UCF offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Lindsey breaks down the Knights' first day of spring practice, the quarterback competition, reuniting with Gus Malzahn and more.
Lindsey began by saying how good it felt to be back on the practice field.
"After having spring break, you're always worried how they're going to come back. I thought for most of the practice our guys had great energy, attitude and body language. Really moved around good. I think we got tired toward the end a little bit and got a little sloppy. But those all good things. We were repping a lot of guys too. When you're repping a lot of guys, you're going to have some of that."
He thought the weather was great, not too hot but a little bit windy for quarterbacks. They have to make corrections though between now and Thursday.
I asked about him making the transition to UCF and getting to know the players.
"I got here I think Dec. 28 and this is my third time to work for Coach (Gus Malzahn) so I really knew what to expect. He's evolved and changed some scheme wise a little bit here and there. As any good coach will do, he's adjusted to our personnel and what they're good at doing. Very familiar with what we've done offensively and how we approach practice. That wasn't new. It's been a great process."
He's been trying to get to know the offensive players. It's important that they know him.
"In the heat of battle, you're coaching and when you walk off that line, you can put a love arm around a guy. We're here to develop these guys and develop relationships."
He mentioned a few of the off-the-field get togethers, including bowling and ax throwing.
Lindsey added it's important to know the offensive linemen too.
"I really like our guys."
On the quarterbacks today, Lindsey said they're rotating all five evenly.
"We'll do that for a few days or when Coach decides not to do it anymore. I think what I saw in the walk-throughs and meetings is our guys took what we were teaching on to the field. That's what I like to see. Obviously physical mistakes we had and then we got tired and had a couple bad reads, but for the most part we communicated right to the o-line, a huge part of it. We got the signal. We understood where we should go with our eyes in the passing game. Read game, we missed a couple reads, but I was pleased with how all five of them approached practice. Coach Malzahn always talks about the 'Coach me, coach,' attitude. That's not a problem. Everybody on offense has that attitude."
Lindsey said players with a "Coach me, coach" attitude doesn't happen everywhere. Some players don't want to be coached or held accountable.
This is the third time Lindsey will work with Gus Malzahn. Scheme wise, he said there's new things they're doing here at UCF they only dabbled with at Auburn. He's adapted to personnel. Added it was a "no brainer" to rejoin Gus at UCF. "Great mentor."
Matt Murschel is working on an analyst story. Lindsey was a former analyst at Auburn, a job he accepted after being a longtime high school head coach. It was an interesting transition, from being in charge to being in a behind-the-scenes role that doesn't allow for much player instruction or being on the practice field. He mentioned how the analysts also play a big role in recruiting/transfer evaluation.
On Mikey Keene, Lindsey is "very impressed."
"You can tell he's played, very confident and very smart. Real high football IQ. Does what he's coached to do. Doesn't try to do too much. Knows his strengths and weaknesses. Just an eager guy. All five of those guys, I will say this, they all are eager to learn. They're all in the building watching film. Texting me and asking me different things. Obviously Mikey has played the most here and you can tell. He goes out there and is confident. The moment is not too big for him. He's got a moxie about him that I really like. He's competing. That's what I like to see."
On Ole Miss transfer John Rhys Plumlee:
"He showed a lot of really good flashes. I think the thing I noticed being on the field for the first time, we recruited him at Auburn but I wasn't on the field with him, I watched him practice a couple times, we know he's a great athlete, but I saw the ball really jump out of his hands some. It was a pleasant surprise. When I say that, it had good velocity out of his hands. Getting his body coordinated. The guy played receiver for the last 18 months. Played his freshman year (at quarterback) and in the spring of the next year was a quarterback and then went to receiver. Going from running routes and catching it to now throwing it, the fundamentals that come with it, has some work to do. But what I really like is the way comes out of his hands. He's another guy that's intelligent and really eager to learn. Wants to be really good. Holds himself to a high standard. You like to see that."
Lindsey thinks there's great leadership on this team.
Looking ahead to Thursday, Lindsey wants to see the guys finish practice better.
Is there anything different he's noticed since rejoining Gus?
"What he's been through the last couple months, it's definitely had an impact on him I think. Personally. Obviously Kristi is doing really good now. I think he's enjoying what he's doing. Not that he didn't when I was with him at other places, but I think he's refreshed and excited. I know one thing. He really likes our team. Not to say he didn't at other places. I see a passion in him. And energy. He's always had that. That's what's exciting. Some of our young guys probably don't realize they're lucky to have him as their head coach. He's excited. You can feel the energy."
On the veteran offensive line:
"Having three starters returning, Matt (Lee) I believe can be one of the best centers in the country. I've been very impressed with Lokahi (Pauole). I just think that unit obviously with Coach Hand, he's been with them a year. You add a Lokahi, Sam (Jackson) and Matt, those are three guys you can build around. Then you've got some other guys like Adrian (Medley) and Paul (Rubelt) and we brought in a couple new guys. I think that group has potential to be really special. We're not there. We're not even close yet. But what I see is a group that's already close. They like being coached and like to practice. They're fun guys. They've got great personalities. They're tough guys. Everything there is in the making for a very special group, but they've got to put the work in to do it every day."
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