By: Jonathan K. Martin | WV Sports Chat
West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez met with members of the media on the first day of fall camp.
WV Sports Chat provides “Quick Quotes” to provide you with the highlights on what was said.
On what he expects to accomplish the next two or three practices
“The first two weeks we have to do a lot of evaluations. With so many new guys, and being the first year, we’ve got to have a lot of evaluations taking place throughout the course of practice. Obviously, we still have got to teach the fundamental part of it and teach scheme.
On the QB battle and competition for the starting spot
“I don’t mind being asked every day because I’m curious, too. There’s a process on how we’re doing it. We’ve got five guys we’re trying to get reps and all of them have to get an opportunity to show if they can be the guy. I’m hoping there’s more than one. If I have three quarterbacks that are good enough to win with, I’ll play all three.”
When he could see the QB’s separate themselves
“I don’t have a timeline to shorten it down. At some point you have to have one guy come out with the first group.
On preseason polls and if he uses them as bulletin board material
“If you’re picked last or next to last you may mention it and say I think we’re going to be a little better than that, maybe try and use it as some motivation. I think when the stuff hits the fan and you’re in the middle of a tight game in the third quarter and you’re going at each other I don’t think at that time you’re worried about where you were picked in a poll.”
If he sticks to a practice plan or is willing to tweak it as he goes
“I’ll tweak it a little bit accordingly if we need to get more redzone stuff done or need to get more one on one stuff done. This is my 28th year. They are similar in a lot of regards but I’m also constantly learning.”
On how he approaches practice being in his first year back with new players
“We have 115 new players. Everybody is new. You have to have an idea on how you’re going to teach it. Offensively, I’ve been doing this a long time, so I have an idea of what that’s supposed to look like. This is the most unique because 90% of them haven’t played a lot of football at this level. But if you can play, you can play. It’s our job as coaches to get them ready to play.”
On depth in the wide receiver room
“Half of them were cramped up today. I don’t think they’re used to the volume. The portal is still open. I like our group of wideouts, but the volume of a first practice is a little bit of a shock to some of them.”
On if coaches and players have a grasp on what hard edge really is
“The staff for sure because we have enough guys who have been in the system. The staff is conscientious, and I think our players are, too.
