The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2012 Pro Timing Day quotes
03.20.2012 | Football
March 20, 2012
Head coach Mack Brown
On Pro Day: I thought we had another successful Pro Day. There were 50 scouts, head coaches [and] general managers out there, and 30 plus teams were represented. So we felt like the guys got a really good look. We had 14 guys work out. Thirteen of the guys were on our football team, and [WR] John Chiles came back as an explayer. John spent some time with the New Orleans Saints.
He went through the first three exhibition games last year. And then he went to the Rams and they cut him loose when they had the coaching change. So he wanted to come back and work out with the group as well.
Of the current 13 players that worked out for us, 10 are graduates, and the other three have a semester or less this spring to finish school. We're excited about those guys having an opportunity to go into the business world even if it doesn't work out for them in the NFL.
I was asked why we have Pro Days. Number one, the NFL decides who goes to the Combine. We don't have any input. We can't recommend. We can't push them there. But the scouts and the NFL decide that, like they do all-star games. We have request from all-star games of which guys they want. We take the requests of those players at the end of the season and they check.
But we have the Pro Day to help those guys that were not invited to the Combine, have their NFL Combine. And we do it here. We set it up just like the Combine. It's run exactly like the Combine to give them the same opportunities. And last year 59 guys that were not invited to the Combine made a pro team. So the Combine doesn't limit your opportunity to get drafted or make a pro team.
We also feel like the guys that go to the Combine and maybe mess something up; they were hurt, something, they didn't get the good time they wanted in the shuttle run or a 40 or they didn't jump as much, they have an opportunity to take the good things that they did at the Combine and keep them, but redo them here in a more comfortable environment if it didn't work for them at the Combine like they want.
OL Tray Allen
On today's performance: I was on track with my goals that my trainers and I had put together. I just came out, gave it my all, and left it all on the track and the field. I had a good day.
On expectations through the process: I have put everything in God's hands and will let God handle it. I have put all my faith in God and let him be the judge for everything that happens from here on out.
On what he feels he needs to work on: I felt like everything went really well. I just need to keep building on it and going back to the drawing board. I need to work on dropping my hips, hands placement, kick sets and the crafts of the offensive line. I am just going to go back to the drawing board.
On feedback from team scouts: They said I did well and to keep working. Everything will pan out.
On his favorite part of Pro Day: I would guess the 40-yard dash. You know offensive linemen don't run 40's too much and look good doing it. So I hope I looked good and impressed people running the 40.
RB Fozzy Whittaker
On his recovery: I have basically been doing as much as I can that my knee will allow me to do. Everyday I am doing rehab with the trainers in there. They are working on me as hard as they can with what I can do. Just trying to get it back right as fast as I can.
On being close to being in game shape: I am not even close because I haven't been able to run yet. I have been getting on the bike and doing some cardio on that as of probably a couple weeks now. It has been helping me loosen out my knee and lets me get a little bit more range of motion. As far as being 100 percent back, it won't be until summertime.
On if he will run in the summertime: That is the plan. Hopefully I can start jogging a little depending on how my knee is feeling and how well my quad is strengthening up. I won't be completely ready until late summer, right before training camp.
On the best-case scenario of being able to play: I am hoping September. But it depends on when I am released from the doctors, obviously. All that is contingent as to how well it is healing up. It depends on what the doctor says and how much I can do and how much I am limited in as far as contact goes.
On the mentality of this process since he got hurt: I guess it has been a roller coaster ride. You are up top and then you get hurt to make you come down a little. Then you have all your family, all your friends, and people who have just been helping you get back on the rise. Right now I am very confident in myself and confident in the rehab work that I have been putting in. What I am doing now is right and will get me back on the field as fast as I can.
On today's bench press workout: I feel pretty good. I increased my reps from the Combine from 20 to 23. Working out with [head strength and conditioning coach for football] Bennie Wylie and the whole strength staff here has really helped me make that increase.
