Opening comments ...
"Really good week of prep work for our kids. It looks like as of last night things are really trending well for Utah's team and the direction they are headed. So we all have our fingers crossed and praying for their health and safety but it looks like it's going in a good direction not only for their team but for the city of Salt Lake, which is great to hear. We look forward to going to Rice-Eccles and have a chance to compete again this week on the road and compete again on the week. From an injury personnel standpoint, just to give you some updates, Brett Neilon has practiced this week. He is a possible option for this week. We'll see today and tomorrow how it goes. But he is getting reps and getting better by the day. Probably will be a game-time decision on who starts between him and Justin. I think he is going to be an option for us. Brandon Pili did practice the last two days. We got him in a cast right now for his finger. They're making a manufactured splint that will allow him to be a little bit more comfortable rather than a true cast, but things are progressing nice with him. I think that he is a possibility for this game the way it's progressing. EA continues to go through concussion protocol, and is doubtful, very doubtful for the game. Caleb Tremblay did practice yesterday, engaged in some contact drills with no setback with the stingers that he's had, which is great. So we will progress today with him and I would believe that he will be a game-day decision. But he is progressing in the right way. And Ben Easington, who's been a pretty good special teams player for us, will not be with us as he has a foot infection that we're dealing with right now, so he will not be making the trip with us. And then on the personnel front opting back in which is nice will be Jake Lichtenstein, who is going to be coming back on with us. Do not anticipate having him with us this week. He will go through health and safety protocols and medical inspection before starting him back but he is going to be back with us for the remainder of the season and we'll see where he's at next week. It'll be a good added body and somebody that can help us."
How did Jake opt back in start?
"He actually reached out this week. I think him and Vic had some conversations this week about his want to try this out and come back. I think it's on his heart. Obviously kids talk and our kids are having a lot of fun right now and enjoyed playing the game and it's been a good experience for our team and he wants to be a part of that and he wants to help his brother and I salute him and honor him. He's obviously a great player that has been waiting his time, whether it was health reasons or in a backup role, to come contribute and in this situation we're in, with a little bit of down bodies on that defensive front, he could be somebody that could help us. So I think him and Vic have had good conversations. And I talked to him two days ago and he's like, 'Coach, I'm dying to play, I want to come back and I want to help this football team.' And I said I'm all for it. So he actually will be in town this week and go through all the health and safety protocols that you have to do and then when he's available, he's available."
Concern for linebacker depth?
"One of the things that we have done, I think Ray has been an added bonus as we saw last week moving him from safety. We also brought up Tuasivi, and he'll be in the two-deep this week. And Kana'i has really progressed. So I believe T.O. will finalize it at the end of the week, but Kana'i and Ralen have been running with the ones and Raymond and Tuasivi have been running with the twos. All of them are talented and effective linebackers that we believe in and I think that you'll probably see all of them in this game, rolling, especially with the physicality that Utah brings to the table with the run game, I think you'll probably see all of them in this game. All four of them have had a great week of work and I think are ready to go. They've had a great camp. Tuasivi has been waiting his turn for this opportunity and he's getting it and I know Kana'i is chomping at the bit after coming off the hamstring to be back out there and really and truly contribute, so I know he's excited about the opportunity."
What have you seen from Raymond Scott making the transition from safety to linebacker?
"He's always been that hybrid guy. He's got safety skill set but a linebacker body, and we've always put kids where they would like to play to start off with. He really wanted to start off this camp at safety, but because of the numbers we went to him and said, 'Hey, this is where we see you can have a bigger role,' especially with Talanoa and Isaiah how well they were playing. We felt he could have a bigger role in that area, and he was for it. He's a good teammate, he's an unselfish teammate, and really said, 'Coach, I'll do whatever I need to to help this football team.' What I was amazed was how quickly he picked it up. He's a football-smart kid and the system, thank goodness, is one that kids can easily pick up and go into. So making that transition took about a week for him to really get dialed in. And to be able to have that week, get practice and then all of a sudden it's Arizona and now you're trust in the game, that helped us to be able to have two weeks of prep before he had to step in. But man, he made some nice plays for us in that game and will be a value not only in the linebacker position but you see him on special teams he's been a major contributor for us."
What did Raymond do to get the nod over some other linebackers despite making that switch just recently?
"We put him in there and TO did a nice job of evaluating -- his athleticism is what stood out. You look at that, he's got a linebacker body at 220-225 pounds, but he's got safety athleticism and TO really liked that, like that athleticism and how fast he picked it up. He immediately said, 'Hey coach, this is where I see Ray, I think he's going to be in the two-deep right now,' and I said 'All right, let's go with it.' He knows that system inside and out, he knows what fits it and Ray was a good fit."
What did Kana'i have to show you guys to build on his role after playing only 4 snaps the first game?
"Really, if you look at it, in the first game he was still nursing the hamstring and really hadn't practiced a ton so wasn't a viable option. Last week looked really healthy, looked like himself again, and knew that he would need to go in and be ready for us -- and did. Went in there and contributed. And now all of a sudden, EA is out and now it's your time to truly contribute and get that starting nod. He started in ballgames for us before and has done a nice job. He'll be asked not only to play linebacker but to be on teams in this game, so he's all eyes will be on him and that's what he wants. He wants to have the spotlight on him, so I know he's excited about it."
