MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (September 12, 2017) - West Virginia University assistant coaches and select members of the West Virginia University football team met with the media on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On the cornerback position
We are not happy right now at corner. We need to keep searching to find the guy. I am not down on them; they just need to be able to finish plays a little better and have confidence in what they do. They are all good players. They have great confidence in practice and then we get to the game, and I don’t know what happens to them. We have to keep coaching them up, keep working on that and keep developing depth there.
On the defensive line
What we would like to do is get it widdled down to eight. You are going to need it, whether it is six ends and two nose guards, whatever it is going to be. We have to keep watching and keep developing guys.
On freshman defensive lineman Lamonte McDougle
I thought he played really well against Virginia Tech. Last week, I didn’t think he played as well. Obviously, he is a freshman so he is getting his first action. He is a guy that we are going to count on. He is going to continue to play and get better and develop. By nine, 10, 11, 12, he is going to be as good as anybody we have up front.
On keeping guys on their feet during practices
Yeah, if they are on the ground in practice we are going to make them do wall sits or up-downs or whatever it may be. We do not want guys on the ground. You can’t block people on the ground; you can’t tackle people on the ground. We have way too many guys, especially on the defensive side that are just flopping around. It is not good
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
On what he has seen from the cornerback position
We have had some inconsistency in technique and finishing on the play. Which we will get better at. We have a lot of guys who do not have experience getting thrown in there fast. I wouldn’t say disappointed, but there are a lot of things we need to work on.
On what the cornerbacks need to improve on
Yeah, it is just consistency in technique. Trying to do some different things as far as how they play, press off, some bail techniques. We just have to be more consistent transitioning those things from meetings to the practice field to game situations.
Assistant Coach (Defense/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On improvements made for punt returns
No doubt. Coach (Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) (Matt) Caponi has done a really good job of coming up with different schemes, being able to identify the guys on the opponent’s punt team that we really need to focus on, try and take away their best players. Again, we’ve said it since camp, it’s a different mentality that we’ve got on that team. We’ve got to be able to dictate to our opponents and not have to react as much as we want to force them to react to us. We’ve put a huge emphasis on it and I thought we had two or three opportunities where we had a lot of space. The one with the targeting on (sophomore wide receiver) Marcus (Simms), if we block one guy, then we’ve got a ton of space on that. So, we need to continue to get better. We’ve shown improvement through the first two weeks but things aren’t going to get any easier for us as we advance into next week and into the Big 12 season. It’s just going to get more difficult.
On sophomore wide receiver Marcus Simms’s role in the return game
I think that we’d rather have him aggressive and err on the side of catching the ball. Depending on what our call is or where we have him set, we’ll coach him up through the week on when he may not have as much help or if he’s coming up and he needs to protect himself with a fair catch. That’s really more throughout the week and getting to know your opponent, what our calls are going to be and based on where we set him, how far he has to come up or how far right or left he has to move and when to make that fair catch signal.
On how depth of the roster helps special teams
We said as a staff on day one of camp and we’ve continued to push this philosophy that we’re going to improve on special teams by doing two things, and that’s getting our best personnel on the field and paying attention to detail, coaching scheme, coaching technique and coaching effort. I think that we’ve taken steps in the right direction and we’re getting better in all of those phases. Again, it’s only going to get more difficult from here as the season goes on. We need to continue to make it a priority, and if it’s a priority for us as a staff, then that will trickle down to the players.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
On what he’s seeing from the offense to start the season
I liked how we started fast. That’s the thing we emphasized with them all week is to set the tone early and let’s hit the ground running and let’s score fast. I thought they did for the most part. My biggest disappointment is what I said after the game was when we started putting the second string in and we started substituting guys in, that we weren’t playing at a very high level. It’s up to us as coaches that we’ve got to better develop these guys and we’ve got to develop the second string well enough to where we have good enough depth, because it’s a long season. We’re going to have to rely on these guys at the end.
On redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Chugunov’s performance against ECU
I liked what he did. He was 5-of-9. I thought he had three drops too. He played a clean game. We were running the clock out the majority of the fourth quarter, but, when we asked him to take some shots, I thought he threw a good, deep post play that could’ve been a touchdown. I thought he was operating pretty efficiently. There’s a point where I’m pretty comfortable putting Chugs (Chugunov) in the game, operating the system, him knowing what to do and him being on the same page as me.
