Official Site of the Southeastern Conference

COACH MIKE SHULA

Good morning to everybody. It's good to see everybody again. It's an exciting time of year. I know you guys are excited to get going and just as we are. We hope you have had a good summer. We had hope you have had a good offseason and you got your batteries recharged. I know we have and this offseason started for us as every other offseason has just with our preparations with our winter workouts.

In January our recruiting, I think our coaches did an excellent job with our recruiting class. We're excited about the 25 freshman that we will have in here next week. We go to camp next week. Our student athletes report next Monday night. We have had a lot of things happen in the offseason. We have had good winter conditioning. We have had an offseason full of rehab. Our coaches have again done an excellent job recruiting, not just in January, finishing up with the signing class but the May recruiting. Our students, our freshman for the first time this year, the NCAA has allowed us to have freshman in and we have got probably 90% of our freshman in summer school and we're excited about that. I think it's going to benefit every school and every freshman coming in just because of the comfort level.

Now, when fall practice starts and school starts, it's going to be much higher than it would be at any other time but more importantly it is a chance for these young men to come in here and get started, get going on the right foot as far as school goes. I know how important that was for I did it myself when I was there and just to get a jump start and to stay ahead. We have got some young men that came in and did it a couple of years ago that are right on schedule, in fact probably ahead of schedule to graduate in four years. I think that has been very, very important for us. The offseason is also some of the other things taken place, we have opened up some new facilities. The latest one for us has been our 52,000 square foot academic center we reopened Bryant Hall which was a dorm way back when I was there as a player is now an academic center and really in my opinion second to none in the country.

Coach Moore has spared no dime in that area, just because he knows how important that is for us recruiting-wise and for our student athletes while they are here. Especially nowadays as we have all covered and learned, in the academic reform with the APR rates, all those types of things that are going to be so crucial for us and for our student athletes to maintain that academic excellence and the academic standards to graduate, to stay eligible, to stay on the field and to represent yourself and your university well as a student athlete. We're excited about that.

Right now with 25 freshman coming in we will have -- that will put us at 77 scholarships, so we're gaining ground there. This is the first year we can be back in four years. We have the ability to be back to 85 scholarships. Obviously we won't get there, hopefully we will get there at this time next year, we have got 15 seniors on our team right now. But along with those numbers, I think and our recruiting class we talked the other day as a staff where we will see a minimum of eight true freshman on the field this year and again that's a minimum. That's a conservative number.

Last year when we only could sign 19, we only had 19 signees, we played 11 true freshman and two junior college players. So 13 of the 19. What made us nervous last year seeing a lot of these young guys on the field, percentage-wise we won't have quite as many on the field, yet eight is a pretty good number to have as we rebuild our numbers up with our scholarships and I think again I will go back to our coach doing an excellent job in the recruiting area for the last two years we feel like we have had two good classes. Now we have got to continue to coach these guys up and make them the best players they can and we're going to do it at an earlier pace than probably most schools with them being on the field as true freshman last year and this year too.

Other numbers as far as our staff, something I am very, very proud of, by mid-December when we graduate, when we have our graduation in December when we looked at it last time, we will have 13 graduates on our football team by mid-December. So 13 guys with degrees playing on our football team. That's exciting number for us.

There's still work to do for sure, finishing up with summer school. John Deaver (phonetic) has done an excellent job. He's our director in our academic center of making sure these guys are getting themselves qualified if they needed some work to do over the course of summer as well as throughout the year.

With that in mind, our APR rate which was listed as one of the lower rates in the conference and maybe in the country, I guess when they came out in January, February has increased since then. Whereas others as we have seen in the paper has gone down, ours has gone up. I am proud of the way our guys have worked hard and our players understand the importance of this. They are getting the handle on this just like how important it is to stay eligible and stay in school as well as obviously for them to go get their degree to make their parents proud and all of us proud. We have increased it. We still need work to do but we feel very, very good about where we're at with that rate.

Our support, particularly my support from our administration, specifically speaking Dr. Witt (phonetic) and Coach Moore has been unbelievable. I can't thank Coach Moore enough for all the things he's done for me personally and for us as a staff. Especially with the recruiting area, with these facilities to be able to raise the kind of money he's raised and provide us with the facilities that are perfect for Alabama and really help when recruits come in and come into our campus, it's been very, very important to me, especially my personal relationship with him and I have leaned on him in a lot of areas too because of his experience. I'd be dumb not to. And his coaching experience and leadership has been very beneficial to me as a head coach.

A little example of how proud I am of our players, this summer I ran into a teacher at school, a teacher actually who has children that goes to school with our children -- they are that coach a lot of you know about. She kind of -- I saw her in the hallway, she came up to me, she taught at the university and she had taught Ken Darby. She said Ken changed her perception of student athletes -- she had taught at two other universities prior to this university and she said Ken changed her perception on student athletes from what she had been experienced to in a positive way and what a great student example he was for others in class and the way he handled and conducted himself in class. I think those things are important when you hear one-on-one in a hallway, it's important for me to express that to you. It's important for me to express that to Dr. Witt and Coach Moore because we all hear so many things, the negative things about student athletes that are covered and are highlighted during the course of the season, in the offseason. I think that's one of the stories that will stick with me for a long, long time makes me feel very, very proud. I know she's right on when she talks about Ken Darby because I know what he's about.

Let's talk a little bit about our rehab. I mentioned earlier we have had offseason of rehab, particularly the big three so to speak with Brodie who is here today, has done a great job representing us, but he's pretty much out of the rehab mode. He's into increasing his strength and conditioning and really looks as good as he ever looked since he's been here. We have got to monitor him, he's at full go right from day one of practice. We have got to make sure we monitor his -- until these guys actually get out there and go and participate and practice and the team and the type of cuts that are unrehearsed as of a different from what they are during a rehab session, that we have got to make sure we stay on top of that. But he seems to be to be fine and ready to go.

Ken Darby, I mentioned him with his sports hernia has really been probably ahead of schedule with his rehab. Looks to be 100%. Again he's another guy that we have got to monitor. That's a tough position because those guys need just like Brodie, they need as many reps as they can get just so they can get into a nice groove and feel good about themselves and get that confidence up, we have got to do that and not give him too much where we have a setback or we think it's going to hurt his injury. Right now he's ready to go for training camp.

Again, we probably won't give him as many reps -- don't tell him this -- as we have in the last couple of years or we have our starting backs the last couple of years. Tim Castille tore two ligaments last year, worked as hard as anybody and to come back from it, he's a guy that we have got to make sure we monitor him and just get him with his confidence level back. As far as what percent he's healthy, et cetera, hard to say if he's 100% right now, but we're going to, you know, basically our approach with him during the course of fall practice will be we're going to give him as much as he can take in each and every drill and go from there, monitor it. If during the course of two-a-days he needs just to practice one time a day we will look at. We have done that with some guys last year that we know, guys will be able to handle that. He has worked very, very hard in his rehab.

I stood up here last year, talked about competition, how we have created more competition last year. Well, as much as we improved in the competition area from our first year to last year, we have improved that much or more in that area going into this year. We are still going to be young, I think, one good way to measure that right now, now our depth chart, on our offense line as far as our third group, on the off line is four of those five guys are true freshman that we recruited this year that we think are going to be eventual starters. We couldn't say that our first two years -- I am not sure we had a third line our first year, probably had half of a line last year going into training camp. Our numbers are getting better. We need to create competition for starting positions as well as for probably more so for playing time. I am proud of our kids, the way they have worked in spring practice over the course of the summer with the volunteering workouts with Coach Johnston. I am proud of the way our staff has worked together, communicated well. It's a staff that we haven't changed since we have been here other than Coach Johnston that communicates well and I think is really good for these players and our student athletes to help them grow in every area they can.

Personnel wise I have already talked about some of guys on offense. I think our receivers which at this time was a big question mark last year; now, I think one of our strengths on our offense with Tyrone Prothro. DJ Hall. Keith Brown, Matt Caddell, Ezekial Knight is a guy that is coming on strong, really had a good spring practice for us. At the fullback position along with Tim Castille, probably the guy who probably had the best offseason so to speak going back to spring practice has been Le'Ron McClain, he looks great right now. He's going into his Junior year. He's more than halfway done with his degree. And he's ready to go. The freshman backs behind Darby, we will probably see two of the three guys that are on campus right now in school, we will have playing time early and often probably to go home. Coach Woods has done a great job with our running back situation where we have rotated guys in and where we have kept guys fresh that way. I see us doing that the same way this year, especially with Ken and making sure we don't give him too much too early.

The off line spot, Chris Capps and Cody Davis will compete for the left tackle spot, Antoine Caldwell called we will left guard registered freshman, felt good about him, his chances as being our starter and also playing winning football four us. J. B. Closner anchors our offensive line, he's one of our true leaders on the offense and he's a senior this year. The right guard spot Mark Sanders competing with Justin Moon with B.J. Stabler for that spot. Mark is a senior right now. If he had to play today he'd be our starter. Right tackle, Kyle Tatum this time last year never played offensive tackle other than spring practice. Now he's got a year under his belt and did a nice job for us last year. We expect better things from him this year. Behind him Drew Davis competing at that right tackle spot.

On the defense side we've got a lot of leadership. While I am talking about leadership we have got more leaders -- I have said this a couple of times -- more leaders on our football team now than we have had the first two years combined. A lot of it is on defense, got more experience, more returning starters on defense. On the defensive line, Mark Anderson, speaking of rehab, he injured his knee a couple of weeks ago, he should be ready after the first week or so of fall practice. We don't think he will be ready for the Tennessee game.

