Penn State Football tight end Brenton Strange talks with the media during spring ball 2022 to recap the offseason, talk progress within the tight end position group and more.
FULL TRANSCRIPT FROM PRESSER.....
What were the biggest focuses this offseason for the TE group and how have things gone so far?
BS: "I mean after the Tampa game, we sat down and talked as a unit. We just talked about how everybody is going to have to contribute, I think we need everyone. That's been our biggest focus so far, whether that be me, Theo (Johnson) and Tyler (Warren) or bringing the young guys along. We are trying to get everyone right on the field, whether that be in the run game, pass game or whatever it is."
Parker (Washington) has been opening up more in practice and taking on that role as a leader, what have you seen so far from him this spring?
BS: "I think Parker is doing a great job, especially since we lost a couple of guys like Jahan (Dotson) and a couple of guys to the transfer portal. I think he is doing a great job of being a leader to those young guys and showing them how to do it. He is definitely a guy who does know about the process, how to get better and I think he's doing a great job on what he is doing."
What is something you picked up on last season that you are trying to perfect this spring?
BS: "Just trying to prepare for everything, I feel like I lacked in some areas in preparing. Whether that be for practice or for games, I'm approaching every day like a game. I'm just trying to come in every day, focus on one thing that I'm going to get better at. What I'm going to do to get better and I'm just working, approaching every day like a gameday."
What does approaching every day like a game actually look like for you?
BS: "What I mean by that is that every rep is a game like rep, I give all of my effort in every rep throughout practice. Not even just in practice, but meetings, learning about the plays and being a leader to all of the young guys. I'm obviously one of the older guys on the team now, so I don't need to just worry about myself now, I have to worry about the Jerry Cross' and some of these younger O-Linemen, just telling them what to do and being there for them."
How do you help young quarterbacks along?
BS: "I really don't get into the quarterback side too much, I think (Sean Clifford) Cliff does a great job of being a leader. But if I see something in a play or the defense is running a coverage a certain type of way and I know I'm going to be open, I tell whatever quarterback it is this is what happened, did you see this, how did you see this and is there anything I could've done better? It's more like that than anything else."
How have you guys looked as a run blocker so far this spring?
BS: "There has been a lot more explosive run plays then maybe last year in the spring, our offense is a lot farther along than it was last spring. Now having this offense for two years and having some veteran guys return on offense, we are doing a lot better than we were before."
Has one or two players stood out to you this spring practice, whether it be someone showing improvement or one of the new guys?
BS: "I mean I think some of the freshmen are doing a great job coming in and learning the playbook. I've been impressed with Kaden (Saunders), Omari (Evans) and Harrison Wallace is coming along, I think he is a great player and has a bright future."
Give us a little scouting report on Jerry (Cross) and Khalil (Dinkins).
BS: "Starting with Khalil, he's made tremendous strides from last year to this year and I can see it. From practice to practice, he's doing things that he might've messed up on previously and perfecting his craft. Then Jerry, I think he is a lot like me in certain ways, in Milwaukee the football isn't the best and in West Virginia the football is not the best, so coming in he kind of knew everything and how stuff was ran. I definitely think both of those guys have a great future and the tight end room is in great hands."
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