The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
08.06.2014 | Football
Head coach Charlie Strong met with the media after practice Wednesday evening
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Head Coach Charlie Strong
Opening Statement: We just completed day three of practice. The thing you like to see is just overall, just our work ethic and how hard guys are working. Anytime you approach practice you just want to make sure physically and mentally that you improve and just get better every day. That's all we've been talking about, our theme is to get better each and every day and go out with the right attitude. Sometimes these practices can be a waste, so far it's been good, day three it's been very good.
Just dealing with the injuries, [Jaxon]Shipley has a hamstring pull, we just don't know the exact time table on that, hope we get him back soon and Marcus [Johnson] practiced today for the first time. He was out there running around, which it's good to get him back at wide receiver because right now we're concerned about the depth. Overall, just very pleased with day three, getting that workout behind us.
On the young receivers: With Shipley being out, you look at the freshmen, they are in rotation as well. [Jacorey] Warrick is getting a lot of work and [John] Harris is getting a lot of work. Now we get Marcus back and get him back in the swing of things.
On Jerrod Heard and the freshmen: You look at that freshman group and there's so much being thrown at them right now with the vets being on the field. We're just moving so quickly that they have to learn on the run. They're doing a good job but it's still a process where we've got a lot of practice time left. I think by the time we get to game one I know that we'll have enough practices where I feel comfortable enough where they should be able to pick up our system.
On Caleb Bluiett and Shiro Davis: You look at our defensive front and that's where you have some depth because you go Tank [Desmond Jackson], you go Cedric [Reed], you go Malcom [Brown], and then you go Shiro and Bluiett there, then my big guy [Hassan Ridgeway], I call him the green mile but he's not the green mile, I tease him all the time about that. You've got enough guys where you can work them. We have good depth there at the d-line position.
Then in the secondary you have a good battle there because you look at the corner position, where you have those young corners coming in John [Bonney] and Jermaine [Roberts Jr.]. Those are two guys that can add depth at some time when they pick up our system. Wide receiver is the position where you have five so now you just try to sort them out and see who's really going to help us.
On Hassan Ridgeway: Ridge is doing well. He's a really strong guy, a powerful, really a powerful pass rusher also. He has so much strength that he can take guys, once he get's locked on them he can just throw them out of the way.
On psychology of getting the team ready: You just have to get guys in position where you want them to think like you. Especially when they start feeling good about themselves. I don't know why we would feel good right now. I think we have them where we need them now.
On staying in campus dorms: Anytime you want to build a team you have to build togetherness. The reason why we stay in the dorms is now we have the whole team around with the offense on one floor and the defense on one floor. Then, during the day, each of them have a roommate so they can open up their doors and have guys walking down the hallway. It's about teamwork and working together and just getting guys together where they can find out who one another really is, because we don't really get that opportunity. A lot of older guys don't get a chance to know who the freshmen are, and now the freshmen can feel comfortable where they can walk into an upperclassman's room and feel good about it.
On how far the team has to go to grasp practice: Right now, I just like the way we're working. There's still some work to be done. When you look at a team you're still trying to build it. The first week it's still all new to them and they want to push, push, push. Next week will be the real test. You go into how much drive and passion do they really have and can they go out there each and every day and go back to work.
On leaving the Longhorn logo off of the helmet: There's a lot of pride in this program, and a lot of tradition in this program and the players understand that. There's a lot of guys that came out here and they poured sweat and everything they left on this field and that's what we're going to do and until we get that done, I'll let you know just how far we come, I'll decide to put it back when they understand the logo and just how important it is.
On the offensive line: [Kent] Perkins and [Jake] Raulerson are working really well, our whole offensive line is doing a really good job. Perkins is so strong, I think in the weight room he's the strongest person we have. He's such a big body inside and he can engulf you. If a guy tries to run inside, he can latch on. If he ever latches on, the defensive linemen don't have a chance. Jake is so versatile where he can play center, he can play any position, center, guard, tackle, so he's doing a really good job.