Wallace Gilberry has done a great job, he will be stepping into a starting role at the other defensive end side. Rudy Griffin and Jeremy Clark, Justin Britt will be guys that we will be looking for in that defensive line rotation to come up in the defensive tackle position, to come up and play well for us. They have all got experience from last year. Chris Harris and Keith Saunders are guys on the defensive end, backups, that we think will be important for us to come into that rotation, I think is crucial for us defensively.

Linebackers, got basically three returning starters, Juwan Simpson, done a good job, Junior this year, Freddie Roach will be in the middle. DeMeco Ryans, one of our true leaders will be starting at (inaudible) linebacker. We need to get more depth behind him with guys like Terrence Jones, Demarcus Waldrop, we have may have some young guys in that area that may see some playing time.

Secondary four returning starters with the two corners, Anthony Madison and Ramzee Robinson who have been great leaders for us. Roman Harper who is here today, another leader to us. Charlie Peprah, guys that have all played quality reps for us, they ranked No. 1 defensively in the nation last year in pass defense. They are going to have to prove themselves all over again.

Let me mention, going back to, defensive backs, another guy very, very productive playing for us, Simeon Castille and we'll push those guys for starting position just like we did last year.

In the kicking game we're losing two seniors so it's still wide open, we want to try to make a decision. I have said during the course of the summer if we had to punt today, Jeremy Schatz would be our punter. If we had to kick, Jaime Christensen would be our kicker. We have got some other guys competing in those areas. Got some true freshman coming there that will also compete. Ideally we find out who those guys are and let them know that they are going to be our starters so they get confidence but that's what competition is for and we want to put them in positions to compete to find out who our best guy is. With that, I'd be glad to take some questions.

Q. With your experience in the booth and pro football, what are your thoughts on instant replay?

MIKE SHULA: Instant replay, I think it's going to be good for the game. I know it was for the NFL. A lot of doubt, there was, I remember when it first started in the NFL, there was doubt if it was going to be productive or help the game. It ended upper being a very positive thing. Listening to the -- now last year the Big-10 experimented with it first and went through it they were very, very pleased. Just talking to the officials in that area, talking to the coaches and how the things went, especially towards the end of the year after they ironed out some things, we're looking forward it to. I think anything that can enhance the game and make this game better and make obvious to an official that has to make a split-second decision, make it obvious like it is to everyone else who has an opportunity and the luxury of showing this on replay to make that available to our officials, is only going to help our game. I think we have got just listening to Bobby Gaston, I think we have and Commissioner Slive, we have got a real good procedure, probably the best that there is available on the way. We're going to go about it to save time so to speak. That's one of the negatives that if there's been a negative on instant replay, is the time that it's consumed during the course of the decision-making so hopefully we will cut that down and it will help our game.

Q. Could you talk about the injuries Brodie has had overcome the last couple of years, how that's affected you guys if you think he's --

MIKE SHULA: Hopefully it's an injury-free season, knock on wood. He had some tough luck over the course of his career starting in high school, with injury in high school, his first game which was our first game as a staff, he hurt his shoulder, his opposite shoulder, played the whole year with a bad shoulder. I guess it was his sophomore year. Never said a word about it, never. Nobody is tougher than Brodie as far as injuries go. Last year the unfortunate injury of the knee injury early in the season. It's been tough. With injuries you don't like to use that as an excuse as a head coach or as a member of the football team, but when your starting quarterback goes down it's tough. We feel like we have got better depth there now with John Parker Wilson coming in and getting the experience he had had over the course of spring practice, he will compete with Marc Guillon for that job.

Got a couple of freshman coming in that we're going to look at. But yeah, we all hope that Brodie stays healthy because we think, I think he's a guy that can do some great things for us this year. As far as what his ability is, he has got tremendous arm strength, he has got very good touch, probably the best thing about him even though the way I have described it, his arm, is his mentality, his personality for the position. I think he's probably as good a guy -- I know I enjoy talking with him during the course of the game, the bigger the situation gets, I think, based on his sophomore year, and I know now two years more experience, I think it's going to be I think the more, the slower his pulse is going to get. That's the kind of guy you want to have as your leader, as your signal caller.

Q. Have had a lot of problems with people getting in trouble, you haven't had a lot of that. Talk about just how you approach that and how you deal with it?

MIKE SHULA: Well, first of all, let me just say this: You don't see us laughing or making any kind of remarks on any of the other schools that unfortunately have had some problems. Whether or not it be in our conference or out of conference, it's a difficult thing. It is a scary thing. You are dealing with a lot of young men just that are on their own for the first time. What happens is when they come in here they are going to get hit with the same message day in day out, during the course of the season. In the offseason you can continue that through the spring practice but then once spring practice ends you really don't have that much time where you are allowed to be around these guys. I think we have got real good leadership in that area where you have to have guys just to come in and help some of these younger guys or if someone else is getting out of line say, hey, you are out of line right here. I think we have got that on our team, not just if they find themselves or their teammates in a situation where they don't need to be in, not just to themselves, walk away, but get their teammate out of there, things like that. Surround yourself with good people. We have been lucky that way with our leadership.

For the first time this year we're starting our program with Winning With Character, character education program. We're going to install it. Our players doesn't even know it yet. We met with Randy Thrash (phonetic) and Dr. (Inaudible) last week on it. I know Georgia does it and a couple of other universities do it. It gives us a chance to be around these guys during the seasons and offseason and talk about things other than football. Hopefully because of that communication and the ability to do that, that will help us in the area that we have talked about.

Q. What is the plan with Brodie in terms of practice; will he get the full speed contact before the first time? How are you going to handle it how you are going to get him ready?

MIKE SHULA: He won't be our quarterback. We have talked about him -- he needs to make up some of that time he lost during the course of spring. The time he lost in the spring were the team reps, the scrimmage reps, he had had plenty of 7 on 7 reps, passing reps. We have got to probably increase those reps and yet not do it too much. We need to give him as much work as we feel he needs to get him ready get himself ready. But we have got to be smart about it. We take precautions with all of our quarterbacks, probably, especially him this year as far as if -- obviously we got guys competing defensive linemen trying to win jobs trying to get to the quarterback we got off linemen trying to keep guys off the quarterback so they can hold onto their starting position but we have got to be smart about it too when so nothing accidentally happens during the course of fall practice.

Q. Your team always has high expectations, but how do you battle now, you talked about the depth and getting back from the scholarship losses, with the lack of depth compared to where you'd like it to be and the expectations seemingly getting higher how do you battle those two, especially the expectations?

MIKE SHULA: I think it's all realization and perception for us. I think our expectations are high. They should be higher this year than they have been the first two years. They should have been higher. If they weren't, they should have been -- they were for me and I know for our staff. But we want guys on our team that -- on our staff, myself on our football team that are going to expect more out of themselves than anybody else is, and that means a lot because expectations in this room, expectations outside of this room are extremely lie for the University of Alabama. That's one of the reasons why I came back because I want to be at a place where expectations are high. I want guys surrounded by me that have the same type of mentality and expectations.

We balance that with the depth. We realize just numbers wise we're not where we need to be. We're going to have some younger depth, but I think that just -- we can use that as motivation - there's nothing better when you know you can coach a young guy up and get him on the field so to speak, when maybe a head of time and have him performed at a winning level. But I think as far as the perception goes we have to make sure we're realistic and not making drastic decisions, one way or another for certain reasons based on last year's results or based on what other people, outside influences. We have got to make sure we understand the whole situation, why this happened, why it didn't happen, how can we make it happen. How can we get rid of the problem if it is a problem and go from there and attack each thing individually and you know, it's a week to week -- this season ends up being a week to week season. You are only as good as your last game; then you have got to forget about it as soon as you play it win or lose - attack that game on why you did the things you did well. How you can continue to those, how can you fix the things you didn't do well.

Q. What is your opinion on the BCS voting procedure and the new changes that have been instituted in that procedure?

MIKE SHULA: There's still as I have been reading up on it and staying informed with the procedures and where we're trying to lock things down, the biggest thing is we all want what is fair for everybody. Whatever the best way to do that's in an unbiased situation we have got to strive for that. I think that -- again I don't have as much experience as a lot of these other guys that have answered this question with the way this thing has evolved. We have tried -- I know the NCAA has tried to do that. That's why the computer rankings the coaches' poll and all. That this year we're doing some things differently with the coaches' poll. I am not in the coaches' poll so, but where the votes are being public and things like that, but whatever we can do and there's guys are going to make those decisions that have a lot more experience than I do to make this thing as fair as possible where we can get the two best teams playing for the National Championship as well as the other teams to get into the BCS, you know, where -- it's so important for every university to get into that for a lot of reasons obviously. Whatever we can do to do that and I will support as I am continuing to be educated in those areas.

Q. I have seen your name on the dreaded hot seat list in the preseason magazines things like that. Is that fair do you feel like Alabama this year is in position to compete for the SEC title again?

MIKE SHULA: When I took this job my name was on the hot seat from Day 1. That's how I look at it. (Laughter) if you don't -- I am not just talking about being here, anywhere. So I don't worry about that. If I do then I am not worrying about what I need to be concentrating on and that's helping this football team improve. What is fair, what is not fair, I know this: When you win games people are usually going to say good things about you and your football team. When you lose games they are probably not going to say good things about you and your football team. Those are things that we can't be worried about that. We have got to again get back to what we have to concentrate on, what we have to attack and how we have got to help our football team get better week in and week out.

Q. Now that the trials are over with even though the university had nothing to do with it, is that era officially in the past and ramifications continue to affect your program?

MIKE SHULA: Well, I don't -- as far as the ramifications affecting our program, the only thing that's affected our program has been the scholarship loss and things like that and basically now we can sign 25, we can sign 85.

