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00:00 Like everything, there's good things on both sides of the ball at times,
00:04 and a lot of things that shore up.
00:06 The key is being able to train yourself to play in game-like situations,
00:10 put pressure on yourself to perform, demand the best from yourself with every single
00:15 play, be able to focus, and come back and do it whether you're a nice good play
00:19 before, bad play.
00:20 And those are things you all gotta just train yourself to do.
00:22 The next guy's gotta be ready to go, we gotta build some depth.
00:25 And then we just gotta keep some of these guys healthy so
00:28 we can get good live action and it'll be fun to watch the film and
00:31 see what stood out.
00:33 >> How did you, what was the format?
00:35 Do you do one versus ones?
00:37 Do you do a lot of it?
00:38 And I'm assuming you wanna get a lot of young guys in there also.
00:41 >> Well, I like to go ones on ones.
00:43 So we went good on good all day long.
00:45 We've been doing that all camp.
00:46 I want us to get the best and hardest stroke we can, so that's been good for us.
00:50 As we get close to the game, we'll taper back on some of that, but that was good.
00:54 Some of the action was live tackle, which was good to do that.
00:56 And some of the action was thudding it up and
00:59 kind of putting the ball where we think it would stop it from.
01:01 So I think it was productive.
01:03 And other than a few guys coming up with some ankles and hammies,
01:08 we got through it pretty good, I think, to this point.
01:11 >> What do you like so far that you've seen from your team since you started
01:14 practicing?
01:15 >> Well, I do think on offense, our offensive line has improved and
01:18 we've added competition.
01:19 I think that we've got some young tight end,
01:21 we just gotta push them to keep getting better and growing.
01:24 And Joe Gable has been a new one that has just learned the position, but
01:29 he is athletic.
01:30 So we gotta figure out what he can do and utilize him.
01:32 Receiving core, when they're on and they know what to do,
01:35 they've been productive.
01:36 Just gotta continue to educate them on all the nuances of what we have to do.
01:40 And the running backs have been solid, so that's been pretty good.
01:44 On defense, we've had some good moments.
01:47 This maybe wasn't our better day.
01:49 I thought we gave it too many big plays.
01:50 So we gotta see what exactly happened there.
01:54 But I do want to be aggressive in how we play defense, challenge routes.
01:59 Get after the quarterback, make sure he knows we're gonna hit him.
02:02 And go from there while trying to eliminate all the big plays.
02:07 So I think keeping some certain guys healthy on that side of the ball will be
02:11 important.
02:12 >> How can the defensive line, your thoughts on how they've progressed?
02:16 It's kind of hard when we're watching camp here.
02:19 But once you get into a scrimmage, your thoughts on how they look today?
02:23 >> Well, I think we have some depth there, which is good.
02:27 Led by Aston Jolade, Steven Heron has stood out.
02:33 He's a little knicked up right now, but he stood out for making some plays.
02:36 And they have a ton of experience.
02:38 They've got some guys behind them that are making progress.
02:41 And quite a few interior guys that just need to identify who's gonna get
02:46 a stand out, and you've got to make plays, or whatever we need to do.
02:51 So that's been good to see that, and they've got to be productive.
02:56 I think that we have capable guys, and we've got to put them in position to succeed.
03:00 >> Right.
03:02 >> Jeff, you mentioned the tie-ins, obviously, and
03:04 half that the fan-made, and the tutors still not all part of the position.
03:08 But the collegiate level, I guess, what concerns are for
03:10 the transfer as far as that position goes?
03:11 So far in camp, and where do you like those guys standing right now?
03:15 >> Well, I think that we have some young ones that have played a little bit, and
03:19 some not much that in time, I think, can be productive.
03:23 These guys show them exactly what to do, and know how to do it.
03:29 We have to communicate it, and just play as hard as we can.
03:32 I think we've added a couple pieces.
03:35 We've got Jamar Johnson, who is big and athletic, and
03:39 then Joey Gable, who's athletic.
03:41 We have to maybe have a certain package for
03:43 them because they can be productive in a passing game, and
03:47 do a few things in a running game.
03:49 So that's an interesting position that we'd like to have, be productive in it.
03:53 But we've got to be a little unconventional this year, and
03:57 maybe by design, by play, utilize what they're good at,
04:02 compared to just let them do everything.
04:04 >> Coach, a lot of the guys in the defense, and
04:06 specifically the secondary, have spoken about kind of the perspective that you
04:09 bring to be something to play in the quarterback position, or that.
04:12 Coach English spoke about it before, too.
04:15 What have you been sharing in the defense in the kind of area,
04:17 especially that secondary?
04:19 >> Well, I really like our secondary, I like our defensive coaches.
04:23 They've been there, they've done that.
04:25 They understand what we're trying to do.
04:28 I study the game, and look at things, and watch things, and
04:32 it's important that I relay the things that I see, and that affect us.
