Coach Pete addressed the media late last week and held court on topics ranging from the Virginia Tech game to Jared Zabransky's Georgia meltdown to Raphiel Lambert's slow shake. Intrigued and confused? Join me after the jump to find out what Pete said on these topics, plus much more.
Transcript of Coach Pete's press conference
Video link if player does not work.
Question: What are you noticing about Derrell Acrey this spring?
It's interesting. Derrell's always been a great effort guy. But I think he just kind of has that extra something about him - that extra look in his eye - and it's translating into his play out there. He's seeing things a little bit quicker, he's getting to the ball a little bit faster, and you can tell he's all business. He's trying to make his senior year count.
Question: Talk about Jarrell Root.
Jarrell is not only unique for this program. Jarrell is just unique. But I tell you what, I'm really, really happy to see how he's attacked this spring. I think Jarrell has been a good player for us that we have felt and I think Jarrell has felt has more to him. He needs to take that next step to do what we want to do. And we're starting to see that out there. But take that out of the mix, Jarrell is such an important heart-and-soul-type guy to this program.
Just like you're saying, he makes it fun for us to be out there. And if things aren't going well, he can turn things around just by that energy that he can bring. And there's no question he's one of the leaders of this team. And take his play out of it, which I think is going to get better just by the nature of who he is.
Question: How is Kellen Moore's deep passing going and is there anything you can do to improve that?
I think it's more a matter of just doing it and timing, a couple technique-mechanical things, setting your feet, having the ball leave your hand the same most of the time. But those guys are just going to have throw not only from what they've done this spring but all through the summer. They're going to have to make that an emphasis and a priority. All those guys are going to take a bazillion reps. It's a low percentage throw anyways. And so if we can increase the percentage of that 5 to 8 percent or 10 percent when we launch a deep one, that can have dramatic implications on a game.
Question: The linebacker group says it feels the most confident it has in years. Do you sense that?
I think they definitely got better last year. You can't give somebody confidence; they have to earn it. And I think that those guys did that last year. I think they work tremendously hard. The year before, no one was really happy how we finished there, and so they got better last year, and they've taken another step in spring ball, and I think we all expect that group to be very solid in the fall.
Question: Talk about your Beat Coach Pete event ...
Twenty-three minutes it's taken you to get to the important question.
The only thing that I can guarantee is that I'll be there. Everybody's talking about, "Are you ready? Are you ready to run? Are you ready to compete?" No, I'm not racing. Everybody else is racing. I'm just running a certain speed, and I'm not changing. If anything, I'm going a little slower than I normally go.
I'm excited about it. I really am. I've really enjoyed it the last couple years. I think it is a great thing for this community to be involved with because it's not Boise State football. I mean, you get a little piece of that with our guys being out there, but it's just about Boise State University and helping this university as much as we can, getting a little exercise. It's a fast fun event, we're in and out, and so I'm looking forward to it.
Question: Do you see incorporating that 3-2-6 from the Fiesta Bowl as a regular feature of the defense?
Nope. We're lining up with four down linemen who aren't going to move ever, two linebackers, a nickel, and ... (laughter)
You know I think those guys have done a nice job. I think you'll see combinations of different things. We won't be every any one thing. We have some unique talent - some defensive linemen that can play standing up, and some linebacker-type guys that can maybe put their hand down. And when you do that, it makes personnel tough to identify exactly what fronts and schemes they will be in. And if we can build off that, I think it will help us.
Question: Are there other things with Kellen Moore that you are working on besides his deep ball?
I think Kellen will be the first to tell you that we can all get better. There are always things we can improve uponThere are are little things for Kellen. A lot of that has to do with his feet in the pocket, really setting his feet and stepping into throws. And anytime he does that, he's deadly accurate and dangerous.
