Petrino: I think this was a really good week for us, and the week started on Saturday. We got into some game situation prep. It was fun to see our players react to it. It was really good for that, how you practice, how you prepare for it.
Petrino: It's different from then. With the portal being open, you got to do it much quicker. I feel good about the guys installing our offense in the spring. I think they learned it in the summer, and I've felt good about it in the fall. We're certainly not where we want to be right now, but we continue to improve. Players are extremely hard working.
Petrino: I think when we first started out, the thing that shocked me the most was the (offensive line) with running the ball and protecting the quarterback. Now, I feel like our offensive line is working together and starting to see what we saw at the end of spring ball, if not past where we were.
Petrino, on emotions coaching again: Gosh, I wish I could think about it. But, Coach has been grinding us man. We're here early in the morning, here late at night. But I'm looking forward to it.
Petrino said Taylen Green has been really coachable and has improved a lot since arriving on campus. Said sometimes he reverts to old habits but he’s working hard.
Petrino, on Taylen Green: Really excited about how coachable he's been and how much improvement he's made. He's setting the way I want, I really like how coachable he is. I think this week, he's been as good as he's been. He can really throw down the field, but he can make the medium range throws to move the sticks.
Petrino said Patrick Kutas is back doing some work after his injury. He said if Kutas can’t play, he’s really confident in E’Marion Harris at left guard.
Petrino said playing FCS games are a necessity for the small schools’ athletic budgets, but he did say he’d rather big teams play big teams and just help out the small schools financially.
Petrino said Andreas Paaske has had a really good camp. Has learned how to be more competitive. Can run block and catch the ball really well. Said he’s really improved running after the catch, too.
Petrino said he feels good about the team’s conditioning. Depth comes into play early in the season with hot and humid games, and he feels good about where they’re at.
Petrino said he’s still learning the in-helmet comms. Said it was a headache early on learning the system. They need to prepare for when, not if, the communication goes out.