Football: Coach Stewart and Selected Player Quotes
August 09, 2010 07:27 PM | General
August 9, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart and selected player quotes from day three of fall camp:
Coach Bill Stewart
Opening Statements
Today was a situational day. We were in pads for the first time and we banged around a little bit. It is tough to practice sometimes with no pads, but you have to learn how to practice and we did a nice job with that.
I thought our guys did a tremendous job, even in inside drill. It is all about getting better and better.
I saw some good things on defense. Trippe Hale had an interception; he made a really nice play. On offense, Brad Starks had a big home run from a post pattern when Geno (Smith) found it. It was a great pass.
On the status of receivers and corners on the deep ball drill At this point, I am really pleased in Brodrick Jenkins. I saw him make a couple of plays that I thought were really good. Keith Tandy is just solid and then Brandon Hogan had some nice plays.
Offensively, Tavon Austin catches the ball well. He jumps higher than anyone. He’s got it.
On Tavon Austin
He is on the mental phase. He is a year older and wiser. He is a tremendous effort player and all he has to do now is get reps. When he is not out on the field getting reps, he will be getting mental reps. That is what all young players have to do.
On the intensity of today’s practice
They were excited and we were excited. It was a good day.
There were some mistakes, but there are going to be mistakes in day three. But overall it was good and our guys practiced hard. There were some tremendous hits but we did not take anyone to the ground.
On Robert Sands
Robert Sands is probably now as cagey as we had hoped he would be. We didn’t know if he would do it, but he is probably playing like a senior or a fourth-year player would play right now, and that is good. It is a mental thing. He is now trying to help other people get lined up. For instance, Steve Dunlap threw him in at bandit and put some other guys in at safety, and he was making calls for everybody.
He would be a player because he has length. Robert Sands has length. That is not to say we don’t want to recruit 5-foot-10, or 5-foot-11 players, because you can have length like a boxer. It is about wingspan back there - having long legs and jumping ability.
On today’s practice
We play some games on grass and we have a beautiful reconstructed field due to the late Russ Sharp. We play on grass at UConn, LSU and Pitt. We wanted to see it. We also wanted to get out of the stadium. We wanted to get out of a confined area and see a different venue.
Second, we wanted to get out the heat. That turf is hot.
On Geno after the Gator Bowl
Geno (Smith) is out there to prove himself. He ran the ball well today. He threw some nice balls but he also took the ball, tucked it and ran. He just has to learn to slide.
He is a competitor. Geno Smith is every bit of a competitor that we have ever had. I believe that all quarterbacks are that type of men, but I would put him at the top of the list.
Geno Smith
On the Gator Bowl loss
I really hate to lose and I feel like we should have won that game. There were many opportunities and a lot of plays that I could have made personally. It is what motivated me coming into this season; I took that game to heart.
A lot of those seniors really wanted to win, but unfortunately we couldn’t do that.
On being a leader
I am just being myself. The guys like me. I think I am a fun guy to be around. I am not big headed in any way. I am just a guy that wants to help our team and everyone win.
On winning
I played four years in high school and started all four years. We probably lost five or six games. We never won a championship, though. We always lost the game before the championship.
I understand losing is a part of the game and you want to win them all, but you can’t. It is something that you have to bounce back from and hopefully we will win them all this year.
Jock Sanders
On day three
It is a struggle, but you have to fight through it. We enjoyed being out on the grass today. We love to switch the atmosphere.
On the progress of the offense
The offense is coming along. We have a lot of work to be done, but we are coming along.
On Tavon Austin
He has been a play-maker since day one, but now he is just getting everything and gelling. He is getting his point across on the field. He is getting the point across that he is a play-maker that the other teams have to worry about.
On the progress from the summer
Each day we are going out there and getting better and better, and we are moving forward.
On being close to the all-time receptions list at WVU
It doesn’t mean a thing as of right now. We haven’t played a single game yet. I am not focused on that. I am trying to get through camp and just get better every day.
Pat Lazear
On the first day with pads
I’m sure it felt good for everyone. We have been putting in the work in the offseason just for today. Obviously, it is for the season, but today was a big step.
It already feels like it is two weeks into camp, but it is going well. It always takes a while to knock the rust off. But our mentality is there and we should be good to go.
On the defense this season
We are looking to dominate this year. From day one with this core of linebackers, defensive linemen corners and safeties, we have a chance to be really good.
Josh Jenkins
On camp so far
Things are going really good. I think we are getting better every day. I think we are making progress as a team. We are bonding pretty well together and we have a good thing coming.
I think that the coaches push us more and more every year and I think as a team we expect more and more as the years go by. It doesn’t get any easier.
