Mike Norvell Preseason Press Conference Highlights

VIDEO: Coach Norvell Press Conference

Opening Statement…
"I would like to start off and welcome everybody to the start of the 2018 football season. It is an exciting day, it's one that is definitely well anticipated. I don't know if I have ever been more excited about a team, a camp. The prospect of getting the chance to get on the field with this group of young men is one that is very special. With the work that has gone in during the summer, the offseason, all the recruiting and the new faces that are showing up, it is definitely a great time to be a Memphis Tiger.

Compliments to Coach (Josh) Storms and his staff. The work they put in with our football team this offseason and their preparation for the beginning of football camp is incredible. You see our guys, we are a bigger football team, we are a faster football team. The weight room numbers, the strength and the development that they have been able to accomplish is incredible.

You are seeing our staff come together throughout the offseason, with some new faces, some new ideas and a new energy. Everybody associated with our program is fired up to get on the field tomorrow. It is definitely a great day for Memphis Tiger football. We know we have a lot of work in front of us. We know that there will be plenty of challenges that are going to arise. But I know this football team is ready.

We have a young team that only has eight seniors on the roster but it's also an experienced team, returning 16 starters. Some guys we are getting back are Jackson Dillon and Sam Craft have started many games in their careers. We have also been able to add some new faces that will be here starting camp, Nigel Brannon is an offensive lineman from Oklahoma City and Corteze Love, a defensive lineman/outside linebacker from Memphis."

On the number of players on preseason watch lists…
"I think it's a wonderful testament to the young men that have put themselves in that position. To be recognized on a national scale for the top awards that this game has to offer individually, there is a lot of work and experience that puts you on that level. It is still just a watch list, you have to go out there and prove yourself that you belong at that level. TJ Carter is one of the young men that is being recognized, now people know exactly who he is and there is going to be target and there are going to be a lot of eyes watching everything that they do. So the expectation that they have and the responsibility is that much greater. It is a compliment to our program and it's a compliment to the personnel. It is also a great example to future Tigers as well to see that, 'I can put myself in a position at Memphis to be showcased and recognized at an elite level.'"

On Tony Pollard's development…
"Tony (Pollard) has a had a great first couple of years and he has made a dynamic impact in our return game. Last year you saw his role in our offense expand, I think he was our second-leading receiver and he will be our leading receiver returning into this year's football team. The thing that has been great for me has been his personal fundamental development. His freshman year he was kind of thrown into the fire when Sam Craft went down and he was forced into a lot of action and did a good job. Tony is such a versatile player and does so many things pretty good, but what we want to see in his progression is to become a master at all of those techniques and fundamentals. I think you will see him all over the field. He is definitely a known commodity in the return game so it will be interesting to see how people try to neutralize him. He had a phenomenal offseason and I couldn't be more proud of where he is at."

On having the spotlight with recent success…
"It's a great compliment that people are speaking highly of our program and people recognize the progression we have made here. On the same hand, we haven't done anything yet. Our path to success starts tomorrow with the first practice. We have to improve every day. We have to put in the work that's necessary to be successful. If you look back over the last couple years, there's been some great victories. Sometimes you forget about the challenges and how close those victories were. Sometimes we came up short and you realize how important some of those small little details are to continue to push to the next level."

On remaining hungry to end a season with a bowl win…
"That's something that pushes us every day – being the best versions of ourselves. If you look at last season and to have a really good year but come up a bit short, is that our driving factor to be successful? No. But we are going to learn from the experiences that we've had. This is a different football team. This is a new team. There are going to be new faces that have to emerge as the leaders. I mentioned the age that we have, but our guys are absolutely passionate about the opportunity. I use the example of Anthony Miller, who is no longer on the team, but he's playing tonight (in the NFL Hall of Fame Game). He's going to get his experience. When we came in here Day 1, Anthony was the fourth leading receiver on the previous team. He had to emerge as the go-to guy. We've got a football team now of 110 student-athletes that are stepping on campus today who all want more. All want a bigger role and a bigger responsibility. They have to earn it. We have to earn it as a team, and collectively, I feel great about where we are, but there is a lot of work to be done."

On the makeup of the roster…
"When you look back at different years and your experience as a head coach, years will set up like this one. I think that's why I have such an excitement coming into this camp because there are some question marks. There are some unknowns. It was very similar to my first year here and our first year as a staff. People didn't know fully what to expect. We have experienced players as you mentioned the eight guys on award watch lists, and I'm happy we have that, trust me. But on the flip side, who is going to be the go-to? Who is going to, when times are tough, step up and perform at the elite level? I love competition. There are some guys who started on our football team last year that are going to have a tough time keeping their position moving forward. We've recruited at a high level. Guys have worked relentlessly to put themselves in a good position, and that's what you want as a coach. I would lean to years like this because of some of the question marks that are out there."

On players to watch…
"There are a lot of guys who have grown. I hate pointing out too many individuals because of the overall growth of our team, but a guy that I think had an incredible summer was Tim Hart. To see what he has done with his body – he has totally bought in to being an all-around player. What he did with his nutrition and overall development has been pretty incredible to see and watch. There are a couple young guys like JJ Russell, another linebacker, that has really come on. Our defensive line, O'Bryan Goodson, John Tate, those guys really understand the expectation of what is needed from them. They have totally bought in to what we are trying to accomplish. I feel good about that group and it's going to be fun to watch."

On pros and cons of quarterback competitions…
"The good thing is that you see competition and the cream is going to rise to the top. If there was only one guy and nobody was there to push him or help elevate his game, I think there could be some real problems. What I like about the quarterback room is, there will only be one guy who steps on the field on any given play. They have to be able to work together. There has to be camaraderie to help each other grow while competing against each other. A lot of people ask me, 'When are you going to make a decision on a starting quarterback?' It's not necessarily in my hands. It's in these quarterbacks who are going to come out and compete every single day. The ones who were here in spring, I'm excited to see how far they have come since the end of April until what they are going to do on the practice field tomorrow. They are going to be judged in everything they go out and work to accomplish. They've had great summers, and I'm excited to see what they are going to show."

University of Memphis Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Sam Craft

Jackson Dillon

O'Bryan Goodson

Tim Hart

Corteze Love

Anthony Miller

Tony Pollard

JJ Russell

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