March 17, 2011
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By Christian Edwards
UCFAthletics.com
UCF head football coach George O'Leary met with Orlando media members on Thursday to preview the start of spring practice tomorrow. Here is a transcription of what he had to say.
On having 11 starters back...
"We have more than 11 starters back because we have more than four back on defense. We played so many guys. We have a bunch of experience back there who have played a lot of football. You look at spring and you're always looking at competition. I promise the guys who start the first snap and then their job is to keep it. You want everyone attacking spring ball like they want to win a job. I've always left with the thought that the goal in the spring is to come out two-deep and then see where we're at."
On entering the season as defending conference champions...
"The bar's been raised and I think they understand that. With success goes more confidence but I think it has to be earned confidence. Last year's team's graduated. We have a new team this year. I addressed them this morning on that and what the goals are for the spring and those haven't changed in all of my years coaching. Second, we're looking for leadership. I want to see somebody come out of each position group as a leader. Then, collectively, the seniors are the ones who all need to dominate what the philosophy of this team is and the chemistry of it."
On the impact of a strong incoming class...
"That's why it is so important to leave the spring two deep and when I say a `playing two deep' it's because he may be two because there's nobody else there. Some of these freshmen that we have coming in are going to be given an opportunity to win a position. If they're going to do that, they have to start right off that way in preseason. It's such a short period to evaluate who is going to help us. That is what I look at. I think there will be a lot of competition at certain positions and I think other positions will have to maintain their [starting positions] from last year. The attitude has been outstanding. I think we have had a great offseason so far. I am looking forward to Friday/Saturday when we tee it up for the first practices. It will be just helmets and jerseys so by Tuesday we will start separating a little more and go full pads."
On Rob Calabrese...
"Both him and A.J. Bouye will be in gold shirts, but I want to get him some team reps. Everybody just has to understand that is a no contact zone. I want him to execute the plays but avoid the contact as best we can and get some team work besides his individual work. Moving Rob in just makes us a better team. I think there is no question he is probably one of the most respected kids on the team as far as leadership, locker room and pretty much everything he has to do with the program and I want to give him an opportunity to get onto the field. I didn't think he was going to have to win the quarterback job. I still want to see him get a lot of reps. It makes sense to move Blake Bortles up to number two [and] let Jeff Godfrey run with one and give Rob a chance to run with the first and second [teams] and get some work done as a slot receiver. Plus, we will have a package for him as far as quarterback too. That's important and that is something he wanted to do. He wanted to get on the field and be a full timer on the field."
On what Jeff Godfrey needs to improve on this spring from last season...
"I think number one is his pocket presence. I think that needs to improve as far as it is typical [for] freshman [to] just [focus on] one guy and try to get it to that guy. Now last year I think we kept him reading half the field and this year we are trying to expand it to a full field read in some situations, but I think he has to understand his pocket presence more and drop back and have some sense that he is secured in the protection and deliver from the pocket. Not everything is look, see and run. That is where you grow up and show a lot more maturity and poise in that area. Faking [is] another big phase that he needs a vast improvement on as far as just in the run game. Again, I think he had an awfully terrific season as a freshman, but there is always room for improvement. Those are some of the things that will be addressed this spring with him."
On quarterback Blake Bortles...
"He is 6-4, 220 pounds and has a great delivery. He has good enough avoid ability as far as evade ability in the drop game, in the passing game. He can do everything we ask of him to do. The key is to get him as many reps as we can this spring just to see how he fits in and if he can move the chains when he is out on the field by himself. That is the key for any quarterback [in] can they move the chains. Again, he will get every opportunity to see if he can get that done."
On running back Brynn Harvey...
"The key is I really want to see where Brynn is coming back off the [knee] injury. Is he coming back where he left before he got hurt or is he going to need some polishing up? I always look at the latter part of that [in that] I think you are healthy, 100-percent but you have not hit yet. I think that sort of separates just how healthy we are. Again, he is going to have to get a bunch of reps this spring just because he missed the whole year. He needs to upgrade the improvement in his protections. It is not just running the ball, you have to do a lot more things than just running it. Ronnie Weaver is a sort of jack of all trades but there is a lot of improvement he needs to make. I don't want to spend the whole spring beating up the running backs. There are six of them over there and they all will get some opportunities to run with the ball and improve some of the things they need to improve on."
