Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Coach Dana Holgorsen Press Conference
April 07, 2018 11:58 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football coach Dana Holgorsen addressed members of the media on Saturday, Apr. 7, 2018, at Milan Puskar Stadium.
On how the Walk the Talk event went
It was great; it was like it is every day. It's 2.5 miles and a lot of fun. We got a lot accomplished. Two things, we had security blocking off the roads, which is important, and I usually don't get, and we had hot chocolate and coffee at Dr. Gee's house. I thank all of those guys for doing that and making this possible. I told Dr. Gee that I expect this every time that I walk. We need security, and we need coffee, and we need hot chocolate and maybe some Gatorade in the summer.
On if the walk can turn into a yearly event
It will, for sure. Jeff Hostetler approached me about six months ago, and I really thank him for doing that. We kind of came up with this together, merging WVU football with the Hoss Foundation to benefit WVU Medicine Children's. Coach (Don) Nehlen started this about 30 years ago, and we're just trying to keep it going. This was a good event today, and I think this is what it's going to be from now on.
On canceling the spring game
Everybody wants to talk about why did you cancel the spring game, why this, why that. Everybody is worried about injuries. I don't worry about injuries when it comes to football. Look, football is a sport that we all love. There is risk involved with that, but it's part of the game. When you play this great game, you might get injured. That's just part of it. We had a great spring – 14 practices, today is our 15th. Nobody got hurt on the walk other than maybe (associate athletic director) Alex (Hammond); he turns ankles all the time. It's been a good spring; we're going to be 100 percent healthy in August, which is when it counts.
On if he accomplished everything he wanted during spring
We did. We have a veteran team; there's been plenty of springs where I just try to teach them what to do. This spring, we taught them a lot of situational-type stuff, because we have a veteran team. So, we're in a good place at this point.
On how much the extra time of spring practice helps
I think in year's past, this is probably practice No. 9 today, and we have like two more weeks of it. Usually, the spring game is what it is, and the coaches are running out of here, and they're going to spring recruiting. Well, we get two weeks to close things, which I think is very beneficial. They're going to get back in that weight room next week, coaches are going to be able to have exit interviews, which I think is going to be really good.
On physical size of team, specifically the offensive line
You try to get the biggest, best players that you can get. It's not by design – you try to get bigger, faster, stronger at every position. The one thing about it is we're recruiting a little better. We have some kids on campus right now that can make us better, and we're going to try to close out on those guys. That's the goal; we're just trying to get better at every position. I think we've been trending in that direction for the last couple of years. I don't think that's going to stop.
On sophomore defensive lineman Darius Stills
He's a real guy. He looks like a real guy to me. I don't really like before they actually make real plays in games, but he's harder to block than the guys that we've had at that position in years past. So, I'm excited about him. We added a guy a week ago that's going to make a difference for us. I feel as good about that position in the entire defensive line as I've felt in quite some time. A couple years ago we had some fifth-year seniors there with Noble Nwachukwu and Christian (Brown) and Darrien (Howard). You have to be old and experienced at that position in order to be successful. Last year, quite frankly, we weren't successful at that position because we were young, and we were dumb. Now, I think we're old, and we're smart. That's going to pay off as well.
On the importance of a depth chart this time of year
I don't care. Our "starting lineup" two days ago, when we had a really good practice, and Tuesday, when we had a really good practice, those starting lineups looked different every day we went out there. That'll continue. Our team is going to keep changing. We'll keep adding guys, and guys are going to develop, and guys are going to get better. That means that starting lineup is going to continue to change. I can give you one right now, but it's going to be different on September 1, I can assure you of that.
On adding graduate transfers
Two things. One, it's incredibly competitive, and it's getting more competitive. That market is continuing to grow. There's been talks in our head coach meetings in May about getting rid of that rule, or whatever it is, and I think it'll continue to get talked about. I think we're marked as a program that has had success with those guys and will continue to be marked when it comes to guys coming in and being successful. I've talked about this a bunch with all of you – Signing Day used to be stressful for me. I was like, we have to get 20 guys, we have to get 25 guys, we have to get 28 guys. If we came up three or four short, I would go home and I'd be stressed out. I don't even care about Signing Day anymore. Whatever we don't get, we're going to make sure that we have it. The transfer thing, that'll take care of itself. We're going to get guys that want to be here, we're going to get guys that are going to help us win in the fall.
Closing Statement
I feel bad about our players, the fans, the families, I feel bad about that. But quite honestly, spring games are not that important when it comes to trying to make your team better. Today was all about WVU Medicine Children's. We try our best to be able to have a great relationship when it comes to that. Hoss (Jeff Hostetler) and I have merged together to try to make this day all about what's really important, which are the sick kids of West Virginia. We're going to try to do everything that we can to be able to make that facility over here a couple years from now, it's going to be a $175 million facility that's going to be awesome. That's what this today is all about, and that's what it'll continue to be about.