DT Kheeston Randall
On what 'Mean" Joe Green had to say to you: It was great. I was just honored that he actually talked to me. He was telling me that I needed to widen my base a little more to give me better balance when the offensive line tries to push on me.
On if that is something he will take into consideration: Oh, definitely. If anybody says something to you from the NFL you have to listen, especially a guy like him who is a legendary player. To have the opportunity to be coached a little by him is great.
On today's performance: I thought I did pretty well. It was a pretty quick workout. We just covered some basic things like how I can move in space, how I control my body, and other stuff like that. Nothing too crazy.
On not participating in the 40-yard dash: I just wanted to focus on this stuff right here. I did that already [at the Combine] and my main goal was to come out here and show what I can do on the field.
On how individual drills went: I thought they went pretty well. Of course, he gave me some criticism and I am going to take that and learn from it. It was great.
On why he would be a good NFL player: I would definitely say that I am a big guy who can move well in space. I can play all over the defensive line, and I am going to do my thing on the field. Off the field, I am going to be in the community helping guys out and just being Kheeston Randall.
On any teams showing interest: I talked to all 32 teams, so from here on it is just a waiting game. You could think a team really likes you but they don't. So wherever they take me, they take me.
S Blake Gideon
On how the day went for him: It went really well. I think everyone was excited for the most part about the numbers we put up. There was a little bit of nerves going into the day. We have been training for two and a half months for one day, so it was good to see guys come out here and compete. That is all it is. You come out here and are competing against the numbers that you already put up and are competing against each other. It was a good day.
On how he felt about the numbers he posted: I thought they were OK. There were a couple of things I wish I had done better. I didn't feel like I prepared myself too well this morning with warm-ups for a couple of the drills, but I will have to live with that. Hopefully, it wasn't too bad.
On being compared to the other great defensive backs to come out of Texas: There are a lot of guys that have come out of that room and made a lot of money and made a name for themselves pretty early in their careers in the NFL. We will see how the next few years go and see if I amount to that.
On the feeling now that Pro Day is over: It is a huge relief. There are still private workouts that you have to go through with teams, but this is a huge weight off of your shoulders. Everyone was across the country training, and I hadn't seen my family for over two months. So just to come back this week and now have this all over with [is nice]. It's been two and a half months of training for one day. It is definitely a huge weight off my shoulder.
On seeing RB Fozzy Whittaker back out there competing: Fozzy [Whittaker] is going to light up the room wherever he is. I think he was excited about his bench pressing; he improved on that. That is the kind of guy he is though. He was limited to do only one thing and he improved on that. I think he is very focused, and he is going to end up somewhere. He is going to be blessed wherever he is.
OG David Snow
On how the day went for him: I could have done a lot of things better. I have to thank God for the things I have. They were good times and I stand by them.
On his goals going into today: Just to do the best I can and to let the Lord take care of the rest.
On his draft expectations: I just want to go somewhere. I don't really care where. I just want to play football. I love the sport. Anywhere is good for me.
On receiving feedback from any of the teams: I have gotten some feedback from a couple of teams so it has been relatively good. I am really excited, and I guess we will find out at the end of April.
LB Keenan Robinson
On where his stock is at this point: It is hard to say. Some teams a late first or second and other teams a third or fourth. It is all around right now.
On proving himself as a first round draft pick: I think in some games [I have proven myself as a first round pick]. For me, I am the hardest critic on myself. I feel like sometimes I play like a first rounder and sometimes I play like a fourth rounder or later. I am going to see where I go, and I feel that wherever I go it will be well deserved.
On preferring to play in a 4-3 versus a 3-4: It really doesn't matter to me because with [former UT defensive coordinator Will] Muschamp we played a 3-4 and a 4-3, and in the Senior Bowl I played outside linebacker in the 3-4. I just want to end up in a good situation with a good defense with players who are ready to win.
On any improvements in his numbers from the Combine: I did an inch higher in my vertical, which was something that I wasn't really planning on doing. I went up five inches in the broad jump. In my 40 time, I am not sure what I got but it was probably close to my same time at the combine. I then had to do the short shuttle because I didn't do it at the combine. So that was really what I wanted to do when I came in today.
