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Tracking the Longhorns: Introducing Jennings, Johnson and Williams
Head coach Charlie Strong introduced new assistant coaches Clay Jennings, Anthony Johnson and Charlie Williams at a Monday press availability.
Feb. 22, 2016 Football
Head coach Charlie Strong
Opening Statement:
I would like to introduce the new additions to our staff, and I would start with [defensive backs coach] Clay Jennings. We just hired Clay from Arkansas, defensive back coach. He has done a great job coaching DB's. The great thing about him is that he is from the great state of Texas. He has an unbelievable relationship with Texas high school football coaches already. I know that when we were recruiting up in Nacogdoches, he was always standing around waiting for [s Brandon] Jones to decommit, hoping that he would fall into his hands. With [RB] Kyle Porter, [Jennings] asked how did you sign Kyle Porter? You all had a ghost running back coach. For some reason I don't know how we got them. Clay - you'll have a chance to meet him in a second. And then [running backs coach] Anthony Johnson. [it is] great to come back home for Anthony, and I know that he was part of the national championship team. He even coached the next game the next year as a graduate assistant coach. Coming in from Toledo, he has a lot of energy. It was really exciting for him that he has a chance to come back home and get a chance to work with some really outstanding players. We are really excited for Anthony. The last one is, I call him the 'old man of the bunch,' [wide receivers coach] Charlie Williams. He is an unbelievable coach. He has coached on the national level as well as the collegiate, all different levels. He has done a great job of training players, coached wide receivers, came in here from the Indianapolis coach[ing staff] but also {the University of] Miami. So he has coached on this level. The good thing, I didn't say about Anthony is that he is from the state of Texas. He grew up here, so he understands what it is all about- the pride and tradition here. Charlie coached back during the day at TCU, so he has been here and been is this state. We get three veteran coaches that have been in this state as vets, have been in this state, have been around the Texas high school coaches, and understand what we are doing and what we are all about.
Running backs coach Anthony Johnson
On the injuries during his career and seeing coaching as the silver lining:
My playing career was kind of interesting. My first morning of two-a-days I broke my foot and had surgery. So I was out the first half of the season, came back and was on scout team. Came back next spring for my redshirt freshman year, had an outstanding spring, come back in the fall, break my foot again. Pretty much after that it was - I had broken it about eight times. I had had two different surgeries. And so after my junior year I went in and told coach [Mack] Brown I wanted to get into coaching. So I started helping out with recruiting. I started looking up different stats for coach Brown and the staff so that they could have some material to write about. I would help coach [Major] Applewhite, he was a grad assistant at the time, with any kind of odd jobs that he had as a student assistant. So that's kind of my career.
On his being emotional with his return to Texas:
Yes, like I've told everybody, words can't even describe how I feel right now. Having an opportunity to come back and coach, I told everybody that I knew at some point that I would be back, I just didn't know when. Words can't describe it. It wouldn't do it any justice."
On the talent of the running backs:
Absolutely. Got quite few guys, young guys too that are unbelievable. I was looking at those guys the other day and was just trying to think back to when the University of Texas has had two running backs of that caliber. Of size, speed, strength, stuff like that.
On the new offense being balanced between run and pass:
I've talked to [offensive coordinator] Sterlin [Gilbert] about it. He wants to be as balanced as possible. Like I said, when you have those two and you can't count out Kirk Johnson and you count [Kyle]Porter the freshman that's coming in - we've got some guys that we can hand the ball off to.
On if he's had personal interaction with the players:
Yeah, I've gotten a chance in the last couple of weeks to be around them, and they're all really good kids. They all want to be great, and I think that's why the energy around the program is really great.
On if he has followed Coach Strong's career:
Yes, I've followed his career. I've obviously kept up with the Longhorns from afar and love what he's done. I think the energy in the building is unbelievable. It kind of reminds me of the energy when I was a player here. Those guys are working their tails off, and they're trying to get better.
On Texas having another 1,000 yard back like Cedric Benson or Selvin Young:
After those guys, don't forget about Jamaal Charles, don't forget about Fozzy Whittaker. I make fun of the 'DBU'. Our DB's kind of came up with this 'DBU', and they've had some great DB's that's come through this university. But I tell them, "This is 'RBU' and don't you ever forget it. Don't forget who the two Heisman trophy winners are. Okay? So this is 'RBU''"
On how many plays the team would try to get in during practice:
At Toledo we never did try to count and see how many plays we can get in. We just wanted to be efficient and sharp in practice."
