The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Tracking the Longhorns: Tuesday with the media
08.27.2013 | Football
Several players met with the media Tuesday after practice
The Texas football team took advantage of the last day before classes started, hitting the field early Tuesday morning for a practice inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Following practice, several players met with the media. Quotes from Tuesday's media availability, along with quotes from coordinators Major Applewhite and Manny Diaz from Monday, are included below.
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Major Applewhite
On if he's 100 percent sure he wants to play freshman QB Tyrone Swoopes:
Tyrone has done a good job in fall camp. His hamstring has hampered him a little bit in his progression. Depending on the course of the game, the season, we'll decide whether we want to play him or not. Right now it's more or less the injury thing, trying to take care of that first.
On if he's happy where the up-tempo offense is right now:
I'm very pleased with the offense right now. In terms of our operation, how we're getting on and off the field, substitutions, communications, getting in and out of packages. Very pleased and confident with the way the guys have executed.
At the same time we're far from a finished product. We have room to get better and improve upon the finer details of what we're doing, but pleased with where we are at this point and ready to go play.
On what his biggest concern is this week:
The biggest concern I have is probably the guys putting too much pressure on themselves. At this place, there's so much hype, exposure, whatever you want to call it, sometimes if you're not smart or in tune to yourself, you pay attention to it. You stay pure of mind, keep your mind focused on executing, do what you've done for 28, 29 practices. These guys don't need to put any undue pressure on themselves, just go execute and play.
On how long it took for the up-tempo scheme to get to where he was comfortable with it:
As I mentioned earlier, it's never a finished product. You're always going to hear that from coaches. There are finer details you can improve on. The basic premise when we came out of spring ball was what we're doing. We have done some things to streamline it, make it faster in the off-season, signals. Pleased with where they are now, ready to go into the first game. At the same time, as a coach you're never really satisfied with where you're at.
On how he's seen his relationship with David Ash develop:
It was real quick. It was real fast in December. Getting to know David and coach him all of a sudden in the bowl game, I didn't have a feel for him as a player or a person quite honestly.
Spring ball helped us out quite a bit, spending more time with him in the off-season. Got a chance to see him work, how he thinks. Now it's much more of a personal level instead of the football side of things. See how he ticks more, know how to poke and prod at him, motivate him in that different way. He also understands where I'm coming from, certain calls, certain ways of coaching.
I always talk to those guys about I'm going to coach you hard as a quarterback. You get enough praise around here, other guys are looking at your position. He's starting to understand how I'm going to coach him, treat him and the entire offense.
On whether he'll be upstairs or on the sidelines:
I'll be on the sidelines with the quarterbacks.
On what you lose being on the field versus what you gain being upstairs:
(Co-Offensive Coordinator) Darrell (Wyatt) will be up in the box, I'll be on the sideline. I want to be on the field, (have the quarterback) see me, me see him. I think you can see things on the sidelines. I've coached up there, but I have all the trust in Coach Wyatt. Having a chance to be around the quarterbacks, try it out, see how it works.
On how he feels about the wide receivers:
Everybody has gotten reps, that's for sure. Everybody has gotten a rep in fall camp all the way from true freshmen to fourth- and fifth-year guys. I feel confident with our wide receiver corps. There's a lot of pride in that group. Regardless of whether it's an experienced guy going out there, newcomer, they know how to execute. I'm confident with the wide receiver corps.
On whether Jaxon Shipley will start on Saturday:
We're going to watch him all throughout the week and pull the trigger on Saturday in terms of who we're starting. That's been our motto up front, the offensive line, with guys going down in the bowl games. Step up and go play. That's the reality of it. You don't have 125 scholarships any more. You got 85 and got to go with who you got.
On the freshmen who are on the depth chart and whether they'll play:
I think that's just all a tentative plan. Like coach said, that's what we'd like to do. Obviously the season will unfold and you'll see certain situations arise and certain guys will have to take redshirts off on both sides of the ball. That's inevitable, part of our game. The good thing is all those guys have gotten reps and executed well. You feel good going to those guys. That's the upside. That's the silver lining. Jacorey Warrick, Jake Oliver, Montrel Meander, Chevoski Collins will all come back and tell Coach Wyatt, 'I never realized how important that fall of '13 was where we got all the reps, Shipley was out, we got to marinate in the offense, got a lot of reps as opposed to getting cleanup reps.'
