FOOTBALL: 2024 Fall Camp - Tony Elliott August 12th

can you uh start by just talking about Saturday scrimmage and and what do you think your quarterback so yeah so so Saturday scrimmage uh felt like uh in uh in totality defense probably came up with a little bit of a of of an upper hand uh I thought they uh thought they had good energy uh saw saw what I needed to see really challenged our pass rushers you know to get back to the uh uh to the quarterback and I thought they did it better they did a better job um you know I thought both the quarterbacks they're battling you know both of them made made a couple big plays um you know still still got to continue to uh to push through the competition and just you know make the routin plays and and not and not press and and not not try to uh you know win the job on on every single play right and uh and obviously some of the guys around them got to do a better job of helping too um just just just overall and we're a little bit thin on the offensive line right now with with Baldi being down B be a couple more weeks and um and Stevens is dayto day so we didn't have some of our our top guys but it was really good for the young guys to get in there because heck you know we learned last year uh you know depth it's got to be it's got to be ready but you know kicking game um saw some saw some improvements still uh you know still working hard on our punt team uh trying to find you know a slid of fire Snapper situation um you know Bunch has been a really good addition uh to us uh but still you know trying to figure out who's going to be that next guy behind him between Hayden rollinson and Luke Burn um you know Sparky's putting the ball punting the ball well and now this week we'll get into really the other phases of our kicking game with all the kickoff and kickoff return and punt return but primarily we've been focusing on on field goal and uh and punt of the first week cuz that's where we got to improve you know we we had two block last year that that were one- score games that gave up touchdowns uh so so that's been the the point of emphasis and uh coach gaither's working extremely hard with Drew and and got all the coaches involved and and uh and and we're going to get better at at punt if we don't do if we don't do anything but overall you know came out from from the scrimmage you know pretty healthy um obviously uh uh today's at other physical day we're right back at it uh full pads uh working some in the game situations you know really uh you know trying to get the guys accustomed to the new rules with the two-minute timeout at the end at the end of the game uh so we working some live stuff there and and looks like we made it out of practice uh healthy again so I got some guys back too uh that were that were out for the scrimmage and uh through through the course of the week we'll get a lot more guys you know just some soft tissue hamstrings uh that we'll get back get back this week um you know just uh piggybacking on that just injury situation Jr is going to be a couple weeks we got good news so it wasn't as as as serious as as as it could have been I did have to get a quick procedure of scope so he'll be he'll be a couple weeks like I said Bly will be back here pretty soon Stevens is is dayto day uh with his uh with his foot um a lot of the other guys came back into back into practice I'm just trying to see X Brown will be a couple weeks with his with his shoulder Bryce is is is probably the longest term Bryce Carter with his with his knee uh but all those other guys uh we anticipa and y'all knew about Makai and yall knew about about Stevie and the cornerback position that was something you highlighted any kind of changes after the scrimmage anyone can pop out more you know kton shine probably had the best scrimmage of the of the group and and came up with a big with a big play uh in the scrimmage uh but the other guys are are battling and uh and this week we'll have a chance to to Really uh it's going to be all all padded practices throughout the week and then we'll scrimmage again on on Friday so you know by the time we get through Friday and and into Monday of next week we'll probably have a little bit better you know idea of of of anybody separating but you know shine did have a big play which obviously um you know everybody uh saw but um still some things technically you know that that they got to they got to improve on and and all of them really pressing those guys to come up and Tackle uh because with what we do uh run fit wise you know the corners uh they're they're they're instrumental in in in helping us down the football you had a TR Harris make a pretty good catch early in the scrimmage I guess first of all what do you guys do to beat out so many big 10 schools to get him and what have you seen from him uh I guess we just were ourselves uh and and made it about about relationship and and we persistent and consistent with the messaging and um and then when he came down here got a really good feel uh feel for it and I think it it didn't hurt the success that Malik had uh last year knowing that uh we we do have a way to to make sure that he can get the ball and uh I think that that he also saw that uh he could play complimentary football with Malachi on the other side uh which helps when you're looking at a at a at any situation you're going into as a wide out U you know having other guys around you that can you know you know tilt the coverage or or you or balance up the coverage but uh I just say we were ourselves and uh was looking for a situation where you felt like it was a family environment and you could have good relationships that were meaningful on the field and off the field with the coaches um and I think the the production of the receiver position over the last couple years is is kind of speaks for itself you had a pretty nice weather today so I guess you have to worry about it but in your career how have things changed in terms of managing heat how far you push athletes what kind of information you have to work with yeah it's ch it's changed a lot I mean we got core temp pills you know where where they swallow a and and the the medical folks walk up and they can they can uh with a with a some type of like a