for a young guy and doing really well. I was just talking about the different skill sets so hopefully they complement each other. I’m just proud of the way that they are competing and challenging one another.
On if he looks at last year’s film to evaluate guys or if he just evaluates what he sees
You have to look at last year’s film in order to fine tune some things and just come in and learn some of what the guys possess out on the field. Like I told those guys, whatever happened in the past here doesn’t concern me, all I’m concerned about is what you do right now. It’s been great, the guys have accepted me well. I’m a big relationship guy and I’m looking forward to building a relationship with those guys and continue to have success.
