[Upchurch]

Things Discussed

• Shea Patterson's mobility
• The pass protection was impressive
• Zach Gentry's growth
• Ben Mason hurdled a dude
• Injury updates on Michael Dwumfour, Rashan Gary, Carlo Kemp, Aubrey Solomon, Chris Evans

[After THE JUMP: A Joey Files mention!]

Coach, Shea (Patterson) had a lot of time to throw in the pocket, sometimes made moves with his feet. Talk about how he creates plays, buying time with his mobility

 

“Yeah, you said it. He does. He throws really well from the pocket when he has it, and then when he has to escape, he’s got a real knack. It’s just knacks, great peripheral vision, the sensation of knowing where to be in the pocket. And then he’s really good when he gets outside of the pocket, too. Really dangerous throwing on the run, seeing the field or running himself. It’s a real weapon. I think he’s really growing and playing better and better every week. It was players making plays today, that was really what I saw. Starting with Shea, guy just making plays. (Zach) Gentry, making plays, finding the seams, making the catches. Also against the man-to-man coverage, getting just enough separation. Shea putting the ball in the perfect location and Gentry making the catch that’s highly contested. That — really impressive. I thought Karan (Higdon) again did a great job, Devin Bush had a great game. Brandon Watson made plays. That was really the theme throughout this game, players really making plays.”

 

Jim, I believe the escapability on the touchdown pass to Donovan (Peoples-Jones) — just looked like that was an extra-special play. Describe that play the way you saw that play from Shea

 

“The one where he did the whirly-bird?”

 

Yeah, yeah

 

“I love that. That was just the craziest thing to play by Shea, and then getting the ball to Donovan — Donovan continues to be that guy, too, that makes you want to play. And he did — just playing so hard. Playing so far, he plays so hard and gets so much energy. The ball finds energy. I think it seeks it — something to that. That was a cool play. Just a great play. And how about my guy Ronnie Bell? Making a tough catch across the middle — takes guys, sometimes, years, half-decades or decades to really be able to have that kinda fearlessness and ability to catch a ball over the middle. And then not only catch it but finish it in the end zone. Really liked that play. He’s a good kid. Really like him a lot.”

 

If you could also assess your pass protection today?

 

“Good. Really good. Offensive line is playing well. Ed Warinner’s doing a heck of a job with the guys. I think they’re all playing their best football, starting with Jon Runyan, Ben Bredeson, Cesar Ruiz, Mike Onwenu and Juwann (Bushell-Beatty) are all really playing their best football. They’re playing well together.”

 

Jim, it seems like Jared Wangler is playing a more prominent role — he had the big first down catch last week against Northwestern and then a touchdown grab today. Is his role expanding? Is it coming from practice or how is that evolving?

 

“Yeah, Jared, great to see Jared make that play. That was a big touchdown for us. The offense had a lot of critical drives in this game, starting with the 95-yarder, but that drive was big answering after Maryland had put their touchdown on the board and drove the field. So that was big to get that touchdown back and keep it at three-score — get it back to a three-score game. His role is expanding a lot because of Ben Mason. And Ben Mason’s role is expanding so there’s packages now that you’re seeing where it’s Ben and a tailback and Jared playing fullback. And Jared continues to do a great job in special teams, but also he’s got a good ability to block, and versatile, on third down, as a back in pass protection. And he can run the ball, too, so it’s nice having that set in the backfield where we can have Mason and Wangler in there together.”

 

Coach, they had 87 total yards through three quarters, talk about your defensive effort to allow and contribute to pulling away

 

“Yeah, that was really an epic defensive performance. And we got a little thing toward the end of the game, but it was great — great job, great performance. The Maryland team has a very potent running game, and see what they did to Texas, we’d seen it on tape. A lot of misdirection, lot of high distraction and ability to open up seams. Lot of long runs — we didn’t give those up today. Thought we played them as well as anybody who’s faced them.”

 

Coach, just talk about the performance of Tru Wilson these last few weeks. What do you think?

 

“Good. Still — he’s getting better and better. He’s a trusted agent now, so he goes into the game and has the ability to make something, make plays. And he did that again today. Make plays in the pass protection, make plays in the running game. And I’m just really happy about Tru and what he’s brought to the ballclub.”

