Tom Herman

Opening statement: Not much to report other than it was good to put the shoulder pads on, obviously with no leg pads. Couldn't tackle but we could fit up blocks a lot better and play, above the waste, the way the game is supposed to be. The guys went really hard. We were being fairly conservative in terms of the length of practice, this is a little bit shorter than what we're used to. But again, this is a five-week marathon to get to the first game so we want to make sure that we don't empty the tank and not have anything left for the couple to weeks that we're going to prepare to win a game. So thought it was good, the kids responded. Tonight, barring any issues between now and our team meeting, the guys will see there locker room for the first time. Tomorrow morning when they get here at 5:30 a.m., that's when they'll change and all their stuff will be there.



On progression from practicing without pads, to shoulder pads: I thought our guys responded well. That's a different weight that they're carrying, that's why we have the acclimatization period to get used to carrying that weight around and the guys handled it well.



On the quarterback competition: They're not getting equal reps with the ones. It would be silly for me to hide the fact that Shane gets more reps with the ones, but I think that he has to know that if Sam goes out there and has a good couple of series with the ones, that he's going to be in for a couple more and earn that. I don't know how close it is, Sam's still going to get reps with the ones up until we start preparing for Maryland because if he does better than Shane then he's going to earn himself more reps.



On the approach for the offensive scheme at the running back position: We've got all shapes and sizes, from Carlos Hyde to Ezekiel Elliott to Kenneth Farrow, to Duke Catalon. We had Jerome Bettis come and speak to our team last year, he said that the running back's job, before you even think about running with the football, is that, "You've got to protect the quarterback and protect the ball." If you can't do those two things, you're not going to see the field. So as long as they're doing that and playing tough and physical, then it doesn't matter; height, weight, 40-time. It's vision, consistency, and protecting the ball.



On progress with defensive install: There's still a fair share of busts, whether it be new guys or older guys overloaded a little bit. But again, just something I've believed in my entire career of coaching is that you try to install pretty much everything that's not game plan-specific of your base offense and defense early. Then you go back, reteach it, and do it again and again and again. Because you want to expose them to all the different techniques, coverages, and fronts, and then you go back and reinforce what you taught first.



On Connor Williams , developing vocal leadership: It's something I got from Coach Meyer. It's really easy for elite guys, elite workers, elite work ethic guys to come in and do their own thing, they're self motivated. But we're not going to be as good a team as we can be if they're coming in on their own and the guys that are what we call compliant check the box, do things right but don't do anything extra. I told him that it's his job as a leader on this team to make sure that you're bringing somebody with you and you're teaching that person, whoever it is that day, how you do things.



On Williams' leadership among the offensive line group: He can still do it more, but o-line is a little bit different. As long as him and Patrick Vahe can get their house in order, then that's a task unto itself. That's 17, 18 guys in one room and there's no more interdependent position probably in all of sport than the offensive line. So if those guys are handling their business then I would consider Patrick and Connor good leaders. But he is coming out of his shell more to do that.



On Coach Naiver being the right guy to coach special teams: He's done it forever, one. He's had success whenever he's done it, he's done it at a lot of different levels. He knows the way that I like to do things are the way we are going to do things. He's completely bought in and he's an excellent teacher. His energy level, if there's a more energetic coach in the country, you'll have to show them to me because this guy, I think, has got Red Bull and Dr. Pepper in his veins. It's a sight to behold, that's for sure.



On getting momentum in recruiting: We did it at Houston and before we'd ever coached a game as a group, let alone coached a game at whatever place we were at. I think there's a lot of testimony to back up how we do things. I think that our players do an excellent job of recruiting, which is really because they're going to tell the parents and recruits the truth. They don't sugar coat things because they're not trained that way, they're trained to tell the truth and when you have players selling your program and the way that you do things, it really, really resonates. We're still in Austin, we're still one of the Top 25 public educations in the country.



