2017 Pitt Football Camp: Day 10, Videos & Quotes
8/11/2017 3:15:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH—The Pitt football team practiced for the 10th time of training camp on Friday at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex as the Panthers finalized preparations for Saturday's Heinz Field scrimmage.
Head coach Pat Narduzzi held his regular morning media session before practice, while secondary coach Renaldo Hill and five players—wide receiver and kick returner Quadree Henderson, defensive end Rashad Weaver, defensive back Jazzee Stocker, offensive lineman Jerry Drake Jr. and linebacker Jalen Williams—each spoke to the assembled media after the Panthers' workout.
Transcripts and links to videos of each media session are available below.
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi – Interview Video
Opening statement:
"We finished up a great day yesterday, so it is a little lighter day today. These guys are excited about coming out in what we call "spider pads" today, so there will be a lot less contact. Hopefully they are mature enough to practice in those. Sometimes, different teams, especially a young football team, think that it is going to be a day off, but there are no days off during camp. Sunday is their day off, I guess. They have to be able to maturely practice in those things. We could come out in full pads today and scrimmage tomorrow. It does not make any difference to me, but we try to mentally freshen them up for a big day tomorrow. We get to go to Heinz field, which will probably be the biggest scrimmage of the year. Then I will say that the next one is the biggest of the year because it is the next one, but it's a big scrimmage to find out where we are."
On if he has made any changes to his defense since coming to Pitt three years ago:
"Hopefully, we are doing it better, but we are doing the little things. You have to adjust; I don't care if it's offensively, defensively or special teams, you have to adjust with the times. There's always different tweaks that we have going on. We did a year ago, not that it mattered, but you are always looking for different stuff. That's how we evolve. You are not going to change your overall structure, but there are techniques and fundamentals that you try to do a little bit better. I think that we have some good stuff."
On what beyond schematics is the most important factor in being successful:
"It's called development. I have been around the staff rooms. I got hired by Miami (Ohio) back in March of 2003, seven days before spring ball started and inherited the staff. When I got there, it was like, 'why are you doing this?' Well, we couldn't stop that, so we went and started putting this defense in. You can't just keep changing defenses to stop a play, a formation or a type of offense because you don't get any type of consistency. You need a base, fundamental background to go from, then you tweak based on [the offense]. Our offense does some crazy stuff, and we face some crazy offenses, so it couldn't be a better offense so go against, because you see everything. You see everything from a wish-bone, three-back offense to an empty set. So, our defense, when they come out of camp, will have a good base on all kinds of offensive plays."
On if this year's offensive line is the deepest he's had at Pitt:
"No, I would say last year was pretty deep, even though we didn't see a lot of guys. When you say 'deep,' you have some guys who are getting better every day, but last year we had a lot of older guys. I would say last year was pretty good. I don't know if you could beat that one. I think maybe in a couple of years, we can get there, but I would not say that."
On if he has seen Quadree Henderson improve as a wide receiver:
"He had a great catch yesterday, and I think that we have. I have seen little things out there. It's hard to say, 'you won't find out until game day,' but I know that he is focusing on that and getting better."
On if Maurice Ffrench's role will increase in the offense due to Tre Tipton's injury:
"No question about it. Maurice is a great player offensively and defensively, and anytime a guy goes down, it's that next-guy-up mentality. Whether Maurice beats out Tre Tipton in camp or Tre is not there and the job is there for the taking, Maurice is going to hopefully have a major part in this offense."
On if he is picking the roommates for the players at the hotel:
"Oh, yeah. And it is a lot different than a year ago. It's like [Avonte] Maddox is rooming with 'J.D.' [Jerry] Drake [Jr.], and the first night he comes up and goes, 'Coach, really? I have to room with J.D.?' Now, he's like his best friend. He's texting me pictures of J.D., so it's funny how that whole things goes. They go, 'Coach, I don't even know that guy.' Well, that's why we put you with different people. And we try to always mix people up in the summer where we used to stay. We moved the freshmen in there and they had their freshman roommate for the rest of the year. Now we can put a senior with a freshman and really mix it up."