On his coaching philosophies:
My coaching philosophies are number one - lot of effort, have to have great ball security, physical, just a relentless effort of trying to score, every inch counts. That's pretty much it, I think that's what it starts with. It's just coming out with unbelievable effort, pushing yourself to another level. That's each and everyday in practice, and that's where it starts and you're striving to be the best."
On if the running game could be described as a 'power spread':
Yeah, you can call it that I guess. Those guys, they're big running backs and they're physical, but at the same time they can run, too. They make people miss in the hole. I've watched a little bit of film on those guys and so they make people miss in the hole. They break tackles. They can do it all. I think they're complete running backs.
On when he decided he wanted to become a coach:
I think I knew I wanted to be a coach when I was in peewee football. I used to draw up plays for my peewee coach, coach Jackson, and give it to him like, 'we should run this'. And I think I took that into middle school, high school, and even as a quality control coach I used to slap plays up onto Coach [former OC Greg] Davis' desk.
On how similar the system he ran in Toledo is to what Sterlin Gilbert is running:
Very similar from a tempo standpoint. We tried to run as many plays as we could as fast as we could and try to wear defenses out and try to overwhelm them with our speed and athleticism.
Defensive backs coach Clay Jennings
On his new position:
I'm very excited to have an opportunity to take over this group. My biggest thing is I don't want to screw them up. I had a chance to watch some of these guys last year, whether we were playing early games or playing a late game. If I start naming names and I forget somebody then we might hurt some feelings, but between P.J. Locke, Holton Hill, Davante Davis. I'm excited about getting the opportunity to get Sheroid [Evans] back as well too, and bringing Kris [boyd] along as well. We're excited about that. Then we got three freshmen coming in here that I think can help as well, too. I figured I tried to recruit and couldn't get them, might as well join them and come coach.
On transitioning from his role at Arkansas to coaching at Texas:
Well, you know what? One thing I had to do in my whole time while I was in Fayetteville was that I had to say, "Well everything about Texas is not bad." And there's nothing from Texas that's bad in my opinion. But it was great, and I had a great opportunity and a great time while I was coaching in Fayetteville, but to have an opportunity to come home and work with these kids and work with this staff and to try and take this program to the next level with Coach Strong and the rest of the staff - it was too good to pass up.
On incoming freshman defensive back Eric Cuffee:
I had a great chance to visit Eric, and I had a great chance to visit his dad, and we had a tremendous conversation. We're excited about having the opportunity to bring the Waco connection down here and make some beautiful music together.
On "DBU" and continuing the legacy of developing defensive backs at Texas:
I think that the greatest thing is if you want to know where you're going, you have to know where you're at. I think the kids that play here have to pay homage to the history. You go back to Jerry Gray, Quentin Jammer, Kevin Vaccaro, Michael Huff - all of those guys have been award winners here. It's our responsibility to make sure that we're carrying the torch, not only in between the lines but outside the lines as well. We need to make sure we carry ourselves in a great manner within the community, but inside the lines we have to play with a high level swagger and a high level of confidence. We have to do a great job communicating and making sure we're on the same page. If there's one thing we say, it's that if we're all wrong we're all right. So we're going to continue to do a good job.
On transitioning from a defensive lineman as a player and translating that into coaching defensive backs:
The biggest thing is, and we've talked about this, is that whatever you're playing on defense, whether it be defensive line, the linebackers or the secondary, you've got to be able to communicate.. You've got to be able to play with leverage, and you can't let yourself get beat by a lineman. If we can tackle, strike with our hands, shed blocks, tackle and get the ball on the ground, then we're going to have an opportunity to do some great things. Within the secondary, you start talking about pass coverage and pass defense. I think between the secondary and the defensive line guys, they have to be best friends. We've got to be able to play with confidence and challenge receivers so we can give the defensive line an opportunity and give them that one more half-second so they can get a hit on the ball and maybe that ball flutters out and DBU can get a pick for the 'Horns. But on the flipside, the quicker that that pass rush gets in the quarterback's face, those DBs can play with a lot more confidence.
