What we tried to do today is a lot of the end-of-game situations, some live special teams. We wanted to get in kick coverage today, something that I haven't done since my first couple years back at Grand Valley State where we went live on kickoff and kickoff return today. A lot of punt returns, put in some live fakes. That's why you were escorted out of the building. Got those things accomplished. A little bit of a scrimmage where we wanted to emphasize some things offensively and defensively. Some specific things we felt we were not efficient in offensively and defensively today as when we've gone through camp. We wanted to emphasize those things today, which we did. We get reps on that. Overall, from that standpoint, we were able to work on some of the things we felt like as a staff on offense and defense needed some more fine-tuning. We got that worked on today as well as our normal in-practice type of schedule. We'll give the guys a couple days off, which they need, because they're tired and sore and use next week to kind of transition into in-season mode relative to our practice. We'll go back to afternoon practicing with the guys beginning classes and really try to build a routine next week. It's the first time in a few years where we won't have a game week the first week of classes so it'll be nice to build a routine for our guys with classes and practice and get that established as we get into preparation for Texas.
How do you feel about the team
It's always different when you go out there and it's real and you're keeping score. In terms of the preparation you always feel better when you've created a number of live situations, created opportunities for guys in competitive situations where we've got a lot of competition, a lot of depth that keeps that competition keen. We're not in a situation where guys are going through the motions in the last four or five practices because they know by the end there's nobody to push me. I really like that edge about our camp. Guys are fighting for playing time at a lot of positions, so that makes for good teaching, good learning and good competition.
How much have you worked on Texas
We haven't really done much for Texas other than our defense runs a lot of similar patterns relative to three-down and four-down and Texas is more four-technique oriented out of their three-down but when you go against our defense you see so much variety that it does prepare you in some sense. Texas does go to more spread and hurry up, so nothing really specific off of what we have from the spring game because they changed their offense. We think we've seen a lot of what they do defensively already from what our defense does. We'll get specific with them next week.
St. Brown and A. Jones
They're both extremely gifted players athletically. I think as freshmen they've experienced maybe a couple of practices here or there where it became heavy for them, but a day like today where they can see the light at the end of the tunnel with a couple days off. They show up really big. Their athletic ability comes back to them. They're excited about a couple days off. Their parents are here. Their mood changes a great deal and they really jump out. They are guys that are going to be really difficult to keep off the field because of their ability and certainly where they play they make for difficult matchups. EQ on the outside, he can take the top off the coverage and can do so much for you in that respect and Alize is a matchup nightmare. They're both going to be able to contribute.
Where will coaches be gameday
Mike Sanford will be up top.
O-line collectively and individually
Ronnie and Nick in terms of the strength — Ronnie's athletic ability gives him the edge over Nick in terms of his length and his ability to do things on the tackle position. Nick in terms of overall leadership, football smarts. You just have two outstanding players, two seniors, two veterans, two leaders that can do a lot for us.
Steve Elmer has really improved his game physically in the sense that he's so much better in space now, stays on his feet. He's a different person as it relates to climbing into the second level and being able to sustain and hold on his blocks. There's been a huge elevation there in terms of his game. He still possesses the strength and he's growing in the pass game in terms of sets, his pass sets. He's getting better there.
Then I go to Mike and Quenton. Both of those guys have immense athletic ability. I mean big-time athletic ability. McGlinchy with his size and Quenton with the strength. They're a little limited sometimes in terms of they're both emotional kids and we've got to kind of keep them in check sometimes. They're both guys that we want to work with.
Quarterbacks' difficulty with footwork when they start college
Because they're tied normally into your progressions. We work off a three-step drop, a rocker step and then hitches. Your feet take you through your progression. If you're late or slow with your footwork. In Brandon's case he's trying to get the laces of the ball and as he's trying to do that he's not taking any footwork. He's not stepping. So he's late in a lot of the things that he's doing. It throws the timing off everything he's doing. It's just a matter of time before it comes for him and we've really made great progress there in getting him caught up relative to his progressions. The simplest way to put it is within the system that we have, you have to be on time because the window opens and closes for these guys so quickly, if they're late with their footwork, they can't get through the progression and that's what's happening to Brandon right now. He's late in his progressions so what does he do? He relies on what he has, and that's a cannon for an arm. So then he tries to rip things in there and drives the throw through defenders and it creates problems.
Technique for Nelson compared to day 1 of camp
Where he's made the most progress probably is in pass protection. Passing off games, working with Ronnie. Ronnie's been great. Ronnie will rip you and let you know and then he'll put his arm around you and say, 'Hey, this is what we've got to do.' He's been terrific in working with the young guy next to him. He's got a freshman next to him and it's been really fun to watch that relationship grow because that's what it is. Those guys are linked together. If Ronnie's out off the edge, Quenton's got to be with him.
Bars next man in at guard and tackle?
Yeah, he'll play. He'll play on Saturday. He'll be in the rotation at guard.
Plan B at nickel with Crawford out
KeiVarae will go to nickel.
And then Nick Coleman?
No. It will be Butler.
Decided on a No. 2 QB?
It would be right now DeShone. He's really moving in that direction in soldifying that position.
Tight ends
That's still probably one position a little bit still uncertain, which is okay because we know what we've got in Durham once he gets 100 percent healthy and he looks much better today. He's a lot more confident out there. Tyler and Nic and Chase and then of course Alize. We're feeling really lucky there to have that kind of depth. I think what you'll see is it's situational to a large degree for some of those guys too. I don't think you're going to see Chase running down the middle of the field and I don't think you'll see Alize doing a lot of dirty work. We're going to see him running down the field. I think we've established in terms of what their strengths are and then we'll kind of move into the game that way.