On the ideal situation for the first team offense going in to Saturday’s game
(Head Coach) Dana (Holgorsen) is big on playing a half and getting them for the first drive of second half as well. I think that what he was trying to emphasize in this past game was we had the conversation of pulling the starters, but he wants them to be in the habit of taking about a 20 or 30-minute break and be able to go out there and get back into the rhythm of things. We didn’t do that on offense. We ended up getting a holding penalty on third and two, and then ended up with a 3-and-out on that drive. So, that’s something that he wants to keep emphasizing. We need to start fast, not just in the first half but in the second half as well.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Joe Wickline
On the progression of the offensive line unit
It’s been good, about what we expected. We’ve got some young players that’ll learn. It kind of gives you an idea of where we’re at. They’ve excelled in areas and in other areas, they need to get better. We’ve got a lot to clean up and we’re a work in progress right now. They understand that. We’re kind of embracing that role and we’re trying to get better. We’re trying to be the best offensive line that West Virginia can put on the field from the first team, second team, tackles, guards, centers and we’re just working hard right now.
On how close this offensive line is to being the best they can be
It’s one week at a time. We’ve got a big week this week and every week is big. This is just one game. We’re not looking forward. We’re taking one game at a time and one week at a time. So, we’ll find out. I think that they’re getting better. I think they’re doing some nice things. We’ve got some young guys that see some things they haven’t seen before. It’s not that they’re overwhelmed. It’s just that they haven’t seen things and we can’t replace that. It’s experience, but they’re all working hard. They’re giving great effort. There’s no question that the mentality is right. All of our motors are right. We’re going in the right direction. So, we’ll continue to get better.
On the biggest improvement the offensive line has experienced to start the season
I think they’re starting to communicate better and you can tell what you have. They’re communicating better; they’re seeing some things that we can work on and they’re starting to see mistakes and they’re able to fix them as we’re coming up the field. They’re learning the system and it’s a process. I don’t know how else to say it. It’s a process. It takes time, but we’re working hard. We’re getting after it.
Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On what he liked out of the receivers against East Carolina
They paid more attention to the details. Of course, they didn’t have to play the whole game, which saved them for a certain number of reps and keeping their legs under them. They were aggressive. They didn’t care who the opponent was, they just came out and was really hungry the whole way through.
On if he feels the receivers came out strong against East Carolina in the second half
It was kind of tough to get them pumped up for the second half, but I would like to see a lot more out of them. You have to have the mindset to come in and take everything you can at any given time. We want more out of them.
On if he is looking for more focus the whole time the first team members are in
Yeah, just do not get comfortable. You can never get comfortable. We have seen that this year, teams coming back from big deficits to win the game. We never want to be put in that predicament, we just want these guys to come out and every chance they get to get better. If you have the opportunity to put your foot on somebody’s throat you put your foot on their throat.
Redshirt Senior Offensive Lineman Kyle Bosch
On if it was good to start out the season with a good team like Virginia Tech
Its very good for us to be trailed by fire. When we get that aspect of going into a game where there’s a lot of unknowns, and play a really high caliber opponent, not that ECU or Delaware State are any worse than Virginia Tech, but just being able to go into a lower profile game and not as much glitz and glam around it and focus on our traits and our skills.
On what they found out about their team against Virginia Tech and how did they improve
We found out that the reality is that we are all very young on both sides of the ball. We just had to improve and I think from VT week to last week we really improved on all the little nuances, penalties, missed assignments, etc. We’re definitely moving in the right direction as a team and as an offense.
On if the communication amongst the offensive line has gotten better or worse
It’s always a work in progress all season. We’re always putting in new schemes and new calls and new techniques. It was better than last week but there’s obviously room for improvement.
On how they are preparing for the upcoming game
We are just preparing like any other game. They’ve got two big guys up front and they play pretty orthodox defense. Its nothing really that crazy they’re going to throw at us, but like any of these games, they could throw anything at us. They’re coming into our stadium and they are going to try to upset us so we have to treat this game like any other game.
Redshirt Senior Wide Receiver Ka’Raun White
On the competition at the wide receiver position
We are all just trying to get the ball and make some plays. Like you said, we are all trying to compete and get better. Come game time, when certain plays are called you know who has a chance of getting the ball so when you get the ball just make the best of it.
