University of Houston Athletics
Houston Media Day
8/2/2018 7:25:00 PM | Football
Quotes from Head Coach Major Applewhite, coordinators and student-athletes
Carl Lewis Auditorium • Athletics/Alumni Center
HEAD COACH MAJOR APPLEWHITE
Opening Statement
"I'm excited to be back. Our guys are going to report here at 4 p.m., and we'll have a team meeting this afternoon. We will start out on the practice fields tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. for our five-day acclimation period. They've had a great summer. All our preparation goes back to January. We've had the staff, players and new guys come in. They had a phenomenal spring and outstanding summer. Their attendance, effort and focus has been great. (Sports Performance) Coach (Rod) Grace and his staff have done a phenomenal job, and I've seen great gains during both the spring and summer. I'm excited to get back, put the ball on the ground and get playing.
"At 4 p.m., when we talk as a team, it is going to be very simple in terms of our approach to fall camp. I'm going to talk to them about two things: No. 1, develop. We have to develop as a team, develop in football and develop as individuals. When I was a player at Texas, Coach Royal used to say, 'a team is no more than a collection of individuals.' We have to develop as individuals, develop on our side of the ball and develop as a team. At some point, we will turn our focus towards Rice at fall camp. "The second thing is being a great teammate. There are a 1,000 things that go into that in terms of off-field behavior, on-field behavior, execution, dependability and respect. That goes back into our development. That's our message today. I'm very positive and excited to go. I'm looking forward to putting the ball down at 9:30 a.m., Friday."
On what he wants to see from this program after last season
"Improvement. Obviously, you are judged by your win-loss column, and, ultimately, that is what matters, but improvement. That's why the whole theme in terms of fall camp is development. Where are we at certain positions, where are we on certain sides of the ball and special teams phases and where are we as far as team morale going into the beginning of the season. I'm not going to get into the results. I'm more process oriented. That is where our focus is right now. "We want to develop as a team and, at some point, we will turn our focus to our first opponent. Right now, it is about everybody getting back, being excited about putting the ball down, learning our defense, learning our offense and things like that."
On the strengths and weaknesses of the team heading into camp
"The experience upfront on the offensive and defensive line if you pinpointed it would be where our strength is. We have had a lot of guys play on the offensive line that are on our roster and a lot of guys on the defensive side that have played a lot on our defensive line. That is where our experience is. "We've done some things in the offseason to bring in fifth-year seniors in the secondary, at wide receiver and running back to help positions that are good already and make them even better. Guys that can produce right off the bat. Those are two positions, offensive line and defensive line, that we are deep. "We should be good, but that doesn't mean we will be good. We have to work and develop there. Those are two of our strengths. Quite honestly, I'd rather be strong up front than in the back end at wide receiver and those things. We've got great players on the outside at tailback, wide receiver and defensive back. We just have to keep developing the depth there."
On the transfers and what they will add
"Whether it's a fifth-year guy or a freshman, we expect people that are coming into this program to contribute. If you are good enough, you are old enough. Part of talking about that today at 4 p.m. is telling them that development in terms of being a good teammate is not focusing on the depth chart. Let's develop ourselves as players, and then the depth chart will develop itself. There are some guys that are penciled in, and there is a pecking order that you start fall camp with, but that doesn't mean your job is secure. We'll look at fifth-year guys that same way we'll look at freshman who can help us win."
On his maturation going into his second year as head coach
"Management. You get more comfortable with the calendar, managing people and managing different parts of your staff. The trust factor is hard your first year because you haven't been in battle with certain people in certain systems. After going through that for a year with those people around you, you develop a comfort and trust level. "Coming out of that first year, that was something that I paid close attention to, in terms of where do you need to spend your time and prioritizing things. There are a lot of things going on within a program, whether it's academic or having a young men dealing with personal issues. There are a lot of things going on, so how do you prioritize your time and prioritize your trust level with the people who are helping you run your program?"
On where things are with junior quarterback D'Eriq King
"Quarterbacks in general have to be tough, they have to be great leaders and they have to be competitive. You have to have those three characteristics no matter how fast you are or how well you can throw the ball. If you are tough, a leader and competitive, people can get behind you. You saw that when he came in the game at USF. He's got the respect of our team. They know he is a tough competitor, and they know he is a leader. I am looking forward to him building off that. "I told D'Eriq when we went to (American Athletic Conference) Media Day together that, 'you are in the same position that Greg Ward was coming out of his sophomore year. He was named the starter towards the end of his sophomore year and went on a little run. He had a little more playing time than you did your sophomore more year, but he went on a run. The team rallied around him and didn't finish the season the way they wanted, but they knew coming back that this guy was for real. You're poised for that, you've worked for that and go out there and just have fun. You have a great coach and a great system'. "I am excited to see him continue to grow and develop. I've seen him all summer. I've seen the look in his eyes and the effort that he has given during his offseason workouts. What he's done with the wide receivers and bringing those guys together, that's the look of a starter. He has those three things that I talked about and now he has to continue to get with Coach Briles and develop."