As far as -- I can only speak for pretty much myself our staff and our football team as far as how we can put that behind us. I think basically our football team has I don't know if it was ever in front of us. I think that our football team since I have been here has done a great job of concentrating on what they need to concentrate on and when Tennessee week comes then we're concentrating on Tennessee and doing whatever we can to go beat Tennessee. Probably more so because of the history and the tradition of the rivalry that goes back a long, long time. There's a couple of schools them being one of them that we have got a huge rivalry with. You know that week you don't have to motivate your players, they are going to be up for that game so to speak. That's the reason why. I think our guys have done a nice job of that. I know there's been a lot of attention in the media, and with our fans and I would expect our fans to do whatever they can to defend us. Our guys have done a great -- a great job just concentrating on what needs to be concentrated on the playing field.

Q. Obviously the way you called the game changed after Brodie went down last year. What does he allow you to do this year that you weren't able to do with the guys last year?

MIKE SHULA: I still don't -- people have asked us over the course of the offseason are we going to see a lot of new plays and things, basically we're going to continue to do the things we have done. But we haven't really just run our offense the way we have really wanted it to run. And call it the way we really want to call it. With Brodie staying healthy, over the course of this year, we feel like we'll be able to do that. Our first two and a half games of calling plays this year was with him in there was very, very productive. We had real good balance. I think we're actually more pass to run by a little bit percentage wise, but it's something that I think we'll see some things differently not necessarily -- but we will still do it within our frame work. I think we have got more weapons around him too not just with Brodie I think we have got experience with wide receivers. We have got some young backs. We have got a Nick Walker (phonetic) who I forgot to talk about our tight end he's our starting tight end he's going to be a guy that we can get the ball to and has done a great job in high school of the I know he did. We're looking forward him being a registered freshman to come in and make some plays for us. Utilizing the tight end there and some of these other guys are going to be things that we haven't had the opportunity to do. When you lose your starting quarterback last year then you have got true freshmen receivers on the field with your second or third string quarterback there's a lot of things you do differently to, especially with a good defense and good kicking game to approach ways to win games.

Q. Leadership on defense you talked about. Specifically address with DeMeco Ryans has meant to your program on and off the field?

MIKE SHULA: He's been outstanding in all those areas. You wish you had you know, 85, 84 more of those guys. We're close. We have got some other guys real close, but if I had to pick one that if you say, hey, you want 85 of what kind of guy you'd probably say DeMeco Ryans. I think he has got over a 3.5 grade point average right now. I think he has got a chance to graduate in December, if not earlier. But he's one of those guys that again he leads by example, and he's not worried about what other people -- about what the popular opinion is, which I think is incredible for somebody his age. He's not worried about that and that says a lot and I think we're going to see his performance and all the things that he does and means for us we're going to reap the benefits hopefully this year.

Q. With some untimely injuries last year and No. 1 defense in the nation, and really a play away from winning the LSU game, how close do you really think you all are this year?

MIKE SHULA: Those are all things that we getting back to making sure we know the difference between perception and reality and we don't hit the panic button. Those are all things we look at as a staff and we did from week-to-week, we did when we went back through our self evaluation. How close? I think we're close. But close is a dangerous word. I think I may have said that last year here. Close can get you fired too. Close can get you on the hot seat if you don't think you are on it. But I think that we have got -- our comfort level is higher; expectations are higher; we've got good leadership on defense. That, to me, is a little bit scary too because -- any time-- you don't -- you don't want your guys sitting back and reading about how good they are because now there's a tendency to not work as hard as it -- as when people weren't saying anything about you. That's what so good about having Joe (inaudible) as our defensive coordinator there. We were so close in some games but we have got to find a way to finish games the way we didn't do last year against some really good opponents late in the season. That will be something that we're going to continue to talk about day in day out in training camp on how important it is -- each guy, make sure they go through practice with the attitude they got to get themselves better. Not just get through the practice, but get better.

Q. You obviously understand that criticism is second guessing; particularly from us, goes with the territory and not to mention the fans. Under the circumstances did you find yourself wondering if you should have pulled Brodie last year and will you look at a different approach this year based on his injury history?

MIKE SHULA: Under the circumstances and what we -- last year we talked about it -- probably wouldn't have done it any differently. We had a plan for it. We stuck with it. Now this year, knowing that -- you know, you have got a guy that unfortunately has been injured, you know, if we're in that same situation again that's probably what you are asking me, would we pull him? Yeah. Unfortunately -- but that's something you are going to go through -- we talked about that the other day, if we had the luxury of being ahead in a football game by two touchdowns in the first quarter, do you pull your starting quarterback midway through the first or three touchdowns, when is that cut-off point? Is it midway through the second quarter? I hope we have that luxury (laughs), but it's something that it was difficult to swallow for sure. That's my decision as a head coach and one that you take -- that I take responsibility for and -- but last year is over with. We move onto this year and hopefully we do whatever we can to keep him healthy and when he has a chance -- when he has got a chance to throw the ball away he does and when he has a chance to get down, he gets down. That's going to be hard for him to do because he's such a competitor. I think the main thing is that he's worked himself as hard as he can to get himself as ready as he possibly could to be very successful for us this year.

Defensive Back Roman Harper

On the defense:
"Our defense has been good. There is a lot of talent on that side of the ball this year. You can't really tell who is going to make a play and you have some guys out there wanting to make all of the plays. We are all a really tight group."

On QB Brodie Croyle:
"Brodie is Superman to me, and Superman cannot be taken down by anything. He will be good and healthy this year and will have a great season."

On the offense:
"Last year our offense was great. What we want is for us to do our part and the offense to do theirs. We do have a lot of defensive players coming back, but I think that the offense will be leading us."

On having a healthy team:
"The sky is the limit when you have a healthy team. You never could have known how far we could have gone last year if everyone remained healthy. Everyone is healthy now, but you never know what could happen."

On the home schedule:
"It helps us out a lot not having to go on the road for our dangerous games like Tennessee and LSU. This is really a great conference and it is hard to go out there and compete against any of those teams."

On rivalries:
"I think that our biggest rivalries are definitely Tennessee and Auburn. Those two games and LSU are great to play in. It has been fun to do that. Everyone gets geared up for those games. I think that the fans take it harder than the players. We just go out there and have fun."

Quarterback Brodie Croyle

On his health:
"I feel the best I've ever felt. My shoulder is a little tight, but other than that I'm ready to go. I really can't let that stuff get into my head. I guess I was genetically blessed with bad knees, because it has happened to me two years in a row."

On expectations:
"This is the most excited I have been in a long time. We have a lot of talent returning. I'm pumped. We think it is an honor to be ranked as high as we are, but we think we can go higher. We aren't going to settle for that spot, but it is a good starting point."

On his career:
"Obviously it hasn't been my expectations for Alabama. We wanted to have three SEC Championships by now and have everyone talking about a National Championship. Instead we have been through a couple of coaching changes, probation and injuries, but I wouldn't have changed it for anything."

KENTUCKY WILDCATS

COACH RICH BROOKS

I really think by the end of this year, you are going to know some new names at Kentucky, that will be considered for this type of a pre-season poll a year from now.

I think we have got a lot of young players that are exciting with talent and speed, guys like Keenan Burton, Rafael Little, Andre Woodson, Jacob Tamme. These are names that many of you didn't know and haven't heard. Tony Dixon, Wesley Woodyard, Johnny Williams, Mikhail Mabry, Joe Schuler, and these guys are basically all sophomores and many of them played as true freshman last year.

I think we're a team that is a better football team going into this season than the two teams that preceded it. We're still a thin team depth-wise. We're a team that unfortunately is still down in numbers. Because of the probation, we will have about 76 players on scholarship which includes four players that I am adding that were walk-ons that played significant roles for us this past year.

A year from now, we will be at about 85. That's I think the end of the numbers problem that Kentucky faced because of the probation, will come next fall. I think we're an improved football team attitude-wise. We're an improved football team speed-wise. We're a young team particularly on the defensive side.

At linebacker, we're going to be very inexperienced with more speed than we have at linebacker since I've been there. And I think we're going to be a better team than most people perceive us to be.

What we need to do is try to finish the deal. Like the game we had at Tennessee last year, at the end of the season, we really, I think, had a game that we could have won and let it slip away in the last 38 seconds. That kind of follows suit from the Florida game the year before the Arkansas game, the 7 overtime. We need to get several of those games this year.

And I think the improvement, what I think is happening at Kentucky will be very obvious. If we don't, we will have to be judged on the playing on the filed and competition we are.

So having said that, I will open up to any questions.

Q. Offensively, how do you plan to -- you want to stretch the field a little more. How do you plan to improve things compared to a year ago particularly?

RICH BROOKS: Catch more passes, find the end zone more often would be a good start. I think it centered around Andre Woodson. Andre had a great spring. He started the game on the road against Auburn and played the whole game a year ago, and had a few brilliant moments, as well as freshman moments in that game.

The bottom line is Andre Woodson had as a productive a spring at quarterback as anybody that I have coached in a lot of years. He is 6'5", 230 pounds who can throw the ball extremely accurately. He is a very good passer, a guy that is tough in the pocket. He needs to hang onto the ball in the pocket and has a tendency a keep it away from his body, and defensive players were able to slap it out of there a few times last year. I think, he is a guy that has the ability to be a rising star in this league at that position.

I believe we have some good weapons to throw to. A guy like Scott Mitchell caught nine balls against Tennessee last year. Jacob Tamme at tight end caught two touchdown passes at the end of the season against Tennessee. We get Keenan Burton back healthy, after playing as a true freshman, and catch a bunch of balls two years ago. He missed last year with an injury. I think we have some weapons, and Andre will be the key.