On how he feels about the blocking units:
Coach Wyatt talks a lot about playing without the ball. That's playing without the ball. A lot of guys want to catch passes. When you look at the explosive runs, it's a wide receiver block at the second level that's allowed that to occur. We put a lot of emphasis on that. We praise guys. We reward that kind of blocking downfield. At the same time it's kind of a minimum expectation.
On how exciting it is to see this team is being led by juniors and seniors:
Just experience - it helps. A lot of snaps, a lot of at-bats. That's big for us, whether it be the offensive line, wide receiver, quarterback. The more times you've been around the block, the better. We're looking forward to benefitting from some of that experience now.
On what John Harris has shown him:
He had a good fall camp. He's done a great job. Sometimes you're doing quarterback drills, you peek off, see special teams, giving great effort over there. I see him making a big impact in terms of special teams and his effort there. Offensively he's done a great job. He's caught the ball well, gotten open. There's that next step. Sophomore into a junior year, now it's time to do that little bit extra that really gets you over the hump, gets you on the field. I think he's making that stride right now.
On what he's seen from New Mexico State:
Last year they played in some three-man and four-man fronts. We've heard they want to do a little bit more in terms of pressure, some things in the back end. They had some great players that made the NFL last year, but they return so much. There's so much to be said for that experience. They have so many guys coming back who have played in big games, different stadiums. They won't be intimidated. They've gone places and played before. That's what I look forward to, guys that have played a lot of snaps, won't be enamored by the stadium and go out and play.
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Manny Diaz
On the biggest difference going into this year:
I think it's in the preparation of our players. I think that's what they feel. I think the difference, if you ask some to a man, going into a year, because there are 124 upbeat, positive teams right now. Now you need to find what's real, tangible. What's different now that makes me feel I have success in areas I didn't have in the past? I believe that's in the preparation of our players. I think it's the way they've attacked our off-season program. I think it's the way they've attacked our 15 spring practices, how many we've had so far through fall camp. I think because of that now they're walking into the arena more confident and more ready to perform than perhaps they did in the past. They know differently now.
On if effort is the biggest difference:
I think what's happened is, again, the credit starts in the off-season program with the strength staff. I think with the improvement of the physical conditioning of our football team, in addition to the tempo in which we're playing at practice, I would say we're able to put the foot down on the accelerator at a higher rate than we were in the past, which translates to effort, which is obviously the first non-negotiable that you have to have a great defense. I think the guys see they go harder, longer, faster, and that matters.
On his biggest concern for the first game:
I think you have your normal, typical first-game issues. You're always kind of chasing ghosts. You have a team with a new staff, new coach, new offensive coordinator, a new quarterback. We watched tape this week of three or four different college teams. We watched two or three different junior college tapes to watch some of these guys. You forget what color the team is we're playing. So you really don't know what to expect. You could get all different types of elements on offense.
Again, it's in terms of preparing your players. You can't give them a study guide and say, 'Memorize this.' You have to know the rules of your defense. We can get anything from triple-option and everything in between, and to be honest we're expecting all those things. It's a game where you really have to know what you're doing and still go play fast.
On what he learned from last year:
I think you still learn that this game is about the development of your players, that you continue to try and push them. Whether things go really, really well; or really, really poorly, there are still core values and core beliefs that never waiver. Certainly defensively there are things you have to have to be successful.
But the thing is that we continue to improve, we continue to chip away, get better. That's where the story has not stopped. It lasted all through December bowl practice. We played in the bowl game. We were a better version of what we were, but we still weren't a complete version. We won't be a complete version this Saturday. You're never a complete version. As a coach, you're pounding away trying to get a team as good as it possibly can be.
Players have learned the difference isn't the will to win, the difference is the will to prepare to win. It's the same in our profession, in your profession, in every profession. Until you've done it, you thought you were prepared, and then you get in it and you realize you didn't not try to be prepared, you just didn't know all it took to get prepared. I think the players see the difference now going back to our level of preparation.
