The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Football Post-Practice Coverage: Day Five
8/4/2017 3:48:00 PM | Football
PHOTO GALLERY | HEAD COACH BILL CLARK
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB football team returned to the practice field for the fifth day of fall camp but for the first in full pads.
VIDEOS:
CENTER LEE DUFOUR
Head Coach Bill Clark
On what learning how to practice looks like:
One of the things I talk about is what our practice looks like – it's controlled chaos. First two groups here, threes and fours here, a 7-on-7 here, a pass rush here. It's just very organized. We take breaks at the first part to simulate starting a game and then again at halftime, all of those things to try and simulate a game. As we talk all of the time about safety and protecting ourselves we're also going hard. Competing against each other and protecting each other is a big balance. I told them we're day five in, first day in pads, that we have to start getting it. We saw some of that today and they're starting to get it. The intensity is really so much different than anything they've ever seen and I think they're starting to adapt but we still have a long way to go.
On what tomorrow will look like:
It's just another practice this week. We still have stuff we're installing. Next week we'll get into the end of the week mock scrimmage but next week will be a good on good full scrimmage.
On what you're doing right now, installing or focusing on other teams:
We're not talking about any other teams right now, we're just focusing on us. We have plenty to still get in and correct. Our playbooks are pretty big so it's organized chaos with the offense and defense. They tell each other what they're doing as far as formations and it's just adapting to that each day.
On what you saw today with your guys in full pads:
We started off with a board drill, we've been starting off with a fast-paced tempo type drill. I talk a lot about how contact should look – we want to see the guy, we don't want to duck our heads, it should be two guys with the eyes up and hands inside trying to drive the other off the board. There is 11 of those on the field, 11 1-on-1 matchups that go on for 70 and 80 snaps and into special teams. Each guy learns that he is that important. That is a great teaching time and kind of sets the pace for what our teams looks like. We don't do a lot of that but it's a good way to start practice.
On being overall pleased with how today went:
I was. I don't know if any coach is ever pleased. I told them that we have to do is not make the same mistake tomorrow that we did today. When you're putting in a volume of items there's things that they're going to mess up on and we understand that. It's how is he in the meetings – is he listening, does he make corrections when we come back to meetings. Does he hold a mirror up to himself and be hard on himself and try and correct himself. I think we grew today and if we can keep growing every day we'll have a chance.
On Jonathan Haden's value to the offense:
Haden is one of those guys who can do a lot of things. He obviously is really strong, he's compact and explosive, has got really good hands. Kick returns, handing him the ball on speed sweeps and getting the ball in open spaces but then you can stick him in the background if you need to. Those multi-purpose, real football player guys that can play multiple positions are great to have. When you see him in 1-on-1s he's really dynamic.
On him possibly being a kick returner:
He definitely could. We have three or four guys that have a shot. Haden is that guy who is really fast but also really strong and those are the guys that are hard to tackle.
On where you turn at the tight end position with two guys out:
Logan Scott kind of came out the spring as a starter and Hayden Pittman is moving up the depth chart anyway. We have other guys, (David) Galten will probably get a look over there and (Stephen) Pickren I don't want to leave out. He's really the guy we think of when we say hand in the dirt, 12 personnel, and former o-linemen. We worked (Kylen) Binn back over there today. We have options but it was tough. Tony Ransom is a guy that also plays there. It was an awful day to lose both of those guys and I hate it for them. But we keep going and the next guy has to step up.
On David Galten:
He will work over there some. He hasn't moved full time but we'll work him in certain situations. He's still an offensive lineman.
On what Hayden Pittman has shown:
Pittman was a guy in high school that had some other places he could be but he wanted to be here. He's gained weight and gotten stronger. He was a really good receiver in high school. He's got a lot of good of football in front of him and we're excited. He really loves the weight room, really got good hands so he has a big future in front of him.
On (Logan) Scott's junior college knee injury:
He did but we fixed it this summer. You don't see it in everything we do because we're nursing him back, he's going about half of the practice doing some rehab, but he's fixed and we don't want to rush him. He's getting practice and he had a really good spring.
