As I mentioned in another thread, Ed Daniels and I shared him and had limited time, so I did not get to ask some of the questions I wanted to ask.
What's the message going into fall camp?
"It's really just attention to detail, block out the noise, consistency, get better every day. I'm not a big theme guy."
So you don't think that (big themes) helps you win?
"I don't think so. I've had some good themes, but if you have real good players and good coaches, you'll win a bunch of games. Everybody wants to do what Clemson does with their theme, but eight years ago when they were 8-6, they probably had a theme that year. too."
Do you feel this is a much more talented club than you had last year?
"Yeah, I really do. We were looking at it just the other day. I'm always going over the depth chart and there are some spots we've got three veterans at the position. That's what we didn't have when I first got here. We didn't have very much depth. Most teams you are going to have five to 10 upper-level type players who have a chance to play in the NFL. It's those guys that are 11 to 45 and 50 that win you championships, and we've got a lot more of those guys. If we have an injury at different positions, it won't be a catastrophe. We'll be OK because we have good backups."
You have painstakingly built that depth, right?
"It's like in recruiting. People think you have 22 scholarships and can sign any 22 guys. You have to do it based off who's graduating and each position and how many seniors, juniors, sophomores so you always have that depth. You don't want to sit there and look at a year and all of a sudden you've only got seven offensive linemen. That's the position where I think we've really built the depth up."
Is there an area that concerns you?
"No. I just think it's finding guys that can help you in the kicking game that maybe haven't played a whole lot. We really feel like we signed a talented freshman class. Early in camp the big deal is teaching them how to play in the kicking game because a lot of those guys haven't done it. They played all the snaps on offense, defense or both, of if they were (on special teams), they were a returner. That's all they ever did. So getting those guys schooled up in how to cover punts and kicks and block in the return game, it's hose kinds of things."
Is there a true freshman you think that might (make a huge impact)?
"One thing we do is the first 10 practices everybody's getting reps. We'll roll with three groups and everybody's going to get an opportunity to show us what they can do. The reason why more true freshmen are playing nowadays than in the past is because they are here all summer. They learned the system, they understand the system, they've lifted weights with you and they've done the drills with you. The only thing you can't do is go out there with the football, so practice No. 1 tomorrow will be like practice No. 20 in the old days. We're going to get after it."
How important is sustained success for recruiting?
"Big time. That's all I ever talk about it. I had a couple of recruits in today and I did a presentation to them about Tulane football and all the great players that have played at Tulane and also the great teams that have been here at Tulane. The problem is it just hasn't been done consistently year after year after year. That's what we want to achieve. We want to be a team that does it year after year. If we play in a bowl game this year, it will be the first time since 79 and 80 (to play in back-to-back bowls). That's the only time it's been done in the history of the school., If you win a bowl game this year, it's never been done in the history of the school, so these are things I'm putting out there for our guys. This was the sixth winning season in the last 37 years we had last season, so we have a lo to accomplish. We're just getting started right now."
There's a lot of outside talk that you guys can be a darkhorse contender in the AAC this year. Having tied for the top spot last year, you probably feel like you were legitimate contenders last year. Do you feel good about your chances?
"Yeah, our goal is a conference championship. I've put it out there to our guys and I've told them that's what we want to accomplish. I don't think you can accomplish anything great unless you understand what your goal is and you go work to do it, but that's the goal. We want to compete for AAC championships."
You have a lot of grad transfers. That's been a good thing for you, right?
"It really has. We're getting the guys that are going to fit in here. In the Ivy League you cannot play football if you've already graduated, so we've got a guy from Columbia, Michael Hinton, and we've also got Christian Montano from Brown and then also Ben Knudson from Virginia. That's almost like an Ivy League school, too. Probably the reason we got him is he lived in Slidell when he was a little kid and his sister was a med school graduate from Tulane and went to school there, too, so that probably helped us."
Will he play at guard?
"We'll play him at guard but we'll also play him a little bit at tackle as well."
Hinton played both inside and outside at Columbia. Where will he play for you?
"He's going to play defensive end for us, 4i technique (playing on the center side of the offensive tackle) but also 5 technique (playing on the outside shoulder of the tackle), too."
You already have pretty good depth there, but I assume you don't bring in a grad transfer if you're not sure he can contribute?
"I only bring those guys in if they have an opportunity to play for us. He's going to show us what he can do. Just from what I've watched in the summer, he's fit in very well."
You also have two other grad transfers who are sort of important in Justin McMillan and Jalen McCleskey. How important to this team is being able to get those guys?