On Ben DiNucci's growth as a leader:
"Ben's doing a good job. Could he get better? Yes. There are a lot of things, but Ben has grown a lot since he has gotten here. I think that he has grown a lot since that bowl game, and we'll see how much more he grows. He's still got a ways to go."
Secondary Coach Renaldo Hill – Interview Video
On Bricen Garner developing as he gets more reps:
"It's important for those guys to get reps and be able to see things constantly. Meeting time as well, and just continuing to go through that process and take as many notes as they can so that it continues to process a little faster."
On if he is seeing players step up at safety with starting positions up for grabs:
"I am. They see it as an opportunity there and they are definitely attacking it. That's what we need, and I think it will make the group stronger even when Jordan returns. But we're happy with how Bricen [Garner] and [Jazzee] Stocker, along with those other guys, are competing at the positions."
On Henry Miller's role:
"He's like a wild-card guy. He's a guy who can go out and play corner. He's big enough to play both safety positions and probably even a linebacker spot. He definitely gives you a variety of things that you can do when you look at his size and skillset. We're just going to continue to get him in the meeting room, increase his knowledge and show that he can play fast and use all of that ability that he has."
On press coverage:
"When we talk about it, that's the first thing you do when you go to a camp. Those guys, you may give them all the twos to plan off. As soon as they get the chance to get the one-on-ones, they're in press. It's easier to teach. You can minimize the routes based on where their release is at. That definitely will help us and we can even shorten it by down-and-distance or personnel group inside. It allows our group to play fast, and that's what they like to do. We want to keep them up there and let them get after it."
On man-to-man coverage:
"They enjoy it and they embrace it. When you click on the TV and the National Football League, that's all those guys do. I tell them that if they want to play at the next level, you've got to be able to press coverage."
On Phil Campbell's physicality making him a good fit for the boundary safety position:
"Definitely. He sees the ball and goes and gets the ball. That's what Phil does, and he's an attack guy downhill. He's not letting up; he's not going to be timid around the pile. You need that enforcer back there, and we're hoping that's something he can provide for our unit."
Defensive Back Jazzee Stocker – Interview Video
On bringing physicality to the safety position:
"I feel like I've always been like that since high school. From my high school team, I was always coming downhill and I feel like that's my style of play. I love to come downhill. I think it is a type of mindset. You have to go out there with no fear and just go out there and hit and be physical."
On getting work at both safety positions:
"I always feel like it's good to know more. Even if I'm playing field, I have to know what the boundary safety is doing so I can have good knowledge on how I'm playing the game so I can be smarter and make plays. If you have more knowledge in the game, then you can make plays."
On what has been different for him in his third year at Pitt:
"This year, our defense, our backfield, is going to have a different culture. We are trying to build something new since last year. We lost a couple guys but we're still going to be a young backfield, so I feel like we're developing a different culture. We're going to come out there with a different attitude."
On working with and learning from Jordan Whitehead:
"We always are in the meeting room with Coach Conklin. Coach Conklin knows what he's talking about, and he has a lot of knowledge about the game. He's always teaching us something new. Learning with Jordan is good because he knows some things and I know some things, so we teach each other some things that help us better each other."
Defensive Lineman Rashad Weaver – Interview Video
On working with new Pitt defensive line coach Charlie Partridge:
"Coach Partridge has done wonders for us, the whole D-line, not just me. When you listen to him, you start to realize that things you never thought would work, actually work every single time. Things you don't notice initially start to pay off on the field. He is very patient with us but lets us know when we are out of control and need to get it together. That rubs off on us and we have great practices."
On playing as a taller, 6-foot-5 defensive end
"Coach Partridge is always talking about my freakishly long arms. I have long arms, even for my height. That's definitely an advantage for me. A disadvantage is always making sure you have a low pad level and bringing your hips through with everything you do, whether it is tackling, bull-rushing or anything like that. But long arms and long steps are definitely an advantage for me in the pass rush. My wingspan is 83 inches; that certainly helps me."
On earning the "Dog Soldier Award" from defensive coordinator Josh Conklin:
"Obviously everybody likes it. Teammates acknowledge it and it builds team chemistry because teammates appreciate you and they know you are doing your job out there. Personally, it lets you know you are doing the right thing and it is being noticed. It makes you want to go out there and win the award again, because winning it one time just isn't enough if you can win it every day. Coaches always talk about consistency; that's what is most important to me, but the awards do mean a lot to me."
