Good morning, HOB. Back over on campus for today’s spring practice update. It’s the 2nd of 15 days for the Cats. We’re scheduled to have OC Bush Hamdan and select coaches/players speaking to us at approx 11 ET. Stay tuned…
* On the offense in Year 2 with so many new additions… A lot of pieces to that. Had to replace guys who graduated or left. A lot of urgency to do so. Emphasis has been on details. Great job of focusing on that the first two days. And just schematically adjusting what we need to do to be better.
* On the QBs… Looking for growth, especially from the guys who have been here. Some guys have taken a huge jump from Year 1 to Year 2. Decision-making, leadership, knowing the offense will be key. Calzada has been big from a leadership role.
* On QB Calzada… The experience piece is big, a guy who has been there, done that. Won games. A bit of a security blanket in your mind.
* On WR Maclin… Critical to get him back. A guy who's been extremely focused these first two practices. A level of urgency with the offense and those guys at WR. A guy with a chip on his shoulder. That whole WR group seems to have that.
* On Washington as WR coach... Super-impressed with him. He's been a journeyman, so he's taken from a lot of good people. Good communicator with the players.
* On OL play… Hard from a leadership standpoint just two practices in with so many new guys, but a blue-collar group, workmanlike. You don't hear a ton from them. They've just gone to work. Good guy working with them in Eric Wolford.
* On balancing patience vs. the standard... A challenge on when to push forward with the scheme, but the standard has to be set from the beginning. The fundamentals and attention to detail have to be good from the start.
* On Wilcox's development this year… Biggest thing is making the second level miss so that he can make more big plays. Make guys miss in space. In this league, if you look at the guys who can create the big plays, it's guys who can make the safeties miss.
* On his own continuity despite so many new faces… It’s critical. Two years for a coach feels like 8. In every regard, being on the same page is important. New guys at every position group, so it's a challenge, but it's good to be dealing with Year 2 things instead of Year 1 things.
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* On the offense in Year 2 with so many new additions… A lot of pieces to that. Had to replace guys who graduated or left. A lot of urgency to do so. Emphasis has been on details. Great job of focusing on that the first two days. And just schematically adjusting what we need to do to be better.
* On the QBs… Looking for growth, especially from the guys who have been here. Some guys have taken a huge jump from Year 1 to Year 2. Decision-making, leadership, knowing the offense will be key. Calzada has been big from a leadership role.
* On QB Calzada… The experience piece is big, a guy who has been there, done that. Won games. A bit of a security blanket in your mind.
* On WR Maclin… Critical to get him back. A guy who's been extremely focused these first two practices. A level of urgency with the offense and those guys at WR. A guy with a chip on his shoulder. That whole WR group seems to have that.
* On Washington as WR coach... Super-impressed with him. He's been a journeyman, so he's taken from a lot of good people. Good communicator with the players.
* On OL play… Hard from a leadership standpoint just two practices in with so many new guys, but a blue-collar group, workmanlike. You don't hear a ton from them. They've just gone to work. Good guy working with them in Eric Wolford.
* On balancing patience vs. the standard... A challenge on when to push forward with the scheme, but the standard has to be set from the beginning. The fundamentals and attention to detail have to be good from the start.
* On Wilcox's development this year… Biggest thing is making the second level miss so that he can make more big plays. Make guys miss in space. In this league, if you look at the guys who can create the big plays, it's guys who can make the safeties miss.
* On his own continuity despite so many new faces… It’s critical. Two years for a coach feels like 8. In every regard, being on the same page is important. New guys at every position group, so it's a challenge, but it's good to be dealing with Year 2 things instead of Year 1 things.
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