MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 29, 2017) – West Virginia University football coach Dana Holgorsen addressed members of the media on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
Opening Statement
It’s game week; we’re excited about it. Just the whole situation is going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be really cool, starting with obviously the venue is going to be good. When Shane (Lyons) came to me about six months ago and asked if I wanted to do it, I wasn’t very thrilled with what’s going to have to happen next week with a short week in getting ready to play East Carolina. But with that said, just with the neutral site game, the Sunday night game, the national TV, only game on, no NFL; the ticket sales on it are really good for both fan bases, not only for our fan base but for Virginia Tech’s as well, it’s going to be a great atmosphere. A holiday weekend in (Washington) D.C. is going to be good. Playing at FexEdField is going to be good; we’re familiar with that – so are they. They’ve been there a couple times as well.
Getting the rivalry started back up, we’re all excited about that. I know you guys are and we are, the fan bases are, the players are. There’s not going to be anything that is more important than trying to keep everybody grounded a little bit to play this game. We’re not going to have to give them a whole lot of pep talks. We’re not going to have to go into the ins and outs of this being the 52nd game and have the Black Diamond Trophy that we’re playing for. Everybody understands all this stuff. Not only that, but you couple it with being the first game, and there’s going to be a lot of excitement. We’re looking forward to getting back into a routine this week; things went good last week with the mock week. We ironed out some things that we needed to. But this week is all about Virginia Tech; I’ll sit in here today and start talking about Virginia Tech. Although we’ve watched it, we’ve game planned it, we’ve introduced it, this will really hammer it home this week. We still have five or six days before we get an opportunity to play this, so keeping the players focused is going to be big. We’re familiar with going over to the east coast and the hotel that we’ll stay at and the stadium that we’ll be at, so I’m not going to have to say much about that. Just getting ready to play a football game is the biggest thing. I think probably the biggest key to this is maintaining a level head to be able to execute the game plans that we have on all three sides.
As far as Virginia Tech goes, things that stand out to me, I have a lot of respect for Justin Fuente; I watched him play growing up as a great quarterback at Tulsa Union and we’ve talked about that. But in addition to that, his two stops at TCU and Memphis, to me, were incredibly impressive. He did a great job of getting TCU’s offense going; Andy Dalton is a pretty good football player and he tutored him. Then, he went to Memphis and turned that thing around when they were kind of in shambles. He took it over and three or four years later, he’s one of the hottest coaches in the country. So, it’s not surprising that he was the ACC Coach of the Year last year and got those guys to 10 wins and won a bowl game. He had a chance in the last couple minutes of the ACC (Championship) Game; they were a drive away from going down and beating Clemson. So, it’s impressive. He’s a great offensive mind that does a lot of good things on offense. Much like we did, they lost some guys on offense but everybody loses guys year in and year out. It’s going to be interesting to see what they do offensively with a new quarterback and all that, but that’s just first game stuff.
You can’t think of Virginia Tech without thinking of Bud Foster as well. It’s his 30th year. Back when I was a young coach and hadn’t done anything in this profession, you would still follow Bud Foster as far as what he did. Their defense is good; they have everybody coming back. I know they’ve been rumored that this may be his best unit from what I understand. If you watch them, they have all their guys coming back and they were an incredibly good defense last year. So, it’ll be a challenge.
The one thing about it is we have a lot of video to watch going back 30 years. He’s been pretty good for a long time, so we have lots of video to watch. They have all their guys back, so it’s going to be a challenge to go against those guys, but it’s going to be an honor to be able to coach against them as well.
Last thing, special teams-wise they’re really good, really sound. Not only do they have good specialists – the unknown is the punter, obviously, but the kicker and place kicker is as good as there is out there in football. Their returners are really good; all their coverage units are fast and they get down the field and are sure tacklers. I don’t think anybody has had a touchdown, let alone a big return, on those guys on their punt coverage and kickoff coverage in a couple years, especially last year. They’re very sound, very good at what they do. They’re just an overall good team. If you win 10 games and almost win the ACC Championship, then you’re pretty good. And I’m expecting them to be even better.