On his confidence that if he gets open redshirt junior quarterback Will Grier will find him
100 percent. I know Will will get the ball to me, it is just a matter of me catching the ball and being there at the right time. As long as I am doing what I have to do I am sure I will get the ball a few times a game.
On if his brother, Kevin White’s, injury can teach him anything
Yeah, football is not forever so I have to make the best of it while I am healthy and can do what I can do. I just have to take advantage.
Junior Wide Receiver David Sills V
On competition amongst the receiving corps
I wouldn’t say we’re making a really big deal about competition or something like that. We all just strive to be the best that we can be in the room and being the best receivers we can be. We all try and push each other as much as we can throughout practice, and when we go into games and everything. When Saturday came my way, I just felt like a lot of routes opened up for me, but I feel that if any other receivers were in that position, they would’ve made the same plays.
On communicating with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital during games
We had a play earlier in the game that they gave us a good look for to go vertical up the field and be open. They were giving us the same coverage later in the second quarter, and that’s when we hit that really big deep throw. I try to just go to the sideline and tell him what I see. I know that he’s got a lot to look at. He does a good job in the sense that he calls the right plays, but if there’s something that he doesn’t see, then I’ll just tell him what I see on the perimeter. If he takes it, he takes it. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. I just like to tell him about it.
On how he obtained his football knowledge
Growing up and playing quarterback, I was always passionate about it and always wanting to be a student of the game. That’s really how I attack everything. I try to go and be the best of everything that I can do. That’s how my parents raised me, growing up playing every sport. I’m just working at everything trying to be the best at it.
Redshirt Senior Linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton
On if the defense’s goals remained unchanged after last week
Definitely. That is our goal every week. It doesn’t matter who we play, we have to show up, you have to dominate, you have to execute and you have to communicate every week, it doesn’t matter the opponent. Those are the things you take these weeks and get into those habits and keep those going throughout the year.
On how he gets his message across to the younger players on the team
It is actually easier. It is easier to get it across to the young guys because they haven’t been playing. The older guys, they have been doing things their way for a certain amount of time so it is hard to get them out of some of those habits as opposed to teaching new habits. Younger guys are buying into the system, they understand what coach (Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) (Tony) Gibby (Gibson) wants from them, that is what we have been looking for as well.
On if he is vocal with the linebackers or if he is vocal with everybody
It is everybody. For the most part you have on every level that have played and know what to do. (Redshirt junior safety) Dravon (Askew-Henry) and (senior safety) Kyzir (White) do a great job on the back end. (Redshirt senior linebacker) Xavier (Preston) and I try to handle everything up front with (redshirt sophomore defensive lineman) (Adam) Shuler (II) and (sophomore defensive lineman) Reese (Donahue), but at this point knowing the whole defense and what everybody is supposed to do and helping get everyone in the right position is something I enjoy doing. It is something that I love doing.
Redshirt Junior Safety Dravon Askew-Henry
On his thoughts on the defenses performance against East Carolina
I liked that we played physical and ran to the ball. It is the little things that we need to work on, like communication.
On his frustrations about blown coverages against Virginia Tech
First off, I apologized to my coaches and teammates for that. I shouldn’t do that, even if it was my fault or the other person’s fault, I shouldn’t do that. That just goes back to communication, that is why that happened.
On what he has seen from the cornerbacks
A lot of them, it is their first time out there playing and getting a lot of snaps. They are getting better as it goes on. I have faith in those guys and I know they are doing a good job.
Redshirt Freshman Safety Dylan Tonkery
On what it was like to play a game at Milan Puskar Stadium
It was everything that I expected. I loved being on the field looking around at our fans. I am used to sitting in the stadium watching us play, but now I am out there playing. It was a great experience I loved it.
On how the older players have mentored him
It’s hard to explain. If you go down to the locker room and being here for how long I have, you just learn how to play and how to act. They teach you a little bit but usually they lead by example.
On how players stay focused on weeks when they play teams like Delaware State
(Head) Coach (Dana) Holgorsen says it every day “Respect the team you play.” They want to beat us just as bad as we want to beat them so you can’t look down on them or anything like that. You just go out there and play your best.
