MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Select members of the West Virginia University football team met with the media on Tuesday, April 9, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
 
Sophomore Running Back Leddie Brown
 
On if running the ball is any different in this offense
Not really. Inside zone is always going to be inside zone. Power is always going to be power. It's the same read concepts, the same steps. None of that is very different.
 
On if running backs will be expected to catch the ball more this season
Yeah, the backs are going to have more of a catching-aspect to the offense. My junior year (of high school), I actually played most of the season at slot receiver.
 
On the competition of spring ball
The competition is high, everybody is trying to compete, and everybody is trying to better each other. You just have to go out there and do what you have to do.
 
On team chemistry
Yeah, we hang out on and off the field. It's just us. We're always around each other, so that's all we know.
 
Senior Defensive Lineman Reese Donahue
 
On how he feels about spring practice and the new coaching staff
I tell you what, it's crazy. Can you believe it's already week four? We're used to having six weeks of spring. It's already almost over. It's kind of hard to believe, especially with this being my last one. I think we're overall in a good place. I feel good personally. There's a lot to work on. Coach (Neal) Brown talks about all the time that we're not going to be great today. We might not be great tomorrow, but one day we're going to be great. He doesn't know when that's going to be yet, but that's what we're working towards. Eventually, we're going to accomplish that goal.
 
On how far the team has come since the first day of spring practice
It's been a tremendous change. If you think about it, we went from not knowing who the coaching staff was – knowing nothing about them, knowing nothing about their scheme, knowing nothing about what they're about – to guys being completely bought in and building a relationship with these guys. It's been a 180-degree turn-around, and I'm really proud of where we're at as a team. I think the coaching staff has done a great job.
 
On if he's getting used to the expectations of practice
Absolutely. One big thing that (assistant coach/defensive line) Coach (Jordan) Lesley always talks about is he doesn't really care about scheme. Ultimately, if you do the fundamentals right, basic football, if you do that right, you're going to be OK. If you master both, you're going to be a pretty good player, a pretty good team, but ultimately, just doing the basics is going to get you in a place where you win ball games. That's what we're working out right now. Obviously, scheme is important, but that comes last.
 
On getting to know assistant coach (defensive line) Jordan Lesley
It's awesome. Obviously, I'm a social guy, so it's cool to get to know people. Ultimately, it's really odd going from one coach to another, but it's really cool. Just like going from one country to another or one occupation to another, you learn so much more about the things around you, the people around you. There's something to take from every person. Coach Lesley is teaching me things that Coach (Bruce) Tall never taught me, and Coach Tall taught me things that Coach Lesley isn't teaching me. There's just so much that you get this wave of input from so many different people. I think, ultimately, it makes you a (more well-rounded) person. It's really good to get to know him. I think he's a great person. He's really brought us in to not only his life and where he's been, but he makes it so personal. He talks about his daughter all the time, talks about his wife all the time. I think it's really cool to have that connection with a coach.
 
Redshirt Junior Tight End/Fullback Jovani Haskins
 
On if the new staff has surprised him in any way
Nothing that surprises me, it's just everything they are teaching us really does help. Just little things like hand placement as far as just keeping your hands inside at the point of contact. (Assistant coach – tight ends/inside receivers Travis Trickett) will show us clips - maybe I'll get beat with my hands on the outside, and then the next clip, the very next rep, my hands will be inside, and I'll make the best block ever. Those little things they do actually make a difference.
 
On watching film of NFL tight ends
That's one thing they are big on at the tight end position, just playing big and being the biggest, most dominate player on the field. (Rob) Gronkowski was one of the best to do that.
 
On if practices are feeling more natural now
Yeah, that's usually how it works. Even with the new staff and getting familiar with the new offense, when everyone starts getting familiar with the plays and how everything is communicated, it feels easier. You can just go out there and play faster and feel more comfortable.
 
On the differences between playing on the line and being split out
It's just the people you have to deal with, as far as size-wise. If a guy is split out, you're dealing with more of an outside (linebacker) or safety coming down. When you're attached (to the line), it's more of a defensive end, a 270-pound, 300-pound guy.
 
Redshirt Freshman Wide Receiver Sam James
 
On his role with the team
Right now, I am running with the one's in practice. I'm just excited to be able to get out there this year. Last year, I sat behind David (Sills V) and watched him play. I watched from him and learned from him, so it's going to be a great experience this year.
 
On what he learned from David Sills V
Techniques, knocking down hands on routes, where to attack the (defensive backs) on certain routes, and stuff like that.
 
On what it means for assistant coach (wide receivers) Xavier Dye to say he is his 'full-speed guy'
Running fast, just doing everything fast.
 
