The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Tracking the Longhorns: Strong, players meet with media
08.22.2015 | Football
Head coach Charlie Strong and several players met with the media to discuss how the team is progressing heading into the final week of fall camp.
The Football team held its third and final scrimmage of the preseason on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns are off Sunday before hitting the field again Monday.
Head coach Charlie Strong, center Taylor Doyle, defensive tackle Poona Ford, safety Dylan Haines, wide receiver Marcus Johnson and cornerback Duke Thomas visited with the media at the conclusion of practice.
Head coach Charlie Strong
Opening statement: Just finished up with a really good scrimmage today and I just went out this morning, I was telling the defense, I said,"On Wednesday the defense had their day." And I said, "Today the offense is going to go up and down the field." They didn't go up and down the field, but they scored a lot of touchdowns and they were able to move the ball effectively. But it was just fun to just watch our guys just go out and compete, and we continue to get better. Two weeks away from the day, we'll be sitting in South Bend, the game preparation. I said to our guys, I said, "A few hours away and we'll be hitting that field, can't wait." That's more than anything, I just can't wait because I just want to see how this team's going to go out and perform.
On the tight end position: Well, right now I have [Andrew] Beck and we took [DeAndre] McNeal and we moved him there, and [Blake] Whiteley has a knee injury. So, you know, what we are trying to do, we can always move guys and place guys. If we have a -- take a lineman and place him there and we need to run the football. But right now those are the two guys that are really taking care of that position.
On Whiteley's injury: Don't know exactly for sure yet. I think that we going to examine him here in the next week. It had swollen up on him.
On TE Andrew Beck: Beck? Beck is fine. Beck practiced, and no injury with Beck.
On TE DeAndre McNeal getting more chances: Well, he had been getting a lot of chances because when we moved him. We just know this, that he can create a mismatch problem for a lot of [defenses] because you can take him -- he's a big receiver is what he is and you can take him and move him outside and he can be a guy that can float for you. The thing about it is a lot of times when you move a guy at a position, a lot of them don't want to accept that move. But he came to me, he said, "Hey, Coach, I've gained a lot of weight. I don't know if I can go outside and play but I know I can be a move guy for you."
On the play on both sides of the ball: Well, I'm kind of happy that the offense came today, bounced back from on Wednesday because the defense really dominated them on Wednesday and they were able to bounce back. Early, to take it off, it was kind of like on Wednesday the defense was really planned well and then the offense kind of came alive and started scoring some points and moving the ball up and down the field.
On having DT Hassan Ridgeway back at practice: It did. The thing about Ridgeway is just big body, and he's so explosive. We were just telling him two days ago, just don't -- you always want technique and fundamentals, but I just said, "Look, just run off the football because that's the best thing you do, just run off. If you get reached and run behind, go run the ball down." Now you have him back and you get Tank [Desmond Jackson] back, there's two big bodies there. Poona's [Ford] playing well and [Paul] Boyette's playing well, so you have a lot of guys inside at that position.
On his optimism about fall camp: It's that we have our system in. Now with our system being in place, they understand what it is. Last year it was all about teaching, and then you trying to teach it each and every week. During camp you're still installing, installing, installing. So now you go out and you say just go play. And a lot of guys are back so they understand, they understand when you talk about concepts and what we're trying to get accomplished. They understand it.
On the team reacting instead of trying to think things through: It's always with the freshman, they're the ones that have to do all the thinking because they really don't know. It's all different for them. But you would expect with the vets that it's time for them just go out, just line up and just go play. You always say have fun, but then you want to see them play with good fundamentals and technique. They kind of look at you and say, "Well, you say have fun, then you tell us to go play with fundamentals and technique." But it's getting done for us. We are not a million miles, but we're better off right now at this point than we were last year.
On who might take the first snap at this point versus Notre Dame: Well, if we had to go out there today, it would be Tyrone [Swoopes]. If we had to go play Notre Dame today, it would be Tyrone just because he's been in the game and he understands the system. He's been playing it more. But Jerrod [Heard] is right there. Jerrod is going to play and he knows that. But you want that type of competition and you want them to continue to make one another better, and that's what you're going to get with those two guys.