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
On the cornerback position
We are not happy right now at corner. We need to keep searching to find the guy. I am not down on them; they just need to be able to finish plays a little better and have confidence in what they do. They are all good players. They have great confidence in practice and then we get to the game, and I don’t know what happens to them. We have to keep coaching them up, keep working on that and keep developing depth there.
On the defensive line
What we would like to do is get it widdled down to eight. You are going to need it, whether it is six ends and two nose guards, whatever it is going to be. We have to keep watching and keep developing guys.
On freshman defensive lineman Lamonte McDougle
I thought he played really well against Virginia Tech. Last week, I didn’t think he played as well. Obviously, he is a freshman so he is getting his first action. He is a guy that we are going to count on. He is going to continue to play and get better and develop. By nine, 10, 11, 12, he is going to be as good as anybody we have up front.
On keeping guys on their feet during practices
Yeah, if they are on the ground in practice we are going to make them do wall sits or up-downs or whatever it may be. We do not want guys on the ground. You can’t block people on the ground; you can’t tackle people on the ground. We have way too many guys, especially on the defensive side that are just flopping around. It is not good
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
On what he has seen from the cornerback position
We have had some inconsistency in technique and finishing on the play. Which we will get better at. We have a lot of guys who do not have experience getting thrown in there fast. I wouldn’t say disappointed, but there are a lot of things we need to work on.
On what the cornerbacks need to improve on
Yeah, it is just consistency in technique. Trying to do some different things as far as how they play, press off, some bail techniques. We just have to be more consistent transitioning those things from meetings to the practice field to game situations.
Assistant Coach (Defense/Special Teams) Mark Scott
On improvements made for punt returns
No doubt. Coach (Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) (Matt) Caponi has done a really good job of coming up with different schemes, being able to identify the guys on the opponent’s punt team that we really need to focus on, try and take away their best players. Again, we’ve said it since camp, it’s a different mentality that we’ve got on that team. We’ve got to be able to dictate to our opponents and not have to react as much as we want to force them to react to us. We’ve put a huge emphasis on it and I thought we had two or three opportunities where we had a lot of space. The one with the targeting on (sophomore wide receiver) Marcus (Simms), if we block one guy, then we’ve got a ton of space on that. So, we need to continue to get better. We’ve shown improvement through the first two weeks but things aren’t going to get any easier for us as we advance into next week and into the Big 12 season. It’s just going to get more difficult.
On sophomore wide receiver Marcus Simms’s role in the return game
I think that we’d rather have him aggressive and err on the side of catching the ball. Depending on what our call is or where we have him set, we’ll coach him up through the week on when he may not have as much help or if he’s coming up and he needs to protect himself with a fair catch. That’s really more throughout the week and getting to know your opponent, what our calls are going to be and based on where we set him, how far he has to come up or how far right or left he has to move and when to make that fair catch signal.
On how depth of the roster helps special teams
We said as a staff on day one of camp and we’ve continued to push this philosophy that we’re going to improve on special teams by doing two things, and that’s getting our best personnel on the field and paying attention to detail, coaching scheme, coaching technique and coaching effort. I think that we’ve taken steps in the right direction and we’re getting better in all of those phases. Again, it’s only going to get more difficult from here as the season goes on. We need to continue to make it a priority, and if it’s a priority for us as a staff, then that will trickle down to the players.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
On what he’s seeing from the offense to start the season
I liked how we started fast. That’s the thing we emphasized with them all week is to set the tone early and let’s hit the ground running and let’s score fast. I thought they did for the most part. My biggest disappointment is what I said after the game was when we started putting the second string in and we started substituting guys in, that we weren’t playing at a very high level. It’s up to us as coaches that we’ve got to better develop these guys and we’ve got to develop the second string well enough to where we have good enough depth, because it’s a long season. We’re going to have to rely on these guys at the end.
On redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Chugunov’s performance against ECU
I liked what he did. He was 5-of-9. I thought he had three drops too. He played a clean game. We were running the clock out the majority of the fourth quarter, but, when we asked him to take some shots, I thought he threw a good, deep post play that could’ve been a touchdown. I thought he was operating pretty efficiently. There’s a point where I’m pretty comfortable putting Chugs (Chugunov) in the game, operating the system, him knowing what to do and him being on the same page as me.