On if he likes playing a Top 25 opponent in the first game
Well, I’m in favor of it. We’ve done it pretty regularly here over the last few years. We opened up with Alabama in Atlanta; last year we opened up with Missouri and had a neutral site game versus BYU, which was a big game; we open up with Tennessee next year and Florida State a couple years from now. I’m a big fan of it. I have thoughts on when we should start the season; I don’t know if it’s the first game that matters or what your non-conference is in general. We’re going to play games. Having this one right out of the gate is good; I think everybody gets excited about their first game. So, whether it’s a big, neutral site first game or a home big game, or just a FCS game, I think you’re going to be ready to play that first one no matter what. I have no problems with the first game that’s a neutral site game that’s a “big game”. That’s fine with me.
On how Fuente’s offense has changed since his TCU days
There are a lot of similarities. Andy Dalton was a really good pocket guy, but the thing I remember about it was his quarterback run game was probably ahead of the time when he had Andy. There’s this big, tall, red-headed, lumbering quarterback that you looked at him as a pocket guy. Then, he’d take a zone-read for like 60 yards on people. So, he’s always been good with the quarterback run game and quick games, run-pass options, motions, he’s done a lot of that stuff. Following him when he was at Memphis, my nephew played quarterback for him, so I followed it pretty closely. The quarterback they had (Paxton) Lynch, earlier in his career they’d run him on quarterback power and quarterback counters 100 times, just over and over and over again. They developed him into a really, really, really good pocket quarterback, which is why he gets drafted in the first round by (John) Elway. So, just watching him develop those guys – he took the same kind of guy last year, the junior college kid, big kid, and just got better and better and better throughout the course of the year. He came out early, so he has two new young kids that are the same thing. We recruited the (Josh) Jackson kid; he’s a good athlete, he’s a coach’s kid that can throw the ball. But they have another guy back there that can run it as well. So, he’s always been very multiple. I’ve studied his stuff over the course of the last 10 years and I don’t think he’s going to get too far away from what got him there.
On how Foster can change his defensive schemes like during last year’s bowl game
He’s been able to adjust; that game was like 24-0 at halftime and then they come out and just stifle them on defense and got the offense going. That’s the sign of a good coach, obviously, and a sign of a good football team as well, good program. That’s just what makes good coaches. The in-game adjustments and all that stuff is one thing, the game planning aspect is another thing. The mentality of it is another thing. The way they practice as a program, the physicalness that they play with is something that’s good. I think we resemble that a little bit as well with our program. We’re able to do the same type of stuff, defensively in particular. We’re able to be incredibly multiple when it comes to being able to defend the spread, but also being able to load up and be physical and stop the run. Arkansas is pretty big, pretty physical, and they were able to shut that down, which was pretty impressive. Everybody knows we’re going to try to run the ball. We’re anticipating him doing what he needs to do to be able to stop it.
On how redshirt junior quarterback Will Grier has been progressing
Good. He’s ready to go. There’s a lot of talk about him and a lot of talk about him being able to finally play football again. It’s been a year-and-a-half, almost two years, I guess, to where he hasn’t played. He likes to play the game, he likes to practice and prepare, likes to get out there and compete. I’ve never seen him in a live situation. I’ve seen him in plenty of practices and watched him on video as far as the live stuff goes, so I’m anxious to finally see him in a live setting to where he can cut it loose a little bit. He’s our quarterback, so our job is protect him with how we call things. His job is to be able to play within himself and run the offense the way we ask him to do.
