More Quotes from Virginia Tech's 2015 Media Day and Scrimmage Observations

I attended Saturday's open scrimmage at Lane Stadium after Virginia Tech's media day, and despite standing out in the baking hot sun (I now look like a lobster), I cobbled together a few observations.

Several of the players sitting out during the scrimmage were relegated to walking stairs. I got a look at RBs Marshawn Williams and Shai McKenzie. It seems like they have some work to do to get back into football shape.

Outside of a few impressive snags by WR Isaiah Ford (he was a YAC machine on hitch routes), there weren't a whole lot of exciting plays or connections downfield from the first-, second- or third-team offenses. It was a lot of check downs to the tailbacks, screens and quick throws on short outside breaking routes.

Speaking of Ford, QB Michael Brewer had a chance to connect with him deep after the sophomore receiver blazed by DB Donovan Riley in man-to-man coverage, but Brewer overthrew him by at least five yards.

While QB Chris Durkin's throwing ability leaves a lot to be desired (he had difficulty completing even the simplest throws and his footwork was spotty), he sure has some movement and mobility skills. He weaved through the defense with ease on a couple of zone reads and designed QB runs.

While everybody is talking about freshman DT Tim Settle's interception, a defensive play that got me out of my seat was a huge hit in the backfield by RS-Fr. DT Steve Sobczak on freshman tailback Coleman Fox. It was nasty.

In limited action during third-team reps, freshman RB Deshawn McClease had some impressive outside runs and catching the ball out of the backfield. The kid has burst and the wiggle you look for in a scat back. He could be a real nice change-of-pace option in the coming years.

Additional player quotes from media day:

Guard Augie Conte

ON HOW CLOSE THE OFFENSE HAS BECOME AS A GROUP:

"Yeah, we've all become pretty good friends. Especially when Dwayne (Lawson) came in. You know, a young kid. Great kid, though. He has a really good head on his shoulders and he fit in just fine with us. (Michael) Brewer and (Brenden) Motley, we've always had a good relationship with those guys. I've fished with Brewer a few times and Motley and I have gone to the movies. We definitely have a lot of cohesion."

ON IF IT WAS A RELIEF WHEN HE HEARD OHIO STATE DE JOEY BOSA WAS SUSPENDED FOR THE OPENER:

"You know, it doesn't matter who we play. I give a lot of credit to that team. They're a great organization. They're going to play very well, no matter what personnel they have in there. So, we're just going to keep preparing like we are and we're just going to go for it."

ON HOW THE OFFENSIVE LINE HAS IMPROVED SINCE LAST YEAR:

"I definitely think that we're playing a lot better as a unit. A lot of people have stepped up when it comes to effort and communication on the offensive line. We've had (center) Eric Gallo, who is replacing David Wang; he's really stepped up and done a good job for us. He's done a good job of communication and getting everybody on the same page. I just think we're playing a lot better as a unit this season."

ON WYATT TELLER'S UNIQUE PERSONALITY:

"Wyatt's kind of like the little kid of the group. Just his personality, he's always the one that's charismatic and getting on people's nerves. But that's just a part of Wyatt. We hate him for it, but we love him for it at the same time. He's just kind of like the little brother of the group, just always getting on people's nerves, but we love him for it."

WR Isaiah Ford

ON GIVING UP BASKETBALL TO FOCUS SOLELY FOOTBALL:

"When I first made the decision not to play basketball, it was really rough on me. I remember having a conversation with (strength) coach (Mike) Gentry. He came to me and said, 'I think it was good that you didn't play,' and I kind of like gave him a dirty look because I wasn't happy about it. But now that I come back and look at it, I'm really glad I made that decision."

ON HOW MUCH MORE CONFIDENT HE IS THIS SEASON:

"A lot more. I think experience is a big reason why I'm more relaxed, more comfortable. I'm not thinking, I'm more so just playing, so that's a big thing."

ON HOW MUCH MORE FUN THE GAME IS WHEN YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TO DO:

"It makes it all that much better, you know. When you're just relaxing and you're having fun out there, you're not worried about, 'oh shoot, where do I go or where do I run?' So, it makes it a lot more fun."

ON IS HE'S SEEN A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM QB MICHAEL BREWER:

"I think I've seen him more confident. Last year, it was his first year in the offense as well, so there was a lot on his plate and he took a lot of hits last year. This year, he knows everything like the back of his hand. He's way more relaxed and he just looks really confident out there."

ON WIDE RECEIVERS COACH ZOHN BURDEN:

"He gives us a lot of leeway and freedom to do some things in our routes, to an extent, though. He always says, 'if you want to do it, make sure it works.' So, yeah, he's taught us a ton of things and we've worked on a ton of different things. I really like coach Burden."

RB Travon McMillian

ON IF HE HANDLED KICKOFF RETURNS IN HIGH SCHOOL:

"Not that much. I was strictly a quarterback in high school. But I mean I'm excited for the opportunity and I think I'll do a pretty good job out there."

ON IF RETURNING KICKOFFS COMES NATURAL TO HIM:

"It comes pretty natural. Just catching the ball and using your vision to try to get up field."

ON HOW MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE HE IS AS A RUNNING BACK:

"A lot better. You know, just adjusting to a lot of things, a lot of new things especially like blocking and stuff like that. But overall, I'm doing a lot better."

ON WHERE HE'S MADE THE BIGGEST STRIDES AS A RUNNING BACK:

"Definitely pass-protection. Learning and just knowing who to block, who to pick up in certain pass-protections. And catching out of the backfield."

FS Chuck Clark

ON HOW THE SECONDARY IS COMING TOGETHER:

"Right now, we're just working on everybody being flexible and being able to play their position."

ON HIS TRANSITION FROM CORNER TO FREE SAFETY:

"It's going real good, right now. I feel perfectly fine. Safety's just a natural fit for me. Going back there and being able to see the plays and see how fit out, it's just a natural fit for me."

ON BUD FOSTER AS A COACH:

"He's a very intense coach, you know. He'll get after us if we're messing up, even if you're a preseason All-American all the way down to a walk-on guy he'll get on you the same. He's a very intense coach and he demands perfection out of us and effort day in and day out."

CB Kendall Fuller

ON IF THIS YEAR'S DEFENSE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BEST HE'S BEEN APART OF:

"We say that and I could have said that any year, you know. But some guys go down to injuries and you know, we got to stay healthy. You're always one play away from being on the field, so the backups have to be ready and things like that. But you know, the potential is where we want it to be. We've just go to come out hungry and ready to fight and we've got to be consistent every day."

ON IF HE'S THOUGHT ABOUT LEAVING FOR THE NFL AFTER THIS SEASON:

"I don't talk about it at all. You know, I just got to play this year."

ON HOW THE STRENGTH OF THE DEFENSIVE LINE MAKES THE SECONDARY'S JOB EASIER:

"Like I said, no matter who we play, when we play, their presence is going to be known on the field. So you know, just by them you know rushing off the edge and even when it comes to the run game, them being able to stop the run and things like that definitely makes our job much easier. It's definitely a blessing."

ON HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE CB BRANDON FACYSON PLAYING ALONGSIDE HIM AGAIN:

"Oh, it's definitely special. Brandon's a guy where you know when the ball's in the air, he's going to get it. So just having that ball-hawk corner on the other side of you definitely will be good and special."

ON IF HE THINKS FACYSON IS COMPLETELY HEALTHY:

"He's on the field, I expect him to be healthy. If he's on the field, he's going to make plays and things like that, so that's the expectations that us as a group has for each other and that we have for him. If he's on the field, he's going to be expected to make plays, which he's going to do."