The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Player fall practice press conference quotes: Aug. 3, 2008
08.03.2008 | Football
Aug. 3, 2008
QB Colt McCoy
On what he expects from the first few days of practice: I think the anticipation is what's there right now. All of us are here, it's Sunday, we've checked in. The younger guys are getting into the dorms. We've met as a team already. We're just waiting for tomorrow. It's going to be fun to watch the young receivers. That's something I'm looking forward to. The seniors are going to step up, we're going to see who will fill that role. We need a couple of guys that can come in and play a couple of different positions. It's going to be interesting to see how all that pans out.
On sustaining the intensity from the end of last season: That's the goal. We want to start two-a-days how we ended last year. We carried that through the spring and we've carried it through the summer. As I have said a couple times already, this team is the closest it's been since I've been here. I think that if we can continue to build on that, and start this season right in two-a-days, the first day of pads and the first game of the season, we'll be ready.
On practicing in the summer heat: It's going to be hot. It's going to be super hot. At least we've got the bubble, that's all I've got to say. I think our times will be good; practicing in the evening, it won't be quite as hot. But still, Coach Brown said we're breaking records in temperature, so we'll see.
On how he feels heading into the season: I feel confident. I feel good. My body feels good. I'm excited about the young talent that we have. I'm excited about watching those guys get better on offense and defense, and I'm excited about this team. I think we have the opportunity to be very successful and win all of our games. We just have to take it one step at a time, and it starts tomorrow.
On his experience in the first two seasons and how it's prepared him: Everything that I've been through has helped grow into what I am now. Saying that, I'm ready to go. I'm excited. I'm looking forward to this season. I've learned so much in the last two years, and hopefully I'll be on point this year.
LB Rashad Bobino
On the competition at middle linebacker: Competition is what drives everybody. If you want to get better, competition brings out the best in you. It's going well. Jared (Norton) is a great player. We're both great players. Hopefully we'll both be able to play. And at the end of the day, we both want to help the team, so it really doesn't matter what the battle's going to be because we don't play each other. We play with each other.
On the linebacker group: I'm the old one now. I'm the lone senior in the room. The linebackers have some really good guys out there. I think they've worked really hard this summer. They've gotten bigger, stronger and faster. I can't wait to see them go out and play, even the ones that just came in.
On new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp: This is what we've been waiting for. We trained really hard in the spring. He's showed us that he's all about business and he wants to do well, and we want to do well, too. If you're not excited by now, I guess it must not be for you. He's bringing that energy, charisma and fire that every defense needs. Defensively, you've got to bring fire every day.
On whether or not the team carries a chip on its shoulder heading into the season because of preseason rankings: I'd probably say it's a fresh start. Honestly, we just want to get better and improve. We can't worry about what anyone is saying about us because if we do, that's a distraction. We'll start to become a flood instead of a river going in one direction.
On the excitement heading into practice and the season: I can't wait. I could hardly sleep last night. It's kind of like Christmas. You can't wait to wake up and open your presents. That's how it is right now. Knowing this is my last season, working hard this summer, seeing players strain to get faster and stronger, doing the team building exercises that every team should be doing, it's so exciting. I can't wait to wake up at 4:30 in the morning tomorrow and start. I can't wait for the day to end, so I get in bed and wake up. It's going to be fun.
On the system of split practices and how older players will coach the newcomers: I think it's really cool because I love coaching. I got to coach at the LT camp this summer and work with kids. When you're coaching, you actually learn more. You get to see what your own coaches are doing. When you're teaching something, you learn the subject better than you would if you were being taught. Not only will it help the young guys, but it will also help us. It'll help us understand why we should stay inside two yards or make sure we're inside the hash marks; just the little things. I think it'll be great. There's a first time for everything.
On the importance of the first few days of practice: You have to start somewhere. The beginning is important, but I really can't want to see the finished product, to see us all polished up. I can't wait until we're having fun and throwing our bodies around, because that's what you do on defense. That's what I'm really waiting for. But the start is important, because it's always good to see which guys you can count on, which ones are going to step up, which one is going to give you everything in the fourth quarter, who is going to fold and who will rise. It's especially good to see the new guys come out and show us something. They are just excited as we are. I can't wait to see it.
CB Ryan Palmer
On the preseason predictions: They're going to say what they need to say during the preseason, but we don't listen to it. It's not where you start, it's always where you finish, especially in college football. Where we're at is where we're at, and we just need to go out there at practice and do what we need to do to get better.
On the uncertainty that comes with young players and a new coach: It's not too hard to approach the season with confidence because Coach Muschamp has a track record that's out of this world. He's going to give us what we need, and if we go out there and execute what he's shown us, I think we're going to be fine.
On his feelings going into opening practice and the season: You can't be nervous, you've got to be excited. Just go in there with confidence, ready to go out there and finally play football. Summer is all about working hard. You're not really playing football, just conditioning and getting ready. Now it's time to go. It's going to be fun.