But he's also a natural guy that doesn't have to have his feet set at all times to make good throws as well, so it's kind of become more consistent on when I do need to set my feet and really fire one in there and when I can get away with kind of being a rhythm and using my balance and arm-throwing type things. He's good at it, but there's been numerous throws where you know he would be better off he could plant those feet and step into throws. And that's one thing that Coach Harsin and he are working hard on.
Question: Are you going to be doing the same thing as last spring game with the player draft?
I'm not sure. I think a lot of people do those things. I'm not sure. He probably did that out of an old habit, I don't know.
We're still deciding. We'd like to do that. There's no question it's more fun for everybody involved. We'll probably wait until Monday to decide that. It has to do with our health. Really that's the main issue right there if you've got enough bodies.
Question: Talk about Austin Pettis and how he has done this spring.
He's doing a good job, and we've still kind of held him back. We get him in individual drills. He was in the two-minute drill the other day. We just want to make sure that he comes out of this spring completely healthy so he has a great summer and is 100 percent for fall.
Question: How's it going with Malcolm Johnson this year?
Malcolm's making progress. We like Malcolm a lot, we really do. We see flashes with him. It's a little bit like the quarterback position only differently. He just needs more reps. There's a lot of bodies back there, and you've got to kind of earn your reps and your time. I think he's making progress, and I'm anxious to see. I think Malcolm can have a good future here. I really do.
Question: Raphiel Lambert has some of the best moves of spring ball. Does he just have a really good cutting ability or something?
He's out-slowing people. And I hope he doesn't hear that. This is a trick question, because if he comes to me, then I know they're watching the media, which they shouldn't be. We'll see. I got him either way.
But he's a curveball-thrower. He's got some shake. It's kind of slow shake, but it works. He's a really good running back in high school, and you can see why. He's got a natural feel to things out there, and you can see it. I think he's still working himself back into playing shape. He really is, and if he can get into the shape that we know he can be in and pick up a step, I think he'll be very interesting.
Question about Aaron Burks and young WRs.
They're puppies. A couple of these guys are puppies. I think Coach Pease does a great job with them. Spring ball is about those type of guys, just to watch them develop. He and Geraldo and those guys - Preston - those guys just need to catch 100,000 balls this summer, and if they can put that work in and take that next step again, I think they'll be right there in the mix come fall.
Question: 100,000 balls?
Minimum.
Bonus material
The presser video on BroncoSports.com did not include the entire press conference nor any of the lengthy discussion of the Virginia Tech game. Tom Scott says that Coach Pete was uncharacteristically forthcoming with VT material ... and Jared Zabransky dish.
"Our quarterback had such a poor game in 2005, he just did not give us a chance," said Petersen. "It was really hard to tell how we would have stacked up with Georgia if he had even played ‘okay.’" Pete said the tape showed the rest of the Broncos’ performance was pretty good that day, but they never got started. "The lesson learned is: we know what kind of opponent we’re going to get. (Virginia Tech) is a top, top program, so the margin for error is very, very small."
And the legend of Jared Zabransky's epic bed-pooping grows.
Observations
- That Coach Pete would speak so confidently about MLB Derrell Acrey tells me that Acrey may be ready to meet the immense expectations he has carried around since he got to Boise. And yes, I plagiarized that sentence from something I wrote last year.
- Raphiel Lambert "out-slowing" people. Best quote of the spring.
- Coach Pete has Preston Minter on the mind, which may be worth monitoring.
- Kudos for a great description of Kellen Moore's passing. Yes, Moore can make good throws without perfect mechanics; we've watched him do it routinely over the past couple years. But can you imagine how much better he would be by planting his feet and stepping into his throws? In the words of Coach Pete: "deadly accurate and dangerous."
- Coach Pete references throws where he knows Moore would have been better off setting his feet. The Louisiana Tech game, for instance?
Your turn
What stood out to you in Coach Pete's press conference? Excited about the possibility of Raphiel Lamber out-slowing people at RB? Think Derrell Acrey is ready to turn the corner? Share your thoughts in the comments.