I went through and listened and grabbed a lot of comments from Leipold from tonight's Hawk Talk.
Leipold opening comments on show:
You know, it's been challenging in a lot of different ways and, you know, we're under construction, as we all know, and we're asking our players to adapt to a lot of different things, but you know, that, and we mentioned a couple of new staff members. So, you know, it's really been fun to watch this. You know, as people make additions. We have some new players, we have some early enrollments, all these things.
And that's kind of what makes it so special for us is that, you know, though we talk about it being an exciting year, each and every team in each and every way is going to be unique in its own personality, so to speak. And we’ve got to make sure we're covering all the bases. But it's been fun. We're getting better and still have some work to do, like you said. And we're going to maximize all these practices that we can.
How are the new pieces on the coaching staff fitting in this spring…
They've made great additions, suggestions, outstanding teachers and coaches and communicators, we're really fortunate, you know, and many times I think for any of us when we lose good people, quality coaches, you're always wondering for those moments of, you know, how you're going to fill the positions, what the fit's going to be and all those things. But I could not be more pleased with them and what they're going to do for our program moving forward. We've also had some, you know, some additions and support staff roles that are always very critical to us as well. And that's exciting as well.
Like I was trying to say before, is, you know, we've had success and as we've talked about it with our players is even as a staff, as a head coach and other things, you can't be complacent and take things for granted. You’ve got to make sure you're covering things and doing things in a methodical way. And I think our new additions sometimes even force us sometimes, because I'll ask a question, and you’ve got to remember you have new people in the room or new ideas and ways of doing it, and I think it's helping our program immensely.
Who are some players standing on each side of the ball…
Oh, I think there's plenty. I'd have to probably start in the middle on defense with Cornell Wheeler as a guy who's going to step in and replace Rich Miller as a guy that we're putting a lot on to know a lot of things, to be that leader in the defense of making calls and adjustments, you know, so he'd be one. I still always mention Taiwan Berryhill and JB Brown because that's a complimentary group there. I think Dean Miller has taken some big steps at the defensive end spot. Jereme Robinson had some surgery in the off season, is not going through spring.
I continue to see the growth and development of DJ Withers and Tommy Dunn. Kenny Logan was not only a good football player, but he had quite a personality. We know that. And Kenny was very vocal in many different ways, and that kind of took some pressure off some of the other guys back there to be vocal because he was. We got OJ Burroughs and Marvin Grant are a couple guys that are more reserved but are, you know, being forced to be more communicative and grow in that way as well as the Dye brothers and Jalen and Devin Dye.
So those are things that we're getting better at and need to continue to grow as we continue to work through it offensively. You know, two tight ends picking up some of the slack after Mason Fairchild's graduation, and Jared Casey and Trevor Kardell are guys that are growing in their roles and trying to be leaders. Devin has a lot of class conflicts this semester, but he continues to be the player that we want him to be and staying sharp and staying healthy. It's good to have a healthy Daniel Hishaw for spring to see him because with missed time and now we string in a bunch of practices together, our receiver corps.
We lost Lawrence Arnold after the first practice. He'll be back by the summer, but Quentin Skinner and Luke Grimm continue to become the leaders we want them to be. And of course that quarterback, you know Jalon's been able to do for what he's been allowed to do in the progress of getting him back up to speed. When he's on we're a different football team.
What kind of format will there be for the Spring Showcase…
If any of you that came last year, or previous year is very similar. I think last year we even went to a little bit more of a practice format for the first half of the evening, and probably more so this year than ever because we've had a few guys get banged up, When you go to these 15 days that you get, you have to make sure you're getting some work out of it. And what usually happens sometimes when, if you're splitting up into a true spring game or something like that, you have a bunch of guys that work that aren't really used to practicing with one another, used to have teams drafted and that type of format. But we want to get the most out of the day.
So, you're going to see some things that we do almost every day in practice with seven on seven, some offensive line versus defensive line pass protection, one-on-ones with receivers and DBs and a little bit that way. Then we'll get into a actual scrimmage format. Things that we do a lot during our regular scrimmages during, whether it be fall camp or spring. It’ll be situational football where we'll have a set number of plays we want to get with each group against another group. And then after that number, it could be ten plays, twelve, nine, somewhere in that ballpark. Then we rotate it for another group to go against each other.
How about Isaiah Marshall this spring…
A young quarterback who's shown the flashes that he's going to be a successful player. He is so calm. His demeanor doesn't change. He may make a beautiful throw and he may throw it to the other team. And his body language really kind of just stays the same. What you need. So, his highs aren't too high, his lows aren't too low, but he's learning, he's diligent and again, he's really going to benefit from this time.
Jalen Todd was a four star recruit…
He’s put on 20 pounds in like three months. He went home for spring break and his dad was shocked when he walked in the door and really watching him get better. He's going to go through the ups and downs, and he's limited because he had surgery late in his high school season there. He missed some time, but really excited about what he's doing now.