On scrimmaging at Heinz Field on Saturday:
"Coach Narduzzi keeps saying it is the biggest scrimmage of camp. It will have the biggest impact on the depth chart and on playing time. If you ball out at Heinz Field, which we all want to do every time, it's going to get noticed, and that will play a role on how much you get on the field this year."
On developing rivalries in practice against Pitt's offensive tackles:
"Every time I go against an offensive tackle, it is a rivalry and it's the same for them, too. I want to beat them and they want to beat me. At the end, we walk off the field, say good practice, hug it up; we love each other. But on the field, it is a rivalry every time."
Offensive Lineman Jerry Drake Jr. – Interview Video
On bonding with roommate Avonte Maddox during camp:
"Before rooming with him, I never really talked to him. But he's a cool dude. We both play the same game. He's a cool dude. We definitely have the biggest size difference between roommates here in camp [laughs]."
On the benefit of enrolling early at Pitt:
"I got to meet and already knew most of the guys by the time camp started. It was also good to have the extra time to learn the playbook and to learn to balance going to school and playing football at the same time. It was hard to balance at first, but already having experience with that by the start of camp was very helpful."
On the youth on the offensive line:
"First, I started playing with the two's, now I'm with the freshman. We are young, but the improvement we have had from day one to today on day 10, it's incredible. Coach Peterson really knows what he's talking about. He tells us what to do with our steps and we all improve. Over time, we start to look like sophomores and juniors, not young freshmen."
Wide Receiver Quadree Henderson – Interview Video
On if he feels more like a leader after coming off of a big year:
"I definitely feel more like a leader. It's just watching the freshmen, because I was there in their shoes a couple of years ago in my freshman year. It's just being a leader and telling them right from wrong and telling them what to do better, watching film with them, let them learn from their mistakes and being a coach or a father figure to them."
On Maurice Ffrench's explosiveness on kick returns:
"Maurice is definitely electric, too. Like I said before, I do not care if I get kicked to this year because if it is not coming to me, it's coming in front of me or they have to kick it out of bounds or for a touchback. You also have other guys in front of me that are explosive, so if they kick it to him, expect a big play, too. I'm not the only explosive player on the field. There are 10 other guys out there that can make plays."
On if he thinks Ffrench can be as effective as he was last year on kick return:
"For sure. You saw a glimpse of that in the Marshall game when he made that spin move for a touchdown. I definitely think he's another explosive player that you should watch out for this year."
On if he thinks he will be a part of the run game this year:
"I can't tell you right now what our offense is. I believe so, but at the same time, I'll probably be more of a receiver. Coach [Shawn] Watson is just getting his offense installed. I haven't really been getting the ball in the run game; it's been more in the passing game. I was definitely involved more with the running game last year. I think I only had 26 catches last year, so I'm looking to boost that this year and have more catches and yards than what I had last year."
Linebacker Jalen Williams – Interview Video
On if he thinks that he's in a better place fundamentally after three years with this defense:
"Yes, definitely. Since I first moved to linebacker, it's been a progression thing. I started off pretty slow. I really didn't grasp the standard of how it's supposed to be done here. Now, as a third-year guy and a linebacker, I'm just trying to get everything down."
On his specific struggles on how things are done at linebacker:
"At first, coming down from the safety position, the thing with me was physicality. Just trying to get our strength staff, Coach [Dave] Andrews especially, to get me right in that sense. So the first thing was physicality."
On if seeing Oluwaseun Idowu switch to linebacker successfully gives him confidence:
"It definitely can be done. He did a good job of coming down from that safety position and filling up at the linebacker position, so there is definitely an opportunity right there."
On if he looks forward to the scrimmage at Heinz Field:
"Yeah, anytime we get a chance to go out to Heinz Field, you try to take advantage of that opportunity. You try to make the best of it because that's where we are going to be for seven games this season."
