One thing foreign to Stanford fans is the title of 'run game coordinator,'
which you hold in addition to your interior offensive line duties. Can you
explain what that entails?
"Coach [Walt] Harris is the offensive coordinator, and he has trusted me with
the run game - along with Wayne Moses and John McDonell. We'll break off
in the early part of the week and formulate the run plan, which allows him to
zero in on the pass game and incorporate it. Of course, we have to work
together on play-passes and the runs we want to do. It enables Coach to
really zero in on the passing game, as well as blitz and protection problems as
well."
That sounds like a game week plan for the fall. During the spring, are
your eyes looking over the entirety of the run game, rather than just focusing
on the offensive line?
"Again, along with Wayne and John. During the spring, Coach puts me in
charge of run game installation, what runs we want to get practiced, plus any
changes to the run game. During this time of year, it's really marrying
the run with the pass game, as far as number of runs and passes we've got in, as
well as which runs go along with the play-passes."
With just a few days left in the spring, have you installed everything in the
running game by now and are just working on the execution, or are there still
pieces to come?
"What we've got in, we've got in. There are things we will install in
the fall. But we've got a good chunk of the run game in, and a good chunk
of the protections in."
Could you hazard a rough percentage?
"Oh, we've probably got 80% of the run game in and 80% of the protections."
Particularly in the scrimmage at the end of today's practice, you guys looked
like you ran the ball better than you have in at least a week. What do you
think clicked today?
"It's typical in the spring. If you aren't good one day, you usually
come out and make up for it the next day, and then you hold your butt the
following day because it's the defense's turn. It's kind of a law of the
jungle, so to speak, in spring practice. Everybody kind of takes turns."
So this was nothing to get excited about?
"No, no. I'll get excited if we do it on Thursday and do it on
Saturday."
With your interior linemen, you have a freshman taking the lead at center
with Brian Head's injury. You have the guards who are playing the opposite
sides from last fall. Are guys' heads spinning?
"Not so much because of position changes. Some of the stuff is
different from what they did last year. The terminology is all different.
And even after they figure out that this year's play is last year's play, we're
teaching it a little different. They have to put up with two changes:
different terminology and a new philosophy about the plays."
Alex Fletcher is young and in a tough position as the first team center.
How would you assess the good and the bad for him this spring?
"He's doing fine. The best thing about Alex is that he has to line up
against a helluva nose guard. I think Babatunde Oshinowo has done wonders
for Alex, and I think Alex has made Baba work. In talking with Dave Tipton, we've both agreed that this is nice. I'm glad he's had to line up
against him. And our style of defensive play makes it even tougher on the
center."
What are the areas where you are pushing Alex, to get things cleaned up?
"What Alex has to continue to work on is understanding that he is still a
freshman and has an awful lot to learn. Technique at this level is
imperative. He is no longer in high school, where he is the biggest,
strongest, baddest guy on the field. Now there are a whole bunch of them,
like the guy who lines up three inches away from him every day. If you
don't rely on technique, you'll be in for a long day."
The right guard position, with Mikal Brewer and Ismail Simpson, has been a little rocky the last week. Is that
an area of concern?
"Yeah, that'll continue to be wide open. That's a wide open situation.
Just about the time I think somebody is ready to run away and hide with it, it
gets open again."
I know you haven't had a chance to work with Brian Head in contact drills
yet, but would you consider either Brian or Alex getting a look at that right
guard spot in August?
"All we care about is putting our five best offensive linemen on the field.
It's not a cliché. We are open to any and all suggestions."
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