Q. Rich, you and the players have all talked about the improved attitude and maybe feeling a little bit more of a momentum in the off season than maybe in the past. Anything you can put your finger on; is it coming out of the probation, them knowing you and you knowing the players better, anything like that?

RICH BROOKS: I think it's a process. I think it's a situation where many of the players were recruited by Coach Morris, different systems, attitudes, and we didn't have success coming out of the barrel when we lost the Florida game and lost the Arkansas game two years ago. Some of those players maybe thought, okay, you know, I am not going to buy into this or whatever.

But the bottom line is I think there's more of a commitment to doing it the same way. We have more of the guys pulling the wagon in the same direction and less detractors in the locker room maybe than we have had in the past, and I think that's part of the healing process and part of the process that has to do with coming about when you are trying to come out of the darkness into the light which Kentucky football has been in since the probation.

The probation is over finally. We will be able to recruit like everybody else with 25 scholarships. It's a different, I think, attitude, and the players have worked very hard. We have had fewer players on what I call my bad list. I call it something else, but I can't say that in print or in TV or radio or anything else, but we have had fewer of those guys that don't do what they're supposed to do. And that also helps the team unit be a little bit -- you don't have, you know, the guys that are cutting the corners and doing the things their way rather than the way it should be done.

Q. You spent a lot of time in the NFL where you settle everything on the field. Give us your thoughts on the BCS process and how fair it is or unfair it is in your mind?

RICH BROOKS: I don't think the BCS is fair totally, but it's probably the best attempt at being fair that college football has made. I know they're tweaking it and trying to do some different things.

I am kind of a proponent of the old way, where I think the controversy for college football is great. And really the team that got hosted, if you will, last year, was Auburn. I mean they were a great football team. I mean 13 and 0, 12 and 0. What were they; 13 or 12? 13?

I mean and not to have an opportunity to play in a National Championship game, you know, that -- that's not right. But on the other side, you know, several years ago, I know my old school, Oregon, had to play in the Fiesta Bowl because the team that had gotten killed in the championship game, I think was Nebraska, went on and played in the championship in the BCS, that wasn't right. But what it does, is it creates interest and controversy in college football.

What I would like to see happen, and this is just a lone voice in the woods speaking, I would like to see, after the bowl games, a two -- a one game National championship game between the two highest ranked teams left after the bowl games. Give it a two-week window to give the fans and the players time to recuperate.

Again, one of the things I find interesting, we can play a 12th game during the school year, when this process -- and I am talking about it will probably happen when most schools are not in session before the Winter semester started, semester schools at least.

And what you always hear from college presidents is that, you know, we can't -- we don't want to disrupt their academics, and really football players miss less class time than any spot in NCAA competition. They have missed less class time than any other sport.

Q. Could you talk to me about your freshman class coming in and when you will know exactly or how you think they will be eligible and what problems you might have there and also talk a little bit about Abdullah Muhammad and what role you see him playing this year?

RICH BROOKS: Let me start with Muhammad Abdullah first. Muhammad is one of the -- I think what I would term a quiet leader. He's one of those guys like the commercial, "When E.F. Hutton talks, everybody listens." He doesn't talk very often, so when he has something to say, our team listens. And he is a guy that plays the game like Sweet Pea Burns played it, snap to whistle. He gives everything he has got, and he wants to win and it's a deep-seated desire to do it and he is not going to be a rah, rah guy out there, but he is going to talk to teammates when he thinks he needs to I think.

The freshman class, we have approximately 20 freshman that will be joining us this next week on Friday when we report. We still have a couple of guys that are still in the process, under review in the clearing house. We have had a couple of guys that were turned down in the clearing house, and we had oversigned, so we have some of the guys that we were going to bring in as gray shirts coming in, and where that will all shake out will be determined probably next Friday.

Q. Also, an NFL college-type of question, how much has the NFL philosophy trickled down into college in the last 10, 20 years in terms of the offenses they are trying to do that now other defenses doing that. How has that changed since you have been at both levels and you have seen it?

RICH BROOKS: I am not so sure that trickle down hasn't gone the other way. I think a lot of the things that we're being done in college kind of started to be done in the NFL and some of them have refined it and maybe done it better because they spend a lot more time on it.

I think that there is a closer resemblance in the NFL game and the college game than there was 20 years ago. Because 20 years ago, you saw a lot of wishbone, you saw, you know, a lot of different type of offenses in the college level. The split T, the veer, and those type of things, and now you are seeing almost all of the teams, even the ones that do run option, are throwing the ball "NFL style." But the difference to me is, in the NFL, there's just not enough quarterbacks in that league to go around to make it work.

Q. Coach, one of the main differences between Andre Woodson and the graduated Shane Boyd, how has the team reacted to Andre's leadership?

RICH BROOKS: Well, Andre is not nearly the runner that Shane was, so you will see him running the ball less. I mean, we won't have as many options or as many quarterback run plays as Shane Boyd had.

And based on what I have seen, Andre is a more accurate passer and throws the deep ball better and more accurately than Shane did. And I know Shane is getting the shot at Tennessee, and he is a great athlete with a tremendous arm, and I think he will impress people and I hope he gets some shots and preseason games to show what he can do.

Q. Rich, what do you think about the new NCAA rule that allowed freshman to come in, take classes, I guess, in July? Did you have any guys take advantage of that? What's your stance on that?

RICH BROOKS: Well, I think it's a great change. Interestingly, basketball has been able to do it for several years, and now football is allowed to do it. And we have 14 freshmen in summer school. I think it's a great opportunity to get their feet on the ground academically, get them exposed to the workout regime and get them prepared, if you will, in the summer conditioning.

But more importantly, they're allowed, you know -- we're having our guys take six units, and it just helps them, I think, make that transition and understand the importance of what they're going to need to do and how different it's going to be without having 15 units thrown at them and the football season right on top of them. I think it's a great transition tool.

Particularly, when you consider the infinite wisdom of the APR, that now, all of a sudden, in the 40 percent, 60 percent, 80 percent rule, the grade point requirements, all of those things, I think it's important that freshmen can come in and get just a start, a foundation, if you will, academically. I am just going to follow-up on that answer.

To me the other thing that the NCAA needs to do for football is what we do for every other sport, including basketball, who can take their players out in the off season, all five of them and practice with a basketball and work on individual skill things with them. We can't do any of that in football.

How can the NCAA discriminate against football when they allow every other NCAA sport in the off season to take a player out, and work the -- say, take your quarterback and you want to work on drops for 20 minutes or half an hour in the off season. We can't do that. Swimming can do it, tennis can do it, golf can do it, basketball can do it, volleyball can. All of sports do it. Why can't football do it? I don't understand it. It makes no sense to me.

Q. Coach, you had mentioned all the freshmen that you have got coming in. What kind of contributions are you expecting from any or all of the freshmen?

RICH BROOKS: Significant contributions. You know, just like last year, we nine true freshmen play, five started. We will have, in my estimation, probably anywhere from 7 to 10 freshmen play significant roles. Some of them may start or push for a starting spot. Depth is part of the issue and part of it is some of the guys coming in are pretty good.

Q. Most coaches, obviously, want continuity as far as their coaching staff and keep things going on. You, obviously, had a lot of turnover. I guess half your staff turned over. Is that necessarily a good thing, bad thing? How has that worked out for you?

RICH BROOKS: Half. Four out of nine I think. We will quibble over that. 4.5 is half. I think that sometimes -- I am not a big proponent of change. I think staff is continuity is very important. I think I was very fortunate this year to be able to get the quality and the experience in my staff replacements that I did.

I think you get a guy like Jimmy Heggins from Florida State, whose coached some great linemen and done some great things done there. And coming in as offensive line coach, Kurt Roper from Ole Miss, who, obviously, has worked with Eli Manning and be involved with some pretty good quarterback teaching experience.

You know, I just think like, you know, we were pretty fortunate to be able to get the type of people to come in, and the transition to me was very smooth this off season and this Spring. And it ended up being a very productive change and I think it's one that has been received well by the players.

Q. Coach, how much pressure do you feel in terms of job security this year and you do think there's a magic number out there for you?

RICH BROOKS: I am amazed it took that long for somebody to ask that question. I have answered that in every room I have been in about the first question in the door.

You know, job security is, I think, a tenuous thing in athletics today and certainly in the SEC. What, four knew coaches last year, or this year I mean. I can't control job security.

All I can do is control the direction we're headed and the plan and the path to achieve bringing Kentucky out of probation. And, you know, we can get in lengthy discussions on what Kentucky did over the years when they weren't on probation, what they did, when they had success, and then they got put on probation, not soon after they had those problems, and we're going do it the right way.

And whether I am allowed to finish the process or not, I can't control that. And right now, I think we're better football team than we were last year, and we have to now go out and demonstrate that on the football field. I think, as I mentioned, 2006 will be the best team that Kentucky has had in quite a few years. And then you got out to be beat some other really good teams: Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina. All those guys are pretty good.

We went through the process at Oregon, didn't have to deal with the number reduction in the probation when I went in there, but they were a team that didn't have the wherewithal that Kentucky has either when I went in there. And Oregon has done pretty well for quite awhile. And I think the key is to build a Kentucky team that can win more games than they lose, more than just one or two years. It's to do it consistently.

Q. Coach, in college, or in the pro's, have you ever chewed out a player to the point where they started crying or have you ever seen that happen?

RICH BROOKS: Nick didn't take long to have an impression, did he?

No, I have had players cry, but not because they were chewed out. I have had some get mad at me. I think there is, obviously, times in coaching where you may cross the -- cross over the breaking point where maybe you feel bad about how bad you got after somebody. And I have had those moments in coaching, most of them, when I was younger.

I think there are times when players need to be shocked, if you will, with something to get their attention to make sure they're trying to understand what's going on. But it's a different world today than it was 15 years ago, too. And the sensitivities are a lot greater, and I think you have to be cognizant of that.