On the youth of the defensive backs and if that's exciting to work with:
Very much so. The one thing you look at in that room is that you have guys that are long. You got some guys that can run. You got some guys that you can see between week one and week twelve last year - how much confidence those kids began to play with. To me, I thought the biggest compliment is that those kids began to play for themselves. I got a chance to watch the Baylor game, and when you talk about playing for pride, they weren't playing for a bowl game - that was their bowl game. For those kids, they came and played lights out. If we can just build on week twelve going into 2016, I think we're going to be a heck of a lot better.
On what changed regarding the development of the young players:
The pride and the sense of urgency. I think that was the biggest change that you saw in the bowl game, and also now you're getting into a chance where Coach Strong now can get his third class in. I thought the guys before did a tremendous job as far as recruiting the state and whatnot, but now it's a different philosophy here with Coach Strong and his staff. I think the kids are doing a great job of buying in. They're having a great time coming by the office and coming by watching tape on their own. They're enjoying playing with one another and then they're challenging one another not only physically during the workouts, but also mentally when they come in and ask questions. They're sitting there drawing route combinations saying, "Hey, how are we going to defend this in this particular coverage?" When you get a chance to walk down the hall and hear those conversations between those young men, it's very encouraging.
On feeling the sense of urgency as a coach:
Yes, I do. There are two types of coaches - ones that have been hired and ones that have been fired, and I don't want to be the latter. We know that we have to get this thing going in the right direction and that we have to do it quickly. But it's exciting to know that we're going to have an opportunity to continue to put a better brand of the ball out there on the field on Saturdays this fall.
On facing spread offenses in the Big 12:
I think not only as coaches but players as well, you're going to have the chance to be able to line up, play fast, communicate, and a lot of them are going to be communicating on the run. I've been acquainted with this system since 2005, having to defend it while I was at TCU, too. Then you have a different version of the spread when you go to TCU and Oklahoma State or West Virginia. I think the more that we become comfortable with the scheme and how guys are attacking us and as long as we know what we're doing, I think we're going to have a better chance as far as being able to stop some guys.
On the transition from Arkansas to Texas recruiting-wise:
You still have to go out and do the work. I'm not big on letting the shirt do the work for me. The one thing is that you have to develop the relationships with the coaches and also that you're developing the relationships with the players, and also the parents as well. The toughest part of recruiting is that there's only two months of the year that you get a chance to get to talk to kids on campus, and that's the month of December and the month of January. Well, how are you going to develop those relationships now since the early offers? So having an opportunity to get young men on campus is going to be great for us, tremendous for junior days, and we also have guys that are attending practices as well. And also trying to get these guys back on campus in the summer as well for camps and whatnot.
On developing the chemistry with all of the new assistant coaches that were hired this offseason:
The greatest thing is that when you take a new job, you get an opportunity to meet the guy next to you. And you know when he wakes up in the morning and whether we're going out recruiting or we're coming into the office and he has the best interests of your family at heart. Just to know that we all want to be on the same page is very encouraging.
Wide receivers coach Charlie Williams
On being back at the collegiate level after coaching in the pros:
Football is football, coaching is coaching, and teaching is teaching. Once they get it, they will continue to flourish from there. The main thing is we will talk about the approach when it is time to talk about the approach with these guys. Right now, it is time to talk about learning a new offense, getting indoctrinated into it and going from there. But learning how to play fast.
On talking with offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and getting comfortable in this system:
it didn't take very long at all. First and foremost it is a new opportunity. When you are coming from another place, when you are going from the National Football League to college or if you are going from the National Football League to another National Football League team, it is just a new opportunity. Listening to Sterlin and [offensive line coach Matt] Maddox talk, and then watching the film that they presented, you could see that this is going to be exciting once these guys all get it.
On what this offense is going to be like from a practice standpoint:
It is very exciting because once we are able to play with the league, it takes the pressure off the defense. So it is very exciting to be around. You spread them out so it's hard to blitz them, and I know teams do. It is outstanding.
On being comfortable with a different style of football:
I am getting better and better each day. It is a lot of fun. It really is. To watch Sterlin rattle off a play, and then we go do it. It is getting better and better every day.
