Final Spring Press Conference Quotes
Apr 24, 2003 | Football
April 24, 2003
MANHATTAN, Kan. -
KANSAS STATE HEAD COACH BILL SNYDER
On the spring game Saturday...
"I haven't decided totally yet on which way we'll divide the squad up and I won't do that until after we practice tomorrow. It will still be, and it always is, a fun day. There will be a lot of people around, and a lot of things going on. We will have an opportunity to honor people in the armed services from Fort Riley and around the state. A lot of players will have a lot of family members (at the game). I counted up a little while ago, and our players will have, I think the number was 587 family members, amongst all of them here for the spring game. Obviously, it means something to them, it's an enjoyable time, but for us it is still important that we have some plans about what we want to do, some things we want to achieve and ways in which we can promote attempting to get better. And that is exactly our attempt, is to become better on Saturday afternoon. It is still a part of our spring practice routine that we have and we'll treat it as gameday, but by the same token there will be a practice element to it as well."
On how the squad will be split for Saturday...
"We will either go our No. 1 offense against our No. 1 defense or we will go No. 1 offense against our No. 2 defense and visa/versa. We have done it both ways over the past years and we will decide that after Wednesday's workout."On whether he has ever been satisfied with a team in the spring...
"You are only a day away from being different than you are today. Things can happen at any given time that can alter your perception of your own football team. It is a day-to-day thing, and I think the pressure is constantly on 365 days of the year. If you sit back and relax, you have heard us talk about not taking things for granted, and that goes for coaches as well. If we take our football team, or any player, or any group of players for granted and feel like we have arrived, I can assure you, human nature will allow you to regret those feelings at some point in time."On depth chart changes as a result of the spring game...
"As soon as we complete spring practice, which encompasses the spring game, then we will finalize the depth chart for that given point in time. That depth chart then will be duplicated for the first day of practice in the fall and then it is open for alteration after that. Our rule is the player goes into the fall as he comes out of the spring, unless he has done something over the course of the summer to alter that. From that standpoint it could be an ever-evolving thing, but for the most part it will be stable."It is important to understand that you have 15 days to evaluate, not just one. If you have a youngster who has been very competitive for a position and they are very close between a one and a two and the two has a far better game, then he has the opportunity to move up. That is no different than where we are today. We have a depth chart that is out and on Wednesday we will practice and that depth chart can very easily change on Wednesday. It really is an evolving thing. So every time we get on the field you are subject to moving up or moving down."
On Ell Roberson improvement...
"From the end of the season to this point in time, I don't know. I mentioned Darren Sproles a couple weeks ago, and thought that he had made some significant improvement in all facets of the game. I don't think that I would say, collectively, that Ell has done that. I think there are some areas where he has gotten himself a little bit better, maybe in terms of his demeanor, his poise and his concept of our concepts, that he has made some improvement. I think there are some other areas where he hasn't. I still am not of a mindset to think that he has totally arrived. That doesn't mean he is not a good player and he is not practicing well. Considering the fact that he made the strides that he made from the end of the 2001 through the 2002 season, it would be important for him to continue to make that progress. Once you have closed the gap on playing close to whatever your potential happens to be, then to make greater progress is a little more difficult. I think he is at that stage."I think he is throwing the ball with a reasonable degree of accuracy right now. Could it be better? Always. I don't think that is one of the areas where there is any appreciable difference from when he ended the season, of which I thought he was throwing the ball reasonable well."
On who, with Darren Sproles, will handle the punt returning duties...
"There will be a large number of options. Derrick Evans has done a nice job with our returns. Maurice Mack, we have just recently tried to give him some opportunities back there. Maurice has proven to me that he is very capable of doing so. Davin Dennis has worked back there; James Terry has worked back there. This is all on punt returns and we have a plethora of people that are involved in our kick-off return, Darren (Sproles included."On pleasant surprises of the spring so far...
"Nothing just really jumps off the table at me, right now. I think Brandon Archer has really caught my eye as a weak-side linebacker for us. I like the way he is playing at this particular point in time. Just of late, in the last few days, I have been more impressed with Jon Doty, one of our offensive tackles. I think he has made some headway within a short period of time. I was tremendously impressed, yesterday, with Ayo Saba. He ran the ball with a tremendous amount of effort, aggressiveness and balance and all the things you like in a running back."Junior Defensive End Andrew Shull
On how the offense and defense compare...
"I think the offense has done a great job of coming out and making it competitive with us. I think it has been back and forth every
practice."
On who is standing out in spring practice...
"
I think our backfield on the offensive side is having a really good spring. Ell (Roberson) is throwing the ball real well. On the defense side, we are still trying to make some improvements in seeing who fits where."On who has been making big plays in practice...
"I think Jermaine Berry, Justin Montgomery and Andy Bulman have been doing a good job controlling the middle and flying around for balls. And they have been a good job of improving their stuff over the course of the spring."
Freshman Defensive Back Jesse Tetuan
On the competitiveness of his position...
"James McGill is a great player. That is the way Division I is. You just have to expect that there is going to be someone in every year that is going to be competing for your job and you have to handle it right and do the best you can."
On what he learned playing with Terence Newman...
"The actual preparation and the week before the game is what I picked up (from him). And how he watched film and practiced. It wasn't so much how he handled himself on gamedays, but it was the days before and that is what I really picked up on."Sophomore Kicker Joe Rheem
On the improvement of the line's protection...
"It has gotten a lot better. We have a new offensive line coach and he teaches a different technique. They have been in there and they have pushed everyone out farther, which allows me to have more time. They are doing a lot better up inside."
On his mindset of the kicking game....
"I know being here that it is one of the biggest stressful parts of the game. I didn't change my mindset from the Texas game on. It became more important to everyone else. They see how important it really is."
On being the only kicker right now...
"Right now, I am the only one kicking the ball. We have a couple people punting the ball. But it makes me feel good. At least I know Coach Snyder has confidence in me."Junior Offensive Lineman Nick Leckey
On what is most difficult about moving to center...
"It is taking your first step. It is really tough moving from guard where you have a little bit of weight on your hand and then going to center where you have no weight on your hand. You just have to play off two feet. It is really difficult. You just have to learn and use different cleats and get better steps off the ball. Your first step is that much more important."
On being comfortable at the center position...
"I definitely feel more comfortable. I feel more comfortable in general. I feel I have more knowledge and am more mature than I was in the past. I am pretty comfortable with my game and the improvements I have been making in the weightroom. I can come out here and do my best and I can play whatever position they want me too. I trust myself with my play knowledge and the knowledge of defenses and making the proper calls, which is essential for the center spot."
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