MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 31, 2017) - The West Virginia University football coaching staff met with the media on Tuesday, July 31, 2017, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On who is standing out on defense as fall camp begins
I will say this, (freshman defensive lineman) Lamonte McDougle yesterday showed some good things, but we didn’t have pads on, so it’s hard to tell. But we like his explosiveness, strength, and he’s got some quickness. So, we like him a lot right now.
On if the defense has gained any depth since spring practices
We have a lot of depth right now and a lot of guys that are repping now. Have we gained depth? I don’t think so yet, but we have a lot of guys that we feel are in the right position to battle it out a little bit now.
On if there is anything to install as the defense moves from spring practices to fall camp
We go to the same format that we had last year on day one of fall camp and today will obviously be day two. We’re not going any faster or any slower. We’re right on track with where we’ve been the last couple years.
On comfort level with cornerbacks
We’ve got some experienced guys with (senior cornerback Elijah) Battle, obviously he’s the most experienced guy we have back, and then (redshirt senior cornerback) Corey Winfield brings 27 games that he started when he was at Syracuse. (Redshirt sophomore cornerback) Hakeem Bailey was here in the spring. We like him and (senior cornerback) Mike Daniels. We have four or five guys that I feel comfortable with right now. But, again, we’re in day one. So, as we progress in camp, let’s see how they do.
Assistant coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
On feelings of cornerback position entering camp
I feel good. There are a lot of guys motivated to try to become the guy or one of the guys. So, we have a lot of competition in the room and I feel good about where we’re at. We have a lot of work to do after just one day, but I feel good about where we’ll end up.
On what he likes most about his group
Just the competitive edge right now. I feel like all these guys have a chip on their shoulder and they have a lot to prove with so many people exiting in the last two years. I like the way they compete and how much it means to them.
On goals during first week of camp
Consistency has been the thing we’ve focused on the most, not having one good day but putting a couple good days together and building off what we did the day before.
On the tackling ability
You have to be able to tackle; you have to be able to play in space. That’s something that we talk about. Right now, we’ve mostly been focused on taking care of the first day.
Assistant Coach (Defense/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On how recruiting special teams has changed
I think it is a little bit of that. People realizing it. You look at big games in the past, whether it be national championship games or big bowl games that have been flipped on a blocked kick or a kickoff return; special teams plays, where those guys play a huge role. That and how national recruiting has gotten, with all of the national camps where you can reach out to a guy on social media and build a relationship with him there. Then when you can get out and see him in the spring or do those things, you can do that now. Whereas you had to try to get that kid on campus before, get him to a camp. There are so many national camps where you can get updated video week to week throughout the summer. That is just how much bigger recruiting in general has grown, how national it is. If you look at the big games the last couple of years, those guys make a difference. Whether it be flipping field position or if you have a guy that you feel comfortable sending out there for a 45, 50, 52-yard field goal, that really changes what you are going to do offensively and defensively. Those guys can be weapons for you.
On if he looks for players that can do multiple things while recruiting
Yeah. A lot of it is based on our needs going into whatever year we are looking to bring in a scholarship kid. If they are really good at multiple (positions), that is always a plus. It’s some kinds difficult to find a guy that if it is a kick of guy and punter, you kind of have that. Those guys go hand in hand, or a kickoff guy and a placekicker. To find a guy that does all three is really rare. You don’t want to throw that on people’s plates right when they get in. We have had guys back in the past, you see guys other places in the country where as they get older you can build them into that. If a guy excels in two different phases than that is going to be a bonus.
On redshirt senior kicker Mike Molina is the placekicker right now
Mike is our guy right now. We added (redshirt freshman kicker) Luke Hogan who came up from Houston, who has a really strong leg. Again, we want healthy competition at every single spot. Kind of like what we saw last year, where we were going with three walk-ons, we are going to play the best guy regardless of how old he is, what his standing is, everything like that. That is who is going to put our team in the best position to win. We want as much competition as we can get at every spot. It’s only been one day, but his work throughout the spring, his work really in the summer, he looks good and he feels good. We are going to keep pushing each other, but Mike looks good right now.
Assistant Coach (Defensive Line) Bruce Tall
On progress with camp so far
We’ve been excited about the guys. We think we have good numbers and we’ve got a good rotation.
On the depth on the defensive line
We’ve been trying to build depth, as we’ve been doing, so that’s something that we’ve always looked for. You have to play a minimum of five to six guys on the defensive line and we’d love to get that to seven or eight guys because numbers are key. Especially in the style of football we play now. It’s up-tempo so we have to play a lot of guys.
