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Assistant Coaches Media Session
August 11, 2016 04:18 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University football coaching staff met with the media on Thursday, August 11, 2016, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
Assistant Coach (Defense/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On who has taken advantages of his opportunities
I think the guy who stands out the most to me right now is (redshirt senior cornerback) Maurice Fleming, defensively and on special teams. I’m not sure if there’s a guy who goes all out in everything he does more than Maurice (Fleming). We’re pointing out his efforts on defense and pointing out his efforts on coverage units. Everything. He still has to get more comfortable from a special teams standpoint with schemes and everything like that, but he’s really stood out.
He knows where he’s going, he just doesn’t have the feel for it yet. We just have to continue to rep him there. I think you’ll hear this pretty often, I know from being up on the defensive side, (junior running back) Justin Crawford stands out when he has the ball in his hands. Whether that’s lining up at running back or back with kickoff return, he’s pretty special with the ball in his hands.
On junior running back Justin Crawford on kickoff returns
We’ve had some guys in the past, Wendell (Smallwood) and (redshirt senior running back) Rushel Shell (III) a little bit. Again, we’ll continue to trim down that list a little bit as we go through camp. Obviously, his workload on offense will depend on how much returning he does. We have (redshirt junior wide receiver) Shelton (Gibson), (sophomore wide receiver) Gary (Jennings) and (sophomore wide receiver) Jovon (Durante) and a bunch of the guys back who were successful doing it last year. The more opportunities that we can get the ball in his hands, the better we’ll be.
On how many special teams redshirt senior cornerback Maurice Fleming can be on
He’s involved in the big four right now. Now, whether that’s as a starter or whether that’s as a No.2, again, we’ll kind of gauge that based on how many reps he’s playing on defense. The nice things is, we have enough bodies, whether that is DB bodies, just athletes where we may pair him up with a guy like (redshirt senior cornerback) Nana Kyeremeh, where depending on who’s playing more and they both know the spot, we can sub one for the other, or him and (redshirt senior safety) Khairi Sharif.
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) Blue Adams
On who’s standing out as a starter
Nothing that would distinguish them to be starters or anything, but you definitely see it kind of heating up a little bit. From where we are in camp, it’s about time.
Nothing that would distinguish them to be starters or anything, but you definitely see it kind of heating up a little bit. From where we are in camp, it’s about time.
On who will be playing nickel
For what we do, because we’re such a man-type team, you can really put any corner inside there because you’re only going to play a series of coverages. Since man is one of the techniques that we kind of hone in on and kind of detail on a daily basis, you can throw any corner in there. I think at that point it becomes more personnel in it, so that we’re putting guys on certain guys in order to win.
For what we do, because we’re such a man-type team, you can really put any corner inside there because you’re only going to play a series of coverages. Since man is one of the techniques that we kind of hone in on and kind of detail on a daily basis, you can throw any corner in there. I think at that point it becomes more personnel in it, so that we’re putting guys on certain guys in order to win.
On what makes redshirt senior cornerback Maurice Fleming valuable
I think he’s valuable because he’s an able body, he can do the movements and he’s a productive player. I think that’s what makes him as valuable as the rest of those guys.
I think he’s valuable because he’s an able body, he can do the movements and he’s a productive player. I think that’s what makes him as valuable as the rest of those guys.
Assistant Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On using the bad to get the guys where needed to be
Yes. Best teaching tool we have. To show them what their mistakes are on film and make sure we get them corrected. The thing that I always stress to the guys is we cannot keep making the same mistakes. You know, they’re not. They’re finding ways to mess up things you never thought were possible, but it happens. It’s football. Those guys are fighting. They’re good kids. They’re great kids to coach. They bring a lot of energy every day and they’re trying to get better.
On the effort
The effort is there, yes. We had a bad day last Saturday. We were low from a couple of drills, but we addressed it. We met as a team and called some guys out that needed to be called out. We told them that’s not the standard the way we play here. They get it. Again, that’s going to happen. You start tying their feet up because they’re thinking too much and you’re going to get some lows.
On teaching the newcomers
Yes. No doubt about it. The one thing is a lot of people say we don’t coach effort. Well we do. We’re going to coach every snap and if you’re low, you’re not going to be on the field. We do a pursuit drill every day and we demand that our kids run to the football.
On personnel choices
The whole defense was told two days ago. We had two live back-to-back days, got some live reps in and they were told that we will set the depth chart for Saturday’s scrimmage, I guess for the Missouri game. We’re going to grade you on those two practice and the guys that deserve to start will start on Saturday. You know, we may go with 15 to 18 guys and we’ll run strictly with just the ones, 15 to 18 strictly with the twos and then with our threes. Then we’ll get another great evaluation after that, have one more scrimmage and then kind of set the depth chart from there. There will be some tough decisions Saturday night, Sunday morning, of some guys in real game action, where we’re not out there actually coaching every play and let them play a little bit to see what we can get out of them.
