Thursday's practice at the Superdome was closed to reporters, and some of Willie Fritz's Zoom call was repetitive, but here were the two most interesting quotes.
I asked him if this was potentially his best defense at Tulane.
"We have pretty good depth every place. We have four linebackers we think are quality starters in the AAC. I really have great confidence in all four of those guys playing those two spots for us. We feel like we’ve got great depth in the secondary. Three corners for sure we feel like can play a high level of Division I football, and then there’s three or four safeties we feel really good about. Ajani Kerr has been a super addition for us. He can do it all. We’re playing him mostly at nickel right now but he could also play strong and free. Larry Brooks and Chase Kuerschen are almost coaches playing the strong safety and the free safety spot. Cornelius Dyson from Kentwood is going to be a big-time player. He’s got everything you’re looking for as far as his makeup, how seriously he takes practice and then he’s 6-1, 200 pounds and can fly. Sometimes when a guy goes from small classification football to Division I it takes a year or two but obviously he was very well coached and it’s also a credit to him. His dad was a great player and he’s been around it all his life. Kevaris Hall is going to play for us at corner."
Ed Daniels asked about his confidence in Michael Pratt if he had to play, and Fritz brought in Justin Ibieta, too. I don't think that race has been settled. Keon Howard will start, but all three QBs have gotten equal reps to this point in the preseason.
"I have a lot of confidence in Mike. He played high-level football in Florida and he was here in the spring with us. I’ve been very impressed with the progress that Justin Ibieta’s shown, too. The thing with Keon is he understands exactly what we’re doing, he has a lot of experience in the college game. But if we have to go to quarterback 2 or quarterback 3, we feel good about it because we’ve been rolling those guys a bunch. They’ve gotten a ton of reps. Right now we can afford to do it. When you start getting into game week, it’s difficult to get three guys a lot of reps. We’ll still get all three of them reps, but it will primarily be the second- and third-team guy getting reps."
Only three of the remaining practices before game week will be open to reporters. Tomorrow's scrimmage and Sunday's workout will be at the dome and closed. Monday's will be open. They will be off Tuesday, practice at Yulman on Wednesday and Thursday, off Friday and then go back to the dome the following Saturday and Sunday. But I already have seen a ton of practice time, with the lack of other media and sitting in the stands by myself instead of standing on the sideline with others talking to me has eliminated the distractions.
I asked him if this was potentially his best defense at Tulane.
"We have pretty good depth every place. We have four linebackers we think are quality starters in the AAC. I really have great confidence in all four of those guys playing those two spots for us. We feel like we’ve got great depth in the secondary. Three corners for sure we feel like can play a high level of Division I football, and then there’s three or four safeties we feel really good about. Ajani Kerr has been a super addition for us. He can do it all. We’re playing him mostly at nickel right now but he could also play strong and free. Larry Brooks and Chase Kuerschen are almost coaches playing the strong safety and the free safety spot. Cornelius Dyson from Kentwood is going to be a big-time player. He’s got everything you’re looking for as far as his makeup, how seriously he takes practice and then he’s 6-1, 200 pounds and can fly. Sometimes when a guy goes from small classification football to Division I it takes a year or two but obviously he was very well coached and it’s also a credit to him. His dad was a great player and he’s been around it all his life. Kevaris Hall is going to play for us at corner."
Ed Daniels asked about his confidence in Michael Pratt if he had to play, and Fritz brought in Justin Ibieta, too. I don't think that race has been settled. Keon Howard will start, but all three QBs have gotten equal reps to this point in the preseason.
"I have a lot of confidence in Mike. He played high-level football in Florida and he was here in the spring with us. I’ve been very impressed with the progress that Justin Ibieta’s shown, too. The thing with Keon is he understands exactly what we’re doing, he has a lot of experience in the college game. But if we have to go to quarterback 2 or quarterback 3, we feel good about it because we’ve been rolling those guys a bunch. They’ve gotten a ton of reps. Right now we can afford to do it. When you start getting into game week, it’s difficult to get three guys a lot of reps. We’ll still get all three of them reps, but it will primarily be the second- and third-team guy getting reps."
Only three of the remaining practices before game week will be open to reporters. Tomorrow's scrimmage and Sunday's workout will be at the dome and closed. Monday's will be open. They will be off Tuesday, practice at Yulman on Wednesday and Thursday, off Friday and then go back to the dome the following Saturday and Sunday. But I already have seen a ton of practice time, with the lack of other media and sitting in the stands by myself instead of standing on the sideline with others talking to me has eliminated the distractions.