 

Coach, you mentioned Gentry earlier, career high in catches and yards today for him. How have you seen him grow most into this point where he’s sort of emerged as a go-to guy on offense?

 

“The way he’s grown most is by putting on 40 pounds of muscle. He’s grown so much as a blocker. He’s grown as a hands-catcher. He’s able to pluck the ball out of the air with the hands, and he’s got a great frame and a target — a great catch radius. That also makes the tight-body throw, catch, contested catch. Guys draped on him and those are tough catches to make. … There’s a lot right there. He’s really worked hard in strength, development, he’s done a great job as a blocker and catching it and running routes. Everything you want a tight end to be, he’s really growing into the prototypical type of tight end. And he’s got about the best attitude you’d ever want, to be around a guy. Joey Files is there, Gentry would be like right, almost as good as Joe Files.”

 

After watching Mason’s hurdle in the first quarter, do you have the most athletic fullback in the country?

 

“I haven’t seen all the fullbacks, but we love our fullback.”

 

Given your mentors and the way you like to play, do you get a little extra joy out of watching a fullback make plays and have a couple score touchdowns in a game?

 

“Yeah, we all do. We do, and as you can see, his package is expanding. As a running back, he’s about to where he’s getting — he’s doing about everything. In practice and in games, including pass protection, including — just him being a tailback today brought on a 6-2 defense. Brought on an extra defensive lineman that we were able to fake to him and run a boot, get out of the pocket. That’s already helped. He’s got the ability to do a lot. Catch the ball out of the backfield, block, run. It’s an expanding package for Ben.”

 

Karan said he was very happy, blessed to reach that 2,000 (yard) mark today. What can you say about him, not only today but this whole season so far in general?

 

“Well, he’s just getting the extra yards. He’s broken some big runs in his career, and he has this year. And just the strength, I think he’s developed in this offseason, and the determination that he has to help our team. And shows up in those carries where it looks like it’s gonna be a -1, or a no gain, and he turns it into a 4-yard gain, or a 1-yard gain or a 6-yard gain. Just good backs, gets blocked for zero, they get two. Block for two and they get five. He’s really showing that right now. And his pass protection has improved immensely. So, support to him. He’s done a terrific job training and bettering himself each season.”

 

Jim, you mentioned a thinning defensive line. Can you update the status of Michael Dwumfour, and Carlo (Kemp) went off limping, and also Rashan (Gary) not playing, and when do you think Aubrey (Solomon) might be back?

 

“So, Michael we’ll see. Still evaluating on what he has. And Carlo, same. Still evaluating. Rashan, I didn’t really — I decided not to play him this week. He’s most likely, we’ll see where he’s at as the week goes on, but it’s not a long-term thing. Aubrey, we’ll see. He had a good week last week, we’ll see how close he is this week.”

 

And Chris Evans, too, I mean he warmed up and then was in street clothes

 

“Yeah, Chris practiced two days this week, and ultimately thought it best not to … play him today. Hopefully we get some guys back next week.”

 

Rashan — could he have played today? That was precautionary on your part?

 

“Yeah. Rashan, he’s had an AC — little bit of an AC. He’s been playing through it. So, but thought it wise to not play this week.”

 

The kick return on you … can you talk about what you saw on that play, just a bad (inaudible)?

 

“Yeah, that’s what it looked like on the field.”

 

This didn’t impact the game, but can you actually decline a targeting personal foul? It looked like in reviewing Higdon’s run, last 10 yards, then once they threw that out, it came all the way back beyond the 40 and ran the play

 

“Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. They said it was two offsetting penalties, it has to go back to the previous spot. … Targeting penalty was something that — their targeting penalty against us hurt us in the way football rules are.”

 

Did they get that rule right?

 

“As far as I know. It sounded right, offsetting penalties, you know. I didn’t know — I don’t know it, other than I know offsetting penalties you repeat the previous spot.”

 

It seems crazy

 

“Yeah. It is. Yeah, it is. Little bit, I guess. John Bacon said that, not me”

 

(Everybody laughs)

 

“John Bacon.”

 

I stand by it, too