Snyder Talks to Media Prior to Spring Practice
Apr 03, 2003 | Football
April 1, 2003
MANHATTAN, Kan. - KANSAS STATE HEAD COACH BILL SNYDER
On what the primary concerns are this spring...
"I think first and foremost what we are primarily concerned with is, collectively, to be able to develop an approach, an attitude, a unification and an improvement in all positions. Whether it is a returning starter or where we don't have a returning starter. If we break it down by position, I think on the defensive side of the ball obviously you lose Terence Newman, you lose Terry Pierce, some defensive linemen who were very instrumental in our success last year and that is where we would start. We need to define a clear cut No. 1 corner, in lieu of Terence and we certainly have to do the same thing at the other positions indicated. That will certainly take some focus on our part. By the same token, I don't think that supercedes just trying to improve whoever lines up to play at every position that we have, on either side of the ball."
"Offensively, the obvious thing is, our focus will really be on trying to place offensive linemen in the right spots and to make improvements in that segment of our game and do the same thing at the wide receiver position. With everything else, we are still going to try and get ourselves better, but for the most part, we have people in depth in place."
On how much the teams rely on past experiences...
"I don't think you just completely blot out everything that has taken place. I wouldn't suggest to our football team, and haven't, that they embrace the 2002 season and blank out the 2001 season, or any other season for that matter. I think there are lessons to be learned from each; I think there are still lessons to be learned by this football team from each of those seasons. I wouldn't want them to entertain the same approach that we did going into the 2001 season, coming off of a very fine 2000 season. That goes back into the (idea that) lets not take what happened last season for granted. Let's recognize where we are and how we got where we are, whether that is good or bad. But, we still have to be able to identify that and learn from it. And by the same token I think that there are things that they learned going into this past season that should be of carryover value to this year. All of them, there is so much they need to learn from, and I think life is a lesson everyday and they need to understand that relates to football just like it does to other aspects of their life."
On using tricks to keep the players motivated...
"If I had to trick them into it, then I would be setting them up for failure to begin with. You just can't go through life tricking yourself or other people into doing particular things. It might be functional from time to time, but when it really counts it will probably backfire on you. The important thing is, for this team, as with any team, is to have the kind of quality leadership, leadership of substance that understands what needs to be down and understands how it needs to be done and to portray that two their teammates. Along those lines, I have been pleased with what I have see as an emerging leadership within our program as represented by our player representatives that were selected. They serve a role of leadership in our program and I was proud, as I indicated in the release, of our players, collectively, from selecting the players that they did to serve in that leadership capacity. It indicated some insight on the part of our players and I've been reasonably pleased with the way that all of those young people that are thrust into that capacity have responded, in their attempt to provide quality leadership for our football team. But, I think that's what really has to take place when it comes to day 13, 14, 15 of spring practice or if it comes to day 13, 14, 15 of anything else that we do. They have to give us direction and guidance from within."
On where the program is now, compared to past seasons...
"If I took the out-of-season program collectively, I would say it might be a little bit better. There are periods of time when that wouldn't be true, but collectively, over the entirety of the out-of-season program I would say that maybe this one is a step ahead of the others. I think under the direction of Rod Cole and our strength and conditioning and agility staff that a substantial amount of progress was made. I go back and look at the testing that everybody does at the conclusion of their out-of-season program. I think if you took the last 11 out-of-season programs and this one, collectively, including all the things we do, probably tested out at, and again this is on a collective basis, which has it good points and maybe not so good, but tested out perhaps as well as, if not better than all other. How I define that is there are certain levels at each category and we set a particular parameter and determine what percentage of our players can reach that parameter. There are eight of those significant tests that we give. In four of those eight tests, this group tested higher or no lower than tied for the highest than all of those programs throughout that 11 years. So, 50 percent of the testing was, from a collective standpoint, very, very good. That doesn't mean that everyone, to the man, tested better than somebody else did in another year. There were other tests, at least four other tests, were this group wasn't the very best, but given that standpoint, I think we have had a pretty good out-of-season. I think the attitude has been good, I appreciate that. As I indicated, I think some of the leadership has emerged during that period of time as well. And we are, as you recognize, this is your last stop when you come to one of these thing that kick off spring practice. We are the last program in our conference, probably the last program in the country, to get started in spring practice. That goes back to our desire to place great emphasis on our out-of-season program and make sure that we have enough time left in that segment of program before we begin the next step which is spring practice."
On the progress of the out-of-season program...
