A week of camp is in the books, and Coach Mario Cristobal met with reporters after practice to discuss the latest with his squad:
On the state of the team over a week into camp: We've been in full pads, we've been in shells, and now we're about 80% of the way installed. Running ones, twos and threes, rotating a lot of guys. Impressed with just the competitive nature of this group, the high care factor and a group of guys that likes to work. A lot of stuff to iron out, but certainly the want-to and the level of effort and the level of physicality is getting better and better. We look forward to a great scrimmage on Saturday.
Our technique and fundamentals have improved. You can tell a good summer has paid off. Our familiarity with our schemes showed up, our communication seems to be improved. We’ve got to work on it more. [We rotated] a lot of players to see what they can do, to see what we can do, and just increase the level of competition as best we can at every position
On the format of the scrimmage: Playing ball. Flatout playing ball. Halfway through, we will go back to “thud” and work situational football, third down, Red Zone, short yardage, goal line. But the first part will be just playing football.
As you can see, referees are out here every single day, which helps us a bunch. Every day is treated like a game. We grade one-on ones, we grade two on twos, we grade five on fours. To be the team we want to be, we’ve got to treat it like a game.
On the depth: We feel like we have significant Improvement in a lot of areas, particularly the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, really the front seven. We're probably right where you need to be. You'd always like one or two more but it's where it needs to be. The other positions, tight end, running back, wide receiver, I'd say at least in six or seven positions there are enough guys with the twos that are pushing guys with the ones. We’re going to keep rotating those guys in. We want to find out who can do what in certain situations. Overall, there's a lot of progress in that particular area.
On Akheem Mesidor: During this first week, you really well you see the Mesidor that arrived here a couple years ago before the injury, probably with an extra 10 pounds of muscle. His motor is unique. He can go. He's got a lot of versatility, plays a lot of different positions.
All in all, we expect a big year out of him. He's done a really good job taking care of his body because he throws it around. He really, really does. Expecting him to have an even better next couple of weeks and really push that D-line room. We'd like to see that entire defensive line room take another step in terms of toughness and physicality and knock-you-back type of stuff.
On Francis Mauigoa’s freshman season: Francis, if I'm not mistaken, was a Freshman All-American. He definitely was the best freshman tackle in the country. What can he work on? Everything. He’s a guy that handled the wide rushes well, he handled man blocks, backside scoops, backside reaches, front side, double teams, bump blocks, bump doubles. He has done it all at a pretty high level. We use him as a weapon. We can could run behind him, we feel safe in protection. He's also very versatile. We've played them all over the offensive line and, if you ask Coach Mirabal, just about everybody has. It helps us get better. It helps guys like Markel Bell develop.
Francis is always hungry. You're never going to find him avoiding work. He's always going to find some work. He knows he has to get better and he is getting bette.
On Mark Fletcher: He's probably taken 35-40% of the load of of a regular practice. He looks completely normal. Everything is done from a precautionary stance to make sure that we do it the right way. Time is the best healer for [foot] injuries of that sort. We expect him to be completely full speed the next week or so.
On Damien Martinez: Impressive guy. You see what you saw at Oregon State. He's not just a downhill runner. People think [because[ he's 240 lbs he must be a between-the-tackles guy. He's versatile. His game is diverse. He can slash, he can hit the gas and run by you, he can run over you, catch the ball really really well, and protect well. He’s really worked on on protection. He's made it a big thing and it's paid off in camp.
On the the team’s leaders: The two best leaders right now that are leaders because they're men of action – as members of Leadership Council and members of this team – are Meesh Powell and Cam Ward. Besides doing what they're supposed to do, they really go out of their way to impact other people and they're really good at it. They're naturally charismatic for the right reasons and they grind. These guys are in here all day, all night. They're not afraid to stand up and speak up and they're very experienced guys. They've seen a lot of ball. They get it cranking in practice. They get after each other. They try to match each other's intensity and bring everybody else with them.
On the state of the team over a week into camp: We've been in full pads, we've been in shells, and now we're about 80% of the way installed. Running ones, twos and threes, rotating a lot of guys. Impressed with just the competitive nature of this group, the high care factor and a group of guys that likes to work. A lot of stuff to iron out, but certainly the want-to and the level of effort and the level of physicality is getting better and better. We look forward to a great scrimmage on Saturday.
Our technique and fundamentals have improved. You can tell a good summer has paid off. Our familiarity with our schemes showed up, our communication seems to be improved. We’ve got to work on it more. [We rotated] a lot of players to see what they can do, to see what we can do, and just increase the level of competition as best we can at every position
On the format of the scrimmage: Playing ball. Flatout playing ball. Halfway through, we will go back to “thud” and work situational football, third down, Red Zone, short yardage, goal line. But the first part will be just playing football.
As you can see, referees are out here every single day, which helps us a bunch. Every day is treated like a game. We grade one-on ones, we grade two on twos, we grade five on fours. To be the team we want to be, we’ve got to treat it like a game.
On the depth: We feel like we have significant Improvement in a lot of areas, particularly the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, really the front seven. We're probably right where you need to be. You'd always like one or two more but it's where it needs to be. The other positions, tight end, running back, wide receiver, I'd say at least in six or seven positions there are enough guys with the twos that are pushing guys with the ones. We’re going to keep rotating those guys in. We want to find out who can do what in certain situations. Overall, there's a lot of progress in that particular area.
On Akheem Mesidor: During this first week, you really well you see the Mesidor that arrived here a couple years ago before the injury, probably with an extra 10 pounds of muscle. His motor is unique. He can go. He's got a lot of versatility, plays a lot of different positions.
All in all, we expect a big year out of him. He's done a really good job taking care of his body because he throws it around. He really, really does. Expecting him to have an even better next couple of weeks and really push that D-line room. We'd like to see that entire defensive line room take another step in terms of toughness and physicality and knock-you-back type of stuff.
On Francis Mauigoa’s freshman season: Francis, if I'm not mistaken, was a Freshman All-American. He definitely was the best freshman tackle in the country. What can he work on? Everything. He’s a guy that handled the wide rushes well, he handled man blocks, backside scoops, backside reaches, front side, double teams, bump blocks, bump doubles. He has done it all at a pretty high level. We use him as a weapon. We can could run behind him, we feel safe in protection. He's also very versatile. We've played them all over the offensive line and, if you ask Coach Mirabal, just about everybody has. It helps us get better. It helps guys like Markel Bell develop.
Francis is always hungry. You're never going to find him avoiding work. He's always going to find some work. He knows he has to get better and he is getting bette.
On Mark Fletcher: He's probably taken 35-40% of the load of of a regular practice. He looks completely normal. Everything is done from a precautionary stance to make sure that we do it the right way. Time is the best healer for [foot] injuries of that sort. We expect him to be completely full speed the next week or so.
On Damien Martinez: Impressive guy. You see what you saw at Oregon State. He's not just a downhill runner. People think [because[ he's 240 lbs he must be a between-the-tackles guy. He's versatile. His game is diverse. He can slash, he can hit the gas and run by you, he can run over you, catch the ball really really well, and protect well. He’s really worked on on protection. He's made it a big thing and it's paid off in camp.
On the the team’s leaders: The two best leaders right now that are leaders because they're men of action – as members of Leadership Council and members of this team – are Meesh Powell and Cam Ward. Besides doing what they're supposed to do, they really go out of their way to impact other people and they're really good at it. They're naturally charismatic for the right reasons and they grind. These guys are in here all day, all night. They're not afraid to stand up and speak up and they're very experienced guys. They've seen a lot of ball. They get it cranking in practice. They get after each other. They try to match each other's intensity and bring everybody else with them.
