Camp Update with Josh Heupel
UCF head coach Josh Heupel spoke to the media on Thursday, Aug. 20, shortly after concluding their fifth practice of preseason camp.
The key points:
-Heupel outlined some of the differences holding a camp in the COVID era. Mentioned how the team is currently grouped into pods to limit exposure. They are using the indoor facility for some meetings to accommodate social distancing. They are starting to use the new facility, the Roth Athletic Center, for some meetings.
-Said there was a benefit to the early OTA type stuff as it prepared the younger guys for what to expect in camp.
-Name dropped five true freshmen who have impressed: DBs Davonte Brown, Justin Hodges and Quadric Bullard; WR Ja'Cyais Credle and RB Johnny Richardson.
-He explained when the early games were cancelled (UNC and FIU), they was no need to rush into camp mode so they continued with strength and conditioning/OTAs for another week.
-McKenzie Milton will be able to do "more and more things" as camp and the season progresses. He's doing some throwing, but nothing when it might be possible he gets touched. Made a similar statement about Brandon Moore.
-Asked about positive COVID tests, Heupel was vague but said the positive tests they did have was primarily when players reported to campus for the first time.
-He acknowledged there are players who opted out, but since "paperwork isn't finalized" he won't announce names yet.
-Heup was able to comment on UGA DB transfer Divaad Wilson because he's been cleared to practice. Didn't want to comment on the other three transfers until they are fully cleared and practicing.
-When asked about scheduling, Heup believes UCF will play "more than nine games" this season.
-Heup acknowledged they aren't in as good of shape as they would have been, so it will be important to rotate a lot of players this season, particularly early on.
-Heupel supports the proposed NCAA legislation of giving players who play this fall an extra year of eligibility.
Here's everything he had to say:
Can you talk about some of the differences and changes taking place in how you operate camp?
"It truly is a new normal. Nothing is status quo of what it was a year ago. It's changed all summer for our guys. That's the benefit of having a lot of guys come back in early June. Then they came back in different waves throughout the summer. They got accustomed to the protocols here. Our medical staff and Orlando Health has done a great job continuing to educate our staff and players, helping to put these practices in place. Our guys as they've gone through the summer have gotten better at following those guidelines and becoming more comfortable with them.
"The way we come into the building is completely different. Everybody undergoes a health check. Temperature, wash their hands. The way you meet is completely different. We're spaced out. For us, we're using our indoor and meeting rooms. The Roth Athletic Center is completed and we have some big rooms in there so some of our small position can meet and socially distance while in there. The protocol going on to the practice field and coming off of it, your recovery, everything is different.
"Our guys have gotten accustomed to it. They're comfortable with it. They believe in the protocols that have been in place and are doing really well with is.
For you personally, what's the biggest adjustment for you as a coach?
"I think the hardest thing through COVID is what we're doing right now, talking through a computer. You're able to gain information, but you miss that interaction. I think that was a big piece, just the human connection side of it with our football team. That's really what a team is all about, that connection. Once we were able to get everybody back here at the beginning of training camp, it's different, but I think that's been huge for us and a benefit and something the kids have enjoyed. Being back around each other and being as normal as we possibly can.
"On the field, it's different. We've broken guys up into pods here at the beginning of training camp. Don't know if that's the way it will stay throughout the entire training camp or during the course of the season. Just trying to limit the exposure to a bunch of different players for a set of days before we test."
Having an experienced team returning, how much does that help?
"Yes and no. In college football, you always lose 20 percent of your roster every year. We do have a lot of guys that have played a lot of really good football. I think their experience in what we do offensively and defensively helps with the limit of practices that you've got during the course of spring ball. I think that's one of the benefits of what we were able to do this summer once we got back here. In the middle of July, we were able to essentially have on OTA, NFL-style build-up to true training camp. So guys got exposed to our schemes. We were able to go out and walk through out on the field. Once we got out on the practice field, I think our guys were probably further along. And some of our young guys that got here this summer as far as understanding and being able to run what we were doing offensively and defensively. That chemistry, the maturity we have on our football team, is a huge benefit."
Are there any younger guys or newcomers that have impressed you in camp?
"There's a bunch of them. It's a really good group, the young kids that have showed up on campus. On the defensive side of the ball, Davonte Brown, Justin Hodges, Quadric Bullard. Three DBs that have jumped off on tape. Their ability to comprehend what's going on in the meeting room and come out on the field and compete against really good talent and reset to the next play, whether the previous play was positive or negative. Their athletic skill set as well.
"Offfensively, Ja'Cyais Credle, Stretch, and Johnny Richardson are two guys that pop out. That's typical for the young guys at skill spots to jump out early. I really do like the young guys we've got on both sides of the line of scrimmage as well."
Did players come to you early on with questions about how the protocols would work or if they had concerns? What was your overall message to the team about these protocols and how they'll stay safe?
"The concerns that were talked about and brought up from our leadership council and really our team too, we have the leadership council to have that dialogue and conversation about blind spots and things they might not understand. Really, the majority of concerns are things we'll deal with down the line like game day protocols within the conference and the eligibility that the NCAA still hasn't really addressed. Those are real concerns. Everybody's background is completely different. Their life experiences. We've got 125 guys and it's different for all 125. That perspective, that lens you see COVID-19 through and how it impacts your family, you, your future in college football, all those are real and valid. We had a conversation. We were able to educate them on some of those things really quickly. Some of them we told them the NCAA will have to answer. Hopefully we'll get some of those answers at the end of this week.