On if he knows who his starters are right now: Both sides of the ball. The offensive line is still kind of one of those where you still kind of place it together, but if our center for sure would be my guy 74, Taylor Doyle. He would be my center. Sed[rick] Flowers is going to be one of those guys. I know big Perk [Kent Perkins] is going to be one of those guys. So now it comes down to us piecing together the other two. And then at the wide receiver position, 7 [Marcus Johnson] is playing really well for us, he's doing a really good job. Foreman, 83, Armanti's doing a really good job for us. That's going to be the position there because Daje [Johnson] has come alive here the last week or so and then you have [John] Burt outside. So many weapons there at the wide receiver where you can place guys and you can move guys.The good thing about it, they have to learn all four positions so you can just move them around and try to get the ball in the playmaker's hand.
Running back, you're looking at J[ohnathan] Gray has just been -- just nagging injuries but it's nothing that's going to keep him from not being back. I didn't scrimmage him today, probably could have. Then you look at what [D'Onta] Foreman and Chris Warren, those are two big powerful backs and they're looking really good. I tell the defense all the time, when those guys get in open field and they get behind their pads, I don't know that many people are going to want to tackle them because they can punish you when they're getting downfield. Then you look at the tight end position with Beck.
On the defensive side of the ball, I tell [defensive line coach] Brick [Haley], I tease him all the time because we have us a good set of guys there because you talk about Ridgeway, you talk about Tank, you talk about Boyette, you took about Poona. Shiro's [Davis] doing a really good job. Bryce Cottrell is continuing to push him. Naashon [Hughes], [Caleb] Bluiett, [Derick] Roberson - it's a really good collection of guys there that is really doing an outstanding job and it's good just to watch. Even Chris Nelson, just watch those guys roll, and that's what he can do and he can keep them a good fresh. The linebacker position, you've got Malik [Jefferson] is playing. Peter [Jinkens] is doing a good job. And [Dalton] Santos, we haven't been able to practice him because he's still just working through his injury.
Then you look at the defensive back position, the three corners, the three freshman corners have done a really good job. The thing about those three guys, they're like long, like Holton Hill is long, [Davante] Davis is long. [Kris] Boyd, they're just long guys. When the ball goes up in the air, they're athletic enough where they can run well enough where they can get up field, get up top and go knock the ball. And then the two safeties are playing really well right now. So if we were to go out there, we kind of would have an idea of who we would put on the field, but it's still two weeks to go and you want to continue to improve and guys go get better.
On if a freshman would start at corner: Well, you look at it, [Bryson] Echols is doing well, [Antwuan] Davis is doing well. I tell you what has happened with that freshman group, it has made the upperclassmen compete and really have made them better because you can just see it. You can see those guys where they have really locked in to upperclassmen. They're focused. When you see players, they kind of know who are the good ones and they understand that. They're sitting there looking at their positions going, "Hey, I can't slip and I've got to get going because I look out there and I watch him compete, I watch him compete." They see the competition. When we get enough players into the program where you can see them compete, then it's going to be really good because now the competition will be at every position.
On getting the team ready to step on the field at Notre Dame: Well, today's scrimmage from here, so when we come back, I'm going to give them tomorrow off, which will be Sunday. Going to give them Sunday off and come back on Monday, and then we'll just start our work on Notre Dame and it will be all Notre Dame. We'll just continue to practice and guys continue to go get better. What is really good now is just the whole focus is where you just, you know, you sit there and you break down and now just the first-and-10 offense get a breakdown. But offensively, continue for us to take our package and expand it, or take it or delete it, whatever we need to do, we've got to add some, we've got to take away some. But also, we can't lose sight of our fundamentals because it's going to be one of those games. And I told our players, it's going to be one of those games where you're going to have to walk into it and you've going to have to play. It's going to be one of those. You think about it, Saturday night in South Bend. I think it's two night games they have this year, Texas and USC. So they must think those are their two big games because they don't really play many night games. I think we'll just start talking about it. I don't want to just start putting it all on them right now because we're still two weeks away because you don't want to get - try to get a team all amped up and then you've still got to go play. Hey, let's calm down, we've still got to go play this game. But it will still be about us just preparing and getting it done.