04:37 And I think affect other offenses, so I'm constantly in communication with that.
04:41 I want us to think outside the box a little bit, and
04:44 not just do things that we did 15 years ago, because it worked in.
04:48 So that's constant communication, and you want to be aggressive.
04:54 You want to challenge routes, you want to be not afraid to make plays.
04:57 You want to have a little bit of backyard in you, where you're reading
05:00 quarterback's eyes, and you have a little bit of game and ship.
05:03 At the same time, you can't give up a perfect play.
05:05 So I just think we try to relay what we're seeing, what we're doing,
05:09 what combinations go together, they need to study it.
05:12 And that end needs to play well for us, in order to win this conference,
05:15 the back end needs to play well.
05:17 >> Coach, as far as Jack's progression over camp, what have you seen improvement
05:21 wise from him, and maybe what else does he have to work on to the point where you
05:24 feel confident going into that opening matchup?
05:26 >> Jack's done a really good job, he's a great leader, he understands our system.
05:30 He'll see the field, he can make all the throws.
05:33 Just consistency, being able to do that all the time is the goal,
05:38 and that's what we're really, really in by.
05:41 Sometimes third downs, third longs, he'll get a little greedy and
05:46 force a few things.
05:48 We've got to just be smart, take our chances, but
05:51 also give him plays to improve and change, don't turn it over, all those things.
05:55 And I just think that is something that he discusses, has to work on.
05:58 But he can get hot, he can make a lot of plays.
06:01 We just gotta get him in the rhythm, let him do his thing.
06:04 But he has been a great leader, he's been real good with his teammates, and
06:08 I think he'll give us everything he's got.
06:11 >> How was he today, did he get most of the reps?
06:16 That battle behind him seems pretty good as well.
06:19 >> Well, a lot of guys got reps, the quarterback, Jack got quite a few, but
06:22 so did the others behind him, and they all made some plays.
06:26 But I did think Jack played well.
06:27 Like I said, he might have had one or two or
06:29 three that he may have been a little greedy with, but he played well.
06:34 And I really wanna build this thing around him so
06:38 that he can have a great year when football games,
06:43 because obviously that makes the quarterback a little bit better.
06:46 >> You have talked about years when you've had to use three or four guys there.
06:50 Do you feel pretty good about the other guys right now where they're at?
06:53 >> I do, I think Brock's played a lot of football to do system for him, so
06:58 he's gotta just continue to understand things.
06:59 Evan actually is a really good athlete, so
07:02 maybe back to what we wanna use with him, because he is such a good athlete,
07:06 good runner, just makes the football.
07:08 And then behind him, all of them showed some decent things.
07:13 Pierce at times makes a good play, Brady Allen, he continues to improve.
07:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]
07:24 Harrison Bailey, you know what, he's had a good camp.
07:27 He can stand in there and make the rolls, see the field.
07:31 He's done some really good things.
07:33 So that position, you gotta know it's important.
07:36 Like that one that's really good, that one's better, ready to go.
07:39 And if you get to the year with one break, I've had many years where I can't.
07:43 That other type of position, not ready to go, it's gonna hurt the team.
07:47 So I think we've made progress there.
07:49 >> You mentioned the offensive line first, and
07:50 something that you've been pleased with.
07:53 Is it as a unit or their pass blocking, run blocking?
07:57 What has been impressive about them?
08:00 >> Well, we had a few too many penalties today, which we'll have to clean up.
08:03 It's good to have referees out here and
08:05 the Hudson Drive search and series.
08:06 Now we're gonna get 12 series and
08:09 eight so we can't have those things so that we gotta clean up.
08:12 But there is more depth, there's more guys we can rotate in there,
08:16 there's more competition.
08:17 When we first got here, Brian Hudson, Michael Gonzalez, Ronald Brown,
08:22 those are three really good players.
08:24 Some play more than others, but three really good players.
08:27 And we have to keep them healthy and they can play well.
08:30 But we added some more guys to the mix that have stood out.
08:35 It's increased the competition with the ones that were here as well.
08:38 And I think we have more depth there than I'm used to.
08:41 It's just a matter of, same time, you can put five on the field and
08:45 the ones on the field even play at a high level.
08:47 So they need to figure out a way to be dominant in what they do and
08:51 be an all-conference player.
08:52 >> You mentioned some guys getting nicked up during the scrimmage.
08:55 After a couple weeks, how's the team setting up, how's it going?
08:59 >> We've had some nicks, unfortunately, MJ Griffin will probably be out for
09:03 the year with a lower leg injury.
09:06 Angel Hudson will be out for a extended period of time.
09:11 So that hurt the depth there a little bit.
09:14 Steven Heron has been nicked up, should be back next week.
09:17 And a handful of others that are out for a short period of time.
09:21 But overall, we don't wanna lose anybody.
09:25 We just lost a couple, and we've gotta try to keep it.
09:28 We don't lose anybody, so we'll see.