"When that happened, we kind of pumped the brakes for a day or two. That's also when you things kind of change in the national dialogue and what was going to happen with our schedule as well. We felt with the way our schedule was going to play out potentially, it was beneficial for us to continue to do the strength and conditioning stuff. I felt doing that for another week along with the OTA style walk-throughs was going to allow us to continue to grow that we needed to as a football team. You rewind from when you're potentially kicking off your first ballgame. It's hard to be on the field butting heads against the same guy for a certain amount of time.
"I think with our kids, not all of them being back at the beginning of June, all the time they missed in spring, one of the things that's been critical in our success here since I've been here is our football team is being able to be healthy throughout the entire season. When we get to game day, we're the fastest and freshest team on the field. That's important to me. It's important to our staff. It's important to our players. So that week we continued to gain on that side of it before jumping on the field."
Can you give us an update on McKenzie Milton and his status for the 2020 season?
"Doing a lot of really good things. Everybody has seen the videos of him when he went up to see his doctor. He's cleared for more and more activity. He's doing all the individual work. Throwing footballs. Some group stuff where he definitely doesn't have a chance to be touched. As training camp goes on, he'll be able to do more and more things. It's really just him continuing to push the envelope in his rehab process and where that leads us to this season and eventually next year."
Do you have any current cases of COVID on the team and do you think players are safer in the practice environment or at home?
"I do believe the protocols that we have in place here, our kids ability to follow those guidelines really have kept them safe. The majority of our positive tests have come from kids that are showing up for the first time. They're coming from back home and showing up on our campus for the very first time. How you balance it when everybody comes back to your college campus, our players have to continue to buy into the process of keeping themselves safe, wearing a mask, social distancing, hand sanitation. All those things. It's hard to do as more and more people come around, but our kids have done a great job of that."
Do you have any players that have decided to opt out?
"We have a couple guys that have opted out. The paperwork is not finished so I'm not going to release any names at this point."
How much of a challenge is it, talking about the schedule, there's some uncertainty whether you will add games or not. Is that a challenge getting guys ready to play?
"There's uncertainty everywhere in life. Not just in football. I think the added stress of every interaction that you have, the uncertainty that lies when you go out in the community and all those interactions, that's real for our players. There is an added stress to it. For our players, we really talk about controlling the controllable. If you get today, enjoy today. Have fun, man. That's the word of the year, have fun. Our guys have been great in that. They've taken a lot of joy in going out there and getting a chance to compete in the weight room. Those are all things that you miss for three or four months when you're back home, from March to the beginning of June. I think guys have gained a greater appreciation for that. Focus on that. Go 1-0 today and we'll move forward with tomorrow when we get it."
What's the progress been like for Brandon Moore and is he expected back any time soon? And I know there's been some transfers in recent days who have announced they're coming to UCF.
"Brandon got himself a tip pick on the sidelines. He wasn't practicing today, but he caught it and took off down the sidelines. He's doing a lot better. He's getting close to doing all functional movement and then preparing himself to get back out there on the field at some point this fall. He's done a great job of continuing to battle and handling that rehab process. I'm proud of what he's done. He'll be back and will be playing at a championship level. No doubt about it.
"The transfers. Divaad has been with us and on the field since day one. Tremendous athlete. Great player. Has a base understanding of what we're doing on the defensive of the ball. Coverages. Verbiage is different, but has transitioned really well. A couple of the other guys will hopefully be cleared here by the end of the week and be off and running."
What can you tell us about the schedule moving forward? I see nine games right now, but I'm assuming you're trying to add some more.
"I think we'll have more than nine, but I'm going to punt that to Danny White."
If you had to quarantine, who would take over as head coach?
"We've talked about how we'd operate in making sure we got another guy underneath us. My hope is that doesn't happen."
Can you update us on some of the position battles? You talked in spring about the offensive line with center and both tackle spots. What have you seen early on that has developed there?
"I think the depth of those positions is the strength. Guys that are competing for jobs. We're five days in. Those guys will continue to compete. We'll get to a scrimmage probably next week. I think in a season like this, you're battling for starting spots absolutely, but because your kids aren't in as good of shape as they typically are at this point, I think early in the year you're probably going to have to rotate more than you typically do. In a season like this with COVID, everybody is going to have to be ready to play. You better be deeper in all three phases of the game. The next guy has to be ready to step up given the opportunity."
The NCAA is working towards giving eligibility back for those who play this fall. How would that impact you guys?
"I think with all the uncertainty, I try not to guess what the NCAA is going to do or what's going to happen there. I think it's the right thing to do with all the uncertainty that guys are facing this season. Insuring that those kids have the opportunity to have a year that they've worked for a long time is important to them. It would be important to me as a player and it's important for me as a coach that those kids get that opportunity. There's a lot of time and energy that has gone into putting themselves in this position."
There's outside noise in college football all the time. The outside noise is a little different. What do you tell the guys about what's going on day to day whether it's the virus or NCAA and all that?
"At the end of the day, early in the process, they probably thought I was withholding information from them. When I say that, I'm just saying they think there's more information out there than there is. At times, you're waiting for decisions to be made that are outside of your control both as a player and coach. Whether that's the conference, whether that's the NCAA. We're obviously pushing forward. Our kids are excited about being on the football field. They want to play football. They love being around each other practicing, but they want to get out there and play games too."