Opening statement…
“I think we have a nice team returning. Fifteen starters – six on offense and six on defense and three specialists. Ten scholarship seniors are available with a very, very deep junior class. I enjoyed the first three days of camp. We’re in good shape. It felt like guys really put it in during the summer time. They continue to improve in practice. Offensively, the quarterback, [Zach] Mettenberger seems like he’s getting better every day and continues to improve that chemistry. I think he’s really working with our receivers and I think that group is tightening it up. I like the addition of Rob Bolden. I feel like the guy has taken some snaps in some big time games. We’re still a ways away from knowing exactly what to call it and how to run it, but it’s coming and we enjoy him. I think Stephen Rivers also is competing extremely well behind Zach [Mettenberger], so it looks like our quarterback position is better.”

“Running backs -- I think is as competitive of a group of backs that I’ve been around with four running backs with seven or more touchdowns a year ago. We tied a school record with 35 rushing touchdowns and all the guys that were leaders at that position have returned. I like them all. [Spencer] Ware, [Michael] Ford, [Alfred] Blue, [Kenny] Hilliard, for that matter, Jeremy Hill. I think we’ll be talented there. I think we’ll do the right things there. Wide receivers – Odell Beckham is our leading receiver back and had a nice early fall. Russell Shepard I think is probably in as good of a position to compete and do things at receiver than he has been. Jarvis Landry is one of those guys that is going to play a lot of football and make us better. James Wright, Kadron Boone, all those guys. We have a real quality receiver group. I like the young receivers that we’ve got in this class, but that group is growing.”

“The offensive line is veteran. We’ve returned six players who started at least one game. I think La’El Collins will be a guy at the left guard who will give us some more snaps and some real competition there. [Josh] Dworaczyk getting a sixth year. I didn’t really know how valuable he’d be until I got here. He can play center, guard or tackle either side. So we’re much improved by depth and he figures to play a very key role. I think that group will be very physical and will understand what they’re supposed to do and give us the style of attack that we need to have. At tight end, Chase Clement returns seeing some significant action. But Nic Jacobs behind him is getting better and working hard and really emerging as a guy that we can really throw the ball to and can give us some real quality snaps there. I like Tyler Edwards, and Travis Dickson has had a very good early camp.”

“On the defensive side, John Chavis is as good as there is in the game. I enjoy the fact that we keep getting just a little bit better with the number of years that we’re consistent there. You’re looking at defenses that are ranked in the top five in four categories, it’s just that consistency that we need. I look forward to a very quality defensive line. Both Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery will be as good as there is. Guys behind them will be those men that really can go to the line of scrimmage and play with speed and play like our defensive ends. Bennie Logan currently wears number eighteen. That was a very significant direction. What happens is our past players kind of get together and pick a guy that they would like to represent that number. We go through the training staff and the equipment staff and everybody gets a vote. And Bennie Logan will be No. 18 just for being a leader and working hard and being a program guy. I think at linebacker that Kevin Minter, who’s so veteran and played so well through the end of last season, I think he’s just going to give us great play. I think Lamin Barrow, Tahj Jones, those guys in the perimeter and this young freshmen class at linebacker just keeps getting bigger and better. I think Lorenzo Phillips gained 20 pounds between his last game in high school and the scrimmage this year and looks really good. I wouldn’t be surprised [Tahj] Jones and Kwon Alexander will play very significant roles. I think our linebacking corps is better and will be much better as we go forward. The linebackers have improved with the freshman class and so has our secondary. I think we’re as good as we could be in the top four with Tyrann Mathieu and Tharold Simon. Tharold Simon, at 6-foot-4, he gets the balls that other guys don’t. And Tyrann Mathieu has as good of anticipation and quickness and ball skills as I’ve been around. And Eric Reid is just an outstanding guy and leader in the classroom and off the field and is really having a nice start. Craig Loston is a hard-hitting young guy who appears to be taking his experience and playing with it and that’s what we needed to see. I think the incoming freshmen in our secondary will be talented enough to give us quality backups and in some cases play a very key role in our secondary.”

“Special teams – Drew Alleman, who was 16-of-18 with field goals, was second in the nation at that spot. James Hairston was freshman All-SEC at kickoffs and continues to get bigger and stronger. And of course Brad Wing – tremendous leg and really starting to understand conceptually what we want from that spot as a punter. So they’ll be back and we’ll have Tyrann Mathieu as a return specialist.”

“The schedule – North Texas, Washington and Idaho are our opening three. We are challenged to prepare and our team is responding. The thing that we’ve done is we’ve taken the same tack that we took a year ago in the fact that we’re going to want to get our speed of execution to a very, very high level so we’ll be prepared to play our best in the back end of the season.”

“I think our players understand the culture in this room and what we expect – that they will get their degree, that they will compete in the classroom, compete on the field, and play for championships. I like where we’re at and I like the position that the program is in. I do recognize that we’re number one but I also recognize that we’re getting our guys degrees and doing the things that we’re supposed to do and I think our guys are looking forward to taking the field.”

On how he keeps all of the running backs happy considering how deep the position is…
“It’s a team event. Once you join this room they will contribute fully and we’ll use their skills to mesh with the other people in this room. And when we win, we all win. And victory is the first goal. I think our running backs understand that. I think they’re a group that has really come together around that philosophy and want to contribute.”

On Tyrann Mathieu being a full-time cornerback…
“It’s always the key – do you have a linebacker who could play even when you have these young freshmen linebackers that could play that spot a little bit more instinctively and let Tyrann [Mathieu] play corner, or do you move Tyrann [Mathieu] in there where you know the kind of play that he is capable of making and take one of these young corners and put him out there on the edge? One of the ways to go is leave Tyrann [Mathieu] out there at the corner and bring somebody else in. That’s really in the works, to find out who that best player is.”

On whether there is a change-of-pace quarterback or someone who can run the Wildcat…
“At this point in time, it’s so early in camp that I’m not ready to say that guy exists just yet. Certainly there’s a number of guys that would fit, but it’s going to take some time to develop.”

On how he wants to handle the four core running backs…
“Here’s how I want to get this to work: I’d like to start with two guys and keep a third guy fresh for late in the game. Those two guys will be able to do the lion’s share of the work and we’ll keep a really quality back to have fresh legs. So I’d like to start with two, but I could end up with four very comfortably.”

On Penn State transfer Rob Bolden…
“He’s tried to get comfortable in the system and I think he’s doing a really good job to be honest. I don’t know exactly where he fits. I think that’s something that’s going to come with time. But we’re optimistic that he can come in there and be a very competitive quarterback. When that will be, I’m not ready to say.”

On what he’s looking forward to the most…
“If you have to look at what I’m looking forward to, I think our team is looking forward to taking the field. I think there’s an aggressor there that really speaks to where we want to start this season. I think our guys have a little bit of an edge to them about how we play. I think we look forward to taking the field and playing games again.”

On being ranked No. 1 in the country…
“The good news is that we recognize the position. That’s something that we’ve grown accustomed to. We recognize that it’s just a spot. Everyone in the room recognizes it’s a compliment to what we’ve done in the past but not yet what we’ve done in the season. And eight to 10 weeks from now, it will be a little different and let’s see if we’ll be in the same spot.”