On what Terence Williams will bring to the team
"He's cleared. You could tell being out during the spring, graduating from Baylor and coming in June that we had some work to do in terms of getting back physically. I watched his last workout, walked up to Kendal and said, 'man, he looks great'. When he is in shape, he looks great. Coach (Rod) Grace has done a phenomenal job with him in about six to seven weeks just like he's done with (senior cornerback) Nick (Watkins), (Quinten) Dormady and all of the guys. You get in there, get reps, make those reps count and then we'll start moving the depth chart. Execute your plays, and then the depth chart will develop itself over time."
On how Ed Oliver has handled things up to this point and expectations for him
"Continue to be a great player and great teammate. Those are things we have to work on daily. I tell all the guys to be a great teammate and be a great staff member, too. Those are things we have to focus on daily, and he's done well in terms of answering all the questions right. That's the game of football. It's easy when you're in film, home rooms and places like that to have all the right answers, but what happens when you get into a game competitively? Then we find out what you are made of. "That's when those questions are really important, not Media Day. He's answered every question the right way. Now, it's time to go out and practice the right way and execute."
On the new redshirt rule
"We talked about that all summer and at our coaches' retreat in terms of freshmen with their four games and declared year of eligibility. You never want to put the cart before the horse. We are going to try to get all of our freshmen in when we have the chance to do it, whatever the game is. When it happens we have to keep tabs after that game and in terms of in the time that he had, this guy is going to help us down the line. Now, let's take the four games off this guy, and he could be someone that helps us all the way through the season. "There are other guys that you watch during the opening game, maybe give him three more dips and redshirt him. I'll monitor that. We'll discuss it every Sunday once we get the participation chart and see who took snaps. It's something you have to monitor throughout the season. Every game is going to have its own story and write its own script. It's hard to say that they are going to play in this one, this one, this one and this one."
On how far they are in learning the offense
"We went through it yesterday with the offensive staff, and there is not a lot more. They threw a bunch at them in the spring, there are a couple things as you see the personnel, but for the most part, 80-85 percent of what they did in the spring is what they are going to be doing. "There are a few other situations; two-minute drill, taking the air out of the ball in the game, new calls, different philosophies for different times, but Coach (Randy) Clements and Coach (Kendal) Briles did a great job of throwing as much as possible at them in the spring so when they come back in fall, they aren't learning a bunch of new stuff."
On the tempo
"We want as many plays as humanly possible, as many at-bats as humanly possible. The more opportunities you have to put the ball in the hands of an explosive player, the more opportunities you have to score points. We want to be bold. We don't want to be emotional and foolish, but we want to be aggressive in what we are doing and we are going to do that. We have the right players to do it and the right coaches to do it. That is going to be our philosophy on offense. Play fast, play physical and have fun with it."
On the evolution of the conference
"It is the most competitive league from top to bottom. You have great coaches throughout the league. If you see the turnaround at Tulane with Willie Fritz and other coaches being able to come in and establish themselves, whether it be UCF and Scott Frost, or Coach (Charlie) Strong improving on what Willie Taggart did, or (Ken) Niumatalolo and what he does at Navy. "There are great coaches across the board in this league. Week-in and week-out you have to be prepared to play in this league. You've seen us in 2015, Temple in 2016 and UCF in 2017. USF was right there with them in the conference championship game. It's strong from top to bottom. It's different than other leagues that I've been in. Every week you have to be ready to go, every single week. "If you look at our record last year, the losses we had to league opponents were within touchdowns, in the fourth quarter within touchdowns. Every game is close in our league for the most part. It's a credit to the coaches but also a credit to the players. The players are what make the league. We've got great players in our league, and people are finding that out. "Unfortunately, they are finding that out New Year's Day, but they are figuring out that these guys can play. There are some great coaches out there and some of those kids that bigger schools have passed up on end up seeing them. They end up seeing them in a bowl game."
On if the players pray before games
"Our guys always say the Lord's Prayer before they go out on the field. They do it voluntarily after practice. Whenever we get done talking with the team, we break it down, they do the Lord's Prayer, and they take off from there."
On how praying affects them prior to games
"Individually, some guys are headphone and music guys, while some guys are spiritual. That's what we talk about. Whatever you need to do to get yourself prepared for the game, as long as it doesn't disrupt your teammate, do it. A lot of guys on our team were raised that way and are spiritual. Who am I to get in the way of that?"
On the health of the team
"We have been very healthy. Our guys have handled all of their stuff academically and will be back. We have one young man with a hamstring that will hinder him a little bit early on in fall camp. He is a newcomer that is just coming in. We have a healthy group right now and are ready to go."
On what team will give them a challenge this season
"I appreciate the question, but they are all going to give us a challenge. Every team on the conference and non-conference schedule is going to be a challenge. I feel uneasy as a coach getting into those conversations about who is the team to watch. The team to watch is Rice. That is where our focus is." "I can't get into that. We'll get into that as the season goes on. The hype begins, but right now it's about developing as a team and getting The Bucket."