On the starting three
I can’t name anyone yet. I like the competition that’s going on, it’s very healthy and I’d like to keep it that way, it’s very healthy.
On drop-off on defensive side of the ball
We’ve got some athletic guys. I am really excited about how well they run and we want to utilize that athleticism. We are longer than we have been and I think that will be key and we have healthier depth and that’s the thing we have been really working to get. Our current guys have learned from a really good group of three guys from last year and have really took what those guys have taught them and will come out strong this year.
Assistant Coach (Safeties) Matt Caponi
On how redshirt junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry looks returning from last season’s knee injury
I think it’ll be more of a contact thing once we get the pads on and crank it up for the first time and just trusting it. He’s worked his tail off to get to where he is now. He looked good moving around, running, cutting, and he wasn’t limited. He got through all the drills, got through practice, and felt good this morning. So, those are good signs. Once we get the pads on and that first thing, maybe jumping up for a ball and going up with a receiver, just to get through that, I’m sure, once that takes care of itself, then it’ll be full-throttle from there.
On how redshirt junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry’s knee is feeling through offseason strength and conditioning programs
Our strength staff and training staff did a great job to get him to where he is now. Throughout the summer, we still got updated weekly as to where he was strength-wise and up to the point where he finally got cleared by the doctors when he was 100 percent. We just monitored him over the spring, took things slowly, and let him get to where he is feeling comfortable going back out there. The timing was perfect. He had a great summer in the weight room, on the field, and hopefully that translates into a good camp.
On if there is anything redshirt junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry gained from being sidelined with injury last season
Yeah. He’s a heck of a player and hard to replace. The guys that stepped in last year did a great job, but I heard so much about Dravon when I got here. Being able to work with him that first spring and a couple practices last fall, I’m anxious to get back and be able to coach him again to see how he leads this group of guys, leads this team as a leader and just to see his play-making ability on the field.
On the redshirt junior safety Dravon impact Askew-Henry has on the defense and his teammates
Being able to come in here and start as a true freshman like he did, getting thrown into the fire, he had a pretty good season. Then, he made some improvements in his sophomore year. If you get those guys to come in and play early, if they can come in and improve each year like he did, then the sky’s the limit for them. They can accomplish anything and get to where they want to be. I’m looking forward and trying to instill confidence in him that he still has the ability to get better. I don’t think anybody has reached their max capacity yet from a standpoint of being able to do what they’re supposed to do every snap and doing it to the best of their ability. So, that’s my job to coach those guys, get all the details ironed out and make them the best players they can be and put them in the best situation to be successful.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
On if he has seen differences since the spring
I thought this unit had a really good summer. The receivers, they’re real hungry about learning and having more plays. Over the summer we have experimented with some things and this first install has grown tremendously from what we normally do for our normal install. Spring is a little bit different; it’s more about finding out who you are and what you’re working with and now that we pretty much have a direction and know what way we’re going with things, that install is starting to increase a lot more.
On what position must learn the most
All of them, the quarterbacks are pretty similar from how (head coach) Dana (Holgorsen) trained them until how I train them, the o-line has a lot more run game schemes. Tweaking old habits is a big thing. How we run a certain play is a little bit different than how they ran it last year, so overcoming some of the habits that they were so used to last year. I think it’s a mixture of o-line, receivers, and running backs, they all have to learn a lot more.
On getting (redshirt junior quarterback) David Isreal ready
I liked his poise for the first day. For a kid that drove straight into West Virginia and we gave him a helmet and said “Go run 15 plays of team and 10 plays of skelly and have a presence about yourself”. He had some questions, but overall I thought he grasped it pretty well. He comes in and meets all the time now trying to get caught up, and we’ve got to get him ready to play. I think he’s a good kid and has a good presence and that’s something we can work with.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Joe Wickline
On the energy and excitement in practice so far
The first thing is, our strength coach (Director, Strength and Conditioning) Mike Joseph and (Assistant Director, Strength and Conditioning) Darl (Bauer) and (Strength Coach) Chad (Snodgrass) and his staff did a great job, they had a great summer. They are healthy and they are in really good shape, you can tell. Their flexibility is good and they are bouncing around. The first thing you see is how good of a job our strength coaches do. The second thing you see is that they are all into it; their minds are into the mission and into the system. They are doing a nice job. The third thing is I think there is some retainment. There is some decent retainment from the spring. So we are trying to start all over again and reintroduce concepts and the foundation of what we are trying to get done. Both from an individual standpoint, a group standpoint, half-line, combo schemes, protections and the whole deal.
