By: Jonathan K. Martin | WV Sports Chat
Morgantown, W.Va. – West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez met with members of the media on the second day of fall camp.
WV Sports Chat provides “Quick Quotes” to provide you with the highlights on what was said. If you’d like to watch the entire press conference, visit Gold and Blue Nation – HERE
Opening Statement
“Practice number two down. I didn’t think we took great steps today. In fact, I thought we were a little bit soft at times. We got some good in but it wasn’t the step we probably needed to take. So got to get better tomorrow.”
On how he evaluates until the players put on pads
“Pads obviously when you’re tackling and blocking you have to have that for your final determination. But there’s still a lot you can do in shorts. You know from an assignment statdpoint or a technique standpoint.”
If the players have the base knowledge of assignments and formations
“I think the summer helped a little bit but there’s still quite a few new guys. I think from a schematic standpoint they’ve done a good job as grasping that. I’ll have to wait until I watch the film to see how many mental mistakes.”
Does tempo sort out any questions about conditioning or toughness
“It probably exposes it sooner. We talking about it all the time for years comfortable being uncomfortable. We have to learn to live that.
On if one side of the ball was more soft in the second day of practice or was it the team overall
“Team. If you want an individual guy you’re never going to get it. I do think the encouraging part is I think our guys are really conscientious. I think they’re the guys if you say something they’ll try and take it to heart. I’m disappointed, but discouraged. Disappointed that we didn’t build on yesterday’s but not discouraged that it can’t happen. So we’ll be alright.”
On if they do the same drills daily, or take it day-by-day
“Yes and no. There’s a lot of things you want to get in a routine. But you don’t want to get in a rut. A routine is good becuase there are certain drills you want to do every day because that’s relevant to what you’re going to do all of the time. But you don’t want to get in a rut and not be able to practice other stuff you have to be able to do.”
If he typically feels disappointed after day two of practice
“I probably am. But I tried not to be. When I woke up this morning I was like boy we had a pretty good day yesterday I’m going to have another good day today and I’m not even going to have to yell. It’s just I’m going to get a popsicle at break and then another popsicle afterwards and happy. Ahh, no.”
If everything went well on day two would it be fools gold?
“No, hell no. You’d have an experienced team ready to go right now and I’d just taper down and get ready for camp. But you know I got hired to coach. We got hired to coach. We got hired to take these guys where they can’t take themselves. I was hired to take this staff and these players and this program where they can’t take itself. I mean that’s why I get paid good money. I remind myself that’s my job and I’ll do that. I will do my job.”
What he’s seen out of the tight end group
“Fairly athletic. We do a lot more with our tight ends than traditionally. Our guys are in line, they are split out. Our tight ends have become a position where in the last 7, 8, 10 years of our offense are guys who do a little bit of everything. So we got a lot of new guys. We’ve got a pretty good group there.”
