Red Raider Gridiron | Hair on fire and ears pinned back

POST-PRACTICE NON-TRANSCRIPT | This is not a word-for-word transcript, but a hurried attempt to cobble together the general idea from the post-practice interviews:

Head Coach Tommy Tuberville | Looked lively out there, we looked pretty energetic.  Obviously guys get more tired.  Good start, long ways away from being a good football team.  We have depth, but not experienced, you pay the price.  Going in mornings will help keep concentration.  Got to get guys in team situations.  (Can you talk about the defensive line.)  The younger guys that we were hoping to play has to learn stance and where to play and play hard every down.  That's why we practice.  It's all the little things that count, when we get into scrimmage situations, we need to know where and to line up.  (Talk about hunt together, kill together.)  Right now, you create two separate teams where they compete against each other in two-a-days and eventually want them competing against each other.  Everybody needs their mottoes or things to get them fired up.  We have a lot of guys with their head spinning.  (How many defensive linemen will play?)  When you run a four man front you have to have at least eight or ten players, you want to roll your players as much as possible.  Last year we had Whitlock go almost every play, going to force us to play eight to ten, they may not be ready mentally, they'll be ready physically in the first half of the season.  (Talk about Donnell Wesley.)  He's like a fireplug, he's strong, wide shoulders and low to the ground.  Has more age to him, I think he'll help us earlier.  (Special teams?)  We weren't very good last year on return teams.  We've changed techniques, we just didn't have enough depth and had to play starters on special teams and they can't give time to focus on special teams.  (Talk about the tight end.)  Jace Amaro is a big body, Tony Trahan is in the training room, Amaro is the true tight end that you go and recruit, can push for that three yard gain inside.

LG Lonnie Edwards | (How nice is it to have an offensive line with everyone returning.)  It's great, continuing from last year.  (Talk about the first day of pads.)  Physicality was high, hair on fire and ears pinned back.  (Talk about attitude change.)  Yes, it definitely changes.  (What do you tell a guy like Amaro to teach him how to block.)  Tell him to take mental reps, watch the guy in front of him.  (Exciting to see a more physical offense.)  Yes, it's great. 

IR Jakeem Grant | (How does it feel to get out there in pads?)  Feels good, even though I didn't get much work because of pinkie injury, I feel bad for being hurt, as I like getting reps.  (Who wins in a footrace, you or Ben McRoy?)  Me of course, he is fast though.  I beat him by a little bit.  (Talk about special teams.)  To develop special teams, you've got to catch the ball on the run.  Like what I saw on special teams, the coaches have me last and they need me to prove myself.  (What did TTU get when they got Jakeem Grant?)  They got quickness and speed, can do some things after the catch.  Make big plays off of a 5 yard swing.  (Can you make an impact right away?)  Yes, on special teams and on offense too.

So much more after the jump it is literally unbelievable, including Wesley, Amaro and Eguavoen!

DL Dennell Wesley | (How did it feel to on shoulder pads today?)  Pretty good, a little hot, but it's alright.  (What changes when you put pads on?)  Speed picks up, everybody makes collisions and all that good stuff.  (How did it feel physically.)  Felt good, coming from JUCO, I was used to it.  (How is it different from JUCO?)  Speed changed a little bit, but that's it.  (Are you ready to contribute?)  Yes, sir.  (Talk about hunt together, kill together.)  We need all guys making a tackle.

TE Jace Amaro | (How has it been?)  Been a good experience, on the defensive side, they are fast and strong, can't just run past everyone.  (How has practice changed.)  A lot more physical, blocking Leon Mackey.  Blocking is big guy and will be a good player.  Once you get the blocking down, it's more about technique.  (Nice to pop someone?)  Yes, I had a couple of pancakes, but I got popped too.  (How much did you block in high school?)  Not much, more used in passing game.  I probably blocked 2 of 10 plays.  (Heads were spinning?)  No, after the first hit, you feel ready to go, much easier.  (Talk about what you've learned from high school to now.)  In high school, you could just run past everyone.  Go get jump balls.  Here, it's about pad level and leverage.  #

PRACTICE REPORTS | The official site, LAJ's Don Williams (This is something I don't understand, the LAJ has their notebook under three different URL's here and here and I don't know why.), RRS.com's Will McKay and KAMC's video report.  The LAJ notes that DE Christopher Knighton has been moved to defensive tackle, the 3-technique, which is the outside shoulder of the guard.  LB's Cqulin Hubert, Cqulin Hubert and Blake Dees are all rotating at middle linebacker. 

LAJ's Williams also has a small feature on the defensive line since Tuberville commented that he'd like to have a rotation of 8 to 10 players on the defensive line, and runs down the options.  If you're a regular at DTN, you know that we did this a while back (please ignore all references to DT Coby Coleman and DT Lawrence Rumph as they are no longer on the team).

EGUAVOEN AND WASHINGTON ADJUSTING | LAJ's David Just features freshman LB Sam Eguavoen and how he initially gave up football in high school, but picked it back up after some colleges started calling.  Here's Eguavoen:

"I’ve known people all my life that have been playing football and they haven’t gotten a scholarship," Eguavoen said. "They say ‘It’s crazy how you’ve just been playing one year and got a scholarship.’ Yeah, it’s crazy to me too. If you work hard you can get what you want."

RRS.com's Chris Level has a Q&A with RB DeAndre Washington and here's a bit:

What do you think you need to prove to beat out Kenny? Be consistent, learn the offense? Do you feel like you have a good grasp on what Neal Brown and Chad Scott are trying to teach to you?
DW: "Yeah, just consistency, being able to come in day-in and day-out and prove it. You can't come in one day and have a good day then come in the next two and have bad days. So, I'm going to be consistent, pick up the offense, and give it all I got.

NEW UNIFORMS | The new uniforms were officially released yesterday, even though CB Happiness Osunde posted them on Twitter last week.  I don't know what to say other than I'm fine with them, somewhat indifferent as they are uniforms and they aren't hideous.

STEPHENS ON HORNUNG WATCH LIST | Congrats to RB Eric Stephens for being named to the Paul Honung Watch List (Big 12 and TTU), which is given to the most versatile college football player!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND BIG 12 LINKS | UT safety Christian Scott (link) and TAMU Kyle Mangan (link) were both arrested over the past couple of days.  Don't throw stones, just be glad that practices started and hope that Texas Tech's players stay out of trouble . . . Rock Chalk Talk previews the Red Raiders . . .