On Saturday, another practice was held and I was able to non-transcript the 40+ minutes of video. Again, these are intended to be summaries and not direct quotes.

Quarterback Alan Bowman

Strength coaches tailored a plan for each player based on the workout items they had at home for every single one of us. Weird being at home or being up there with just 2 roommates . . .

Definitely having a schedule, during quarantine, we had zoom meetings, but now, getting in a routine and have some normalcy has been good . . .

Tommy McVay and I, first ever spring practice, 17 years old, at a break, he came up to me and told me that I was going to be good. Every time I’d see him, every single day, he would come in and say “throw it to the guys with the same color jersey as we are” we had a close relationship, so it’s been hard . . .

So I was talking with the buddies, I had forgotten that I broke my collarbone, Cantrell broke his, I’ve gained a bunch of weight and am ready to rock and roll. Yeah I think it is the longevity of it, I am so ready to get back out there and play. Nothing else matters, I just want to play. I probably could have played the last 2 games last season, or play a full slate this year, I was more comfortable taking a year off, and play a full season and just come back at the end of the season. Yeah, I’m competing with Maverick McIvor for sure. We’ll see . . .

I definitely think over summer workouts, with optional time, I do think missing spring practice was huge, but we did get those OTA’s, so those are 9 full speed practices that we got. With so many zoom meetings, during the regular year, most assistant coaches are out during the spring, allowing us to be on zoom, allows us to be on zoom, we met 3 or 4 times more than any other year, it’s been huge for everyone for sure . . .

Light years ahead of where I was then, I think that comes with anything, you sort of have to learn by doing it, with Coach Wells, being able to talk through things, he and I are closer, and the Arizona game isn’t going to be as perfect as in year 2, but things are looking really good. I think we would play in the parking lot, I think the fans are excited. There’s a lot of juice and excitement and guys are ready to go . . .

I think they are all hungry, the quarterback room is deep, a lot of good quarterbacks, knowing that we are all going to push each other, everyone is trying to get that spot and those zoom meetings did a ton of good with those younger guys, like Donovan. Henry knows the offense and know it’s about coming in an executing. He obviously was behind Jordan Love for 2 years, just as you play quarterback helping me with the quarterback and locker room, he let me know how Jordan would run the locker room and team, with Henry, he was one of the only guys that knew the offense so he could hit the ground running . . .

He’s a good guy he would put a smile on everyone’s face. Sunday after a game and we’re all gloomy, he would bust in and say, “who we throwing it to boys” and he was makes you feel like he’s your best friend, I’ll always remember to throw it to the guys with the same color jerseys as you are . . .

I think there is a lot of good competition going on, we have guys competing at each tackle, just like the quarterback room, we have more depth across the board. no one is complacent, they are fighting for spots and jobs. it is all communication and some of the younger guys are pushing, there’s so much communication they get and time in the offense, we’ve been taking it slow and now we’ve been ramping it up since they announced the season would happen . . .

The 9 OTA’s really helped the young guys and zoom meetings. There will be mistakes, but this year, compared to previous years, 2 or 3 years back, everyone knows what they are doing. The offense is looking crisp and fast, the 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s are all looking good . . .

Definitely having those older and younger guys, they can encourage the guys, hey, look at Vash, Seth, KeSean, Reag(?), they get to see it, having those older guys are a security blanket, and for the younger guys, they can grow from watching . . .

Need to stay healthy. No. 1 we’re staying healthy. No. 2 getting through my throws, I throw from a lot of arm slots, I think I am the most accurate when I am clean and crisp with a more normal throw, when there is pressure, then I can throw from different angles, but sitting through the pocket and zipping it exploding it through every throw, ripping it smooth with the feet and hips and getting it through . . .

Secondary Coach Derek Jones

Changing from a linebacker to a nickel back. Zech McPhearson has been impressive. Moved to the nickel. Ja’Marcus Ingram has been outside and impressive as well. Adrian Frye has been solid, playing and leadership . . .

With Eric Monroe comes from a culture of winning, other people pick up on the pedigree, never gets down on himself, does above and beyond on the field. Work ethic is good and finishes drills . . .

Xavier Martin, had him at that spur position, move him back to the high safety position, he knows the quarterback position and that gives him an advantage, he’s got a willingness to learn and from a meeting room standpoint he knows how to go about doing things . . .