On how different was the camp that he ran:
I don't know if it was all that different. I know we had a really good physical camp. We picked up where we left off in spring ball. We had some good, hard-hitting practices. But obviously the amount of players that you have that have played in a game certainly helps in terms of the experience that they have, and they understand how to practice, do those types of things.
This team has practiced at a more mature level than I would even say last year's team. Last year's team during fall camp we had issues in terms of how we could be physical and not take cheap shots. Since spring ball, we've gone after each other pretty hard, physical and tough, but it's been clean as well, which has enabled us to continue to practice that way. It's been a lot cleaner certainly in that regard.
On how the leadership is without having Kenny Vaccaro and Alex Okafor:
The leadership is better than what we had. Not just because of the type of kid we have, there's just more of them. Kenny, they were just outnumbered. We had two seniors, a few juniors, all the rest had been on campus for one year or a year and a half.
I would say the leadership of our team is better than it was a year ago. That's not a knock on those guys. Just the type of people we have. Certainly the easiest like for like is when you put a Jackson Jeffcoat, his level of urgency has certainly stepped up with the guys up front. What we have now in every room is you have a four-year guy that has played a lot so everybody can play a lot. Jordan Hicks at linebacker, Adrian Phillips has been an immense leader since we got back in January, Carrington (Byndom) at corner. Really you can divide it into corner, safety, linebacker, tackle, you have a great leader in all of those stations, which was not true last year, and almost not the year before.
On how high Peter Jinkens' ceiling is:
Peter has a chance to be a really good player. He can make plays, as we saw last year. He's got good instincts, physical attributes and skills. What is the next step? There is a big step because you have to take now, to be a dependable down-type player, you have to really immerse yourself in the mental aspect of the game, reading your keys better, quicken your anticipation in terms of what's going to happen. Peter, we love the energy he brings. He gets excited on game day. You can't have a great defense without having a guy like that that gets everybody excited to play.
On Duke Thomas' ceiling:
Same thing. Guy has been here 12 months or whatever. But Duke is certainly a guy that is a joy to coach. He's a very versatile player. He did it all, everything but line the field, mix the Gatorade at halftime in high school. The biggest thing as a coach that to me is when Duke is playing corner, also when he takes a rep on a special team, whatever you tell him, step with your right foot six inches, bring your left foot behind in the same pattern, he's going to try to do it exactly the way you tell him. He tries to do everything exactly right. That's rare, especially at such a young age. That's what has put him to be in a good position early on. He has a great will to try to work. I'm really excited about watching him play this weekend.
On Jackson Jeffcoat missing the last half of last year:
I think you always recognize in your seniors that sense of urgency. You look around, it's a blink of the eye. You realize this is my last go-around. When you figure in Jackson, the amount of games he missed, he still realize this is your last sort of spin the wheel, I think Jackson is really rearing to go.
What is neat about Jackson with a great defense, now he's understanding not only does it elevate his game, he continues to push himself to play better, it gets everybody around him better. The more you lead, the irony is, the more plays come back to you. If you want to have a great year, the more demanding you are of people beside you, the more opportunities you'll have to make plays. We're happy to have him back in the lineup.
On there always being an unknown for the opener but it being even tougher when you don't know the opponent's offensive plan:
There's no question. There's a little bit of a guessing game involved in terms of what you're going to get. It's going to be a boxing match, a feeling-out process. Everybody on both sides are going to be a little anxious, no matter how prepared we are. It's still the first game of the year. It's a little weird out there. Your legs are going to feel weird the first couple drives of the game. We'll find out what they're doing. They'll find out what we're doing. We'll get to the sideline, get a beat on us, we'll get a beat on them, then we'll settle down and play. You have to be ready for early games, because there's no telling what you're going to get.
On the first drive of the first game setting the tone:
We want to get off to a good start. Like I said, there's nothing we can do on the first snap that's going to define the season for us. Our guys, it is important for us to play fast. We have talked about some non-negotiable things that we have to establish on Saturday.
