The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
03.23.2015 | Football
Head coach Charlie Strong discussed spring practice which begins Wednesday
Head coach Charlie Strong met with the media Monday to discuss spring football practice, which begins Wednesday. The Longhorns will practice 15 times during the next four weeks and play the annual Orange-White Spring Game on Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m. in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Head Coach Charlie Strong
Opening Statement: The start of spring practice is on Wednesday and this time of year is when you try to really focus on just really putting your team together. It's also a time that we need to develop leaders. As a coaching staff, we sat down and we just talked about just some of the goals, some objectives that we try to get accomplished this spring. One thing we talked about, the number one and it's very key is to go build us a football team and a team with team chemistry. I just felt like last year we just didn't play together as a team. We just had a team meeting, got all the players back last night. I just talked about how within a team there are different cliques, and you've got this clique here and they've got to click. In order to come together as a team trust has to be built and a team has to come together—that's what we never did. We still had these cliques that we we're dealing with. I said, at the end of the day, when you come together as a team and you win as a team, then everybody gets the praise. It's not just one guy. Then everybody's able to stand up and there's a lot of praise and there's a lot things that can happen within this team. The second thing we talked about is just pride within this program, just representing this program, representing this team with pride. It's an investment; it's the time, it's the energy, and it's the effort that you're willing to put into it. I think that last season, the last game, I just talked about there's just not enough pride, where guys just feel like an investment is not there, the energy is not there, the time and the effort's not there, and we've just got to build it this spring. We talked about just a physical and mental attitude, not just working hard. For anything you get, no one ever gives you anything; it's all about just hard work. The guys have to understand that it's about us working together. It's about building closeness and building confidence with the team. You have to have confidence within the players. We've got to build that confidence. I was telling the guys, I said, when you signed on here, you signed on to win championships and that is not happening. You signed on where you say, hey, we've got to restore this program, get it headed back in the right direction, that hasn't happened. But the confidence, it's almost like the big dog on the porch, and you know what happens is when that big dog jumps off the porch and he gets bitten he's no longer the big dog anymore, and we're no longer the big dog. We've been bitten. So when will this dog rise back up and become who we should be? It's all about building that confidence within our players. And they were talking about just improving our fundamentals. Each and every day it's about getting better, taking the step where we have to get better, and the only way that can happen it's all about coaching fundamentals, and what our coaching staff has to understand is it's about the fundamentals. When we talk about taking a short a 6 to 8 inch step that's what it is. It's a 6 to 8 inch step—that's what it's going to build at. We have a long way to go. We lost a lot of players last season. I think defensively there's six or seven starters that are going to be gone, offense, two or three. But it's all about the players within this program where they understand now it's their time to step up. It's their time to start moving in the right direction. But we've got to build leaders. It's not just the senior class, if there's a junior who is an outstanding leader he's got to step up because it's going to be leadership and it's got to be team chemistry and just us working together, us working hard and just getting it headed back in the right direction. The great thing about spring practice is the only thing that counts is the number of days of practices, and the only thing that we had to worry about is just getting better, competing against ourselves and just making ourselves better.
On the quarterback position and how he is setting them up in practice: It has to be competition at every position. And at the quarterback position, you know, Tyrone [Swoopes] was our starter last season. Jerrod [Heard], we had a chance to redshirt him. But going into the spring practice, and we're going to give them equal reps, give them a chance to go compete against each other. I'll just say this, in fairness to Tyrone, you look at us last year, we struggled on offense in trying to put together an offensive line. I said each and every week we squeeze every ounce out of it. We were unable to go run the football because you couldn't open up holes and Tyrone is placed back there in the quarterback position. But this spring it will be opened up. Those guys will be able to go compete against one another with him [Swoopes] and Jerrod.
On who he envisions at the linebacker position: Right now it's going to be [Dalton] Santos. Because Santos last year was [Steve] Edmond's backup and he played a lot of football. That's a position right now on defense that's very critical for us, because we lost [Jordan] Hicks and we lost Edmond two guys that had a lot of starts, played a lot of football. It's going to be key at that position. Because that middle linebacker is the glue of the defense. It's got to be someone who can be step up and go lead the defense. Then you look at Peter Jinkens, you look at Tim Cole, you have some bodies there, but it's just mainly who is going to go step up and right now that middle backer position is Santos.
