Tom Herman

Opening statement: Really, really good day today. I was a little bit, worried is not the right word, I was anticipating how we would respond to putting full pads on (after) four really tough days, and long days leading up to it, and the guys came out with a lot of juice; it was hot the last couple days, we hadn't seen the sun very much, but the sun was beating down on us pretty good today. Credit to Coach (Yancy) McKnight and his staff, the defensive players in our tackle drills and goal line and inside drill, much better pad level than in the spring, much better knee bend, hip explosion; we're not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination, we have a lot to clean up, but just our body position and our pad level was encouraging.



On practice expectations now that the team is in full pads: We talk about it all the time; we had a team meeting last night. They grow up in this generation of seven-on-seven and all the other stuff, which is good, there's nothing wrong with that, I think it builds certain skills, but it's definitely not real football. They understand the importance of putting full pads on and tackling each other to the ground and training as real as we can and simulating game-like situations is how you get better; and they believe in that they understand the importance of it.



On Kyle Porter 's performance and Chris Warren's injury recovery: Kyle did everything we asked him to in the spring, he stayed relatively healthy until, I think the only practice he missed was the spring game because he rolled his ankle; but yes, Chris has had a great summer … it's kind of like the question I asked about the defensive ends yesterday, whether you take the first snap or the fourth snap at running back, we're going to need to roll guys at that position and Chris has done what we've asked him to thus far, and so has Kyle. I think it's only fair that a guy that makes it through pretty much the entire spring practice and does it well, that he gets the chance to jog out there with the ones.



On the pass catching ability of the running backs: Good, not great, good. I think probably Toneil (Carter) would be the most fluid ball catcher with probably Kyle and then Chris and Danny (Young); but good, not great.



On who surprised on the first day in full pads since spring practices: I thought our two young tight ends ( Cade Brewer and Reese Leitao ), I don't know coming out of the spring, because they weren't here, but it was good to see them throw their stuff around in inside drill and team settings; they need to get stronger, but they certainly weren't scared.



On the different color stripes on the players' helmets: The red stripes are for the newcomers, kind of pledging, if you will, they're not quite members of the family yet, they've got to go prove it on the practice field and at some point they'll get that stripe off. But then the black stripe, for our quarterbacks and running backs, we want to be able to see on video where is the center of their helmet, where exactly are they looking. Now granted, I can look at you and my head be this way, but in a helmet that's pretty tough to do.



On players separating in practices as opposed to scrimmage: For us, the scrimmage setting is good because it allows coaches to get off the field; it allows us to go through game-like situations, game-like execution and game-like procedures without a set drill, "Hey, this is third-and-10, this is third-and-8, third-and-6," whatever the case may be; inside drill. It's just 11-on-11, go play football, play it as it's spotted. It doesn't carry any more weight than an individual drill on a Monday practice.



On why Elijah Rodriguez is taking reps at right tackle: Because he's good enough, one. We're going to put the best five offensive linemen out there and Shack has come back really well, Zach Shakelford, and so right now, if we have to play a game right now, those five would be the best five, with Shakelford at center, Jake McMillon at right guard and Rodriguez at right tackle; but what it does allow, too, it allows Denzel (Okafor) and Tristan (Nickelson) to get some reps at left tackle, as well, if we are going to need a swing tackle. As I've said before, most teams that I've been on, you have about seven or eight offensive linemen that you feel good about putting in a game and it's usually your five starters, one tackle that can probably play left or right, and one inside guy that can play either guard or center, so it allows those guys to get reps at left tackle, too. But they're still improving and we don't play a game tomorrow, so they'll have every opportunity to go earn that spot, too. But it'll be a good battle, right now those five guys, plus Denzel, Tristan and probably Pat Hudson are all eight guys that we just have to figure out are the best combination of five to jog out there.



On the perception of Jake McMillon as underrated: Well he's not underrated by me, I really like being around him. He is versatile, very much so, in terms of his ability to play center and guard; really smart guy, powerful, so he's able to hold his own inside there with the Poona Ford s of the world and I don't know that underrated is the right word, but certainly very versatile.



