Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano took to the podium last Saturday to address the media and answer questions about spring camp at around the midway point of the spring session. His press conference was much shorter this time, spanning about eight minutes, but it still addressed a wide range of questions.
The first question that Schiano was asked had to do with Zahmir Dawud and what they liked about him during recruitment and how they expect him to make the jump from FCS Villanova to the Big Ten. While
not addressing the question directly, Schiano did talk about how smart he is as a player and how attentive to detail he has been so far in camp. He also talked about how hard everyone is competing for the starting cornerback spot and how those roles will not be handed out until well into training camp.
The next question had to do with how he feels the defense is adjusting to the new coaching staff.
“It’s going well, yeah.Travis has done a great job not only with the players introducing it but getting the staff together. They’re working really hard to become a unit, and I think that’s going to be critical. They’re enjoying each other’s company.It’s fun to watch. The chemistry is building every day, and that’s what it’s about. When you have good units, they have great chemistry. When you have a great team, the whole team has that chemistry. That’s a step-by-step process that we’re very persistent in working at that, but I think that’ll happen.”
The next two questions had to do with the wide receiver room and if anyone has stood out so far in spring practices and the next had to do with the four sophomores in the room in their efforts to recover from injury and their development overall. In a not so shocking twist, Schiano answered the first question by saying that star wide receiver KJ Duff has stood out the most this spring. As for the second question, Schiano mentioned how they are all doing well and how coach Dave Brock is doing a great job of furthering their development.
Later on in the press conference, Schiano was asked about the development of EDGE Wydeek Collier-Johnson and if he sees a role for him this fall.
“I do, yeah, I do. I think he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s a big athlete. Certainly two years from now he’s going to be a much bigger athlete, but even now, he’s put on probably 25, 30 pounds and is a really physical, violent player. He’s really strong hands and can knock things back, and then as he just gets more LBs behind him, that knock-back will even get more significant. But he’s an incredible athlete for a man his size, and, yeah, he can help us.”
Schiano also spoke very highly of cornerback Kevin Levy when he was asked a similiar question. According to Schiano, Levy is practicing hard, and is performing with confidence backed with attention to detail. Schiano said that if he continues on the trajectory he is on, he is going to be a really good corner.
To view the entire press conference, click the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skyc0UJQAOw&t=99s
