Head Coach Bill Snyder
On the improvement of the team…
“From an overall standpoint, it is hard to define because daily we go good against good, so it is always ones against ones and someone is not going to win that battle. That can make offensive or defensive coaches happy, but it does not make the head coach happy because you cannot win. It is a little hard to define their paths. Right now, I would probably say we have made more improvement on the defensive side of the ball, collectively. From an offensive standpoint, I think maybe our offensive line has materialized a little bit in a positive direction. I think our receiving core has made some headway as well. Outside of that, I do not know that I can tell you much.”

On becoming a tougher, more disciplined team…
“We are still a ways away. As I said before, we are a work in progress, and collectively, as I have said before, the old cliché we are a work in progress. That holds true I think, as I have said so many times in here, that the mistakes that we are making are mistakes that are not talent related; they are mistakes that are a lack of execution, not a great deal of lack of effort. Our effort has been in the 90-percent mark. I think that the discipline you mentioned, that like everything else, is still a work in progress. I think we have gotten a little more disciplined in our day-to-day work, but it lacks consistency as well. We probably would not be making the mistakes we are making on a daily basis if the discipline was greater. When I say that, I refer to the self-discipline on staying focused to what you are doing and invest yourself in every single snap, one at a time, so that you do not lose focus on what you are doing. You have a play and you take your mind off of it, then you commit some of those errors that we are prolific about making. As I have said, it is not skill level but just staying focused every snap.”

On his interactions and laid-back approach during the spring game…
“I talk on the headset with the coaches from time to time. If there is something that is going to affect someone’s performance during the course of a ballgame, I would certainly get involved. But, by and large, it is a matter of saying, ‘OK, here is the work we put in a 14-day period of time, plus meeting time on alternate days. Now it is time to do it and have all that culminate in some successful execution of what your responsibilities are.’ Now, our coaches are actively coaching during that period of time, which I want them to, but I have taken it as a practice and record what I think is good, bad or indifferent. Then we address that at halftime, after the game, and next week in our meetings and so on.”

On playing in a game-like environment on Saturday…
“It is important to see how, especially our younger guys that have not been involved with it, can respond to some of the distractions that exists in the crowds, noise and just being in that environment is a little different for some of them than it is for others. Even though it is a different environment, it is still our 15th practice. I do not see it as a spring game. I see it as our 15th practice with some other elements involved.  We tell our players that every day – they have the opportunity to move up or down our depth chart, keeping it competitive as we possibly can. This is no different, and the answer to your question is yes, some does have the opportunity to move up the depth chart. That does not mean it is over because we have the summer to go through, then we have 29 days to go until the first ball game. So the depth chart can change during the August period of time. It can put you into a position, a step above in the depth chart, it can put you down in the depth chart, so you are still accountable for your performance.”

On the format of the spring game…
“The format for on the field will be pretty much what it has been. The exception might be with our special teams. We have done that a certain way just to keep the continuity of the ball game alive. Should that be the way I will do it this week, that remains to be seen in all likelihood. I never decide that until right at the end. In all likelihood, we would go ones against the twos; all the ones in one color and the twos in other color, substituting accordingly. Outside of that, the only thing that will be a little different is the confines of the stadium itself, and locker rooms – that is a little different with soccer because they have smaller teams. Defining meeting space and how we can break up into groups and how I can address the entirety of the team, all those things are a little up in the air right now. As I have said, I have never been to the stadium. I understand it is a nice stadium. When we get up there Friday, we can have an opportunity to have that organized after we see what we have got.”

Quarterback Joe Hubener
On the meaning of the spring game…
“This is another day to get better for us. I want to go out there and focus on making the right decisions, putting the ball where it needs to be and hopefully manage the game well.”

On the quarterback competition…
“It is definitely no secret – it is highly competitive. Jesse (Ertz) is a great quarterback and a great competitor, same as Alex (Delton). There is a lot of competition going on and we knew it would be a while before it was settled.”

Defensive Back Dante Barnett
On playing in front of a big crowd on Saturday…
“It is real good. You can almost get the jitters out. Playing in the spring game against your own teammates, you are already a little more comfortable than you would be on a regular game day. Having that crowd noise will help them focus out on the field.

On the benefits of traveling for spring game…
“Traveling up there a day early can get the younger players used to how we travel throughout the season. They can see how the team acts when we travel on the road.”

Ryan Lackey

Assistant Director – Athletic Communications