Pete Thomas, Malik Cunningham Talk Spring Practice for Louisville
(Photo of Pete Thomas, Malik Cunningham: Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program is quickly progressing through spring practice, as they have already completed two weeks of their five-week 2021 spring ball schedule.
Following their practice session on Friday, quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas and quarterback Malik Cunningham took some time to meet with the media. They discussed the competition between Cunningham and Evan Conley, how they are planning to reduce turnovers, forming relationships with the receivers, and more.
Below is the transcript from their press conference as well as the videos:
Quarterbacks Coach Pete Thomas
(On what his first spring practice as quarterbacks coach has been like so far)
It's been great, it's been a lot of fun. The guys are great, great quarterback room. I feel like we're getting better, and having fun doing it. I don't think you can ask for anything more than that.
(On what he's seen so far this spring from Malik Cunningham and Evan Conley)
Well, first of all, they've been great. A lot of competition. They know the offense really well, and I think they're both getting better. Trying to work on different things with both of them, and they're working real hard. Doing a lot of extra things, doing a little couple things a little bit different. But overall, I'm seeing some improvement. They're making the plays that needed to be made.
(On the benefit of having been around the program for so long)
It's been huge. Obviously, I've been with Coach Satt for four years now, going on five years now, so I know how he teaches his offense. I know what he wants, and specifically here at Louisville the last two years, has really helped us building our relationship with Malik and Evan. I wasn't with the quarterbacks, but I was still with the offense, and had a pretty good relationship with him, and just kind of made it a seamless transition. It's been great for me and great for them, I'm just looking forward to continuing that relationship with him, really both on and off the field.
(On what's the next step for Malik)
Obviously, we know what Malik Cunningham can do with his feet, and when he's on the edge making plays. I think just the next step, is continuing to develop his footwork, which in turn is going to make him a better passer, and just continuing studying defenses. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of certain defenses so you can attack those weaknesses in the pass game. So that, combined with working on footwork, that is going to be really big for him continuing to develop as a passer.
(On the relationships Malik is forming with the new wide receivers)
I feel like it's been going really well. Obviously we're gonna miss Tutu and Dez, they were phenomenal players for us. But I think we got a lot of depth at the wideout position, I think we got probably six or seven guys that we feel really, really good about. They've been here for, some one year, some three or four years. So they have a great relationship with Malik and Evan. Yeah, they weren't the primary playmakers last year or the last two years, but I think we'll see a lot of those guys step up.
(On if Malik & Evan are more comfortable now than they were in 2019)
Yes, 100%. I think they're a lot more comfortable. Obviously, 2019 was kind of crazy with our quarterback depth, with Puma going down, and we'd play certain games with only one quarterback. And it was our first year, so they were still learning a lot. This is year three in the program, they both know the ins and outs of the offense, what Coach Satterfield expecting, what we're expecting out of them, really just had to take command of the offense. I think that really helps. Obviously, we only have two scholarship quarterbacks right now, but Tyler Jensen, the walk on from California, he's been great as well. Then we also got Shai Werts who started a lot of games at quarterback for Georgia Southern. Kind of as an emergency guy, but yeah, Malik and Evan are definitely the leaders, and very, very comfortable in the position they're in right now.
(On if he's had a chance to work with Shai Werts)
He's been mostly with the receiver room, and he's been great at that. He's picking it up really, really, really well. He's made a lot of plays for us this spring. With some of the stuff we do on offense, we can easily throw him in there. He's been running that for four straight years, so he'd be fine with that as well.
(On recruiting top quarterback prospect considering the thin depth of the QB room)
It's an enticing situation for any recruit. But again, wherever you go as a quarterback, you're gonna have to compete. So, just the fact that we only have two scholarship quarterbacks right now - we got TJ Lewis coming in, Tyler Jensen's a great player as well, we have Nate McElroy from Trinity, so there's gonna be a lot of competition here for whoever comes in.
(On what he thinks about TJ Lewis)
Well first of all, he's a dynamic athlete, and he fits with what we want out of the quarterback position. We want someone that can run it and throw it, and his sure can't run it. He has some tools you can work with at the quarterback position, obviously, which is why we signed him. So I'm really, really looking forward to getting him here this summer and working with him, and hopefully developing him as a passer. But yeah, I think he has a lot of tools that you can work with, and he can be pretty successful in this offense.
(On how Evan Conley pushes Malik Cunningham)
Well, first of all, Evan Conley is an awesome kid. He's a phenomenal leader, one of the best leaders we got on the team. He does everything you want out of a leader, and especially out of a quarterback. He's pushing Malik every single day. It's a great competition between the two. They have a great relationship. They're both great leaders for us, and Evan Conley does everything you want. He's a great quarterback, as you saw in 2019. He made some great plays in some big time games and crucial situations. So we feel great about Evan with where he's at, and he's gonna keep pushing Malik to be the best quarterback he can be.
