The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
04.08.2015 | Football
Offensive lineman Sedrick Flowers, wide receiver Marcus Johnson and defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway met with the media after practice
The Longhorns held their ninth practice of the spring on Wednesday and just 10 days remain until the Orange-White Scrimmage, presented by Schlotzsky's.
Following the roughly two-hour workout, offensive lineman Sedrick Flowers, wide receiver Marcus Johnson and defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway met with the media.
Flowers started all 13 games at left guard last season, Johnson is the most experienced wideout on the roster with 49 career catches for 663 receiving yards, and Ridgeway was second on the team in sacks (6.0) and fourth in tackles for loss (11) in 2014.
Senior OG Sedrick Flowers
On the offensive line: We're improving every day. I can definitely [say] it's improved over what it was before. We have new guys that came in, and they're definitely looking to play. They're coming and competing. Coach [Joe] Wickline, he said it from the get-go, it's not my job to keep you at a position; it's your job to earn that spot. They're coming in and pushing us, and we're pushing them right back, and everybody is just improving.
On rotations in practice: Spring is made for that. During the springtime, you're never guaranteed a spot. I mean Coach [Strong] puts you somewhere, but it's to have him see like a glimpse of what it would be like. It's all of us rolling in, rolling out, rolling in, rolling out, seeing how we look here, how we look there. I'd say it's building camaraderie because we know how to work with different players. One time you might see this, one time you might see that, one group might not talk, one group might talk, so it's getting us all used to seeing different things and having us be on the fly. You never know in season, somebody might get hurt, they have to put somebody else in there.
On freshman OL Connor Williams: He's going to be a player. He's going to be a really good player. He came in and right off the bat he came in with a competitive nature, and he is not giving up for anything. He came in playing hard. He impressed me during workouts with how competitive he is, so he's going to be a really good player.
On having more options in the offensive line rotation than last season: It's like night and day. We had a good like six last year. We'd go through practice with people dying, and then somebody would get hurt during the game and it was like who is going in. We almost have like three lines, and having that is a big blessing. If somebody is not tired or somebody is not doing well, the coaches call them out. We just have somebody that can roll in and give somebody a breather.
On redshirt freshman DL Jake McMillon: He's looking to play. When Coach [Strong] asked him to move to the o-line [last year], he moved to the o-line with no complaining. He's just trying to play. Now he's back on d-line. He knows some of our calls and everything, so he's just like okay y'all are doing that, I know how to beat that. He's just given us some more competition to go against.
On conversations of a different mindset for this season [regard to going 6-7 last season]: Basically, it's unacceptable. We have our motto "no excuses". We've had conversations, Peter [Jinkens] and I and Tim [Cole] and I, the defense and offense has talked. That's not why we came here. I didn't come here to lose the majority of the games, I came for championships. Looking back on the years and seeing how some teams won, that's what I came here for. I didn't come here to lose or for any bowl below the National Championship – that's why I wanted to come here. To have a year like we had last year was very disappointing, but I'm not going to dwell on that. I'm going to let it be the motivation to push me to do better.
On last year vs. this year: The sky is the limit. I feel that as far as o-line wise, right now we're looking 10 times better than last year. We're getting better every day. Coach [Joe] Wickline, he actually gave us a compliment and that's rare. He gave us a compliment. He normally doesn't give anybody compliments, but he said, "Y'all are doing good but y'all still suck." [laughs] We're getting better every day.
On o-line blame for senior OB Tyrone Swoopes' struggles last season: I put that on the o-line completely because if we would have been able to do the job that we had to our fullest, then he would've had an easier time back there. There were times when he had to sit there. He was having to scramble here, scramble there, look here, look there, and he wasn't able to focus on the receivers going downfield or focus on nobody was open so running. He had to focus on the o-line doing well. I put that all on us.
On the new offense's effect on QB confidence: I feel like this offense is key for our quarterbacks. Last year's offense, I feel like they tried to make them something that they really weren't. This year, if they come out and say 'I want to do this,' that's what's going to happen. Tyrone [Swoopes] is doing great now. [Jerrod] Heard is doing great. This offense is going to do wonders for them.
