BLACKSBURG – Leading up to spring ball practice beginning this weekend, Virginia Tech football head coach Brent Pry, his three coordinators and two players addressed the media on Wednesday during a press conference. Read what they had to say below.
HEAD COACH BRENT PRY
On wrapping up winter conditioning and beginning spring ball:
"The next piece of this is to springboard into spring practice. And you know that we have a chance to get out there and take some of what we've been doing in phase one in the winter and apply it to practice No. 1 and practice No. 2. I like to call these two helmet days that we kick it off our training camp. It's back-to-back practices, a lot of the installation, a lot of teaching will get that knocked out Friday and Saturday."
On the approach to the practices:
"I love the spring. Spring practice to me is we don't have to worry about an opponent. All the focus and attention are on our guys. Our staff, being the best version of Virginia Tech that we can be out there each and every practice for all 15 of them. So, you have to make the most of everyone. We've planned these first four or five practices for over a month. Now, what we want to get out of as coordinators, special teams, offense and defense, so we're going to work together. I'm not interested in going out there and trying to trick each other in the spring. It's about exposing our guys to what they need exposure to and help them prepare."
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR CHRIS MARVE
On transitioning to a 4-3 defense:
"Yeah, I think for our players, obviously, it'll be a new system for them and transition and learning. Like, what we call things, how we communicate, what we're looking for in terms of alignments and assignments. That will be different for them. But we've been a part of the system for a long time. So, we know the challenges that are involved in terms of how we get stressed by offenses, and also how we want to attack and dictate things from an offensive standpoint. And so, we know where things are. We know how to build it. So, as we teach it to the guys, the thing that I've been really pleased with is how they've adjusted to our language, to our terminology and also how they've adjusted to the concepts that we've been trying to teach. We got a lot of guys who are very, very eager to learn and have taken the time to really apply the things that we've been trying to teach them. And so that's been really pleasing to see. You know, you don't always see that, especially on the front end of things. But the young men that we have in this program have really been eager and we're thankful for it."
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TYLER BOWEN
On moving from conditioning drills to installing offense:
"I think it's going to be exciting to get on the field with them and get to throw a football around and get to see them move around live. But for us right now, it's all about building on the foundation we laid in phase one. So, we've been able to do a little bit of football work by NCAA rule leading up to this point. There are limitations based on what you can do, as far as seeing a ball thrown live and all those different things. But we just want to build on the foundation that we've been able to create in winter workouts and see these guys keep progressing."
SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINTOR/ASSISTANT HEAD COACH – OFFENSE RUNNING BACKS COACH STU HOLT
On his philosophy about how he goes about choosing players to be on special teams:
"Yeah, we look for specific skill sets that can help us in each phase. Guys that can play in space, change direction. You're always looking for physical players. You're wanting guys that take a lot of pride in the role and the opportunity to be on the field. So, there's several criteria that go into it. And, you know, it just depends on kind of what team you're trying to field in terms of which phase, return game, coverage game, protection. So, there's a lot of factors, there's probably, if I had to list them, there might be 10 to 12. But we'll evaluate it daily and see where those guys are."
LINEBACKER DAX HOLLIFIELD
On what defensive coordinator Chris Marve is like as a coach:
"You have to be on all the time. You will work hard every day, not just on here, off here. The same every day, all the time. But he also puts a lot of, not pressure, but a lot of demand on the will. If somebody is wrong, it's on all of us. So, if someone is lined up wrong, it's on me. Taking that responsibility is making everyone else better, but it is also making me better."
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN SILAS DZANSI
On how the competitive mindset of the new coaching staff has impacted the team culture:
"Everything that we do now is a competition. As far as how we did things in the past, if you lost the ball, it was like it's okay, you'll get it back. But if you lose a rep, you should be mad. There's no going back for that last rep you just lost. So, every rep that you got, you have to fight for it and earn it. You have to try and be the best."
Season ticket holders and fans are invited to attend Tech's practice in Lane Stadium this Saturday. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. ET, and admission is free. Be sure to RSVP for the chance to win an autographed item signed by Coach Pry.