Assistant Coach (Defensive Line) Bruce Tall
On how redshirt freshman defensive lineman Alec Shriner and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Adam Shuler II have responded in camp
Real well, there is no question. We have to make sure we keep the mental part going because the physical part is there. (Redshirt freshman defensive lineman) (Alec) Shriner is one of the hardest workers you can ever find. He is going to find ways to do extra. He really works his craft. He studies things, I make special films for him to study other guys, so he can learn to master the position and he does it. He not only takes coaching well but he takes it to that extra level, where he is going to do extra studying.
On where freshman defensive lineman Jeffery Pooler will play
We recruited him to be that combination guy, an inside or outside guy. We are starting to do both. We are definitely making him learn both. We always try to start those guys at the end position, which they all tend to like a little more because it gets a little nastier inside, the closer you get to the ball. As you develop physically, I think you feel more comfortable being inside.
On how wrestling in high school helps at defensive line
It’s a combination. Understanding that you are taking on a one-on-one situation and creating doubles but when you are out there wrestling it’s always a one-on-one matchup. You can correlate the two and have the toughness but you have to have great hands, great leverage and I thinks it’s a combination.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Ron Crook
On getting younger players repetitions at practice
You always try to do that. You are always trying to bring those young guys along. One of the things I have said since I got here is that we move people in and out, up and down the depth chart, from side to side, trying to get them reps, see where they fit in the best, see where they can help us not only this year but in future years. Game five or game six this year if we have an injury we have to know who we can move there and those sort of things. You are always trying to get those guys reps, while not sacrificing the improvement of the overall unit.
On how this offensive line compares to previous offensive lines
I’ll tell you what I told them the first day. They have potential to be very, very good. Right now that doesn’t mean anything. It’s great from a recruiting standpoint, when everyone reads about us and everything, but right now they are not a very good offensive line. We still have a couple of weeks before we have to go out there and play a game. I hope we are not very good until that point. When we get to the first game I hope we are better than the day before. Hopefully by the time we there we will improve and be where we will feel pretty comfortable.
On what makes redshirt senior offensive lineman Tyler Orlosky special
He has great work ethic. His No. 1 goal when he goes out to do anything, he does it the right way. He works to improve. He works hard at it. He understands the game of football, which helps him out a lot, not just the offensive line or his position, he understands what’s going on behind him. He has a good feel of what everyone is looking at, so that gives him the ability to see things that a lot of times other players have a hard time seeing.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Fullbacks-Tight Ends) Joe Wickline
On the progress of the guys
It has been good. It’s been a normal camp. It’s tough, it’s been hard, and we’ve driven the guys hard. We’ve asked a lot of them. They’re bumped up, they’re bruised up, you got some personnel guys and you have to get them back. But it’s camp, it’s part of it all over the country. We tell our guys all of the time, ‘look, this is a part of what camp is.’ They’ve accepted it and they’ve bought in. It’s also a part of camp that the offense does really well one day and the defense comes back and does well and you kind of go back and forth. But that’s never, ever changed. As a whole we felt really good about where we’ve been these past eight days. From a point of getting things installed, consistency is an issue. We talk about being consistent, being detailed and doing it consistently day in and day out.
It has been good. It’s been a normal camp. It’s tough, it’s been hard, and we’ve driven the guys hard. We’ve asked a lot of them. They’re bumped up, they’re bruised up, you got some personnel guys and you have to get them back. But it’s camp, it’s part of it all over the country. We tell our guys all of the time, ‘look, this is a part of what camp is.’ They’ve accepted it and they’ve bought in. It’s also a part of camp that the offense does really well one day and the defense comes back and does well and you kind of go back and forth. But that’s never, ever changed. As a whole we felt really good about where we’ve been these past eight days. From a point of getting things installed, consistency is an issue. We talk about being consistent, being detailed and doing it consistently day in and day out.
On the mental factor of fatigue
It is definitely a separator. It definitely separates the shorts, the early times when I call the fresh leg days, the guys that are jumping up and down that are all sparked up with energy. As time goes on it takes special guys, it takes more leadership from the seniors and the leaders and the playmakers. I definitely say it’s a separator. The good thing is it’s something that we’ve all gone through; its different years, its different times but it’s all the same. It’s a process. I really believe you can begin to separate. I think as time goes on they’ll get their legs back. There will be that time that Coach (Dana) Holgorsen said that we are on the horizon to where they will have extra time to get that back. Right now is not that time. Right now is the time to grind.
It is definitely a separator. It definitely separates the shorts, the early times when I call the fresh leg days, the guys that are jumping up and down that are all sparked up with energy. As time goes on it takes special guys, it takes more leadership from the seniors and the leaders and the playmakers. I definitely say it’s a separator. The good thing is it’s something that we’ve all gone through; its different years, its different times but it’s all the same. It’s a process. I really believe you can begin to separate. I think as time goes on they’ll get their legs back. There will be that time that Coach (Dana) Holgorsen said that we are on the horizon to where they will have extra time to get that back. Right now is not that time. Right now is the time to grind.