At the same time we can't go out there with the pressure, you know what I mean, where all of a sudden, bang, here is something we haven't seen, something happens, we're in a state of panic. We're going to push it as fast as we can, play as fast as we can, ride everything else, play fast for 60 minutes. That's still the whole idea, pound away for 60 minutes.
On if it's nice to know he has the tools to improve upon from last year:
That's the neatest thing about coaching, is the ability to continually invest in the players that you have. The neat thing about our program, I think where the difference in our program is to even two years ago, certainly for last year, is to see all the reps, not just in practice, but in the weight room. Now you see all the benefit of that coming through on game day. All the lessons, all of the squats, all the bench presses. No matter how much we all want them to be instant players the day they walk on campus, that's not the way it is. When you're playing a first-year guy or a guy that's been in the program for three or four years, there's a mismatch. There's a difference between what happens when a guy is 18 or when he's 20, 21 or 22.
It doesn't just affect your first guy, it affects you're depth, your backups. That's where it's at now. Now we have backups that have played in games. We have to get ready to roll people. We want to see the difference in our special teams. Those are things that carry you through a 12-game season, especially in our league when you're going to play more snaps than you are in other leagues.
Sophomore Running Back/Wide Receiver Daje Johnson
On his new role in the offense:
I'm embracing it pretty well. I'm taking the new role day by day and getting what they give me. I know they've given me a lot of plays to work on so I'm just trying to give them my all every practice.
On change from running back to receiver:
Running back was mainly from high school so I already had the gist of that. I'll just have to get better at wide receiver. (Co-offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers) Coach Wyatt has helped me out with that a lot. I listen to what he says every practice and try to get better on the go.
On how team has improved:
We're much better. We're more mature from last year. Now we're buying into the offense and the team and we're ready to get it going.
On how the team has matured:
We're focusing more during meetings, during practice, and we're giving 100 percent. When I get tired I know that I can't let my team down and I keep pushing through.
On how many plays he will get:
That depends on fatigue. I'm going to get as many plays as I can handle. If I get tired, they're going to take me out. Fatigue will decide how long I stay in.
On who has helped him with new receiver position:
Mike Davis is the main one. He's helped me with my footwork, on routes, off-press – he's taught me a whole bunch of stuff.
On possibly starting:
I'll be a big contributor but I won't say starter. I can't tell the future but one of my goals is be a big contributor to the team and help out as much as I can.
On challenges of up-tempo offense:
The only difficult part is being fatigued. The up-tempo offense and spread offense puts you down a little bit if you run a go route, then run back and run another go route. Getting plays every 15 seconds gets tiring a little bit. That's probably the hardest part.
On how up-tempo offense helps him:
It helps me get in shape more and run faster for longer and more plays.
Senior Offensive Tackle Donald Hawkins
On working at different positions on O-line:
Right now it's a coaching decision. We're trying to get the best five on the field so whatever the coaches decide to do is their decision. Right now I've been playing all four positions and been moving around to get a feel for everything. If I have to play guard, then I'll have already gotten action at that position.
On helping junior-college transfer Desmond Harrison:
Desmond came in the summer and I came in the spring. For me, it took that spring and that summer to get acclimated to Texas. I'm kind of helping Desmond along and I feel that he's going to be okay.
On adjusting to playing guard position:
It kind of brings me back to high school. My senior year I played every position. I moved from tackle to guard and guard to tackle. I played everything but center. Right now I'm doing great at both and I can play either. It's good for me and it's good for the team. I prefer to play tackle but it's whatever the coach's decision is.
On understanding multiple positions:
I feel more comfortable. If you're comfortable you play better. For me, last season I kept changing things trying to get comfortable. In one game something would work and in the next game it didn't. It all just comes down to being comfortable. I've had a lot of change in my technique but this year I've found something and I'm just going to roll with it.
On the talent of the O-line:
I feel like the biggest strength of the offense is the offensive line because of the depth and the chemistry we have together. We are one unit. A bunch of guys can come in and there won't be any drop off. That means the rest of the guys and I can play every play full speed and have a back up. That's good for the offense and good for Texas.
On being an offense lineman with strong running backs:
Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown, Daje Johnson, Johnathan Gray – there's so many. It's a good feeling knowing that Joe can run someone over and Johnathan can turn a 2-yard loss into an 80-yard gain. It's a good feeling having guys behind you that can make you look good and we can do the opposite.