"Really good week of prep work for our kids. It looks like as of last night things are really trending well for Utah's team and the direction they are headed. So we all have our fingers crossed and praying for their health and safety but it looks like it's going in a good direction not only for their team but for the city of Salt Lake, which is great to hear. We look forward to going to Rice-Eccles and have a chance to compete again this week on the road and compete again on the week. From an injury personnel standpoint, just to give you some updates, Brett Neilon has practiced this week. He is a possible option for this week. We'll see today and tomorrow how it goes. But he is getting reps and getting better by the day. Probably will be a game-time decision on who starts between him and Justin. I think he is going to be an option for us. Brandon Pili did practice the last two days. We got him in a cast right now for his finger. They're making a manufactured splint that will allow him to be a little bit more comfortable rather than a true cast, but things are progressing nice with him. I think that he is a possibility for this game the way it's progressing. EA continues to go through concussion protocol, and is doubtful, very doubtful for the game. Caleb Tremblay did practice yesterday, engaged in some contact drills with no setback with the stingers that he's had, which is great. So we will progress today with him and I would believe that he will be a game-day decision. But he is progressing in the right way. And Ben Easington, who's been a pretty good special teams player for us, will not be with us as he has a foot infection that we're dealing with right now, so he will not be making the trip with us. And then on the personnel front opting back in which is nice will be Jake Lichtenstein, who is going to be coming back on with us. Do not anticipate having him with us this week. He will go through health and safety protocols and medical inspection before starting him back but he is going to be back with us for the remainder of the season and we'll see where he's at next week. It'll be a good added body and somebody that can help us."
How did Jake opt back in start?
"He actually reached out this week. I think him and Vic had some conversations this week about his want to try this out and come back. I think it's on his heart. Obviously kids talk and our kids are having a lot of fun right now and enjoyed playing the game and it's been a good experience for our team and he wants to be a part of that and he wants to help his brother and I salute him and honor him. He's obviously a great player that has been waiting his time, whether it was health reasons or in a backup role, to come contribute and in this situation we're in, with a little bit of down bodies on that defensive front, he could be somebody that could help us. So I think him and Vic have had good conversations. And I talked to him two days ago and he's like, 'Coach, I'm dying to play, I want to come back and I want to help this football team.' And I said I'm all for it. So he actually will be in town this week and go through all the health and safety protocols that you have to do and then when he's available, he's available."
Concern for linebacker depth?
"One of the things that we have done, I think Ray has been an added bonus as we saw last week moving him from safety. We also brought up Tuasivi, and he'll be in the two-deep this week. And Kana'i has really progressed. So I believe T.O. will finalize it at the end of the week, but Kana'i and Ralen have been running with the ones and Raymond and Tuasivi have been running with the twos. All of them are talented and effective linebackers that we believe in and I think that you'll probably see all of them in this game, rolling, especially with the physicality that Utah brings to the table with the run game, I think you'll probably see all of them in this game. All four of them have had a great week of work and I think are ready to go. They've had a great camp. Tuasivi has been waiting his turn for this opportunity and he's getting it and I know Kana'i is chomping at the bit after coming off the hamstring to be back out there and really and truly contribute, so I know he's excited about the opportunity."
What have you seen from Raymond Scott making the transition from safety to linebacker?
"He's always been that hybrid guy. He's got safety skill set but a linebacker body, and we've always put kids where they would like to play to start off with. He really wanted to start off this camp at safety, but because of the numbers we went to him and said, 'Hey, this is where we see you can have a bigger role,' especially with Talanoa and Isaiah how well they were playing. We felt he could have a bigger role in that area, and he was for it. He's a good teammate, he's an unselfish teammate, and really said, 'Coach, I'll do whatever I need to to help this football team.' What I was amazed was how quickly he picked it up. He's a football-smart kid and the system, thank goodness, is one that kids can easily pick up and go into. So making that transition took about a week for him to really get dialed in. And to be able to have that week, get practice and then all of a sudden it's Arizona and now you're trust in the game, that helped us to be able to have two weeks of prep before he had to step in. But man, he made some nice plays for us in that game and will be a value not only in the linebacker position but you see him on special teams he's been a major contributor for us."
What did Raymond do to get the nod over some other linebackers despite making that switch just recently?
"We put him in there and TO did a nice job of evaluating -- his athleticism is what stood out. You look at that, he's got a linebacker body at 220-225 pounds, but he's got safety athleticism and TO really liked that, like that athleticism and how fast he picked it up. He immediately said, 'Hey coach, this is where I see Ray, I think he's going to be in the two-deep right now,' and I said 'All right, let's go with it.' He knows that system inside and out, he knows what fits it and Ray was a good fit."
What did Kana'i have to show you guys to build on his role after playing only 4 snaps the first game?
"Really, if you look at it, in the first game he was still nursing the hamstring and really hadn't practiced a ton so wasn't a viable option. Last week looked really healthy, looked like himself again, and knew that he would need to go in and be ready for us -- and did. Went in there and contributed. And now all of a sudden, EA is out and now it's your time to truly contribute and get that starting nod. He started in ballgames for us before and has done a nice job. He'll be asked not only to play linebacker but to be on teams in this game, so he's all eyes will be on him and that's what he wants. He wants to have the spotlight on him, so I know he's excited about it."
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