On Malik Jefferson : He's done everything we've asked him to do and more, which is fantastic. I think he has focused his energy into being not just a better linebacker, but a better teammate and a better leader. The dividends have been paying off, obviously we won't know for sure until Saturdays in the fall. I made a comment when we were in the linebacker room in a meeting the other night, how different his body looked just on video running around out there, his lower body specifically.



On Jerrod Heard 's leadership: Jerrod is a quiet guy by nature and he's humble, he works really, really hard but that position group is a difficult one to lead because if you're not careful there can be a lot of individualism in that room. He's done a really good job, a little bit more behind the scenes than we even know as coaches, but he's a guy that does everything right on the field and off the field. You do those things and you're going to get the privilege of having our staff and myself cultivate you as a leader.



On having a former quarterback at wide receiver in Heard: I think the best tight ends and receivers are former quarterbacks because they truly know coverages, they know the ins and outs, they know defenses, they know where holes are, they know even body body posture and demeanor of defenders and kind of what that means. So I think it's a big advantage for him just because of that knowledge of defenses and secondary.



Malik Jefferson

On his communication with the new coaching staff regarding leadership and what is wanted from him: One big thing I'm trying to focus on is to forget about myself and going out there, thinking about my brothers and giving them that encouragement so that they can go out there and run to the ball and play hard.



On sitting down to talk with Coach Herman: It was good, we had a pretty long conversation but I enjoyed every second of it. I understood where he was coming from, he understood where I was coming from as well and now I'm out here executing and making plays and trying to become a better player.



On his mental approach going into a third season: I'm excited, every year it's been tough and you can say that you're excited but you see the culture and that everything is changing. Every little thing is detailed and it's so important that we emphasize that culture to everyone on the team.



On enjoying football last season: It had its ups and downs, but that's one thing I'm trying to focus on and making sure that every weekend now I'm 100% and I'm focused into that game that week.



On offseason work with Yancy McKnight : It was a great offseason, everyday in the morning running and then coming back and lifting weights, especially on leg day. It was very challenging, but he has completely changed the culture with these guys and completely changed me as well. I'm more versatile, I can move a lot better.



On his developing relationship with Coach Orlando: I have opened my chest and given it to Coach Orlando. He knows what he's doing, I trust him very much and he trusts me as well. So he's on me everyday making sure that I stay fundamentally sound and encouraging me to be that leader for the defense.



Jerrod Heard

On being ready if needed at quarterback, working at wide receiver: It's definitely a preparation that I always have in the back of my mind and stay ready for if that day comes. Between me and coach, I'll stay ready for it.



On if he wants to play quarterback: I just want to be the best player I can be. I'm still trying to be the greatest receiver so my thing is, if that bomb goes off, I have to produce. So I'm just as much as an emergency on the team, so I need to stay ready for it.



On what position player he feels like: I am a receiver now. I don't even claim quarterback anymore. But it's the mindset, as being an ex-quarterback, that's helped me a lot seeing defenses and knowing what to run and coverage-wise. So I really take that as an advantage and try to keep that quarterback mindset of reading defenses.



On the different of a second season at wide receiver: It's a lot of growth that took place, especially during spring where I had the time period of just learning and learning from the guys around me as well. That room is so competitive; I'm learning every day the stuff to be a great wide receiver. I really appreciate Coach Mehringer for helping me get that growth and confidence to be that receiver.



On the challenge of being a more vocal leader: I'm really a quiet guy. I have my moments where I talk and speak up, but Coach Herman wants me to do it more and so it really gravitates towards the team coming towards me. So really, just doing that can help me to have that confidence as well, in each other, that I'm that leader.



On the difference across the football program: It's way better. I feel like it's a sense of that we have that mental toughness now. As everyone can tell, we were physically tough, we were definitely physically tough but we just had the mental part that we couldn't piece together. I think that we've found it and it's going to be a really good season for us.



On changes he's seen in Malik Jefferson over his years at The University of Texas: Malik's changed a lot. As far as leadership and that person on the field, he's flying to the ball like crazy like always and he's just that leader that you can always come to with anything. All the guys respect him. It's great to see Malik, his growth and transition through becoming this great linebacker that he's going to be.