By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Over the weekend Baylor running backs coach Justin Johnson and senior Trestan Ebner met with the media to discuss how the position is coming through this spring..
Baylor RB coach Justin Johnson
(How are running backs coming along) They’re coming along good. Everybody’s doing a great of competing. We’ve got great competition there. Everybody’s approaching it the right way. A lot of stuff to still clean up but I think the approach has been right.
Great energy, great edge. Constantly working on cleaning up execution but everybody’s mental space to get there I think is in the right place.
(Did the experience the backs gained after injuries last year help) I think so. We always preach next man up mentality, so they’re always preparing as the starter. So a guy goes down, the next guy’s job is to be prepared to step into that role and be ready to roll. I think it did create some depth and it just kept guys on their toes to be prepared like they were the starter, and step into that role and perform the way they needed to.
(Coming into second year) Obviously when you get time somewhere you start getting a little more comfortable. We’re obviously blessed to have this spring to be able to install. Yeah I think that factors in. I think everybody’s comfortable and we’re all jelling and getting to know each other, we’re installing the offense. So anytime you can get around guys and just spend time, I think it always benefits you.
(What’s the biggest area you’ve seen growth in the running back room) I think just the approach and mentality. We want to be the most physical group on the field. We want to run with passion. We want to bring energy with everything we do. So you have to have the right approach when you’re doing that. So I think in the daily work they’re attacking it the right way. Just bringing that energy, bringing that edge, and playing physical. I think we’re playing with the right mentality. We’re getting there.
(What do you want to accomplish this spring) Making sure we’re reliable, everybody knows where to line up, knows what the assignment is, and the detail in how we’re going to execute the assignment. We just want a clean execution.
(Getting Ebner back) I think that was huge for the group, it was huge for the team. It was huge for him quite honestly. I think he made a great decision. I think he felt like he still has stuff out there to prove. Anytime you get a player like that willing to come back that’s a testament to Coach Aranda and the program with him just wanting to be around it. I think he understands that things are going in the right direction. so he's been approaching it the right way. We’re truly blessed to have him and the rest of the guys that are back as well to create some depth and competition.
(Ebner good fit for wide zone offense) His skill set fits this offense. He’s a slasher, he’s a stretch, wants to play on the edges. A big thing for him is he always wants to prove he can run the ball in between the tackles and be an every down back, a back that can run it in there on third and one if you need him to do so. That’s another element of his game he’s looking to improve and so he’s coming to approach it that way every day. But his skill set definitely does fit the wide zone.
(What are you seeing from the younger backs) Just the approach and how they’re coming to compete. So the energy they bring every day, I’m just making sure they understand the expectation. I think the older guys are doing a great job of setting the expectation for the group, and making sure they meet the standard.
(What’s it been like learning Coach Grimes’ offense) I think it’s truly been a blessing for me. It’s a different style than what I’ve been accustomed to, so I get to learn as well, great offense, multiple formations, so it’s truly been a blessing for me to learn it, and I think it’s going to benefit a lot of the skill sets of the backs we have. It creates wide lanes. I’m excited to see it in action. It just allows guys to play free and physical.
(Sqwirl Williams) He’s coming along like he’s supposed to come along.
(Qualan Jones playing late last year) Up until that point, Qualan hadn’t had a lot of reps. He hadn’t been asked to play a lot of football. He’s still a young guy, still kind of learning the position, understanding the power he possesses and the way he needs to run, not only with his demeanor but his approach every time he runs the ball, and what he can do to a defense. I think he’s approaching it with the right mentality with who he is and being that power back, a guy who can get you two hard yards. But Qualan also has the skill set to break a 40 04 50-yard run as well. He’s coming along as he needs to.
(Jonah White) Ever since I’ve been here, Jonah’s been a running back. So I don’t know any different. He came off an injury, so he was held back a little bit. But he’s rolling right now. He’s in there repping with the rest of the guys. He’s in the competition and he’s doing a great job just like the rest of them.
RB Trestan Ebner
(Decision to come back) I decided to come back, first, so I could get my degree. I felt like I should finish that. And last season just left a bad taste in my mouth, going 2-7. I feel like our class coming in had more to offer, we could leave Baylor on a better note And as far as the decision, I know I made the right decision, I feel great. I love Grimes, I love Aranda, Juice (Justin Johnson) had a big impact in me coming back. And I feel like I’ve been able to create more bonds.
(Good fit with the wide zone attack) Yes, I do, because it just allows me to make one cut and get up to the second level and just make my moves off the safety. So, I feel like it opens up holes, and I can just use my speed to make plays.