On the state of Houston Athletics
"Success breeds success. I've seen it happen. I saw it happen at Texas in 2003-04 as a graduate assistant. The football team starts winning, the baseball team starts winning, all of a sudden (Kevin) Durant shows up and you're in the Final Four. "It is a winning atmosphere, winning habits, winning around the building, expecting to win and believing you can win. I've seen it, and it's contagious. It's something that I welcome. I loved it when you win on New Year's Day at the Peach Bowl, and people look around and say, 'hey, we need to win too'. I love that, the competitive nature. You don't shy away from it; you welcome it."
On how he plans to use freshman wide receiver Julon Williams and redshirt freshman quarterback Bryson Smith
"D'Eriq will take our reps with the starters. Quinten Dormady will take reps with the 2s. Clayton Tune is coming in as a true freshman, and some days he will get reps with other groups like the 3s. Bryson will have a package at wide receiver and a package at quarterback. "Like I said, through the developmental phase of fall camp, when you see how people are falling into it and you see that you may need to go full throttle with a guy at wide receiver, or full throttle with a guy at running back, tight end or whatever it is. That is our starting point at the quarterback position."
On his thoughts on the current situation at Ohio State
"To me, it's about tending to your own garden. Focus on your program, your players and your coaches. I don't know all the facts. I just know that I have players who I promised their moms and dads that I'd do the best that I can with them. My job is to make sure that I create resources and time for the staff to do their jobs. We are creating an atmosphere, and there are certain things that aren't going to be tolerated. We know that as coaches; we see it every day. My focus is on our garden."
On how big a Heisman Trophy winner would be for Houston
"It would be big for a lot of different reasons. A Heisman going to a defensive lineman, a Heisman going to this conference, a Heisman for a guy who decided to stay home. There's a lot of causes that guys win from. You can get a Heisman as a defensive lineman; you don't have to be at one of those conferences. Those are all important things. "Again, it's like picking out the one team on your schedule who will bring you challenges. It is so far down the road (that) it is not even part of my mindset. I am just hoping that Will Noble won't snap the ball over D'Eriq King's head on the first play tomorrow. That's where my mindset is."
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MARK D'ONOFRIO
On getting to know personnel
"A lot of that start in the summertime. That is the period where the younger guys get acclimated with the older guys and the other way around. It's a great time to make that bond."
On making improvements
"At the end of the day, we want to limit explosive plays; we want to be disruptive. We want to create TFLs, sacks, takeaways. We have the guys on defense to score some points, whether it be blocked field goals like we did in the bowl game or interception returns. "I'm also looking for the depth to increase. That's something we set out to do with this recruiting class, with the transfers, the guys we brought in mid-year. All of that has been done to improve our depth and competition."
On lack of attention toward senior defensive back Garrett Davis
"I don't think it's lacking. It's great that we got new guys, and that goes back to the same concept of creating competition. We're expecting Garrett to have a big year for us. He's got a lot of experience. He played essentially nickel two seasons ago. Last year was his first back at safety, so this year being his second in a row, we're looking for him to have a consistent, productive year."
On game planning with Ed Oliver
"There's two good things going on… one, Ed is a heck of a player. But we also have other guys that are capable of being big-time playmakers. I know the attention is going to be put on Ed. That's obvious if you're an offensive coordinator, but it is our job to try to find enough spots and creative ways to get him in position to get plays. If all the attention is on Ed, we're hoping that opens up things for other guys as well."
On improvements and changes to the secondary
"You focus on making every individual better. I sound like a broken record, but really that's the way. "People like to call it the process, so how do we do that? They know now that with the depth that we have, if they slip up, they're probably not going to play. Perhaps last year, we didn't have that. Another thing we did was add a 10th coach, so now safeties and corners have a position coach. The coaching can really be specific as far as technique. It will also help communication."
On mindset in the secondary
"A lot of that is going to come from experience. When you talk about returners, it's really just Isaiah (Johnson) and Alex (Alexander Myres). It was their first year at the position last year, so we're hoping to see them improve. (Junior cornerback) Ka'darian Smith had a good spring, and he's a guy that's been around here for a while now, so I'm expecting him to be in the mix, same with DJ (Small). That's why we went out and got an experienced guy with Nick (Watkins). Getting talented guys in the room ultimately will change the mindset."
On junior cornerback Ka'Darian Smith
"I had him for two years, his second year. He had an ACL injury, but as a freshman, he stood out for being really smart. It's rare that you ask a freshman to play two positions in multiple packages. By the time he was a sophomore, he was our starting outside linebacker, backup inside linebacker and our rush end on third-down packages. He's really bright; he's a tough inside linebacker type. If you're asking what has changed since I was there, he's probably gotten bigger, but he's a good teammate and he has fit really well.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KENDAL BRILES
On if junior defensive end Ed Oliver will play on offense
"I hope so. I've got the green light from the head man (Head Coach Major Applewhite), so that's the No. 1 key. The guy is the most talented guy on the team, so if we can incorporate him down there, then we'll do that."
