Spring Practice Q&A No. 3 – Tight Ends/Inside Receivers
March 27, 2021 | Football
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Below is the third of 10 spring practice "Q&A" segments - today's edition features passing game coordinator/tight ends and inside receivers coach Latrell Scott, freshman tight end Shane Calhoun and sophomore inside receiver Tyler Snead.
LATRELL SCOTT
Q: How has the Norfolk State-to-ECU transition been for you?
A: I am very excited to be here, and it was a move I wanted to make. I am here because of Coach Houston, and because of the progress and potential of ECU. I am here to help on offense and the entire program.
Q: What attracted you to the East Carolina position and what are your early impressions?
A: The opportunity to get back to the FBS level. Obviously, the coaching staff and players make it a program that is trending upwards, and I am extremely excited to be here.
Q: What was the key to NSU's balanced offensive success in your last full season there?
A: Players got older, became more experienced and better. The kids were doing a tremendous job. We were able to up our point totals every year and hopefully I can come in and add some of that stuff to what we are doing here and make us more successful on offense.
Q: You took your first head coaching job at age 34 - what did you learn most that first season?
A: I had no idea what I was doing and I made a bunch of mistakes. I can say I was much better at 45, than 34. I had the opportunity to make those mistakes as a young coach, but it also kind of set me down the right path to be a head coach on two occasions after that."
Q: What are your biggest objectives and priorities to accomplish this spring in a completely new environment?
A: Obviously I want to get to know our players first so I can be what I need to be for them. I told them from day one that my job is to make their strengths stronger and their weakness stronger. I am here to make these guys better than they were when I got here.
Q: After a week of spring drills, what has stood out to you within your position group?
A: The attention to detail. They are a good group of guys with no issues or problems. They are football guys who are excited about what they are doing, and they have gotten better every day.
SHANE CALHOUN
Q: What did you learn most from your first year, starting as a true freshman?
A: The thing I learned starting my first year was the speed of the game and just taking on the little things. The little things are what separates you from being good and being great. So, I am just trying to focus on those from my first year to my second.
Q: What will be some of the things you want to focus on this spring from a personal development standpoint?
A: Personally, I want to focus on taking care of my body more so I can be fresher throughout the whole year. Also, just little things again, like using the right footwork, taking the right steps in my route and anything that will make me the best complete player I can be.
Q: If you had to explain what the tight end's role is in our offense, what would you say?
A: We kind of do a little bit of everything. We split out wide, we're in the slot and line up on the line.
Q: What are your early impressions of Coach Scott and how he will help elevate your skills?
A: He is definitely a player's coach and he knows what he is talking about. I am excited for the opportunity to work with him and see what we can both do throughout the season.
TYLER SNEAD
Q: You earned All-AAC honors as both a receiver and returner in 2020 - what do you enjoy most about each role?
A: On special teams I like that everyone is together, offensive and defensive players. It is a lot of fun when you get to play with both sides of the ball. For offense, it's just being around those guys - I really like that.
Q: What part(s) of your game do you feel you need to primarily focus on this spring to elevate yourself to an even higher level?
A: Probably speed and route running, getting in and out of breaks. I need to really focus on that.
Q: What advice can you give younger players who might be labeled as undersized who want to play Division I college football?
A: Just to keep working and keep going. Have that dog mentality and you will be good.
Q: What has been most rewarding to you on your ECU journey (from walk-on to scholarship to all-conference)?
A: Just the whole process, soaking it all in and keeping it going.
Q: Do you have certain team and personal goals in place already for 2021, and if so, what are those?
A: Team goals are that I want to go to a bowl game and obviously win the AAC championship. I haven't really thought of personal goals other than continuing to play at full speed and wanting to show everyone what I can do.
GENERAL PRACTICE NOTES (3/27/21)
The Pirates wrapped up their second week of spring work – and first in pads – by conducting their fifth practice inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Saturday morning … The two-hour session marked the first time East Carolina returned to Bagwell Field for full contact action as a complete unit since knocking off SMU 52-38 in last season's finale on Nov. 28, 2020 … The practice also included an officiating crew assigned by the American Athletic Conference to help ECU's preparation efforts for the first of three scrimmages set to begin next Saturday (April 3) and conclude with the Purple-Gold Game (April 17) ... RB Rahjai Harris, the 2020 AAC Rookie-of-the-Year, returned to the Pirates' backfield Saturday for the first time this spring after being sidelined for the first four workouts.
