Head Coach Doug Marrone - Spring Practice
March 27, 2009
This was the first day of pads, but no tackling. How do you think it went?
“I know this, from my first impressions, we have a long way to go. I think we have to learn how to become a contact team. We have to learn to be physical, and that's not just talking to the players up front. We have to learn how to run through people and target, instead of running to or striking to a target. There's a big difference between going through the target and going to the person. That's one of the things where we have a long way to go with."
Why would you say that when there was no taking players down the field today?
“Well, you see how they strike on a target. What you see right before they breakdown, their hips are still behind them. There are a lot of technical things that go into tackling, that's why on the days when we're allowed to tackle, as tomorrow, you'll see quite a few drills in which we are teaching how to tackle, as well as blocking. To take someone and finish them to the ground, it's the same situation. Our hips have to come through and go. I see a lot of people stopping before that initial contact which we shouldn't be able to do."
Is that based on what they've been taught or is that based on the circumstances of today?
“I really don't dwell on the past of what's gone on. All I can tell you is what I see on the field. I've always believed what I've seen with my eyes and those are the only things I can comment on."
How is the transition for Doug (Hogue) and Dan (Sheeran) been so far at linebacker?
“I have enjoyed that and I've enjoyed it because I do see more going through targets and more striking through targets with those two players. The way they're progressing right now, I'm happy with that."
You put (defensive end) Chandler Jones up with the first group today. Could you comment on that?
“I didn't even see that and I know we might have switched fields. In camp you always want to see your matchups. You always want to see how players play against other people. There wasn't a position change, at least to my knowledge, as far as someone moving up."
What about offensive lineman Adam Rosner?
“We did move Adam Rosner up. The one thing I want to make sure that we do is we're evaluating people every single practice and rep. It doesn't mean that they're slated in that position for the long haul; it just means that they've earned that position for that time. Each time a player comes into a position, they have to earn that position and keep that position. That's why we'll have a pre-Spring and post-Spring depth chart and as we go along in practice, you may see a lot of movement that way, but any changes that will go into pre-season will be done post-Spring."
How happy is Mike Williams now that he's back?
“Honestly, you'll have to ask him that. I'm more concerned about how we're developing the players technically and how they're doing with their assignments. It's really not just how they're feeling from happy-go lucky way."
What does Mike Williams have to do to be one of the top tier wide receivers in the BIG EAST Conference?
“He has a lot to do, and it's the same with a lot of our players; develop more strength, develop more speed, develop more consistency and develop a sense of zone or man coverage. There are a lot of things, but I will say this, for somebody who has been out for a year, I'm happy with that way he's been performing.”
It's good to see his battles out there with Nick Chestnut. It seems like they've been having some good matchups.
“I'll tell you what – it's very simple to see and that's why I urge people to come out to practice to see how people compete against each other. It's easy to see to they are the football players who we want on the field come September. The guys who can come out here at practice and compete like you just said. I see the same thing you see with those players competing against each other."
Why did you start the drill over at the start of practice with the PAT unit?
“The demeanor of how we practice is my responsibility. To make sure this team is ready to practice and this team comes out to this field inspired and motivated – that is my responsibility. If I feel the direction of practice isn't going that way, it's my responsibility to stop it, explain to the players what's going on and turn that direction around in the right way. I definitely saw that. I didn't like what I saw when the offense and defense broke in the first play and I didn't like the way they were attacking the next drill and going into it. I wanted to make sure we stopped and started to a tempo I expect."
After a few practices, has there been a position that's pleasantly surprised you yet?
“I just know that we have a long way to go in development in every position. Some positions may be a little bit shorter in development than in others, but I see a lot of technical things that we have to correct. I see a lot of our speed, contact and toughness that we must improve. We have basically 12 practices left to do that which is really not a lot of practices if you look at it in the long haul. I just spoke to the players and I told them we have 12 practices to get a lot better and we need to do that. So on every single repetition, we need everything that each player has."
