Tuesday was the first time since last Thursday that the media got to talk with the Roadrunners. In that time the team suffered their first injury of the season as Solomon Wise was lost for the season on Saturday with a hyperextended knee. On Tuesday the media got to speak with Frank Wilson and Jalen Rhodes.
Frank Wilson:
Frank Wilson:
- It was a good day today. Thought we had a spirited practice. Sunday is a day we come back and correct miscues and install things that will be coming up at the next practice, in this case Tuesday. It had been 48 hours since the last routine practice. It took some time to get going but they were refreshed and eager to be here today.
- Nate Gaines is on pace. He's not in live contact for us right now but he goes through every drill in a cautionary manner. He'll be 100 percent week one. His tempo, his temperament and the things that we're asking of him have been phenomenal. We like the strides that he is making.
- Expecting leadership from Gaines. He's played a lot of football here over the last several years. He's really a quarterback (of the defense) on the field for us. Probably our most experienced defensive player. He communicates with everybody, gets them lined up and plays with great energy and effort.
- Gaines should be hurt by not being named to the all-conference preseason list. It's a good thing. Hopefully it fuels something in him to go and earn the recognition. We recommended him but we're only one vote and you can't vote for your own player.
- In the absence of Solomon Wise, guys like Eric Banks and others will continue to mature and step up and get valuable reps for us. We have young guys that are improving daily. We cross train them so they all play four technique, five technique, six technique, nine technique well. We have quality depth at the position to be able to rotate the guys.
- The secondary is shaping up well. Our coaches do a great job of getting these guys lined up and in position to make plays. Their fall camp has been a bright spot for us. From a run support standpoint and coverage standpoint as well we have improved. You look at Darryl Godfrey and those guys back there, they're able to do things that we were able to do with Eg and Jordan and probably in some cases a little twitchier, a little faster and more athletic as well from a passing standpoint.
- O-line is three deep across the board. Hopefully we can get all these guys on par where we can be able to play several of them throughout the duration of the game like you do with your defensive line and allow us to be fresh toward the end of a game or the end of a season.