Q. Coach, have you ever -- what's your policy on scholarship that South Carolina is dealing with right now? Have you ever not renewed kids that you didn't think can kind of cut the mustard?

RICH BROOKS: No. My feeling on scholarship renewal is, unless they have done something detrimental to the program or the University, or don't comply with what they need to do to be a better player, in other words, they constantly miss weight workouts, they constantly do those types of things, then, you know, I am going to renew them.

It's not their fault if they're not quite good enough to be an SEC player if you will. They were recruited to be one, and somebody thought they could be one. And to me, when a player comes to Kentucky and he works and tries to do what he can do to be a good player, and he keeps his nose clean, stays eligible, I am going to renew him.

Those are the really -- and a lot of those guys are the heart and sole of your football team. I mean they're the guys that never get the star quality recognition, the back-up player, the scout team guy who is out there, you know, practicing every day, taking reps and everything, and that's just to me something that you need to do on a front end.

If you recruited somebody that doesn't end up being good enough, that doesn't mean that you should pull the rug out of from under them. In my opinion, that's the way I treat it.

Q. Coach, you have got Dominic Lewis playing defensive end this year, after he played tailback and fullback last year. How hard has it been for him to adjust and willing to make the switches to find a position to contribute?

RICH BROOKS: Dominic is one of those guys that you look at and say, "This guy has got to play. He's got to play somewhere." And he is one of those athletes that has very good skill, very good size, and good speed and strength, but he really has had a hard time gasping football.

I mean he is like a guy that doesn't understand all the time what's happening and his reactive ability as a football player isn't what it needs to be. And he is a guy that just works his fanny off, and he wants to do good. But when it comes to taking it from a practice to a scrimmage or a game situation, it doesn't always translate as well as it should.

So we hope that this is a position that he can grow and get used to and we're just going to leave him there, and if he does grasp it, he can be a really good player.

Q. Rich, talk about the little bit different look on your defensive front this year, and, also, what looks to be kind of a bad run, bad luck run of attrition at linebacker.

RICH BROOKS: Well, I think we have switched from the three-four to the four-three. We have been a team that has not been able to stop our opponents running game in the past two years. And last year, it was dismal that way. People just could run the ball at will at us. We feel the four-three, will be a better defense for us to be stronger against the opponents running game.

We have had some off season attrition at linebacker, Dustin Williams, Chad Anderson, and John Sumrall, who now is a graduate assistant for us because he had spinal situation that doctors ruled him out of football.

I think that what that has done is it's opened the door for some faster, impressive young linebackers that need to grow up real fast. They need to play like veterans and they're not, but they're going to get the opportunity to show it. And I think as the season goes on, this linebacking corp will be better and better each week. I am impressed with the players we have there, and they just need to grow up fast.

Two of them are going to be true freshmen that came in January, Johnny Williams and Mikhall Mabry. Physically, they're what you are looking for, size and speed, athletic ability, and at times, in the spring, they really looked good. At other times, they looked like freshmen.

Q. Rich, talk about, other than linebackers, what are some of the position that you anticipate maybe a lot of competition, maybe some movement from the depth chart that you had at the end of Spring?

RICH BROOKS: I think we're going to have more competition at tailback than we have had. I think the cornerback, corner on defensive is going to be a critical position for us.

Bo Smith coming back from the head injury that he sustained last summer, had a good Spring. We have got two young red shirt freshmen in Shomari Moore and Jarrell Williams that I think are going to be factors. A true freshman Trevard Lindley who came in with Johnny and Milhail in the gray shirt in January, that also should be a factor. So that's an area that, if you can't cover people in this league you are in trouble, too.

You know, I am still having nightmares of the fourth quarter in the Georgia game when he three deep coverage and they kept running buy us. Three deep zone. I mean that was a long day. I think the competition at corner is better. And I am interested in watching Curtis Pully compete at quarterback, an incoming freshman, and he will be a factor he will be a factor this year.

Q. Coach, you talked about the freshman. Can you elaborate tight end Zip Duncan, what you expect out much him this year?

RICH BROOKS: I am sorry?

Q. Can you elaborate on Zip Duncan?

RICH BROOKS: Oh, yeah. Big zip? I talked to Zip earlier. Zip is a guy that could play tight end, and defensive end and we're going to start him as a defensive end. Although, the first couple of days, we're going to work of freshmen both ways a little bit in some drills.

I think he is a guy that can come in and be a factor as a freshman as a defensive end. You know, we don't have many 6-5 guys at 250, and can run you know 4-8. So he is an impressive guy. Smart, smart young man, athletic, and I think a guy that can help us defensively.

Q. As far as Pully, I know you will know more next week, when you guys start practicing. How much do you think he has been able to accomplish this summer?

RICH BROOKS: Like I said, it's really important that they get their feet on the ground academically. He also has the opportunity to go out with a players when they work among themselves also, some throwing the ball. I am sure he has picked up some of the offensive. What we need to do with Curtis is make sure that he has a package of our offensive that's he is comfortable with.

I don't think we can expect him to come in and be ready in the first game with our entire offensive. So we have to figure out what he can do well in the passing game, and in the quarterback run game, and make sure that he has a package that he can go into first game and be very comfortable with.

Thank you guys. Appreciate it.

Wide Receiver Tommy Cook

On the team's progress following last season:
"It was a great note to end out on even though we lost to Tennessee. We played a close game all game long and really had a chance to win. It was the first game for our current offensive coordinator (Joker Phillips) calling the plays. It gave us a great start to this season."

On competing in the SEC:
"That is why you come to play in the SEC. To play against the best teams in the country. It is so tough to compete in the conference, but that is why you do it. To play against the best talent and most fans in the country."

On the play of quarterback Andre' Woodson:
"He is not a scrambling quarterback like we have had in the past. He is more of a pocket-passer. It was really fundamental to get him in some tough games like we did last season. That allowed him to get more familiar with game-type situations both at home and on the road. It also allowed to get familiar with some of the teams in the SEC. That was huge."

On the toughest place to play:
"If I had to say anything specific, I would have to say The Swamp (University of Florida). It has such a great atmosphere. But each college setting is unique in its own way. They are all really difficult to play at."

Defensive Back Muhammad Abdullah

On Coach Rich Brooks:
"He is just doing what he loves to do. He loves football and that is what he is trying to do. He tells us to believe in his system and what he is doing."

On playing in the SEC:
"It is tough to play with the juggernauts in our conference, but we can't blame anyone but ourselves. It is not one thing, it is a mixture of a lot of things. We just need one big win and then we can go from there and hopefully bring home a couple of wins."

On expectations for the season:
"We expect the same thing that every other team in the SEC expects; we want to win the championship. Also like everyone else, we start out 0-0. We want to get out there and try and win games, one at a time."

On quarterback Andre' Woodson:
"He is a pocket-passer and does well out of the pocket. He has great composure and although he may not have great speed, he is fast enough to get away from defenders."

On cornerback Bo Smith:
"He will be a big part of our defense this year. He will shut down the left side of the field so we can focus on the right side. I think he is probably the best corner on our team and will help us out a lot."

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

COACH HOUSTON NUTT

Hard to believe going on my eighth year. Good to be here. Only thing a little different this is the first time I was here on my last day with y'all, so it's good see y'all.

It's hard to believe I won't have No. 9, Matt Jones. He helped us for about the last three years, led the league in scoring, almost 30 points a game, No. 1 in red zone offense and boy done a lot of positive things for us. He was our only returner starter last year that was good news because everybody is a little older.

To start with the offensive line I feel good about them. Experienced group now after being through the trenches and the wars for a full year, and Kyle Roper who I brought with me today has been an outstanding leader for us. I am excited about him. Defensively also a year older, feel good about our defense, this time last year our secondary was very, very young. We had two juniors, you recall Batman Carl (phonetic) and Lawrence Richardson left as juniors, so we will have to force some freshman to jump in the fire early.

So our team is a little bit older. This is also the first time -- my eighth year -- first time that we're not coming off a Bowl Game and so it's been a long offseason. Our guys have worked extremely hard and we had a few more 5:30 a.m. workouts. Our players started their past scale this summer a little bit earlier. You can feel the sense of urgency and the attitude and the commitment and the sacrifice. That's what it's about. I appreciate their attitude and how they went about things. It starts with the seniors Vickiel Vaughn has been doing a good job on that side of the ball leading us and without anything else said I will just open it up to you guys.

Q. Were you surprised the that Zac Tubbs was named a second-time All SEC after the bad injury last year. What do you expect out of him?

HOUSTON NUTT: It's good to have Zac back. He's a 6', 8" guy that we needed. We didn't play as well when he went down. You miss a big tackle, big bookend like him. I was surprised little bit to see him, that far up, especially preseason when he missed just about the whole year. But the thing about Zac when he did play he played and did some good things. He blocks extremely well and plays hard. Whether the play is coming to his side or away from him so he gives great effort. I can see why there would be some people that would think he deserves that. I am just glad to have him back for two-a-days.

Q. You talked about Matt Jones. Plans now at quarterback, confidence in that situation, concerns?

HOUSTON NUTT: I think the biggest thing that -- three quarterbacks that are competing for the starting job is No. 1 don't get us beat you don't have to be superman, you don't have to step in Matt Jones' shoes. Basically you cannot. We're not asking you to be him; we're asking you to manage the game. Asking you to throw the ball to our guys. Asking you to manage the clock and get us in the right play. Distribute the ball. You don't have to be superman. We want you to make good, quick decisions, right decisions. There's nothing wrong with punting the ball occasionally, nothing wrong with that. That's what we're trying to teach and convince our quarterbacks that right now Robert Johnson has the most experience and just be yourself.