On how many starting spots are in a good position at this point: Well, if you look at the 22 on offense, I mean, let's look at the 11 on offense. Wide receiver, you know, you've got Marcus Johnson back. Daje [Johnson] is back, two guys that have played a lot. I'm just going by just people who have played. Your offensive line you get Hutch [Marcus Hutchins] back. You get [Taylor] Doyle back, you get Sed [Sedrick] Flowers back. You get your line back and the guys that have played a lot of football, the quarterback position, with Tyrone [Swoopes] coming back there, and running back you get [Johnathan] J. Gray back at running back, and I'm sitting here just trying to think of names and the guys that has played for us. Tight end position, you lose [Geoff] Swaim, but [Andrew] Beck played some. So you look in there. So offensively, you've got a good group of guys that played a lot. Now it's just a matter, it's just piecing it together. That's the job as a coaching staff to make sure that we put the players in the position where they can be successful. And then, on defense, you look up front. [Desmond Jackson] Tank is coming back off an injury. You get Tank back. [Paul] Boyette played a lot for us. Shiro [Davis] came back late in the season and played. Naashon Hughes started at a key position which I talked about is the linebacker position. Santos played a lot for us. Pete Jinkens played a lot. But we got to replace some really outstanding players. Malcolm Brown, Ced Reed, and Hicks, Edmonds, Diggs those guys will be hard to replace because they played a lot. In the secondary, your two safeties are back. And then, your corner position you've got Duke [Thomas] back now with Sheroid [Evans] coming back off an injury. So it's a group you have bodies. You have guys that have played. But now it's about us as where we've got to get where we coach them and develop these players and that's what we have to do a better job of developing the players that we have and building the confidence in them and just building it where they understand that it's all about competing but it's also about working hard. It's about improving each and every day.
On how far behind Tyrone Swoopes is Jerrod Heard and what it will take for him to move into starting position: I talked to our team last night and I said to them, don't ever think because a guy started last season that he can't be unseated as a starter. So, don't ever walk into a situation thinking that you know what? I can't go beat him out. Yes, if you work hard enough you're going to go beat him out because I said I'm not one of those guys who plays games. If I think you're the best player, the best player is going to play. About how far behind he is, I don't know that. We're tweaking things on offense where we're going to make it where you get two guys with athletic ability and let them go play.
On if chemistry can make players better: You know what happens, if you have team chemistry, I just think it makes the whole team better because now guys start believing and trusting in one another. And what's lacking when you don't have team chemistry is all about you just see just the individualism, where guys it's all about their individual talent because they don't really think about no one but themselves. We've got to build where it becomes a team when you look at the teams that go win, it's all about the team. And the individuals are part of it but then your individual talent is able to come out because you are having so much success as a team. And that's what we haven't had. We just have to have success as a football team.
On Darius James: Yes D. James. He had the knee injury. So he's going through that. And he had some work to do academically.
On what he has seen from Malik Jefferson so far: The only way I've seen him so far is winter conditioning. He's an outstanding athlete. Ton of athletic ability. It's going to be fun to see him once we get him out there Wednesday, let him run around and we won't be able to put the pads on until Saturday, and then you can really see where he is. But just watching him. You know that you have an outstanding athlete who is going to be able to do a lot of things.
On his plans for incorporating the junior college guys: I think with the Juco guys you look at Tristan [Nickelson], [Brandon] Hodges and I think I have three, don't I? [Quincy] Vasser. So those guys are all linemen. What we're trying to do is just build depth at the line position. So they're going to get a chance to compete. The thing about it is that was a need for us. I'm not big on junior colleges. But I think that when you need a need there are guys that come in and you feel like they can help you out at that position. Then you have to go out and make sure that you can get them within your program. What's been great is they're here right now. So they've been working and now that they've worked, they understand what's expected.
On how concerned he is about the defense and finding replacements for graduated seniors effort and leadership: When you look at it, you have to win on defense. You've got to play great defense. We did. We lost some leaders with Diggs, we lost a leader with Hicks, you know, Edmonds and big Malcolm Brown and Cedric Reed, you know, guys that had played a lot of football and started a lot of games for us. And to replace them is going to be hard because you look at those guys they've been in the program a long time.
