Inclement weather forced Tennessee football indoors once again on Saturday but that didn't stop the Volunteers from executing at a high level during their second spring practice under head coach Josh Heupel at the Anderson Training Center.
Offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Johnny McDonald spoke to members of the media following the practice.
Opening Statement
"Just got done with practice two. It was incredible to be out there after what feels like a long two months. It's been awesome just to get out there and to be able to work with these guys. The attitude, the effort has been unbelievable and a lot of fun to be around and I mean that wholeheartedly. It's been an absolute blast to get out and coach ball and be able to see these guys really continue to get better. Through the first two days, like I said, the attitude, the effort has been unbelievable. They are really taking to coaching, really embracing the system, embracing how we are doing it and embracing the process of getting better every day. It's really fascinating to see growth among some of these guys who have not played a bunch of football here. It's been really, really fun. It's been an exciting two days, getting in to the film room after the first day, getting into the film room over these next couple days as we get to practice three and get to put some pads on. That'll be fun to see. It will be interesting to see how guys react when you add the physical aspect of what we're doing. These last two days have been about alignment and assignment and really executing without pads on which is a big first step for us as we continue to build on this system. I'm really happy with where we're at and really excited about where we're going. I think we have a long way to go, but I'm really happy with these first two days, the foundation we've laid so far and where we are going with it."
On how players have done so far in the first two practices …
"Jabari Small has been really impressive. That's a guy that we were all excited to see what he could do. That running back group has got some depth in there. There are guys who haven't played a bunch. Dee (Beckwith) has done a good job. Tiyon Evans has done a really great job. I think those guys have really done a phenomenal job. I think the wideout group, Velus (Jones Jr.) has shown up, (Jimmy) Calloway has really shown up. Those guys have been really, really impressive so far these first couple of days. The o-line group has some guys that have played and have practiced that way. The tight end group has done a good job. I think they are continuing to learn how they fit and the quarterback group. I think learning how to play quarterback in a completely new system has been really fascinating to see those guys grow from day one to day two. To answer your question, two guys that have really stood out - Jabari (Small) has been one and probably that o-line group as a whole knowing how the operation works, getting on the right people, playing fast. Those two have been really impressive so far."
On if Dee Beckwith and the tight ends …
"Dee (Beckwith), really fascinating body type. We've spent a lot of time talking about Dee. Our plan right now is to keep him at running back and let him learn a position and get comfortable there. It's really hard to evaluate guys if you move them around a whole bunch. He's shown some promise. I mentioned him earlier, shown flashes. He's just so different, you just have to get used to as a coach seeing a different body type there and seeing a different skillset. It's our job as coaches to use those different skillsets in the right way. When it comes to the tight ends, specifically you had asked about Austin (Pope) and Jacob (Warren), their body types are what they are. In the same breath as Dee, our job as coaches is not to say we want you specifically to do this. Our job is to figure out what they do well and put them in a position where they can be successful. How they fit will totally depend on how they look through the next 13 practices and what they are able to do. They have done a good job of learning the system and it's our job as we get into fall camp and game-planning to fit them into spots where they can be successful. Guys that are really good pass catchers will catch balls and guys that are good run blockers will block. I think if you try to fit a square peg in a round hole sometimes you get yourself in trouble. With those two guys specifically really different skill sets. Austin has been impressive these first two days. I know he hadn't played football in almost a year and a half and I'm really proud of where he is. Jacob Warren, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what he in terms of how his big body can be used. Both of those guys can be good combination tight ends. They can play out in space, play in the backfield, can play in-line. Princeton Fant falls into that as well. I've been really happy with that room so far."
On the quarterbacks …
"I think as with any system, just the overall big picture with those guys. Getting the play call in, communicating it all, getting us into the right things as they see different looks, playing really fast, playing decisive. I think that's what's separating those guys as we keep moving forward. It's who can operate within the system at a really high rate. It's all about decision making there in terms of being able to get us in the right play and executing at a high clip. I think all three of those guys are doing a great job of learning it and then being able to translate it onto the field. I think that's the one position that you feel like you are probably the hardest on because it all starts there. All three of those guys have such different skill sets. They're so interesting in what they're good at. I think as we evolve through spring and evolve into fall camp, I think we'll evolve offensively based on what those guys can really do in terms of who ends up being the one and the two and the three and how we move forward. What they've done so far has been really impressive. I think the jump from day one to day two has been really impressive just in an operational standpoint. There's still a ton of work there in terms of being able to operate fast and within the system. They have really made a huge jump from day one to day two. It has been really impressive."
On what he's learned about the offense through two practices …
"No pads on yet, so we will find out next week that part of it and I'm really excited about it. To be honest with you, I think it's the first time since we've been here that we've really put them into really hard situations through these first two days. We talked about when we got here, and I don't know if they really believed us and probably looked at us little like we got two heads, and we've continued to talk about fighting through adversity. That adversity is coming. These guys have been though a lot, sometimes I think we forget what these guys have actually gone through to get to this point. The guys that are here have fought through a lot, and it's our jobs as coaches to bottle that up and transform it into something great. I've been really impressed with just how hard they practice both on offense and defense. These guys are trying to take the coaching. These guys are trying to live up to the standard that we are setting because we are not bending the standard at which we are going to play and at which we are going to run this program. For the most part, this is the first time as a team that it has been hard, like really hard. The neat thing about this group is that they have been through hard, just not since we've been here. To see them all fight through it, to throw adverse situations at them, it's been fascinating to see them. But that's probably the first thing through these first two days as we got into the second half of practice and they're a little bit tired and they're a little bit banged up and they're a little bit exhausted and coach maybe is yelling at me and maybe coach is mad about something that happened. Forget about it. Play the next play as hard as you can as long as you can and to the best of your ability. If we continue to do that, if we continue to fight through these adverse situations, we will be alright. I think continuing to put them in hard situations, us as coaches and seeing how they respond. All we are trying to do is replicate what it is going to be like when you line up at Neyland in September and you go. Coach Heupel has done a good job of trying to create hard situations, real situations and then force them to fight through those. As we keep moving forward, that's where once we put pads on, now it's hard and you got equipment on and people are banging against you. Now what can you do? For us as coaches, setting the standard for what we want them to do, holding them to that standard and then seeing how they react and coaching that. Then setting another standard for them. Obviously, you want to have success early, which is why we've kept it relatively simple so as you continue to go and then when you don't have success, you can coach off of that. And that's not cliché coach talk, that's real talk. For these guys to continue to fight, I've been really impressed. There's a really cool energy about this team, maybe a youthful energy. Our job is to continue to find the leaders and have them bring the energy because I think the leadership part is what is going to continue to carry them through and we need that leadership to be player driven as we go through these next 13 practices."
No comments:
Post a Comment