Sherman on the receivers
MORE HEADLINES - Camp report: The OL, the receivers and more | Narduzzi on the heat, Weah and more | Slideshow: Photos from this week's practices | FREE ARTICLE: Versatility gives Pitt coaches options on the OL | Video: Quarterbacks work on footwork drills
Pitt receivers coach Kevin Sherman met the media Wednesday to talk about his players, who’s standing out, the youth and more.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE OVERALL DEPTH AT YOUR POSITION GROUP?
SHERMAN: You know, we’re down in numbers a little bit, but I think we’ve got enough guys to get through what we need to get done and we’re getting better every day. Now, having Aaron Mathews back out here working with us is going to help our depth and allow us to move guys around a little bit and see who can handle the offense and step up and compete on a consistent basis.
DOES EVERYBODY LEARN EVERY POSITION?
SHERMAN: I think the way we teach football here is conceptually, so I think you have to learn the game that way. You can’t just learn a position; you have to learn conceptually, whether it’s in the run game, whether it’s in the pass game, I think you need to know everything that goes into the big picture, what the quarterback is seeing and how he’s doing things. I think that’s going to help us be better football players and help us play faster as a football team.
IS THERE AN IDEAL NUMBER OF RECEIVERS YOU’D HAVE ACTIVE? LAST YEAR, YOU HAD SEVEN. IS THERE A TARGET NUMBER?
SHERMAN: Six to seven. You know, you try to have more, but I think the special teams come into play on all of those things. The more guys can do to help this football team, the better we’re going to be on Saturdays. But we’re looking for a core of six-to-seven guys that can do it on a consistent basis and we’re still looking for those guys.
DO YOU THINK THERE’S A CHANCE ONE OF THE TRUE FRESHMEN IS ABLE TO GET IN THAT MIX? HOW ARE THEY DOING?
SHERMAN: Well, they’re - like I said, we’re still feeding them with a water hose. We’re overloading them a little bit. They’re getting a lot of volume with the offense. They have to play fast, they have to see things quicker, see things faster and they have to execute. Are they doing things perfectly? No. But they’re seeing themselves on film, they’re getting better, they’re learning, they’re hearing in the room what we’re trying to get accomplished, why we’re doing what we’re doing and how we need to get there. And I think the extra meeting time with a guy like Tre Tipton is helping those guys out tremendously right now. I think he’s been a big help in helping those guys when I’m not around. So they’re getting extra meeting times and they’re getting better. We have a lot of work to do.
JESTER HAD A BREAKTHROUGH YEAR LAST YEAR; HOW CAN HE BE BETTER THIS YEAR?
SHERMAN: I think he’s got to step up and take his game to another level, but I think it’s being consistent. I think it’s being an every-down guy, every-play guy, every-week guy. And just making consistent plays down the field. He’s going to get played differently this year. I think going against our defense helps him every day on a daily basis to compete. Going against Avonte Maddox every day helps him get better as a football player.
HOW HAS HE DEVELPED OFF THE FIELD IN TERMS OF HIS LEADERSHIP AND PERSONALITY?
SHERMAN: I think guys lead in different ways and Jester’s a guy that leads in a different way. He’s a quiet guy, but that’s okay. But when he speaks, it means something. I think he’s doing that more in the meeting room and on the field, and guys are feeling him at times. He’s got to step up and continue to do that and be himself.
DID YOU ENCOURAGE HIM TO COME OUT OF HIS SHELL?
SHERMAN: Yes. As a leader, I think you try to get those guys to help those young guys and bring one or two players with you, and he’s a guy that’s stepping up and doing what we’re asking him to do.
PAT REFERRED TO HIM AS BEING GRUMPY AND MOODY WHEN YOU FIRST GOT HERE; WHERE DID YOU SEE THAT TRANSITION HAPPEN?
SHERMAN: It was more, when I first got here, to get to learn the guys, you just kind of watch them in how they handle their business. He was a little grumpy at times, but once he figured out what we were trying to do and how we were trying to coach him and what we wanted him to do and we’re here to help him to be a big-time player for us - once he came out of his shell, his confidence went up, he started making plays and he did it on a consistent basis.
Now he’s happier. He’s having fun. I think, last year, if you watched every game we had, after every play, he showed some emotion. I think that’s what he’s got to get out. He’s got to let that confidence, that emotion, that fun, that enthusiasm, just bring it out and cut it loose and go have fun.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR POSITION GROUP THIS YEAR IS QUADREE CONTRIBUTING MORE IN THE PASSING GAME. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OUT OF HIM IN CAMP ON THAT END?
SHERMAN: I think Quadree’s bought into what we’re trying to get accomplished in the throw game, and I think he’s getting better in his route-running. He’s seeing things. He’s getting better at playing in the slot; I think that’s a new position for him, playing on the inside lane, and he’s getting better. Is he perfect? No. Is he getting better every day? Yes. And he’s got to get used to making those plays in the throw game.
DID TRE’S INJURY OPEN A DOOR FOR MAURICE FFRENCH AS MUCH AS ANYBODY?
SHERMAN: No question, because his reps from half to - the volume went to 75 or 85% of reps. And he’s another guy that’s going to have to learn different roles within the offense. He’s buying into it and he’s stepping up and making plays, but he’s got to do it on a consistent basis.
That’s what all of these guys - even with Aaron Mathews coming back - we’ve got to get the consistent guys on the field, guys that can make the plays consistently every week.
CAN YOU SEE RUBEN FLOWERS CONTRIBUTING THIS SEASON?
SHERMAN: I’ll tell you, I’m really, really excited about what he’s capable of doing. I think he’s shown that in the last couple scrimmages and practices. Once again, it’s just consistency. It’s making that play when we need to make a play. And we’ve got to have chunk yards. We’ve got to have big plays. We’ve got to have explosive plays. He’s very capable of doing those things. And I think, once he sees himself on video and competes against our guys every day and plays in that phone booth and makes those plays, his confidence is starting to rise as well.
IS JESTER’S BODY STYLE TRENDING NOW IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL - A BIGGER GUY WHO CAN RUN REALLY WELL?
SHERMAN: I think that fast guys that are big, strong, fast, that’s your prototypical receiver. But you have to get used to playing different positions and playing in different spots and seeing different things and reacting, and I think that’s where he’s taking his game to the next level: his football intelligence. If we can keep continue to do that, I think he can have a great year.