The Bulldogs practice Monday and Tuesday before scrimmaging again Wednesday.
Moorhead on Saturday Scrimmage: "It was like a 15-round heavyweight bout"
August 18, 2018 | Football
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Saturday night saw Mississippi State scrimmage for the second time this preseason camp at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex.
Described by head coach Joe Moorhead as a "15-round heavyweight bout," Saturday's scrimmage featured plenty of back and forth action between the offense and the defense with each unit having their moments, while special teams worked on all four phases.
Moorhead, who later met with the media, was pleased with his squad's second scrimmage, saying it was consistent and representative of what the entire preseason camp has been like as a whole.
Several player family members were in attendance and joined the Bulldogs later for a post-practice barbecue dinner as invited by Moorhead.
Following a day off Sunday, the Bulldogs will go through the fine tuning of installation on both sides of the ball early next week and prepare for their third and final scrimmage of camp Wednesday.
Below are quotes from Moorhead's Saturday evening media session.
Head Coach Joe Moorhead – Media Availability
August 18, 2018
On tonight's scrimmage…
"We invited all the families out, and we're having a cookout over at Palmeiro afterwards, so I thought that was good. As far as a pure scrimmage standpoint, I think it was kind of a microcosm, a representative of our camp as a whole. It was like a 15-round heavyweight bout. Offense having its moments, defense having its moments. We worked on all the phases on special teams. We got a ton of work done, so I was very pleased. It was exactly where we needed to be. Was the precision there? No, but another positive step in the right direction."
On any players or positions groups that have stood out in camp…
"Each position has had its moments. I think relative to either the outside or the program's questions that needed to be answered, I've been very pleased with the development of the wide receiver crew. I'm very excited with our d-line, obviously. We are going to be battled tested on the o-line getting to go up against these guys every day. Coach (Brian) Baker does an unbelievable job. They play with a great motor, very physical, run game, pass game. I think those are two areas that I have kind of stood out."
On areas that need improvement…
"We need improvement in everything. I don't think we're necessarily where we need to be at any phase or any position, but we're a heck of a lot closer than we were in the spring. We're a heck of a lot closer at practice 12 than we were at practice one. The progression of the installation and taking the information from the meeting room to the field, the kids are executing at a high level. This is as good as any first-time installation – offensively, defensively and special teams – that I have been around. I'm very optimistic, but I'm glad we still have two more weeks to prepare."
On any players not available at tonight's scrimmage…
"There were guys that didn't practice, but it's practice 12. There's camp bumps and bruises. No one is out for an extended amount of time. Guys are nicked up, and we'll work to get them back this week."
On what stage the installation of plays are in…
"We're done offensively, defensively and special teams. Now that we continue to creep closer, Monday and Tuesday will be traditional camp days. Wednesday will be our final dress rehearsal, thud scrimmage at the stadium with two 15-minute quarters followed by a bunch of different special situations. Where we're at now is the fine-tuning of the installation. We're kind of going through and any kind of eyeball like centering the ball on offense for a field goal, last four on defense and all the things that go into special teams, onside hands teams and things like that. We're working on getting all that stuff knocked out."
On when he will set depth chart for week one…
"After Wednesday's scrimmage, we will get together as a staff. We will not practice on Thursday and make our determinations and our initial two-deep and travel roster. We'll start our first practice for Stephen F. Austin on Friday, and we'll break into scout teams on Friday."
On deciding which freshmen will redshirt this season…
"We have a better grasp on it. I don't think it is necessarily set in stone. There's guys that have stood out. I think the luxury of it is you have a little bit of leeway to not make a mistake. You have some time to play them in the first one or play them in the second one. There's guys that will definitely be redshirting. They need it, but like we talked about before for true freshman to get into a game, it's not just going to be handed to them. They are going to half to earn the right. Four is the number, but they have to earn the right to play in those four."
