 
Tracking the Longhorns: Aug. 16
Aug. 16, 2008
Offensive coordinator Greg Davis On if the players are tired of hitting each other: Well, we're at that point in camp where we'd like to have a preseason game or scrimmage, but you don't. The defense gets accustomed to all of our signals and checks, so there is some camp play going on. Overall, the kids are working hard and taking care of each other. They really do a great job of taking care of each other. On scrimmaging in the stadium's environment: There's something about coming over here that makes things a little bit different. There's some excitement about coming in here, and I think all three running backs did really well. Chris [Ogbonnaya], Vondrell [McGee] and Fozzy [Whittaker] did a really good job on their blitz pickups. We've given them a ton of different blitzes and [Defensive Coordinator] Will [Muschamp] has given us a bunch of different looks. The backs have done a great job in that area. I'm pleased with where they are at and we will continue to check them out through next Wednesday or Thursday and then we will try to start identifying their different roles.
On if they have started seeing any separation between the players: We'll go look at it and we'll see. What we try to do is that we try to get a group of guys that we consider to be starters, and that number some years is 14 and at other times, that number is 15. Whatever group we can sense can go in and function with no hiccups is what we call the starters, even though he might not walk out there on the first play. Then, you try to expand that group. Right now, that number is pretty high, but we are in camp. We'll start pairing that down to the guys that we feel like are going to work well in pressure situations. On finding an offensive identity sooner rather than later: Well hopefully, because of Colt coming back, we'll have a little bit of a handle in terms of what we'll be able to do. There were several factors last year. One, we were playing with a really young offensive line, and so we felt like earlier in the year we needed to throw the ball, a lot of quick game. We tried to use our experienced receivers in somewhat of a run game mentality. This group has more guys back, even though Kyle Hix is still young, he's played a bunch. He started in the bowl game for us. Michael Huey is still young, but he's played a bunch of ball. I think what you're going to see is a few more personnel groupings than we've played with in the past. We'll continue to expand the package with John and Colt. We did some of that today. But we're going to be basically a shotgun, one-back team. We'll still do a lot of zone-read stuff, we'll empty the back field some. So we just want to continue to do some things that the personnel grouping that's out there doesn't dictate to the defense what we have to do. On solidifying the offense at every position: I think we have a better handle right now at every spot other than running back, and that's pretty important because last year we knew Jamaal Charles was going to be the guy, we knew what he brought to the table. So we're still trying to see what are these guys' best runs - is it the counter play, is it the sweep, is it the zone play? So we're still trying to get that identified, and that will take a little bit of time. You've got to get into the season. But overall, we'll open the season with a little better handle than we did last year. On if the offense will look a lot different from last year: We're going to look a little bit differently, but at the same time, there will be a whole lot of similarities. We'll continue to do some two tight ends with two wide receivers. We'll continue to do some empty stuff. Base formation will still be tight end, trips, one back. The package with John and Colt, which last year was something we just dabbled in, we've had more time (this year). We actually had three real good plays today out of that package of plays with those guys in there. We'll continue to use some (I-formation). Last year, it was about 15 percent of the time, somewhere in that area. So we'll continue to use that. But it will fall very similar to where it did last year. On Colt McCoy's running ability: He's a very underrated runner. When you just look at the numbers, I think he had 480 something yards rushing last year. If you take Vince (Young) out of the mix, which obviously he was a very unusual guy, that would be the best that we've had at The University of Texas since the wishbone days. And most of that came after mid-season when we really began to hone in on what this team was all about. Colt is a guy, in the very first scrimmage, had a 55-yard touchdown run on the zone read. He is much more athletic than he would lead you to believe. On the tight ends: Blaine Irby is obviously playing with the first group. And the other guys, we've had a lot of guys work it in with the twos and threes, from Peter Ullman to Ian Harris, and Mac McWhorter's son is working in that group. So we've still got several guys that are working in there and we're cross-training others. (Greg Smith and Ahmard Howard) both had some experience there, so we're cross-training them right now. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp On S Christian Scott: I think that Christian has done a good job. He's always been a physical run player and he has improved his ball judgment down the field. He's also improved on his communication. You've got to be able to communicate and get the calls out and make sure we communicate to the corner away from the boundary, to make sure he knows what we are doing. But we just have to continue to make positive steps. On scrimmaging in the stadium atmosphere: Well, that's where you play and that's where guys are going to make their stake on this football team, whether it is on offense, defense or specials teams. If they are able to produce and make plays in that situation, that's as much as you can simulate as far as the game is concerned. We want to make them understand that you have to get out there, communicate, make the calls and do the things we have to do in order to be successful. On if he is starting to see separation between the players: Well, we're looking for a collective group of guys we can rely on. A lot of the players we consider