On his motivation to come to Texas:
You can't pass this opportunity up. This is a great opportunity. Like Charlie said, I was at TCU before so I was able to watch this program from a far, the old Southwest Conference. Now to be here and be a part of it, to help make it grow to what it once was, is a great opportunity.
On the coaches' philosophies meshing together:
We just talked about receiver play and how I do something and how they do things. We come to an agreement of how we are going to do something, and just learning together. These guys know what they want to do because they have done it. They have proven it. You can see it. I am just another part of the puzzle.
On Charlie Strong:
I have known Charlie for a long time. I have watched Charlie from his first head coaching job until now. He is the same guy. He is motivated. He is very personable and families want to be around him and want their kids to be coached by him.
On forming bonds with the players:
First and foremost you have to understand where they are coming from. Just like we talked about having a clean slate, anytime there is a new coach there is a new slate. Everybody has their opinion about this kid or that kid, but we always started off with a clean slate and then go from there. We sit down and talk and get to know about one and another. I get to know about their family and their background, and they get to know about mine. How I coach, what we want to get accomplished, and all the little things. We take it one day at a time.
On the cardinal rule for wide receivers:
The main thing is catch the football. If you are going to be a wide receiver you have to catch the football, so that is the number one thing. Number two, the cardinal rule that we don't do is that we don't put that football on the ground. We will work hard on that too, but the main thing is catch the football. Just get first downs, continue to get first downs and you will get in the end zone.
On wide receivers having a lot to prove to you this spring:
It's all about proving to themselves, first and foremost, because with that being said they are all battling for a position. There are no starters right now. We have a long way to go before we name some starters, so we will be playing musical chairs at the position until the opening date against Notre Dame.
On the expectations of the program:
There is no question. First and foremost, you have to win no matter where you are at. That's the bottom line. Can the heat get a little hotter around here? Yeah, but that's because it is Texas. We realize that and our bottom line is to win. To get these guys in the best position to win. We can't worry about anything else other than that. We know what our job is. We know what our assignment is. We know what we came here for, and that's what we are going to do. We have to be successful here.
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http://www.texassports.com/news/2016/2/22/FB_0222165412.aspx
Head coach Charlie Strong introduced new assistant coaches Clay Jennings, Anthony Johnson and Charlie Williams at a Monday press availability.
Feb. 22, 2016 Football
Head coach Charlie Strong
Opening Statement:
I would like to introduce the new additions to our staff, and I would start with [defensive backs coach] Clay Jennings. We just hired Clay from Arkansas, defensive back coach. He has done a great job coaching DB's. The great thing about him is that he is from the great state of Texas. He has an unbelievable relationship with Texas high school football coaches already. I know that when we were recruiting up in Nacogdoches, he was always standing around waiting for [s Brandon] Jones to decommit, hoping that he would fall into his hands. With [RB] Kyle Porter, [Jennings] asked how did you sign Kyle Porter? You all had a ghost running back coach. For some reason I don't know how we got them. Clay - you'll have a chance to meet him in a second. And then [running backs coach] Anthony Johnson. [it is] great to come back home for Anthony, and I know that he was part of the national championship team. He even coached the next game the next year as a graduate assistant coach. Coming in from Toledo, he has a lot of energy. It was really exciting for him that he has a chance to come back home and get a chance to work with some really outstanding players. We are really excited for Anthony. The last one is, I call him the 'old man of the bunch,' [wide receivers coach] Charlie Williams. He is an unbelievable coach. He has coached on the national level as well as the collegiate, all different levels. He has done a great job of training players, coached wide receivers, came in here from the Indianapolis coach[ing staff] but also {the University of] Miami. So he has coached on this level. The good thing, I didn't say about Anthony is that he is from the state of Texas. He grew up here, so he understands what it is all about- the pride and tradition here. Charlie coached back during the day at TCU, so he has been here and been is this state. We get three veteran coaches that have been in this state as vets, have been in this state, have been around the Texas high school coaches, and understand what we are doing and what we are all about.