On if a new quarterback and new offensive coordinator changes the offense’s approach
I can’t tell you that. With the new coordinator thing, we’ll wait and see. We’ll use that as our advantage, so to speak. I think they’re going to know what we’re going to do on defense, I think we’re going to know what they’re going to do on defense. There are some question marks any time you have a new quarterback, which we both fall in the same boat when it comes to that, and when you switch coordinators. But with that said, there have been plenty of times with myself as a coordinator, you go eight months in the offseason and find some new ways of doing things where there are some nuances as far as what you do here and what you do there that nobody knows going into Game One. There’s always a level of uncertainty going into Year One. Probably this year more than the last couple years with us, there’s probably a higher level of uncertainty.
On if there’s any similarities with Virginia Tech’s run game to Kansas State
It’s similar. You could look at us last year and say that it’s similar. If you poll the Big 12 coaches on who was most similar to Kansas State than anybody in the Big 12, it’s us last year just because of what our quarterback’s strengths were and having some big, physical (offensive) linemen and really focusing on the run game and the quarterback run game as well. Any time you run gap schemes and throw your quarterback up inside the tackles, it’s going to resemble Kansas State. Put tight ends and fullbacks in there, and it’s going to resemble Kansas State. Both us and Virginia Tech resemble that a little bit at times more so than some of the other “air raid” offenses that are out there.
On if he’s feeling more confident in some of the backup wide receivers
When was the last time we talked? We’ve only practiced like twice since then.
On what goes into helping players like redshirt senior wide receiver Ka’Raun White develop
There are three things. One is ability; there are a lot of players out there that have ability. Two is the developmental process of it – do they stay the same or do they continue to get better? And then three is the relationship that exists with the quarterback when it comes to timing and getting on the same page. You could use Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree as an example, you can use B.J. Symons and Wes Welker or (Brandon) Weeden and (Justin) Blackmon, Geno (Smith) and Stedman (Bailey), Kevin (White) and Clint (Trickett); those guys just knew each other. That aids in stats more than probably anything. Just the comfort level that exists between a quarterback and a receiver as far as the amount of reps and timing they have over the course of the year – the practice reps, the trust factor of that guy knowing he’s going to be in that spot when he needs to be in that spot – that’s hard to teach. You just go through the process of practicing it and watching it over the course of a couple of years and it’s fun to get them to that spot. Does (redshirt junior quarterback) Will (Grier) have that with any of our receivers right now? I think so. Although we know there’s not many of them, I think he has that with a couple of them. I’m anxious to see where it goes. I think we have three receivers that have an opportunity to be in that conversation. Some of that is going to depend on Will’s mentality on who he looks to and who he throws to and what happens when he does.
On if he sees similarities between redshirt senior wide receiver Ka’Raun White and brother Kevin White going into their senior years
The problem is Ka’Raun was hurt in the offseason where Kevin and Clint (Trickett) – and Clint was hurt that spring as well – they had all summer. We’re not there yet. I see it with (junior wide receiver) David (Sills V) and (junior wide receiver) Gary (Jennings) a good bit. I’m hopeful it catches on to Ka’Raun as well, not that it hasn’t, just to the point where you’re talking about Ka’Raun like you talk about Kevin, which is kind of unfair. I don’t know yet; I don’t think I’m going to know until we get into the season. Nobody knew about Kevin until that first game. So, what happens on game day, I’m anxious to see myself.
On placing freshman wide receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. on the depth chart
He just keep improving, works hard. That’s about it. He’s young, he’s bright-eyed, he’s eager, and he’s fast. He likes to play.
On if he’s had to explain to his players what the Virginia Tech rivalry means to the fans
I don’t think I’m going to have to do that. I think that’s a forgone conclusion that everybody knows.
On how much of Virginia Tech’s defensive success comes from execution compared to skill level
You rarely can be good with only one. If you want to be a top-20 defense, which they are, then you have to have both. You have to have the coaching aspect of it, which they have. They have the recruiting aspect of it with good players and they have the developmental aspect going on with guys getting better throughout the course of their careers. They have all of that. I like to think we do as well at this point. We’ve been doing it for four years; they’ve been doing it for four decades. I’d like to think we’re in that same conversation, but they’re good on defense.