Now you look at it and with the guys that need to come through, need to come through for us and step up. We're always talking about a Santos, who has been here, a Pete Jinkens, who has been here. Tim Cole, who has been here. Even Tank [Desmond Jackson] and the good thing about Tank is that with the injury he's able to bounce back, once he comes back fully recovered, he's going to be a guy we'll look for leadership. You look in the backend; Duke [Thomas] has played a lot of football for us. Guys need to step up and it's that the leadership within the defense, we have to develop those guys and find those leaders.
On if he will have an idea of who will be the starting quarterback by the spring game: You like to say by then you'll have a good feel, because you get the practices in and guys be able if a guy can separate himself. And I just had this conversation I was telling our players don't be afraid to separate yourself from the other players. I said that what has happened is that guys don't want to go make a move. There's nothing wrong with it. Sometimes you can't always bring your friends with you. So you can't bring them with you, okay, you have your teammates, you can't always bring them with you but there can be a separation. And when you have that separation from guys, then you can really know, okay, this guy really here wants to improve, wants to be an outstanding player. Don't worry about it if you have to separate. Too many times, we act like we're going to hurt somebody's feelings. There's nobody's feelings to hurt. You go be the best player you want to be. If he doesn't want to come with you, just leave him behind and then we'll get somebody to come with you. And we'll get that done as a staff.
On if he feels like his new assistant coaches are better suited for what he is trying to do: I'm not going to say they're better. Because I think every coach has something to bring to the table. You look at Jay coming up from Oklahoma, being in this conference, knows this conference. Then the work that he's done speaks for itself. You look at Brick. You get a guy from the Southeastern Conference. A guy who has recruited this state, coached in this state, who understands and knows this program. You look at what Jeff Traylor did when he was at Gilmer and just the success he had. I look at it like this, with these two guys on offense it's going to help their offense, because they know what we're looking for. Then with defense, Brick has done a good job of just coming in and understanding what we're looking for.
On Jeff Traylor's role with special teams: Jeff Traylor will run the special teams. The reason is just that with him coaching the tight ends, it's a position that you don't play a lot with that tight end position. But with Chris [Vaughn] having to coach the secondary and special teams, it was tough on him because now you're looking at a guy who has got to go get ready for a special teams meeting and then go coach the secondary. So Jeff will handle the special teams.
On if he is going to take away things again this year that the team has to earn back: As always, you always have to hit the reset button. There's guys, they understand what we're looking for. And last year we took away the logos. There won't be a logo on their helmet this spring. So we'll go back through that again. But it's all about just building the pride and restoring the pride back within this program.
On where the team is at in terms of special teams and specifically punter: What I do, the second part of that question, what I do with special teams is that every coach is involved. I'm even involved in special teams. Jeff runs it but each coach coaches a phase of it. Like if you take the punt team, it's broken down. Somebody has the left side, someone has the right side. Somebody's the personal protector and someone has the punter. With the kickoff return team, somebody has the right side of the front four and somebody has the back end. Every coach is always involved because I don't like coaches to be standing around, because most of the players, it's a lot of the big skill in skill. So those coaches are going to be coaching their players, so that way Jeff is responsible for the overall picture, but each coach is totally involved. With the punter situation right now, [Mitchell] Becker and [Nick] Rose are the two guys competing at that position. It's a position where we've got to find this spring who is going to be the punter. You look at Nick Rose. Last year, he's done a good job where he's had enough resources around him now, because he's been talking with [Justin Tucker] Tuck and talking to Phil [Dawson]. I just look for him to get better and improve.
On if he senses from his players that they're tired of not being the big dog and are ready to get back to being there: I think they are. Because if you look at it and you think about it, when I was talking to them about that, I think it kind of stings now. Because I said to them you think about this, go home for break last week, and I said I know you guys get tired of questions, because I get tired of them: What's wrong with the program? What's happening within the program? I said that at some point we've got to do something about it. We can make any excuse, and that's why I've got this shirt: No excuses. There's no excuse. I mean, the reason why we are where we are right now is because we haven't worked hard enough and haven't done what we needed to go do. I think it's kind of burning. I love to talk about it because I love to burn them every day with it. I want them to feel it, because every day I come with something but I want them to feel it and want them to understand it. Being mediocre is not acceptable. I tell them all the time I can go get anybody to do this, but at some point we've got to change it and we've got to get going.
