Football: Coach Stewart and Selected Player Quotes
August 19, 2010 01:12 PM | General
By MSNsportsNET.com
August 19, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU football coach Bill Stewart and selected player quotes from day 12 of fall camp.
Coach Bill Stewart
Opening Statements
The young quarterbacks got more work today than Geno Smith. We gave him a day to sit back and learn from teaching. He sat back with the coaches and watched two young quarterbacks run the pass skeleton. It was good for him to see that from our view. It also gave the two freshmen a chance to work.
Practice was good. Guys were flying around. Today, we were at the grass field and we had helmets and shoulder pads on.
Tomorrow is going to be more of a special teams and situation day. It will be in the afternoon and then Saturday we are going to scrimmage.
On the young quarterbacks
The more you are in the arena and the more reps you take the better it is. We wanted both freshmen to work with the first team today, because you just never know when an injury will occur. You hate to see that happen, but if it does, I want those linemen to have heard the voices of the other quarterbacks.
On injuries
Brad Starks did not practice today, nor did Jorge Wright. Other than that, everyone is OK. I think J.T. Thomas and Josh Taylor were in green.
On the energy level of camp
I think the intensity of camp has been great. I didn’t even know what day it was yesterday, but you just keep rolling. If you are not going out there every single day as a coach to coach better and to teach better, and certainly as a player if you are you aren’t going out to play better, then you are in trouble.
We have had earnest and eager players throughout all of camp. It gets better each year.
On the importance of special teams players
Our special teams players are crucial. It is one-third of the game and we need Trippe Hale back. He is so dependable and that is what it takes. It takes a special guy to do that. We pride ourselves because we have guys that are special team starters, such as Trippe. It is crucial he gets back.
On Saturday’s scrimmage
Sunday is going to be big. The coaching staff and I are going to devour the film. We are going to go over it and over it. The most important thing our coaches can do is bring to me the best 11 players. My role as a head coach is to play the best 11.
Trey Johnson
On being the same size as Noel Devine
He (Noel Devine) may be small but he is packing a lot of muscle, so I don’t look at him as small – he is real big in my eyes.
Noel Devine did have some impact on me coming here because I wanted to learn from a senior and someone who could teach me how to play the game better than I could teach myself.
On getting bigger
It is all about making decisions. How you hit a hole and how you finish. I need to gain a little bit of weight, but I think I could handle it OK right now in my first season.
On injuries in high school
I had a fracture in my hand from stiff-arming people and I had messed up ankles, but I fight through the injuries every day, go to my treatments and play hard for my team.
On being the “fastest kid in Virginia”
I wouldn’t say that, but some people do. I ran track, but I didn’t go to states on anything.
Eain Smith
On this season
I am doing alright but I have to step my game up and make some more plays. I have been making some mistakes that I am not happy with, but I have been doing some good things with the defense and trying to play hard.
Right not I am playing a wheel but I can play all three linebacker positions if we need it.
Coach (Jeff) Casteel tries to make sure we all automatically know all positions. It’s not too bad after you have been with the defense for a few years. You just have to make sure you stay focused and get better and concentrate.
On knowing all the positions
I have to know what everyone has to do. At first it was hard, but once you listen to the coaches and do things right, it comes pretty easy.
On getting out on the field in a game
I am looking forward to that, because I get tired of hitting the same people. You don’t want to hurt any of those other players like Noel (Devine). You don’t want to do anything detrimental to their health and to our season. We are anxious to get out there and play our first game against Coastal Carolina.
Najee Goode
On practicing against the offense
You aren’t just going against any offense in practice. You are going up against athletes. By practicing against those guys, it is making us better. During the season, game-in and game-out we are going against big backs, so practicing against people like Ryan Clarke and Shawne Alston is good.
We are running against guys like Tavon Austin and Noel Devine, which isn’t easy because Noel isn’t the slowest guy.
We try to improve ourselves and try to play at the top of our game, and the offense does the same. We make each other better.