starters don't necessarily walk on the field on the first play of the game, but they are guys we can rely on to win with. That is what we're looking for more than anything. The more collective group of guys we can get looking that way, the better we'll be. On if he's ready to see them in a game: Well, we still have some work to do, so let's hold off on that. We have another week of camp and then we'll have a game week preparation and we'll start looking at some Florida Atlantic stuff mid-week. We're still working on some opponent things that we'll see throughout the year because we want to expose the kids to as much as we can in training camp. On where the defense stands after two scrimmages: I think we've done some good things and we've eliminated some things we did from the first scrimmage that we considered mistakes. I was very pleased with the way we tackled in the first scrimmage. I think for a first scrimmage, that was good, but we still have to continue to take steps forward. It's a daily deal to understand that we don't relax after a scrimmage and we don't relax after a big game. We have to go after it every day and take the lunch pail to work and go to work. On how he analyzes and evaluates practice: We chart it every day, we post it every day on the defense to see who's playing well, who's not playing well, so everybody understands where everybody is. On separation at contested positions: We've still got some guys we've got to continue to rep in the secondary. That's a rep position, especially with the youth we have back there. But we've seen some guys make some improvement, make some strides, take a step forward and try to battle for some spots. So again, it's a continuing process with what we're doing. On what he looks for from the safety position: Everything. We're looking for communication, playmaking ability and just consistency in performance. That's what you've got to be back there. Three-technique can make a mistake and maybe nobody knows. We make a mistake on the back end, it's costly for us and we have to make sure we don't have that. You're always looking to step forward and I think we did today. On who is standing out in practice: We're still working a bunch of guys. We have another week of camp, and then we have game-week preparation. So we'll start narrowing down after today's scrimmage, looking at some things, and then getting the right combination. Playing defensive back is a lot like offensive line. Those guys have to be in sync in what we're doing, and they've got to feel comfortable with who's out there and who's with them. So that's what we're looking for. WR Jordan Shipley On feel stronger and being two years removed from injury: I feel great right now. This is the best I've felt since I've been here, really. I came in and got hurt almost immediately, and since then this is definitely the best I've felt. I don't have any problems health-wise and I'm just ready to go. On being more of a coach for the younger receivers: I've definitely been a coach for them, especially during the first couple of days when we had the split practices. Coach Kennedy gave me my position to go out there and help the guys who play the same position as I play, and that was kind of fun. On finally having his shot at being one of the top two receivers: It's something I've been looking forward to for a while and I can't wait to go out there and play. On the defense: I think our defense looks great. I think they have looked the best since I have been here so far. They're mixing it up and doing all kinds of stuff our offense hasn't seen. I'm really excited to see what they're going to do when they step out on the field. QB Colt McCoy On the offense at this point: Actually, the first team played really well today. We executed everything we were supposed to and we moved the ball well. We made a couple of field goals and executed a touchdown drive. Overall, I thought we played really well. On being two weeks into practice: It really feels like we are right in the middle of it. We're ready to play somebody else. The defense is starting to pick up on our tendencies and we are starting to pick up on their tendencies, so our focus is really on Florida Atlantic now and what we have to do to be prepared for them. On the running back situation: Individually, they are all playing really well. In the last two scrimmages, each of them has gained positive yards whenever they touched the ball. That's a complement to the offensive line because they have been playing really well in their blocking schemes. Overall, the running backs all do certain things better than each other and we are going to play to their strengths every time. On WR Jordan Shipley getting his chance as being one of the top two receivers: Jordan is doing great. He is having a great fall camp and he is staying healthy, which is the biggest thing. We're definitely getting a lot of balls to him during practice. On the defense: They are doing a lot of three-down, four-down and switching to nickel and dime packages, so they are giving us all different kinds of looks. It's really going to help us all season because we are going to see everything they have been doing. They gave us some great looks today. QB John Chiles On his progression as a quarterback: I'm progressing pretty well. My reads are coming a little quicker, understanding what the line's supposed to be doing, what's my responsibility, things like that. Each and every day, Coach Davis helps me. I'm just trying to get better. On building confidence through being on the field more in various positions: I think that's accurate, just because me being in the game when I go in at quarterback, I'm not just coming off the bench. My arms are loose, my legs are loose, I've already been playing, I'm sweating, different things like that. On the package featuring him QB Colt McCoy: We're just kind of working on different things. We've got a lot of different things to work with right now. Coach is doing a good job of mixing them in. CB Ryan Palmer I love him to death just because he's always been by my side through the ups and downs in my five years here. He's always been there for me and I'll always be there for him, so I think it's a good relationship.
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