2019 Fall Camp Soundbites: Day 15
August 18, 2019 | Football
SEATTLE – Members of the Washington football team, including head coach Chris Petersen, met with the media Sunday afternoon following the Huskies' 15th practice of fall camp. Read some of what they had to say.
HEAD COACH CHRIS PETERSEN
(On the team's performance during yesterday's scrimmage) "A lot of good work. I thought we tackled fairly well for a first scrimmage. I think a lot of this drill stuff that we're doing that's not real football is paying off… Playing more real football with a full crew of refs out there, that was really good to have. Having the play clock, everything showed up. It was really good to get that on tape and we'll try to recreate that again here in the next few days. I thought it was really good. We had about 90-plus plays of live scrimmage, and then we probably had 50 plays on top of that where we weren't totally live but we were doing some other stuff that was pretty good. We got really good work yesterday."
(On the 2019 season starting in less than two weeks) "It seems like it's a long way away in some ways. I know it will be here before we know it, but it just seems like we have a lot of practicing left to do to be where we want to be for that first game. I will say this, this group has worked really, really hard. It hasn't always been as clean as we'd like, but there hasn't been an issue at all of any sort of effort… We've been at it for a while, so that's been good. We just have to get better, and if they stay with the same effort and attitude and all those things, we will."
(On the progress of the Huskies' special teams play) "We've been working really hard. It's hard to know because a lot of it isn't live, and if it is live, it's not a lot of reps at it. We give so much more work on the offensive and defensive side of things in terms of trying to clean that up, but I do think we're making some progress. Our kicking game, our kickers were really, really good yesterday, from our punters to our field goal kickers. I think we probably had around 10 [reps], we had some live that were mixed into the scrimmage and then we had some at the end where it was just field goal work. If we had 10, we might have missed one all day. It was probably our best day kicking the ball."
(On what makes defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake a unique and effective coach) "I think he's a really good teacher. I think that's obvious, and I think that's the thing that jumps out. He just teaches the game and the [defensive back] position really, really well. It doesn't matter who his guys are. They all seem to kind of get what we're doing. They can play fast, and they can play at a high level… The guys relate to him, and he relates to the guys really well. I think the results speak for themselves. It's a nice situation to have back there."
(On what wide receiver coach Junior Adams has brought to that position) "It's apples and oranges. We're doing the same stuff, but it's his personality and he puts a spin on things. I think so much of this coaching thing has to do with connecting with the kids… If we don't connect with them, then the message just goes right over. That connection this is just so important because when we're doing real football and real life, there are going to be hard things to work through and if you don't have that good connection, then you can't push them through these hard times. I think that's one thing that's nice in the [wide receiver room]. For being here a short time, I think he's connected well to those receivers."
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BUSH HAMDAN
(On yesterday's scrimmage) "It was good. Guys are healthy. We got a lot of situational football in. Anytime you can get them in an environment that's as close to a game as possible the better… The whole operation, from driving over here in the morning to feel that anxiety before a game, to have fans out here. You never know how guys are going to react, and we have to train that. Everything we're doing is to get them to play at their best level when we need them. I think that whole mental side of it was great.
(On reviewing the tape from yesterday's scrimmage) "Good and back like always. Execution-wise, a lot of really good things. We're excited from that standpoint. It always comes now in camp when you have more than enough for four game plans in for them to process and understand the details to get it done."
QUARTERBACK JACOB EASON
(On the quarterback competition) "It's good. You can't sugarcoat it, we all know it's there. I think we're all just doing our individual job and trying to be a good teammate and put the team first. I think everyone in that room has done that this camp and ultimately, we've all gotten a lot better."
(On yesterday's scrimmage) "I think it was good just to get out there and zing it around with some spectators and get some live reps in. I thought I did fine on my part, then went in there and watched the film. I think the team played well on both sides."
WIDE RECEIVER CHICO MCCLATCHER
(On where the offense stands as the season gets closer) "It's going well. All the quarterbacks are playing well… Their leadership is the one thing that stands out because we need a strong leader in that room. Everybody is making plays… We're looking smooth right now on offense."