On stepping up [regard to new o-line players taking veterans jobs]: [Coach Joe] Wickline said that all during the season. He was like, "I'm bringing in some guys, and y'all are not doing your job so I'll give the job to them." Numbers can only bring out the best in everybody else because your spot is not guaranteed. When you bring in other guys and they're doing better than you, then you're moved behind. That's just how it works. You get the job done or you get fired. With the guys that have come in and how hard they're working and how hard they're pushing us to get better – competition brings out the best in everybody. Not just going against somebody but seeing somebody do better than you. It makes you want to do better than them.
On junior OL Brandon Hodges: He's a hard worker. He's going to be a good player, too. Coach [Joe] Wickline has put him almost everywhere on the line. He's gone left tackle, left guard; he's gone right guard, right tackle. The only thing he hasn't played is center, so he's going to be a good player. Anytime you can play multiple sides, multiple positions on the o-line, you're going to be a good player.
On him not fully practicing on Monday: A bunch of us just get dinged up here and there. Our coaches don't want us to get too messed up, so they just take us back some or put us in the pit so that we can keep our cardio up. They just don't want us to hurt ourselves. It's not like I'm injured or anything – they're just trying to play us smart.
Senior WR Marcus Johnson
On how are you different this year on your approach than maybe last year: Just taking more of a leadership role. Being able to show the guys the right way to work, proper work ethic, and going out there and doing extra just to make myself better as a receiver. Definitely coming from last year and not playing the way I wanted to but learning from everything that I may have messed up on or made mistakes on. Making sure I go back and work on everything.
On are you getting pretty good at catching tennis balls: Yeah, Coach [Charlie Strong] has us catch 300 tennis balls after practice, and we are doing that after the offseason workouts. So it is definitely something even when we do that after workouts. I go and do extra [work]. We work on the jugs, little things like that to make sure we are more confident in the way that we play.
On why did last season go wrong for him: I felt that I knew why, but as the season was going on and towards the end of it, as I really got to sit down, I got to really understand what I needed to work on and why things didn't go the way I wanted them to. But at the same time like I said it was definitely a learning experience and something where I could just sit down and look at I need to work on this. When I watch film this is something that I shouldn't have let happen but learning from it and making sure that I don't repeat the same mistakes.
On seeing John Harris come out of nowhere to post 1,000 receiving yards last season and whether that is fuel for you: Definitely, you know John [Harris] was somebody who went through the same thing. He had his ups and downs; he was able to really hone in and focus in on what would make him a better overall receiver. And you really got to see it last season and it is definitely something where I can learn from him as well as guys like Jaxon [Shipley] and all the guys' prior. This is definitely something that motivates you and makes you want to work harder.
On do you think this group has the potential to be more than playmakers: Definitely, and I think the fast tempo offense has really helped open up a lot of the guy's true talents. You have a lot of young guys stepping up - Lorenzo [Joe], Dorian [Leonard], Petey [Jacorey Warrick], Daje [Johnson]. Guys like that just going out there, adapting to the new offense, and being able to showcase what they can really do. You know when the ball is moving around, flying around all over the place, it gives you more of an opportunity to get the ball in your hands and make plays.
On what stands out about Dorian Leonard: Just great size, a physical receiver, really competitive. Everyday he goes out there with an edge to him. He is one of the guys where he never wants to let the play get away from him, and he is really showing everybody how much he has improved from last season to now.
On the things he has to work on: Honestly, I had dropped balls throughout the season during big times that should have never happened. And that is why I said I go back to working on the jugs. My route running, the little technical things, detail in my routes. It is really showing so far this spring. Things like that, the little things, just going back. I never felt like it was anything too major but little detail things that make a difference when you sit back and look at it and you wonder why you caught this pass but you couldn't make more with it or the little things. Reading the coverage and understanding what opens up and how you can be more of a dynamic player just from things like that.
On being too hard on himself, letting a mistake linger, and moving on: Honestly, I feel the same way. I would get down on myself at times and I could never let that happen. So it is definitely one of those things where I have to tell myself look things are going to happen. You are not going to have it your way all the time, but the more that you work and the more confident you feel in yourself, it helps when it comes down to the time when you may make a mistake, but you are confident enough to know that the next play I am going to go make a play regardless. I can't worry about it. And I think last season I didn't have this, and this is something that I am learning now.
On his confidence level in Tyrone Swoopes if he ends up being the starting quarterback: I have all the confidence in the world with him [Tyrone Swoopes] and Jerrod [Heard] regardless. You know as a receiver, especially with this offense it puts a lot more on us to make plays so it is one of those things where [Tyrone] Swoopes plays, Jerrod [Heard] plays, we will adapt. Make sure we go out there and do our job, and that is the most important thing. I feel confident in both guys.