On Daje Johnson and the progress he's made so far: [Laughing] I wish I had some wood here to knock on. But, man, he has come a million miles. I think that it was probably July, a year ago, and we had a talk. I think at that time I had suspended him like five or six games. I said to him, you have to prove to me you want to be here. And at that time he said to me: I'll tell you what, I will not be in your doghouse again. So, I'm hoping that he sticks to it. But what an explosive player. He has so much ability. He's one of the guys you can get the ball to him in the open field, make a guy miss and take it. I tease him all the time now. I said: You haven't made a play since the Oklahoma game on the punt return two years ago. When am I going to see Daje? And he said: When you give me my number back. I said: But I love you in 23, I think it's better than No. 4. But he can help us do so many things with the ball in his hands and just fun to watch.
On the differences with him and his staff and how they feel going into spring practices: It's so much different. Like you said, we're a year into it. We know who we are, know the players and what you're dealing with. And you just understand sometimes you walk into a program, and you just really, when you're dealing with the players, you really don't understand them because sometimes you feel like, okay, since they're here, you expect so much because so much is expected. And then when it doesn't happen, I get frustrated because I'm sitting there saying, okay, do you understand where you are. I said that this is no longer a destination. I mean, we're not here, okay, you guys got done. It's no longer a destination here. We'll earn everything we get from here out. But just being here now, doing what we're dealing with and the players that we have, is so much easier because now you know personalities, you know how to work, you know what is expected. You know what you're looking for each and every day now.
On where he is at with finding new leaders: You lose Ship [Jaxon Shipley] and you lose [John] Harris, and you look at the year that Harris has. You like to see some guy who can come on like he did and just provide the leadership that he provided in that position. But you've got Marcus [Johnson]. You've got Daje [Johnson]. You've got some just young players that have a lot of ability. But it's about them now coming in, stepping up.
On why the fan base should be excited about this team and if they have what it takes to be a winning team this year: It's all about just working. And I think that when we get through spring practice and we continue to work, then I think the fan base you know what it is, it's the University of Texas. You're an alum of this university. This is your university. Last season we didn't do a great job of representing this university where it should be represented. But because of one season I don't think that you say, hey, it's time for me to jump off that bandwagon. We all represent this university and it's an unbelievable university. It will always continue to be. You have to support it because that's what the players are expecting and we all want more. We didn't get what we wanted last season. But every year is a different year. So it's time to write a new chapter to this book and just see what happens.
On if Malik Jefferson will be given an opportunity to contribute: If you look at the back seven, you're talking about [Dalton] Santos. You're talking about Pete Jinkens. There's Malik. There's Naashon Hughes. It's a good group of guys. And Malik will always be able to compete, all of them are going to be given that opportunity to compete at that position. And you're right, you said it with Dylan Haines and you said it with having Jason at the safety position and go cornerback with Duke [Thomas] and Sheroid [Evans]. But there's still a bunch of talent. There's [John] Bonney or Jermaine Roberts sitting there, there's [Kevin] Vaccaro sitting there. And guys, [Adrien] Colbert we have guys, [Bryson] Echols. You've got guys that have played. You have a good group sitting there. So it's now it's about, like I said, it's our job where we make sure that we put the guys in the right position where they have a chance to go be successful.
On how long the bowl game burned with him as a head coach: You know, it burns. It will continue to burn. I think it will continue to burn until I get to my first game next season. I guess what burns you more than anything is that when you go and compete and you feel like we didn't compete at the level that we should and as a coach, it's my fault as a head coach that didn't happen. But it burns, because you want success. You want the seniors to leave off the right way and you want them to have success when you walk out. It's been a while. I think I was thinking I don't know when the last time I've ever been as an assistant been a part of a losing season. I think it was when I was at South Carolina and it was mine and Coach Holtz's first year—we didn't win a game. That's been a long time. But it's just that when you think that you would go out and you would play hard and you would go compete and that guys would take nothing for granted, then you just feel like, you know what, it's all about competing and guys playing at the level that they are expected to go play at. We didn't do that. And you get embarrassed. We got embarrassed and that's just what burns me more than anything. And that's why it's just so hard for me, it's so hard for me to get over it. And I taught myself sometimes I have to slow down because you catch yourself during the winter conditioning, I would just blow the whistle and I would say something to the team just because it was just burning at me then. Then when it wasn't working, it really burned me. I just said, okay, let's just go back, why don't we just go replay that name right now. That's what we're doing, just go replay that game right now, because that's what we're doing right now. But you would think that's why I said to them, I said: At some point within the program we have to understand that it's not acceptable. I said to our players and our coaches, it's not acceptable. It's not who we are and it should never be who we are.
