MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University football assistant coaches and select student-athletes addressed the media today after spring practice No. 9.
Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider
On today's offensive success
It's going to go back and forth during the spring practices. Today was a scrimmage for us. We had better plays that matched up in the red zone today, so we expected to have a little more success. They made some plays and did some good stuff on the outside, but we need to open more up on the inside.
On expectations for spring practice
Our goal is to go out there, and if we are stalling in the outside zone, then we need to get better at running the outside zone. We love having some success and some big plays. They understand that I want to see some guys do some short yardage stuff. We will get into more of that in the next few weeks. It will go back and forth. We will get more into scrimmage stuff in the next couple weeks.
Now, we care about how they're doing, and if we are calling the right plays, because we have to be accountable out there, too.
Offensive line coach Ron Crook
On offensive line 'stars'
The spring is about getting guys who are ready to step in when we need them. We have a bunch of hard-nosed guys who are coming out everyday and trying to get better, and that's all we can do right now.
On replacing Quinton Spain and Mark Glowinski
Replacing two guys like that is never easy. I'm happy with the progression. (Redshirt junior offensive lineman Adam) Pankey is doing a good job out there. I like the way he's going. (Redshirt junior offensive lineman) Tony (Matteo) is stepping up every day, playing hard and physical. Again, I'm not going to sit here and say that they will replace the two guys we lost.
On tackles
Right now we're doing a lot of stuff with them. We don't get a ton of practice because of our defensive structure. We are working and improving every day. They're embracing it. They're tackling and going at it. Zac Hueter, our new graduate assistant, is giving us a lot of ideas (from time at Michigan State) about stuff that they did, and it's been great.
Junior running back Wendell Smallwood
On today's offensive success
Last Saturday they (offense) got us, so this Saturday we (defense) tried to go after them. We started slow but we started picking up the place. We scored at first so that was good. I had a big run. I was just trying to get a first down but then I saw an opportunity and I took it. (Redshirt-sophomore tight end/fullback) Eli (Wellman) and Pankey let me through.
On one carry during practice
I was playing receiver today. It's different than some days when I get more carries and some days I get no carries. I'm going to be playing a lot more slot with (junior wide receiver) Daikiel (Shorts) on the outside now.
On adjusting to running and receiving
Last year it got to me, but this year I'm getting the hang of it. I really like doing both.
On coach Dana Holgorsen comparing Smallwood to Charles Sims
It means a lot to me being compared to him. He was a great back and a great catcher in the field. Watching him helped me a lot, and Coach Holgorsen saying that was a big compliment.
Senior safety Karl Joseph
On things the safeties need to work on
We definitely need to work on disguising our covers and communicating more. We had some opportunities where we had bad communication last year.
On being a 'veteran group'
Everything seems to have slowed down. I just feel so much more comfortable. I feel like I belong, and I understand every call. I feel like I've been here forever. I'm just enjoying coming out here and getting better. I still have a lot of stuff to improve on. It's just about improving every day.
I think we can be as good as we want to be. That's how good this team is, especially on the defensive side. We have a lot of leaders on that side of the ball. It's going to start with us. We have to get behind the offense, which is a much younger group. We have to lift them up and help them compete. We have to go out there and help them improve like they've been helping us.
Junior quarterback Skyler Howard
On the offense today
We had a good attitude. Everyone I saw was talking about getting some energy today. We didn't just want to go out there and practice. We didn't have a lot of energy last week. The defense likes to yell and stuff when they make plays, so we wanted to put that in their face a little bit today.
That goes along with not just me, but the coaches relaying that we needed a lot of energy. (Redshirt-senior tight end/fullback) Cody Clay was yelling the number of touchdowns we had, that's his thing. He loves doing that stuff.
On Shorts moving to the outside
He's a good playmaker. I trust him to go get the ball when I put it out there. I saw some of that today. I think it's a good change for him with his body type and the way he plays. There's a connection there, but we just took what the defense gave us. If we saw something, we'd take it. If we didn't, we'd take what they gave us. I think Daikiel has been out there for three practices now. My days run together lately.
On the spring overall
Every practice I try to do things better than last practice. I ask myself what I can do better than the other guys. I try to look at myself more than anything.
Defensive Coordinator Tony Gibson
On today's defensive struggle
We had three of our defensive linemen out that we're really counting on, so it was a bad day for us. Like I said, good for the offense, and hopefully we can take some stuff off the film and learn a little bit.
Today, we were flying around, kids were excited and you know, the weather was nice. They weren't thinking about football. They were thinking about different things going on, cooking out or something. I don't know what it was but it was a bad day, really bad. Again, that's our job as coaches to get it fixed. You know, we're going to hold the kids accountable and get this thing done and get it right.
On good things defense is doing
Thursday, we had a really good practice. That may have been our best practice of the spring so far.
Defensive line coach Bruce Tall
Evaluating Defensive Line
It's just like anything, you'd always rather watch the film before you truly evaluate. There's a lot of stuff going on and a lot of stuff to evaluate. This will be a great teaching tape for us. Guys are getting reps, and it's great.
