Fresno State Athletics
Post-practice Quotes
Spring Football 2018
Post-Practice Quotes
Spring Football
March 12, 2018
Jeff Tedford on Monday’s practice…
“The energy was good. Obviously we have to clean up a lot of things and it’s a process with spring ball. But we get a chance to see some new guys.”
Jeff Tedford on what’s different with this spring camp compared to last year’s…
“We are much further ahead. From the expectation on how to practice, what the tempo is supposed to be, to having a little bit more of an understanding of what our systems are. It’s much different than last year.”
Jeff Tedford on what the goals are for spring camp…
“There’s quite a few. The goals are anything new that we’re putting in and take a look at that. Also they’re evaluating all of our players. Some of the young guys, it’s their turn to step up and compete. We also kind of have to create a depth chart coming out spring, that’s really important. We’ll have 15 days to be able to get that done and to try to stay healthy.”
Jeff Tedford on the importance of having Marcus McMaryion for a full offseason…
“It’s good, he’ll get a chance to do it from the foundation up. Last year he kind of hit the ground running mid-stream and was kind of game planning all the way through. Now he gets the foundation of the meetings and the progression of practice.”
Jeff Tedford the young guys getting started now…
“It’s big, you know guys who were on the scout team all last year, it’s their turn to step up. Guys who redshirted and so on and so forth. Then there’s a couple new guys who came here mid-year. Like I said, we had a really good offseason training program. The guys worked really hard and we’re in really good shape. Everyone is going to get an opportunity to see what they can do and that way we can create our depth hopefully, and evaluate the depth chart.”
Jeff Tedford on the changes on the defensive side of the ball…
“There’s not a lot of difference in what we’re doing. It’s the same as what you would do any time as far as old stuff that we used to do. You always take spring to try wrinkles here and there. It’s no different with defense, special teams or offense.”
Jeff Tedford on Josh Hokit’s outlook after finishing up wrestling season…
“We’re going to take it slow with Josh. There’s no hurry with him at all. We want to do it the right way. Right now we’re just breaking him in really slow. We’re going to get him into football shape. I’m not sure a football player can go out and wrestle, I think that’s a different shape. And I think vice-versa, going from the wrestling mat out here to football. You want to make sure his joints are all where they need to be as far as running and cutting and him getting his weight back. So we’re going to take it slow with him. It’s going to be a process and a progression through spring ball for him.”
Jeff Tedford on Jeffrey Allison’s health…
“He’s doing fine. He had a shoulder operation. It was his other shoulder. Last year he had a shoulder done and now it’s the other shoulder. He is rehabbing fine but he won’t do anything in spring ball. He will be ready for summer though.”
Jeff Tedford on the momentum from last season’s bowl win…
“I think going into winter conditioning it gave us some momentum and energy. But last season is over. This is a brand new deal right now. We don’t really talk too much about last season. It’s a new team, a new group and the goals are the same. We fell a little bit short last year, so we have to get better in order to achieve those goals and the team understands that.”
Marcus McMaryion on the advantage of having spring ball under his belt…
“I mean just being around the guys for an entire year, it’s going to work wonders for our offense. Just being able to gel with everyone and really get on the same page with all the coaches. I’m excited for what this year will bring.”
McMaryion on the importance of spring practices…
“It’s big because you’re not game planning for an opponent, you’re working on yourself and developing your weaknesses and trying to turn them into strengths. It’s definitely a critical time for us.”
McMaryion on what he worked on during the offseason…
“I think the biggest thing was getting to know the players. Whether that was hanging out with guys at a barbeque or just getting to know everyone. I think that was a big thing we did during the offseason, getting to know guys on and off the field.”
McMaryion on being involved in the community…
“It was great. Having a lot people reach out to me, going to their school to talk, it means the world to me. Just knowing that if you can touch one person, it can make a difference. It’s nice to be able to do that.”
McMaryion on the strength of his receiving corps…
“If I can be an average quarterback, we should have great numbers. I have guys all over the place to throw to, whether it’s Kyle Riddering, KeeSean or Jamire. I could name our whole receiving corp. We have guys across the board. It’ll be my job to get them the ball.”
McMaryion on how it feels going into next season as opposed to last season…
“I think it’s a great feel. Obviously you can tell we are lot more relaxed coming into it and not stressed. I think it’s really easy for us to know when to turn the switch on-and-off. We’re able to kind of joke around with each other, but when we’re on the field we know it’s time to lock-in and get to work and improve our game.”
McMaryion on the momentum last season’s bowl win lends to the upcoming season…
“It’s great, especially for our offense. Our defense played well and I thought most of the year our defense was keeping us in games, but in the Hawai’i Bowl I think our offense was able to step up a little bit and take some tension off our defense. I think it’s great carry over for us and just momentum going into this offseason.”
McMaryion on putting in new wrinkles within the offense…
“I think it’s more of just getting good at what we’re doing already. Just being able to finish the play before it even comes in and really understanding and being on the same page as all the coaches. Like I said, when they’re signaling, I should be able to finish the play before it even comes in.”
KeeSean Johnson on being back on the field…
“It’s a great feeling being back out there with the team and the energy with guys coming out here. It was good to compete, go hard every play and just have fun.”
KeeSean Johnson on how it feels during spring ball this year compared to last year…
“It’s a different feel. Our coaches were all new last year but now we have a different connection. We know what’s going on and we’ve all bought-in to what we want to do. Today we came out and I feel like everyone had great energy.”
KeeSean Johnson on how surreal last season’s accomplishments feel…
“Coming from 1-11 to 10-4 is obviously a great feeling, but we didn’t finish what we wanted to do and we have another plan this year.”
KeeSean Johnson on what games on the calendar are most intriguing…
“All of them. We have to go a week at a time and hopefully we come out victorious every week.”
KeeSean Johnson on what the focus is during spring ball…
“Learning the little details and everyone being locked-in on the playbook.”
KeeSean Johnson on the impact of having Marcus McMaryion around for a full offseason…
“I feel that’s going to make our connection 100 times better. From me to any of our receivers, it’s going to make our connection better.”
KeeSean Johnson on what he’s done in the offseason to prepare for spring ball…
“My main thing was my diet, what I’ve been eating and working on getting stronger, faster and just being a better player.”
KeeSean Johnson on the excitement surrounding his senior year…
“It didn’t really hit me until we came out here and I realized this is the last one. I’m going to give it 110 percent on every play and every down. I’m going to take it to a different level.”
KeeSean Johnson on the Bulldogs’ receiving corp…
“I’m confident and we just added another piece to the puzzle with Michiah Quick. We have Jamire, myself and Derrion. We’re going to come out and give you guys a show.”
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