Running backs coach Anthony Johnson
On the injuries during his career and seeing coaching as the silver lining:
My playing career was kind of interesting. My first morning of two-a-days I broke my foot and had surgery. So I was out the first half of the season, came back and was on scout team. Came back next spring for my redshirt freshman year, had an outstanding spring, come back in the fall, break my foot again. Pretty much after that it was - I had broken it about eight times. I had had two different surgeries. And so after my junior year I went in and told coach [Mack] Brown I wanted to get into coaching. So I started helping out with recruiting. I started looking up different stats for coach Brown and the staff so that they could have some material to write about. I would help coach [Major] Applewhite, he was a grad assistant at the time, with any kind of odd jobs that he had as a student assistant. So that's kind of my career.
On his being emotional with his return to Texas:
Yes, like I've told everybody, words can't even describe how I feel right now. Having an opportunity to come back and coach, I told everybody that I knew at some point that I would be back, I just didn't know when. Words can't describe it. It wouldn't do it any justice."
On the talent of the running backs:
Absolutely. Got quite few guys, young guys too that are unbelievable. I was looking at those guys the other day and was just trying to think back to when the University of Texas has had two running backs of that caliber. Of size, speed, strength, stuff like that.
On the new offense being balanced between run and pass:
I've talked to [offensive coordinator] Sterlin [Gilbert] about it. He wants to be as balanced as possible. Like I said, when you have those two and you can't count out Kirk Johnson and you count [Kyle]Porter the freshman that's coming in - we've got some guys that we can hand the ball off to.
On if he's had personal interaction with the players:
Yeah, I've gotten a chance in the last couple of weeks to be around them, and they're all really good kids. They all want to be great, and I think that's why the energy around the program is really great.
On if he has followed Coach Strong's career:
Yes, I've followed his career. I've obviously kept up with the Longhorns from afar and love what he's done. I think the energy in the building is unbelievable. It kind of reminds me of the energy when I was a player here. Those guys are working their tails off, and they're trying to get better.
On Texas having another 1,000 yard back like Cedric Benson or Selvin Young:
After those guys, don't forget about Jamaal Charles, don't forget about Fozzy Whittaker. I make fun of the 'DBU'. Our DB's kind of came up with this 'DBU', and they've had some great DB's that's come through this university. But I tell them, "This is 'RBU' and don't you ever forget it. Don't forget who the two Heisman trophy winners are. Okay? So this is 'RBU''"
On how many plays the team would try to get in during practice:
At Toledo we never did try to count and see how many plays we can get in. We just wanted to be efficient and sharp in practice."
On his coaching philosophies:
My coaching philosophies are number one - lot of effort, have to have great ball security, physical, just a relentless effort of trying to score, every inch counts. That's pretty much it, I think that's what it starts with. It's just coming out with unbelievable effort, pushing yourself to another level. That's each and everyday in practice, and that's where it starts and you're striving to be the best."
On if the running game could be described as a 'power spread':
Yeah, you can call it that I guess. Those guys, they're big running backs and they're physical, but at the same time they can run, too. They make people miss in the hole. I've watched a little bit of film on those guys and so they make people miss in the hole. They break tackles. They can do it all. I think they're complete running backs.
On when he decided he wanted to become a coach:
I think I knew I wanted to be a coach when I was in peewee football. I used to draw up plays for my peewee coach, coach Jackson, and give it to him like, 'we should run this'. And I think I took that into middle school, high school, and even as a quality control coach I used to slap plays up onto Coach [former OC Greg] Davis' desk.
On how similar the system he ran in Toledo is to what Sterlin Gilbert is running:
Very similar from a tempo standpoint. We tried to run as many plays as we could as fast as we could and try to wear defenses out and try to overwhelm them with our speed and athleticism.
Defensive backs coach Clay Jennings
On his new position:
I'm very excited to have an opportunity to take over this group. My biggest thing is I don't want to screw them up. I had a chance to watch some of these guys last year, whether we were playing early games or playing a late game. If I start naming names and I forget somebody then we might hurt some feelings, but between P.J. Locke, Holton Hill, Davante Davis. I'm excited about getting the opportunity to get Sheroid [Evans] back as well too, and bringing Kris [boyd] along as well. We're excited about that. Then we got three freshmen coming in here that I think can help as well, too. I figured I tried to recruit and couldn't get them, might as well join them and come coach.
