Quoted: Preseason Camp – Oct. 1
10/1/2020 1:33:00 PM | Football
Below is a partial transcript of Zoom press conferences with run game coordinator/offensive line coach Darren Hiller, OL Matthew Bedford, OL Harry Crider and OL Caleb Jones on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Darren Hiller
Q. On the interior line position battles…
HILLER: There will be some interesting battles. We are in the early stages of the season from a physicality standpoint. Assignment wise, a lot of those guys between Mackenzie Nworah, Mike Katic, Dylan Powell, Tim Weaver and Britt Beery, everything has been good. Yesterday was the first day that we were actually able to have shoulder pads on. Moving forward, starting tomorrow and Saturday and into next week will be the tale of the tape with those position battles. The awesome thing is that there is great competition. The guys know that there is a sense of urgency for themselves to see who will come out on top.
Q. On building chemistry amongst the line…
HILLER: I do not think there has been any issue with the chemistry. The hard part is… we have been able to be on the field, we have been in meetings and we have been able to work together, they have worked as units. The hard part is the physicality portion of playing offensive line and we are doing things from real football with shoulder pads and helmets. Running the combination blocks, double teams, zone combinations, or whatever the scheme is from a physical standpoint and matching up has been the hard part. These next seven practices, which will get us through the end of next week, will be very critical because we will be two weeks from game time. At that point, there will be some decisions to make. I think it has been good. The kids know what to do right now, which with COVID-19 it seems like we have been meeting forever, so I have a good feel for what their knowledge base is. It is the unity of working those blocks together that we have not had as much time and repetition with.
Q. On Luke Haggard and Chris Bradberry.…
HILLER: Both of those guys are playing tackle right now and are both doing a really good job. Haggard has been here longer and is definitely ahead in that realm. I do not know if he is 275 or if he is somewhere in the 280-pound range now, but he gets bigger and bigger every day. He is doing a really nice job and will be on the football field for us this year. Bradberry is a guy that got here a little bit later, but he is doing a nice job. The good thing is that he was a redshirt at San Jose State and then was two years in junior college, so he is a little bit older. He still has a long way to go in terms of a knowledge base and a physicality standpoint. Again, it is going to be the next seven practices. Both of those guys understand football, but I would say Haggard is ahead of the game right now and will be a guy that will be playing for us, whereas Bradberry just has to keep coming along and hopefully we can get him ready.
OL Matthew Bedford
Q. On moving back to the right side…
BEDFORD: Being able to play last year and get adjusted to speed of the game has helped. Right tackle is actually more natural to me. I am able to see the field in a different way because I have had that experience on the left side. Now that I am back on the right side, my set is normal. I have not had to tweak that much. I have been able to talk to Caleb Jones to get tips on what he used last year. It has been an easy transition for me.
Q. On the sense of urgency of the shortened season…
BEDFORD: Because we have had the Zoom meetings and had the time to sit down with coach to go over the playbook and defenses, we can now physically practice and prepare to take on these defenses.
Q. On the difference of the centers the last two seasons…
BEDFORD: Harry Crider is ready. I really do not feel like there has been a change. There is not much of a difference in the calls. Harry moves in the same way that Hunter Littlejohn moved last year. They do not really have different ways that they call the defenses. The one thing I can say about Harry is that he picks up on the blitzes a little bit better. Sometimes he will be able to give me a gut call, which is when the linebackers are on different levels, and he is able to see that a little quicker. He is a huge help in that aspect. Other than that, not much has changed.
OL Harry Crider
Q. On moving back to center and the benefit of having Dylan Powell on the team…
CRIDER: I'm super excited to be back at the center position. When I first moved to O-line in high school, all I played was center. The past two years were my only experience being outside of center, so center's home and I'm happy to be back in that more of a leadership role. As for Dylan Powell, he's great. The experience he brings is unmatched and he's a huge asset for us and we're feeling really good about him here.
