Aug. 13, 2009
Bill Wagner (Annapolis Capital): You have almost completed a full week in pads what is your take? Have you been happy with the physicality of camp and the way guys have gone at it?
Niumatalolo: I think so. There are always ups and downs from period to period and from practice to practice. I didn't think we practiced very well yesterday, but I was pleased with today's practice. The goal is to get better every day.
Wagner: Watching that third-and-long drill it looked like the defense was killing the offense. Has that happened a lot in camp? It stands to reason that it would because you have a veteran defense with a lot of good players and you have some question marks on offense.
Niumatalolo: It hasn't been like that every day, but overall I would say the defense has gotten the better of the offense. We had our team option drill earlier in practice and it was pretty even. Third-and-six has been a big emphasis for us this camp. We want to improve on our third down conversions on offense, but also work on getting off the field on defense. That is one stat we have to get better at on defense. I thought we played great on defense last year except on third down.
Wagner: What is your take on the offensive line at this point? You have some new guys, Brady DeMell is obviously in a tough role having to start at center as a sophomore, and you have a couple of other new guys filling in. How are they coming together?
Niumatalolo: Fortunately we have three more weeks. We are definitely not ready for the Horseshoe. We do the same things over and over and hopefully we will get better at it.
Wagner: Is it a chemistry thing?
Niumatalolo: No, it is just guys learning what to do. I was talking to some of the older offensive linemen and they said that when they first came here and started to learn the offense they thought everything was so complicated, it was like electrical engineering to them, but once they figure it out it is so simple. What we do is really simple, but I think some of the younger guys are trying to drink out of a fire hose. Once they start to get it, it's like sipping out of a water bottle.
Wagner: How is Brady coming along?
Niumatalolo: OK. OK. Eric Douglass is doing a good job too.
Wagner: Is he pushing Brady?
Niumatalolo: Yes he is, oh yeah. Eric Douglass is pushing for that starting job. They both have to get a ton better.
Wagner: Curtis and Osei are at guard and you have two pretty experienced tackles in Molloy and Battipaglia. Who is working in at the third guard and third tackle spots?
Niumatalolo: John Dowd is our third tackle and Andy Lark is our third guard. I feel pretty good about our guards and tackles. We have some experience there. Battipaglia and Molloy basically played all of last season and Curtis has played a ton and Osei played a good bit at the end of last season. Lark is a guy we have great confidence in as well. Our biggest question mark is at center.
Wagner: I am going to write a little bit about the slot backs. What is your take a week and a half into camp on where the slot backs are?
Niumatalolo: I feel much better where we are at right now (than at the beginning of camp). (Andre) Byrd didn't have a great spring and Corey (James) was just OK in the spring, but both of those guys had high ankle sprains that just seemed to linger and now it looks like they are getting their legs back and the old Andre is back and the old Corey is back and Mike Stukel is doing a great job. Mike is going to be a big part of what we do. Cory Finnerty and Bobby Doyle are just solid. We can go anywhere and play with those two guys. Gee Gee Greene is doing great as a freshman and Aaron Santiago has done well so we have a group of guys that can do the job. Unfortunately for Marcus Curry getting sick was bad for him and for the team, but in a sense it was good for the other guys as they are getting a ton of reps.