On Marcus Johnson being able to make an impact: You look at Marcus, he has all the tools. It's not about him just stepping up and going to go do it. I think two years ago he had a good year, but it's just kind of gotten lost where he needs to be one of those guys. I've now said it to him, I said you have gotten lost. And I expect I said I watched Dorian Leonard work. He comes to work. I said but it should never be, like from the Dajes and the Dorian Leonards, to the Foremans, the Lorenzo Joes, those guys, I expect you to be a step ahead of those guys. That's what it has to be for you. You've been in this program; you understand it. You have to be a step ahead. That's what I was talking about, just the separation. Don't be afraid to separate yourself. Don't be afraid of success. What's wrong with it? Anybody can hang back and anybody can just stay in the pile and that's all right. We can just hang out in a pile, but who is going to be the guy to step away from that pile? John Harris did it last year, he wasn't afraid, but he stepped away from it, but who is going to step away from that pile? Are we just going to stay up this piled up group that no one separates it and we go back and go get embarrassed again like we did our last game.
On the run game and young offensive linemen: Yes, we do expect to play those linemen. And you can't be afraid to play them. Because you look at it, you just have to go play the best players and not be afraid of it. And they just come in and compete, because you look at guys, Garrett Thomas and Connor Williams, two freshmen that have come in that work really hard, and it's amazing just to watch them work because they don't even say anything. They go about their business and do what you ask them to do. Just like Tristan [Nickelson] and [Brandon] Hodges and [Quincy] Vasser. Malik. They do what you ask them to do. Then you look at J. [Johnathan] Gray, and I think what J. Gray, offensive line, we'll have to block people. I think if you block people for him he's one of those guys that can open up and run and he don't mind running behind his pads. But we've got to do a better job at the point of attack, the line of scrimmage.
On how is going to pull out what he wants from the team: You know what it is, it's in all of us. It is. It's in all of us. It's just a matter of us as a coaching staff pulling it out. You're right, even though they haven't experienced it, they can experience it. But it's going to take hard work. And it's going to take discipline. It's going to take a desire, the determination. It's going to take all those things. But it can be done. It's just a matter of us as a coaching staff. And I told our coaches, this is probably going to be one of those years where we're going to have to go coach and we'll just see how good of coaches we really are. This is going to be one of those years. And I said what's wrong with it? It's great you have a challenge. But don't be afraid of the challenge. You guys can't be afraid of it because the players see that we're afraid it, then they'll back away and we can't allow them to back away. However, the amazing thing about this group, and you're right, they haven't experienced it, but anything you say to kind of - they hold onto it now. So it's almost like you have to be careful what you say to this group because they're going to hold onto it, because this group is listening, because it hasn't happened for them. So they're going to listen to everything you say.
On if he thinks having competition in the spring that he didn't have last year will help Tyrone Swoopes not be afraid to separate himself: I'll tell you what I did with Tyrone in the winter conditioning, what we do is we separate, we break the team down by skill, big skill and linemen. So Tyrone is in the big skill group, quarterbacks and linebackers. So I took him and I said, no, I'm tired of watching you in the big skill, you're going to run with the skill guys. When I placed him at that group, he didn't back away at all. When you see a big guy like that winning most of the races, he's beating our skilled guys. So he didn't back away at all. When Jerrod saw me move him he automatically moved on his own because I turned around and I looked and he says I'm going with the skilled guys. So you look at two guys and the leadership, when guys see those, see that position working, then guys understand the sense of urgency, because if those two guys are willing to do it then why don't everybody else come along with them.