phone or a device and and they know how what their body temperature is and get an accurate reading and and a lot of Education uh has taken place from the from the medical folks throughout the course of of the year just educating us on on heat related uh illnesses and injuries and uh I think there there stigmas have uh have changed you know over time and uh I think that obviously you know unfortunately bad things have happened related to the heat that's that's really brought awareness to it which is a good thing unfortunately I hate that it took bad things for us to you know to really start paying attention to it um you know the other thing too is is it's really a year round you know deal and so I think you you got to you got to look at the year in totality uh not just uh the the hot practices but just the workload that's on the body of these guys so there's a bit there's a science around how you manage uh the body of these student athletes uh uh nowadays and um I I air on the side of of of being cautious right because uh because of situations where people have been pushed too far uh in the Heat and I wish it was a little bit hotter today right I think we need I'm just worried that uh we've had some mild weather and then the lightning has kept us inside a couple days when it's been really hot just because of the lightning in the area we couldn't get outside I still want to balance you know some exposure to the heat because September is going to be hot we're going to be playing on Turf and you know I know we got a couple night games out the gate but you know I know I know uh in Winston Salem it's not going to cool down uh that much when the Sun goes down and you're playing on Turf so we got to be exposed to it because we are going to have to have to play in it but at the same time too I want to make sure that that we don't uh abuse the bodies of the young men but then we also have them in optimal position to be ready to go to go play uh once we kick it off has it changed a lot in your either from your plan as to when you first started as an assistant I the technology is obviously different but the not the care obviously but the awareness of the importance you know I think I think well I remember when uh when I was playing we didn't even have cell phones right so so there wasn't there wasn't social media there wasn't there wasn't awareness and and uh and there wasn't as as much attention on it but uh but I think you know the the training the training uh methods are very similar I just think that you know the attention to detail and the science around it and and just the awareness and and so the folks that are that are that are that are overseeing the the instruction are a lot more prepared and aware in my opinion you know so they know what to they know what to look for um and they also have been educated on what can happen and I don't think anybody ever wants that to happen I see even back you know before when things have happened I don't think anybody was wanting to make that happen or or you know even you know they probably a lot of regret that that did happen I just I just think that that people are a lot more aware because of technology and then the science behind it um you know and and and at the end of the day is just a game you know and and I think we know more than than anybody as a program man life is the most important thing so we want to make sure that that that we value that down you probably seen more of greas what have you seen from them the scrimmages now gre's done a good job um and he's running he's running he's running violent you know he's running hard um looks ex you know he missed Spring ball with the with the with his offseason surgeries that he has so he looks like he's you know almost back in shape um you know he's got he's got got good command of of what we're doing having to carry a little bit heavier workload all of them you know anytime a running back goes down man that's there's only we only got about five six of them right so so you don't have many bodies so when one goes down the other one's got to carry a workload so he's been but he's been doing a good job of of managing it and and really you know pushing towards finding him a a a role uh within within our offense what does he great yeah he's he's a 200 plus pound guy uh that's got deceptive speed um he's he's shiftier than you think think so so so in base Downs you know he can go execute all of the Run schemes that we uh that we have in our offense but then also he's a he's a big guy that you can put in there in short yardage uh and he catches the ball well out of the back field you know so he provides a lot of of Versatility for a guy for a guy his size where in most cases a guy that size is kind of onedimensional just to clarify Jr those guys so Jr Jr uh not not Bly you know B yeah Bly be back uh soon just just nuring nursing ankle uh but Jr did have to have his knee scope so so he could be he could be down a couple but it's not it's not longterm what are you seeing other than cam you know uh Tre McDonald's done a good job and he's really he's really taking advantage of uh of his opportunity as as James is is working back from his offseason uh uh offseason surgery so you know you're really starting to see him and and and he's doing a good job of of of getting guys lined up he looks really comfortable uh in the in the system you know dorian's been a uh a good a good addition uh to the uh to the program you know he he brings an outside perspective you know to challenge the guys uh he's learning he he looks a lot more comfortable um Landon Danley you know has has has really you know taken that next step for us and we're going to we're going to have to count on him uh this year uh so I'd I'd say the biggest uh Improvement would be Trey McDonald uh losing Stevie you know hurt cuz Stevie was going to be you know in that rotation in that mix um but but Landon uh is making progress to where he can be more than just a core special team guy you know that he can get in there and give you valuable snaps if something were to happen and you know excited to get James back later this week and get him get him rolling um but but I like I like you know the demeanor that they're playing with you know they've