On how much of the offense has been installed
"That's a fair number: 85-88 percent. The main thing is just the mechanics of how everything works: the tempo of the offense, guys getting signals, guys lining up. The way that the offense is it's much different than what they've run here in the past. That's the biggest thing from a play standpoint. "That's just like those guys going to class and learning a new subject. They're going to learn those plays and the way we do them and the way we want them operated. The main thing this fall is No. 1 – staying healthy, and we'll do a good job as coaches of protecting them in that regard. We have some guys where we can create some things offensively and get them in space, and hopefully be very successful doing that."
On what makes the offense go in keeping defenses on their heels
"The more plays you run, the more touches you're getting guys, the more chances that you have to score… all those things fall into account. The more plays the defense is having to stay out there and having to go through series. If you can continually pick up first downs and continually (play with) tempo and not give them many chances to really think, breathe (and) align, then you have a better opportunity to have big plays, and that's what we try to do."
On the progression of junior quarterback D'Eriq King and what he sees as his ceiling
"I don't want to talk about his ceiling. I know what I've got right now. The kid is a tremendous leader. As a person, he's a better person than he is a player. He's just a tremendous ambassador for the university. I love working with him. "He's consistent. Every day is the same with him. You know what you're getting every single day. He's a great learner. He really cares about being a great quarterback, and most of the great quarterbacks do so. When you have that, and then you have some God-given abilities, you have the opportunity to be successful. Hopefully, he can continue where he left off in the spring. He finished the spring really playing at a high level. If he can continue to do that, then we'll like what we have."
On how junior quarterback D'Eriq King fits into the offense and King's consistency
"The consistency part is just day-to-day the way he lives his life. You know every single day that you're getting the same person, whether it's in the weight room with (Director for Sports Performance) Rod (Grace), in the training room, with the academic people or with us in the meeting rooms. You're just getting the same person every day. That's a great quality as an individual. I know that's the type of person he is, so I don't' have to worry if he's going to be down a day or what he's going to be like. He's going to be the same person. "As far as tailoring him into the offense, I don't look at it like that. My job as offensive coordinator is to tailor our guys to fit what system we need to run. I'm never going to say, 'this guy can't do this, so we're not going to do it.' We're always going to try to find ways for our personnel to adapt, and that's why we've had a chance to be successful in the past, because we're not afraid to adapt, and change and fit our personnel to the best fit."
On what about junior quarterback D'Eriq King excites him the most
"I can't tell you that. There are a couple of things that we feel good about. We have to get it out there. It looks better on the board sometimes than it does when you run it. We feel good about a couple of things, and some players, when we're able to get them the ball. The most exciting thing about the fall camp and the season and is just really the eagerness of all the players. We have a lot of hungry guys on offense who haven't really done a whole lot. They've kind of sat around and bided their time, and now they have a new system and kind of a new spark. These guys are really, really eager to go out there and to prove, and we're in a proving business. I'm really excited to watch those guys go work."
On senior running back Terence Williams and how familiar he is with some aspects of the office
"If you see Terence, then you're going to like the way he looks. He's a 6-2 plus, 225-pound running back. He has talent. He has ball skills. He has balance. He's tough. He's mean, which is what you want. He plays with an edge. We need that from an offensive standpoint. We need to have an edge about us, and he's going to bring that for us. "He's had a little bit of some injuries throughout his career, but right now he's 100 percent. He said he feels great, so I'm excited to see him get back on the field. Some of the calls are always adapting. They're always changing, so some of those things will be different, but from a mechanics standpoint, he's going to understand what we expect and how the offense runs. It's going to be a seamless transition for him."
On playing with a rotation at running back or using one player as much as he possible
"It's like anything… if a guy is hot, you let him go. The way that you tempo and being down here in the South, where it's hot and humid, you can't really tempo if you're exchanging personnel. If we run a guy off the field, then they're going to be able to sub defensively. They're going to slow the game. If we're at a point where we're trying to play fast, then we're going to let a guy eat. "Now, if we get to a stoppage, or a penalty or something like that, then we can exchange some guys and get some fresh people on the field. With Mulbah (Car) and Patrick (Carr) and Kevrin (Justice), there are a host of guys in that running back room that I do feel strongly about them going into the fall camp. Pre-spring, I did not feel that way. I feel a lot better about that."
On junior quarterback D'Eriq King's excitement level for running his offense
"Have you met D'Eriq? He's kind of reserved. He's got a business approach to everything that he does. You can see him cut up with the guys a little bit, but when he's in the office building, and that's usually my engagements with him, he's pretty reserved with the way he is. "The thing that you can't hide is competitiveness. When you watch tape, and you see him make a throw, then you can see the body language, the reactions and how much he cares, and that's the thing when I'll evaluate players is watching them, not so much during the play, but after the play and before the play. What is your body language? You're talking all the time on the field, so you can read those things and see how they're reacting, and I like the way he holds himself."
