Football: Coach Stewart Quotes 8
August 15, 2008 07:30 PM | General
On today’s practice
We had a heck of a good practice today and I’m really pleased with the lads. They really went after it. They are working like champions, and we are getting healthier as each day goes by. We have two weeks before our season opener against Villanova, so we have to get everyone healed up and in good shape.
Today’s practice was very spirited, so much so that I could hardly hear, because the linemen were banging each other so hard. They were doing some really great things in the passing game, and the secondary was doing things, which were important things.
We’re getting prepared for tomorrow and there has been some great effort this week, and there has also been some not-so-great effort this week at times, and those were corrected.
I thought Pat (White) and Jarrett (Brown) both threw the ball well today. Dorrell Jalloh had a big day today catching the football, as did Noel (Devine) out of the backfield. Mark Rogers and Zach Hulce stepped up and made some nice plays, which was good to see. We need to see that out of those two young men, and we hope that that will be an everyday occurrence, and certainly an every game occurrence.
Defensively, they were flying around, and I thought Sidney Glover had a very nice day. Our corners just keep playing very solid, and our linebackers are doing well. JT Thomas is back, and he is fast. He is really very fast, and it was great to see him at full speed flying around.
We had to put three guys on the stadium steps today, because they have to learn how to practice in shells. You have to take your feet with you, when you tackle, or you’ll fall down, and if they fall down, they run the stadium steps, because you can’t tackle. You can’t tackle if you fall down-end of story, not debatable and that’s the way it is. The coaches just point, and they go, and they are getting it. You don’t run the stadium steps if you keep your feet under you, hit them up high, and Sidney Glover did that today which was very nice to see. Some of our starters did a really great job and were just running straight through people.
We had a nice scrimmage, practicing second and long situations, where we worked on draws and screens.
We punted the ball well today, and we worked on situational punts. We worked on game plan punts, and we backed up and took safeties and worked on things that might happen in a game. We’ll do that again on Monday and do some more special teams and defensive work. You have to take time to do that. You can’t just tell them what to do, you have to go out and practice it. There was a lot of organization out there today and that was nice to see. Pat (McAfee) was on top of his game and that was nice to see.
On tonight’s plan
We are all going to Washington, Pa., tonight, and we’re going to have some fellowship with the guys. We’re going to eat here, then go up there and have meetings, and watch some film. We’re going to have some fun with the freshmen, and they will put on what we call a ‘gong show’. All the coaches are fair game, including the head ball coach, and they can’t bring it tough enough for me. You have to have thick skin in this business. When you yell at them for 18-straight days at practice, what kind of guy would I be if I couldn’t take it? I’ll take it right in the chin tonight I hope. Some of the assistants have already heard that there are some really good skits and that will be fun.
On tomorrow schedule
Tomorrow, we will come down here and have more of a situational practice then a scrimmage, although we will scrimmage. We are still playing football, and we are going to do some kicking game, inside drills, one-on-one, block and tackle drills. We’re going to do that, and it will be pretty intense. We’re going to do the pass skeleton drill, and I think, although I’ll talk to the staff tonight, but I think I am going to hold Jarrett Brown and Bradley Starks from 11-vs-11. I don’t want anyone to roll up their leg, and I don’t want anyone to hit them. I think I want to keep them out, because of the tweaks they had. They are fine and could play Saturday if we had a ball game. We don’t have a ball game, we have practice. They will take reps at quarterback in the pass skeleton. I’m thinking about the longevity of the players. We have three weeks of camp, and we’re playing from August until December 6, and it’s a long road.
We’re going to show the kickoff return team tomorrow, and I think we’ll be pretty good at that. We’ll start with the victory drill, and that’s pretty intense. We’re going to move, hit and get after hit and then scrimmage.
On the seniors’ last camp.
We’ve had a very good camp and remorse is not a good word, but I’m a little down. I walked off the field tonight with Mike Dent, Pat White, Mortty Ivy, Jake Figner, Reed Williams, and other seniors, and that was tough for me. That knuckle head son of mine brought it to my attention that it was the last camp for those guys. I hadn’t thought about that, because I’ve been so busy, but today I stopped, and I thought about that. That was a tough walk. You better enjoy these lads, when they are here. It has been a real thrill to coach them. I have spent five years with Pat White, and I told a scout that he is the greatest runner in college football today, and he is surrounded by the classiest group of young men anyone could ask for and any coach could ever ask for. Tomorrow is the last day of football camp, and those guys have won a lot of football games but more importantly, they have won a lot of hearts. They have been great young men in the classroom, in the community, and they are all talented, special young men of faith. They are good people, and I stand before you a very blessed man to stand before you and be their head football coach. I cannot wait till August 30 and every weekend we have a game because, God-willing we’ll keep them healthy, and it will be a fun year. We will enjoy them this year.
On Reed Williams
We respect all and fear none, and we respect Villanova. I hope that Reed can go, and we will give him some spot play, but I don’t know if he will start. He is a little concerned, and I think another week would help him. Mark Magro was sick in camp, and we held him back last year, and he had a tremendous year so what’s a week? To win a football game, we will do what we have to do, but we will put Reed’s best interest first and make sure he won’t get hurt.
On Wes Lyons
I wish he was ready, and we’re missing valuable time. He’ll be in shape but not in football shape.
On next week’s schedule