(Seeing from Qualan and some of the younger guys) I think it was great they got a little playing time last year. I think that was good for them. I can just see them guys coming to work every day and improving, pushing me, too, we push each other. And even Sqwirl, Sqwirl is still in his playbook. When we have questions, we can ask him, and he knows everything. So, I think everybody just comes with a “be-here” mindset, and they’re always locked-in and getting better
(Taye McWilliams a good fit for the offense) Yes, Taye is explosive, and he’s big and strong. Once he makes that one cut, he’s got a lot of strength behind him, so he can run through a lot of arm tackles and stuff like that. So, I’m really excited to see what he can do.
(Wanting to run between the tackles, do some work in the weight room) I’ve put in a lot of extra work in the weight room this year. I knew the areas I had to improve. We all know I could catch out of the backfield and whatever. I want to be an every-down back in the league, so I feel like I need to start making those improvements now. So, the weight room helped. And just at practice every day, just having it in my I’m going to make one cut and get downhill, it doesn’t matter if anyone’s in my way. And just work on pad level and stuff like that.
(Relationship and connection with the coaches, compared to last year) First, I would like to thank God that we were allowed to get a spring this year. It was unfortunate last year. But, I think that helped us, to talk to the coaches, to see the coaches way more. We were doing everything via Zoom last year. So now, we’re face-to-face. We get to work and interact with the coaches. So, I think that just helped us speed up the process of getting to know Coach Grimes and some of the new coaches that came in and even building our relationship with our own personal coaches that we had last year.
(Is that helping you make bigger strides this spring) Yes, because it’s always that you get to be around your teammates, you get to build that bond. You’ve got new guys coming in, you’ve got guys playing a new position or look to be in a leadership role. When you’re over Zoom, you can’t really build those bonds with guys. So now, we get to see each other, we get to train together and go through adversity together. So, I feel like all that just helps being in-person.
(Energy) I think it’s been great. You see the defense and offense competing Whoever makes a big play, we let each other know about it. So, that’s always fun when we can compete with each other. I just see guys at the same position pushing guys in front of them or behind them, and everybody’s just trying to get better. So, it’s a great sight to see.
(Same QB for four years, what’s that competition like) I love Charlie (Brewer), by the way. But, it’s great. I think it’s great, because you can see all the guys making big plays. I think it’s a really great competition. And I’m excited to see who comes out on top, because I see all the hard work they’ve all put in. But the best thing about it to me is I see them cheering for each other more than anybody. If Zeno makes a good play, Gerry or Blake or Kyron are cheering for him. So, I love to see that.
SicEmSports will continue its coverage of spring football all the way through the April 24 Green and Gold game.
Publisher
Over the weekend Baylor running backs coach Justin Johnson and senior Trestan Ebner met with the media to discuss how the position is coming through this spring..
Baylor RB coach Justin Johnson
(How are running backs coming along) They’re coming along good. Everybody’s doing a great of competing. We’ve got great competition there. Everybody’s approaching it the right way. A lot of stuff to still clean up but I think the approach has been right.
Great energy, great edge. Constantly working on cleaning up execution but everybody’s mental space to get there I think is in the right place.
(Did the experience the backs gained after injuries last year help) I think so. We always preach next man up mentality, so they’re always preparing as the starter. So a guy goes down, the next guy’s job is to be prepared to step into that role and be ready to roll. I think it did create some depth and it just kept guys on their toes to be prepared like they were the starter, and step into that role and perform the way they needed to.
(Coming into second year) Obviously when you get time somewhere you start getting a little more comfortable. We’re obviously blessed to have this spring to be able to install. Yeah I think that factors in. I think everybody’s comfortable and we’re all jelling and getting to know each other, we’re installing the offense. So anytime you can get around guys and just spend time, I think it always benefits you.
(What’s the biggest area you’ve seen growth in the running back room) I think just the approach and mentality. We want to be the most physical group on the field. We want to run with passion. We want to bring energy with everything we do. So you have to have the right approach when you’re doing that. So I think in the daily work they’re attacking it the right way. Just bringing that energy, bringing that edge, and playing physical. I think we’re playing with the right mentality. We’re getting there.
(What do you want to accomplish this spring) Making sure we’re reliable, everybody knows where to line up, knows what the assignment is, and the detail in how we’re going to execute the assignment. We just want a clean execution.
(Getting Ebner back) I think that was huge for the group, it was huge for the team. It was huge for him quite honestly. I think he made a great decision. I think he felt like he still has stuff out there to prove. Anytime you get a player like that willing to come back that’s a testament to Coach Aranda and the program with him just wanting to be around it. I think he understands that things are going in the right direction. so he's been approaching it the right way. We’re truly blessed to have him and the rest of the guys that are back as well to create some depth and competition.
(Ebner good fit for wide zone offense) His skill set fits this offense. He’s a slasher, he’s a stretch, wants to play on the edges. A big thing for him is he always wants to prove he can run the ball in between the tackles and be an every down back, a back that can run it in there on third and one if you need him to do so. That’s another element of his game he’s looking to improve and so he’s coming to approach it that way every day. But his skill set definitely does fit the wide zone.