On how it feels to be back in Texas and coaching football
"It's awesome. U of H is an awesome university. I obviously graduated from here, and my wife was a student-athlete here, so being back has been really cool. Doc (Mike) O'Shea, my gosh, he's been here forever, and seeing him on a daily basis, and hopefully you get to interview him because he's the best guy you can interview. He's unbelievable, but he's still doing it strong. There's just so much excitement surrounding the program and the city of Houston. You can't beat it. Yeah, I'm very blessed."
On his father, Art Briles, getting back on the field coaching in Italy
"It's a great day for him. He needs to be on the field coaching. That's what he's done his entire life. I'm fired up for him. That will be great."
On if Art Briles is excited to be back
"Absolutely. It's been two years without coaching, so back on the field going is where he belongs."
On the young wide receivers
"Those guys are very eager. Those guys are the most eager. We graduated maybe five seniors. There really hasn't been a lot of guys play. Our leading receiver is actually (quarterback) D'Eriq King, and he's going to be throwing the ball to them now. You've got some guys that have really busted their butt all spring and summer. "Terry Mark is one guy that comes to mind that has just been outstanding every single day. Keith Corbin, Courtney Lark, Marquez Stevenson, all those guys have done a tremendous job. You add Raelon (Singleton) in the group and kind of see what he's capable of doing, but there is not a guy that is just the guy. I don't think so yet. That's a good thing, because you have a lot of different weapons, so we'll see who emerges."
On if he's been able to identify the speed at wide receiver that he mentioned before spring practice
"From a speed standpoint, Courtney (Lark), Terry (Mark) and Marquez (Stevenson) are probably three of your fastest. Keith Corbin is not going to go run low 4.4s, but he plays fast. He's a savvy receiver, and I like the way that he understands the game. He reminds me of Terrance Williams, who is with the (Dallas) Cowboys, that I coached and recruited. He understands how to play football. When you have a guy like that, and you couple it with some talent, then you have a pretty good football player. I feel good about that room. Coach (Kenny) Guiton does a tremendous job coaching those guys, so they'll be dialed in ready to go."
On having redshirt freshman Bryson Smith at receiver and if he will continue to work at quarterback
"He'll be in the quarterback room. I'll meet with Bryson, and we'll be able to have some things for him. It's no secret: if you have a guy that's really talented, then you find ways to get him the ball. He's really that guy. He's very explosive. He can handle it from a mental capacity. Bringing (senior quarterback) Quinten Dormady in, and him having a chance to come in here and compete, that kind of softens the blow from being able to put another guy like Bryson Smith on the field at other positions."
JUNIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ED OLIVER
On starting practice
"Tomorrow, we hit the ground running, I'm ready to go out there with my team. I haven't been around my guys all week. We've been on break trying to get our bodies right, but I'm ready to get out there and have fun."
On importance of team accolades
"The city deserves it, the school deserves it. That's definitely something that is high on my list above all any personal goals, and whatever follows, follows."
On how he tunes out talk of going professional
"Having a great support group, a group of guys that treat me the same all the time. They hold me accountable just like I hold them accountable. Stay grounded."
On making decision to go pro early
"I did it more so for the team than me.. Eliminate distractions so we can focus on games, not on me."
On being in a tough conference
"Without a doubt, the versatility of the league is tough. You have a wide range of teams and playing styles to prepare for."
On importance of fall camp
"This is where the players emerge and the leaders stand out. Over the next few weeks, we'll find out who we can count on."
On being named best college player by Sports Illustrated
"It don't mean anything to me. I got two goals this year Regardless of the draft, I'm not going to let that overshadow what we're going to do this year because it's going to be very special." On playing Texas Southern "It's fun because you get to reconnect with guys that you may know or get along with. It's bragging rights really"
SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK GARRETT DAVIS
On the team's goals entering the season
"As far as the team goes, we always expect to win the West (Division), our side of the conference, but more so (we are) focusing on fall camp right now (and) getting better, hardening our weaknesses, just figuring out as a team what it is that we need to come together and do to get better."
On the experience returning to the defensive backs unit
"We have some good pieces with Nick (Watkins) coming over and helping us out. We have some older guys, Isaiah Johnson and Alex Myres, some more experienced guys that are back now like myself. We have to replace one of our other safeties. As far as what we've done over the summer and the work that we've put in, everybody is ready to go out there and show their skills and put work in."
On what they have done to get better as a defensive back unit
"We have new plays. We work out every day on Tuesday and Thursday as a defensive back group. The bond that we build throughout those days, throughout training camp and throughout the summer, we're just ready to go out there and ball. We know we're an important group on our defense, and we take that role. We have some older guys in there and some guys that are getting experience, so now it's just about putting the ball down and working the plays that we have."