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Head coach Pat Narduzzi held his regular morning media session before practice, while secondary coach Renaldo Hill and five players—wide receiver and kick returner Quadree Henderson, defensive end Rashad Weaver, defensive back Jazzee Stocker, offensive lineman Jerry Drake Jr. and linebacker Jalen Williams—each spoke to the assembled media after the Panthers' workout.
Transcripts and links to videos of each media session are available below.
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi – Interview Video
Opening statement:
"We finished up a great day yesterday, so it is a little lighter day today. These guys are excited about coming out in what we call "spider pads" today, so there will be a lot less contact. Hopefully they are mature enough to practice in those. Sometimes, different teams, especially a young football team, think that it is going to be a day off, but there are no days off during camp. Sunday is their day off, I guess. They have to be able to maturely practice in those things. We could come out in full pads today and scrimmage tomorrow. It does not make any difference to me, but we try to mentally freshen them up for a big day tomorrow. We get to go to Heinz field, which will probably be the biggest scrimmage of the year. Then I will say that the next one is the biggest of the year because it is the next one, but it's a big scrimmage to find out where we are."
On if he has made any changes to his defense since coming to Pitt three years ago:
"Hopefully, we are doing it better, but we are doing the little things. You have to adjust; I don't care if it's offensively, defensively or special teams, you have to adjust with the times. There's always different tweaks that we have going on. We did a year ago, not that it mattered, but you are always looking for different stuff. That's how we evolve. You are not going to change your overall structure, but there are techniques and fundamentals that you try to do a little bit better. I think that we have some good stuff."
On what beyond schematics is the most important factor in being successful:
"It's called development. I have been around the staff rooms. I got hired by Miami (Ohio) back in March of 2003, seven days before spring ball started and inherited the staff. When I got there, it was like, 'why are you doing this?' Well, we couldn't stop that, so we went and started putting this defense in. You can't just keep changing defenses to stop a play, a formation or a type of offense because you don't get any type of consistency. You need a base, fundamental background to go from, then you tweak based on [the offense]. Our offense does some crazy stuff, and we face some crazy offenses, so it couldn't be a better offense so go against, because you see everything. You see everything from a wish-bone, three-back offense to an empty set. So, our defense, when they come out of camp, will have a good base on all kinds of offensive plays."
On if this year's offensive line is the deepest he's had at Pitt:
"No, I would say last year was pretty deep, even though we didn't see a lot of guys. When you say 'deep,' you have some guys who are getting better every day, but last year we had a lot of older guys. I would say last year was pretty good. I don't know if you could beat that one. I think maybe in a couple of years, we can get there, but I would not say that."
On if he has seen Quadree Henderson improve as a wide receiver:
"He had a great catch yesterday, and I think that we have. I have seen little things out there. It's hard to say, 'you won't find out until game day,' but I know that he is focusing on that and getting better."
On if Maurice Ffrench's role will increase in the offense due to Tre Tipton's injury:
"No question about it. Maurice is a great player offensively and defensively, and anytime a guy goes down, it's that next-guy-up mentality. Whether Maurice beats out Tre Tipton in camp or Tre is not there and the job is there for the taking, Maurice is going to hopefully have a major part in this offense."
On if he is picking the roommates for the players at the hotel:
"Oh, yeah. And it is a lot different than a year ago. It's like [Avonte] Maddox is rooming with 'J.D.' [Jerry] Drake [Jr.], and the first night he comes up and goes, 'Coach, really? I have to room with J.D.?' Now, he's like his best friend. He's texting me pictures of J.D., so it's funny how that whole things goes. They go, 'Coach, I don't even know that guy.' Well, that's why we put you with different people. And we try to always mix people up in the summer where we used to stay. We moved the freshmen in there and they had their freshman roommate for the rest of the year. Now we can put a senior with a freshman and really mix it up."
On Ben DiNucci's growth as a leader:
"Ben's doing a good job. Could he get better? Yes. There are a lot of things, but Ben has grown a lot since he has gotten here. I think that he has grown a lot since that bowl game, and we'll see how much more he grows. He's still got a ways to go."
Secondary Coach Renaldo Hill – Interview Video
On Bricen Garner developing as he gets more reps:
"It's important for those guys to get reps and be able to see things constantly. Meeting time as well, and just continuing to go through that process and take as many notes as they can so that it continues to process a little faster."