On transitioning from his role at Arkansas to coaching at Texas:
Well, you know what? One thing I had to do in my whole time while I was in Fayetteville was that I had to say, "Well everything about Texas is not bad." And there's nothing from Texas that's bad in my opinion. But it was great, and I had a great opportunity and a great time while I was coaching in Fayetteville, but to have an opportunity to come home and work with these kids and work with this staff and to try and take this program to the next level with Coach Strong and the rest of the staff - it was too good to pass up.
On incoming freshman defensive back Eric Cuffee:
I had a great chance to visit Eric, and I had a great chance to visit his dad, and we had a tremendous conversation. We're excited about having the opportunity to bring the Waco connection down here and make some beautiful music together.
On "DBU" and continuing the legacy of developing defensive backs at Texas:
I think that the greatest thing is if you want to know where you're going, you have to know where you're at. I think the kids that play here have to pay homage to the history. You go back to Jerry Gray, Quentin Jammer, Kevin Vaccaro, Michael Huff - all of those guys have been award winners here. It's our responsibility to make sure that we're carrying the torch, not only in between the lines but outside the lines as well. We need to make sure we carry ourselves in a great manner within the community, but inside the lines we have to play with a high level swagger and a high level of confidence. We have to do a great job communicating and making sure we're on the same page. If there's one thing we say, it's that if we're all wrong we're all right. So we're going to continue to do a good job.
On transitioning from a defensive lineman as a player and translating that into coaching defensive backs:
The biggest thing is, and we've talked about this, is that whatever you're playing on defense, whether it be defensive line, the linebackers or the secondary, you've got to be able to communicate.. You've got to be able to play with leverage, and you can't let yourself get beat by a lineman. If we can tackle, strike with our hands, shed blocks, tackle and get the ball on the ground, then we're going to have an opportunity to do some great things. Within the secondary, you start talking about pass coverage and pass defense. I think between the secondary and the defensive line guys, they have to be best friends. We've got to be able to play with confidence and challenge receivers so we can give the defensive line an opportunity and give them that one more half-second so they can get a hit on the ball and maybe that ball flutters out and DBU can get a pick for the 'Horns. But on the flipside, the quicker that that pass rush gets in the quarterback's face, those DBs can play with a lot more confidence.
On the youth of the defensive backs and if that's exciting to work with:
Very much so. The one thing you look at in that room is that you have guys that are long. You got some guys that can run. You got some guys that you can see between week one and week twelve last year - how much confidence those kids began to play with. To me, I thought the biggest compliment is that those kids began to play for themselves. I got a chance to watch the Baylor game, and when you talk about playing for pride, they weren't playing for a bowl game - that was their bowl game. For those kids, they came and played lights out. If we can just build on week twelve going into 2016, I think we're going to be a heck of a lot better.
On what changed regarding the development of the young players:
The pride and the sense of urgency. I think that was the biggest change that you saw in the bowl game, and also now you're getting into a chance where Coach Strong now can get his third class in. I thought the guys before did a tremendous job as far as recruiting the state and whatnot, but now it's a different philosophy here with Coach Strong and his staff. I think the kids are doing a great job of buying in. They're having a great time coming by the office and coming by watching tape on their own. They're enjoying playing with one another and then they're challenging one another not only physically during the workouts, but also mentally when they come in and ask questions. They're sitting there drawing route combinations saying, "Hey, how are we going to defend this in this particular coverage?" When you get a chance to walk down the hall and hear those conversations between those young men, it's very encouraging.
On feeling the sense of urgency as a coach:
Yes, I do. There are two types of coaches - ones that have been hired and ones that have been fired, and I don't want to be the latter. We know that we have to get this thing going in the right direction and that we have to do it quickly. But it's exciting to know that we're going to have an opportunity to continue to put a better brand of the ball out there on the field on Saturdays this fall.
On facing spread offenses in the Big 12:
I think not only as coaches but players as well, you're going to have the chance to be able to line up, play fast, communicate, and a lot of them are going to be communicating on the run. I've been acquainted with this system since 2005, having to defend it while I was at TCU, too. Then you have a different version of the spread when you go to TCU and Oklahoma State or West Virginia. I think the more that we become comfortable with the scheme and how guys are attacking us and as long as we know what we're doing, I think we're going to have a better chance as far as being able to stop some guys.