On new pieces in the secondary
"The transfer that we have, Nick Watkins, coming over and getting him in the back end, and with the corners that we have that are older and developed, with the plays that we've put in, we have a pretty experienced group as far as knowledge. A lot of people need to get more plays. As a defensive back group, we've gotten a lot better. As a team, we worked hard over the summer, and the sky is the limit for us. We want to win the West every time we go out. We're very capable of that, and we're ready to put the ball down."
On thinking about personal goals throughout the season
"You try your hardest to not think about it, because at the end of the day, it's a game. It's a game you've been playing your whole life. With that being said, it's easy to play the game, when you're not thinking about all the other things."
On the addition of sophomore defensive back Deontay Anderson
"I like Deontay. He's got some range. He's a tough guy. Like I said, we got a lot of newcomers over the break. With the pieces that we put in, it's done nothing but help the back end."
On the work ethic of the secondary
"I like it. I'm really confident about it. The way we worked over the summer, obviously, nobody can see the harder things that go into the game, but I'm confident in our group. I'm confident that the work that we put in and the work that we will put in during training camp will be more than enough for us to excel as a group."
On advantages of having junior defensive end Ed Oliver playing in front of them
"You don't realize it until you're watching the film, and now it's evident, but I would hate to be a quarterback and have to run away from Ed. In the back end, and with the linebackers, it makes it a lot easier when the quarterback is running for dear life, and he's just tossing the ball up in the air."
On if he feels bad for quarterbacks that have to face Ed Oliver
"Nah. Not really. They have pads on. They'll be all right."
On the talent of the secondary and reasonable expectations
"I expect the DBs to make a lot of plays, because of the experience that we have with Isaiah Johnson and Alex Myres and Nick Watkins coming over. We have Javian Smith, who was banged up last year. He's coming back, and Ka'Darian (Smith). The guys that we have are guys that have talent and can get out on the field and go. We'll start to see it more as the days go through practice, but in the spring everybody wanted to learn. You could see everybody was trying to put the effort in that we needed to win a championship. We'll piggyback on that energy, and the sky is the limit."
On secondary being challenged by Head Coach Major Applewhite in the past
"Throughout the staffs that we've had, things change. Coverages change. Schemes change, and things you don't see like that are reoccurring and changing. I don't remember the comment, but I don't really think about it."
On junior defensive end Ed Oliver making his decision to go pro, treating it like his senior year and the special season they can have
"It's hard to take it in right now. He has a lot of spotlight, a lot of shine, and probably doesn't even get as much as he will be getting. Being able to play this game is a gift in itself, but when you're playing with a person like that, and even the other guys that we have, the experience that we have with each other and the relationships that we have. This is my last year, and I'm proud to be a part of this team. I'm proud of the decision that I made. I know it will be a fun season. They always are, and I know this one will be memorable for something. I know it."
On how fun junior defensive end Ed Oliver is to play with as a person
"That boy is hard to contain. You see it on TV. He's got a lot of personality. It's fun just hanging out with him and cracking jokes with him. He's from Houston, and I'm from Dallas, so there is a different lifestyle that we've all lived, but it's fun cracking jokes with him. He's a cool dude. He always has something up his sleeve… I can tell you that much."
On if junior defensive end Ed Oliver's personality plays out in having each other's back on the field
"Exactly. When you're making plays, it's unbelievable. That's a part of the relationships and the memories I was talking about. Him being a player like that, and me being the player I am, and our team, when you make plays with each other on the field, the feeling that you get is unbelievable. I'm ready to do that. I'm ready to put the ball down at practice right now and make those memories with everybody."
On what the offense can do with junior quarterback D'Eriq King
"I love it. In the spring, we ran a lot. They run a lot. They won't have a problem getting yards and touchdowns. I'm ready to see all the people on that side of the ball shine. You want the best for everybody on your team. The way they came ready to work in the spring was phenomenal. They did a lot of things that I haven't dealt with in college. I ran more than I've run in college. I like it."
On what opposing defenses face after seeing the offense every day in camp
"It's like any team. You game plan. Teams have talent. Most teams in our conference are talented. Like any team, I don't think what we do is too much different than the plays that anybody else is running. I just think our players work differently."
JUNIOR QUARTERBACK D'ERIQ KING
On focus heading into training camp
"(We're) just focused on the team and trying to develop and get better as a unit."
On new offense under Offensive Coordinator Kendal Briles
"I love it. It's a great offense. Every where Coach Briles has been, he's proven the offense works, so I'm excited for it and ready to get better at it."
On his style of play in Briles' system
"He's very aggressive. He likes taking shots down field, and I play pretty aggressive. I'm always trying to score, and I'm mobile."
On offseason focusing on just being quarterback
"It was very different. For my last two years, I've kind of been moving around – receiver, quarterback here and there. Just focusing on one position this offseason… has really helped me a lot."