On the linebacker group…
"Coach (Tem) Lukabu does a phenomenal job. He had an All-American at Colgate. I had a chance to coach against him when I was at Georgetown. They beat us on a last-second play, but that's off the point. They're football intelligent. I think they play with tremendous speed. They are very athletic, which you need in this league. In the advent of spread offenses, the day of the true box linebacker is kind of far and few between. I think these guys are physical and aggressive enough to play downhill on the run between the tackles, but also when people are trying to stretch you out, read you and do different thing to put you in conflict, they can turn and run. I'm very pleased with our linebacker core."
On Nick Fitzgerald and Gerri Green's leadership as team captains…
"They are learning that leadership isn't a blanket concept. They are finding out what buttons to push with each guy and how to create an individual leadership program file for each guy so to speak. To me, leadership is done by example first then vocally second. Certainly, what they have done over the course of their time here as players and since our staff has been here, they have earned the right to be vocal. Also, we've challenged Mark McLaurin. He's not a captain, but he's one of our best leaders on the team. It's not specific or limited to the two guys with the C's on their chests. The older players and the best players, we've seen a lot of leadership out of them. Jeffery (Simmons) as well."
On team's trip to Geyser Falls...
"It was right around the midpoint of camp. I think that was practice 10. Of the practices that we've had so far, as a team we've discussed that there's really only one day where we felt we came out and probably stalemated it. We didn't get better. There's just a time that you've got to be smart with the legs. You've got to reward hard work. You're dealing with 17 to 22-year-old young men. As a coach, it gives you a dose of perspective that you're so caught up and myopic in the day-to-day process and schedule of camp that you get them out there and get to see them act like kids for a while, which was neat. They had a lot fun."
On how play calling will be handled on game day…
"I call the plays. I will get suggestions from those guys. In between series is when most of those suggestions will occur. Luke (Getsy) will have an overall grasp of the pass and run game, but his expertise lies in the pass game with coach (Andrew) Breiner. Charles (Huff), Marcus (Johnson) and (Mark) Hudspeth will work on protections, run game and things like that. There is a system for when the series ends, we get on the horn and talk about what we saw on the previous series and make our corrections and suggestions for the next series. What I don't like is a bunch of noise when I'm trying to call plays. It is almost impossible, so there is not going to be a bunch of people talking while we're trying to get the play called. They will have a significant amount of input."
Described by head coach Joe Moorhead as a "15-round heavyweight bout," Saturday's scrimmage featured plenty of back and forth action between the offense and the defense with each unit having their moments, while special teams worked on all four phases.
Moorhead, who later met with the media, was pleased with his squad's second scrimmage, saying it was consistent and representative of what the entire preseason camp has been like as a whole.
Several player family members were in attendance and joined the Bulldogs later for a post-practice barbecue dinner as invited by Moorhead.
Following a day off Sunday, the Bulldogs will go through the fine tuning of installation on both sides of the ball early next week and prepare for their third and final scrimmage of camp Wednesday.
Below are quotes from Moorhead's Saturday evening media session.
Head Coach Joe Moorhead – Media Availability
August 18, 2018
On tonight's scrimmage…
"We invited all the families out, and we're having a cookout over at Palmeiro afterwards, so I thought that was good. As far as a pure scrimmage standpoint, I think it was kind of a microcosm, a representative of our camp as a whole. It was like a 15-round heavyweight bout. Offense having its moments, defense having its moments. We worked on all the phases on special teams. We got a ton of work done, so I was very pleased. It was exactly where we needed to be. Was the precision there? No, but another positive step in the right direction."
On any players or positions groups that have stood out in camp…
"Each position has had its moments. I think relative to either the outside or the program's questions that needed to be answered, I've been very pleased with the development of the wide receiver crew. I'm very excited with our d-line, obviously. We are going to be battled tested on the o-line getting to go up against these guys every day. Coach (Brian) Baker does an unbelievable job. They play with a great motor, very physical, run game, pass game. I think those are two areas that I have kind of stood out."
On areas that need improvement…
"We need improvement in everything. I don't think we're necessarily where we need to be at any phase or any position, but we're a heck of a lot closer than we were in the spring. We're a heck of a lot closer at practice 12 than we were at practice one. The progression of the installation and taking the information from the meeting room to the field, the kids are executing at a high level. This is as good as any first-time installation – offensively, defensively and special teams – that I have been around. I'm very optimistic, but I'm glad we still have two more weeks to prepare."
