Five Takeaways From Jeff Hafley's Tuesday VT Week Press Conference
On Tuesday, Jeff Hafley spoke with the media about the team's upcoming game against Virginia Tech. Here are some of the big takeaways from his comments.
1. He wants energy. As a follow up to his initial comments in his introductory press conference on bringing energy, Hafley talked about where it stands now. He mentioned that he can feel it walking around campus, that students stop and congratulate him and the team, and he really likes that. But he wishes he could see the students and fans at the game. He understands it can't happen for safety reason but said "I just wish they had that opportunity" .
2. CJ Lewis is growing as a player. Hafley talked about the development of one of his starting wide receivers, CJ Lewis. The junior has had a series of big catches this season, a year after missing most of 2019 due to injury. "He plays with a ton of energy. He’s probably grown as much as any player we have, and I think he’ll continue to get better." Lewis currently has seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown.
3. Hafley knows what kind of game changer Zay Flowers is. He recalled the moment when he first saw him explode out of his stance, knowing that Flowers could be a big deal for Frank Cignetti's offense. Over the first four games, Flowers has four touchdowns, and 405 receiving yards. "It's huge. Explosive [plays] change a game. That's what Zay and some of our other guys give us the ability to do. Eventually, that'll allow us to run the ball more effectively. Once we do that, we'll have teams right where we want them.
4. Stopping Khalil Herbert and the running attack is priority #1. In his opening statement, Hafley talked about the play of Kansas transfer Khalil Herbert. Last year against BC he ran the ball 11 times for 181 yards and a touchdown, and is averaging over 10 yards a carry in 2020 with his new team. "21 is an NFL player," Hafley explained. "He puts up video game numbers."
Hafley went on to explain how important it is to stop that rushing attack. "Our defense, the number one thing we talk about every week is stopping the run, because if we don't we have no chance. I think it's one of the best rushing attacks in the country. 300 rushing yards per game, that's crazy."
5. Hafley can deal with pass interference calls, not the mental penalties. The BC secondary was hit with a string of PI calls against Pitt. But Jeff Hafley is okay with those calls. He wants his players to be physical, and knows that is just part of the game. What he isn't okay with, are mental errors. "The ones I'm not okay with are the mental ones where we jump offside on a 4th & 8 or on a 3rd & 1." A perfect example would have been when Tate Haynes jumped offside on a 4th down. Instead of punting, Pitt converted the first down and scored a touchdown.
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