On benefits of having played receiver
"It helps a lot. When I first got here as a freshman, I played receiver. Just getting the speed of the game and adjusting, I kind of know what those guys go through. Just knowing that… helps me as a quarterback."
On if he's gotten any advice from Greg Ward Jr.
"I talk to Greg a good amount. He's always told me to just be myself, become a better leader and work hard every day. He and I did the exact same thing – receiver for a year and a half and then taking over at quarterback. Getting advice from him has helped me a lot."
On being a leader
"I feel like I'm not 'the screamer.' I'm a 'show you how to do it,' and I'm going to work as hard as I can to just try and get my guys going. I was kind of the same in high school. I was never much of a talker or screamer."
On being a local player for Houston
"It means a lot. Houston is the best city in the world. I'm from here. I grew up here. I know a lot of people here. Playing for my school means a lot to me."
On biggest obstacles of learning a new offense
"Trying to forget old offense. Going over new tempos and new ways Coach (Kendal) Briles runs it has probably been the hardest part."
On excitement of first full season at quarterback
"I'm very excited. I feel like we have a great season coming ahead of us. We just have to focus in with fall camp and come together as a team."
On competition in the American Athletic Conference
"This conference is very tough. Teams get better every year. Tulane got better. Tulsa got better. Of course UCF and USF. This conference is tough, week in and week out."
On redshirt freshman Bryson Smith seeing time at receiver like he and Greg Ward Jr. did early in career
"I've talked to Bryson about it a lot, all spring and all summer. He, Greg and I all went through the same thing. Just getting on the field is never a bad thing, so I feel like he's ready and will be a great help."
On redshirt freshman Bryson Smith playing at receiver
"He's very athletic. He's probably one of the most athletic guys on the team. He's pretty fast, can jump and has ball skills so all that will come into play at receiver."
On freshman wide receiver Julon Williams
"Julon is kind of the same thing. He came in at quarterback, will probably move around a little bit. He'll help us out a lot."
SENIOR LINEBACKER EMEKE EGBULE
On playing at other outside linebacker in 2018
"It's the first day of camp. We're going to going out there and practice what we learned in the film room."
On other outside linebacker position fitting his skill set
"It does. I've being doing it since Tyus (Bowser) was here. I moved back during my junior year. I've been getting more comfortable and learning something new every day… just getting better and better."
On becoming more well-rounded player
"It started off at inside linebacker and then transitioned to outside linebacker. There's a lot of different things to learn."
On where defensive unit is compared to previous preseasons
"Every year has been great. This is my senior year, so I'm here with guys I've been with a long time. It's just a brotherhood. I know these guys and am comfortable with them, and we're getting better."
On going to American Athletic Conference Media Day
"It was great seeing a bunch of teams with D'Eriq (King), Ed (Oliver) and Garrett (Davis), my brothers. It was a good time… good lobster."
On expectations for defense
"There's no telling how good we are going to be, but I know if we put in the work and everything, we can be great."
JUNIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN JOSH JONES
On excitement heading into season
"Super excited… It's been a long time coming. I had a good offseason. I'm just ready to get started."
On offensive line Coach Randy Clements
"He's a great coach. I already knew that from when I first met him. He's taught me new things, he's wise and been around along time and has just made us that much better."
On addition of new players
"We did add a few key players from different schools. We're a deep threat now. We've got some crazy receivers; Courtney Lark, Keith Corbin, ill actually be able to get out there and play this year. Ready for us to come together and make it happen."
On adjusting to new offensive coaches
"At first it was kind of hard. We had to forget the old offense. After a few weeks of spring ball, everything's the same. It's just different terminology and different things on how Coach Clem (Clements) would want it."
On junior offensive lineman Jarrid Williams
"He played a few games last year so he was able to get acquainted like that. He's not just a rookie. I told him be ready; we're coming out here for war. Play smart, work hard everyday and he does. I feel like he is great out there. He just needs to stay calm and do everything Coach Clem (Clements) says."
On the offense
"I actually do love it. It's different than what we've been running. A lot of it is spread out. I got a handle on it a little more this year, so I like that. I love it. All the schemes we have are great."
On junior quarterback D'Eriq King
"I've known D'Eriq since high school, we played against each other when he was at Manvel (High School) and I was at Bush (High School). It's a great thing to have him back there. He's mobile. He can move around the pocket well. He can also stay in the pocket. He's a great leader. He'll come and talk to us before a workout. He texts me at night to make sure I'm ready for the morning. He's ready to get on the field."
SENIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN WILL NOBLE
On experience at offensive line position
"It makes us feel confident because we're such a backbone of this team. Having experience and consistency over the years really contributes to the smooth sailing and the consistency throughout the team."
On chemistry between offensive line
"During the summer, we work on our chemistry. We do drills together. All but one of our guys is returning so we just have to bring in a couple of new guys into our system and family. Really, for the most part, the chemistry is the same. We just have to bring a few guys up to speed."
On feelings going into the season
"I feel confident. Body feels good. Mind feels good. It's been a great summer, was a great spring. I feel ready to go."