On the returning leadership on the offensive line
I think that goes two ways. Of course, Tyler (Orlosky), what a great leader he was and Adam Pankey and (Tony) Matteo was here. We lost some really good players so we have our hands full. What you do find is that you challenge the guys that are coming back that are the guys that have played before and say ‘Look you have a different role now’. You have to make up for those guys not being here and not when things are easy. As things get tough, as things get going on into camp, you guys have raise up and help us out a little bit. The other thing you find as the room takes the role, the room takes ownership of what we all have to do. The chemistry is building right now, it’s that time of the year. They are trying to come close and they are all trying to be leaders.
On redshirt junior offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste returning from last year’s injury
Yodny has come back and wasn’t able to do a whole lot in the summer, just kind of rehab. Again, (Football Athletic Trainer) Dave (Kerns) and his training staff have done a good job with Yodny. He ought to have fresh legs. He hasn’t done a whole lot. He is a really good young’un (young one) and he takes it serious. He has a lot of pride in what he does, it’s important to him. Obviously, everyone is at the same skill level. He has a big year ahead of him. We need to put a year together. We are challenging Yodny and saying ‘Look. Let’s go ahead and put a year together. Let’s get better.” He takes it every day and does a nice job. He just gets a little better each day.
Assistant coach (Running backs) Tony Dews
On assistant coach (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) Jake Spavital’s thoughts on running back experience
Thanks for the pressure, coach Spavital. I think that’s been the thought coming into the season when you have three guys particularly that are coming back that’ve all played some significant reps in games up to this point. So, I would say we have some pretty good depth and we’re still continuing to try to develop the other guys in the room to create more depth.
On different traits of different backs
Obviously, they all do something differently. They all do things very well. But as a group, I think the biggest thing is to continue to concentrate on the fundamental part of it – ball security being number one and making sure we’re taking care of the football and not giving someone an opportunity because we were careless. So, to continue to work fundamentally is the big thing, and then as we go and start to get into schemes, to recognize and understand what the defense is trying to do to us from a front, as well as a coverage standpoint. Those things, away from the physical things they do, the mental part of it is something we can all continue to work on and get better as a group.
On the sophomore running back Kennedy McKoy’s versatility
Well, Kennedy is a really good athlete that has those skills to be able to play receiver. So, why have him on the sidelines next to us if he’s not the starter but can help contribute in another area to help the team? To his credit, he’s been totally selfless and looking forward to and embracing that role. It’s a good thing; he’s on the field playing. At the end of the day, that’s what all of them want. They want to be on the field playing, contributing to the team and helping however they can.
On senior running back Justin Crawford
That’s what has been one of the most exciting things for me coming in new. I said this back when I got here, that you come into a situation where you have a guy that has played a lot of football and has had some success playing football, both high school, junior college and then here last year. To be as humble as he has been and taking the coaching the way he has taken the coaching, obviously I’m different than coach (Ja’Juan) Seider just like any coach that is different and like to do things their own way. He’s been really open and very attentive to detail. I see him trying to do the things that we’re asking him to do. I’m excited; it’s fun to coach a kid like that. Justin reminds me of when we were kids and you just go out and play football in the backyard and just have a good time. That’s how he is. He’s just a big kid having fun, playing a game.
Assistant Coach (Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On what he’d like to see in the first week
I want to see a winning mind set, route depth, and finishing plays as far as blocking wise. I’m big on blocking so more than anything I want to see route depth, actually knowing what you’re doing, and blocking.
On if he is seeing physicality from the receivers
They’re showing it, I’m very excited about this group. I have about five or six guys that can play anywhere. As far as physicality goes, they are exceeding it right now. I can’t wait to get pads on and see if they can keep it up.
On how the receivers did in the summer
I’ve seen initiative with the whole receiving corps, those guys took the initiative this summer. They said ‘where not going to go and sit on a beach this summer, we’re going to stay here and we’re going to get better’ and when you get a group of guys that are that focused. It wasn’t even just (redshirt junior quarterback) Will Grier and it wasn’t just two receivers, it was about 11 or 12 of them out on the field every single day, running backs and the offensive line, all getting better. When you get that, it is a sign for a lot of success. They stayed, they focused and the chemistry between the receivers and the quarterbacks right now is through the roof.