really you know they've really taken the coach Adams um and and and really rallied around you know his style of coaching his philosophy uh to the uh to the position and it's been a fun group and and you're seeing they're playing with a little bit of swagger um and that's that's helping cam too um because because he knows he's got guys out there with him you know that that are that are elevating their level of play you know to to match the the talent that He has two minute Dr kind imp you expect to yeah I mean it's uh two minute time the two-minute day the two-minute timeout yeah we got to make sure in college we call the two-minute the two-minute timeout but um you know I think uh you know some of your philosophy is going to change probably inside of 3 minutes approaching that that two-minute uh timeout um and how you manage the clock whether you're whether you're down or whether you're ahead uh I think that the the impact that is probably going to have the most is now the 10-second runoff is now merried to the two-minute timeout where it was a it was a one minute inside a one minute deal right so any kind of penalties uh and even injury so you got injury you got injury timeouts you got helmets coming off you got instant replays that could cost you 10 seconds now that's being married to the two-minute the two-minute timeout so I think you could see uh some more costly uh you know costly situations uh inside of 2 minutes where where people don't have the appropriate timeouts uh to be able to to combat any kind of 10-second runoff so I think it's going to really really um you know impact one score games right a lot like the NFL uh from from that standpoint and then I think you're going to see you know probably some philosophical differences you know as you approach the the two-minute timeout with with play calling and and and philosophy and in terms of two for one one play you got two plays you got one play how do you manage that um in that in in those situations along those lines how's the communication and the iPad stuff yeah so the I the the iPad stuff we're going to get to really work this week uh as we go over to the uh to the stadium on uh on on Friday I just got to remember the rule you can't show the offici offal the iPad so that's a big one right that's a 15 that's a 15 yard right there you can't you can't walk up to the to the officials so like I got to educate the staff regardless of what's on the uh video we cannot show it to any of the officials yeah like yeah so that point to theant you can point yeah we were told you could look at the and yeah that's going to be nice cuz they going to be nice and clear and big it's Scott Stadium I can point right there but you can't put the iPad in their face but uh we're excited to work with that um and and the helmet communication is is good because it it just gives you some flexibility right you can uh it's not you know I got some questions early on are you going to be able to like really coach the quarterback up all the way until 15 seconds like well you got to be careful right because they still got to play ball right you can't you can't over Coach them right so but you do have to to to resist that that temptation to to over Coach them with the uh with the communication but it's it's been good because now you can you can change uh and vary and Vary up your uh your tempos uh you know you get in the get in the Huddle and you know protect some of your signals uh from from the sideline cuz you don't have to do as much uh but you also still got to be prepared uh to operate as normal uh because again it's a new system I know it's coming from the NFL but there'll be Kinks uh that you got to work out especially when you go to different venues you'll be in different venues all around the country and and everybody may not have the same you know level of of technological support so you just got to be ready to operate how you always have uh but it is it is a nice uh addition there and and you know and then we got to uh be precise with with how we use it uh because the last thing you want is too many voices you know in the ears of those guys because they got to um they got they got to be able to play football too did you talk to any interfield people about how they yes yes so with with with Dez and and and Coach hef's you know backgrounds in the NFL you know there's been communication you know with some of the NFL uh folks on on on just any Kings and just some some advice for us on on as we uh as we transition um there are some differences you know in in in the rules up there in terms of game management but um but overall yeah we've had some conversations so on defense it'll be it'll it'll be our Mike backer you know um you know could be cam right uh man could be in see to think about it is like you got to be prepared to this this is where it's going to be a challenge is you can only have one on the field like like in the NFL one you're only you're only dressed in what 47 right so you probably only have two Mike backers you on the team right so uh very rarely are they going to be on the field at the same time in college right you you're you're going to play your top guys you know early on so you could have so we got to be over there and play the play the ha switch game like you know okay you got the Green Dot take care of the helmet off and then you got special teams they did give us a little bit of a reprieve I think they're going to they're they're not going to worry about um kickoff and kickoff return right now with the multiple Green Dots but any other uh special teams or offense defense uh you only you only can have uh one guy on the field you get a total of 10 you know that you that you can disperse obviously all your quarterbacks will have them on offense those are the only ones on offense that uh that need one but then defensively you know you're going to have to have multiple guys trained to be able to do it and make the make the calls and then you got to figure out you know as you know guys go down you know like let's say Cam's out for a series then James may have to go get his Green Dot helmet move over to Mike and make the call so it's just another uh Dynamic that we got to work through uh as we uh as we prepare for the season