David Shaw
Shaw said this was practice No. 5 and the third in full pads. Kevin Hogan has joined the team to help throw in some individual drills. Neither he nor Ryan Burns can do team scrimmage work.
Coach you still have a lot of walking wounded around here, so how tough is it to organize practice?
"The hardest part is we used to split practice so we would get a lot of reps. We can't split practice anymore. Our team periods are just one team period. We've made it longer so everyone can still get enough reps to compete, work hard and get better. We used to get reps with two groups going at the same time. We've had to adjust practice. Our guys are still working hard and getting after it. That's the mistake that some people make when they have injuries is that they don't hit. You can't play this game without being physical. So, we work on it and try to keep our guys healthy and safe. At the same time we try to get better at what we do."
Can you give an update on Jack Richardson?
"He's running the team right now more than I am. If for some reason he couldn't go I don't know how we could practice. You can tell how hard he has worked. He takes it extremely seriously. He wants to be efficient and proficient. I give him a lot of credit for learning and growing and pushing himself. He got stronger this offseason. He has made some big-time throws. The receivers have responded to him. The tight ends have responded to him. He made a great throw today down the field to Trent Irwin that was a big-time throw. He has done extremely well."
When you set up this spring what were the areas you wanted to address?
"One of the big things, and I give the coordinators a lot of credit, is I wanted to slim down a little bit of what we did. I wanted to work harder on technique. Missing a lot of guys is tough, but when we're working on our technique ... and each guy getting better, so a lot of the younger guys are being coached more than they've ever been coached. They're getting a lot more reps. Thankfully the attitude right now is those guys are excited about it and taking advantage. Treyjohn Butler is getting a lot of reps. Malik Antoine is getting a lot of reps. That’s great for these young guys to get coached, get pushed and get better. Our young guys have improved a lot.”
Is Foster Sarell getting looks at left guard?
"We're moving all the guys around. We want to make sure we prepare everybody to play. He has got talent. He has ability, and he's so physical, and he has a lot to learn. We want to give all those guys an opportunity to compete. Come September we want to make sure we put not just the best five out there, but the best seven or eight or however many we play week-to-week. We're hoping he's one of those guys."
How does this offense change with Tavita Pritchard as the offensive coordinator?
"That's tough to say because he grew up in this offense, so it's not like he wants to drastically change things but at the same time we all have different preferences. He knows he has my ear if he wants to do something different. He'll definitely have some influence on what we add or take out. But I think the bottom line for me is we have a great relationship and we have been together for a long time now."
What is behind the move of Andrew Pryts to inside backer?
"Honestly, he asked for it. Andrew Pryts is a physical, physical player. You saw that in high school film and I heard that from the coaches who worked with him. He loves the game and is a downhill football player. We thought he had a chance to be a really, really good safety. And I think he still could. He came to me one day and said coach I think I'm a linebacker. I think I can do what those guys do and would love to have a chance. I said, 'Great.' He has done well."
Tavita Pritchard
Pritchard said "eight to 10" offensive players who would be on the two-deep aren't available for practice.
How is Jack doing?
"Phenomenal. Jack is working his rear end off and I couldn't be more of his approach. We ask a lot of our quarterbacks and a lot comes down to their preparation and how much they're willing to do on the front end. He has been doing a phenomenal job."
Given all the injuries how tough is it to operate the offense?
"It's good practice. It's football. You saw in the Super Bowl you're only as good as your back-up quarterback. As you start getting into those second and third guys they're having to learn. They're having to come along. We know what Bryce can do. So, it's good for some of his understudies to get reps and get work at what they have to do in the fall."
The receivers need to get work with KJ (Costello) and so do the other players. What do you hope to accomplish this spring? Is it more individual drills and technique?
"Of course that's what you lose. You lose the timing aspect of it and them actually being out on the field. But the mental side of the game -- they're able to stand back there and see and hear the play call every time. Here's where I'd line up, here's the route I'd run and here's the read I'd make. KJ is back there right now and he works his eyes every single time and goes through the progression and acts if he's back there. And we have great tools with the virtual reality trainer and film. Those guys do a great job of getting the work in that they can get in."
This is the most extended time Osiris St. Brown has done football work with you guys. What have you seen from Osiris in practice?
"The guys that we recruited. He's explosive, he's quick twitch, he has great short area movement -- He's a complete receiver. He's obviously working himself back and having to get back into the swing of things. But he's knocking some of that rust off and he looks good."
What's your imprint going to be on this offense?
"We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We've had some great offenses here and we need to build on the foundation that we already have. If nothing else I want to bring energy and I want to bring excitement. With our players I want to be a great teacher and communicator. We want to work on the things that we do really well -- what we've built here at Stanford."
How do the conversations with Coach Shaw change now?
"I guess I have a little more say now. And he and I talk a lot about the direction of the offense and where we want to go -- different tweaks we want to do and how we want to use personnel. It's exciting. I love being part of those conversations with Coach Shaw. Look, we want to put the best product out there and we want to score lots of points."
How's your arm?
(Laughs) I have to go get iced right now. I have to be honest. I was not conditioned for this spring. But I'll get back. I'm knocking some rust off, too, but I have more than those other guys."
