The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Seniors embrace new coaching staff, starting practice
03.20.2014 | Football
Longhorns completed their second practice of the spring Thursday
Dominic Espinosa and Cedric Reed are embracing their roles as seniors and the new coaching staff. The team, including with the two veterans, is still learning their coaches' expectations and how they run practices.
But, they are excited to grow and develop under Charlie Strong.
"I know for the guys, especially the seniors and the juniors, we're really bought in to what Coach Strong wants of us," Espinosa said. "He really wants us to show what we got and to give effort every day and I think we're all buying into that."
Espinosa, who has started all 39 games the last three years at center, said offseason workouts with strength and conditioning coach Pat Moorer were tough, but beneficial for the team. He has witnessed players step up, especially members of the roster who don't usually receive the spotlight.
Reed, a defensive end, is one of the players who made an impact during the offseason. But now the team is back on the field and excited to continue to learn more about Strong's expectations and practices, which started Tuesday.
A 2013 first team All-Big 12 performer, Reed said very early into the first spring practice he realized things would be different than previous years.
"The first five periods I think I was winded and I realized that yeah this is going to be real," Reed said. "Everybody was looking at me saying that we are going to have to turn it up a notch. But like I said, we are getting into the swing of things and spring is a time for us to get our bodies back in shape."
Though the practices are intense, they're also fun. The team is excited to be back on the field. This coaching staff is very hands on and often ran with the team during offseason training. Just like the players are putting in all their effort, Espinosa says it's very clear that the coaches are also giving 100 percent.
As two of 14 returning offensive and defensive starters, Espinosa and Reed are helping to foster this transition to a new coaching staff.
"Guys look up to me more," Reed said. "You can tell. It is a leadership role that you take as a senior that you finally realize once you get on the field with all the guys that they give you the pathway to go first and stuff like that. But other than that, as myself I feel like I am a lot stronger, I am lot faster, I put on some weight—a lot of us put on a lot of weight—and I feel like I know the game a lot more."
The Longhorns completed their second spring practice on Thursday. Below are quotes from Espinosa and Reed
Senior Center Dominic Espinosa
On what practices are like: I would say it's fast…it's tough. It's a lot of mental stuff. Even in the first workout when we got back with all these new guys it's been a lot of mental strain on us and that's what they're trying to do for us and get us ready for a lot of situations and what we're doing now. We're going to be having the season and it's to get us mentally tough and ready to go for these practices coming up. We're taking advantage of it right now.
On offseason workouts: Those were unreal. They are tough. They're great, especially for a guy like me who has been doing this, I'm coming on my fifth year. So I've gone through a lot of workouts with former strength coaches Benny [Wylie] and Mad Dog [Jeff Madden] and I've seen some crazy workouts. But these are some good ones. They're fun and a lot of the guys got going. You got to see guys who usually wouldn't compete or lead really step up and buy into his workouts. It was fun for all of us, especially an older guy. I think the coaches really liked what they saw too.
On if the new coaches are the change the team needed: I'm not sure what I think about us and what we need and didn't need. But I know for the guys, especially the seniors and the juniors, we're really bought in to what Coach Strong wants of us. He really wants us to show what we got and to give effort every day and I think we're all buying into that. I know the coaches are giving their 100 percent effort also.
On what his favorite part about the new coaching staff is: It's really hands on. Even workouts with [Coach Strong], he's working out with us. He's there really early. I was actually leaving my house one morning coming to workouts and he was running down the road I live off of. I was like, man, he's running before I'm even up there. So it was crazy to see him doing that. He's out there with us and he wants to grind out there with us as well.
On offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Wickline's style: It's fast. It's really fast. It's fundamentals, technique. He expects you to know who you have before you go out there. He expects you to know your playbook and everything we're going to do out there is fundamentals and technique. It's an interesting coaching style but you're learning on the run and it's fast. That's how the game goes and I like it so far.
Senior Defensive End Cedric Reed
On his thoughts about how practices are progressing: Practice is good. It is really intense, but it's a new coaching staff so you know it is going to start off like that. Everybody is still learning where they go during different periods and stuff, but it is really intense and we are getting use to it and it is a lot of fun.
On when did he realize things were going to change during spring football: The first day. The first five periods I think I was winded and I realized that, yeah, this is going to be real. Everybody was looking at me saying that we are going to have to turn it up a notch. But like I said, we are getting into the swing of things and spring is a time for us to get our bodies back in shape.
On thoughts of having a Longhorn as his defensive coordinator: Coach (Vance) Bedford wears that T-Ring around and that let's you know everything about it. He wears that T-Ring with pride and it is great to have him - somebody that has the same pride that we have and the same passion we have for winning and putting stuff on the board. He is a great defensive coordinator. He is real on-hands and personal coach at the same time.
On defensive line coach Chris Rumph: First of all, his credibility just coming from Alabama. He has a lot of guys in the league, but what I am learning from him is how to be a man mostly. He has got on to me these last couple days with just little stuff that I can fix. And it is not stuff so much with football field but more of how I can be a man and carry it over to the football field. As for technique-wise, he has a different language than what [former defensive tackles] coach Bo Davis spoke, and it is not too far from what I know and it is great.
On what has changed for him being a senior and starter on the defensive line: Guys look up to me more. You can tell. It is a leadership role that you take as a senior that you finally realize once you get on the field with all the guys that they give you the pathway to go first and stuff like that. But other than that, as myself I feel like I am a lot stronger, I am lot faster, I put on some weight—a lot of us put on a lot of weight—and I feel like I know the game a lot more.
On Coach Rumph saying he has earned the right to be a vocal guy and how comfortable he is with that: It is comfortable. I have had [former teammates] Alex [Okafor], I have had Jackson [Jeffcoat], and I have had a lot of guys on defense that were vocal guys, so I could be in the back and be quiet since they would always do it. But now I am being more vocal. I am talking to the guys more and getting on them more on little stuff rather than sitting back and letting the coaches do it. It is being a player-coach is what he really wants me to be, and he always hints it to me with [what] I was saying about being a man. And to speak up for the guys here and let them know what they are doing wrong.