On if there are things coaches don’t know going into the first game
There are always unknowns. We have an idea but you don’t know what is going to get exposed, honestly, so, there are unknowns going into every game. It’s not just scheme, not just sides of the ball, specific players as well. Guys that haven’t played very much, are they ready to take that next step? Are they ready to take over a game? Are they ready to make a difference? New guys, is the environment going to be too big? There are a lot of things you don’t know. That’s why you play.
On if senior running back Justin Crawford is capable of an even more productive year than last season
Yeah, I think so because if you look at those (stats), he did that in about half the games. He was out three or four games. I think the offseason was really good for him; he’s never had one. So, being able to be in the offseason for six months and get a little bigger, faster, stronger, get in better shape, I think that’s going to be good for him. You may not see it in Game One or Game Two, but hopefully you see it in Game Five or Game Six to be able to be that guy for the whole year. If he’s the guy that played against Baylor and does that for 13 games or so, then that’s pretty good.
On if he wants senior running back Justin Crawford to find the end zone more this season
That has been discussed. Trust me, that has been discussed. What good is getting 200-300 yards if you can’t get into the end zone? So, I’d like for him to bust a few of those and finish them off with some points. He didn’t do it nearly as much as he needs to but I think there’s a conditioning aspect of that and a strength aspect of that. I’m hopeful the offseason he went through is going to be able to help him finish some of those runs. It’s not his durability, but it’s being able to finish the deal.
On if he feels like he has one of the best teams in the country
I think that’s why you play 12-13 games probably more than anything. I like our team and where we’re at. I think there’s a pretty high level of optimism right now. If there’s no optimism going into Game One, then you’re not in a very good place. I think there’s a pretty high level of optimism here and I know it exists down in Blacksburg as well. It’s a good start, but that’s all it is – a start. The top 20 stuff is good for the program, no question it is, but it’s all preseason stuff. You have to line up and play and you have to earn it.
Opening Statement
It’s game week; we’re excited about it. Just the whole situation is going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be really cool, starting with obviously the venue is going to be good. When Shane (Lyons) came to me about six months ago and asked if I wanted to do it, I wasn’t very thrilled with what’s going to have to happen next week with a short week in getting ready to play East Carolina. But with that said, just with the neutral site game, the Sunday night game, the national TV, only game on, no NFL; the ticket sales on it are really good for both fan bases, not only for our fan base but for Virginia Tech’s as well, it’s going to be a great atmosphere. A holiday weekend in (Washington) D.C. is going to be good. Playing at FexEdField is going to be good; we’re familiar with that – so are they. They’ve been there a couple times as well.
Getting the rivalry started back up, we’re all excited about that. I know you guys are and we are, the fan bases are, the players are. There’s not going to be anything that is more important than trying to keep everybody grounded a little bit to play this game. We’re not going to have to give them a whole lot of pep talks. We’re not going to have to go into the ins and outs of this being the 52nd game and have the Black Diamond Trophy that we’re playing for. Everybody understands all this stuff. Not only that, but you couple it with being the first game, and there’s going to be a lot of excitement. We’re looking forward to getting back into a routine this week; things went good last week with the mock week. We ironed out some things that we needed to. But this week is all about Virginia Tech; I’ll sit in here today and start talking about Virginia Tech. Although we’ve watched it, we’ve game planned it, we’ve introduced it, this will really hammer it home this week. We still have five or six days before we get an opportunity to play this, so keeping the players focused is going to be big. We’re familiar with going over to the east coast and the hotel that we’ll stay at and the stadium that we’ll be at, so I’m not going to have to say much about that. Just getting ready to play a football game is the biggest thing. I think probably the biggest key to this is maintaining a level head to be able to execute the game plans that we have on all three sides.
