Head coach Tom Herman, OL Connor Williams and RB Chris Warren III met with the media on Thursday following the Longhorns' second spring practice.
Tom Herman
On whether getting through the opening portion of practice was easier today: Easier. Not easy, certainly. But yeah, easier. After the stretch part though, we were a little sluggish. I talked to the team after practice. I thought it might have been because they thought day one might have been a 'Hey this is day one, set the tempo' kind of deal and then we're going to let up. But they need to know that we never let up. They responded pretty well at the end of practice. As tired as they were, they were flying around pretty good.
On which players have stood out so far: I'm never going to comment on anybody's performance in shorts. It's just not football. We'll wait and see. The Tuesday after spring break will be a good indication of who stands out and who doesn't.
On his message to his players regarding spring break: Be safe. You hear horror stories all the time over spring break. I told them today, we're on a mission, and that mission doesn't press pause because you get a week off of school. Our culture needs to spread beyond just the building and the practice field. It needs to be in real life. If you're with your brother, take care of your brother. If you're alone or go home with friends, just be smart. Our coaches will be in constant communication with them.
On the quarterbacks: Their heads are swimming right now with the new offense and the tempo of it and what's expected of them. There's a lot on the quarterbacks' plate in this offense. Coach Beck and I were actually talking, it's probably the only position in football where you have to teach scheme before you teach fundamentals, because you literally can't get through a practice if your quarterback doesn't know to open left or open right or to look at this guy versus that guy in his read and all that. So you teach the scheme first, and there's some fundamental things. Both guys are a bit of overstriders, so we've got to compact them a little bit. But that'll come once they're comfortable in the offense. Then we can start talking about the minutiae of fixing some of the issues with their mechanics.
On only having the kids for two practices before spring break: When we come back we'll have that Monday to meet. We'll be able to refresh them. With the first practice that they're back on that Tuesday being in pads, you try as offensive and defensive staffs not to install new stuff. It's more going over what you installed day one and day two, now at full speed in pads. And then that Thursday you can hit them with a few new things in installation. We thought about, because we're a new staff and giving us time as a staff to kind of get our bearings, waiting until after spring break. But then you've got to try to cram 15 practices into four weeks rather than 13, because we've got to hit the road for spring recruiting and we don't want to drag it out. I've done the four practices a week model and that's tough on the kids.
On his thoughts after watching the film from Tuesday's practice: My thoughts were that we need to continue to develop our practice habits and go through the echo of the whistle. That was the main takeaway. It was impressive when guys were going full speed and through the whistle. There's certainly a lot of athleticism out there on the field.
On what he hoped to get out of the first two practices: Just practice culture and what the expectations are for a practice. The plays don't matter. They never will. It's how you prepare and how you practice and then ultimately how you play. The effort and intensity that you play with. If you've got elite, championship practice habits, you can call whatever play you want, if you've got good players and you've recruited well. I think that's really starting to sink in.
Connor Williams
On transitioning into full practices: Everyone's first day of spring is like riding a new bicycle. We're definitely getting our feet under us and figuring out the new offense and everything. We're just trying to put our team together.
On team goals for the spring: I think Coach Herman's really stressing how we practice. So I think it's all about effort first, and then it's about Xs and Os. So we've got to get down our practice habits and then we can get to the offense.
On personal goals this spring: I'm just trying to learn the offense, understand the new technique, and just perfect my craft.
On working with a new offensive line coach: They all have their different traits. I mean Warehime, he's intense. He wants things done how he wants it. He's a perfectionist. So everything I do I have to do perfect.
On working on leadership: I'm trying to take a more vocal stance first with the offensive line and getting the offensive line together. And then the team approach.
On comradery between offensive lineman: I think we've been getting really close together. I think we're really a family now, and I enjoy saying that because I feel like we've been lacking that the past couple years. So I feel like we're one unit.
On Coach Herman: I think all our coaches get their traits from Coach Herman. You've got to have your foot behind the line if he says foot behind the line. You've got to run to the sideline if he says run to the sideline.
On what fans will see at the spring game: Hopefully they see a passionate football team and see a football team that's willing to go hard so they can win, and demands perfection.
Chris Warren III
On his coming back and practicing: There's definitely a little progression to it. The way I've been working through the offseason I feel like it's going to be an easier transition.
On if he missed football: Oh absolutely. Especially having to watch the games and be at the games. It's definitely one of those heartbreaking things where you can't go out there and help your team whether they win or lose.
On Coach Drayton: He's not a stern guy, but he's definitely one of those guys that's about his business. He wants us to succeed in all aspects of the game and in life. He wants us to be a grown man. I think he's definitely one of those guys that will show us how to do that.
On if he's taken a leadership role: I'm definitely trying to. I haven't been a vocal leader before, even in high school, but I'm trying to come out of my shell and be one of those guys because we all need a leader. We have some already, but I feel like on offense we need some more older guys to step up.
On what the team is trying to accomplish this spring: To give ourselves an identity. If we can get an identity early we can definitely go into summer camp with an idea of what we want to do and need to work on.
On what he is trying to accomplish personally: Just trying to win. I couldn't care less about anything else right now. When we win, all the individual stuff will come, so I feel like that's what we need to focus on.
On Coach Herman: Just full of energy. He's really passionate. The guy loves the game. He loves us. He loves this university and I think he's going to lead us into a really good direction.
On Coach Beck: It's been really good. The way that they've explained stuff to us, it's been really easy to catch onto. A lot of this stuff kind of falls into the same category.
[TexasSports]
