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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 26, 2017

Bobby Petrino

Greensboro, North Carolina

BOBBY PETRINO: I was really happy with the way our kids came out and worked hard and practiced and improved in spring ball. It was fun to see our new defensive staff and what they were doing out there. We were able to get some guys off the injury list that came out and played and showed that they'll be back, and that'll help us a lot. Offensively I thought Lamar had a good spring, got to know some of the new receivers, and also it was fun to see our offensive line work together under Coach Summers. Overall it was a good spring. We are looking forward to the development that we have in the summer, and getting everything done then.

Q. What was your approach with Lamar Jackson this spring as you look to build upon the good year he had last year?
BOBBY PETRINO: Yeah, we worked hard on him playing under the center and doing things we like to do from under the center. We worked hard on throwing the ball down the field and him really improving on his progression reads and sets in the pocket. I thought he did a good job of really working hard on concentrating and focusing on seeing the defenses and the safeties and linebacker movements, so I was happy with what we did with him in the spring, and we thought that we made the spring game, both teams equal. Lamar became a big difference in the spring game.

Q. And on the defensive side of the ball, how did that side of the ball evolve with sermon now as coordinator instead of Todd Grantham?
BOBBY PETRINO: Yeah, we were able to get a lot of the new schemes in and how we would utilize our personnel within it. It's still a work in progress because we're getting to know the players and how they fit with the defense and what pieces fit in the right spots. But I thought they did a good job. One of the things you have to do regardless of what scheme that you use, you have to play good principles of defense. Our ability to shed blocks, run fell speed to the ball and tackle and force turnovers was also something we really preached and worked hard in the spring.

Q. I was wanting to ask you with the draft and stuff coming up, maybe a comment just in general about the guys that you have who are going to have a chance to get drafted this week and specifically what are your thoughts on looking back on James Quick's career and how he might do at the next level.
BOBBY PETRINO: Yeah, I wish them all good luck this week. I know it's a nervous time for them, and I'll be sitting there watching TV waiting to see their name called. I appreciate all the hard work and dedication they put into our program. It's a place they're always welcome back to and certainly their home. Nobody ever knows how the draft is going to go. It's hard to figure out who wants who, who they're going to pick, how much hot air they're just blowing to see if they can get somebody to drop or whatever they're positioning themselves to do. You never can predict that.

But James had a great career here. I know there was really high expectations coming in, but I thought he improved every year that he was here, got better skill-wise and got in better shape and bigger, and I can't say enough about how much he did for our program.

Q. Going off of Lamar Jackson and some of the things that you did, his weapons that he has going into this season, what you can say about guys that have stepped up through the spring that will help out Lamar offensively.
BOBBY PETRINO: Yeah, I'm really excited about it. You know, one of the things we'll have back in the fall that we didn't have in spring was Jaylon Smith. Jaylon was a guy that made a lot of big plays for us last year. He's just under 6'4", 218 pounds, and has great speed and hands. Seth Dawkins has become our other go-to receiver on the other side of the field. Seth also is very big and fast and physical, and I think we're just now seeing how good and how much skill he really does have. Both tight ends I thought did a good job this spring. Charles Standberry probably stood out as far as catching the ball and maybe being able to fill in the product that we lost from Cole Hikutini graduating, and then in the backfield, you know, we've got good combination with a Reggie Bonnafon back there and Jeremy Smith and just to be able to rotate them in and keep them fresh and fast and ready to go.

Q. Lamar Jackson coming off of all his success personally and obviously with the team last year, how have you seen him respond to that and be the consummate professional that you know him to be coming out of the spring.
BOBBY PETRINO: Yeah, I mean, he's just such a pleasure to coach, and there were a lot of events and he did a lot of traveling and he's never done that before. That did wear on him a little bit. He did lose a few pounds over that. But he was so happy to get it over with and get back with his teammates and get ready to prepare for next season. Can't say enough about his attitude and effort because he comes to work every day with a smile, wants to learn, gets in the classroom and is eager to learn and get better, and then goes out on the field and practices hard and enjoys every minute of practice on the field.

Q. I wanted to ask a question about Devonte Fields; he ended up one of the best college careers anybody had. Can you just give me some -- what feedback are you getting in the pros? Is he big enough to make that kind of impact as a pro guy, or is there some -- what are you hearing in regard to his future?
BOBBY PETRINO: Yeah, well, you know, you don't hear anything from the pros. They try to keep everything to the vest and keep all the information within their organization. But Devonte has the measurables which they call them, the size and speed and strength to certainly play that position in the NFL. He's got great instincts, so he understands the game of football and blocking schemes and how to attack it. One of the things I thought that he did so well here is the ability to play the run as well as rush the passer. He was a very good run defender for us, too.

Q. In a different vein, can you talk a little bit about your wide receiver corps coming out of the spring? You didn't have a Jaylon, but you are going to have some new guys that we haven't seen a lot of. How comfortable are you with that group coming out of spring?
BOBBY PETRINO: You know, very comfortable. We've got some guys that have been in the depth and played on special teams like Devante Peete, who's 6'6", 200 pounds, that can run and catch the ball. I thought he really improved on his route running this spring and showed that he can track the ball and go up and make the plays. Dez Fitzpatrick had a great spring for us, a guy that we were able to redshirt last year. He had a good redshirt year, so it's something that he used to his advantage and continued to learn and get better, and then came out and in the spring game, he had a great spring game.

One of the things that I was really happy with to see was his ability to run after the catch. I knew he was a good route runner and I knew he had good hands, but it was nice to see him break tackles and be hard to tackle and make yards after the catch. Emonee Spence was back off injury, a guy we thought would play for us last year. Had a Jones fracture right before the opening game of the season and missed the entire season, and he's getting back to full speed and to how he is playing before he got injured. He can play both in the slot and outside, so he'll certainly be a productive guy for us.

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