Aug. 4, 2012

East Carolina Head Football Coach Ruffin McNeill

Opening Comments:
"It's an exciting time to be back in football camp. I'm sure every coach around the country says the same thing, but when you're not able to be around your kids during the summer and then you get the chance to be around them, it's a fun time. It's a work time, but it's a fun time.

"We started back in the spring with a thought process of what we wanted as a football program. We want to continue to develop depth and competition at all positions. We want to have a tough mentality, the intangibles of no entitlement with a lot of team work, which I have seen a lot of. We talked about the initials T.B.A. (Trust, Belief and Accountability) and we want to keep developing those things.

"We go into camp with competition at a lot of positions. The lines will be long at some spots and that's the way we want it. There is competition at every position where everybody knows that they have to perform at a high level, do things the way we want done or risk losing playing time or their spot on the field. Our team has taken attitude by the horns and ran with it. Right now, I like the depth we are developing at each area on the field.

"I like this football team. They don't make excuses or complain and that's what we've been aiming for. Everybody has high expectations of themselves and for each of their teammates."

On The Quarterback Situation:
"There is competition there and we like that group. All four of those guys did a great job in the off-season of leading. They've all been exposed to what we want offensively. Lincoln [Riley] has devised the reps and has a plan to evaluate each guy, each day during the practice sessions in different group drills. The guy that makes the best decisions, that moves the ball and our football team, that will be the guy that we choose.

"Shane [Carden] was not able to finish spring ball because of an injury, but he's back throwing the ball full speed right now.

"They are all familiar with the offense, so I don't think there is a hurry to decide on a starter just yet. We want to make the right decision and what's best for our football team."

On How The Defense Has Evolved:
"What our players have done and have to continue doing is keep being coachable and digesting the defense. They have and understanding of what we want to do and have hit the ground running since the first day of practice. Now we will keep adding a little more of the puzzle each day to bring them along."

On Linebacker Jeremy Grove:
"Jeremy is one of those guys whose bought into what coach John Wiley has asked him to do on the field. He's an old school linebacker that could've played in any era. He has a workman mentality and personality. He's a smart football player that loves to play the game and has a great passion for it."

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