These guys are good quarterbacks. Probably get a little bit back to the way the Clint Sterners; when I had Mike Cherry, a little bit conventional-type quarterbacks where Matt Jones was more on the move and the bootlegs and the waggles and shotgun most of the time.

Q. I believe you voted on the coaches poll. Talk about that process, how detailed that's for you each week to do and do you like that format, is that the correct way to determine a National Championship?

HOUSTON NUTT: Well, each week, Kevin and I get together and we go over the poll and we mark our ballot and I like that. I like doing that. You try to watch as many games -- you know about the SEC first and foremost. You know that. Then you try to see a few games along the way. But I kind of like the way it is right now. I really do.

Q. Could you, going back to losing Matt Jones, talk about the challenge now and the kind of the turning point if that's the a right phrase for your program to get back to a Bowl Game and beyond without Matt Jones, and then after describing that, if you would talk about Robert Johnson, some of the others competing for that position?

HOUSTON NUTT: I think the biggest thing, it started when you didn't have those extra 15 to 20 practices. I think that's the biggest thing. I think our players and coaches were embarrassed. We really planned on being the only team, only staff to go to seven straight bowl games. When that didn't happen you can really feel the sense of urgency and the attitude with the price that they were willing to pay and the work they were willing to put forth for their teammates. We really feel like the highest treason there is is when you don't give your all,that you don't give your best. These guys really just did an outstanding job all winter long and I think that's where it starts. That's where you start building your football team to make the change that you are talking about, to get back to wining, get back to that bowl. That's where it starts. It has to have carryover without the coaches after spring and that's where summer comes in and as hot as it's been, I felt like we have had just about 100% attendance. From about June 27th on its been 100% where our guys have been there and really paid the price. I am excited about that part of it.

Getting back to the quarterback, the question you are asking about these guys, all three of them have some good qualities. The one thing they are all missing is experience. So how do you do that? You have got to throw them out there and see what -- which player is going to take that team and put them in the end zone with the fewest mistakes and by taking care of the most precious thing we have and that's the ball.

Rob Johnson is the most athletic guy that we have. A strong arm. Won some championships in high school from Waco, Texas and I think that he has gotten better and better. He has got some competition. Alex Morton is a red shirt freshman, smart, heady guy that will sit in that pocket and I think is very, very accurate. And then we have an interesting guy by the name of Cole Barthel, 22 years of age from Decatur, Alabama who actually signed the same time Matt Jones did but he elected to go to professional baseball. He has been on buses, been travelling around, but he's an older guy that doesn't flinch, has some good things working for him, good intangibles.

And so it's going to be interesting. The problem, the reason we can't name a quarterback today is Zac Tubbs is hurt, Tony Ugoh was with track, Cody Green recovering from back surgery so you basically we got a couple of ankles. We had five off linemen this spring, so we just couldn't scrimmage the way we wanted to to really determine who was going to be the guy. So hopefully within 10 to 12 days of ones, two-a-days start we're going to name a guy and get going.

Q. With Auburn going 13 and 0 last year and not getting a shot at a National Championship, first question is, do you ever imagine an undefeated SEC team that would not get a shot at a National Championship and do you think that maybe it's time to change the system and go to a Playoff because you were in 1-AA where you did have a Playoff system?

HOUSTON NUTT: That's a good question. If you had told me that Auburn was going to go 13 and 0 or anybody in the SEC would, and not play for a National title with what we have been through, I really truly feel that the SEC is what I call a two-chinstrap league, you better buckle up both of them. To get through that just undefeated, deserves the right to play for a Championship. If I had one vote, it would be keep the bowls in line and add one more game. Let USC and Auburn play it out. But I don't have that luxury. So I hope it will never happen again.

I felt for Coach Tuberville and his team because they deserved it. But that's just hard.

The thing that bothers me about that, by the time we hit our 14th game, I mean you are just gasping for air. What it comes down to is kind of a survival of who has the fewest injuries. We had a good football team at Murray State, some years could have won it with the personnel that we had. But you have to stay away from injury. When we went to Atlanta, the thing that I remember, getting to Atlanta 12th game, we were beat up a little bit. Then you play a tough Georgia team and get a little bit more beat up. And then you don't get to go to the Bowl that you'd like to go to, we're thinking at least after going to the Championship game we were at least going to the Citrus Bowl, at least going to the Outback Bowl. Well, we don't get to go to a January 1 Bowl and now you have another motivation problem and so my point is when you hit that 13th, 14th, 15th game, that's a tough road now. You are asking a lot from your players.

Q. With all the focus on quarterback and replacing that how about other areas of your offense and specifically who are you expecting to get more contribution there now or where you are going to be successful on the off side?

HOUSTON NUTT: Really feel good about Marcus among. Peyton Hillis is another name that I feel like that, boy, if he hadn't gotten hurt last year in the Florida game I feel like he was getting ready to take off. Peyton has been a guy I really feel like we can move around from fullback, tailback, he can even play receiver. He has tremendous hands. He's a physical guy, has a great nose for goal line offense. What I mean by that's, he can cross, he can find the last white line. He has a great nose for scoring.

Dedrick Poole, if he stays healthy, De'Arrius Howard, Cedric Washington, these guys are playmakers. We had a really good recruiting class. You'd never know how these freshman are going to respond to a new environment and atmosphere and new competition and higher level of competition, but we got some outstanding athletes and I feel good about your offensive line that's back.

Q. You mentioned Monk, he seems to be an intriguing target, he's so big. Talk about some of the things he does?

HOUSTON NUTT: Well, first of all, if you had told me as a freshman from Arkansas he's going to come in and just outwork everyone, "yes, sir," "no, sir," and runs precise routes, I really thought he was just going to basically show up for football and go to basketball because we committed to him for letting him play both sports and I really thought his first love was basketball. But boy, he proved us wrong by just executing under pressure. He has tremendous hands. Not good hands; great hands. Soft hands and he's 6', 6". It makes a difference. Long arms. He can go up and get the ball. Towards the end of the season they started giving him a lot of attention, even to the point of doubleing him and so I am excited about Marcus and that means somebody else on the other side Chris Baker, Cedric Washington, Cedric Logan, David Thompson, these other guys are going to have a chance to step up.

Q. Following up one, with the 12th game is the season getting too long when you included postseason and two, being the coaches voter should the coaches polls be released weekly instead of just at the end?

HOUSTON NUTT: The 12th game, all players we love game day. That's not the problem. First reaction is, yeah, we want the 12th game. We do. But as a coach the only thing you are concerned about with the 12-game is injury. You just want -- depth is a universal problem. I love to have two to three more scholarships which won't happen. And so you got to face it, there's going to be 12 games. So get ready. And then you go attack it. The players love it. They love to do that. They love to play. You just want to stay healthy. That's the question.

As far as the coaches poll, I just think it's better off if you don't. If you don't publicize it each week. I'd rather just -- especially early on -- you are asking for problems to let everybody know. I didn't have a problem with putting it out there, but you know, you got competitors, and some coaches are going to use it against you, they don't respect you. You can just see the motivational poise that coaches would use, so you know, I don't worry about it.

Q. Last year in your five SEC losses you gave up 181 points. Have a new coordinator on the defensive side this year. How do you see the defense being different this year?

HOUSTON NUTT: The first thing is we're one year older especially in the secondary. Our defensive line, I really feel like they have really grown up. We made a couple of moves, I think will be key Marcus Harrison, 300-pound guy, we moved him inside. I am excited about that. Little bit more athleticism there. Desmond Sims who played linebacker, moved him to defensive end; he really had an outstanding spring.

So becoming more athletic by a few moves that we made. I am excited about that. I am excited about Reggie Herring who brings a lot of passion to the game. We both started together on the same roof. We believe in the same things. We started in 1981 under Jimmy Johnson. He was the defensive GA. I was the offensive. And he just knows how to get them going full speed and again, Tracy Rocker, our defensive line coach, after being in this league, he's a year older and a year smarter. I just think we have good chemistry and it starts with those players.

Q. You talked about De'Arrius Howard, he's kind of had an up-and-down career. Do you expect more consistency from him this year?

HOUSTON NUTT: I hope so. I hope first of all, De'Arrius stays healthy. He's coming off shoulder surgery from this winter. He's a strong guy at, 224 pounds. Runs 4.4. He can squat the house, all those high weight 40s are great, but, boy, you want him to have a healthy year. I think if he will stay on the field, stay healthy, I think he can do that. I know this: When we hand him the ball we feel confident that ball is going to stay in his arm. He's very strong and very conscientious about ball protest. Been some games he's been outstanding for us but you are right, he's been up and down. I credit a lot of that to injury.

Q. With the Southern Cal game in week three, how concerned are you with too much focus placed on that game?

HOUSTON NUTT: We're not going to worry about that game right now. They are a great football team, defending world champions. I think the worst thing we can do is concentrate on that game. The first two games are tough enough. They are very tough. This is going to be the first time we open up the conference this early. First time we played Vanderbilt who has just an outstanding quarterback who is going to be drafted. So our work is cut out for us. We have a tough, tough schedule. But take L.A. out of the equation right now. It's the first game and then that second game. Then we'll worry about getting on that bus and plane.

Q. Talk about this season and do you see this being a very pivotal season considering you got off to a great bowl run that did come to an end last year.