On Harvey's practice abilities coming back from injury...
"He is in pads. He is full go now. He was operated on a year ago so he is ready to come back. Normally every [torn] ligament it is six months as far as before you are back, so he has had ample time to be rehabbed and back running and lifting weights. Rob Calabrese is the one now. He will be in gold all spring. He needs to get work done out there individually and team wise, and when he gets out there [remember] that the gold is on for a reason. Basically that is no contact, but we want to get them some reps."
On what big holes on the roster need to be filled...
"Right now if I had to pick one position it would probably be linebacker. I think there are a lot of people, there are 13 players over there, but really one [player] with a lot of experience that has played a lot (Josh Linam). We need to see how that works itself out and that is probably the position more so because of the [recruiting] class we have brought in. You look at where some of these freshman could possibly help us is at the linebacker corps. I'm hoping that I am surprised at some of the guys this spring that were running [in the] 13, second team [to] come on and take over the first string spot."
On linebacker Ray Shipman...
"He is too big for safety right now. He is 6-3, 225 pounds I think he is a kid who can play in space. We have to see how much of a contact player he is. Last year, I think he was sort of feeling his way around having been out of football for a couple of years. This spring is a very, very big spring for him and where he is going to be [when it's over]."
On the wide receivers and young players...
"I am looking at more of the young guys myself. I think J.J. Worton and Joshua Reese and those guys. That is why I think when we install in the spring I want to keep it simple so we can evaluate the talent and not how smart they are. I already know how smart some of them are but I want to evaluate the talent. I know what A.J. Guyton and those guys can do but I want to see what these young guys can do, and we have some young kids coming in. So linebacker and wide receiver are the two where I would think, and defensive backs, where they may have some opportunities, possibly the freshman class, to elevate themselves."
On the offensive line depth...
"Torrian Wilson, I was really impressed with him. He could have been in the two deep that traveled last year but I think he was just still hobbled with that knee injury he had. I have been very, very impressed with him. I think there are others there that I am very anxious to see. Tony Jacob is a 6-7, 340 pound guy who has great feet and I would like to see how he matures and how he handles some things. I think there is a lot of talent there to keep heat on the guys in front of them. There is about eight of them back from last year. It is a new season and you will be evaluated on what you do in the spring."
On if UCF should be in the spring top-25 after finishing last season in the top-25...
"I think any team that starts and ends up in both polls in the top-25 should start in the top-25. I understand their problem with just one poll, but we are involved in both polls in the top-25. I would think that we would. A lot of the writers stay with the BCS teams and they are safe with that, but I would think we would [be in the top-25] because when you end up in both of them you should start in both of them when your season starts."
On defensive lineman Toby Jackson...
"I think he is a talented athlete. He is a big 6-5, 265 pound guy who plays defensive end, but we will find out when we put pads on. Every junior college guy comes in and it is a little different level. You tee them up with Division I lineman and the speed is a little quicker. What I have seen of him in the conditioning program, I think he is a very talented guy who no question is going to help us from a leverage and range standpoint. Looking at him he has great, great passion for the game which I think is extremely important."
On freshman quarterback DaMarcus Smith...
"I spoke to DaMarcus in person in my office over the last couple of weeks and DaMarcus is fine. I think there is a lot of other things going on and people just won't leave him alone. He has a big smile when he is here and he left my office that he was 100-percent with UCF. A lot of this stuff that was transpiring up there, all of the information was coming out of Louisville and not Orlando. It tells you what was going on there. I think the kid made a decision that was a tough decision. As I told him, to stand up and do the Friday signing in front of all of these people that just gave you the key to the city and said he was going to [take his] career to UCF says a lot about the kid and the character of the kid, it really does and I told him that. He came down to see me about the whole thing and we had a good talk about what I expected and what I expected from him from the time he left my door and on and so far he has done nothing but what we have talked about."
On recruiting hype...
"I think we cause our own problems with these kids, I really do. I think recruiting is very important. We have these private signings and all this. Then you wonder why they have a big head when they come to college. It is interesting just how many of those kids actually do make it and how many don't make it. You always hear about the ones with the press conferences, but you wonder how they do after it. There is a lot more not making it than making it."