Shaw said this was practice No. 5 and the third in full pads. Kevin Hogan has joined the team to help throw in some individual drills. Neither he nor Ryan Burns can do team scrimmage work.
Coach you still have a lot of walking wounded around here, so how tough is it to organize practice?
"The hardest part is we used to split practice so we would get a lot of reps. We can't split practice anymore. Our team periods are just one team period. We've made it longer so everyone can still get enough reps to compete, work hard and get better. We used to get reps with two groups going at the same time. We've had to adjust practice. Our guys are still working hard and getting after it. That's the mistake that some people make when they have injuries is that they don't hit. You can't play this game without being physical. So, we work on it and try to keep our guys healthy and safe. At the same time we try to get better at what we do."
Can you give an update on Jack Richardson?
"He's running the team right now more than I am. If for some reason he couldn't go I don't know how we could practice. You can tell how hard he has worked. He takes it extremely seriously. He wants to be efficient and proficient. I give him a lot of credit for learning and growing and pushing himself. He got stronger this offseason. He has made some big-time throws. The receivers have responded to him. The tight ends have responded to him. He made a great throw today down the field to Trent Irwin that was a big-time throw. He has done extremely well."
When you set up this spring what were the areas you wanted to address?
"One of the big things, and I give the coordinators a lot of credit, is I wanted to slim down a little bit of what we did. I wanted to work harder on technique. Missing a lot of guys is tough, but when we're working on our technique ... and each guy getting better, so a lot of the younger guys are being coached more than they've ever been coached. They're getting a lot more reps. Thankfully the attitude right now is those guys are excited about it and taking advantage. Treyjohn Butler is getting a lot of reps. Malik Antoine is getting a lot of reps. That’s great for these young guys to get coached, get pushed and get better. Our young guys have improved a lot.”
Is Foster Sarell getting looks at left guard?
"We're moving all the guys around. We want to make sure we prepare everybody to play. He has got talent. He has ability, and he's so physical, and he has a lot to learn. We want to give all those guys an opportunity to compete. Come September we want to make sure we put not just the best five out there, but the best seven or eight or however many we play week-to-week. We're hoping he's one of those guys."
How does this offense change with Tavita Pritchard as the offensive coordinator?
"That's tough to say because he grew up in this offense, so it's not like he wants to drastically change things but at the same time we all have different preferences. He knows he has my ear if he wants to do something different. He'll definitely have some influence on what we add or take out. But I think the bottom line for me is we have a great relationship and we have been together for a long time now."
What is behind the move of Andrew Pryts to inside backer?
"Honestly, he asked for it. Andrew Pryts is a physical, physical player. You saw that in high school film and I heard that from the coaches who worked with him. He loves the game and is a downhill football player. We thought he had a chance to be a really, really good safety. And I think he still could. He came to me one day and said coach I think I'm a linebacker. I think I can do what those guys do and would love to have a chance. I said, 'Great.' He has done well."
Tavita Pritchard
Pritchard said "eight to 10" offensive players who would be on the two-deep aren't available for practice.
How is Jack doing?
"Phenomenal. Jack is working his rear end off and I couldn't be more of his approach. We ask a lot of our quarterbacks and a lot comes down to their preparation and how much they're willing to do on the front end. He has been doing a phenomenal job."
Given all the injuries how tough is it to operate the offense?
"It's good practice. It's football. You saw in the Super Bowl you're only as good as your back-up quarterback. As you start getting into those second and third guys they're having to learn. They're having to come along. We know what Bryce can do. So, it's good for some of his understudies to get reps and get work at what they have to do in the fall."
The receivers need to get work with KJ (Costello) and so do the other players. What do you hope to accomplish this spring? Is it more individual drills and technique?
"Of course that's what you lose. You lose the timing aspect of it and them actually being out on the field. But the mental side of the game -- they're able to stand back there and see and hear the play call every time. Here's where I'd line up, here's the route I'd run and here's the read I'd make. KJ is back there right now and he works his eyes every single time and goes through the progression and acts if he's back there. And we have great tools with the virtual reality trainer and film. Those guys do a great job of getting the work in that they can get in."
This is the most extended time Osiris St. Brown has done football work with you guys. What have you seen from Osiris in practice?
"The guys that we recruited. He's explosive, he's quick twitch, he has great short area movement -- He's a complete receiver. He's obviously working himself back and having to get back into the swing of things. But he's knocking some of that rust off and he looks good."
What's your imprint going to be on this offense?
"We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We've had some great offenses here and we need to build on the foundation that we already have. If nothing else I want to bring energy and I want to bring excitement. With our players I want to be a great teacher and communicator. We want to work on the things that we do really well -- what we've built here at Stanford."
How do the conversations with Coach Shaw change now?
"I guess I have a little more say now. And he and I talk a lot about the direction of the offense and where we want to go -- different tweaks we want to do and how we want to use personnel. It's exciting. I love being part of those conversations with Coach Shaw. Look, we want to put the best product out there and we want to score lots of points."
How's your arm?
(Laughs) I have to go get iced right now. I have to be honest. I was not conditioned for this spring. But I'll get back. I'm knocking some rust off, too, but I have more than those other guys."