I think the biggest thing, have to look at the best combination of guys, Zech, and Alex Hogan all have a similar skill set, we felt that Adrian is a physical guy, but he does a good job of picking up the zone schemes, just really sort of how it played out. He’s matured from the spring as well and accepts the challenge, really the ability to get Ingram, McPherson and Frye on the field at the same time . . .

Naturally I’ve got a long history with Jacob, I had a culture at Duke and Jacob exemplifies everything you want. Knowing him, I knew he would be able to handle a lot of position. What I explained to the guys, he’s going to be a benefit in the locker room and dorms. He is the example of what you need to win . . .

Must prepare for injury, and build the scheme so the younger guys can fit into it. Really brought in some young guys from last year, but what sold me was that we needed some older guys to help, Cam White, Cam Watts, and Monroe, but we feel really good with what we have to plug in and we feel good about the younger guys as well . . .

I am really encouraged, guys are buying in, and some athleticism and ball skills, the best way to tell, is how they compete with one another and that’s been the best thing. They are very encouraging and have a great attitude . . .

Wells has done a good job of putting a plan together, we put our heads together, to put a plan together, doctors have been good at helping up put a schedule together . . .

Consistency is the biggest thing. Can get boring because you do the same thing over and over, but they are doing a good job of listening and doing those things, there has been a consistent improvement each day, they are taking those things and working on them on their own . . .

Nate Floyd and Cam Watts have stood out to me, Floyd has really good ball skills, he’s extremely twitchy and brings savvy, I’d feel really good with them stepping up this year . . .

Cornerback Adrian Frye

I’ve been really impressed with Ja’Marcus Ingram, the really showed he knows the game of football and have been really impressed . . .

I’ve always tried to eat as much as I can, and I’ve doubled it up now, lose so much during camp, got to drink electrolytes and eat salty food . . .

(Could not hear the question, maybe about Douglas Coleman) I would say that all of us, he was making up for over-thrown balls, being in the right place . . .

The one thing I can say is that your vision changes, going from the island to the box, peripheral vision is important, the vision aspect changes as does the footwork. It’s a mindset that is the biggest change. I’m always excited to play corner. Something about being on that island and having that confidence that no one is going to beat you. This conference is a passing conference, but you have to be sound vertical, TCU, West V, Oklahoma, where they are going to throw the ball deep on you and confidence the DB’s are going to do their job effective, have to play big defensively . . .

Watching the tape last year, simple, football IQ that guys were overlooking. I can go back to the 3rd and 14, I was coming down and played the out route and didn’t pay attention to the sticks and the focus wasn’t there across the board, missed assignments, knowing that guys did that they shouldn’t have done . . .

With DB coaches, they always teach you the importance of down and distance, and actually seeing the difference and living the difference. Coach Jones is very energetic, I can’t remember a coach that has been that juiced up. He’s always loud and obnoxious, he’s doing intentionally, when it comes to game day, he’s not going to say anything, he’s said that we will know what needs to be done. Zech caught a pick and Jones ran from behind the quarterback to jump up with him, he’s been positive for our DB room . . .

It’s been a smooth transition, with the JUCO guys, like White, Watts, Morgenstern, he is in the linebacker room, but he helps a ton in the DB room because he is so smart, and Monroe is the only guy who has won a championship other than Coach Cosgrove, these guys learn film so quick. We are so far ahead than where we were last year, we are flying through installs and everyone is excelling. The additions have truly been additions . . .

Tommy McVay is by far the most important person to this staff, yes we have all of these other people, but he gets the engine going, there’s so much he pours into this program, to lose him in a time like this is truly heart-breaking. When we went to Stillwater and won, that was an important win in the past two decades. He would up-lift everyone. Always ready to win. I can’t put it into words, how much he means to me and this program. It makes me sad knowing that I can’t see him on game day with those shades and that hair slicked back. He will be always be part of our hearts . . .

Where his office was, you always had to walk past him at some point, he was always in the office and every time I would walk past him, some guys would walk past, he would say the same thing. Look at that crew, that’s a beautiful crew there. When we left, he would always say “have a good day” I can never account for a time he was sad or upset, always in a good mood or joking, he treated you like you were his best friend and known him for 70 years, it is the little things that made him who he was.