Below is the third of 10 spring practice "Q&A" segments - today's edition features passing game coordinator/tight ends and inside receivers coach Latrell Scott, freshman tight end Shane Calhoun and sophomore inside receiver Tyler Snead.
LATRELL SCOTT
Q: How has the Norfolk State-to-ECU transition been for you?
A: I am very excited to be here, and it was a move I wanted to make. I am here because of Coach Houston, and because of the progress and potential of ECU. I am here to help on offense and the entire program.
Q: What attracted you to the East Carolina position and what are your early impressions?
A: The opportunity to get back to the FBS level. Obviously, the coaching staff and players make it a program that is trending upwards, and I am extremely excited to be here.
Q: What was the key to NSU's balanced offensive success in your last full season there?
A: Players got older, became more experienced and better. The kids were doing a tremendous job. We were able to up our point totals every year and hopefully I can come in and add some of that stuff to what we are doing here and make us more successful on offense.
Q: You took your first head coaching job at age 34 - what did you learn most that first season?
A: I had no idea what I was doing and I made a bunch of mistakes. I can say I was much better at 45, than 34. I had the opportunity to make those mistakes as a young coach, but it also kind of set me down the right path to be a head coach on two occasions after that."
Q: What are your biggest objectives and priorities to accomplish this spring in a completely new environment?
A: Obviously I want to get to know our players first so I can be what I need to be for them. I told them from day one that my job is to make their strengths stronger and their weakness stronger. I am here to make these guys better than they were when I got here.
Q: After a week of spring drills, what has stood out to you within your position group?
A: The attention to detail. They are a good group of guys with no issues or problems. They are football guys who are excited about what they are doing, and they have gotten better every day.
SHANE CALHOUN
Q: What did you learn most from your first year, starting as a true freshman?
A: The thing I learned starting my first year was the speed of the game and just taking on the little things. The little things are what separates you from being good and being great. So, I am just trying to focus on those from my first year to my second.
Q: What will be some of the things you want to focus on this spring from a personal development standpoint?
A: Personally, I want to focus on taking care of my body more so I can be fresher throughout the whole year. Also, just little things again, like using the right footwork, taking the right steps in my route and anything that will make me the best complete player I can be.
Q: If you had to explain what the tight end's role is in our offense, what would you say?
A: We kind of do a little bit of everything. We split out wide, we're in the slot and line up on the line.
Q: What are your early impressions of Coach Scott and how he will help elevate your skills?
A: He is definitely a player's coach and he knows what he is talking about. I am excited for the opportunity to work with him and see what we can both do throughout the season.
TYLER SNEAD
Q: You earned All-AAC honors as both a receiver and returner in 2020 - what do you enjoy most about each role?
A: On special teams I like that everyone is together, offensive and defensive players. It is a lot of fun when you get to play with both sides of the ball. For offense, it's just being around those guys - I really like that.
Q: What part(s) of your game do you feel you need to primarily focus on this spring to elevate yourself to an even higher level?
A: Probably speed and route running, getting in and out of breaks. I need to really focus on that.
Q: What advice can you give younger players who might be labeled as undersized who want to play Division I college football?
A: Just to keep working and keep going. Have that dog mentality and you will be good.
Q: What has been most rewarding to you on your ECU journey (from walk-on to scholarship to all-conference)?
A: Just the whole process, soaking it all in and keeping it going.
Q: Do you have certain team and personal goals in place already for 2021, and if so, what are those?
A: Team goals are that I want to go to a bowl game and obviously win the AAC championship. I haven't really thought of personal goals other than continuing to play at full speed and wanting to show everyone what I can do.
The Pirates wrapped up their second week of spring work – and first in pads – by conducting their fifth practice inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Saturday morning … The two-hour session marked the first time East Carolina returned to Bagwell Field for full contact action as a complete unit since knocking off SMU 52-38 in last season's finale on Nov. 28, 2020 … The practice also included an officiating crew assigned by the American Athletic Conference to help ECU's preparation efforts for the first of three scrimmages set to begin next Saturday (April 3) and conclude with the Purple-Gold Game (April 17) ... RB Rahjai Harris, the 2020 AAC Rookie-of-the-Year, returned to the Pirates' backfield Saturday for the first time this spring after being sidelined for the first four workouts.
Players Mentioned
Saturday, April 18
Monday, April 13
Friday, April 10
Tuesday, April 07
