Everything Offensive Coordinator Mike Bajakian Said About Week 1 of Fall Camp
On the handful of new faces for the Wildcats and their adjustment to Northwestern...
"Our guys could handle a lot of volume. So, despite the fact that we'll have seven new starters on offense, we haven't slowed on the freshman install and the guys are handling it really well. We get–especially during training camp–where we're different from Spring ball; in spring ball you practice every other day, you have some time to review things. Training camp is every day, bang, bang, bang. They're handling it well, you know, especially the young guys, they're coming along."
On plans for the offense and aggressiveness with the passing game...
"We have always placed a lot of importance in balance. I really think you have to be able to run the ball, you have to be able to throw the ball; you want to establish explosives in both the run game and the throw game. Those are critical to the success of any offense, so we will be aggressive in terms of pushing the ball downfield and getting our explosive pass plays. But again, we're always going to run the football, and it's gonna be balanced."
On the growth of transfer quarterback Ryan Hilinski...
"Just comfort in general, managing the line of scrimmage and processing information mentally, he's done a good job of that. You can tell now that he's been here, for half of spring ball, and was around the guys all summer and into training camp, it's becoming second nature for him and whether it be in the meeting rooms or on the field, his responses and his reactions are a lot more second nature."
On the new faces (namely, the quarterbacks) and how they are "blending in" with the team...
"They have to lead, quarterbacks always have to lead. That's just establishing relationships, particularly, yes, in the meeting room, on the football field, and in the weight room, but even outside of the building. And [with] our guys, we talk about it all the time; about things they can do to establish those relationships and take the extra effort to do so and all of our guys we've done a good job, Ryan included. Ryan probably gets has it a little more difficult than, let's say, some of the guys who've been around but again, those guys, they've been around the block, they know how to take care of that part of it."
On Clemson transfer quarterback Hunter Johnson and his comfort level with the Wildcats' offense...
"I can tell you from my perspective, similar to what I just said about Ryan. Hunter, now in year two, is much more proficient mentally, and obviously even physically, in what we're asking him to do mechanically. So he took big strides this offseason into spring ball, and has continued along the same path."
On coaching in the NFL, like Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, and how the offensive and defensive schemes compare to that of College Football...
"I think it's starting, whether it be college, you know, "college scheme" starting to infuse itself into the NFL football and vice versa, there's always a lot of carryover. And there's definitely a lot of aspects to it, but you know he, like all of us from a coordinator standpoint, are mending the scheme to the players."
On Kansas graduate transfer receiver Stephon Robinson Jr. and his potential role on the team...
"He's got good speed, he's explosive with the ball in his hands. I was curious how quickly he'd pick up the offense because he wasn't around obviously in the spring, you know, being on a quarter system we get some time in June, and he wasn't around until later. He's picked it up very quickly, probably a testament to the fact that he's played a lot of football, so that's good to see. He's bought into everything we're asking him to do outside of just learning the scheme, from an effort standpoint, from a technique standpoint. He wants to win. He's made that clear that's why he's here, and he's doing everything he can on his part to take care of that."
On what he expects out of the receivers in the upcoming season...
"When I talk about seven new starters, we've lost our four leading receivers from last year's team, so the message to those guys is, there needs to be a sense of urgency, and we need to grow up quickly. And they are, they work. I am so happy with our guys' mentality, with the way they work and how they approach things. We have great kids here, great guys; but, that's got to obviously translate into production and performance on the field, and that's coming along. Guys are getting more reps, they're getting more experience, and they're getting to that point where they're making plays too."
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Molly Keshin is a reporter/contributor for Wildcats Daily on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. She is a graduate student in the Northwestern University Medill School journalism program, specializing in Sports Media. Molly recently graduated from the University of Virginia, where she was a member of the softball team.