On his confidence right now compared to last year: Well, we've been around them now, so you kind of have an idea of who you have. And really, it's just that you just -- what I've seen is just a total change when I talk about some of the upperclassmen, how they have really turned and worked. Like in Pete, I'm not trying to embarrass him, but Pete Jenkins is a totally different guy right now. I told him that. I said, "I see you compete now, I see you more vocal now. It's a lot of fun for you now like you're having fun." Even today he goes out there in the scrimmage and I called him over to me. I said, "Let me tell you something now, if you're going to be a leader of this team, I want to see you back in there." Two or three snaps later -- he said his shoulder was bothering him, but two or three snaps later, he had his shoulders pads on. He's back in. But you see guys that are responding. I just go back to when I was going through the punt and J. Gray stood up and said, "Coach, I want to be on the punt team." Then he ran out there on the punt team and he runs down the field to cover. Think it got everybody's attention because when you talk about special teams, a lot of focus is placed on it, but really some of the starters don't really think they should be on special teams. But now when you have a guy like J. Gray who wants to be on there, Duke [Thomas] wants to be on every one of them. Even the upperclassmen that have been here and haven't been on special teams, now they're coming. I said, I can't put everybody out there now. I've got to put the right cats out there and make sure that we get the right players on the field.
On helping restore QB Tyrone Swoope's confidence: For him, it's all confidence. Even at that position, you've got to have enough of guys around him. And I always say this, when you talk about that position, you have to win the team, I think. But right now the way he's carrying himself through camp and even from the spring until now, he's trying to win the team and he's doing a good job and just the way he carries himself. We go out there and knock on wood, hope it doesn't happen in that first game, but he's not throwing interceptions. He's putting the ball in the right people's hands. And what we're trying to do is not put it all on him. Sometimes you can place so much on the quarterback. I told [defensive coordinator] Vance [Bedford]we need to put on our defense, we have to go play great defense. We have to run the football, we have to control the clock, protect the quarterback and play good special teams. If we can get those five things done, then you won't be asking him to do a lot. But we can't be a team that's playing from behind and all of a sudden all we have to do is drop back and throw the ball, I don't think we're going to give him a chance.
On if having Sunday off was planned or a reward: A combination of both. I just said if we get to this point, we've been practicing so well, they need a day off. They're looking forward to that day because we're going two today, so we've got one this morning, we scrimmage this morning and we're going to come back this afternoon, give them tomorrow off and then we come back Monday.
On if the team had days off during fall camp last year: No, they had some. What has happened with us is school, what happened, summer school ended last week. It's hard because you can't go two-a-days during summer school. You get 29 opportunities before your first game, so you've got to get them matched out. We start back school on Wednesday, so we ended on Monday, so we start back on Wednesday. So there weren't many days in there that we could go two-a-day. We only had two two-a-days, last Saturday and this Saturday, and then the other ones are all ones.
On if he thinks too many coaches emphasize winning at all costs by taking players with troubled histories: I can't speak for other coaches. The only thing I look at, you think about many situations and I always say this, you have to value a young lady. She needs to be respected. It comes down to just respecting women. For some reason I don't -- I just don't get it and I don't understand why we as men feel like that we can mistreat women, talk to women any kind of way we want to because they have value just like everyone else. It can't continue to happen. At some point something's got to be said. I think that it will be.
We had a young lady that came by and talked to our players, Alexis Jones, and she did an unbelievable job. I think her program's called Protect You or Protect One [ProtectHer], I'm not exactly for sure, but did an unbelievable job just talking to them on how to treat women, just sexual violence, just everything that -- it was probably one of the best talks the players have had.
On the background of the speaker: No, she grew up here. She went to school at USC and then she's back here living. She's engaged to one of our former basketball players here. [Q. Brad Buckman?] Brad Buckman, she's engaged to Brad, yeah. She grew up here. It was unbelievable what she did and the talk that she had with our players. But it's something that you have to continually talk to young men about. Sometimes in society a lot of young men have been around and they've seen it where women have been abused and it happened in their family, so sometimes they may think that's the thing to do and it's not. I talk about it all the time. I say, "Guys, I'm just going to tell you right now our core values and this is what it's all about. It's all about respect. It is, it's all about respecting a young lady." I don't know why we feel like a young lady's placed in that position, that she's in the wrong. A lot of times people say that. I say, "Why does she have to be wrong? Why can't the guy be wrong?" Well, she shouldn't have placed herself in that position. What did she do to place herself in that position? He's there, so why didn't we say that to him? It will continue to be a fight, but it's something that when enough people speak up about it, enough people want to change it, it will get done.
