2013 WKU FOOTBALL SPRING PRACTICE 11
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013
HOUCHENS INDUSTRIES-L.T. SMITH STADIUM
BOBBY PETRINO, DON DUNN
WKU head coach Bobby Petrino
(on the two-minute drill at the end of practice)
“We did some no huddle last week and even some in the scrimmage, but we were working on two-minute. It is good. It is really good to do at the end of practice because they are tired and you see who can concentrate and focus. We didn’t do very good with that today, but we will get better at it. Those are end of the half, end of the game scenarios. It helps that you do know a lot in normal down and distance, but there are times when you have to really hustle with the pace, learn how to burn the ball and not take any sacks and how to work the sidelines. There are a lot of things we can teach off of that video.”
(on what he is looking for in the scrimmage on Saturday)
“End the week right. I have been really happy with our week. I think our guys are learning how to work harder. We need to focus longer, but we are working harder. We have taken some steps forward with the understanding of techniques and our schemes. Now we need to go out and execute better than we did a week ago, see our guys improve in their technique and learn how to play harder when they are tired. That is the challenge. We got lucky last week because we hit some heat. We haven’t had any of that. We got tired and saw who could execute what they are coached to do when they are tired.”
(on quarterback Brandon Doughty getting first-team reps)
“He is ahead mainly because he understands what he is doing more. He has been able to pick it up quicker and do a better job executing, not only in the passing game, but in the running game. The other two guys are working hard. They have improved and they are getting better. I thought the last part of the scrimmage last week for our other two quarterbacks, we threw the ball a bunch and they did a nice job. We saw them improve, get better, make reads, make some throws. That is why all of those reps really add up.”
(on the WKU defense)
“I think we have a chance to be really good in the back-end. Our linebackers and our secondary are tough. Right now, our secondary is ahead of our wide receivers. They are better than them. We still have strides to make with our defensive front. We are rotating some guys in there. In games, we normally rotate every four or five plays. We have been keeping them in and making them play 10, 12, 14 plays, making it real hard on them. It will certainly make it much easier on them come game time.”
Defensive line coach Don Dunn
(on the biggest challenge with the defensive line)
“I think the biggest issue is a lot of them haven’t played a lot. In the past, they had a really good defensive line here last year. We have to first off, get great effort. I always tell them it doesn’t take a lot of talent to give effort. So we have to get the effort there. We are making them go sometimes 12 plays in a row. We wouldn’t do that in the season, but we have to build that toughness, mentally and physically. We have to get a lot better on the technique and our assignments.”
(on players that are sticking out along the defensive line)
“What you need is competition. We haven’t really named a starter. Bryan Shorter is probably the most consistent right now. But he has a long way to go. They are trying to learn and are getting better. It is big day for them tomorrow, and for us. I think we told them the thing we look at and we grade the film on is effort. If they are running to the football and are trying to get to the quarterback on the pass, holding their gaps and getting off blocks and flying to the ball, you have to pursue on defense.”
(on playing the run and the pass on defense)
“We have to do a much better job converting from the run to the pass, especially on the play action and that is something we really have to improve on. We don’t want to stop and look at the backfield. You have to come off the same way every time, full speed, fit your block, recognize high-hat and pass. We have to be a better student of the game – down and distance, tendencies, which we will get into going into the fall. We have to improve our pass rush from our normal defense when we don’t go with our nickel. We have to do a lot better job of rushing the passer, converting from the run block on a play action to pass.”
