University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Holds Two Training Camp Practices on Sunday
8/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 12, 2007
Watch Player Interviews
Dave Wannstedt
Training
August 12, 2007
(Morning Session)
On Derek Kinder's injury:
It's a very unfortunate thing for Derek because he's worked so hard to put himself in position to have a great year. It was a non-contact injury. He never got hit. He planted on the grass and the injury is a torn ACL. It was his right knee. That's the bad news. The good news is that he does have a redshirt year left so the plan is to have it rehabbed and come back and have a great year next year. He does have all the intangibles--the work ethic and the determination to make a full recovery and still end up accomplishing everything that he wants to accomplish.
On the loss of Derek Kinder as a leader:
Derek is one of those lead-by-example guys. He was never a screamer or yeller but rather he was one we could always count on. I talked to the team last night and we addressed the issue and this is how things happen in this game. There are examples on teams every year where unfortunate things happen and another guy gets an opportunity and he steps up and makes plays.
On possible replacements for Kinder:
What I think this does is put Maurice Williams and Aundre Wright both in the mix right now competing. A week ago I was thinking that one, possibly both of those guys might redshirt. I think right now they'll be in the competition and we'll see how things play out.
I'm very comfortable with our wide receivers. We have four returning guys. We have a very capable Austin Ransom--a walk-on player, and then we have two talented young guys. This is kind of what we talked about. When you look at our team, other guys will step up at this position and at other positions. It's an unfortunate thing but that's why they give us a whistle and a shirt that says coach on it. We have to figure everything out.
(Afternoon Session)
On Bill Stull and quarterback-center exchanges:
It was good to get Billy Stull back today. Obviously when you have a player that has ability and knows the system, then the team and coaches have confidence in him. It's amazing how it's a boost to not just your offense but your entire team. Billy showed some toughness today. He has five stitches in his thumb and he was out there this morning and then in the afternoon. He has the stitches so he has a glove on and he's a tough guy. Players that are surrounding him notice that. It was good to get him back out here and I thought we got a little better today. We're still not as clean as what we need to be with the quarterback and center exchanges. The quarterbacks and linemen were the first ones out on the field today at 7:30. We want to send them out there and make an emphasis on the importance of that. They will eventually make a difference.
On the wide receivers:
You hate to be premature talking about individuals after just two days but I feel very sure that Maurice Williams and Aundre Wright will both be in the mix this year. How much and to what capacity? I don't know yet. Both of those guys bring something to the table in addition to Marcel (Pestano) Oderick (Turner) T.J. (Porter) and Cedric McGee, so we have a nice group. We did a couple things with Darrell Strong today and he played multiple positions because of his experience and it's very tough with the loss of Derek Kinder. It's very difficult because of the type of player he is but more importantly because of the type of person he is. Derek is one of those players that nothing has been given to him and nothing comes easy and he's really worked extremely hard and deserves everything that he's received to this point. We met last night and I met with his family this morning and the one bright spot is that he does have a redshirt year and he told me this morning that he wants to get it repaired. He wants to get back. He wants to have a great year and I told Derek that he can accomplish next year everything that he set out to do this year. That's the plan right now. He will have surgery, he will be out for the year, but he will be with us next year.
On the defensive line:
The defensive line as a group I like. I like the depth that we have for the first time since I've been here. We've got some guys working with the third team. Craig Bokor, for example, is very capable of mixing in with our first group. I think we're starting to establish our depth, particularly at tackle. The guys that are coming off injures are doing well. (John) Malecki is fine. He's feeling 100 percent. Mick Williams has had a great camp so far and he's back healthy. The two guys that were banged up last year, we have back healthy. We have to find a fourth defensive end. Right now we have (Greg) Romeus, Joe Clermond, and Chris McKillop. The fourth spot has some good healthy competition and we have to figure that out. As far as numbers and enough experience, I like what I see so far.
On being able to redshirt more freshmen:
It'd be nice. I'd hope to be able to do so. You'd like to get to a point where you have enough depth where you're playing four or five of the guys, particularly the skilled guys. I don't know. Right now, (Chris) Jacobson, (Jordan) Gibbs and (John) Fieger were all working in with the second team. They're all true freshmen so I don't know if we're there yet. Jabaal Sheard and Tony Tucker are kind of working in some as that third end. I don't know about the guys at receiver. I talked about playing Maurice (Williams) and Aundre (Wright). We'll redshirt as many as we can but we're not there yet. We probably need two more recruiting classes. We've had two full classes since I've been here and need probably two more to really have the depth to start being a little more choosier about who we play and who we redshirt.
On Dom DeCicco
Dom made two big plays today. He caused a fumble and he made a big tackle one-on-one with T.J. Porter who is a great athlete. Dom's running second team but I'll tell you what, he's making as many plays as anybody. He'll be in the mix. I look for him to be one of those freshmen that we're going to play this year. He's smart, tough, physical. He possesses all the intangibles.
On the difficulty of recovering from an injury like Derek Kinder's:
Well I'm not an expert but what the doctors have told me is that it was a non-contact injury which is important. He was just planting and he cut on the grass and the tendon tore. It wasn't from a tackle or a twist or an impact injury which usually causes more damage in the knee. This was a very clean cut and a very clean tear and everyone on our medical staff has been very optimistic that he should do fine with it.
On working with different players at center:
We're trying to get guys that can play center. We moved John Bachman today at right tackle and he'll compete with Jason Pinkston. Although John can play guard, he can play center as well. Alex Karabin, we put him in the second group at center simply because we're more confident with him than anybody else with snapping the ball. There's been no decisions made and we're not going to make any until we've had a few scrimmages.
On Mike McGlynn:
We're taking it day by day with Mike. Everyday he's doing a little more drill work. Today he was out there snapping for field goals so were making progress with him. We're just trying to stay the course.
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