(What are you seeing from the younger backs) Just the approach and how they’re coming to compete. So the energy they bring every day, I’m just making sure they understand the expectation. I think the older guys are doing a great job of setting the expectation for the group, and making sure they meet the standard.
(What’s it been like learning Coach Grimes’ offense) I think it’s truly been a blessing for me. It’s a different style than what I’ve been accustomed to, so I get to learn as well, great offense, multiple formations, so it’s truly been a blessing for me to learn it, and I think it’s going to benefit a lot of the skill sets of the backs we have. It creates wide lanes. I’m excited to see it in action. It just allows guys to play free and physical.
(Sqwirl Williams) He’s coming along like he’s supposed to come along.
(Qualan Jones playing late last year) Up until that point, Qualan hadn’t had a lot of reps. He hadn’t been asked to play a lot of football. He’s still a young guy, still kind of learning the position, understanding the power he possesses and the way he needs to run, not only with his demeanor but his approach every time he runs the ball, and what he can do to a defense. I think he’s approaching it with the right mentality with who he is and being that power back, a guy who can get you two hard yards. But Qualan also has the skill set to break a 40 04 50-yard run as well. He’s coming along as he needs to.
(Jonah White) Ever since I’ve been here, Jonah’s been a running back. So I don’t know any different. He came off an injury, so he was held back a little bit. But he’s rolling right now. He’s in there repping with the rest of the guys. He’s in the competition and he’s doing a great job just like the rest of them.
RB Trestan Ebner
(Decision to come back) I decided to come back, first, so I could get my degree. I felt like I should finish that. And last season just left a bad taste in my mouth, going 2-7. I feel like our class coming in had more to offer, we could leave Baylor on a better note And as far as the decision, I know I made the right decision, I feel great. I love Grimes, I love Aranda, Juice (Justin Johnson) had a big impact in me coming back. And I feel like I’ve been able to create more bonds.
(Good fit with the wide zone attack) Yes, I do, because it just allows me to make one cut and get up to the second level and just make my moves off the safety. So, I feel like it opens up holes, and I can just use my speed to make plays.
(Seeing from Qualan and some of the younger guys) I think it was great they got a little playing time last year. I think that was good for them. I can just see them guys coming to work every day and improving, pushing me, too, we push each other. And even Sqwirl, Sqwirl is still in his playbook. When we have questions, we can ask him, and he knows everything. So, I think everybody just comes with a “be-here” mindset, and they’re always locked-in and getting better
(Taye McWilliams a good fit for the offense) Yes, Taye is explosive, and he’s big and strong. Once he makes that one cut, he’s got a lot of strength behind him, so he can run through a lot of arm tackles and stuff like that. So, I’m really excited to see what he can do.
(Wanting to run between the tackles, do some work in the weight room) I’ve put in a lot of extra work in the weight room this year. I knew the areas I had to improve. We all know I could catch out of the backfield and whatever. I want to be an every-down back in the league, so I feel like I need to start making those improvements now. So, the weight room helped. And just at practice every day, just having it in my I’m going to make one cut and get downhill, it doesn’t matter if anyone’s in my way. And just work on pad level and stuff like that.
(Relationship and connection with the coaches, compared to last year) First, I would like to thank God that we were allowed to get a spring this year. It was unfortunate last year. But, I think that helped us, to talk to the coaches, to see the coaches way more. We were doing everything via Zoom last year. So now, we’re face-to-face. We get to work and interact with the coaches. So, I think that just helped us speed up the process of getting to know Coach Grimes and some of the new coaches that came in and even building our relationship with our own personal coaches that we had last year.
(Is that helping you make bigger strides this spring) Yes, because it’s always that you get to be around your teammates, you get to build that bond. You’ve got new guys coming in, you’ve got guys playing a new position or look to be in a leadership role. When you’re over Zoom, you can’t really build those bonds with guys. So now, we get to see each other, we get to train together and go through adversity together. So, I feel like all that just helps being in-person.
(Energy) I think it’s been great. You see the defense and offense competing Whoever makes a big play, we let each other know about it. So, that’s always fun when we can compete with each other. I just see guys at the same position pushing guys in front of them or behind them, and everybody’s just trying to get better. So, it’s a great sight to see.
(Same QB for four years, what’s that competition like) I love Charlie (Brewer), by the way. But, it’s great. I think it’s great, because you can see all the guys making big plays. I think it’s a really great competition. And I’m excited to see who comes out on top, because I see all the hard work they’ve all put in. But the best thing about it to me is I see them cheering for each other more than anybody. If Zeno makes a good play, Gerry or Blake or Kyron are cheering for him. So, I love to see that.
SicEmSports will continue its coverage of spring football all the way through the April 24 Green and Gold game.