On the ideal situation for the first team offense going in to Saturday’s game
(Head Coach) Dana (Holgorsen) is big on playing a half and getting them for the first drive of second half as well. I think that what he was trying to emphasize in this past game was we had the conversation of pulling the starters, but he wants them to be in the habit of taking about a 20 or 30-minute break and be able to go out there and get back into the rhythm of things. We didn’t do that on offense. We ended up getting a holding penalty on third and two, and then ended up with a 3-and-out on that drive. So, that’s something that he wants to keep emphasizing. We need to start fast, not just in the first half but in the second half as well.
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Joe Wickline
On the progression of the offensive line unit
It’s been good, about what we expected. We’ve got some young players that’ll learn. It kind of gives you an idea of where we’re at. They’ve excelled in areas and in other areas, they need to get better. We’ve got a lot to clean up and we’re a work in progress right now. They understand that. We’re kind of embracing that role and we’re trying to get better. We’re trying to be the best offensive line that West Virginia can put on the field from the first team, second team, tackles, guards, centers and we’re just working hard right now.
On how close this offensive line is to being the best they can be
It’s one week at a time. We’ve got a big week this week and every week is big. This is just one game. We’re not looking forward. We’re taking one game at a time and one week at a time. So, we’ll find out. I think that they’re getting better. I think they’re doing some nice things. We’ve got some young guys that see some things they haven’t seen before. It’s not that they’re overwhelmed. It’s just that they haven’t seen things and we can’t replace that. It’s experience, but they’re all working hard. They’re giving great effort. There’s no question that the mentality is right. All of our motors are right. We’re going in the right direction. So, we’ll continue to get better.
On the biggest improvement the offensive line has experienced to start the season
I think they’re starting to communicate better and you can tell what you have. They’re communicating better; they’re seeing some things that we can work on and they’re starting to see mistakes and they’re able to fix them as we’re coming up the field. They’re learning the system and it’s a process. I don’t know how else to say it. It’s a process. It takes time, but we’re working hard. We’re getting after it.
Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier
On what he liked out of the receivers against East Carolina
They paid more attention to the details. Of course, they didn’t have to play the whole game, which saved them for a certain number of reps and keeping their legs under them. They were aggressive. They didn’t care who the opponent was, they just came out and was really hungry the whole way through.
On if he feels the receivers came out strong against East Carolina in the second half
It was kind of tough to get them pumped up for the second half, but I would like to see a lot more out of them. You have to have the mindset to come in and take everything you can at any given time. We want more out of them.
On if he is looking for more focus the whole time the first team members are in
Yeah, just do not get comfortable. You can never get comfortable. We have seen that this year, teams coming back from big deficits to win the game. We never want to be put in that predicament, we just want these guys to come out and every chance they get to get better. If you have the opportunity to put your foot on somebody’s throat you put your foot on their throat.
Redshirt Senior Offensive Lineman Kyle Bosch
On if it was good to start out the season with a good team like Virginia Tech
Its very good for us to be trailed by fire. When we get that aspect of going into a game where there’s a lot of unknowns, and play a really high caliber opponent, not that ECU or Delaware State are any worse than Virginia Tech, but just being able to go into a lower profile game and not as much glitz and glam around it and focus on our traits and our skills.
On what they found out about their team against Virginia Tech and how did they improve
We found out that the reality is that we are all very young on both sides of the ball. We just had to improve and I think from VT week to last week we really improved on all the little nuances, penalties, missed assignments, etc. We’re definitely moving in the right direction as a team and as an offense.
On if the communication amongst the offensive line has gotten better or worse
It’s always a work in progress all season. We’re always putting in new schemes and new calls and new techniques. It was better than last week but there’s obviously room for improvement.
On how they are preparing for the upcoming game
We are just preparing like any other game. They’ve got two big guys up front and they play pretty orthodox defense. Its nothing really that crazy they’re going to throw at us, but like any of these games, they could throw anything at us. They’re coming into our stadium and they are going to try to upset us so we have to treat this game like any other game.
Redshirt Senior Wide Receiver Ka’Raun White
On the competition at the wide receiver position
We are all just trying to get the ball and make some plays. Like you said, we are all trying to compete and get better. Come game time, when certain plays are called you know who has a chance of getting the ball so when you get the ball just make the best of it.