On how different Lee Dufour is now compared to 2014:
He's totally different. We challenged Lee, he's such a good young man. When you get good young men you say well he comes to practice everyday, he's got a good attitude and you don't challenge him. We told him that he has to raise his level. He gets asked a lot of questions even though he was a freshman, but he stayed around. Sometimes it's hard for all of us to not let those things go to our head and we just have to work. I've seen a big step out of him and we all have to get better, but he's taken a big step since this spring. He's a great young man, he was here in '14, but just from a players' standpoint we wanted him to raise his level and he's doing that.
Defensive End Daryl Waters
On how the first week of practice went:
I feel like everybody was pretty intense. Everybody was happy to get back to see what everybody can do. We came together as a team before camp and said that we were going to whatever for the city and go hard until game time.
On the depth of the defensive line:
Right now I feel like we have a lot of depth and a lot of competition. The depth chart changes pretty much everyday with everybody bouncing from A1 to A2 or B1 to A2. At the end of the day we don't know who is going to go on the field first.
Wide Receiver Jonathan Haden
On your role in this offense:
Just being a dynamic player that can do a lot. I can go into the backfield, go into the slot and make homerun plays.
On one thing you've learned about the offense this week:
It's not 7-on-7 anymore. It's harder now that we've put all of the pieces together . The entire offense is meshing really good right now.
On much pressure this receiving core can put on defenses:
We can put a lot of pressure on defenses. We have tall guys that can go up and get it. We have smaller guys like me and Collin Lisa who are smaller and quick and fast and beat guys down the field. We have a lot of versatility.
Center Lee Dufour
On how the o-line is coming together:
The o-line is doing great. We have a bunch of good leaders up front. We've been together for a couple of semesters now and we're meshing together into one solid unit. The guys that are backing up the front guys are doing the same thing. We're concentrating on technique, foot work, hand placement, the really small details and as we go along we're getting pretty good.
On how the talent level of the o-line has increased with the new guys:
We've always had a very talented offensive line even with all of the influx of the new guys. They just added onto the base talent of what we have so it's a very solid group up front.
On how going up against the d-line has helped the o-line and vice versa:
We have a great defensive line to go against and they make us better everyday. It's not like we're getting the same looks everyday, they have multiple different looks they pull on us. We come in with the mindset of whatever they give us we're going to respond. The competition is going through the roof right now and it's been great.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB football team returned to the practice field for the fifth day of fall camp but for the first in full pads.
VIDEOS:
CENTER LEE DUFOUR
Head Coach Bill Clark
On what learning how to practice looks like:
One of the things I talk about is what our practice looks like – it's controlled chaos. First two groups here, threes and fours here, a 7-on-7 here, a pass rush here. It's just very organized. We take breaks at the first part to simulate starting a game and then again at halftime, all of those things to try and simulate a game. As we talk all of the time about safety and protecting ourselves we're also going hard. Competing against each other and protecting each other is a big balance. I told them we're day five in, first day in pads, that we have to start getting it. We saw some of that today and they're starting to get it. The intensity is really so much different than anything they've ever seen and I think they're starting to adapt but we still have a long way to go.
On what tomorrow will look like:
It's just another practice this week. We still have stuff we're installing. Next week we'll get into the end of the week mock scrimmage but next week will be a good on good full scrimmage.
On what you're doing right now, installing or focusing on other teams:
We're not talking about any other teams right now, we're just focusing on us. We have plenty to still get in and correct. Our playbooks are pretty big so it's organized chaos with the offense and defense. They tell each other what they're doing as far as formations and it's just adapting to that each day.
On what you saw today with your guys in full pads:
We started off with a board drill, we've been starting off with a fast-paced tempo type drill. I talk a lot about how contact should look – we want to see the guy, we don't want to duck our heads, it should be two guys with the eyes up and hands inside trying to drive the other off the board. There is 11 of those on the field, 11 1-on-1 matchups that go on for 70 and 80 snaps and into special teams. Each guy learns that he is that important. That is a great teaching time and kind of sets the pace for what our teams looks like. We don't do a lot of that but it's a good way to start practice.
On being overall pleased with how today went:
I was. I don't know if any coach is ever pleased. I told them that we have to do is not make the same mistake tomorrow that we did today. When you're putting in a volume of items there's things that they're going to mess up on and we understand that. It's how is he in the meetings – is he listening, does he make corrections when we come back to meetings. Does he hold a mirror up to himself and be hard on himself and try and correct himself. I think we grew today and if we can keep growing every day we'll have a chance.
