Transcript from DeBoer's comments ...
Good to have game week finally here. So, guys are excited, you know, the long fall camp and finally get a chance to play someone else. And that's been fun here the last week getting ready for Florida State. So, we know they're going to have different coordinators and a lot to prove and get their season off to a good start and us going on the road into a great environment. It'll be a great challenge for us with all those things combined.
On RG Jaeden Roberts' status
He's been practicing very limited, very limited. So he's making progress, but it's slow and steady. I know this has been going over a couple weeks and so a lot of the same. Nothing more than that really.
On if DL Tim Keenan will be ready to go vs FSU after an injury in Tuesday's practice
Yet to be determined. Probably not. But we'll see.
On confidence in kicker spot
With the kicker spot, Conor (Talty) has done a nice job here. Had a little lull probably from the first scrimmage to the second scrimmage there. Maybe a little bit into the next week. And that's part of understanding how to get yourself out of the slump that you're in a little bit. And we expect a lot out of him because he was kicking and is kicking right now at a very high level again. And so those expectations are always relative. You have a guy who's pretty much kicking every kick and he's got great range. Conor's leg is great. He kicked a 55-yarder in two-minute drill the other day, nailed it right down the middle. So his range is good, and he just had that weekend there and some of it's wear and tear. Some of it, you'd rather have him go through it then rather than in the middle of the season and working your way through it. That's the best time of the year to do it. So he's done a great job about three and a half of the four and a half weeks that we've been out here. So we got a lot of confidence. I think he's getting strength back and kicking the ball deep on kickoff. So we're in a good spot.
On lessons learned from year one
Personally, well, where we're at now compared to where we were at a year ago, it's just more of the same. Just keep doing what you're doing and the things you believe in. You just keep plugging away. You're always going to evolve. You're always going to adjust and that's whether you're undefeated and national champions or had a season that you're disappointed in. So stick to what you truly believe in. I got a staff around me that really has their antennas up to everything. We're always looking to try to make things better. But I think just we know what the grind's going to look like over the course of a 12-game season. That's all of us together. The experiences we shared together as a team we've been able to really draw on -- the things that we did well, the things that we didn't do well. We've used a lot of reaffirmation of things that have even happened in this first week of games, even though there's only a couple, to again double down on what we believe in and where we had to get better from last year. Some of those things happened in NFL and college games. So we're learning, always getting better, using the experiences to our benefit.
On running back room and Daniel Hill
I think the thing with Jam is there's just more reps, more experience that he brings to the table. So there's a higher level of trust and kind of understanding of what it's going to look like on game day. You don't have that as much with the rest of these guys. It doesn't mean that they're not doing some nice things in the practice field. But Daniel Hill in particular, he's more versatile, considering he's over 240 pounds, than I think what people would probably think. He's very natural. I think he's got some quick feet in the hole and he can also catch the ball out of the back field. It's just playing with consistency. He's pretty assignment sound, pretty good that way. It's just a matter of him being able to do it at a high level every single day, and again, we won't know that until we get into the season here, just like with the other guys.
On bulletin board material
Yeah, I think there's always extra levels of motivation that can come from things that are said or things you want to prove. So I think bulletin board material, that's a real thing. But I think in the end it's still who you are and that you have a true deep-seated belief. That's the key. Something that's superficial, something that's really false and more of a rah-rah or energy that way, that can be taken away from you pretty quickly. For us we really pride ourselves on doing the work and being prepared and not just being about this week, but being about everything we've done since January. That gives us the confidence and a deep trust and belief in each other. That's what it's going to come down to, but a little extra motivation doesn't hurt.
On expanded playoff speculation
Really, the only two models that I've had any conversations at all with would have been what it is now in our meetings that we've had previously, and just the possibility of a 16-game schedule. I can go either way. I see the merits for both. I really haven't been involved in anything seriously that's been brought to me to ask for my opinion on anything beyond 16 games.
On Tim Keenan injury update
He had a lower body (ankle) injury. It's always kind of figured out after practicing honestly, gathering information still in the moment I'm in right now, trying to understand exactly where it's at. Our staff is unbelievable. They have done some pretty impressive things on getting guys back. So waiting for the update on that. I don't know if I can even give you a percentage and be confident on that. So we'll see. But it is a lower body injury.
, but my hearing is still quite functional.