On his performance today: Today I feel like I did a great job. On the field, they have seen my film and seen how I move. They know that I am a big, fast guy. The thing for them is they have to pick what team wants me and where they want to put me since I play all three positions. That is really something for me that is good because I have the versatility at linebacker and can play all three positions.
On the emotions of this being his last official event at Texas: It is a little overwhelming. I am happy and sad at the same time. I am happy Pro Day went well for me, but I am sad that it was my last time at the bubble working out. I think my experience at Texas has been good for me and great for my family. I think it just goes to show that when you come to Texas, this is a great coaching staff and a great program that allows you to get where you want in life.
LB Emmanuel Acho
On proving himself today with an injury: I think I did. I was very thankful that God gave me the chance to come out here injury-free, or be pain-free at least. I was able to show that I was still fluid even though I wasn't at 100%. I believed I looked close to it.
On the injury: I partially tore my quad at the combine, which was actually only three weeks ago. They told me I had three to six weeks to recover.
On being a high draft pick: In talking to my brother [former Texas LB Sam Acho] who went through the process last year, he told me not to worry where I got picked but just to get in the door. As soon as you get in the door, which is the NFL, then you worry about making a team. Where you get drafted is more like stars coming out of high school; it is all about pride. Once you are there, everyone is on a level playing field.
On what he has heard good and bad about his ability: I think they know that I am a very versatile player. They know that my football IQ is at an incredibly high level, which I credit to [defensive coordinator] Coach [Manny] Diaz and Coach Muschamp. Negatively, I don't know if they see me playing at the middle linebacker position, but they definitely know that I can play at the outside linebacker spot.
On being pleased with his combine numbers versus wanting to try again today: There is always a strive to be better so I wasn't as happy as I could be. With me getting hurt though, I was happy with the numbers that I already had.
On the next step: Now I can finally exhale. I went to Arizona and trained immediately after the Holiday Bowl. I worked for the Senior Bowl, then the Combine and then for Pro Day. Now that Pro Day is over with, I can kind of revisit my teammates and try to impart some wisdom on them. I can enjoy the process once again.
S Christian Scott
On today's performance: Everything went well. We got out here, got after it and had a pretty good time as a whole. I think I did pretty well. Just blew through my training and did the best that I could do.
On if it is hard doing cone drills that aren't apart of the game: It is not that bad. We have been doing it kind of our whole career. So even when you are out for a while, getting back into it is like second nature to us.
On playing in the NFL: I am excited to play, very excited for dreams to come true and I am just ready to get out there and help [a] team as much as I can.
On doing what you wanted to do out here today: Oh yeah, I definitely did. I came out and did the best I could do at this point.
On vertical and horizontal jumps: I felt pretty good. I have done better at different times but today those were the best I could do.
PK/P Justin Tucker
On today's kicks: I went down from 70-yards and the longest I could kick today was 60 yards. Before that, I was hitting them great. I hit a great ball at the 60 that nicked the post but I couldn't tell if it went in or not. I hit the ball great today. From 30 and 35 yards I was hitting them over the catcher's net, so it was a good day. I have to give a shout out to Alex Zumberge* because he did a good job snapping for me as well.
On if he might have done better if not for the wait: I for sure would've been able to, but we had a nice slight breeze in the back. In practice I have been hitting them from 75 yards pretty regularly. This was just another opportunity to come out and really show my consistency from 50 [yards] in. I made everything up to 55 yards. I had a good day with all things considered.
On showing enough to scouts today: I certainly think I did. A lot of scouts think that what they want to do is see you kick in front of them and not see your practice film. They just want to see the game film and in person to make sure you have what it takes to go to the next level. Of course, I am a little biased, but I think I am the best kicker in this draft. I have the stats to prove it, and I have the track record and my game film speaks for itself. So we will see what happens in late April.