As far as Virginia Tech goes, things that stand out to me, I have a lot of respect for Justin Fuente; I watched him play growing up as a great quarterback at Tulsa Union and we’ve talked about that. But in addition to that, his two stops at TCU and Memphis, to me, were incredibly impressive. He did a great job of getting TCU’s offense going; Andy Dalton is a pretty good football player and he tutored him. Then, he went to Memphis and turned that thing around when they were kind of in shambles. He took it over and three or four years later, he’s one of the hottest coaches in the country. So, it’s not surprising that he was the ACC Coach of the Year last year and got those guys to 10 wins and won a bowl game. He had a chance in the last couple minutes of the ACC (Championship) Game; they were a drive away from going down and beating Clemson. So, it’s impressive. He’s a great offensive mind that does a lot of good things on offense. Much like we did, they lost some guys on offense but everybody loses guys year in and year out. It’s going to be interesting to see what they do offensively with a new quarterback and all that, but that’s just first game stuff.
You can’t think of Virginia Tech without thinking of Bud Foster as well. It’s his 30th year. Back when I was a young coach and hadn’t done anything in this profession, you would still follow Bud Foster as far as what he did. Their defense is good; they have everybody coming back. I know they’ve been rumored that this may be his best unit from what I understand. If you watch them, they have all their guys coming back and they were an incredibly good defense last year. So, it’ll be a challenge.
The one thing about it is we have a lot of video to watch going back 30 years. He’s been pretty good for a long time, so we have lots of video to watch. They have all their guys back, so it’s going to be a challenge to go against those guys, but it’s going to be an honor to be able to coach against them as well.
Last thing, special teams-wise they’re really good, really sound. Not only do they have good specialists – the unknown is the punter, obviously, but the kicker and place kicker is as good as there is out there in football. Their returners are really good; all their coverage units are fast and they get down the field and are sure tacklers. I don’t think anybody has had a touchdown, let alone a big return, on those guys on their punt coverage and kickoff coverage in a couple years, especially last year. They’re very sound, very good at what they do. They’re just an overall good team. If you win 10 games and almost win the ACC Championship, then you’re pretty good. And I’m expecting them to be even better.
On if he likes playing a Top 25 opponent in the first game
Well, I’m in favor of it. We’ve done it pretty regularly here over the last few years. We opened up with Alabama in Atlanta; last year we opened up with Missouri and had a neutral site game versus BYU, which was a big game; we open up with Tennessee next year and Florida State a couple years from now. I’m a big fan of it. I have thoughts on when we should start the season; I don’t know if it’s the first game that matters or what your non-conference is in general. We’re going to play games. Having this one right out of the gate is good; I think everybody gets excited about their first game. So, whether it’s a big, neutral site first game or a home big game, or just a FCS game, I think you’re going to be ready to play that first one no matter what. I have no problems with the first game that’s a neutral site game that’s a “big game”. That’s fine with me.
On how Fuente’s offense has changed since his TCU days
There are a lot of similarities. Andy Dalton was a really good pocket guy, but the thing I remember about it was his quarterback run game was probably ahead of the time when he had Andy. There’s this big, tall, red-headed, lumbering quarterback that you looked at him as a pocket guy. Then, he’d take a zone-read for like 60 yards on people. So, he’s always been good with the quarterback run game and quick games, run-pass options, motions, he’s done a lot of that stuff. Following him when he was at Memphis, my nephew played quarterback for him, so I followed it pretty closely. The quarterback they had (Paxton) Lynch, earlier in his career they’d run him on quarterback power and quarterback counters 100 times, just over and over and over again. They developed him into a really, really, really good pocket quarterback, which is why he gets drafted in the first round by (John) Elway. So, just watching him develop those guys – he took the same kind of guy last year, the junior college kid, big kid, and just got better and better and better throughout the course of the year. He came out early, so he has two new young kids that are the same thing. We recruited the (Josh) Jackson kid; he’s a good athlete, he’s a coach’s kid that can throw the ball. But they have another guy back there that can run it as well. So, he’s always been very multiple. I’ve studied his stuff over the course of the last 10 years and I don’t think he’s going to get too far away from what got him there.