On Jonathan Haden's value to the offense:
Haden is one of those guys who can do a lot of things. He obviously is really strong, he's compact and explosive, has got really good hands. Kick returns, handing him the ball on speed sweeps and getting the ball in open spaces but then you can stick him in the background if you need to. Those multi-purpose, real football player guys that can play multiple positions are great to have. When you see him in 1-on-1s he's really dynamic.
On him possibly being a kick returner:
He definitely could. We have three or four guys that have a shot. Haden is that guy who is really fast but also really strong and those are the guys that are hard to tackle.
On where you turn at the tight end position with two guys out:
Logan Scott kind of came out the spring as a starter and Hayden Pittman is moving up the depth chart anyway. We have other guys, (David) Galten will probably get a look over there and (Stephen) Pickren I don't want to leave out. He's really the guy we think of when we say hand in the dirt, 12 personnel, and former o-linemen. We worked (Kylen) Binn back over there today. We have options but it was tough. Tony Ransom is a guy that also plays there. It was an awful day to lose both of those guys and I hate it for them. But we keep going and the next guy has to step up.
On David Galten:
He will work over there some. He hasn't moved full time but we'll work him in certain situations. He's still an offensive lineman.
On what Hayden Pittman has shown:
Pittman was a guy in high school that had some other places he could be but he wanted to be here. He's gained weight and gotten stronger. He was a really good receiver in high school. He's got a lot of good of football in front of him and we're excited. He really loves the weight room, really got good hands so he has a big future in front of him.
On (Logan) Scott's junior college knee injury:
He did but we fixed it this summer. You don't see it in everything we do because we're nursing him back, he's going about half of the practice doing some rehab, but he's fixed and we don't want to rush him. He's getting practice and he had a really good spring.
On how different Lee Dufour is now compared to 2014:
He's totally different. We challenged Lee, he's such a good young man. When you get good young men you say well he comes to practice everyday, he's got a good attitude and you don't challenge him. We told him that he has to raise his level. He gets asked a lot of questions even though he was a freshman, but he stayed around. Sometimes it's hard for all of us to not let those things go to our head and we just have to work. I've seen a big step out of him and we all have to get better, but he's taken a big step since this spring. He's a great young man, he was here in '14, but just from a players' standpoint we wanted him to raise his level and he's doing that.
Defensive End Daryl Waters
On how the first week of practice went:
I feel like everybody was pretty intense. Everybody was happy to get back to see what everybody can do. We came together as a team before camp and said that we were going to whatever for the city and go hard until game time.
On the depth of the defensive line:
Right now I feel like we have a lot of depth and a lot of competition. The depth chart changes pretty much everyday with everybody bouncing from A1 to A2 or B1 to A2. At the end of the day we don't know who is going to go on the field first.
Wide Receiver Jonathan Haden
On your role in this offense:
Just being a dynamic player that can do a lot. I can go into the backfield, go into the slot and make homerun plays.
On one thing you've learned about the offense this week:
It's not 7-on-7 anymore. It's harder now that we've put all of the pieces together . The entire offense is meshing really good right now.
On much pressure this receiving core can put on defenses:
We can put a lot of pressure on defenses. We have tall guys that can go up and get it. We have smaller guys like me and Collin Lisa who are smaller and quick and fast and beat guys down the field. We have a lot of versatility.
Center Lee Dufour
On how the o-line is coming together:
The o-line is doing great. We have a bunch of good leaders up front. We've been together for a couple of semesters now and we're meshing together into one solid unit. The guys that are backing up the front guys are doing the same thing. We're concentrating on technique, foot work, hand placement, the really small details and as we go along we're getting pretty good.
On how the talent level of the o-line has increased with the new guys:
We've always had a very talented offensive line even with all of the influx of the new guys. They just added onto the base talent of what we have so it's a very solid group up front.
On how going up against the d-line has helped the o-line and vice versa:
We have a great defensive line to go against and they make us better everyday. It's not like we're getting the same looks everyday, they have multiple different looks they pull on us. We come in with the mindset of whatever they give us we're going to respond. The competition is going through the roof right now and it's been great.
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
TE
/ Football
TE
/ Football
TE
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