Thursday marked the eighth day of practice for the Roadrunners. It was also the fourth day that the team practiced in full pads. Coach Wilson and Kevin Strong spoke with the media after practice.
Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson
- After week and a half things are on a steady incline. We continue to do better, We continue to improve.
- Right now it is difficult for our offensive line and in a positive way for our team because our defensive line is playing dominate up front. We are as good as we've ever been at the defensive line position. Kevin Strong, Baylen Baker and Marcus Davenport are really taking the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball, disengaging and pursuing with an attitude. That's a good thing.
- The last period of practice we flashed, as a team, we had spots where we were a really good football team and we had spots where two weeks into camp you see the camp grind starts trying to creep in. The guys fought through it and it was encouraging to see them compete in the midst of a little soreness and aches.
- We're fortunate to have a D-line of this caliber. In this league first you have to be able to stop the run and then be able to apply pressure the quarterbacks to slow down the passing game. We'll continue to try and recruit to that, to develop that. I think the addition of our defensive line coach has been advantageous to us. The things he's able to get out of them is phenomenal.
- Thought D-line was good last year. Have added some girth to the defensive line.
- Kevin Strong has always been a hard worker but the expectation or the demand, the accountability is greater from our staff as a whole. It starts with us to challenge him to be the dominate player he can be. He's one of the better defensive linemen in our conference, can be one of the better defensive linemen in the country. I want him to view himself that way, with preparation. If he does it with preparation it will transfer over into the games.
- Seen guys really develop on offensive line. They're really starting to have an understanding from an offensive standpoint, in the run game, where the back goes, in the pass game, the integrity of the pocket and trust in the scheme. One offensive linemen can't do it alone, they have to work together. We're much improved there from last year as well.