On if he is seeing players step up at safety with starting positions up for grabs:
"I am. They see it as an opportunity there and they are definitely attacking it. That's what we need, and I think it will make the group stronger even when Jordan returns. But we're happy with how Bricen [Garner] and [Jazzee] Stocker, along with those other guys, are competing at the positions."
On Henry Miller's role:
"He's like a wild-card guy. He's a guy who can go out and play corner. He's big enough to play both safety positions and probably even a linebacker spot. He definitely gives you a variety of things that you can do when you look at his size and skillset. We're just going to continue to get him in the meeting room, increase his knowledge and show that he can play fast and use all of that ability that he has."
On press coverage:
"When we talk about it, that's the first thing you do when you go to a camp. Those guys, you may give them all the twos to plan off. As soon as they get the chance to get the one-on-ones, they're in press. It's easier to teach. You can minimize the routes based on where their release is at. That definitely will help us and we can even shorten it by down-and-distance or personnel group inside. It allows our group to play fast, and that's what they like to do. We want to keep them up there and let them get after it."
On man-to-man coverage:
"They enjoy it and they embrace it. When you click on the TV and the National Football League, that's all those guys do. I tell them that if they want to play at the next level, you've got to be able to press coverage."
On Phil Campbell's physicality making him a good fit for the boundary safety position:
"Definitely. He sees the ball and goes and gets the ball. That's what Phil does, and he's an attack guy downhill. He's not letting up; he's not going to be timid around the pile. You need that enforcer back there, and we're hoping that's something he can provide for our unit."
Defensive Back Jazzee Stocker – Interview Video
On bringing physicality to the safety position:
"I feel like I've always been like that since high school. From my high school team, I was always coming downhill and I feel like that's my style of play. I love to come downhill. I think it is a type of mindset. You have to go out there with no fear and just go out there and hit and be physical."
On getting work at both safety positions:
"I always feel like it's good to know more. Even if I'm playing field, I have to know what the boundary safety is doing so I can have good knowledge on how I'm playing the game so I can be smarter and make plays. If you have more knowledge in the game, then you can make plays."
On what has been different for him in his third year at Pitt:
"This year, our defense, our backfield, is going to have a different culture. We are trying to build something new since last year. We lost a couple guys but we're still going to be a young backfield, so I feel like we're developing a different culture. We're going to come out there with a different attitude."
On working with and learning from Jordan Whitehead:
"We always are in the meeting room with Coach Conklin. Coach Conklin knows what he's talking about, and he has a lot of knowledge about the game. He's always teaching us something new. Learning with Jordan is good because he knows some things and I know some things, so we teach each other some things that help us better each other."
Defensive Lineman Rashad Weaver – Interview Video
On working with new Pitt defensive line coach Charlie Partridge:
"Coach Partridge has done wonders for us, the whole D-line, not just me. When you listen to him, you start to realize that things you never thought would work, actually work every single time. Things you don't notice initially start to pay off on the field. He is very patient with us but lets us know when we are out of control and need to get it together. That rubs off on us and we have great practices."
On playing as a taller, 6-foot-5 defensive end
"Coach Partridge is always talking about my freakishly long arms. I have long arms, even for my height. That's definitely an advantage for me. A disadvantage is always making sure you have a low pad level and bringing your hips through with everything you do, whether it is tackling, bull-rushing or anything like that. But long arms and long steps are definitely an advantage for me in the pass rush. My wingspan is 83 inches; that certainly helps me."
On earning the "Dog Soldier Award" from defensive coordinator Josh Conklin:
"Obviously everybody likes it. Teammates acknowledge it and it builds team chemistry because teammates appreciate you and they know you are doing your job out there. Personally, it lets you know you are doing the right thing and it is being noticed. It makes you want to go out there and win the award again, because winning it one time just isn't enough if you can win it every day. Coaches always talk about consistency; that's what is most important to me, but the awards do mean a lot to me."