On if he has a rule not to accept transfers that have been kicked off their previous team: You know what, I look at it like this. I have a player here at the University of Texas and look what he has. He has everything. He's on scholarship, he's playing at the highest level, he gets to go compete at the highest level, and everything. The facilities, the resources are here for him. Now, if he can't do what we ask him to do and if for some reason he's dismissed from this program, I don't know why he deserves a second chance to go to somewhere like Florida. Why does he get to leave this program when he didn't do what we asked him to do? Now, I am all about giving young men a second chance, but I want to give them that chance within my program. I don't want to have to feel like I have to go outside to bring someone in who you know has had an issue. That's just the way I feel.
On how much due diligence he does when accepting a transfer: I'll tell you what, when I was at Louisville, I took one. I took Michael Dyer. And what had happened is Dyer was at Auburn and then he leaves Auburn, he goes to Arkansas State. He leaves Arkansas State and he goes to Arkansas [Baptist College]. So when he was at Arkansas [Baptist College], I called the coach there and we were just talking and he says, "Hey, I've got a young man here for you." I really trusted him because he had been the head coach at San Jose so we were talking. Then I called [Auburn head coach] Gus Malzahn and Gus called me and I said I really can't do it. I just don't want to do it right now within my program because I'm trying to get things done. I said, "I'll tell you what I do." I said, "You have him to come and see me. I don't want anyone to come with him, I don't need his mentor or anyone to speak for him. I don't need his parents. I just want him to come up here by himself." So he came to Louisville and we sat down and we talked. I made him sign a contract. I said, "These are things you're going to do, and if it doesn't happen, you will not be here. I'm sorry. I know I'm taking a chance on you, but if I get rid of you, I'll just take the hit, I don't mind doing that."
But the whole time we had him there with the classes, he did everything I asked him to do. But you have to research it and you have to know you say, "Hey, what really happened? You had a gun charge. Really, what happened with the gun charge?" "This is what happened, Coach." Then so when I called Gus, I said, "Now tell me really what happened and he told me." But I wanted to -- I wanted the young man to speak and I wanted him to tell me exactly what happened to see if he was going to tell me the truth.
On why some people want to use his core values against him: (Laughter.) You know - you know what happens sometimes is when you talk about discipline - and I think that a lot of coaches try to use it against you - but once you get with the families, that's what they want. Even the players, the players deep down really want you to be an example for them because -- and what happens is that we have allowed so many of our high-profile players or whatever we want to call them to do whatever they want to do. So now when it's time for them to be a part of a program where they feel like there's going to be discipline -- but a lot of players will tell you, "Coach, I heard how you are, so I can't –" Let me tell you something. Everything you're going to be taught is how to go be successful in life. When you take -- when you talk about recruiting, the only thing you want to happen for a young man is that once he leaves here with a degree in his hands, that he can go be successful.
I always say to them, I say, "Let me tell you something. If you weren't a football player, if you were just a young man just standing out there on the corner, could you do the things you're doing? No, you couldn't do them. So why do you feel like when you're a football player that you're allowed to do those things? No, that's not how society is, son. Once you leave here and you enter into society, you're not going to be able to do those things, so I'm going to tell you right now this is the way you're going to be taught."
But I will always feel that strong and I know in recruiting it's held -- some things. Because you even look at last year's class, the guys that we got, we're going to always get the players here. It's the University of Texas, we're going to get what we need. But for some of those guys that are kind of just sitting there and they want the discipline and they just feel like it isn't too hard because people will bring up core values. I always say this, when I tell a parent, if you took my children, then I want you to raise them the way I would raise yours. So I don't understand when some coaches -- when some coaches take a player, they don't raise that player like that's your child because you're not going to let your child do it. You're not going to let your child just go do anything he want to go do. So why all of a sudden that you have someone else's child, you feel like hey, this is what they can go do. I don't - I don't understand it, but Ryan, that's the way a lot of people are, so that's how they run their shop. It's their store. They're the manager of their store.