On his satisfaction with seeing what he wants from the team thus far: I've gone back and watched a few of (the practices) and I guess that's the only conclusion that you can draw. I'm glad we don't play tomorrow, we're not a finished product by any stretch, but for the most part they're doing what we've asked them to do. Again, probably the two things that I wish were a little bit more polished now than they are would be there (are) still some busts on defense not communicating and some assignment errors on offense, but we talk to them all the time, especially this time of year, "Don't worry about making mistakes; just go really hard, be really physical and we'll correct those mistakes." Now if it becomes a pattern and those mistakes continue to repeat themselves, then we have issues. But right now, this time of year, it's just about going hard and physical and for the most part they've done that.



On if he is nervous with being happy with the team at the early stage of camp: Yeah. I don't know that I'm ever happy, that's pretty exaggerated, but you're proud of the guys for (meeting expectations), and so we're a very honest, transparent program, when they're doing well they're going to be told, "Keep it up and get better," and when they're not meeting expectations they're going to be told that, too, and be taught how to do that.



On what was installed at today's practice: Goal line and red zone was the install today, so as is pretty much every year, the first day we put on full pads we want to put them in as physical of situations as we can – short yardage, goal line, red zone is football in a phone booth. We wanted to see guys respond to that.



On the competition at B-backer between Jeffery McCulloch and Naashon Hughes : I think they each have their strengths and weaknesses; I think Jeffrey has to be more consistent against the run, I think his strength is rushing the passer at that position. Naashon is about the opposite, he's pretty good against the run; he's smart, he knows where to be and how to be there, but we need a little more production from him rushing the passer. Both of them are well aware of their strengths and weaknesses; it'll be a good battle the whole camp.



P.J. Locke III

On the difference in pads: I felt like everybody was anxious to get in the pads today, that's what we've been waiting for. Even yesterday, we had to go thud and stuff like that and we didn't have full pads, people were still hitting a little bit. It was anxious today.



On changes in Tom Herman through training camp so far: He's pretty much to me the same guy. Just up-tempo, upbeat, just really enthusiastic and there's little drop off. That's how we try and compete with his enthusiasm.



On fatigue in practice: There's going to be days like that, but that's why we train for that all across summer. There were days where the monkey kind of jumped on our back, but that's what the brotherhood, how we came together and got that figured out to just pick everybody up.



On noticeable differences from the offseason training program: Really just attention to detail. Like everybody knows about the water bottle situation. So I just mean those small details that can be equivalent to jumping offside, somebody's going up-tempo and not getting the play call, running through the gap or something like that. All the detailed things, it just works up to big things. So that's why we try to cut out the small details and eliminate the big plays.



On playing to defensive coordinator Orlando's defensive style: Today was definitely like a testimony to that. Everybody was kind of feeling tired and we all came together and got it together, offense did a great job in the red zone today. It was like our challenge for tomorrow to have a better day tomorrow. Tomorrow, not really looking for mistakes or anything like that, just straight effort. We get tired like that, we've got to learn how to communicate across the board and get everything lined up.



Connor Williams

On today's practice situations setting the tone for camp: It was all very short yardage and it was fourth down, a lot of inside run. The whole of team was fourth down, it was a good start and we brought good energy in such short yardage.



On noticeable differences from the offseason training program: It's crazy, it's crazy how much stronger we are and it was a hot day, but it was nothing compared to how tired we were last spring. It's just crazy how much more durability we have and how much more strength.



On chemistry among offensive line group: We all do a good job of coaching each other and they're becoming leaders. They don't need much help, they're actually teaching other people and we're all just helping teach each other.



On the team's physicality running the football: I feel like we believe in ourselves and I feel like we believe in the path we're on. I feel like we're doing the right things and we've just got to come out '1-0.' We've just finished practice so we go to the next thing and finish the next thing. Just one after another.



On tomorrow's scrimmage: I feel like if we come out like we did today and bring the same energy, same enthusiasm, be excited, be able to go out on the field and hit and take the field with energy, I feel like that'd be an accomplishment.



On the attitude of the offensive line: I feel like we're finally getting our confidence. I feel like we're finally getting our swagger, our little strut and I feel like we're taking control and we're helping lead the offense and letting the offense feed off of us.



On offensive line Coach Warehime: He's a great coach. He's very technical, he sees everything and he's really good at creating chaos in practice that you're never comfortable, you're never okay with a play, that you're always on your toes.



On his reaction to the new locker rooms: It was a blast and disbelief, honestly. Just walking around, it was crazy, something you can't even imagine. When I came to Texas I had the old locker room and it was crazy to see the change that's been made in so short a time.