On junior defensive lineman Darrien Howard
He's doing a really nice job for us. He's real powerful and explosive, and he uses his hands extremely well. He really understands the blocking schemes and trying to get better at those and recognizing and adjusting to it. You can see the improvement day after day. You have to learn to have the playing strength too, and he's got good power and strength, but you have to go against that kind of strength on a daily basis.
On the defensive line underclassmen
They are a work in progress, and they are doing a nice job. You know, they've got the right attitude, and they're learning the defense so they can play faster. When you're young you're still trying to learn the defense, so it's the thinking part that will slow them down a little bit. We'll try to speed them up as they start to get a better grasp of it.
On what's important to focus on now
It's more team stuff. It's the whole process, because that's when everything is more condensed and everything's moving. Some guys are better with one on ones and all of the sudden you put a body next to them, and they're not the same players.
Senior safety KJ Dillon
On the spring overall
It's been going good getting back in the groove of things, working on defensive things and just doing what we do.
On his confidence level
We're really confident right now because this is the first time since I've been here, and since anybody's been here on defense, that we get to do the same things on defense twice. Every year we've been putting in a new defense but for us back there we get to do the same things we did last year, so all we're doing is perfecting the game and getting better.
On the offense
They just seemed to be in a groove today. They practice just like we practice, so they're going to make plays just like we make plays, so I guess today was just leaning more toward their side.
On cleaning up some of the tackling issues
I've seen better tackling from everybody on the defensive side. That's one thing that we're pushing on more. We're also focusing on turnovers and tackling the turnovers, so both of those things have been improving this spring.
On fundamentals
We don't have to learn anything new. Like I said, the guys are just naturally flying around more because they're used to doing that. People don't have to think as much and can make more tackles and get the ball out more.
Redshirt-junior running back Rushel Shell
On picking up receiver skills
The signals, we switch them up so much just to keep the defense off guard so everyday is something. Getting then all down and then repeating them and knowing the exact routes and schemes is tough.
On being comfortable catching the ball
Catching the ball I feel great. It's just getting to where I need to be to catch the ball.
Redshirt-senior linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski
On preference out of three linebacker positions
I'll play wherever. Like I said earlier they're all pretty similar so it doesn't really matter to me.
On the switching of positions
It's a positive. I've been here for four going on five years, and I kind of had to know all three of them so it's been easy. Maybe not easy, but smooth so far.
On what position his skill set is in
I like Sam, but they're all pretty similar. Like I said, you just have to know the coverage you need.
Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider
On today's offensive success
It's going to go back and forth during the spring practices. Today was a scrimmage for us. We had better plays that matched up in the red zone today, so we expected to have a little more success. They made some plays and did some good stuff on the outside, but we need to open more up on the inside.
On expectations for spring practice
Our goal is to go out there, and if we are stalling in the outside zone, then we need to get better at running the outside zone. We love having some success and some big plays. They understand that I want to see some guys do some short yardage stuff. We will get into more of that in the next few weeks. It will go back and forth. We will get more into scrimmage stuff in the next couple weeks.
Now, we care about how they're doing, and if we are calling the right plays, because we have to be accountable out there, too.
Offensive line coach Ron Crook
On offensive line 'stars'
The spring is about getting guys who are ready to step in when we need them. We have a bunch of hard-nosed guys who are coming out everyday and trying to get better, and that's all we can do right now.
On replacing Quinton Spain and Mark Glowinski
Replacing two guys like that is never easy. I'm happy with the progression. (Redshirt junior offensive lineman Adam) Pankey is doing a good job out there. I like the way he's going. (Redshirt junior offensive lineman) Tony (Matteo) is stepping up every day, playing hard and physical. Again, I'm not going to sit here and say that they will replace the two guys we lost.
On tackles
Right now we're doing a lot of stuff with them. We don't get a ton of practice because of our defensive structure. We are working and improving every day. They're embracing it. They're tackling and going at it. Zac Hueter, our new graduate assistant, is giving us a lot of ideas (from time at Michigan State) about stuff that they did, and it's been great.
Junior running back Wendell Smallwood
On today's offensive success
Last Saturday they (offense) got us, so this Saturday we (defense) tried to go after them. We started slow but we started picking up the place. We scored at first so that was good. I had a big run. I was just trying to get a first down but then I saw an opportunity and I took it. (Redshirt-sophomore tight end/fullback) Eli (Wellman) and Pankey let me through.
On one carry during practice
I was playing receiver today. It's different than some days when I get more carries and some days I get no carries. I'm going to be playing a lot more slot with (junior wide receiver) Daikiel (Shorts) on the outside now.
On adjusting to running and receiving
Last year it got to me, but this year I'm getting the hang of it. I really like doing both.
On coach Dana Holgorsen comparing Smallwood to Charles Sims
It means a lot to me being compared to him. He was a great back and a great catcher in the field. Watching him helped me a lot, and Coach Holgorsen saying that was a big compliment.