On the excitement of being a veteran: I'm excited that it's my senior year, but I'm also excited about the team we have. We've got really good chemistry and we all get along. I have to say it's going to be fun to see how this team comes together on the football field, because off the field we're a close-knit team.
On the dynamic of Duane Akina and Will Muschamp: Obviously, having Coach Akina back is great because in my opinion, he's the best DB coach, and he has the track record to prove it. Having him gives us confidence. Coach Muschamp has his track record too. It's going to be fun. We've got a blue-collar defense. Our goal is to get better every day, and that's what we're going to try to do.
On sustaining the intensity from the end of last season: On defense, our goal is to be hard-nosed at practice every day. We're going to focus on getting better every day. If you make a mistake, go out there and fix it the next day and keep getting better as a defense. It's going to be fun to see how the defense performs this year.
On the system of split practices and how older players will coach the newcomers: It's going to be good. We're going to get our reps. We need the younger guys to step up this year, so for them to get the reps in the later practice is great. They can finally get the college feel of practice. Most of them are coming out of high school practices. It's going to be fun to see how they perform with us watching them. I think the split is a good thing because everybody will get the same amount of reps. There won't be anyone sitting and watching.
On covering the basics in the first few practices: Every year in the first couple days of practices, you've got to go out there with intensity and keep it up through all the two-a-days. You can't come out for the first few days and be strong just because you're happy to be back. You've got to carry it on throughout two-a-days so that we can have a good season.
DE Brian Orakpo
On how tiring two-a-days practices are: Two-a-days, everybody knows about them. It's something that you've got to be prepared for. If you're not ready for them, it's going to hurt you throughout the whole process. It's starts off fun, then it turns into a mental thing. You've got to keep pushing until you get everyone on the same page. We're going to see how far we can get and how much work we can get in.
On the excitement of a new season: I'm really pumped and ready to go. I'm so excited to see everyone back from vacation or whatever they've been doing. Being healthy, for myself, is very important because I feel great. My knee is 100 percent, and I'm ready to go with my defensive line. The defense as a whole is pumped, the offense is pumped and we can't wait to get after it.
On joking around with Coach Muschamp: When we had our first defensive meeting, he was already ready to go. He was excited. That's just Muschamp. You've got to love his personality.
On sustaining the intensity from the end of last season: That's something that we've been trying to focus on, to start faster and stronger, to use "Not our Standards," and to play Texas defense the way we know we can. We want to play with consistency and get everybody on the same page. We're not really worried about last year too much. Last year was last year. We still went 10-3, but we can improve on that by going through the process and getting better during these two-a-days.
DT Roy Miller
On how quickly the past four years have gone: It's gone by really fast. In the blink of an eye. I remember being on that field when we won the National Championship, and now I'm in the same position that Frank (Okam) and Rod Wright were to me. I'm the leader of the DTs. I'm that guy that I used to look up to back in the day.
On how the team has built their close bond throughout the off-season: Accountability is the number one thing. Everybody's been hanging out together. Number one thing is that everyone's been coming out to 7-on-7 and doing the things they're supposed to do. When everybody is in the dorms at the same time, that's a really good chance to hang out with each other. Everybody is on the same page and everybody wants to do the right things.
On expectations of him from Coach Muschamp: You could see it as a lot of pressure, but right now I have a sound mind about everything. We know what we've got to do, and that's what Coach Muschamp has been preaching to us. No matter what, you've got to put that hard hat on and go to work every day. We talk about the blue-collar jobs where you've got to go out there and grind. So if I've got a job, despite all the pressure, I've got to go do it. Some people go to work every day, I do this every day. It's the same thing.
Quan Cosby
On what people can expect from him: From me, hard work. I'm going to go out there and try to be a positive for our team. Whether it's blocking, whether it's catching a ball or whether it's leading. Any way possible.
On when practice begins to get hard: It's hot in the summer and everything, but it's great to be around the guys and to start competing. I love football, and I have a great passion for it. I'm looking forward to the year. The way the team has come together this summer and worked hard, we're ready to see what's going to come about.
On joining Jordan Shipley as veteran wide receivers: It's great. To be in my senior year and to have the teammates and coaching staff that we do, it's all set up for a really good year and we just hope it works out that way.
On the talent at the wide receiver position: Our young guys are looking great. More than anything, they're competitors. They're really smart on and off the field. It's going to be a tough decision for those that have to make it, but I guess that's a great problem to have, a lot of guys who can come in and step up, who are very athletic and good at their position.
On the new 40-second play clock rule: Even after going through it in the spring, it's really different. It's going to take some getting used to, but football is still football at the end of the day, so we're going to go out there, play it that way and try to have fun.
On the pressure placed on QB Colt McCoy from the 40-second play clock: Every quarterback is really going to have be conscious of it. We're used to a guy blowing the whistle and having 25 seconds. We're going to have to be conscious of it as receivers, running from the huddle, it's all going to matter. But we're ready to take that challenge on and play football.
On having a healthy Jordan Shipley on the receiving corps: Jordan had a great spring, a great season last year and an even better summer. He looks really good and we're ready to compete and have some fun.