On the transition from Arkansas to Texas recruiting-wise:
You still have to go out and do the work. I'm not big on letting the shirt do the work for me. The one thing is that you have to develop the relationships with the coaches and also that you're developing the relationships with the players, and also the parents as well. The toughest part of recruiting is that there's only two months of the year that you get a chance to get to talk to kids on campus, and that's the month of December and the month of January. Well, how are you going to develop those relationships now since the early offers? So having an opportunity to get young men on campus is going to be great for us, tremendous for junior days, and we also have guys that are attending practices as well. And also trying to get these guys back on campus in the summer as well for camps and whatnot.
On developing the chemistry with all of the new assistant coaches that were hired this offseason:
The greatest thing is that when you take a new job, you get an opportunity to meet the guy next to you. And you know when he wakes up in the morning and whether we're going out recruiting or we're coming into the office and he has the best interests of your family at heart. Just to know that we all want to be on the same page is very encouraging.
Wide receivers coach Charlie Williams
On being back at the collegiate level after coaching in the pros:
Football is football, coaching is coaching, and teaching is teaching. Once they get it, they will continue to flourish from there. The main thing is we will talk about the approach when it is time to talk about the approach with these guys. Right now, it is time to talk about learning a new offense, getting indoctrinated into it and going from there. But learning how to play fast.
On talking with offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and getting comfortable in this system:
it didn't take very long at all. First and foremost it is a new opportunity. When you are coming from another place, when you are going from the National Football League to college or if you are going from the National Football League to another National Football League team, it is just a new opportunity. Listening to Sterlin and [offensive line coach Matt] Maddox talk, and then watching the film that they presented, you could see that this is going to be exciting once these guys all get it.
On what this offense is going to be like from a practice standpoint:
It is very exciting because once we are able to play with the league, it takes the pressure off the defense. So it is very exciting to be around. You spread them out so it's hard to blitz them, and I know teams do. It is outstanding.
On being comfortable with a different style of football:
I am getting better and better each day. It is a lot of fun. It really is. To watch Sterlin rattle off a play, and then we go do it. It is getting better and better every day.
On his motivation to come to Texas:
You can't pass this opportunity up. This is a great opportunity. Like Charlie said, I was at TCU before so I was able to watch this program from a far, the old Southwest Conference. Now to be here and be a part of it, to help make it grow to what it once was, is a great opportunity.
On the coaches' philosophies meshing together:
We just talked about receiver play and how I do something and how they do things. We come to an agreement of how we are going to do something, and just learning together. These guys know what they want to do because they have done it. They have proven it. You can see it. I am just another part of the puzzle.
On Charlie Strong:
I have known Charlie for a long time. I have watched Charlie from his first head coaching job until now. He is the same guy. He is motivated. He is very personable and families want to be around him and want their kids to be coached by him.
On forming bonds with the players:
First and foremost you have to understand where they are coming from. Just like we talked about having a clean slate, anytime there is a new coach there is a new slate. Everybody has their opinion about this kid or that kid, but we always started off with a clean slate and then go from there. We sit down and talk and get to know about one and another. I get to know about their family and their background, and they get to know about mine. How I coach, what we want to get accomplished, and all the little things. We take it one day at a time.
On the cardinal rule for wide receivers:
The main thing is catch the football. If you are going to be a wide receiver you have to catch the football, so that is the number one thing. Number two, the cardinal rule that we don't do is that we don't put that football on the ground. We will work hard on that too, but the main thing is catch the football. Just get first downs, continue to get first downs and you will get in the end zone.
On wide receivers having a lot to prove to you this spring:
It's all about proving to themselves, first and foremost, because with that being said they are all battling for a position. There are no starters right now. We have a long way to go before we name some starters, so we will be playing musical chairs at the position until the opening date against Notre Dame.
On the expectations of the program:
There is no question. First and foremost, you have to win no matter where you are at. That's the bottom line. Can the heat get a little hotter around here? Yeah, but that's because it is Texas. We realize that and our bottom line is to win. To get these guys in the best position to win. We can't worry about anything else other than that. We know what our job is. We know what our assignment is. We know what we came here for, and that's what we are going to do. We have to be successful here.
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