"I am pleased and I would be either upset, or disappointed or frightened, if indeed we didn't test well. Testing well isn't always in comparison to someone else, (it tells) whether or not we are making improvement. I think that is where the important facet of that really lies. Does the young guy come out of the program better, does he test better than he did going in. But, there are other things that are required during the out-of-season work as well and that has to do with the extrinsic things, the development of work habits, the leadership capabilities, the discipline, of hard work and time consumption and commitment to a common cause. Those kinds of things and that's been positive."
On the importance of the younger quarterbacks continuing to get better...
"I think that goes without saying. Obviously it's important that they continue to become better players, but it is equally as important for Ell (Roberson) to become a better player as well. I think all three of them; I am pleased with at this point in time. I think they have all excepted the responsibility to get themselves better. Obviously, Ell (Roberson) and Jeff (Schwinn) have a substantial amount of time in our program, so they have an awfully good understanding. The development of Dylan Meier is a different story. Not having the experience within our program, it is going to take some time for him, and we'll focus on that because we think he is going to be a very fine player in our program. We want to give him the opportunity to develop himself during this period of time, so he will get ample work."
On the schedule...
"I don't know if it is complete right now or not. I know that we have 12 games at this point in time. I think it can be good for us. It wasn't totally what we were looking for, but never the less, I look at the latest addition, McNeese State, a 13-2 football team that played for a national championship, and is really a quality football team with a lot of people coming back. They do some things in their packages, offensively and defensively which are things we need to be able to respond to going into conference play. From that standpoint it makes it a viable game on our schedule. The 12th or 13th game, whichever it becomes, is going to impact the financial status of our athletic department, so there is a positive, by being able to play an additional ballgame. Those normally produce somewhere in the vicinity of a million dollars to our athletic department, again which is going to enhance the capabilities of all sports, not just football."
On the status of a Black Coaches Association game...
"Opportunities to make a decision won't come, probably, for another two weeks, the way I understand it right now."
On where the game would be played...
"The initial dialog was that the game take place in Kansas City. And it is still financially rewarding for us to do it."
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JUNIOR LINEBACKER JOSH BUHL
On the team....
"We just need to pick up right where we left off. It is just another spring. We have a lot of things we need to rebuild on and work on to help us be a better team from last year. That is our main focus going into the spring."
On the defense...
"We have a lot of guys coming in and a lot of guys that have been in the program and understand what started last year and what we want to build on. The new guys are really bringing it on and really understanding what is going on as well."
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JUNIOR SAFETY RASHAD WASHINGTON
On how his role has changed....
"I think it has changed a lot. A lot of people on the team and on the coaching staff are looking for me to produce and bring everybody else along with me. Make sure everybody is improving each and every day and making sure people are moving in the right direction."
On his confidence...
"I think my confidence will be a lot better. I have learned a lot playing within that season and I learned a lot when I didn't play the year before that by sitting on the sidelines, being in the meeting rooms with guys like Jon McGraw and Milton Proctor. I learned a lot from those guys with what they brought to the table. I just try to apply that to my game."
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JUNIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN NICK LECKEY
On the spring season....
"Once the spring is over, the season starts. So we want to make the most of it. We are all looking forward to spring ball."
On his senior season....
"I do feel like the old man on the offensive line right now. It is weird. It is finally my senior year and I never thought it would come here. It seemed like a light in the future when I was a freshman, but now it is here. It is my last spring game and starting to be the last one for everything. So I just have to make the most of it. Stay injury free and try to get better each day."
On the new offensive line coach Bob Stanley...
"He was here when I was a freshman, so I got to know him then. There are different coaching styles and different things you are allowed to do and different things you are not allowed to do. So it is hard getting used to that, but I am pretty sure I have a good base of knowledge and skills that I can carry those over and try to help the other guys out with the sort-of -new system."
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JUNIOR QUARTERBACK ELL ROBERSON
On whether this spring is different from last spring...
"I don't think so. We are losing Marc (Dunn) and he was a great contribution to us. But we have Jeff Schwinn and he is a guy that can play. He can run fast, can make people miss and can throw the ball well. So I think it will still be a big competition. We have some younger guys in (Dillon) Meier and (Alan) Webb. I will have to knuckle down and battle with them."
On him knowing he is the No. 1 quarterback...
"It keeps a more competitive drive in me. Knowing that I am going to be the number one, I have to keep it up and prove to everybody and the team that I feel like I am the guy. So, they will be looking forward for me to lead them. And I will just continue to do that."
On taking the opportunity for granted....
"It will always be that way. Coach Miller is the guy that will bail me out 24-7. We have sat down and talked about it. He told me that when he feels me slacking he is going to let me know. As long as I have that, I am going to be alright."
