Head Coach Mario Cristobal addressed the media after the last day (No. 14) of spring practice and a day before the spring game.

He starts with an opening statement

"So that was our practice number fourteen which for us and we're practicing. We go. Now we do have to take off the pads because, by rule, you have to have three days where you don't have full pads or shells or what not but we're getting all situational work in and we've done enough to where we feel like we're prepared to have our game tomorrow. Our spring game, which is a scrimmage, offense versus defense. And it's live football you know, but today we worked on some other stuff that we're going to use and progress to in the summer and keep evolving within the summer. Again, having the spring is great, but so its two new coordinators, you need every rep you can get. So we took advantage of today and feel like we'll be able to put on a good performance tomorrow."

On Jalen Rivers and Francis Mauigoa potentially starting at the offensive tackle positions

"I think you know well enough we're not going to award positions and starting spots today. Those guys have performed really well and as an offensive line they've performed really well, and we are moving them around. They need to move around. They need to be versatile. I always use the example of Penei Sewell who played left tackle and was drafted sixth or seventh overall, and when he got to camp, they tapped him on the right shoulder and said you're moving to the right side. So it's our obligation to prepare our guys for all positions, and that's what we're doing and we're certainly not ready to award anyone a starting spot. Have they performed well, have they proven that they are guys that are going to definitely be contributors in the mix to start and potentially be starters? That without question, that is true. But just not ready to crown anybody to be that guy yet.

On the importance of establishing the culture of spring going into the rest of the year

"Well, it is critical. It really is. The habits that are formed and the culture that you work to create is just as important. The coaches go on the road in the coming weeks and they are going to be gone for a while. So they have to be great leaders, they have to force the issue of culture, they have to make sure that it is implemented in everything we do on a daily basis. That our workouts look like we're there. That their player-led practices look as if it's coaches running it. We have to continue to take steps as a program. This was a really good step with new coordinators in the building, with new coaches, and a lot of new players. But we have to continue taking steps. So yes critically important."

On if the spring game will be a snapshot of what the team has been typically doing all spring

"It will be a snapshot of some of the things. There's nobody in the country that's going to open up what you do. You would be foolish to do so. Will you see a lot of guys playing that need to play? Absolutely. You're going to see a lot of guys that just got here. You going to see uh...we're going to play football. We are. How exotic it will be? It depends. There's going to be some stuff that's a lot of fun and some other stuff, we're going to hold back. We're going to play football. We're not going to hold an open scrimmage and spring game and not go out there and play ball. Our fans deserve that you know. We're expecting good weather. We're hoping for good weather. It looks like it's clearing up. Don't jinx it. So don't say a word please. And then we want to make sure our fans a get a look at some of the guys and the work that they've been doing."

On differences that he hopes the fans see from last year's spring game to this year's

"Well, schematically we've made a couple of really drastic changes right? Significant changes I should say, more than drastic. Can you use all of that on a spring game? Not all of it. Will you see some of it? You will.

On junior safety Kamren Kinchen growing into a leadership role

"He's never stopped. For him it's a daily thing. A ton of pride that goes into it. I don't think it ever leaves him. I don't think he ever stops thinking about the team. How he can better. How the entire organization can get better. He's that kind of a guy. He asks for opportunities to get better. He asks for things that he can do to be a better leader. He approaches his teammates with confidence and he will confront and demand from that maybe aren't reaching or getting to that standard on a consistent basis. He's not afraid to do that. That's critical for us. If you don't hold everybody accountable, to a certain standard, the whole organization can suffer from that. So he's doing a good job."

On the format in which he'll run the spring game

"One versus ones. Twos and three will be more mixed up. There will be guys that are at the two position that deserve reps with the ones, and we will implement that as well. So you'll see a mixed bag, but it'll be even versus even. In other words, if you're on with the ones, you're going to be playing against ones. You're not going to have ones versus twos, I know that's a traditional format around the country. We just have a different philosophy, not right wrong indifferent. That's how we're going to do it. We're going to play good on good, we want to make sure we're getting our best versus our best."

On quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and if he'll be limited for the spring game

"No, he won't be. He continues to get better and better, more comfortable with the system. At the end of the day, he played I believe eight or nine games in '21, last year he was hurt so he played about five or six and with new coordinators in place, even though there are..there's always some type of carryover in football. It's new terminology, the scheme is new, the formations, the plays, all that stuff. But he's doing a good job. He does a really good job and every day he gets more and more comfortable and the supporting cast gets more and more comfortable. Tomorrow under the lights we want to press the issue a little bit about going out there and competing and making plays. We're not going to hold back in terms of that."

On the level of physicality with his team compared to last year

"It's obvious is the caliber of offensive linemen. In terms of gerth, size, power, explosiveness, we're certainly taking a step in the right direction. We've got a lot of work to do. Defensively we've got a lot of guys down upfront. So you think it would be tilted. You think it be something that is not fair enough. But credit to the defensive lineman and the defensive line coaches. They've done a good job of making it work with the pieces they have. We do have a significant amount of guys out on the defensive front again from pre-existing injuries as it relates to the '22 season, before the season, and a couple that had something during the season. Nothing major. They are all expected back within the next three weeks maybe four. So what you see is, we dedicate a lot of time to block destruction and one-on-ones and two-on-twos. We talk about a lot, seven-on-seven. We do a lot and have seen a good step. Have we seen progress? We have. Do we...are we there in terms of complete physicality and finish and toughness? We're not there yet. We have to use every single day between now and every day of the season to get to where we want to be."

On how the wide receivers are adjusting to the new offense

"We've seen some really really good days and some others where we've been really inconsistent. The most important thing you see is buy-in and you see effort. If you get that, you can live with the rest and work your way to getting a better performance. There have been days our performance is like man, that's what we need to start looking like on Saturdays. And then you see some inconsistencies. That needs to get cleaned up. I can tell you this, the group has a very good mentality and vibe to it. It's a combination of things. It's a combination of the system, it's a combination of a new receivers coach, it's a combination of that room buying-in and choosing to do things the right way. There is progress. There is improvement in that room and we're trending the right way, but we got to keep our foot on the gas and go."

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