On Du'Vonta Lampkin: Am I going to give a release to Lampkin? Here's my stance on that. We recruited Lampkin. There was so much time that we placed into Lampkin and then he understood what it took to get into school here. What I don't want to see happen is that all of a sudden that we just set this standard where if a young man says, "Hey, I had to finish this course and I don't finish it and I can go somewhere else." Now we're opening up the doors for other recruits for that to happen. So if you open up the door for one, what if it happens next year where it's another guy or it could be two guys where they're sitting there saying, "Well, I know what the" -- you knew what the requirements were to get in here.
It's a state system and now all of a sudden you're saying that when -- we know this, when you pass one part of the course, are you telling me you can't go back and pass the other part of it? Not that I would ever stop a young man from getting a college education, I wouldn't. But once you have standards and you know what you have to go do, it's just all about doing what -- you're accountable, just be accountable and just be a responsible young man. That's all I'm asking you to do.
On if he believes OU tampered with Lampkin: I don't know if they tampered or not, I really don't know that.
Senior C Taylor Doyle
On training camp: Camp is going well. Every day we're trying to get better as individuals and as a team and guys are playing well and grinding. I'm really happy with how the freshmen have come in and worked and the older guys also. Everyone has come in to work and is positive and it's really exciting to be around.
On improving the offensive line: We have young guys playing well, old guys playing well. We can consistently count on [Sedrick] Flowers and Hutch [Marcus Hutchins] and [Kent] Perkins to play good football as well as the young guys they are stepping up to play and its been exciting to see the old guys that have been here and the young guys coming in its exciting.
On freshmen offensive linemen: I knew it was a special group when some of the guys came in after Christmas break and they were ready to work as soon as they came in and all throughout our offseason workouts and that carried over to the summer and all through camp. All those guys came in ready to work and you could tell once we put the pads on that the preparation had started before.
On offensive line difference from last year: We want to continually get better individually and as a unit guys are playing well rising to the occasion I'm just focusing on improving everyday and being a strong unit.
Sophomore DT Poona Ford
On how much he has improved: I think I have a more experienced mindset. I learned a lot of things especially from an experienced coach. [Coach Brick Haley] knows a lot of things and I'm taking notes and trying to be a better football player.
On the offensive line: They are a lot better than last year. They have a more physical presence this year; a lot of physicality.
On senior DT [Desmond] Tank Jackson: He's trying to stay healthy come off of a foot injury. That's his main goal. He's in there trying to get treatment every day.
On what he learned being in the same room as first-round draft pick Malcom Brown: Just to have fun. He makes everything fun. He brought a lot to the room and it was always fun being around him. He really didn't talk about being a first-round draft pick in the locker room. He just came in every day in practice and tried to get better every day. That's what I learned from him.
On how close the team is: We feel like we came together more this year. Everybody is with everyone and we are helping each other out. We're communicating more and stuff like that. It's more of a brotherhood.
Junior S Dylan Haines
On the improving offense: I would say the offense has done a lot better the last two scrimmages we've had. I think the defense in the past two scrimmages has gotten the upper hand for sure. I would say today they made a lot more explosive plays and plays over 20 yards so in that sense yeah they had the upper hand.
On the offense from last year to this year: Obviously, the thing people are going to talk about is the quarterbacks. You look at Tyrone [Swoopes] even with Jerrod [Heard] pushing down his back it's amazing to see from last year, especially as a defensive back to see them make throws that they should not be making and now you go out there this year and they are making smart throws making good throws so I think the offense has improved for sure.
On where coaches think he can improve: Being a leader number one. Having a year of experience under my belt I wanted to come in and be more vocal with the young freshmen DB's, help them learn the playbook, help them learn the system. Even with the linebackers we have; some young linebackers are playing right now so helping them get a handle on things and get caught up to speed. And just for me, I am always going to work to perfect my craft.
On the chemistry with fellow safety Jason Hall: From last year he was thrown in there as a true freshmen and I got thrown in there as well and we didn't really know each other that well. We kind of just got thrown into the fire so we were just looking to make things work but yeah now that we have worked together during the summer Jason and I grown a lot and have a better chemistry we know each others signals on the field and what the other is thinking.