On how Foster can change his defensive schemes like during last year’s bowl game
He’s been able to adjust; that game was like 24-0 at halftime and then they come out and just stifle them on defense and got the offense going. That’s the sign of a good coach, obviously, and a sign of a good football team as well, good program. That’s just what makes good coaches. The in-game adjustments and all that stuff is one thing, the game planning aspect is another thing. The mentality of it is another thing. The way they practice as a program, the physicalness that they play with is something that’s good. I think we resemble that a little bit as well with our program. We’re able to do the same type of stuff, defensively in particular. We’re able to be incredibly multiple when it comes to being able to defend the spread, but also being able to load up and be physical and stop the run. Arkansas is pretty big, pretty physical, and they were able to shut that down, which was pretty impressive. Everybody knows we’re going to try to run the ball. We’re anticipating him doing what he needs to do to be able to stop it.
On how redshirt junior quarterback Will Grier has been progressing
Good. He’s ready to go. There’s a lot of talk about him and a lot of talk about him being able to finally play football again. It’s been a year-and-a-half, almost two years, I guess, to where he hasn’t played. He likes to play the game, he likes to practice and prepare, likes to get out there and compete. I’ve never seen him in a live situation. I’ve seen him in plenty of practices and watched him on video as far as the live stuff goes, so I’m anxious to finally see him in a live setting to where he can cut it loose a little bit. He’s our quarterback, so our job is protect him with how we call things. His job is to be able to play within himself and run the offense the way we ask him to do.
On if a new quarterback and new offensive coordinator changes the offense’s approach
I can’t tell you that. With the new coordinator thing, we’ll wait and see. We’ll use that as our advantage, so to speak. I think they’re going to know what we’re going to do on defense, I think we’re going to know what they’re going to do on defense. There are some question marks any time you have a new quarterback, which we both fall in the same boat when it comes to that, and when you switch coordinators. But with that said, there have been plenty of times with myself as a coordinator, you go eight months in the offseason and find some new ways of doing things where there are some nuances as far as what you do here and what you do there that nobody knows going into Game One. There’s always a level of uncertainty going into Year One. Probably this year more than the last couple years with us, there’s probably a higher level of uncertainty.
On if there’s any similarities with Virginia Tech’s run game to Kansas State
It’s similar. You could look at us last year and say that it’s similar. If you poll the Big 12 coaches on who was most similar to Kansas State than anybody in the Big 12, it’s us last year just because of what our quarterback’s strengths were and having some big, physical (offensive) linemen and really focusing on the run game and the quarterback run game as well. Any time you run gap schemes and throw your quarterback up inside the tackles, it’s going to resemble Kansas State. Put tight ends and fullbacks in there, and it’s going to resemble Kansas State. Both us and Virginia Tech resemble that a little bit at times more so than some of the other “air raid” offenses that are out there.
On if he’s feeling more confident in some of the backup wide receivers
When was the last time we talked? We’ve only practiced like twice since then.
On what goes into helping players like redshirt senior wide receiver Ka’Raun White develop
There are three things. One is ability; there are a lot of players out there that have ability. Two is the developmental process of it – do they stay the same or do they continue to get better? And then three is the relationship that exists with the quarterback when it comes to timing and getting on the same page. You could use Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree as an example, you can use B.J. Symons and Wes Welker or (Brandon) Weeden and (Justin) Blackmon, Geno (Smith) and Stedman (Bailey), Kevin (White) and Clint (Trickett); those guys just knew each other. That aids in stats more than probably anything. Just the comfort level that exists between a quarterback and a receiver as far as the amount of reps and timing they have over the course of the year – the practice reps, the trust factor of that guy knowing he’s going to be in that spot when he needs to be in that spot – that’s hard to teach. You just go through the process of practicing it and watching it over the course of a couple of years and it’s fun to get them to that spot. Does (redshirt junior quarterback) Will (Grier) have that with any of our receivers right now? I think so. Although we know there’s not many of them, I think he has that with a couple of them. I’m anxious to see where it goes. I think we have three receivers that have an opportunity to be in that conversation. Some of that is going to depend on Will’s mentality on who he looks to and who he throws to and what happens when he does.
