蜜柚直播

No one on the 蜜柚直播 Wildcats coaching staff will play a bigger role in that process than Mazzone, the veteran QB guru and offensive coordinator whom Sumlin imported from Texas A&M.

Mazzone, who has worked with numerous standout quarterbacks over the course of his long coaching career, began working with Tate in the spring. Mazzone inherited a player who burst onto the national scene last season but still has room for growth and refinement.

Mazzone talked about all seven quarterbacks in his room after 蜜柚直播鈥檚 second training-camp practice Saturday night. What follows is what Mazzone had to say about Tate, the junior who could be a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. The Q&A session with the media has been lightly edited for clarity and context.

How much better has Khalil gotten over the summer?

A: 鈥淲e鈥檒l kind of wait and see. He鈥檚 done a good job the first two days. But like any quarterback, you look for some consistency. He鈥檚 shown that so far, but it鈥檚 only been two days. I鈥檓 excited where he鈥檚 at 鈥� the starting point where we鈥檙e at with him.鈥�

Has there been too much hype for Khalil? He had one great month, yet a lot of people are talking about him for the Heisman.

A: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know. I know he鈥檚 a pretty grounded kid. I know he knows where he鈥檚 at with this football team, his career. I think he just comes out every day to get better and help this football team win.鈥�

Where do you expect him to make the quickest gains in the passing game?

A: 鈥淪ome of this stuff鈥檚 a little bit new for him. Obviously, it鈥檚 a new offense. Right now, he鈥檚 kind of going through the process of learning about progression reads, about learning coverages and doing those type of things. I think the summer really helped him. He鈥檚 a little bit further along than I anticipated, so I鈥檓 kind of excited about moving forward.鈥�

What have you learned about him since you started working with him?

A: 鈥淭hat it鈥檚 important to him. I think it鈥檚 been a great experience for him. He went to the Manning camp (the Manning Passing Academy, run by the Manning family), got involved with (other) quarterbacks. In my estimation, he鈥檚 realized that that he鈥檚 a quarterback and (that) quarterbacks have to act like quarterbacks. I think he鈥檚 done a good job with that.鈥�

Is there a 鈥渨ow鈥� factor with Khalil when you see him up close?

A: 鈥淎 hundred percent. Am I going to coach him to be (more) dynamic as a runner? No, that鈥檚 who he is. He鈥檚 a dynamic runner. What he鈥檚 trying to do now is become a rounded quarterback and play the position the other way, in the pocket. That鈥檚 what I think he鈥檚 been working hard on.鈥�

He mentioned there being more pocket concepts. But obviously you want to take advantage of his running ability. Is there an ideal number of carries per game for him?

A: 鈥淣o. It just kind of happens. Our best play might be when I call a pass play, everybody鈥檚 covered and he decides to run. We鈥檙e not going to build our running attack around Khalil. We鈥檝e got J.J. (Taylor), we鈥檝e got (Gary) Brightwell, we鈥檝e got some good running backs. I think he feeds off of that.鈥�

What鈥檚 your philosophy about how quarterbacks should protect themselves?

A: 鈥淭hey should slide, right? So we鈥檝e gotta work on sliding. They take enough hits in the pocket.

鈥�(But) he鈥檚 a special guy. He鈥檚 such a dynamic runner, as you guys know, that you don鈥檛 want to bridle him too much. But then you also want him to be smart and protect himself.鈥�

Extra points

• Mazzone praised Brightwell, who might have the inside track to be the No. 2 tailback behind Taylor, the projected starter. Brightwell, a sophomore, primarily played on special teams as a freshman.
• Linebacker Santino Marchiol, who transferred from Texas A&M, is practicing with the team. He鈥檚 wearing No. 32 and working at the 鈥淢ike鈥� position with the second unit. There鈥檚 no word yet on whether he鈥檒l be eligible for 2018.
• Center Nathan Eldridge is wearing black neoprene sleeves on both knees. Eldridge missed time in spring because of knee soreness.
• Veteran players not spotted on the field during the open portion of practice: offensive lineman Alex Kosinski, defensive tackle Kurtis Brown and linebacker Jacob Colacion.
• Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Marcel Yates spent time with his group working on pass-rush moves. The defense as a whole worked on stripping ball-carriers and scooping up fumbles.
• Saturday鈥檚 twist to punt-return drills: players trying to field punts with a ball 鈥� or two 鈥� already tucked into their arms. Shun Brown was among those able to snare three in a row.
• The catch of the day during individual drills was made by redshirt junior Cedric Peterson, who made a tumbling grab near the sideline after appearing to lose his footing.
• About halfway through practice, the team moved from the grass fields next to the C.A.T.S. Academics Center into 蜜柚直播 Stadium. The lights at the practice field aren鈥檛 yet operational.
• A scout from the New York Jets attended practice.
• The Wildcats have the day off Sunday. They resume workouts Monday evening.