On what advice he received from David Sills V and Gary Jennings Jr.
It was just really about how to play receiver. Coming in here from high school, I didn't really know how to play receiver. I was really just out there playing football and being an athlete. When I got here, they taught me how to be a receiver. Like I said earlier, just knocking down hands on routes, attacking the (defensive backs), coming in and out of breaks.
 
Redshirt Junior Safety Jake Long
 
On how his rehab is going
I tore every ligament in my wrist. Rehab is good. I still have to do motion and stuff, but other than that, I don't have to do anything for it.
 
On how different the defense looks this spring
Yeah, just how the defense is set up. I didn't play last year, so I'm still catching up on the game speed and stuff like that, but I trust (defensive coordinator) coach Vic (Koenning) and everyone who put me in that position, so it'll work itself out.
 
On if playing cornerback in the past has helped him
It helps because we do have to cover sometimes at Cat, and being at safety, you are in the open field, so being a corner helped me with that because I'm used to being out there.
 
On his thoughts on the defense as a whole
We are coming along. It is different for all of us. We have to get used to the new scheme, but we play with energy. You can tell we just like to play, and that's going to help us a lot in the long run.
 
Redshirt Junior Safety Sean Mahone
 
On the differences in how he plays defense now
Obviously, with the format rushes, it's a little different. It's easier. It takes stress off to cover and stuff. For the most part, technique-wise, there are a few things that are different, but it's not like anything really new.
 
On if he likes the new style of defense and its opportunities
I like coming downhill and being more physical and stuff. That's how I feel like this defense is.
 
On how he remembers everything he's had to learn during spring practice
This is why, as I said, spring is the time to take in to learn the new scheme and stuff. What we learn now is going to help what we do in the summer.
 
On assistant coach/special teams coordinator (inside linebackers) Blake Seiler's approach in practice
Right now, (he is) just focused on technique and getting to the ball. I think the biggest thing is running to the ball, finishing the play, so we're just getting there.
 
Redshirt Junior Offensive Lineman Josh Sills
 
On the competition this spring
Competition has been a lot different. Like you said, (coach Neal Brown) saw everyone play on film but didn't know us personally. Doing competitions lets him know, and he can see for himself, along with the other coaches, who has that fire and that will to compete. The competition has helped him get to know us.
 
On if there has been less contact in practice due to teaching fundamentals
There are a lot of things we do that are just fundamentals without the helmets. You go full speed, as hard as you can, and you make the block whether you do your fundamentals right or not. When you take the helmets off, it is strictly straight fundamentals of how you do it, where you fit, where your head is. When you come off the ball, you know there is not that impact that you have to worry about to where you can worry about yourself and focus on what is truly going to make you better.
 
On the team starting to gel with the spring winding down
I really like where we are at as far as chemistry. We are a lot tighter than years past, and that just goes back to leadership and the environment that the coaches bring. You can tell that every coach in this building is about chemistry, clicking together and gelling. Coach (Neal) Brown says all the time, 'It's a family atmosphere.' You can really tell that. You can go back and watch the first two or three practices, and you can tell that we are a completely different team. Everyone is starting to see the big picture – the more you gel, the more you mesh together, the more successful you will be. Everyone is thinking, and everyone is on the same page.
 
On what it has been like with the new staff
It's been really exciting. It's more fundamentals. That is one of the biggest things that I have to work on. It's one of the biggest things that the whole offensive line needs to work on. That's what makes a really good offensive line, your techniques and fundamentals. That's been a big relief, and we are all excited about it because we know that's what we have to work on. It's been really exciting, and we are all really excited.
 
Redshirt Senior Cornerback Keith Washington Jr.
 
On the excitement of the new uniforms
Everybody is excited about it. I know the fans, people at school, even my own family members – they just have to wait until Saturday and see.
 
On how much the defensive secondary has improved this spring
I feel like we've improved tremendously over the spring. All of us have been playing with each other since last year – me, (redshirt senior cornerback) Hakeem Bailey, (redshirt senior cornerback) (Josh) Norwood, (redshirt senior cornerback) Jordan Adams – we all have been taking strides in the right direction. We'll just continuing to get better.
 
On Coach Neal Brown's family-type atmosphere
It's very family oriented. Even from just sitting in the dining hall, we mix it up, sit with other guys. We hang out with each other a little bit more outside of football activities. We're just switching up different groups and things like that.
 
On getting ready for the spring game
We've had quite a few (scrimmages) this spring, and any time you can go out there and put the pads on in front of the fans, especially at Mountaineer Field, it's a great experience, and you just have to show out.