On if he sees similarities between redshirt senior wide receiver Ka’Raun White and brother Kevin White going into their senior years
The problem is Ka’Raun was hurt in the offseason where Kevin and Clint (Trickett) – and Clint was hurt that spring as well – they had all summer. We’re not there yet. I see it with (junior wide receiver) David (Sills V) and (junior wide receiver) Gary (Jennings) a good bit. I’m hopeful it catches on to Ka’Raun as well, not that it hasn’t, just to the point where you’re talking about Ka’Raun like you talk about Kevin, which is kind of unfair. I don’t know yet; I don’t think I’m going to know until we get into the season. Nobody knew about Kevin until that first game. So, what happens on game day, I’m anxious to see myself.
On placing freshman wide receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. on the depth chart
He just keep improving, works hard. That’s about it. He’s young, he’s bright-eyed, he’s eager, and he’s fast. He likes to play.
On if he’s had to explain to his players what the Virginia Tech rivalry means to the fans
I don’t think I’m going to have to do that. I think that’s a forgone conclusion that everybody knows.
On how much of Virginia Tech’s defensive success comes from execution compared to skill level
You rarely can be good with only one. If you want to be a top-20 defense, which they are, then you have to have both. You have to have the coaching aspect of it, which they have. They have the recruiting aspect of it with good players and they have the developmental aspect going on with guys getting better throughout the course of their careers. They have all of that. I like to think we do as well at this point. We’ve been doing it for four years; they’ve been doing it for four decades. I’d like to think we’re in that same conversation, but they’re good on defense.
On if there are things coaches don’t know going into the first game
There are always unknowns. We have an idea but you don’t know what is going to get exposed, honestly, so, there are unknowns going into every game. It’s not just scheme, not just sides of the ball, specific players as well. Guys that haven’t played very much, are they ready to take that next step? Are they ready to take over a game? Are they ready to make a difference? New guys, is the environment going to be too big? There are a lot of things you don’t know. That’s why you play.
On if senior running back Justin Crawford is capable of an even more productive year than last season
Yeah, I think so because if you look at those (stats), he did that in about half the games. He was out three or four games. I think the offseason was really good for him; he’s never had one. So, being able to be in the offseason for six months and get a little bigger, faster, stronger, get in better shape, I think that’s going to be good for him. You may not see it in Game One or Game Two, but hopefully you see it in Game Five or Game Six to be able to be that guy for the whole year. If he’s the guy that played against Baylor and does that for 13 games or so, then that’s pretty good.
On if he wants senior running back Justin Crawford to find the end zone more this season
That has been discussed. Trust me, that has been discussed. What good is getting 200-300 yards if you can’t get into the end zone? So, I’d like for him to bust a few of those and finish them off with some points. He didn’t do it nearly as much as he needs to but I think there’s a conditioning aspect of that and a strength aspect of that. I’m hopeful the offseason he went through is going to be able to help him finish some of those runs. It’s not his durability, but it’s being able to finish the deal.
On if he feels like he has one of the best teams in the country
I think that’s why you play 12-13 games probably more than anything. I like our team and where we’re at. I think there’s a pretty high level of optimism right now. If there’s no optimism going into Game One, then you’re not in a very good place. I think there’s a pretty high level of optimism here and I know it exists down in Blacksburg as well. It’s a good start, but that’s all it is – a start. The top 20 stuff is good for the program, no question it is, but it’s all preseason stuff. You have to line up and play and you have to earn it.