(On how much he mentions turnovers to Malik)
It's something we're emphasizing not just with Malik, but as a program as a whole. Obviously, that was a big, big downfall for us last year, was we turned the ball over. Everybody knows it. Coaches know it, the players know it the fans know it. But I'm a firm believer of not saying, 'hey don't do this, we need to focus on doing this to prevent that'. So we're not hammering, 'hey, you can't throw interceptions' or 'you can't fumble the ball'. It's more of working on things to not let that happen.
(On what an example is of something they work on to not let those moments happen)
We just work on moving in the pocket, right? Moving in the pocket - two hands on the ball, hitting the ball with different punching bags or pool noodles - two hands on the ball. Then when you do get out of pocket, high and tight, high and tight, so there's no loose balls, no throwing the ball at the end of the play. He's got to bring the ball back to the huddle.
(On having his own coaching room)
Honestly, it's been a dream come true. I love it, it's been great, just building an even better relationship with the quarterbacks has been awesome. Dove straight into recruiting, and staying very busy. Bbut I love it, and I wouldn't want be anywhere else right now.
(On adjusting to full time recruiting)
It's obviously been a lot different than the last couple years. I was recruiting kids, and also just assisting Coach Ledford, different coaches. But obviously, being the quarterback coach, you have more responsibility. You're the main recruiter for all the quarterbacks. So it's definitely a big change, but it's a change that I feel like I was ready for.
Quarterback Malik Cunningham
(On adjusting to a spring practice with a new quarterbacks coach)
It's been really good to get back out there with the guys. We've been running around, flying around, defense has been looking good. We got a lot of new faces on the offensive side, especially at receiver. Coach Pete, it's good to have him as a quarterback coach. He's playing quarterback, so he knows a lot. This relationship that we've had before this year has been good, and that's a good add to the room
(On the relationship with the receivers taking a step up)
It's actually a good relationship, considering the guys that are playing now. Some of the guys that I came in with as a freshman, it's been good. Off the field, we've been able to gel together, hang out, not just throwing rocks and stuff. Just bonding back at the dorm and stuff like that. It's been good getting in with those guys.
(On the on-field relationships)
The first couple of practices were a little off, but that just goes with the timing. We've been picking up the last couple of days. Today was a good day, as well.
(On his learning curve with the staff since they arrived in 2019)
I feel like I've learned a lot. Not just off the field, but on the field. Knowing where to go with the ball, better understanding of the offense, and knowing when nothing downfield is open. I got running backs I can check it down too, and that's a bit of what I've been harping on, been working on a lot this spring, is checking down to the running backs. Every time I've checked it down to the running back, he's almost got a first down.
(On if everything has slowed down for him)
Yeah, everything has slowed down for me actually. Like I said, just knowing the offense, the ends and outs, and we've been tweaking some of the little things with some of the plays. Just knowing if the defense gives me this coverage, I know what I got on the backside. If anybody drops back, or drops eight in the defense, I got a running back to check it down to.
(On what he wants to focus on this year)
Just limiting the turnovers. I've been waking up every day telling myself I can't turn the ball over. I can't go out there scared, and play not to turn the ball over, that's how turnovers happen. But just not force anything, just trust in my O-line and receivers that they're going to be where I needed to be. It's my job to deliver on the ball, and that's what I've been doing up to this point.
(On how to fix turnovers without thinking about it too much)
Just patience and persistence, and accuracy as well. If the defense is giving me a certain look - like every play is not going to be a home run play. So it's good to find the next man open, and I just don't want receiver thinking he's going to get open when he's not. Just finding the running back. The running back's going to be my best friend.
(On how nice it is to have all the retuning offensive linemen)
It's good to have the O-line that I've been with for the last three years, having those guys back. They know the system. With a new coach coming in, they've been gelling good with him.
(On receivers who has stood out so far)
I'll say Justin (Marshall), Braden (Smith), JJ (Josh Johnson), Shai (Werts) Tyler Harrell he's been good too. Some of the young guys like Ahmari (Huggins-Bruce), Meechie (Demetrius Cannon), a lot of those guys stood out to me. It's just a matter of time that they'll get the chance to shine, and we'll see
(On seeing Josh Johnson come back from injury)
It's been good to see JJ get back out there. JJ and Justin, those guys I came in with since day one. For those guys to actually get a chance to show they got this spring, it's been good to see them out there. I've been loving to throw those guys the ball. We've been waiting on this time for a long time.
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