Junior Defensive End Cedric Reed
On what has been the most impressive thing about the defense:
The intensity. We have been working hard the whole summer and fall camp and the intensity is better.
On did the defense not have intensity last year or what is the difference:
I felt like we did but not as much as we do now. Everybody is running to the ball, we are tackling better, we are working on the little things that we missed out on last year. Like I said, the intensity is up, tackling is up, and everything is getting better.
On how much of the change is coming for defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and how he is running things:
Manny, the man is intense. Everything is fast. We are moving fast, we are tackling fast, everything. The little things are what he has been demanding, and demanding that brings a lot of intensity.
On how it compares to what Coach Diaz was demanding from the last two seasons:
He is demanding the same thing as when he first got here. We had some injuries last year that brought the intensity down but now it is back up and everybody is back.
On when the change came together for the defense:
The bowl game. It showed a lot of what we can accomplish if we all just come together. We all played well.
On any personal goals for the season:
Right now my goal is to beat New Mexico State.
On thoughts about if he can carry on the defensive end legacy at Texas:
Yeah I think I can be in that group and I think our whole group can be in it actually. (Defensive Ends) Coach (Oscar) Giles is a great coach and he demands a lot from us.
On what he got out of his starts from last year and Big 12 football:
I learned that everything is fast and you have to be in shape. Everything is fast and it just comes a lot quicker so your pre-snap reads are vital. I learned that a lot over the time.
Junior Running Back Joe Bergeron
On how anxious he is to see a different color jersey on the defense:
Extremely. It has been way too long that we have been going against our own defense. Just that excitement of our first game coming around and you have been out just ready to be getting back into the swing of things and go against somebody else.
On what it was like with a morning practice compared to what the team is use to for game week:
Honestly, we basically treated it just like we have during camp, which was only like a couple days ago. I like it because it gets you up going; it trains you to get your mind right at an early point of the day when you just don't feel like it. We got out there and got some good work. We also got to play in the rain for a little bit so I enjoyed it.
On thoughts about having OT Desmond Harrison eligible to play and seeing the potential of the offensive line now:
The potential is there definitely. Seeing him work is just like seeing Mason (Walters) work or Trey Hopkins or Dom Espinosa. All of them are in sync. All are working together and all are communicating better. It definitely is a good feeling knowing that you are going to hit one place just like you practice and how you should hit in the games so I am interested to see how that works out.
On how nice is it to have all the running backs healthy for the first time:
I mean I wouldn't really call it the first time but we were all healthy and it was just unfortunate situations that happened and just like any other time it really doesn't take away from our work ethic. We are always working regardless if you are hurt or not, you still give 110 percent and you play to your fullest. Honestly, it is just no difference and I don't even notice if something is different.
On thoughts about the trio of running backs and doors it opens up:
Definitely. No one likes to be restricted and whenever you have the opportunity there, of course you are going to take it. It is just, like I said before, confusing to a defense to have to deal with all three backs, especially with all three having their own style and so much versatility on the field. Plus it's the same with the receivers that you don't sleep on them just because you have three backs in the backfield. It definitely does open up a lot of doors and it should be interesting to see what happens.
On thoughts if co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite has a lot of trick plays:
I feel like Major is more of a 'let's just go and show what we can do.' Not really much of a finesse-type of coach and just wants to go and play our game and execute our plays that we know. We will put in a few new ones and basically just go out there and play smash-mouth football; just Texas football basically.
On how has the up-tempo scheme affected him:
Me personally, I honestly just go with the rest of the players. If you get caught up in the fact that we are up-tempo and you have to be quick, you have to do this, you have to do that, you tend to not pay attention to other things. So say you have a long run and you are pumped up and so excited, you are not really going to pay attention to the person giving the signals or the quarterback giving the plays because you are so hyped up. If a bad play happens, you know you can't let that happen and you are looking to scan the defense and by that time the ball has snapped and you are already behind. So it's hard to adjust to but we have been practicing it and with Coach Applewhite, the other coaches and all the players buying in, it has just become second nature.