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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State assistant head coach/cornerbacks coach Van Malone – along with linebackers coach Steve Stanard, defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo and defensive ends coach Buddy Wyatt – met with members of the media on Monday at the Vanier Family Football Complex. Links to video and audio of Malone’s press conference and breakout interviews with the defensive assistants are above, while a transcript of Malone’s opening statement is below.
VAN MALONE, ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/CORNERBACKS
Opening Statement…
“First of all, I want to thank you guys for all that you do. There are some places around the country that the relationship with the media is not positive, and it’s definitely not as good as it is here. We really appreciate you for what you do.
“I want to advise you that this message will kind of sound like a broken record, but actually, I know there’s only one person in this room that knows what a record player looks like. I’m not going to call any names, but his initials is, uh, Wyatt Thompson. But actually, yeah, maybe a few other guys do as well. So, I’m going to use young people’s terms, and I’m going to say this message will kind of sound more like a corrupted file. That’s kind of what you guys are used to.
“Every year there’s a ton of excitement for the season, especially this program with the expectations, but I think it’s important that we note that there’s a whole lot of people in our program behind the scenes that make it go. They really make it go. As coaches, yeah, we are on the field and we’re yelling and screaming from practice to the games, but there are people on our staff, people like Riley Galpin, who does a great job in recruiting; like Matt Greenwald, who works in athletic training; Bill Banks, of course, in academics over the years – our guys have performed exceptionally well in the classroom; Ellie Yuska in nutrition; and Isaac Lopez in the weight room with our strength staff. They do a great job. Yeah, the people who run those departments, they also get a lot of glory, but at 5:30 in the morning, these people are behind the scenes making this program go. So, I think it’s important that we always acknowledge the work that they do.
“Here this fall camp, I really, personally, have tried to pay close attention to what’s going on in the other parts of the team because I know, as I try to learn from Coach Klieman in this role, just having a more holistic view of our team. Of course, I know what’s going on with the cornerbacks. Of course, I know what’s going on in the secondary. Of course, I know what’s going on from a defensive standpoint, but this fall camp, I’ve really tried to make an effort to really see the team from a different vision.
“When I think about the offense, I don’t necessarily believe in monsters. If you saw a man walking down the street with like eight arms or saw a guy with like, 10 heads, right, I would classify him as a monster, and that’s when I watch our offense. That’s kind of what I see. You know what I mean? I see a lot of weapons, and I see our offensive staff using them very effectively. I don’t like watching it versus our defense, but I think I’m going to, just like you, be really excited about what we see in the season from our offense as a whole, especially from the skill players. But, the offensive linemen as I’ve kind of checked them out, and I have relationships with some of these guys. I try to hang around the offensive linemen as a cornerback coach more than any other offensive player. The guys that I’ve, honestly, on the football field watched, and seen them do some really good things or some common names, but Andrew Leingang, Hadley Panzer, Carver Willis and Taylor Poitier, those guys, again, they’re the mainstays in that offensive line, but this fall camp, I’ve really been impressed what I’ve seen from them.
“In the tight end room, from Will Swanson, I’ve been impressed with him. Garrett Oakley, I think, is going to do some big things for us in the tight end room, as well – both of those guys this season. The wide receivers, who every day I get an opportunity to experience the trash talking that they can give, but from an athletic standpoint, from a performance standpoint, it’s really been exciting to watch Keagan Johnson operate in a healthy mode. I’ve just been really impressed with what he’s done. I’ve been impressed with Tre Spivey and his size and his ability to be able to stretch the field. Dante Cephas, a new guy on our team, I’ve been impressed with what he’s done. Andre Davis, a younger guy who is a massive player, I’ve been impressed with his development and watching him be able to go out and perform. Then Sterling Lockett, who, of course, we know the name, but Sterling is continuing to emerge, continuing to develop in that room.
“At the running back position, I don’t have to say his whole name, you just say ‘DJ,’ and I’ve been impressed with his leadership, impressed with his abilities that he’s shown when he’s been on the field. That’s all I’m going to say about him. Joe Jackson, I’ve been impressed with what he’s done this fall camp, not only at running back, but what he’s done as a special teams player. He’s really developed, really improved over being just a little young kid running around. So, I’ve been impressed with him. Then, Dylan Edwards… that’s it. The guy can fly, and he’s done it over and over again. So, I’m excited about how our offense is going to be able to use him.
“Avery again, he’s another guy that you just pause and you don’t have to say anything. You just watch him. I’ve been impressed with Avery, of course, with what he does on the field, but been impressed with how he has taken ownership of the team, and how through the winter conditioning, through the summertime, especially in the fall camp, how he’s done a great job of being the leader of our whole team, and not just the offense. I’ve been impressed as well with Ta’Quan Roberson, a new guy on our team.
“When you switch to the defense, Brendan Mott, Jordan Allen, Tobi Osunsanmi and Damian Ilalio, those guys have been really impressive – and at times, even dominant – on the (defensive) line. Austin Moore, a mainstay – and I know every coach and every player who would come in here and talk about our team and the effective leadership that we have, they would mention Austin Moore’s name, and I want to make sure I do the same. Asa Newsom, I’ve been impressed with how he’s performed. Des (Desmond) Purnell, kind of like Austin, a guy who’s been around and played quite a bit of football for us, but he’s been consistent this fall. That’s been really cool to see. I’ve been impressed with a few emerging guys in the safety room. Of course, we have those names, but guys like Wesley Fair, Jack Fabris and Colby McCalister, those guys, in my eyes, had just really started to show themselves in fall camp, and it’s been impressive.
“In the cornerback room, Justice James, Donovan McIntosh, Jordan Dunbar, Kanijal Thomas, I put quite a bit of pressure on those guys in fall camp to step up to the plate, to find roles within that position group and on this team. I’ve been impressed and pleased with what they’ve done. We have a tenet that we go by in the cornerback room. We call it the four L’s – we love one another, we lower the boom, we’re lightning quick, and we’re long and lean. Now everybody can’t say they’re long and lean, but I think those other things, those other tenets, I’ve just been impressed in fall camp with what those guys have been able to show in those ways.
“Then as a specialist, Chris Tennant, man, I remember watching that kid walk in here as a very young player, and now I just see him operate with an incredible amount of confidence.
“As far as our team, where we are and how we develop here in this fall camp, I couldn’t be more impressed with where we are from an accountability, from a leadership standpoint, of young guys being directed by players on our team, by the leaders, by the older players on our team. We have a leadership council where we have a few guys that we select as leaders, but the leadership that I’m seeing is not just those guys on leadership council, not just those names of guys you would call captains of our team. There’s leadership all over the place. That, for what Coach Klieman – the head coach – has said, this is their team, and they’re really exhibiting that, not only in fall camp, but they’ve done it throughout the summer.”