On how the Walk the Talk event went
It was great; it was like it is every day. It's 2.5 miles and a lot of fun. We got a lot accomplished. Two things, we had security blocking off the roads, which is important, and I usually don't get, and we had hot chocolate and coffee at Dr. Gee's house. I thank all of those guys for doing that and making this possible. I told Dr. Gee that I expect this every time that I walk. We need security, and we need coffee, and we need hot chocolate and maybe some Gatorade in the summer.
On if the walk can turn into a yearly event
It will, for sure. Jeff Hostetler approached me about six months ago, and I really thank him for doing that. We kind of came up with this together, merging WVU football with the Hoss Foundation to benefit WVU Medicine Children's. Coach (Don) Nehlen started this about 30 years ago, and we're just trying to keep it going. This was a good event today, and I think this is what it's going to be from now on.
On canceling the spring game
Everybody wants to talk about why did you cancel the spring game, why this, why that. Everybody is worried about injuries. I don't worry about injuries when it comes to football. Look, football is a sport that we all love. There is risk involved with that, but it's part of the game. When you play this great game, you might get injured. That's just part of it. We had a great spring – 14 practices, today is our 15th. Nobody got hurt on the walk other than maybe (associate athletic director) Alex (Hammond); he turns ankles all the time. It's been a good spring; we're going to be 100 percent healthy in August, which is when it counts.
On if he accomplished everything he wanted during spring
We did. We have a veteran team; there's been plenty of springs where I just try to teach them what to do. This spring, we taught them a lot of situational-type stuff, because we have a veteran team. So, we're in a good place at this point.
On how much the extra time of spring practice helps
I think in year's past, this is probably practice No. 9 today, and we have like two more weeks of it. Usually, the spring game is what it is, and the coaches are running out of here, and they're going to spring recruiting. Well, we get two weeks to close things, which I think is very beneficial. They're going to get back in that weight room next week, coaches are going to be able to have exit interviews, which I think is going to be really good.
On physical size of team, specifically the offensive line
You try to get the biggest, best players that you can get. It's not by design – you try to get bigger, faster, stronger at every position. The one thing about it is we're recruiting a little better. We have some kids on campus right now that can make us better, and we're going to try to close out on those guys. That's the goal; we're just trying to get better at every position. I think we've been trending in that direction for the last couple of years. I don't think that's going to stop.
On sophomore defensive lineman Darius Stills
He's a real guy. He looks like a real guy to me. I don't really like before they actually make real plays in games, but he's harder to block than the guys that we've had at that position in years past. So, I'm excited about him. We added a guy a week ago that's going to make a difference for us. I feel as good about that position in the entire defensive line as I've felt in quite some time. A couple years ago we had some fifth-year seniors there with Noble Nwachukwu and Christian (Brown) and Darrien (Howard). You have to be old and experienced at that position in order to be successful. Last year, quite frankly, we weren't successful at that position because we were young, and we were dumb. Now, I think we're old, and we're smart. That's going to pay off as well.
On the importance of a depth chart this time of year
I don't care. Our "starting lineup" two days ago, when we had a really good practice, and Tuesday, when we had a really good practice, those starting lineups looked different every day we went out there. That'll continue. Our team is going to keep changing. We'll keep adding guys, and guys are going to develop, and guys are going to get better. That means that starting lineup is going to continue to change. I can give you one right now, but it's going to be different on September 1, I can assure you of that.
On adding graduate transfers
Two things. One, it's incredibly competitive, and it's getting more competitive. That market is continuing to grow. There's been talks in our head coach meetings in May about getting rid of that rule, or whatever it is, and I think it'll continue to get talked about. I think we're marked as a program that has had success with those guys and will continue to be marked when it comes to guys coming in and being successful. I've talked about this a bunch with all of you – Signing Day used to be stressful for me. I was like, we have to get 20 guys, we have to get 25 guys, we have to get 28 guys. If we came up three or four short, I would go home and I'd be stressed out. I don't even care about Signing Day anymore. Whatever we don't get, we're going to make sure that we have it. The transfer thing, that'll take care of itself. We're going to get guys that want to be here, we're going to get guys that are going to help us win in the fall.
Closing Statement
I feel bad about our players, the fans, the families, I feel bad about that. But quite honestly, spring games are not that important when it comes to trying to make your team better. Today was all about WVU Medicine Children's. We try our best to be able to have a great relationship when it comes to that. Hoss (Jeff Hostetler) and I have merged together to try to make this day all about what's really important, which are the sick kids of West Virginia. We're going to try to do everything that we can to be able to make that facility over here a couple years from now, it's going to be a $175 million facility that's going to be awesome. That's what this today is all about, and that's what it'll continue to be about.
Players Mentioned
DL
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