We have our first YouTube’d presser with head coach Matt Wells, so we have our very first non-transcript. For comparison purposes, this was a bit easier than non-transcribing for Kliff Kingsbury. Just to remind everyone, what I’ve written about Wells are not direct quotes, it is me, sitting at my computer and typing as quickly as I can one time through in order to capture the idea of what Wells is saying. It is definitely not direct quotes, thus it is a non-transcript.

Head Coach Matt Wells: [explains the scrimmage details, basically situational football and 1’s will go vs. 1’s and 2’s vs. 2’s with about 100 plays and no scoring] . . .

A lot better than the first week, not where we need to be yet, continue to take strides forward, still things not doing to the level we want, the spring can be tough in terms of the grind, the three tests will be Saturday, Frisco and Midland, where we’ll be off the field with referees and we’ll know a bit more, the kids are giving effort and toughness being exhibited and it is better now than in week 1 . . .

We will see in the first scrimmage, individually who is making strides forwards, who plays within the scheme, who can do their responsibility, the defense is ahead of the offense in some ways, which should be at that way at this time, but I’m not evaluating offense vs. defense, where are we in terms of evaluation process, trying to determine who can make plays with 22 guys out there . . . .

Work in progress, going to be some guys that come in this summer that add to that mix, Cody Wadell [had never heard of him, but he’s from Elkton, Maryland]has done a decent job in punting, just a matter of those guys kicking in college for the first time, we’re not close where we need to be, but there will be guys that add that mix.

Jordyn Brooks would be the right guard in punting situations . . .

Ta’Zhawn Henry was dealing with a hamstring, can be sensitive for a skilled athlete, take some time, he and KeSean Carter were dealing with hamstring issues, coming out of track, Carter will be with the football team until spring practice ends and then he’ll go to Kittley . . .

The defensive line is doing everything right off the field, academically accountable, they’re working in the weight room and the field has been good, Coach Randolph has been good . . .

Waiting to hear from the doctors on Christian Taylor, not encouraging . . .

No change on suspended players [Damarcus Fields, Joe Wallace, Da’Leon Ward, and Corey Fulcher] . . .

Donta Thompson has good skills in terms of catching the ball, good ball-hand coordination, need to get more comfortable with the scheme and transition to being a full-time tight-end, but he is improved, maybe more of the more improved guys on offense and has more to go, if he buys in the weight room and what Luke Wells has done, we’ll see more improvement from him . . .

Excited for every practice, opportunity to get better, resetting the standard every day, how to come in the building and prepare to practice, stretch, get food in you, tape, mindset, still get them ready to do this on a high level every day, you don’t flip the switch on Saturday and all of a sudden play great, you are going to play on how you practice on Tuesday and Thursday, we’re excited about meetings tonight, how you invest during the week, it has to be at a high level, you are creating habits every day, it is not your choice, it is your obligation to prepare at a high level every single day, when it is game-day, I am going to be a direct reflection of what we’ve done at every point, if I don’t do that then I’m doing them a disservice, I don’t have the choice of slipping the switch on or off, we cannot be tired of continuing to invest in these kids, training, eating right, practice, and stacking success on top of each other, you will scrimmage really well on Saturday, am I excited about the scrimmage? yes. Am I excited about tonight’s meetings, even more so, because this is learning something else and tomorrow’s meetings, Thursday’s practice will lead to Saturday’s success. No cruise control . . .

There will be game situations, they have been in those situations in practice, they won’t be well-versed, but they will be put in those situations, we’ll learn something on Saturday . . .

A-J Media’s Don Williams talked with offensive coordinator David Yost, and Yost said that Alan Bowman’s accuracy is probably as good as he’s ever been around:

“His accuracy is probably as good as I’ve been around,” Yost said after the Red Raiders’ Tuesday practice. “I’ve not been around anybody that probably you’d say would be better. It’s probably on the level when I coached Chase Daniel, as far as he knows where the ball is going. Very seldom does he miss throws. He can throw the ball where he wants to. That’s kind of a special trait he has.

“Now there’s some footwork things that we’re constantly working on to try and help him even be more accurate, but also kind of keep him in a good arm angle, arm slot type of situation. But he’s extremely accurate with the football.”

If there was any question about whether or not Bowman is QB1, Yost said this when he was asked about keeping Bowman on his feet and protecting him, “Every team’s better when your number one quarterback’s playing all the time.”

A-J Media’s Don Williams also files a notebook of items, including that wide receiver Seth Collins will undergo surgery to repair a broken collarbone suffered on Friday and as noted above, Christian Taylor had a leg injury where he had to be carted off the field. Also noted is that Giovanni Pancotti is gaining some traction on the offensive line.

InsideTheRedRaiders’ Jarrett Johnson recaps the media scrum with Wells, Yost, and also defensive back Adrian Frey.