For the second day in a row, Coach Rodriguez wasn't too thrilled.

Opening comments
"I thought it was an average practice. I didn't think we got a whole lot better today as a team."

"We need to be a better team this year than last year, because the teams we play are going to be better. That means we've got to practice better. Today we didn't practice better."

"We did a lot of 3rd down stuff today... 3rd and 2, 3rd and 4, 3rd and 6, 3rd and 8, 3rd and 10, and 4th and 5. And then we also did a 2 minute drill."

Coach Rodriguez mentioned the team is in the phase of camp where every practice will feature situational stuff. Also, Saturday morning will be helmets only. Saturday afternoon will include another scrimmage, where coaches will have another chance to get some evaluations done.

The popular question... how's Pat?
"He did a little more today, but I don't know if he's going to practice tomorrow."

(referring to treatment) "It's just... let it rest, and be back good to go. It shouldn't be a lingering thing. I guess it's headlines because he's the quarterback. If it was a second team lineman, you wouldn't be asking the question."

Other recent, yet minor, injuries
"Brandon Myles didn't do much today, he's just kind of nursing his knee."

"Collington had a little bum ankle, so he did some today, but he didn't do anything with the team. Guys like that have got to get a lot of reps."

Still upset with intensity level?
"Yeah... a little bit of that. We're trying to be a little bit... faster, crisper in practice, and institute a few new things in that regard and it wasn't to my liking."

"They'll either run during our regular scheduled periods, or we'll create some running for them. And today, we created some running for them."

"We ran quite a few 40s and 20s and stuff. I don't know how many. I didn't really count."

Addressing some lack of depth
Earlier this week, Coach Rodriguez was quite satisified with the inclusion of Ed Collington to the mix of viable tailbacks. With Ed's minor ankle problem today, Coach Rodriguez seemed frustrated with a lack of depth in that position. Essentially, it meant they couldn't go as long as they would have liked to in today's scrimmage.

"We're going to address that issue, I promise you that. Every year something comes up at one position, it seems like you're lacking something with it."

"We will not be short on quarterbacks or running backs anymore."

Finally, finals
"We had a lot of guys miss yesterday afternoon. We had 12 guys that took a final today, and the final lasted a couple hours. But, from what I understand, they all did OK on it. So that was the good news. But, there's a lot of them that stayed up late last night studying."

Question... are they losing some bounce in their step?
"Well, they shouldn't. We haven't done a whole lot to take the bounce out. I mean, it's been easy compared to what old training camps used to be."

"I asked them to raise their hand at practice how many guys have been undefeated in college. None of them raised their hand. I was lucky... and a couple of coaches were lucky to be on one. The team I was on practiced in 115 degree weather, and we practiced every day like it was the last day they'd ever play."

"There were just moments where I just didn't like the intensity."

Sharing of knowledge
Most of the readers of this write-up probably know WVU hosted a slew of other college coaches this spring. In fact, I recently read that we had more visits than any other program. Someone asked if the team is almost at the stage of installing some adjustments and counters... basically the stuff learned during those visits.

"Not this week in camp, because we're going offense against defense. Our defense is different than everybody, and our offense is different than everybody."

Coach Rodriguez said they'd start next week looking at some of the answers they discovered in the sping, but they don't appear to be abundant. "You saw us last year, you'll see us this year."

Darn it... 30 is about my personal limit
"It's hard to kick field goals when you don't have any field goal kickers. If anybody is reading these papers and they can kick a 35 yard field goal and make an extra point, you'll be first team if you show up. Hell, if you can drop-kick one."

"Thank God we do have David Brewer who came in as a walk-on... because he's punting pretty good and he's the only guy kicking. David is here. The other guy is laying on a beach in California somewhere."

(referring to Brewer) "He's a punter, but he does a little bit of kicking too. So, he's helped us out in that regard."

Any Lorello wannabes? "Did you see Mike kick? The chances of him being in the game... check my pulse, because I was dead. Nah, we'd go for it."

Sense of humor
In my first week of interview sessions, today offered the most one-liners. So, the question was asked... how do you keep your sense of humor?

"You do that or put me in a white jacket with ties from behind. I've been doing this a few years. I know training camp is not always the most enjoyable time in your life... believe it or not. I love football, but I don't particularly like parts of training camp."

"And the players are really happy when it's over."

"Everybody in the country is going through this... every coach, every player and all that, so it's nothing... no Earth-shattering news here."