On finding continuity and depth on the offensive line
You really want to find your top five guys. Once you find your top five guys you want to get them into the position and leave them there. The right guard, left guard, right tackle, left tackle and you move them when you have to. You want to be flexible to where guys understand both sides inside and out, guard and tackle. The second team is the same way. You find your second five. After that you begin to develop what we call your third tackle, a third guard and three centers, so basically you have nine guys. You have an answer for three centers, and answer for three guards and an answer for three tackles and then the other ones you push forward accordingly. But in order to do that you have to have competition every day. Guys have to compete against each other they have to stress each other. It’s not ‘I’m not good enough, you’re not good enough.’ If everybody is always competing against each other, then we’re always getting better.
You really want to find your top five guys. Once you find your top five guys you want to get them into the position and leave them there. The right guard, left guard, right tackle, left tackle and you move them when you have to. You want to be flexible to where guys understand both sides inside and out, guard and tackle. The second team is the same way. You find your second five. After that you begin to develop what we call your third tackle, a third guard and three centers, so basically you have nine guys. You have an answer for three centers, and answer for three guards and an answer for three tackles and then the other ones you push forward accordingly. But in order to do that you have to have competition every day. Guys have to compete against each other they have to stress each other. It’s not ‘I’m not good enough, you’re not good enough.’ If everybody is always competing against each other, then we’re always getting better.
Assistant Coach (Running Backs) Ja’Juan Seider
On what junior running back Justin Crawford does with the ball in his hands
He scores. Bottom line. He hits the hole like Wendell (Smallwood), but he plays with a forward lean that’s so natural. He has the little bowleg like (former Seahawk running back) Marshawn Lynch when he’s between the tackle and he gets skinny. The first guy, you better really wrap him up because the arm tackle isn’t going to tackle him. He has a natural leg drive. You try to coach, try to do drills, running through gauntlet, he’s already got it. It’s so natural watching him do some of the things he does.
On using more four wide
We still can get two backs. (Freshman running back) Kennedy McKoy can go play there in a heartbeat. (Redshirt senior running back) Rushel (Shell III) knows enough that we can get into some certain things, maybe not call the whole offense, but we can call some stuff that he knows where we don’t have to miss a beat and we can tempo. It doesn’t just have to be Kennedy (McKoy) in there with (junior running back) Justin (Crawford) or Kennedy (McKoy) in there with Rushel (Shell III) or Kennedy (McKoy) in there with (redshirt junior tight end/fullback) (Elijah) Eli (Wellman). All of those guys can have a role in playing that because they all have good hands.
On freshman running back Kennedy McKoy progressing from spring to now
Absolutely. As much as we can talk about (junior running back) Justin (Crawford), we can say about Kennedy (McKoy). You talk about a freshman who can run away from our whole defense. Throughout this week of practice, it’s been more long runs in practice against our defense, who’s doing a great job, in probably the three years we’ve been here since I’ve been coaching. What it tells me is that our receivers are doing a great job blocking up field. They’re really taking pride. (Assistant coach receivers) Tyron (Carrier) is doing a great job with those guys, making them take pride and not just being a receiver and being ready to block and screen those running back free. We’re finishing up front. They’re not just getting on the first level, they’re getting to the second level. We’re doing a great job of finishing our blocks and it’s allowing those running backs and to make those types of runs.
Assistant Coach (Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On impressions of redshirt sophomore wide receiver Ricky Rogers
I thought (redshirt sophomore wide receiver) Ricky (Rogers) played well. I thought he was pretty good. He plays a little high, which I’m working on that with a couple of guys. He has great feet, of course, with the dance background. He attacks the ball pretty well out of the air. It’s just all toughness though. He has to be a lot tougher to play in this offense.
On having to be tough to play in the offense
Well, sometimes guys just fade away and other guys just step up to the plate with it. I know for a fact, because I played in this offense, you have to be a tough receiver to play in this offense. Toughness is the big thing. You have the other qualities. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t, so it’s just toughness.
On route running improvements
It’s ironed out right now, which is a good thing. It was frustrating at the beginning, but I needed a lot of film to show them what they are doing wrong because during the summer, no one films them, so they can’t see what they are doing wrong. It wasn’t as bad. It took them about two days to snap back into it and when they snapped back into it, it was a full go.
On when you determine who the starters are
Prep week is when I start figuring things out. I have (redshirt senior wide receiver) (Devonte) Mathis and I have (sophomore wide receiver) Gary Jennings, those guys can go anywhere. They can be plugged in anywhere. I kind of figure out who the guys are that if anything happens to starters that I can put somebody else in and we can keep that ball rolling. I have those guys pretty much planned out in my head right now.
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