HEAD COACH CHRIS PETERSEN
(On the team's performance during yesterday's scrimmage) "A lot of good work. I thought we tackled fairly well for a first scrimmage. I think a lot of this drill stuff that we're doing that's not real football is paying off… Playing more real football with a full crew of refs out there, that was really good to have. Having the play clock, everything showed up. It was really good to get that on tape and we'll try to recreate that again here in the next few days. I thought it was really good. We had about 90-plus plays of live scrimmage, and then we probably had 50 plays on top of that where we weren't totally live but we were doing some other stuff that was pretty good. We got really good work yesterday."
(On the 2019 season starting in less than two weeks) "It seems like it's a long way away in some ways. I know it will be here before we know it, but it just seems like we have a lot of practicing left to do to be where we want to be for that first game. I will say this, this group has worked really, really hard. It hasn't always been as clean as we'd like, but there hasn't been an issue at all of any sort of effort… We've been at it for a while, so that's been good. We just have to get better, and if they stay with the same effort and attitude and all those things, we will."
(On the progress of the Huskies' special teams play) "We've been working really hard. It's hard to know because a lot of it isn't live, and if it is live, it's not a lot of reps at it. We give so much more work on the offensive and defensive side of things in terms of trying to clean that up, but I do think we're making some progress. Our kicking game, our kickers were really, really good yesterday, from our punters to our field goal kickers. I think we probably had around 10 [reps], we had some live that were mixed into the scrimmage and then we had some at the end where it was just field goal work. If we had 10, we might have missed one all day. It was probably our best day kicking the ball."
(On what makes defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake a unique and effective coach) "I think he's a really good teacher. I think that's obvious, and I think that's the thing that jumps out. He just teaches the game and the [defensive back] position really, really well. It doesn't matter who his guys are. They all seem to kind of get what we're doing. They can play fast, and they can play at a high level… The guys relate to him, and he relates to the guys really well. I think the results speak for themselves. It's a nice situation to have back there."
(On what wide receiver coach Junior Adams has brought to that position) "It's apples and oranges. We're doing the same stuff, but it's his personality and he puts a spin on things. I think so much of this coaching thing has to do with connecting with the kids… If we don't connect with them, then the message just goes right over. That connection this is just so important because when we're doing real football and real life, there are going to be hard things to work through and if you don't have that good connection, then you can't push them through these hard times. I think that's one thing that's nice in the [wide receiver room]. For being here a short time, I think he's connected well to those receivers."
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BUSH HAMDAN
(On yesterday's scrimmage) "It was good. Guys are healthy. We got a lot of situational football in. Anytime you can get them in an environment that's as close to a game as possible the better… The whole operation, from driving over here in the morning to feel that anxiety before a game, to have fans out here. You never know how guys are going to react, and we have to train that. Everything we're doing is to get them to play at their best level when we need them. I think that whole mental side of it was great.
(On reviewing the tape from yesterday's scrimmage) "Good and back like always. Execution-wise, a lot of really good things. We're excited from that standpoint. It always comes now in camp when you have more than enough for four game plans in for them to process and understand the details to get it done."
QUARTERBACK JACOB EASON
(On the quarterback competition) "It's good. You can't sugarcoat it, we all know it's there. I think we're all just doing our individual job and trying to be a good teammate and put the team first. I think everyone in that room has done that this camp and ultimately, we've all gotten a lot better."
(On yesterday's scrimmage) "I think it was good just to get out there and zing it around with some spectators and get some live reps in. I thought I did fine on my part, then went in there and watched the film. I think the team played well on both sides."
WIDE RECEIVER CHICO MCCLATCHER
(On where the offense stands as the season gets closer) "It's going well. All the quarterbacks are playing well… Their leadership is the one thing that stands out because we need a strong leader in that room. Everybody is making plays… We're looking smooth right now on offense."
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