Feel comfortable with two on the field at once?
I think we can use three. Right now you can use Alize Jones as a wide receiver. He's got that kind of elite speed and you can line him up and you can put two tight ends in the game in a spread formation with Durham and Alize, so we've got some really good flexibility and I think at the end of the day we can really do some things with those tight ends to keep teams unbalanced.
Have you talked with Greg Bryant
I have not.
Has that chapter closed?
Yeah, I mean, the last we heard was that he was thinking about another school. We get different reports each day.
How do you feel about the team
It's always different when you go out there and it's real and you're keeping score. In terms of the preparation you always feel better when you've created a number of live situations, created opportunities for guys in competitive situations where we've got a lot of competition, a lot of depth that keeps that competition keen. We're not in a situation where guys are going through the motions in the last four or five practices because they know by the end there's nobody to push me. I really like that edge about our camp. Guys are fighting for playing time at a lot of positions, so that makes for good teaching, good learning and good competition.
How much have you worked on Texas
We haven't really done much for Texas other than our defense runs a lot of similar patterns relative to three-down and four-down and Texas is more four-technique oriented out of their three-down but when you go against our defense you see so much variety that it does prepare you in some sense. Texas does go to more spread and hurry up, so nothing really specific off of what we have from the spring game because they changed their offense. We think we've seen a lot of what they do defensively already from what our defense does. We'll get specific with them next week.
St. Brown and A. Jones
They're both extremely gifted players athletically. I think as freshmen they've experienced maybe a couple of practices here or there where it became heavy for them, but a day like today where they can see the light at the end of the tunnel with a couple days off. They show up really big. Their athletic ability comes back to them. They're excited about a couple days off. Their parents are here. Their mood changes a great deal and they really jump out. They are guys that are going to be really difficult to keep off the field because of their ability and certainly where they play they make for difficult matchups. EQ on the outside, he can take the top off the coverage and can do so much for you in that respect and Alize is a matchup nightmare. They're both going to be able to contribute.
Where will coaches be gameday
Mike Sanford will be up top.
O-line collectively and individually
Ronnie and Nick in terms of the strength — Ronnie's athletic ability gives him the edge over Nick in terms of his length and his ability to do things on the tackle position. Nick in terms of overall leadership, football smarts. You just have two outstanding players, two seniors, two veterans, two leaders that can do a lot for us.
Steve Elmer has really improved his game physically in the sense that he's so much better in space now, stays on his feet. He's a different person as it relates to climbing into the second level and being able to sustain and hold on his blocks. There's been a huge elevation there in terms of his game. He still possesses the strength and he's growing in the pass game in terms of sets, his pass sets. He's getting better there.
Then I go to Mike and Quenton. Both of those guys have immense athletic ability. I mean big-time athletic ability. McGlinchy with his size and Quenton with the strength. They're a little limited sometimes in terms of they're both emotional kids and we've got to kind of keep them in check sometimes. They're both guys that we want to work with.
Quarterbacks' difficulty with footwork when they start college
Because they're tied normally into your progressions. We work off a three-step drop, a rocker step and then hitches. Your feet take you through your progression. If you're late or slow with your footwork. In Brandon's case he's trying to get the laces of the ball and as he's trying to do that he's not taking any footwork. He's not stepping. So he's late in a lot of the things that he's doing. It throws the timing off everything he's doing. It's just a matter of time before it comes for him and we've really made great progress there in getting him caught up relative to his progressions. The simplest way to put it is within the system that we have, you have to be on time because the window opens and closes for these guys so quickly, if they're late with their footwork, they can't get through the progression and that's what's happening to Brandon right now. He's late in his progressions so what does he do? He relies on what he has, and that's a cannon for an arm. So then he tries to rip things in there and drives the throw through defenders and it creates problems.
Technique for Nelson compared to day 1 of camp
Where he's made the most progress probably is in pass protection. Passing off games, working with Ronnie. Ronnie's been great. Ronnie will rip you and let you know and then he'll put his arm around you and say, 'Hey, this is what we've got to do.' He's been terrific in working with the young guy next to him. He's got a freshman next to him and it's been really fun to watch that relationship grow because that's what it is. Those guys are linked together. If Ronnie's out off the edge, Quenton's got to be with him.
Bars next man in at guard and tackle?
Yeah, he'll play. He'll play on Saturday. He'll be in the rotation at guard.
Plan B at nickel with Crawford out
KeiVarae will go to nickel.
And then Nick Coleman?
No. It will be Butler.
Decided on a No. 2 QB?
It would be right now DeShone. He's really moving in that direction in soldifying that position.
Tight ends
That's still probably one position a little bit still uncertain, which is okay because we know what we've got in Durham once he gets 100 percent healthy and he looks much better today. He's a lot more confident out there. Tyler and Nic and Chase and then of course Alize. We're feeling really lucky there to have that kind of depth. I think what you'll see is it's situational to a large degree for some of those guys too. I don't think you're going to see Chase running down the middle of the field and I don't think you'll see Alize doing a lot of dirty work. We're going to see him running down the field. I think we've established in terms of what their strengths are and then we'll kind of move into the game that way.
Feel comfortable with two on the field at once?
I think we can use three. Right now you can use Alize Jones as a wide receiver. He's got that kind of elite speed and you can line him up and you can put two tight ends in the game in a spread formation with Durham and Alize, so we've got some really good flexibility and I think at the end of the day we can really do some things with those tight ends to keep teams unbalanced.
Have you talked with Greg Bryant
I have not.
Has that chapter closed?
Yeah, I mean, the last we heard was that he was thinking about another school. We get different reports each day.
