State looks for strong finish to spring practices
BOBCAT FOOTBALL
Texas State completes its spring practices Saturday with the annual Maroon & Gold Spring Game.
Both defensive coordinator Chris Woods and offensive coordinator Zak Kuhr just want to see their units compete.
“I want to see them go play football the right way because honestly we’re not going to put a whole lot out there schematically,” Woods said. “We’re just not going to put it out there for the world to see, which is fine. We’re going to run a sound defense. We’re going to run base calls, and guys are just going to play.”
Added Kuhr: “I’m not looking for 800 points, or 800 yards. I just want to see did they get better that day? Did they win that day?”
Defensively, Woods said his unit has been able to install most of its concepts in. He’s been pleased with how his defense has performed this spring.
“Actually, we’ve actually got a jump on an opponent for next year, so we can kind of see how a game plan situation would go, which is good,” Woods said. “We’ve also found out a lot about our players, you know, who can sustain it for all 13, 14, 15 practices. We’ve got a pretty good idea about where we’re deficient and where we really need to focus on. A really good spring. Overall, really pleased. We’ll see how we finish here on Saturday.”
Woods said his inside linebackers group has impressed him throughout the spring, especially rising junior Nik Daniels, and safety AJ Krawczyk.
“Nic Daniels has been really good,” Woods said. “I’m a big consistency guy. He’s been probably the most consistent from showing up, being in the right spot every day, doing things the way you want them done. He’s been really good. AJ Krawczyk kind of gives you the same thing: Just shows up, (He’s a)punch the clock, lunch pale kind of guy. Awesome, love being around guys like that. I think with other positions some guys really flashed and maybe fell back and that’s what we’re trying to get over. Get over the hump of this is college football. FBS football is a marathon not a sprint. You’ve got to be good in November if you want to win Sun Belt championships.”
On offense, the unit has developed a cohesiveness and rhythm, Kuhr said. Additionally, Kuhr sees the offense with the nasty, finish attitude that the Bobcats wanted to develop in the spring.
The offense has also been consistent throughout spring ball.
“We started off, practice one was a little slow and then from then on it just started rising, rising, rising, rising, rising,” Kuhr said. Our first scrimmage was a little subpar, but after that we’ve been on a streak as far as being productive, making plays, limiting our missed assignments and mental mistakes. So, consistency has been there for sure.”
Texas State looks to replicate last Saturday’s scrimmage, which Kuhr and head coach Everett Withers believe was the best they’ve had during their time with the Bobcats.
“Saturday was the most energetic, physical practice I’ve been at whether it be Ohio State or any other place I’ve been at,” Kuhr said. “There’s just a different, I don’t know, a different juice of energy of where I heard pads like every play. They were being physical every play. They were finishing. There was true competitive spirit of guys barking at each other then lining up and making a play. And the great thing was that at the end of it, everybody got together and we’re all good. We know we’re on the same team, but in between the lines there’s not friends out there. It was just a different competitive spirit.”
The Maroon & Gold Spring Game begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday inside Bobcat Stadium.