Senior safety Karl Joseph
On things the safeties need to work on
We definitely need to work on disguising our covers and communicating more. We had some opportunities where we had bad communication last year.
On being a 'veteran group'
Everything seems to have slowed down. I just feel so much more comfortable. I feel like I belong, and I understand every call. I feel like I've been here forever. I'm just enjoying coming out here and getting better. I still have a lot of stuff to improve on. It's just about improving every day.
I think we can be as good as we want to be. That's how good this team is, especially on the defensive side. We have a lot of leaders on that side of the ball. It's going to start with us. We have to get behind the offense, which is a much younger group. We have to lift them up and help them compete. We have to go out there and help them improve like they've been helping us.
Junior quarterback Skyler Howard
On the offense today
We had a good attitude. Everyone I saw was talking about getting some energy today. We didn't just want to go out there and practice. We didn't have a lot of energy last week. The defense likes to yell and stuff when they make plays, so we wanted to put that in their face a little bit today.
That goes along with not just me, but the coaches relaying that we needed a lot of energy. (Redshirt-senior tight end/fullback) Cody Clay was yelling the number of touchdowns we had, that's his thing. He loves doing that stuff.
On Shorts moving to the outside
He's a good playmaker. I trust him to go get the ball when I put it out there. I saw some of that today. I think it's a good change for him with his body type and the way he plays. There's a connection there, but we just took what the defense gave us. If we saw something, we'd take it. If we didn't, we'd take what they gave us. I think Daikiel has been out there for three practices now. My days run together lately.
On the spring overall
Every practice I try to do things better than last practice. I ask myself what I can do better than the other guys. I try to look at myself more than anything.
Defensive Coordinator Tony Gibson
On today's defensive struggle
We had three of our defensive linemen out that we're really counting on, so it was a bad day for us. Like I said, good for the offense, and hopefully we can take some stuff off the film and learn a little bit.
Today, we were flying around, kids were excited and you know, the weather was nice. They weren't thinking about football. They were thinking about different things going on, cooking out or something. I don't know what it was but it was a bad day, really bad. Again, that's our job as coaches to get it fixed. You know, we're going to hold the kids accountable and get this thing done and get it right.
On good things defense is doing
Thursday, we had a really good practice. That may have been our best practice of the spring so far.
Defensive line coach Bruce Tall
Evaluating Defensive Line
It's just like anything, you'd always rather watch the film before you truly evaluate. There's a lot of stuff going on and a lot of stuff to evaluate. This will be a great teaching tape for us. Guys are getting reps, and it's great.
On junior defensive lineman Darrien Howard
He's doing a really nice job for us. He's real powerful and explosive, and he uses his hands extremely well. He really understands the blocking schemes and trying to get better at those and recognizing and adjusting to it. You can see the improvement day after day. You have to learn to have the playing strength too, and he's got good power and strength, but you have to go against that kind of strength on a daily basis.
On the defensive line underclassmen
They are a work in progress, and they are doing a nice job. You know, they've got the right attitude, and they're learning the defense so they can play faster. When you're young you're still trying to learn the defense, so it's the thinking part that will slow them down a little bit. We'll try to speed them up as they start to get a better grasp of it.
On what's important to focus on now
It's more team stuff. It's the whole process, because that's when everything is more condensed and everything's moving. Some guys are better with one on ones and all of the sudden you put a body next to them, and they're not the same players.
Senior safety KJ Dillon
On the spring overall
It's been going good getting back in the groove of things, working on defensive things and just doing what we do.
On his confidence level
We're really confident right now because this is the first time since I've been here, and since anybody's been here on defense, that we get to do the same things on defense twice. Every year we've been putting in a new defense but for us back there we get to do the same things we did last year, so all we're doing is perfecting the game and getting better.
On the offense
They just seemed to be in a groove today. They practice just like we practice, so they're going to make plays just like we make plays, so I guess today was just leaning more toward their side.
On cleaning up some of the tackling issues
I've seen better tackling from everybody on the defensive side. That's one thing that we're pushing on more. We're also focusing on turnovers and tackling the turnovers, so both of those things have been improving this spring.
On fundamentals
We don't have to learn anything new. Like I said, the guys are just naturally flying around more because they're used to doing that. People don't have to think as much and can make more tackles and get the ball out more.
Redshirt-junior running back Rushel Shell
On picking up receiver skills
The signals, we switch them up so much just to keep the defense off guard so everyday is something. Getting then all down and then repeating them and knowing the exact routes and schemes is tough.
On being comfortable catching the ball
Catching the ball I feel great. It's just getting to where I need to be to catch the ball.
Redshirt-senior linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski
On preference out of three linebacker positions
I'll play wherever. Like I said earlier they're all pretty similar so it doesn't really matter to me.
On the switching of positions
It's a positive. I've been here for four going on five years, and I kind of had to know all three of them so it's been easy. Maybe not easy, but smooth so far.
On what position his skill set is in
I like Sam, but they're all pretty similar. Like I said, you just have to know the coverage you need.