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On who is standing out on defense as fall camp begins
I will say this, (freshman defensive lineman) Lamonte McDougle yesterday showed some good things, but we didn’t have pads on, so it’s hard to tell. But we like his explosiveness, strength, and he’s got some quickness. So, we like him a lot right now.
On if the defense has gained any depth since spring practices
We have a lot of depth right now and a lot of guys that are repping now. Have we gained depth? I don’t think so yet, but we have a lot of guys that we feel are in the right position to battle it out a little bit now.
On if there is anything to install as the defense moves from spring practices to fall camp
We go to the same format that we had last year on day one of fall camp and today will obviously be day two. We’re not going any faster or any slower. We’re right on track with where we’ve been the last couple years.
On comfort level with cornerbacks
We’ve got some experienced guys with (senior cornerback Elijah) Battle, obviously he’s the most experienced guy we have back, and then (redshirt senior cornerback) Corey Winfield brings 27 games that he started when he was at Syracuse. (Redshirt sophomore cornerback) Hakeem Bailey was here in the spring. We like him and (senior cornerback) Mike Daniels. We have four or five guys that I feel comfortable with right now. But, again, we’re in day one. So, as we progress in camp, let’s see how they do.
Assistant coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
On feelings of cornerback position entering camp
I feel good. There are a lot of guys motivated to try to become the guy or one of the guys. So, we have a lot of competition in the room and I feel good about where we’re at. We have a lot of work to do after just one day, but I feel good about where we’ll end up.
On what he likes most about his group
Just the competitive edge right now. I feel like all these guys have a chip on their shoulder and they have a lot to prove with so many people exiting in the last two years. I like the way they compete and how much it means to them.
On goals during first week of camp
Consistency has been the thing we’ve focused on the most, not having one good day but putting a couple good days together and building off what we did the day before.
On the tackling ability
You have to be able to tackle; you have to be able to play in space. That’s something that we talk about. Right now, we’ve mostly been focused on taking care of the first day.
Assistant Coach (Defense/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On how recruiting special teams has changed
I think it is a little bit of that. People realizing it. You look at big games in the past, whether it be national championship games or big bowl games that have been flipped on a blocked kick or a kickoff return; special teams plays, where those guys play a huge role. That and how national recruiting has gotten, with all of the national camps where you can reach out to a guy on social media and build a relationship with him there. Then when you can get out and see him in the spring or do those things, you can do that now. Whereas you had to try to get that kid on campus before, get him to a camp. There are so many national camps where you can get updated video week to week throughout the summer. That is just how much bigger recruiting in general has grown, how national it is. If you look at the big games the last couple of years, those guys make a difference. Whether it be flipping field position or if you have a guy that you feel comfortable sending out there for a 45, 50, 52-yard field goal, that really changes what you are going to do offensively and defensively. Those guys can be weapons for you.
On if he looks for players that can do multiple things while recruiting
Yeah. A lot of it is based on our needs going into whatever year we are looking to bring in a scholarship kid. If they are really good at multiple (positions), that is always a plus. It’s some kinds difficult to find a guy that if it is a kick of guy and punter, you kind of have that. Those guys go hand in hand, or a kickoff guy and a placekicker. To find a guy that does all three is really rare. You don’t want to throw that on people’s plates right when they get in. We have had guys back in the past, you see guys other places in the country where as they get older you can build them into that. If a guy excels in two different phases than that is going to be a bonus.
On redshirt senior kicker Mike Molina is the placekicker right now
Mike is our guy right now. We added (redshirt freshman kicker) Luke Hogan who came up from Houston, who has a really strong leg. Again, we want healthy competition at every single spot. Kind of like what we saw last year, where we were going with three walk-ons, we are going to play the best guy regardless of how old he is, what his standing is, everything like that. That is who is going to put our team in the best position to win. We want as much competition as we can get at every spot. It’s only been one day, but his work throughout the spring, his work really in the summer, he looks good and he feels good. We are going to keep pushing each other, but Mike looks good right now.
Assistant Coach (Defensive Line) Bruce Tall
On progress with camp so far
We’ve been excited about the guys. We think we have good numbers and we’ve got a good rotation.
On the depth on the defensive line
We’ve been trying to build depth, as we’ve been doing, so that’s something that we’ve always looked for. You have to play a minimum of five to six guys on the defensive line and we’d love to get that to seven or eight guys because numbers are key. Especially in the style of football we play now. It’s up-tempo so we have to play a lot of guys.