On how much leadership comes into play in the quarterback position: Because at that position you've got to have leadership, because you think about it, that ball's in that guy's hand. He's on the field at every snap. You have to have the leadership. He has to provide where guys understand can he bring the group with him. And is he willing to bring the group. Not so much willing, but he's going to have to bring it with him. But will they follow him? That's the thing with leadership. If you can change someone, bring them along with you, then we have a chance, then can we get the team with the two quarterbacks, can we get the team to follow.
On what he is confident this team can do and possibly hang its hat on this season: And I've just been so pleased just the way they've worked in the winter conditioning, is just how hard they've worked. And they're not backing away. They went to work and they've not backed away from it at all. But it's been a good thing about it. So with that, you know, you always feel like you have a chance because now when you look at just them understanding what is the expectation and someone asked the question earlier, when we were talking about do you see it happening? Are they getting tired of not being the big dog, you see it happening now.
On what he needs to see from Swoopes to keep him at the starting position: Right now, the only chance we have is the two on scholarship is him and Jerrod. You look at him in the spring, you're right. He didn't get accomplished what we needed accomplished. But it's all about putting him in the right system where he can have some success and you try to give him an opportunity to go be successful. I look at our TCU game and not only he didn't play well, nobody played well. We didn't block anybody on defense. We didn't stop anybody. It was just a total but the thing that looks bad for him, here's the quarterback and you see the mistakes that are so glaring for him but you know we forget about some of the other things that happen in the game. Then you look at the Arkansas game, we look at an offense that netted 59 total yards of offense. So I know it's the quarterback. But there's an offensive line. There's running backs. There's wide receivers. Lots of things that are happening. So it's more of what we have to do is build a confidence, not only with him but with Jerrod, and get to where we feel comfortable enough that these guys can go lead the football team.
On getting a transfer quarterback and if there is a set date they will stop looking: It's so hard. You don't know what's out there. The guys don't want to make that decision until the end of spring practice. So you can't go courting anybody saying, hey, we need you. But you can't do that because you don't know what's out there. Because as long as this young man is enrolled in another school, you can't have no communication with him at all.
On if he would consider a dual quarterback position: The biggest, we're in the game, if we feel they're even, we'll play them both. And I think that would help because then one guy understands, hey, at this point he's going to go in the game and he's going to play. But if it's even you're going to have to play both of them.
On if he is comfortable with Johnathan Gray in his new work horse type role: You're right. Last year you were able to have a little Malcolm [Brown] and a J. Gray. Now you've got J. Gray and you've got D'Onta Foreman, a big powerful guy. He can run behind his pads. And then [Donald] Catalon was a guy you guys didn't get a chance to see because we ended up redshirting him, but then with the guys that we're bringing in. So I think that's the position that is going to be really solid for us is just with J. Gray, you just want to see him, I want to see him have success because he works so hard.
On what he thinks the offense is going to look like: I look at this state ship, and I would say probably 98 percent of this state is a spread offense. You see it during the recruiting process, because what happened in recruiting, everybody wants to know, hey, coach, what type of offense are you going to run. The key players that you need to really recruit, those guys are the ones that are in the spread offense. So that's what you're looking for. What we did is that we looked at it as 98 percent of the offenses in this state are from that background. So when we bring players into our program, let's not change them. And it's not so much I think that where you are, you just have to do what everyone else is doing and not but you still have to find a way to go stay physical and go run the football. So it's not like we're going to be one of those teams that jump out there and I tell you guys we aren't going to go jump out there, throw the ball in every snap now, okay. You're not going to see the ball being thrown 60 times in a game. I hope the scores not 60 59 either. Defensively, I don't think I can live with that at all. With the athleticism that we have at some positions, you try to find a way to get the ball into Daje's [Johnson] hands and try to find a way to get the ball into Marcus's [Johnson] hand and try to spread it out and get the ball out and hope you can create the big plays. And we want an explosive team. We didn't create the big plays. You look at some of our games, you look at the low scoring, but you'll have to score and but you have to generate, you have to generate points, and it's all about taking what you have and using it to your advantage and seeing that you can be successful doing it. Now, defensively, it's all about us still you've still got to go play defense, you've got to go stop people. But just making sure just on offense that you have two athletes at quarterback. They are good enough where they can throw the ball, good enough where if you had to pull it down, they could run the football. But you have to take advantage of what you have.
On if he thinks they can contend for a Big 12 title this year: Just let me get through this spring and I'll be able to answer that question.