On pace of offense
"It's definitely going to be faster. We had an up-tempo offense, but this offense is another level. It's something to adjust to, but we're ready for it. "As far as plays, it's the same. We have our calls and assignments, just have to know what you're doing at a quicker pace."
On adjusting to quicker tempo offense
"It's hard on your body and to go fast and get ready for the next play, but we know it's even harder on the defense. That's why it's worth it. It's up-tempo, but we know what we're doing."
On preparation going against Ed Oliver every day
"I always get this question. You couldn't ask for a better practice. You always try to make practices harder than the game, and it's easy when you have a guy like him lining up against you."
On Ed Oliver's athleticism
"He's fast. At that position, you typically don't see that kind of player very often, but his athleticism allows him to do that, so it is good to practice against and good for our team."
On facing Ed Oliver
"During fall camp, I'll go against him a lot. In spring ball, it was just us two. In practice, it's a lot of one-on-ones and live reps against each other. We've definitely had our plays against each other. "It's a good feeling knowing you've had a good day against him and knowing that you can get after anybody. But it works both ways. He gets after you, and it makes you want to be better for the next day."
On realization it's his senior season
"It's been wild. It does feel like I was a freshman just a couple days ago. It's a little different role (now). I'm kind of the most experienced on the line so I have to be able to guide some people to make us a better team. (When I was younger) I had those seniors to lean on and trust so I could just stay in my line, but now I got to (be that guy). "We have (Josh Jones) here, too, so we have a pretty experienced offensive line. It's not a whole lot different, but it is a good feeling knowing where I started to where I am now."
On debut at Tulane as a freshman
"It was actually unique because (Colton Freeman) was the starting center. With injuries, I was the next man up so during the week Coach (Derek Warehime) told me I was going to play so I had mentally gotten ready. I was thinking, 'I'm going to go in.' I didn't know how much or what it was going to be. "On the bus to Tulane, Colton had almost flu-like symptoms. He was puking and pale so I told myself, 'I'm going in for sure.' Next day, he was still not feeling good. He was puking after the end of the first drive, so I was looking at him and at coach just waiting for the call. Then, in the second quarter, Coach (Warehime) told me I was going in, so I had to get in it."
SENIOR CORNERBACK ISAIAH JOHNSON
On excitement to begin 2018 season
"I'm so excited. We've prepared well this summer. We have been waiting since the spring. It's going to feel read good to be out there with my teammates."
On offense taking pressure off defense
"Our offense being this good is going to help a lot. During fall like, we are going to get a great look, and it's going to set us up for the season. Having our offense be successful is going to be really good for our team."
On his improvement in second full season at cornerback
"I feel a lot better going into this season. I've got a great coach, got great teammates. As a team, we are going to be a lot better. As a group, our corners are going to be able to help our team a lot more. We are implementing some new stuff here and there to help the team. Hopefully, we will represent our team and our defense really well."
On growing into cornerback position
"Big surprise, big surprise. Going through all the different coaches and having everything I've learned in the past two years, it's a great opportunity for me to help my team the way I need to. It was a big development that needed to happen between last season and this season. With the coaching and the help from my teammates, I can finally help my team the way they need to be helped. Hopefully, we can go do what we have to do this season."
On added depth in secondary
"The goal is to have a rotation in the defensive back room. That way, when we play games, nobody is really dead tired. We want depth. We want to have a good five or six corners to play. Whenever one comes out, it's like nobody ever came out in the first place. There isn't a starter; there isn't a second person. When one goes in, one comes out, but nothing really changes. That's how good we want to be in the defensive back room, and that's how good our rotation is going to be."
On how good secondary can be
"Our secondary has excelled even more. It's a great feeling to know that our secondary has come along this far. With the added depth, our secondary is going to be really good. Most importantly, our secondary is going to be able to help the defense. With the added depth and the time we've spent together this whole year, our secondary can be top-notch. Hopefully, we can help our defense be a top-notch defense in the country and help our team win more games this year."
On how playing with Ed Oliver helps secondary
"It helps a lot. It helps us all when you have a great athlete like Ed. Our whole defensive line and linebacker group… everybody is good. The way they get to the quarterback and the way they we run our defense, it helps us a lot because it helps us not have to cover for so long. With an opportunity like that, it means more turnovers, more opportunities, more forced sack fumbles. It's a great opportunity to have people like Ed, Jerard (Carter), Isaiah Chambers, the linebackers, to have everybody rush the quarterback like that. It gives us a great opportunity to make more plays and create more turnovers.
On spotlight from Ed Oliver shining on entire defense
"Ed has acquired a good amount of national recognition. It's good to see he gets that and brings it along to the team. As a team, having Ed helps boost us. He is a great addition to our defense. With him on the defense, it helps everybody else become better because he sets a great example of effort and how to play the game of football. He has come along, become a great leader and helped our defense be better, give greater effort and be a better overall defense.