On the starting three
I can’t name anyone yet. I like the competition that’s going on, it’s very healthy and I’d like to keep it that way, it’s very healthy.
On drop-off on defensive side of the ball
We’ve got some athletic guys. I am really excited about how well they run and we want to utilize that athleticism. We are longer than we have been and I think that will be key and we have healthier depth and that’s the thing we have been really working to get. Our current guys have learned from a really good group of three guys from last year and have really took what those guys have taught them and will come out strong this year.
Assistant Coach (Safeties) Matt Caponi
On how redshirt junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry looks returning from last season’s knee injury
I think it’ll be more of a contact thing once we get the pads on and crank it up for the first time and just trusting it. He’s worked his tail off to get to where he is now. He looked good moving around, running, cutting, and he wasn’t limited. He got through all the drills, got through practice, and felt good this morning. So, those are good signs. Once we get the pads on and that first thing, maybe jumping up for a ball and going up with a receiver, just to get through that, I’m sure, once that takes care of itself, then it’ll be full-throttle from there.
On how redshirt junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry’s knee is feeling through offseason strength and conditioning programs
Our strength staff and training staff did a great job to get him to where he is now. Throughout the summer, we still got updated weekly as to where he was strength-wise and up to the point where he finally got cleared by the doctors when he was 100 percent. We just monitored him over the spring, took things slowly, and let him get to where he is feeling comfortable going back out there. The timing was perfect. He had a great summer in the weight room, on the field, and hopefully that translates into a good camp.
On if there is anything redshirt junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry gained from being sidelined with injury last season
Yeah. He’s a heck of a player and hard to replace. The guys that stepped in last year did a great job, but I heard so much about Dravon when I got here. Being able to work with him that first spring and a couple practices last fall, I’m anxious to get back and be able to coach him again to see how he leads this group of guys, leads this team as a leader and just to see his play-making ability on the field.
On the redshirt junior safety Dravon impact Askew-Henry has on the defense and his teammates
Being able to come in here and start as a true freshman like he did, getting thrown into the fire, he had a pretty good season. Then, he made some improvements in his sophomore year. If you get those guys to come in and play early, if they can come in and improve each year like he did, then the sky’s the limit for them. They can accomplish anything and get to where they want to be. I’m looking forward and trying to instill confidence in him that he still has the ability to get better. I don’t think anybody has reached their max capacity yet from a standpoint of being able to do what they’re supposed to do every snap and doing it to the best of their ability. So, that’s my job to coach those guys, get all the details ironed out and make them the best players they can be and put them in the best situation to be successful.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
On if he has seen differences since the spring
I thought this unit had a really good summer. The receivers, they’re real hungry about learning and having more plays. Over the summer we have experimented with some things and this first install has grown tremendously from what we normally do for our normal install. Spring is a little bit different; it’s more about finding out who you are and what you’re working with and now that we pretty much have a direction and know what way we’re going with things, that install is starting to increase a lot more.
On what position must learn the most
All of them, the quarterbacks are pretty similar from how (head coach) Dana (Holgorsen) trained them until how I train them, the o-line has a lot more run game schemes. Tweaking old habits is a big thing. How we run a certain play is a little bit different than how they ran it last year, so overcoming some of the habits that they were so used to last year. I think it’s a mixture of o-line, receivers, and running backs, they all have to learn a lot more.
On getting (redshirt junior quarterback) David Isreal ready
I liked his poise for the first day. For a kid that drove straight into West Virginia and we gave him a helmet and said “Go run 15 plays of team and 10 plays of skelly and have a presence about yourself”. He had some questions, but overall I thought he grasped it pretty well. He comes in and meets all the time now trying to get caught up, and we’ve got to get him ready to play. I think he’s a good kid and has a good presence and that’s something we can work with.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Joe Wickline
On the energy and excitement in practice so far
The first thing is, our strength coach (Director, Strength and Conditioning) Mike Joseph and (Assistant Director, Strength and Conditioning) Darl (Bauer) and (Strength Coach) Chad (Snodgrass) and his staff did a great job, they had a great summer. They are healthy and they are in really good shape, you can tell. Their flexibility is good and they are bouncing around. The first thing you see is how good of a job our strength coaches do. The second thing you see is that they are all into it; their minds are into the mission and into the system. They are doing a nice job. The third thing is I think there is some retainment. There is some decent retainment from the spring. So we are trying to start all over again and reintroduce concepts and the foundation of what we are trying to get done. Both from an individual standpoint, a group standpoint, half-line, combo schemes, protections and the whole deal.