Leipold opening comments on show:
You know, it's been challenging in a lot of different ways and, you know, we're under construction, as we all know, and we're asking our players to adapt to a lot of different things, but you know, that, and we mentioned a couple of new staff members. So, you know, it's really been fun to watch this. You know, as people make additions. We have some new players, we have some early enrollments, all these things.
And that's kind of what makes it so special for us is that, you know, though we talk about it being an exciting year, each and every team in each and every way is going to be unique in its own personality, so to speak. And we’ve got to make sure we're covering all the bases. But it's been fun. We're getting better and still have some work to do, like you said. And we're going to maximize all these practices that we can.
How are the new pieces on the coaching staff fitting in this spring…
They've made great additions, suggestions, outstanding teachers and coaches and communicators, we're really fortunate, you know, and many times I think for any of us when we lose good people, quality coaches, you're always wondering for those moments of, you know, how you're going to fill the positions, what the fit's going to be and all those things. But I could not be more pleased with them and what they're going to do for our program moving forward. We've also had some, you know, some additions and support staff roles that are always very critical to us as well. And that's exciting as well.
Like I was trying to say before, is, you know, we've had success and as we've talked about it with our players is even as a staff, as a head coach and other things, you can't be complacent and take things for granted. You’ve got to make sure you're covering things and doing things in a methodical way. And I think our new additions sometimes even force us sometimes, because I'll ask a question, and you’ve got to remember you have new people in the room or new ideas and ways of doing it, and I think it's helping our program immensely.
Who are some players standing on each side of the ball…
Oh, I think there's plenty. I'd have to probably start in the middle on defense with Cornell Wheeler as a guy who's going to step in and replace Rich Miller as a guy that we're putting a lot on to know a lot of things, to be that leader in the defense of making calls and adjustments, you know, so he'd be one. I still always mention Taiwan Berryhill and JB Brown because that's a complimentary group there. I think Dean Miller has taken some big steps at the defensive end spot. Jereme Robinson had some surgery in the off season, is not going through spring.
I continue to see the growth and development of DJ Withers and Tommy Dunn. Kenny Logan was not only a good football player, but he had quite a personality. We know that. And Kenny was very vocal in many different ways, and that kind of took some pressure off some of the other guys back there to be vocal because he was. We got OJ Burroughs and Marvin Grant are a couple guys that are more reserved but are, you know, being forced to be more communicative and grow in that way as well as the Dye brothers and Jalen and Devin Dye.
So those are things that we're getting better at and need to continue to grow as we continue to work through it offensively. You know, two tight ends picking up some of the slack after Mason Fairchild's graduation, and Jared Casey and Trevor Kardell are guys that are growing in their roles and trying to be leaders. Devin has a lot of class conflicts this semester, but he continues to be the player that we want him to be and staying sharp and staying healthy. It's good to have a healthy Daniel Hishaw for spring to see him because with missed time and now we string in a bunch of practices together, our receiver corps.
We lost Lawrence Arnold after the first practice. He'll be back by the summer, but Quentin Skinner and Luke Grimm continue to become the leaders we want them to be. And of course that quarterback, you know Jalon's been able to do for what he's been allowed to do in the progress of getting him back up to speed. When he's on we're a different football team.
What kind of format will there be for the Spring Showcase…
If any of you that came last year, or previous year is very similar. I think last year we even went to a little bit more of a practice format for the first half of the evening, and probably more so this year than ever because we've had a few guys get banged up, When you go to these 15 days that you get, you have to make sure you're getting some work out of it. And what usually happens sometimes when, if you're splitting up into a true spring game or something like that, you have a bunch of guys that work that aren't really used to practicing with one another, used to have teams drafted and that type of format. But we want to get the most out of the day.
So, you're going to see some things that we do almost every day in practice with seven on seven, some offensive line versus defensive line pass protection, one-on-ones with receivers and DBs and a little bit that way. Then we'll get into a actual scrimmage format. Things that we do a lot during our regular scrimmages during, whether it be fall camp or spring. It’ll be situational football where we'll have a set number of plays we want to get with each group against another group. And then after that number, it could be ten plays, twelve, nine, somewhere in that ballpark. Then we rotate it for another group to go against each other.
How about Isaiah Marshall this spring…
A young quarterback who's shown the flashes that he's going to be a successful player. He is so calm. His demeanor doesn't change. He may make a beautiful throw and he may throw it to the other team. And his body language really kind of just stays the same. What you need. So, his highs aren't too high, his lows aren't too low, but he's learning, he's diligent and again, he's really going to benefit from this time.
Jalen Todd was a four star recruit…
He’s put on 20 pounds in like three months. He went home for spring break and his dad was shocked when he walked in the door and really watching him get better. He's going to go through the ups and downs, and he's limited because he had surgery late in his high school season there. He missed some time, but really excited about what he's doing now.
