Chad Morris
• Saturday was a big day for the history of our program. To scrimmage and have that energy level and focus on getting better, it all came together. We wanted to work on fundamentals and be who we are with the recruits.
• 105-play scrimmage on Saturday ... still working on the fundamentals. It was good to see our energy level where it was. Today was all about coming back out and cleaning up things we had to address from Saturday, and focus on getting better. We did some live work at the end today.
• We have to be a tougher football team and become a tougher football team. It starts with practicing tougher.
• Shane Clenin is out for the remainder of spring with a foot injury, Devwah Whaley should be back Wednesday, Jordon Curtis should be back Wednesday, same for Myles Mason - back Wednesday or Tuesday after spring break. Grayson Gunter, who was in a walking boot today at practice, should be back after spring break.
• The scrimmage is never as good as you think or as bad as you think, but I thought Saturday's was a good bar to set to beat next time out. We're a better football team now than we've been.
• The quarterbacks: Ben Hicks made good decisions Saturday, and John Stephen Jones had his best day over the weekend. Jack Lindsey got third-team reps in the scrimmage and played well. QB play is elevating a lot of things right now in all areas, and they have great chemistry with the receivers.
• Chase Hayden: He can't get enough reps. He was the lone scholarship back at practice today. I like that. I like the fact he's in there getting as many reps as he can. Hayden Johnson worked at second-team running back. I'm not going to feel sorry for us. We keep moving forward.
• Myron Cunningham is really going to help us out. He's farther along now than we'd thought he'd be. Ty Clary is improving. The veteran he is, you're seeing that now. Austin Capps wasn't at practice because of a class conflict. Dalton Wagner has stood out, too. He's had a good six practices. I think that's a group that will give us depth.
• I think we're definitely in the market for a linebacker, perhaps a graduate transfer, with the lack of depth at the position. We've got to address the depth there.
• Mataio Soli is advanced beyond his years in the way he uses his hands. He's got great instincts. Eric Gregory, I'm pleased with him, and Zach Williams. Adapting to the speed of the game is big for all of them. Very pleased with the young defensive linemen.
• We'll have what we call a half practice on Wednesday where we practice for half the time, then scrimmage to wrap things up. I think splitting up for spring break next week breaks up the monotony a little bit.