On team chemistry and energy: There is such a different team chemistry and energy this year compared to last year. Duke Thomas had a quote and he said we always had dogs but now we have a team and you really feel that and from the outside looking in it may be hard to understand but everyone has just improved so much and there isn't one area of this team you can look at and see weakness and I think everyone has improved and we are going to have a great year.
On freshmen motivating upperclassmen: You have to be head and shoulders above a freshmen because they are an investment and have four-plus years to play and some of these juniors and seniors only have limited time to play so yeah it motivates the upperclassmen and you can see them pushing and working hard in practice.
Senior WR Marcus Johnson
On freshmen wide receivers: I had an interview a couple weeks ago and I told them that they worked hard and put in extra work and they shown it they went there and played well and you can see it out there just the stride they take everyday and its good to see them grow.
On freshmen WR John Burt: The attitude, he goes out there every day and if he makes a mistake he will go out and make up for it and he is just a really consistent receiver and for him to be so young he's done a great job and you will definitely see a lot of him this season.
On working with the freshmen and working individually: To be honest I work with them every day and with the older guys but the good thing about it I don't work with them too much. They came prepared, they've grown each and everyday and with guys like that you don't have to go to far out your way to help them out because they want to learn every day and they want to make sure of themselves that they are in the right positions. You don't have to tell them more than one time, it's once and it's done. So for myself, I just continue to put in extra work. You can't get comfortable. You have a couple of good practices, you're doing well, you can see the offense come together but you can't get comfortable and you have to continue to build on success, continue to become better as a whole.
On the downfield passing game: With so much speed on the field and with so many playmakers, I truly believe that deep intermediate or short routes we can make things happen on the perimeter. And I think what's good about us right now is how physical we are, how better we've gotten about blocking and helping to support the run. I think Coach [Jay] Norvell has helped make us become complete receivers and I think with this offense you can strike in so many different ways. And of course the deep ball will always be something crucial but at the same time I love how this offense operates and we can just move methodically throughout the field in so many different ways.
On the secondary: Duke's [Thomas] the leader of the secondary and he comes out there every day and he competes and he gets us pumped up. We go back and forth. He gets the whole offense pumped up and of course the defense but I am really impressed with the freshmen DB's and there isn't a specific one, they have all done really well and as long as I have been here and the great DB's we've had - Kenny Vaccaro, Quandre [Diggs], Mykkele [Thompson] - those guys have come in and been really impressive but when you have a whole group come in and you can talk about each one of them and that they can all hold there own and they've all done well that's a very talented group.
On junior QB Tyrone Swoopes: He trusts us and we trust him. He's become more vocal and he has taken on that leadership role very well and every day you can see it, you can see the growth and you can see how good we can be and the potential but I love how he's out there everyday being vocal staying after practice. The other day in practice we didn't connect on a play and he got with me and some of the other guys, and we got together and worked on it after practice. It just shows he's doing everything he can to make sure he is ready.
Senior CB Duke Thomas
On how the offense looked in Saturdays' scrimmage: The offense came out with more juice today. They made a lot of big plays down the field and exposed our mistakes. It's exciting to see a lot of the young guys make the big plays you expect to see from them.
On the team's confidence in year two under Charlie Strong: I really feel a change this year from last year. Guys are more together and feel more like brothers this year. They are pushing each other in and out of practice trying to get everything right and a do everything right.
On the impact of freshmen to upperclassmen: They came in with a mindset to start and really raised the competition level. I really love it especially in the DB room. Competition raises your skill level. Across the board, all the freshmen came here ready to start. It really brought the competition in. Everyone is really competing.
On senior leadership: This year I really feel like our leadership really has shown out more so than last year. We had a few leaders [last year] but across the board, we have leaders in every room and multiple leaders in every room. Seniors especially are really holding the young guys accountable. They are leading themselves in the own freshman class and sophomore class. It's really good to see.
On freshmen corners: They are talented. Holton Hill, Kris Boyd, and Davante [Davis] – all of those guys are making plays. There's no such thing as a fade ball against our guys. They are up there making big plays. I've been telling them that they all have the athleticism, but they need to get in the film room and learn to really elevate their game to the next level.