"It is big time for Justin, who came in five days before the first game last year. It really took him a while to understand exactly what we were doing. Plus at the previous school I think they'd had two or three different coordinators during the time period he was there, so there was a lot of different terminology to digest. He really understands what we're doing, and then also Jalen McCleskey had 167 catches at his previous school. He's a really good player. I've been very impressed, and he's got a tremendous work ethic as well."
You've only lost one grad transfer starter to another school in Junior Diaz. What does that say?
"This last year I think we are one of the only schools in the country that has not lost a kid to the transfer portal who had eligibility left for us. Jabril Clewis had a year of Division II eligibility, and I think he's playing at St Paul Concordia, but he would have stayed here if he would have had eligibility. I think our kids are happy, and why wouldn't they be. They've got a chance to get this great education and a chance to play a great level of football and they get to do it all in New Orleans, so it's a win-win-win."
Are you a fun guy to play for?
"I think probably the difference between me and maybe other coaches is I'm around our guys all the time. A big advantage for us is where we're standing right now (in the Wilson Center). I've got the academic facility right there, and right around the corner here is where our kids eat every day. Our weight room is right there. Our athletic training facility is over there. Our offices and meeting rooms are right there. I see our guys four or five times a day. There's been other places where the academic support area was across campus and the weight room was some place else. We practice right out here. Everything is so convenient and close and I think it helps us establish relationships quickly."
You are going to have several practices at the Superdome this year. How much does your relationship with the Saints and everything associated with them help you?
"Once again, the Saints are awesome and the people down at the Superdome, Doug Thornton and his staff, are awesome. I always get somebody to ask me how many indoor (facilities) do you have, and I say we've got two. We have to drive to them, but with a police escort it takes us about five minutes to get to the Superdome and it takes about 10 to 15 to get over to the Saints. We're fortunate that we go in the morning and they go in the afternoon and the Bensons are just unbelievable in extending that offer. I was out there watching a practice yesterday and every single person I came in contact with that works for the Saints said, 'anything we can do, tell us, coach.' That's a neat deal."
How about Rob Kelley getting a tryout with the Saints?
"That's great. I was hoping he would get a chance. We ran a little kids' camp a few weeks ago and Rob was there. He had an unbelievable first season with the Redskins (in 2016) and he feels like he's 100-percent healthy. He didn't play for me but he's around all the time. He's a great kid and I hope he gets a good shape and gets an opportunity to make it."
What's the message going into fall camp?
"It's really just attention to detail, block out the noise, consistency, get better every day. I'm not a big theme guy."
So you don't think that (big themes) helps you win?
"I don't think so. I've had some good themes, but if you have real good players and good coaches, you'll win a bunch of games. Everybody wants to do what Clemson does with their theme, but eight years ago when they were 8-6, they probably had a theme that year. too."
Do you feel this is a much more talented club than you had last year?
"Yeah, I really do. We were looking at it just the other day. I'm always going over the depth chart and there are some spots we've got three veterans at the position. That's what we didn't have when I first got here. We didn't have very much depth. Most teams you are going to have five to 10 upper-level type players who have a chance to play in the NFL. It's those guys that are 11 to 45 and 50 that win you championships, and we've got a lot more of those guys. If we have an injury at different positions, it won't be a catastrophe. We'll be OK because we have good backups."
You have painstakingly built that depth, right?
"It's like in recruiting. People think you have 22 scholarships and can sign any 22 guys. You have to do it based off who's graduating and each position and how many seniors, juniors, sophomores so you always have that depth. You don't want to sit there and look at a year and all of a sudden you've only got seven offensive linemen. That's the position where I think we've really built the depth up."
Is there an area that concerns you?
"No. I just think it's finding guys that can help you in the kicking game that maybe haven't played a whole lot. We really feel like we signed a talented freshman class. Early in camp the big deal is teaching them how to play in the kicking game because a lot of those guys haven't done it. They played all the snaps on offense, defense or both, of if they were (on special teams), they were a returner. That's all they ever did. So getting those guys schooled up in how to cover punts and kicks and block in the return game, it's hose kinds of things."
Is there a true freshman you think that might (make a huge impact)?
"One thing we do is the first 10 practices everybody's getting reps. We'll roll with three groups and everybody's going to get an opportunity to show us what they can do. The reason why more true freshmen are playing nowadays than in the past is because they are here all summer. They learned the system, they understand the system, they've lifted weights with you and they've done the drills with you. The only thing you can't do is go out there with the football, so practice No. 1 tomorrow will be like practice No. 20 in the old days. We're going to get after it."
How important is sustained success for recruiting?
