TCU Football: Spring Practice Notes, April 19

Offensive lineman Bless Harris and cornerback Avery Helm spoke with the media following practice No. 12.

TCU Football helmets / Brian McLean/KillerFrogs

Spring practice is quickly nearing an end for the TCU football team. The Horned Frogs wrapped up practice no. 12 Friday evening inside Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The offense and defense played a few series against each other, with each side showing off their strengths. The defense forced two turnovers while the offense scored a couple touchdowns and quarterback Hauss Hejny showed off his running ability.

Following the practice, offensive lineman Bless Harris and cornerback Avery Helm spoke with the media. Here’s what they had to say:

Bless Harris, Offensive Lineman, senior – Florida State transfer

Q: You came from Florida State. What was it about TCU that made you want to be here?

A: When I went to the portal, I was really looking for a place I could contribute and be a guy and go help a team. TCU has been that place.

Q: What do you think you can bring to the program after the season you guys had last year at Florida State (13-1 overall)?

A: Just a mentality like a mean, nasty, greedy offensive line, that's what you need. Go out there and win games and just bring the group around me closer.

Q: How's the adjustment been for you coming from Florida State to here, as far as scheme and coaches and things like that?

A: I’ve played a lot of ball. I'd been at Lamar University for four years, and ball is ball, really, honestly. So, it's just about going there, learning the scheme in a short amount of time and then going ahead and executing on the field.

Q: How's the chemistry with you guys? There's a lot of new faces other than yourself. You got Carson Bruno, Remington Strickland.

A: Honestly, I feel like we honestly just found ourselves. Like this last week's practices, we just been honing in and getting better.

Q: How much has this defensive line been challenging you guys?

A: D line has been getting it. They win a day, we win a day. So it's been kind of a good thing. A lot of camaraderie going on with that.

Q: Talk about the development of quarterback Hauss Hejny with Josh Hoover out right now. How have the quarterbacks grown during spring practice?

A: I think they're doing a real good job. Starting early on, it's kind of rocky. We really couldn't hear them with the cadence and stuff like that. But other than that, I think they did a really good job of speaking up and then communicating with the offensive line, what they need and what they want.

Q: Have you played left tackle your entire career?

A: Actually, I can swing, so I played left and right, but when I got to Florida State, I was primarily just the right tackle. Just last season I swung.

Q: How much different is it playing right tackle?

A: It's really not that much different. It's just about a feel thing that you're most comfortable at. So, for me, I'm more comfortable at left tackle, but I wouldn't mind going left or right.

Avery Helm, Cornerback, Senior

Q: What's the biggest difference in the defense this year compared to what you guys had last couple years?

A: The biggest difference, with a new coach, scheme is a part of it, for sure. We run a much more difficult scheme. So, I think it's gonna be good for us.

Q: Do you feel like you guys have adjusted well to this game given it's been twelve practices?

A: Most definitely, because (defensive coordinator Andy) Avalos did a good job with teaching us the scheme, helping us through the scheme. We just applying it every day in practice.

Q: What was kind of like your first impression of him, what type of relationship you got with him?

A: My first impression, I watched his tape and he runs an aggressive defense. And I like this, to help us as the back end and the front end, it helped them also. So, we both gonna win.

Q: What sort of mentality or, kind of approach does he bring?

A: Most definitely it's a get to the ball mentality. That's the first thing we talk about in meetings and that’s how we finish, get to the ball.

Q: How do you lead these guys each and every day?

A: I just put my best foot forward and lead by example.

Q: Did your role change much as a cornerback in this defense?

A: Oh, no, it's just, my position is lined up and the man in front of me not gonna catch the ball.

Cornerback Avery Helm versus Baylor / Brian McLean/KillerFrogs

Q: Who's been your favorite wide receiver to go against?

A: Savion (Williams) for sure. He’s a big body. That’s somebody I need to work against. The little fast, quick dudes, I handle them pretty easily, but, with a bigger body, bigger frame, that's somebody I like matching up with every day.

Q: Cornerback room looks a lot different this year, and it looks like it's bringing a lot of competition. Can you talk about the cornerback room a little bit and what those new guys bring?

A: I'm gonna say this, everybody we brought in for the cornerback room, all of us can play. There’s competition every day. Nothing’s guaranteed. It's competition. It's competition across the board.

Q: What are you seeing from a young guy like (sophomore cornerback) Vernon Glover? Seems like he’s starting to make plays for you guys.

A: Vernon’s been making plays for us but he's a very good young talent. He moved into the dime. He can play in the nickel, so he's showing a lot of versatility, and I love that for him.

Q: How much fun are you guys having in this defense where you're getting to be aggressive? It looks like you guys are flying to the ball. It looks like you guys are having fun.

A: Yeah. Like I said, we got to get to the ball mentality, and that's fun. We all just running around, just causing havoc. I watch my brothers make plays by me doing my job. They do their job, watch me make plays. We gotta all come together.

TCU has two more practices next week and will officially wrap up spring ball with the spring game on Saturday, April 27 at 2pm. Before the scrimmage, fans can catch live music from the Texases  - a classic country cover band, grab food, shop the “Markdown Madness” sidewalk sale at the team store on the east concourse and engage in a variety of family friendly activities, including face painting, balloon artists, air brush tattoos and carnival games as part of Frogapalooza.  

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