On do you see [Tyrone] Swoopes and [Jerrod] Heard's confidence go up: Definitely, you know going out there slinging the ball around. You know really being able to not think so much, and go out there and just play and have fun with it. And it has definitely shown.
On what Jay Norvell has brought to the receiving corps: A lot of experience. He is one of those guys who is dedicated and knows exactly what to show you. He has been around guys like Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Peyton Manning, and he will tell us stories all the time about that. You know being able to coach in the Super Bowl National Championship and being around guys even from Oklahoma. Ryan Broyles, Kenny Stills, it is always something you can learn and it is always something that he brings everyday that is new for us or something that we can just learn and add to our game.
Junior DT Hassan Ridgeway
On what he likes so far in the team this spring: We have the most work to do at every position. I mean all of us have got to get better every day. So far, I like everything that has been going on. We've been improving as a whole in every position. Everybody has been getting better little by little every day.
On replacing Malcom Brown: Replacing Malcom? I don't know. I don't really think of it like that. I mean it's just the next man up. That's how it's always been. At this university, it's the next person rolling in, so it's not about replacing him. It's about stepping up and doing the job.
On junior LB Timothy Cole: All of the linebackers are getting better. It's a learning process. Everybody is just learning and getting better every day.
On what the defensive line has been working on: Just different things; we've been going back over fundamentals and just getting better on the small things. As a whole, as a d-line, that's what we've been working on.
On stepping into leadership roles: You can't do it by yourself, so everybody has to grow a little bit. In our positions, everybody has to take a little bit of leadership and step up on their own. We're going to obviously have somebody lead it, but everybody has to grow up.
On looking at former DL Malcom Brown as a role model: Yeah. You learn from the people in front of you. You learn from the people that came before you. You always look up to the person that did it before you, and when you've got somebody as great as that, you always look up to somebody like that.
On senior DL Desmond Jackson: He's always been a leader. Tank [Desmond Jackson] is somebody I've been looking up to since I came in. Having him here has always been great.
On what he likes about sophomore DT Poona Ford: Poona, he is always gone. He's a little guy; he's moving. I like everything. He's just a hard worker.
On the team's motivation this spring: The standard that Texas needs to be improved; that we need to get back to where we should be; that a 6-7 season isn't acceptable at The University of Texas. That's what we're trying to do here.
On attitudes being where they need to be: I feel like everybody is hungry. When you have a season like [last season], it leaves a bad feeling in your stomach, so you always want to come back stronger.
On defensive line coach Brick Haley: Whenever you have a new coach, it's different. Every coach is different. He comes at it different, I've had a couple of coaches being here, and he just comes at a different angle and a different approach to things. He's a perfectionist, so he wants everything to be right. He wants you to be perfect with what you do, do the best you can.
On the offensive line getting better: We've been getting better at every position. Having all of the people rolling in right now, everybody is rolling and getting better while we find out who's going to do what and where everybody's going to go.
On stopping junior QB Tyrone Swoopes and freshman OB Jerrod Heard in practice: Both of them have been doing well. They both can move a little bit, so it's been a little difficult.
On freshman OL Connor Williams: He's good. For coming in as he is right now, a freshman, I think he's going to be a good player.
On why OL Connor Williams will be a good player: The way his attitude is. He comes in with a different approach than most freshmen have. He wants to come in and do better and work hard.
On offensive tempo in practice: You get tired (laughs). There is no way any team is going to go against us and not get tired. It's going to help us as a defense by going against them like this. We're going to be prepared when we do go against a team.
On similarities of the tempo this spring vs. last season: It's not the same. Not at all, just a little bit faster.
On positions being on the line due to increased competition: That's how it was last year, that's how it is this year. Every practice is competition, regardless. Nobody has a spot. You never had one. That's how it works. Every practice you have something to come in and show, and if you don't show it somebody else is going to take your spot.
On sophomore OL Tristan Nickelson: Coming in, that whole o-line, they just have different things they've got to work on. They've all been working and getting better. He's going to be good.
On senior LB Peter Jinkens: He's got a lot of energy. That's what he brings – he brings a ton of energy. He gets everybody excited. He wants to go out there and play. That's how he always does. He's just a battery. He brings everybody together.
