Jack Tyler on Offseason Changes and Other Things: interview by Aaron McFarling

http://blogs.roanoke.com/aaronmcfarling/2013/07/hokies-tyler-on-offense-...

Some very interesting quotes from Jack Tyler. The Dadi Nicolas, offensive line, and Loeffler bullets stood out, but mostly I was intrigued how he commented that last year, the Hokie staff wanted to up the offensive tempo, but the offseason conditioning and practice tempo did not speed up to accomplish that goal.

ON WHETHER HES NOTICED ANY CHANGES FROM THE NEW OFFENSIVE STAFF:

Definitely. I think that was one of the biggest reasons why we had the coaching changes. I think we needed the culture shock. I think we needed to get some more energy and excitement back in the program. It wasnt really getting stale, but when you hear the same thing over and over from the same coaches, it does get a little stale. When you have a new voice in therethe expectations on offense have never been as high as defense. And now our new coaching staff has brought expectations to our offense. Now they want to be the best offense in the ACC. They expect to be that offense that the Virginia Tech defense has always expected to be.

ON LOGAN THOMAS NEW, MORE INTENSE DEMEANOR:

Hes definitely serious. And I think we all are. I think were definitely mindful of our first game because of the caliber of Alabamawe know we cant take this lightly. Our offseason has to be amped up. We have to have energy and focus and excitement. I think weve gotten away from that in the last few years. Weve kind of been a little bit more laid back. Because wed gotten complacent. We were so used to winning 10 games every year that we just thought it would happen. We learned last year that its not just going to roll out on the red carpet for us, that we have go get those 10 wins.

ON THE OFFENSES EXPECTATIONS VS. DEFENSE:

We dont have expectations that we need to get this many yards or this many touchdowns . Theres no expectations like that. Our expectations are just win. But on defense, we have expectations because of our tradition that we have to uphold. Because weve been so good, we expect to be that top-five unit. Not that they dont expect to be a top-five offense, but when youre a power run offense, youre not going to be putting up five or six hundred yards a game. Their expectations are more, we need to control the game and win than it is that we need to put up 50 points and 500 yards on offense.

ON HIM BEING THIS YEARS VERSION OF BRUCE TAYLOR (LEADERSHIP, ETC.)

Totally. Coach Foster told me that early. Thats what he wanted to do: make sure that I knew that I was THE guy on defense. Everything was going to go through me. Whatever I said goes. Thats how it is on the field, too. I call the defenses. I call the plays. Everybodys listening to me so I have to be the guy that kind of runs things. I have to run the huddleIts a big responsibility, but its something that Ive done on every single team Ive ever been on, so its not a new role for me.

MORE ON THE IMPACT OF OFFENSIVE CHANGES:

You could definitely see in practice, just the energy has been brought up to a so much higher level. Not that practice was stale earlier, but you had the same routine day in and day out. You knew what you were going to do in sixth period that day. When you have a new coach, that culture shock, that coaching switch, that little bit of mystery kind of justthe energy and excitement of practice gets amped up because you really dont know whats going to happen next. And then when youre playing with excitement and high energy, everybody plays like that.

ON WHETHER ITS LOEFFLER OR GRIMES WHOS THE BIGGER ENERGIZER:

Loeffler. I would say he is the guy. Hes definitely the rah-rah guy in the offense, getting them good. Hes even yelled at me a few times to get me going. I love him. I really enjoy having him. I think Virginia Techs way better off with him.

ON GETTING ENOUGH FROM FOSTER THAT HE DOESNT NEED ANOTHER YELLER:

Coach Foster has had me so long, he still yells at me but hes kind of like my dad. He has that dad discipline where he more talks to me because he knows that yelling isnt going to do much at this point. And you almost need that little bit of yelling still, and Loeffler gave that to me. "

ON DADI NICHOLAS:

When hes a senior, I think hell be every bit as good as Pierre-Paul was. Same type player. Same athleticism. You cant block him. You literally cant block him.

ON WHAT 7-6 RECORD DID TO TEAM:

I think we were a little bit more laid back the last few years because our expectations were always to get 10 wins and we thought it would just happen. Now we know that its not going to just happen.

MORE ON OFFENSE:

I think the best part about this offseason was instead of just playing the same offense that we have for the past five years in the spring, we got to prepare for a totally new offense, and that was exciting. It kind of brought that mystery part to practice and when you have that, when you dont really know whats coming next, youre excited, youre more energized during practiceYou get a lot more out of them. Weve had the best offense weve ever had.

ON BIGGEST CHANGE HES NOTICED WITH OFFENSE:

The tempo. I think you need that in college football. You need to be able to speed things up, slow things down. I just think you need to be diverse. I wont say that we werent diverse before, but everybody knew that on third and 1 we were gonna run the ball. Everybody knew that in second and 12 we were going to run the ball. Everybody knew what was going to happen next. That whole mystery thing just adds a whole new excitement to our program, and I think we needed that.

ON THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UP-TEMPO AND WHATS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR:

We ACTUALLY added tempo. Its funny, not even just our practices but our whole offseason training. When you guys see some of our offensive linemen, youre not even going to recognize them. Theyre all lean and fast and cut down on their weight, just because thats what were going to need to do to be successful. Were going to need guys running to the ball, and with the zone scheme, youre going to have to have more athletic linemen. Just that change, the energy and the excitement in our offseason training has kind of changed the way our offseason is run.

ON CONDITIONING:

We probably are doubling the conditioning we did all of last summer. Its beneficial. Its terrible during, but now after were kind of coming towards the end of it, were all kind of looking back and thinking were glad that we did this. Im glad we just did double the conditioning than weve ever done here. It prepares us more. I think were all in better shape and were all ready to go.

MORE ON CONDITIONING:

We wanted to add that toughness factor, and obviously running sprints when you get tired, youve got to be mentally tough, and when youre doubling up the conditioning than youve ever done, youve got to be extra tough. Thats the biggest thing. Weve seen players in the past who may have quit after a couple sprints and just said, nah, Im not doing this anymore. Now theyre really fighting towards the end. Just that whole energy and excitement has kind of just trickled down and everybodys catching on.

ON WHY HES SO COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT OFFENSE:

Im a football buff. I enjoy football. I enjoy watching football. I think thats one of the reasons Im good. I just know football. I think like a coach. When I watch the offense we play against these guys every single day and I can tell Zack McCray, do this because itll help you against the linebacker

ON WANTING TO BECOME A COACH SOMEDAY:

Definitely. Thats probably what I want to do. My life vision would be if coach Foster took over somewhere, Id be his defensive coordinator