On scrimmaging at Heinz Field on Saturday:
"Coach Narduzzi keeps saying it is the biggest scrimmage of camp. It will have the biggest impact on the depth chart and on playing time. If you ball out at Heinz Field, which we all want to do every time, it's going to get noticed, and that will play a role on how much you get on the field this year."
On developing rivalries in practice against Pitt's offensive tackles:
"Every time I go against an offensive tackle, it is a rivalry and it's the same for them, too. I want to beat them and they want to beat me. At the end, we walk off the field, say good practice, hug it up; we love each other. But on the field, it is a rivalry every time."
Offensive Lineman Jerry Drake Jr. – Interview Video
On bonding with roommate Avonte Maddox during camp:
"Before rooming with him, I never really talked to him. But he's a cool dude. We both play the same game. He's a cool dude. We definitely have the biggest size difference between roommates here in camp [laughs]."
On the benefit of enrolling early at Pitt:
"I got to meet and already knew most of the guys by the time camp started. It was also good to have the extra time to learn the playbook and to learn to balance going to school and playing football at the same time. It was hard to balance at first, but already having experience with that by the start of camp was very helpful."
On the youth on the offensive line:
"First, I started playing with the two's, now I'm with the freshman. We are young, but the improvement we have had from day one to today on day 10, it's incredible. Coach Peterson really knows what he's talking about. He tells us what to do with our steps and we all improve. Over time, we start to look like sophomores and juniors, not young freshmen."
Wide Receiver Quadree Henderson – Interview Video
On if he feels more like a leader after coming off of a big year:
"I definitely feel more like a leader. It's just watching the freshmen, because I was there in their shoes a couple of years ago in my freshman year. It's just being a leader and telling them right from wrong and telling them what to do better, watching film with them, let them learn from their mistakes and being a coach or a father figure to them."
On Maurice Ffrench's explosiveness on kick returns:
"Maurice is definitely electric, too. Like I said before, I do not care if I get kicked to this year because if it is not coming to me, it's coming in front of me or they have to kick it out of bounds or for a touchback. You also have other guys in front of me that are explosive, so if they kick it to him, expect a big play, too. I'm not the only explosive player on the field. There are 10 other guys out there that can make plays."
On if he thinks Ffrench can be as effective as he was last year on kick return:
"For sure. You saw a glimpse of that in the Marshall game when he made that spin move for a touchdown. I definitely think he's another explosive player that you should watch out for this year."
On if he thinks he will be a part of the run game this year:
"I can't tell you right now what our offense is. I believe so, but at the same time, I'll probably be more of a receiver. Coach [Shawn] Watson is just getting his offense installed. I haven't really been getting the ball in the run game; it's been more in the passing game. I was definitely involved more with the running game last year. I think I only had 26 catches last year, so I'm looking to boost that this year and have more catches and yards than what I had last year."
Linebacker Jalen Williams – Interview Video
On if he thinks that he's in a better place fundamentally after three years with this defense:
"Yes, definitely. Since I first moved to linebacker, it's been a progression thing. I started off pretty slow. I really didn't grasp the standard of how it's supposed to be done here. Now, as a third-year guy and a linebacker, I'm just trying to get everything down."
On his specific struggles on how things are done at linebacker:
"At first, coming down from the safety position, the thing with me was physicality. Just trying to get our strength staff, Coach [Dave] Andrews especially, to get me right in that sense. So the first thing was physicality."
On if seeing Oluwaseun Idowu switch to linebacker successfully gives him confidence:
"It definitely can be done. He did a good job of coming down from that safety position and filling up at the linebacker position, so there is definitely an opportunity right there."
On if he looks forward to the scrimmage at Heinz Field:
"Yeah, anytime we get a chance to go out to Heinz Field, you try to take advantage of that opportunity. You try to make the best of it because that's where we are going to be for seven games this season."
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DB/WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballNC State Week | Ryan Baer, Kenny Johnson, Tamon Lynum
Wednesday, October 22
Pitt Football | Pitt 30, Syracuse 13 | Field Pass
Tuesday, October 21
NC State Week | Jeremy Darveau, Randy Bates, Braylan Lovelace
Tuesday, October 21
The Book of A.D. | Chapter 1 | In the Beginning
Monday, October 20