On the returning leadership on the offensive line
I think that goes two ways. Of course, Tyler (Orlosky), what a great leader he was and Adam Pankey and (Tony) Matteo was here. We lost some really good players so we have our hands full. What you do find is that you challenge the guys that are coming back that are the guys that have played before and say ‘Look you have a different role now’. You have to make up for those guys not being here and not when things are easy. As things get tough, as things get going on into camp, you guys have raise up and help us out a little bit. The other thing you find as the room takes the role, the room takes ownership of what we all have to do. The chemistry is building right now, it’s that time of the year. They are trying to come close and they are all trying to be leaders.
On redshirt junior offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste returning from last year’s injury
Yodny has come back and wasn’t able to do a whole lot in the summer, just kind of rehab. Again, (Football Athletic Trainer) Dave (Kerns) and his training staff have done a good job with Yodny. He ought to have fresh legs. He hasn’t done a whole lot. He is a really good young’un (young one) and he takes it serious. He has a lot of pride in what he does, it’s important to him. Obviously, everyone is at the same skill level. He has a big year ahead of him. We need to put a year together. We are challenging Yodny and saying ‘Look. Let’s go ahead and put a year together. Let’s get better.” He takes it every day and does a nice job. He just gets a little better each day.
Assistant coach (Running backs) Tony Dews
On assistant coach (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) Jake Spavital’s thoughts on running back experience
Thanks for the pressure, coach Spavital. I think that’s been the thought coming into the season when you have three guys particularly that are coming back that’ve all played some significant reps in games up to this point. So, I would say we have some pretty good depth and we’re still continuing to try to develop the other guys in the room to create more depth.
On different traits of different backs
Obviously, they all do something differently. They all do things very well. But as a group, I think the biggest thing is to continue to concentrate on the fundamental part of it – ball security being number one and making sure we’re taking care of the football and not giving someone an opportunity because we were careless. So, to continue to work fundamentally is the big thing, and then as we go and start to get into schemes, to recognize and understand what the defense is trying to do to us from a front, as well as a coverage standpoint. Those things, away from the physical things they do, the mental part of it is something we can all continue to work on and get better as a group.
On the sophomore running back Kennedy McKoy’s versatility
Well, Kennedy is a really good athlete that has those skills to be able to play receiver. So, why have him on the sidelines next to us if he’s not the starter but can help contribute in another area to help the team? To his credit, he’s been totally selfless and looking forward to and embracing that role. It’s a good thing; he’s on the field playing. At the end of the day, that’s what all of them want. They want to be on the field playing, contributing to the team and helping however they can.
On senior running back Justin Crawford
That’s what has been one of the most exciting things for me coming in new. I said this back when I got here, that you come into a situation where you have a guy that has played a lot of football and has had some success playing football, both high school, junior college and then here last year. To be as humble as he has been and taking the coaching the way he has taken the coaching, obviously I’m different than coach (Ja’Juan) Seider just like any coach that is different and like to do things their own way. He’s been really open and very attentive to detail. I see him trying to do the things that we’re asking him to do. I’m excited; it’s fun to coach a kid like that. Justin reminds me of when we were kids and you just go out and play football in the backyard and just have a good time. That’s how he is. He’s just a big kid having fun, playing a game.
Assistant Coach (Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On what he’d like to see in the first week
I want to see a winning mind set, route depth, and finishing plays as far as blocking wise. I’m big on blocking so more than anything I want to see route depth, actually knowing what you’re doing, and blocking.
On if he is seeing physicality from the receivers
They’re showing it, I’m very excited about this group. I have about five or six guys that can play anywhere. As far as physicality goes, they are exceeding it right now. I can’t wait to get pads on and see if they can keep it up.
On how the receivers did in the summer
I’ve seen initiative with the whole receiving corps, those guys took the initiative this summer. They said ‘where not going to go and sit on a beach this summer, we’re going to stay here and we’re going to get better’ and when you get a group of guys that are that focused. It wasn’t even just (redshirt junior quarterback) Will Grier and it wasn’t just two receivers, it was about 11 or 12 of them out on the field every single day, running backs and the offensive line, all getting better. When you get that, it is a sign for a lot of success. They stayed, they focused and the chemistry between the receivers and the quarterbacks right now is through the roof.
