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ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 31 f "We think we do have some guys that have some elec- tricity to them. We really want to make it difficult for you to play man-to-man against us because last year, frankly, you could put 12 guys in the box and just lock us down on the outside and we didn't always fight back like we were capable of. This year, it's going to be harder to do that, we think, with our running game and with our wideouts." Gold and Black: The running game wasn't good last year. There are a lot of reasons for that, the line, the backs, the situations. Why will it be bet- ter? Shoop: "I think everybody's better. I think our coach- es are better, me included. I think our players are better. I think we've all been together. We've worked really, re- ally hard. I've been a part of teams that were down and then got good real fast at the highest level of football. I've been a part of getting programs right. And our guys are doing the work. It's invisible to some people, and that's all right. But our guys are doing the hard work necessary to give themselves a chance to win. We're go- ing to be tough to beat. I don't know what our record's going to be. I think these guys have some pride as well. These guys want to do well. That helps." Gold and Black: You've mentioned before about that "invisible" work that's being done. That's why your confidence is not shaken after 1-11? That's why you believe you're going in the right direction? Shoop: "Oh yeah. Dan Etling, I think, the last three games of the season, was a strong, strong quarterback. I think that the metamorphosis of Raheem this offseason and his confidence level and things like that, the de- meanor, we need to make sure that carries over to foot- ball. The intensity that our offensive line practiced with this spring. It was kind of a blessing that we had so few guys this spring because they developed a real tough- ness that, frankly, we didn't have last year. Anybody that missed a practice, they had to answer to the oth- er guys in that room because they were picking up the load. What we've done, I guess, is we've created some peer pressure, and there's peer pressure to do the right thing. To make sure you don't let down the guy next to you. It took awhile to get that, but I'll tell you what, I don't think there's a guy on that offense who wants to be the guy who's the reason a play didn't work." Gold and Black: You seem to have some nice op- tions at quarterback with Etling and Appleby. Are there a couple things you're looking for that will make the decision for you in camp? Shoop: "I've said it all along, the players make the decision, not the coaches. The No. 1 thing is going to be protecting the football. But both of these guys, I think, understand what we're trying to do, understand that we're starting to get better around them and they don't have to manufacture plays. You hit a check down, one of these guys, a guy like Danny Anthrop, might take it a long way. I think they're starting to understand that. We'll see. I think it'll be apparent as we get practicing. I think those things just kind of become clear." Gold and Black: Where are those guys from a standpoint of pre-snap stuff, like reading defenses and coverages, adjusting protections, having com- mand in the huddle, being able to audible to better plays? Shoop: "It's not uncommon to walk in the meeting room and the quarterbacks have the wideouts in there watching film or the tight ends or the quarterbacks and Kugs are in there talking protections. So it starts before (the snap). But at the line of scrimmage, I think they both are really getting comfortable in using different cadences and seeing how the cadence can be their ally. Doing some of the things, like I said, that might be in- visible to other people but, man, once they get it, it really helps them quarterback. In terms of setting protections, in terms of changing routes, in terms of changing runs, they know what to do, and for the most part, they do it. If there's ever a mistake made, we talk about it. We correct it. The mistakes they're making now are more of that's a new defense or here's a new look. Those are going to happen. Our bad plays just need to be checkdowns or in- completions. They're getting better at it. They work." j