"Big time. That's all I ever talk about it. I had a couple of recruits in today and I did a presentation to them about Tulane football and all the great players that have played at Tulane and also the great teams that have been here at Tulane. The problem is it just hasn't been done consistently year after year after year. That's what we want to achieve. We want to be a team that does it year after year. If we play in a bowl game this year, it will be the first time since 79 and 80 (to play in back-to-back bowls). That's the only time it's been done in the history of the school., If you win a bowl game this year, it's never been done in the history of the school, so these are things I'm putting out there for our guys. This was the sixth winning season in the last 37 years we had last season, so we have a lo to accomplish. We're just getting started right now."
There's a lot of outside talk that you guys can be a darkhorse contender in the AAC this year. Having tied for the top spot last year, you probably feel like you were legitimate contenders last year. Do you feel good about your chances?
"Yeah, our goal is a conference championship. I've put it out there to our guys and I've told them that's what we want to accomplish. I don't think you can accomplish anything great unless you understand what your goal is and you go work to do it, but that's the goal. We want to compete for AAC championships."
You have a lot of grad transfers. That's been a good thing for you, right?
"It really has. We're getting the guys that are going to fit in here. In the Ivy League you cannot play football if you've already graduated, so we've got a guy from Columbia, Michael Hinton, and we've also got Christian Montano from Brown and then also Ben Knudson from Virginia. That's almost like an Ivy League school, too. Probably the reason we got him is he lived in Slidell when he was a little kid and his sister was a med school graduate from Tulane and went to school there, too, so that probably helped us."
Will he play at guard?
"We'll play him at guard but we'll also play him a little bit at tackle as well."
Hinton played both inside and outside at Columbia. Where will he play for you?
"He's going to play defensive end for us, 4i technique (playing on the center side of the offensive tackle) but also 5 technique (playing on the outside shoulder of the tackle), too."
You already have pretty good depth there, but I assume you don't bring in a grad transfer if you're not sure he can contribute?
"I only bring those guys in if they have an opportunity to play for us. He's going to show us what he can do. Just from what I've watched in the summer, he's fit in very well."
You also have two other grad transfers who are sort of important in Justin McMillan and Jalen McCleskey. How important to this team is being able to get those guys?
"It is big time for Justin, who came in five days before the first game last year. It really took him a while to understand exactly what we were doing. Plus at the previous school I think they'd had two or three different coordinators during the time period he was there, so there was a lot of different terminology to digest. He really understands what we're doing, and then also Jalen McCleskey had 167 catches at his previous school. He's a really good player. I've been very impressed, and he's got a tremendous work ethic as well."
You've only lost one grad transfer starter to another school in Junior Diaz. What does that say?
"This last year I think we are one of the only schools in the country that has not lost a kid to the transfer portal who had eligibility left for us. Jabril Clewis had a year of Division II eligibility, and I think he's playing at St Paul Concordia, but he would have stayed here if he would have had eligibility. I think our kids are happy, and why wouldn't they be. They've got a chance to get this great education and a chance to play a great level of football and they get to do it all in New Orleans, so it's a win-win-win."
Are you a fun guy to play for?
"I think probably the difference between me and maybe other coaches is I'm around our guys all the time. A big advantage for us is where we're standing right now (in the Wilson Center). I've got the academic facility right there, and right around the corner here is where our kids eat every day. Our weight room is right there. Our athletic training facility is over there. Our offices and meeting rooms are right there. I see our guys four or five times a day. There's been other places where the academic support area was across campus and the weight room was some place else. We practice right out here. Everything is so convenient and close and I think it helps us establish relationships quickly."
You are going to have several practices at the Superdome this year. How much does your relationship with the Saints and everything associated with them help you?
"Once again, the Saints are awesome and the people down at the Superdome, Doug Thornton and his staff, are awesome. I always get somebody to ask me how many indoor (facilities) do you have, and I say we've got two. We have to drive to them, but with a police escort it takes us about five minutes to get to the Superdome and it takes about 10 to 15 to get over to the Saints. We're fortunate that we go in the morning and they go in the afternoon and the Bensons are just unbelievable in extending that offer. I was out there watching a practice yesterday and every single person I came in contact with that works for the Saints said, 'anything we can do, tell us, coach.' That's a neat deal."
How about Rob Kelley getting a tryout with the Saints?
"That's great. I was hoping he would get a chance. We ran a little kids' camp a few weeks ago and Rob was there. He had an unbelievable first season with the Redskins (in 2016) and he feels like he's 100-percent healthy. He didn't play for me but he's around all the time. He's a great kid and I hope he gets a good shape and gets an opportunity to make it."