On any players not available at tonight's scrimmage…
"There were guys that didn't practice, but it's practice 12. There's camp bumps and bruises. No one is out for an extended amount of time. Guys are nicked up, and we'll work to get them back this week."
On what stage the installation of plays are in…
"We're done offensively, defensively and special teams. Now that we continue to creep closer, Monday and Tuesday will be traditional camp days. Wednesday will be our final dress rehearsal, thud scrimmage at the stadium with two 15-minute quarters followed by a bunch of different special situations. Where we're at now is the fine-tuning of the installation. We're kind of going through and any kind of eyeball like centering the ball on offense for a field goal, last four on defense and all the things that go into special teams, onside hands teams and things like that. We're working on getting all that stuff knocked out."
On when he will set depth chart for week one…
"After Wednesday's scrimmage, we will get together as a staff. We will not practice on Thursday and make our determinations and our initial two-deep and travel roster. We'll start our first practice for Stephen F. Austin on Friday, and we'll break into scout teams on Friday."
On deciding which freshmen will redshirt this season…
"We have a better grasp on it. I don't think it is necessarily set in stone. There's guys that have stood out. I think the luxury of it is you have a little bit of leeway to not make a mistake. You have some time to play them in the first one or play them in the second one. There's guys that will definitely be redshirting. They need it, but like we talked about before for true freshman to get into a game, it's not just going to be handed to them. They are going to half to earn the right. Four is the number, but they have to earn the right to play in those four."
On the linebacker group…
"Coach (Tem) Lukabu does a phenomenal job. He had an All-American at Colgate. I had a chance to coach against him when I was at Georgetown. They beat us on a last-second play, but that's off the point. They're football intelligent. I think they play with tremendous speed. They are very athletic, which you need in this league. In the advent of spread offenses, the day of the true box linebacker is kind of far and few between. I think these guys are physical and aggressive enough to play downhill on the run between the tackles, but also when people are trying to stretch you out, read you and do different thing to put you in conflict, they can turn and run. I'm very pleased with our linebacker core."
On Nick Fitzgerald and Gerri Green's leadership as team captains…
"They are learning that leadership isn't a blanket concept. They are finding out what buttons to push with each guy and how to create an individual leadership program file for each guy so to speak. To me, leadership is done by example first then vocally second. Certainly, what they have done over the course of their time here as players and since our staff has been here, they have earned the right to be vocal. Also, we've challenged Mark McLaurin. He's not a captain, but he's one of our best leaders on the team. It's not specific or limited to the two guys with the C's on their chests. The older players and the best players, we've seen a lot of leadership out of them. Jeffery (Simmons) as well."
On team's trip to Geyser Falls...
"It was right around the midpoint of camp. I think that was practice 10. Of the practices that we've had so far, as a team we've discussed that there's really only one day where we felt we came out and probably stalemated it. We didn't get better. There's just a time that you've got to be smart with the legs. You've got to reward hard work. You're dealing with 17 to 22-year-old young men. As a coach, it gives you a dose of perspective that you're so caught up and myopic in the day-to-day process and schedule of camp that you get them out there and get to see them act like kids for a while, which was neat. They had a lot fun."
On how play calling will be handled on game day…
"I call the plays. I will get suggestions from those guys. In between series is when most of those suggestions will occur. Luke (Getsy) will have an overall grasp of the pass and run game, but his expertise lies in the pass game with coach (Andrew) Breiner. Charles (Huff), Marcus (Johnson) and (Mark) Hudspeth will work on protections, run game and things like that. There is a system for when the series ends, we get on the horn and talk about what we saw on the previous series and make our corrections and suggestions for the next series. What I don't like is a bunch of noise when I'm trying to call plays. It is almost impossible, so there is not going to be a bunch of people talking while we're trying to get the play called. They will have a significant amount of input."
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