Q. On being named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy…
CRIDER: It means a lot to be recognized in areas like (community service) because, like Coach Allen always preaches, football will end at some point, we're only here for so long and if we're lucky, only at the next level for so long, so being able to develop in other areas is really great and I'm happy to have been given opportunities to do that here.
Q. On the sense of urgency of the shortened season…
CRIDER: Yeah, well it's definitely unique. We just put pads on yesterday for the first time and I think that switch is starting to flip with some guys, and it still needs to flip for some other guys, but the sense of urgency is there and it's kicked up even more, it's getting a lot more real. We're just a few weeks out and it's getting a lot more real and people are starting to realize that and the sense of urgency is there. Guys are locked in. We're really optimistic about it.
OL Caleb Jones
Q. On playing on both sides on the line/Haggard and Bradberry…
JONES: In terms of playing on both sides last season, I think that is just a result of Coach Hiller having a lot of faith in me and playing both sides. I started here as a left tackle and he moved me a lot from left to right in practice and put me in a lot of situations and scenarios that would prepare me to play both sides. As far as Luke Haggard and Chris Bradberry, both of them are good football players, they are really smart, which I like a lot, and I think for both of them it is about getting a feel for what Big Ten football is like. Going against our guys every day, you can begin to think that is the best that is out there, so once they get on the field and experience what it is like to be out there in the trenches, it will be really good for them.
Q. On leadership role going into the season…
JONES: I am taking the leadership role really seriously. I am trying to take the burden off of Coach Hiller. When he is coaching the guys and one of the tackles in the room has an individual question, they know they can come ask me instead of having to interrupt coach and whatever he is doing. I try to be a helping hand for all of the guys that may not have everything figured out yet.
Q. On the sense of urgency heading into a unique season…
JONES: I think a lot of guys on the team know that because this is such a unique situation, there has to be a heightened tempo when it comes to being in the weight room, watching film and becoming a better player overall. I like that our team has really taken on that challenge and taken everything that the coaches and strength staff have given us and try to push ourselves to be the best that we can be and prepare for the season in the best way that we know.
Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Darren Hiller
Q. On the interior line position battles…
HILLER: There will be some interesting battles. We are in the early stages of the season from a physicality standpoint. Assignment wise, a lot of those guys between Mackenzie Nworah, Mike Katic, Dylan Powell, Tim Weaver and Britt Beery, everything has been good. Yesterday was the first day that we were actually able to have shoulder pads on. Moving forward, starting tomorrow and Saturday and into next week will be the tale of the tape with those position battles. The awesome thing is that there is great competition. The guys know that there is a sense of urgency for themselves to see who will come out on top.
Q. On building chemistry amongst the line…
HILLER: I do not think there has been any issue with the chemistry. The hard part is… we have been able to be on the field, we have been in meetings and we have been able to work together, they have worked as units. The hard part is the physicality portion of playing offensive line and we are doing things from real football with shoulder pads and helmets. Running the combination blocks, double teams, zone combinations, or whatever the scheme is from a physical standpoint and matching up has been the hard part. These next seven practices, which will get us through the end of next week, will be very critical because we will be two weeks from game time. At that point, there will be some decisions to make. I think it has been good. The kids know what to do right now, which with COVID-19 it seems like we have been meeting forever, so I have a good feel for what their knowledge base is. It is the unity of working those blocks together that we have not had as much time and repetition with.
Q. On Luke Haggard and Chris Bradberry.…
HILLER: Both of those guys are playing tackle right now and are both doing a really good job. Haggard has been here longer and is definitely ahead in that realm. I do not know if he is 275 or if he is somewhere in the 280-pound range now, but he gets bigger and bigger every day. He is doing a really nice job and will be on the football field for us this year. Bradberry is a guy that got here a little bit later, but he is doing a nice job. The good thing is that he was a redshirt at San Jose State and then was two years in junior college, so he is a little bit older. He still has a long way to go in terms of a knowledge base and a physicality standpoint. Again, it is going to be the next seven practices. Both of those guys understand football, but I would say Haggard is ahead of the game right now and will be a guy that will be playing for us, whereas Bradberry just has to keep coming along and hopefully we can get him ready.
