With Hurricane Harvey looming the Roadrunners moved their fourth scrimmage of the preseason from Saturday to Friday. Afterward Coach Wilson and Nate Gaines talked with the media about the scrimmage and preparation for the season opener next week.
Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson
- Preseason game number four just concluded as we took on the Houston Cougars. The Roadrunners prevailed in a hard fought game. We did everything from A to Z, from how we come out of the locker room, pregame stretch, pregame warmup and then played scenario based situations, every type of kicking situation that you can be put in, sudden change situations. We put our players and coaches as well in tough situations without script to see how they adjust and adapt. It was a very productive day today.
- We did the things today that we had scheduled for tomorrow because we weren't sure on the weather and so we wanted to be proactive instead.
- Tomorrow will be no practice. We will watch the weather situation and be in position to do whatever is necessary to secure our kids safety and hopefully we will be able to get back on this field Sunday and pick up and truly implement our gameplan for Houston.
- You have to prepare for anything and everything. You have to put yourself and the kids in those positions. When you say stuff like have a sense of urgency or transition or do this well, you have to practice it. You have to practice all those little things from alignment to assignment to sideline demeanor to departure on and off the field.
- Guys are doing a good job of ignoring the hype. It's about the body of work. Its production. You can't talk your way into a conference championship, you can't back door your way into it. You have to earn your way and you do it on the practice field, in preparation, in the meeting room, you do it outside of football with self discipline, doing the right thing when nobody is watching you. Never looking over your shoulder because your totally focused on the big picture. For us that full measure of success is the degree and the championship. That's what we're trying to strive for.
- They saw (with the bowl trip) a glimpse that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We can get there. We have goals that are realistic and attainable. We are driven to work toward those things. That's the position that we're in. We haven't arrived yet but when we speak of competing for conference championships, competing for being in the highest bid bowl game we can be and the players now recognize that it could happen.
- Alin Edouard looks fine. He throws the ball well. Very smart young man, very humble. A really good teammate. Very excited about being here. It's a tough situation, two weeks before the season starts, he's been practicing a total of three days. We're slowly feeding him in increments to get him in position to be able to take the field if needed. By the back end of the season or the middle of the season hopes he can be in position to understand the offense as a whole. He throws a very good ball.
- Backup QB decision will come next week sometime.
- Greg Campbell has done very well. He's had his best camp yet. He is a different player than he was a year ago. I think he really took his approach and changed it to wanting to show us that he's capable of doing it. He's made great strides and working extremely hard. We're pleased with the progress he's making.
- On Kirk Herbstreit picking UTSA to win the C-USA West "Yea that's my buddy, man."
- Bit tongue in practice. Got elbowed and bit tongue, mouthpiece had fallen out so I didn't have it on when it happened.
- We had a mock game today. Basically a simulation of an in-game type experience. We went through all the phases of special teams, went through all the scenarios of offense and defense. It was a good experience for these young guys to see how a sudden change can turn the game around and they have to be on high alert to be ready to go back on the field when they just got off the field.
- I've been putting the pads on people. Still taking it a little slow. Sunday we start game planning and its really going to be all about Houston. Right now its still about us but come Sunday we're going to start preparing for them.
- No hesitation about hitting someone. It feels natural. Its instilled in my DNA that if I see somebody and I can hit them I'm going to hit them. The doctors did a great job. I feel great.
- There is no detail that Coach (Wilson) doesn't plan for. He plans for every single thing possible. We go through our theme song on kickoff, we go through our chants when we run out. Everything that we do for stretching. Everything is down to the last detail. If you slacken you hear from him but a lot of these guys are disciplined so we really don't hear from him too much.
- Knows a close friend that plays for U of H. His name is Matt Adams. He's a linebacker, a solid player. It will be fun. It's a cool experience to see one of your teammates from high school and now your playing against him in a division I football game.
- Think it is a statement game for UTSA. A lot of people overlook us when we play U of H or schools at the caliber of U of H. They're a really good football team but we are also a really good football team. I think we're going to turn a lot of heads with this game next saturday.