HOUSTON NUTT: It is a terrible feeling. Our players felt it. Our coaches felt it. We had every intention of being the only staff, the only team at Arkansas to go to 7 straight and we were so close. That's what makes you sick. It's a great teacher, it's a fine line between winning and losing. If you go back and watch the season you are three to four plays away from being 7 and 4, possibly 8 and 3. Boy, it's just such a fine, fine line. So attention to detail, a little bit more attention. A little bit more sacrifice, a little bit more investment. So that's the road that we're on and again, there's not one team on our schedule that you can say circle it up and say that's a W. That's the thing about our league that makes it so difficult, that there's just no give-me's. Anybody you play in the SEC, you better get ready for a 60, 70-minute game because anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

Strong Safety Vickiel Vaughn

On losing Matt Jones...
"Matt was a big part of our program. He is a great player, but we have to move on. We are still going to have a good season."

On last season...
"We are looking to bounce back from our disappointing season that we had last year. We now have experience that we didn't have before and I believe that we are going to do better this season."

On the schedule...
"We are very motivated for this season. We have improved ourselves and just have to take it one game at a time."

On hosting Auburn's first away game of the season...
"It is going to be a tough competition. They are a great school. We respect what they will bring to the table. We are trying to get back to a top school, and playing Auburn at home will help us to get there."

Center Kyle Roper

On losing Matt Jones...
"You can't replace a Matt Jones. He got us out of some situations that normally we would not have. We do have some guys that can play quarterback for us. We have people who have a lot of athletic ability. You can't have anyone replace his athletic ability, but we do have some people that can run and pass."

On last season...
"We did have a disappointing season last year, but we have come in this spring and offseason and worked hard. We want to win this season and we've had a lot of leadership. The seniors have really stepped up and led us."

On pressure..
"We haven't really noticed any pressure. We are going to just go out, stick with our offensive and defensive game plans and win. Last season we had problems with injuries. (Zac) Tubbs went down and we has some other injuries. We can't really pinpoint anything that was a major problem."

On this team...
"We have a great group of guys coming back and a great group coming in. We have a solid offensive line that everyone has either started or played a couple of games. We have wide receivers that can catch the ball and run with it and great running backs that can find the holes. This season I think you can expect to see a more balanced attack from us. Our running game will help open our passing game and the passing game will help with the running game."

LSU TIGERS

COACH LES MILES

We had a nice spring. Felt like it was very productive. I felt like the introduction to the team and the coaching staff went well. Enjoyed very much getting around the State of Louisiana and meeting the people that support our program, a number of alumni functions. Really gave me an impression that there's a very special past that surrounds LSU Football. I think the summer has gone well for our to the football team. I think we're in great shape. I think that we look forward to reporting August 6th and developing and building a team that will pursue championships. Questions.

Q. Talk about your coming into a program and already they are not only picked to win the division but some people picked you to be in the National Championship game?

LES MILES: I never really paid much attention to polls and pre-season predictions. I think it's a compliment to the talent that's on our team. I don't think talent in and of itself is the reason why you win championships. I don't think that that will determine where we finish. It will be a character and style and chemistry that's developed through a season at LSU that will determine where we finish. Some people pick us in a position where it is a compliment and some people pick us in the position where we certainly aspire to finish higher. So I am not big on polls and predictions.

Q. Wondering how many things you have learned with your trips around Louisiana?

LES MILES: It was designed for the people to get to know me where in reality it was much more informative to me. I felt that virtually at every stop that there was a very strong loyal and passionate group of people about LSU football. I am very proud and honored and certainly respectful of the opportunity to represent LSU.

Q. Talk about how this job is different taking other than when you went to Oklahoma State and how you rebuilt that program? Do you do anything differently?

LES MILES: The process, the physical process is the same. The feeling of great expectations are enjoyed. The fact that we have some talent, the fact that this football team comes in expecting to achieve, certainly that's what we want. That's what any coach would want. So I enjoy that. There's some activity that I don't have to entertain. I don't have to convince anybody. We understand that if we do the things that we're capable of doing that we have a chance to have a special season. That's an advantage to LSU.

Q. Twofold question to follow-up on that, what is it like to arrive at a place where the cupboard is so full up and down the roster and then specifically how important is the quarterback situation that you are facing in terms of a decision?

LES MILES: Here's three spots where the cupboard needs a little improvement for us to do the things that we need to accomplish.

One of them is on offense, one of them is on defense and one is special teams.

Every coach sees its team, its strengths and its weaknesses. Certainly we need to improve to be the best team that we can be. But certainly there is talent and that's enjoyed. I don't think that there will be limitations based on talent; it will be limitations on other variables.

Q. You have got a couple of coordinators, Jimbo Fisher, veteran in the SEC and you picked up Bo Pelini; talk about them?

LES MILES: Both guys are great additions to our staff and certainly Jimbo comes in with great experience in the SEC and understands LSU and the talent and the people, the personnel that were there and has ability of himself. Bo Pelini comes from with a great background in the NFL and understands the trial and structure of defense that we need to play at LSU. Most recent stops from Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Q. So much focus on the quarterback. Is it Russell's job initially or how do you see the three guys in particular?

LES MILES: The competition is JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn to start. We'll let them come in two days and compete and they will get the first opportunities. Our third quarterback on campus, our third quarterback on scholarship is Ryan Perrilloux. He will come in. He will get reps, certainly he will have to you know, he comes from the disadvantage of not being there and not necessarily understanding the system. But very capable. I think we will find that we will approach our game week and our game days and determine who our starter is and at that point in time we'd like to go with one guy from that point forward.

Q. Can you give us an update on the status of Shawn Jordan and pit number chase?

LES MILES: Shawn Jordan has rejoined the team and has sustained some discipline by the team and by myself but he's back on board and doing the right things. We have reviewed that situation very thoroughly. We looked at his background and we really feel like it's an isolated incident and not one that will repeat itself. So he has rejoined the team.

Chase Pittman, it appears to me that this thing will revolve itself in the near future. That this was an unfortunate set of circumstances, one in which certainly Chase would love to redo, but I think that the legal proceedings are still underway and I certainly would not want to prejudice those at all. So we're going to see how that flies and how that finishes and recommend an opportunity for him to rejoin the team based on how that all goes.

Q. Can you pinpoint a specific moment where you realized just how great the expectations were coming into this program?

LES MILES: Not really. It's so common place.

I think I spoke on Wednesday night and I got in the car as they took me to the opportunity to speak and guy talked about nine wins and then at the podium somebody mentioned 10 or 11, then a guy said, well, you know, 12 victories is probably just what we'd like, coach. I said, well, you know, frankly there's one left. So I think the expectations are kind of uniform. We'd like to win and certainly that's what we will pursue.

Q. How do you deal with the questioning that comes up about Nick Saban and his kind of legacy and your place in kind of stepping in?

LES MILES: Well, certainly one of the reasons that I enjoy the opportunity at LSU is because of the success that Coach Saban had. The program is in great shape. There's arguably maybe no finer football program in the country being run. I enjoy the fact of two SEC championships, three Western Division Championships, two Sugar Bowls, 2003 National Championship, an annual bowl trip, that's what we would like to continue at LSU.

Q. Talk about the process of acclimating a team to a new coach, what goes into that, how do you earn that trust, or whatever word you want to put on it?

LES MILES: It takes some time. You don't manufacture it. It doesn't all come together, you know, early. I think the feel that a team gets from its coaching staff comes on the practice field and experiencing game days. I think that that's in front of us. I think the understanding of who the person is and that comes on a daily basis in being around the coach and, therefore, the coach being around the players. I think its gone well and I think that it will fit closer, tighter. The glove will fit tighter when we get to the season.

Q. You said you'd like to have a starter at quarterback, one guy whose job it is. Would you ever entertain any sort of rotation if it were close or you felt like Ryan was a guy or --

LES MILES: If there's an opportunity for a quarterback to give us a specific talent or specific piece of the offense, an advantage for our football team by his play, then certainly we would anticipate or we would then envision two quarterbacks. But I only know this: That if the quarterbacks are comparable, you would like to get your best quarterback every rep because as you train him, certainly and you go into the games, the number of times he's in situations is the best trainer. So we would like to have a starter certainly. But we're going to let that competition take place and we will look at really all three quarterbacks, certainly the older guys who have the advantage.

Q. Talk about your thoughts about the replay system being used by the SEC and as someone who worked in the NFL might you prefer the coach's challenge?

LES MILES: The coach's challenge, to me, is a quality addition. But there's a successiveness there. You come to a point where you say is it one flag, is it two flags, is it three flags, so the using of that mechanism can sometimes distract the game and extend the game and I think what we have done here in the SEC is the officials have been very gracious to understand that they will do anything to improve the game and they have -- when they went and studied the Big 10 model and I think that they reviewed 43 or 48 plays for the season. They overturned 23. That's really a small adjustment. But if that adjustment can mean the difference in winning and losing a game, rightfully, then I think that that improves the game, I think what we have done here is the right thing.

Q. Would you talk about some of the coaches who influenced you, through your NFL background and also in your college background?

LES MILES: I have been fortunate to work with a number of really great coaches, guys that were professional, had different feels for the game both as head coaches and as assistants. I think it's pretty safe to say that I was probably marked, you know, very quickly as a player by Coach Schembechler who coached me at Michigan. I probably have learned as much through the experience of playing for him and coaching for him as any and I can't tell you what I have learned because it's probably so engrained. I also was fortunate to be with Bill McCartney at Colorado and Coach McCartney had a great vision for where the program was going and really had a great handle on his team. I have maintained some contact there and enjoy the ability to visit with those guys from time to time. Those two are the absolute main two that I look back on that have affected me.

Q. Do you vote on the coach's poll?

LES MILES: I do.

Q. As a head coach is it feasible for you guys to see enough football outside your conference to give a fair evaluation, I would put the media in that category also?