OL Matthew Bedford
Q. On moving back to the right side…
BEDFORD: Being able to play last year and get adjusted to speed of the game has helped. Right tackle is actually more natural to me. I am able to see the field in a different way because I have had that experience on the left side. Now that I am back on the right side, my set is normal. I have not had to tweak that much. I have been able to talk to Caleb Jones to get tips on what he used last year. It has been an easy transition for me.
Q. On the sense of urgency of the shortened season…
BEDFORD: Because we have had the Zoom meetings and had the time to sit down with coach to go over the playbook and defenses, we can now physically practice and prepare to take on these defenses.
Q. On the difference of the centers the last two seasons…
BEDFORD: Harry Crider is ready. I really do not feel like there has been a change. There is not much of a difference in the calls. Harry moves in the same way that Hunter Littlejohn moved last year. They do not really have different ways that they call the defenses. The one thing I can say about Harry is that he picks up on the blitzes a little bit better. Sometimes he will be able to give me a gut call, which is when the linebackers are on different levels, and he is able to see that a little quicker. He is a huge help in that aspect. Other than that, not much has changed.
OL Harry Crider
Q. On moving back to center and the benefit of having Dylan Powell on the team…
CRIDER: I'm super excited to be back at the center position. When I first moved to O-line in high school, all I played was center. The past two years were my only experience being outside of center, so center's home and I'm happy to be back in that more of a leadership role. As for Dylan Powell, he's great. The experience he brings is unmatched and he's a huge asset for us and we're feeling really good about him here.
Q. On being named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy…
CRIDER: It means a lot to be recognized in areas like (community service) because, like Coach Allen always preaches, football will end at some point, we're only here for so long and if we're lucky, only at the next level for so long, so being able to develop in other areas is really great and I'm happy to have been given opportunities to do that here.
Q. On the sense of urgency of the shortened season…
CRIDER: Yeah, well it's definitely unique. We just put pads on yesterday for the first time and I think that switch is starting to flip with some guys, and it still needs to flip for some other guys, but the sense of urgency is there and it's kicked up even more, it's getting a lot more real. We're just a few weeks out and it's getting a lot more real and people are starting to realize that and the sense of urgency is there. Guys are locked in. We're really optimistic about it.
OL Caleb Jones
Q. On playing on both sides on the line/Haggard and Bradberry…
JONES: In terms of playing on both sides last season, I think that is just a result of Coach Hiller having a lot of faith in me and playing both sides. I started here as a left tackle and he moved me a lot from left to right in practice and put me in a lot of situations and scenarios that would prepare me to play both sides. As far as Luke Haggard and Chris Bradberry, both of them are good football players, they are really smart, which I like a lot, and I think for both of them it is about getting a feel for what Big Ten football is like. Going against our guys every day, you can begin to think that is the best that is out there, so once they get on the field and experience what it is like to be out there in the trenches, it will be really good for them.
Q. On leadership role going into the season…
JONES: I am taking the leadership role really seriously. I am trying to take the burden off of Coach Hiller. When he is coaching the guys and one of the tackles in the room has an individual question, they know they can come ask me instead of having to interrupt coach and whatever he is doing. I try to be a helping hand for all of the guys that may not have everything figured out yet.
Q. On the sense of urgency heading into a unique season…
JONES: I think a lot of guys on the team know that because this is such a unique situation, there has to be a heightened tempo when it comes to being in the weight room, watching film and becoming a better player overall. I like that our team has really taken on that challenge and taken everything that the coaches and strength staff have given us and try to push ourselves to be the best that we can be and prepare for the season in the best way that we know.
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