On his confidence that if he gets open redshirt junior quarterback Will Grier will find him
100 percent. I know Will will get the ball to me, it is just a matter of me catching the ball and being there at the right time. As long as I am doing what I have to do I am sure I will get the ball a few times a game.
On if his brother, Kevin White’s, injury can teach him anything
Yeah, football is not forever so I have to make the best of it while I am healthy and can do what I can do. I just have to take advantage.
Junior Wide Receiver David Sills V
On competition amongst the receiving corps
I wouldn’t say we’re making a really big deal about competition or something like that. We all just strive to be the best that we can be in the room and being the best receivers we can be. We all try and push each other as much as we can throughout practice, and when we go into games and everything. When Saturday came my way, I just felt like a lot of routes opened up for me, but I feel that if any other receivers were in that position, they would’ve made the same plays.
On communicating with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital during games
We had a play earlier in the game that they gave us a good look for to go vertical up the field and be open. They were giving us the same coverage later in the second quarter, and that’s when we hit that really big deep throw. I try to just go to the sideline and tell him what I see. I know that he’s got a lot to look at. He does a good job in the sense that he calls the right plays, but if there’s something that he doesn’t see, then I’ll just tell him what I see on the perimeter. If he takes it, he takes it. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. I just like to tell him about it.
On how he obtained his football knowledge
Growing up and playing quarterback, I was always passionate about it and always wanting to be a student of the game. That’s really how I attack everything. I try to go and be the best of everything that I can do. That’s how my parents raised me, growing up playing every sport. I’m just working at everything trying to be the best at it.
Redshirt Senior Linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton
On if the defense’s goals remained unchanged after last week
Definitely. That is our goal every week. It doesn’t matter who we play, we have to show up, you have to dominate, you have to execute and you have to communicate every week, it doesn’t matter the opponent. Those are the things you take these weeks and get into those habits and keep those going throughout the year.
On how he gets his message across to the younger players on the team
It is actually easier. It is easier to get it across to the young guys because they haven’t been playing. The older guys, they have been doing things their way for a certain amount of time so it is hard to get them out of some of those habits as opposed to teaching new habits. Younger guys are buying into the system, they understand what coach (Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) (Tony) Gibby (Gibson) wants from them, that is what we have been looking for as well.
On if he is vocal with the linebackers or if he is vocal with everybody
It is everybody. For the most part you have on every level that have played and know what to do. (Redshirt junior safety) Dravon (Askew-Henry) and (senior safety) Kyzir (White) do a great job on the back end. (Redshirt senior linebacker) Xavier (Preston) and I try to handle everything up front with (redshirt sophomore defensive lineman) (Adam) Shuler (II) and (sophomore defensive lineman) Reese (Donahue), but at this point knowing the whole defense and what everybody is supposed to do and helping get everyone in the right position is something I enjoy doing. It is something that I love doing.
Redshirt Junior Safety Dravon Askew-Henry
On his thoughts on the defenses performance against East Carolina
I liked that we played physical and ran to the ball. It is the little things that we need to work on, like communication.
On his frustrations about blown coverages against Virginia Tech
First off, I apologized to my coaches and teammates for that. I shouldn’t do that, even if it was my fault or the other person’s fault, I shouldn’t do that. That just goes back to communication, that is why that happened.
On what he has seen from the cornerbacks
A lot of them, it is their first time out there playing and getting a lot of snaps. They are getting better as it goes on. I have faith in those guys and I know they are doing a good job.
Redshirt Freshman Safety Dylan Tonkery
On what it was like to play a game at Milan Puskar Stadium
It was everything that I expected. I loved being on the field looking around at our fans. I am used to sitting in the stadium watching us play, but now I am out there playing. It was a great experience I loved it.
On how the older players have mentored him
It’s hard to explain. If you go down to the locker room and being here for how long I have, you just learn how to play and how to act. They teach you a little bit but usually they lead by example.
On how players stay focused on weeks when they play teams like Delaware State
(Head) Coach (Dana) Holgorsen says it every day “Respect the team you play.” They want to beat us just as bad as we want to beat them so you can’t look down on them or anything like that. You just go out there and play your best.