LES MILES: I believe that it's -- I think the coaches do as good a job as anyone in giving a professional view of what they know. They don't know it all. They don't know the entire country. But I promise you, they know who they play in their region and those teams that they have seen on film are as good as anybody. And so certainly there are some regional bias, the bias that's within the poll, but I also think that there's responsibility that the coaches have to do a strong job that allows for a win possible, for them to see the country evenly and correctly. I think the coaches poll in my opinion, obviously I vote on it, is the best one. I think the variance within the coaches poll is an honest one and one that should take place over regional bias. I think the poll does that. The adjustment to the BCS. I don't know that that has been a real effective, you know, mechanism. I don't know that a poll off and a poll on, if that's going to make any difference. But I can tell you that I think the coaches poll is run well.

Q. One of the areas of your team that seems to be pretty loaded is running back. Could you talk about some of the backs and being as deep as you are there and then maybe also throw in the wide receivers as well, please.

LES MILES: The running backs Joseph Addai and Alley Broussard and Justin Vincent, for that matter, Shyrone Carey are very talented guys. They possess some different skills, different abilities, powerful and strong. We will certainly use all four of them and won't be shy to put a number of guys in the game because they are quality.

I think we need a number of guys at that position. I think it is a very physical position, it is one that sustains contact on a regular basis and I think you are going to have to turn, hand the ball to somebody that's capable.

At wide receiver. I think that Jimbo and Craig Davis, Scott Green, gives us a very talented receiver core, a group of them that can get down the field, make plays and have the experience to have played in big games in their career. So we look forward to both groups.

Q. How well did you know Nick Saban before you got in job? How well do you know him now? You guys talked about the fan base and the expectation that's come along with this?

LES MILES: I did not know Nick Saban before I took the job. I knew of him. I only know that the job that he's done here has been really a strong one. It's one that I really respect. I know that he is very loyal to LSU and would do anything that he can do to help us. I visit with him on just a couple of occasions and he has been very, very serving of LSU in those conversations.

Q. You played both Texas and Ohio State last year. They are meeting early this season. Since most of their people are back for those teams. What would be your early assessment for that match-up ?

LES MILES: Both clubs are really good football teams. Where do they meet?

Q. Columbus.

LES MILES: (Laughs) Good luck. I am not playing, so. I don't know how they are going to do. I think they are both talented teams. It will be interesting to see how Texas responds on the road. I know those Ohio fans get after them.

Q. When you were with the Cowboys and when you were under Schembechler as a player, an assistant, did you ever see a player chewed out so much that he started crying?

LES MILES: (Laughs) I am certain that that's happened. It's been, you know -- I think any time a guy cares for the job that he's doing that you can hit a nerve, if he's a sensitive guy, you know, tears can come. I don't know. Have I seen it? I don't know that I have seen it but I am certain that it's happened. Boys will be boys, boys cry. (Laughter).

Q. All this talk about loaded cupboard. Wondering if you think that it's possible to have a loaded cupboard and have one guy on first team offense, one guy on first team defense pre-season all SEC teams?

LES MILES: Yeah, the pre-season -- again the pre-season awards are, again, compliments to the careers that they have had to this point and not necessarily reflective of how they will play. I think those young men that will have the opportunity to be on the post season, SEC team, I think if that's a personnel goal they will see that and understand that it is their play that will put them there. Certainly the two guys that were first team will also understand that.

Q. Looking at the defensive side of the ball, it's been such a strength of this team, I know that it may be hard for you to assess the loss of Marcus Spears who didn't coach him. What feel do you have of those guys being gone and what kind of a defense are you going to have this year?

LES MILES: I can tell you that Marcus Spears was a leader of our football team too and his void will not only be felt at a position on the field, but felt, the style of person that he is, I think that he honestly will be missed more than the plays that he made. Certainly we missed two corners that are very capable guys, but I think we will replace those people with good players and guys that will step in there and play for us.

It's not necessarily the people that step in for Marcus Spears, or the two corners that we lost to the middle linebacker; it will be the other veteran players that will play big and take up the void that those great players left. I think Kyle Williams will have a spectacular year. I think we will find that Cameron Vaughan at linebacker will play well. I think our veteran safeties will play well. Those are the guys that are going to have to take up for, you know, the loss of very, very capable players. I think we have a defense that will do that.

Q. This summer when you watched some video of SEC games, can you compare and contrast the conference you were in before with the SEC?

LES MILES: I think this is a very athletic conference. I think they are a greater -- there are greater defenses. I think there are more explosive, talented offensive players. I think that there's a great even mix of cross teams. So I think it's as competitive a league as there is in the country and I am very, very excited to join in the weekly competition.

Q. There was some speculation soon after you were hired that Rudy Niswanger may leave early and go to medical school. Just want to get your impression when you have a player who has a proficiency at something outside of football and a level of expertise, has other options; does that tend to make a guy like that maybe mature and well rounded and maybe a leader?

LES MILES: We really had two with Andrew Whitworth deciding not to go to the NFL and Rudy Niswanger to postpone medical school. I think it's a compliment to LSU and compliment to the people that surround those young men. The fact that they postponed what could be their career path, what could be financial increase in lifestyle and all the things that come with money and the responsibility of a good paying career and a great job, to be a college guy again and stay and be around LSU and go to class. I think it really speaks to the experience that they have had here. I think it says that they have enjoyed their college career and that their families have allowed them support and enjoyed the fact that they stayed. I think that those are personal decisions. I think it's reflective of the experience that they have had on this campus.

Q. Coming from the Big 12 to the SEC, I know when we get to the two-a-days and the season you have got to take them one at a time. Before you had to focus on that, did you look up and down your schedule and see some places that were going to be new to and if so, did anything jump out at you that are looking forward to in terms of competing?

LES MILES: There are going to be a lot of places that are new to me including my home stadium. I have got to be honest with you, I look at the competition, I look at the teams that we're about to play and I am very respectful of that. I look forward to each game. I look forward to playing the great teams in this conference and in playing them with our best effort, playing them with the compliment of our greatest and finest effort.

Q. As you said earlier you have had to make yourself very open to the fans and to the media to get to know you, get to know them, everything. How much does your outlook, your focus change now? I assume once you are done here it's all practicing and getting ready for practice and the season, how much has it changed for you?

LES MILES: Well, this is kind of the wake-up call to the end of the summer. Guys, it's over with and we're fixing to report. It's football from this point forward. I look forward to it. In the last couple of weeks we had some office days where we were allowed to get into the football end of it and certainly that's kind of the fun part.

Q. It's clear you inherited a pretty talented team. Does it matter at all that you didn't personally recruit those players?

LES MILES: It doesn't matter to me. I am thrust with the position to represent LSU and to be the head coach and help the football team pursue a Championship. They are getting to know me and I am getting to know them and we're in this together, period. So it allows me to understand that I haven't been in their homes and that there's an opportunity for me to get to know them a little bit more -- in a quicker fashion. So certainly that's the intent.

Q. Could you describe your basic philosophies on offense and defense and what you will bring into LSU and how you have achieved success in your career basic beliefs and philosophies?

LES MILES: We'll be balanced, run and pass. I believe in a physical style of football. Both offensively and defensively. I think that we'll address turnover margin very regularly. I think that I look for the opportunity to have big plays and the ability to control the ball on the ground, a nice very efficient throwing game. On the defense I said want a structure similar to the one that we have had here in the past four down linemen, maybe mix some three-down linemen and throw in an extra backer. But you will see in getting comfortable with the same style of blitz package in the aggressive nature of defense. Again, we're going to look for takeaways and we're going to ball-hawk and create a culture in which that is a daily occurrence.

Special teams - we're going to give great emphasis there and we want to be the best special teams in the country. And we're pursuing that in length right now. So I think you will enjoy a very competitive brand of football and one that's exciting, but yet understands the risk reward of certain aspects of your football, so, I don't know if I answered your question.

Q. Do you expect to have all of your designees eligible or are there a couple that won't make it?

LES MILES: All of our designees to this point are on campus going to school and on scholarship, so everybody is in.

Defensive Tackle Kyle Williams

On defense not getting recognition:
"It doesn't bother me as long as the team is getting proper respect. Coach (Les) Miles has been well received by the LSU and Baton Rouge community. I have bonded with him. We are going to have a strong team this season. We will surprise everybody with our cornerbacks on defense. We have a ton of talented running backs on offense."

On what the defense focused on during spring football:
"We focused mainly on turnovers. Our turnovers dropped off last season and we were not getting the ball for our offense. This season, we want to try and take the ball away much more."

On the difference between Les Miles and Nick Saban:
"Their personalities are really different. But they are really similar on the field. Personally, I got along with both."

On this season's schedule:
"Our first game is against North Texas. Then we host Arizona State. Our first three games are all against bowl teams from last season. It is going to be a huge test for us. North Texas had the leading rusher in the NCAA Division 1-A last season. Arizona State is preseason ranked 15th in the nation. It is going to be tough. But the fans and the media cannot expect anything from us that we don't expect ourselves."

Running Back Joseph Addai

On Les Miles:
"Coach Miles is more of an offensive guy and Coach Saban was more of a defensive guy, but they both have the same goals and strategies. What coach Miles has to offer will help us out a lot. Of course I like that he is more of an offensive coach because it benefits me. Mostly he is building on what Coach Saban taught us. The guys have adapted and we like him and are excited to play for him."

Expectations for this season:
"We don't worry about expectations. That is more for the media and the fans. As a team, we focus on the process and try to improve on the little things. That is the key to a successful program; focusing on the process and not worrying about the results."

On offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher:
"He has a lot of tools and a lot of plays that will continue to lead us to success. He is a very important key to our team and will help us be successful down the road."

On the backfield:
"We all have a close relationship and that helps us a lot. We know when we get in that we have to give 100 percent because you don't know how long you will be in there. There really isn't any competition among us because we all want to win ball games. Our chemistry is going to be the key to our success."