Nassib is First-String Signal Caller
3/30/2009 7:24:21 PM | Football
Head Coach Doug Marrone Transcript | Student-Athlete Interview Transcript
The quarterback position took center stage for the fifth day of Spring practice for the football Orange. Redshirt freshman Ryan Nassib earned the top spot on the depth chart, head coach Doug Marrone announced Monday. Senior Cameron Dantley is second, followed by sophomore David Legree. Senior Andrew Robinson has shifted down the line of scrimmage, from quarterback to tight end.
"Anyone who has been out there the first week of practice can see what Ryan has done,"He has a good release, good mechanics, is a player who is going to develop, good decision making, high accuracy, I mean everything you want out of a quarterback he's shown."
Marrone explained the timing of his decision was based on giving the team the best opportunity for success.
“I think it's extremely valuable (to make the announcement now)," Marrone said. "There are not many practices until we play the first game and my job is to get the best players on the field; the best 11. Right now, that's the position we wanted to solidify right away and I can get him more reps and make him a better player for when we come in the fall."
While he was surprised to have the announcement from the coaching staff this early in Spring practice, Nassib is eager to make the most of his opportunity and hold on to the top spot.
“I'm excited and it's really fun. It shows me how hard I need to keep working," Nassib said. "I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and stay competitive so that when fall comes I'm still in that spot and we'll get some wins. I like to throw the ball. I like to let the receivers make plays. I like to do what I can to get wins.”
Marrone gave a positive evaluation of both Nassib and Dantley after the first practice in which their roles were designated.
“The thing I was impressed with was that Ryan was the same," Marrone said. "He went out there and competed and continued to get better. Cam went out there and had a great day today. I'm impressed with the way those two have handled it to this point. But, it's been short, so we'll have to see how it goes out through spring football. They both handled it professionally and they've both done a good job. I wasn't too concerned about the way they were going to handle it."
In Robinson, Marrone sees a player who can contribute on offense and specal teams.
“He's a strong kid and very athletic for that position," Marrone said of Robinson. "He can move and, obviously, he knows the offense, so that transition won't be as difficult. Probably more the one-on-one battles inside when he is on the line may be, but we'll be able to move him around and really grow within that position. We felt it was best for our team to go ahead and put him in a position that will help us. And, we are really looking for him to help us on special teams, also."
With his final collegiate season on the horizon, Robinson's vision is to do what he can to help the Orange have success.
"When it comes down to it, when it's your last year, you want to win first and have fun second," Robinson said. "You just want to experience everything you can with the teammates you care about. It's a sense of relief and moving on to a new chapter in my career. I have a year left and I'm going to give it everything I have to play as many special teams that I can and get on the field as a tight end.”
