Tracking Mack: March 29

Opening Statement:
"Our last day in pads today was good. You are always concerned about the last day because you never know how the guys will respond. We put in place the point system today at practice and the guys really enjoyed it. We had a great scrimmage at the end for about 45 minutes. They really got after each other had a lot of fun. We got a glimpse of what it will be like on Saturday and it will be our job to keep things competitive. At Thursday's practice we will come back out in shorts and look at some schemes for the fall. We will work our kicking game, get organized, and be ready for a great scrimmage."

On the new scoring system for Saturday's Spring Game:
"We tried to make it a lot more fair. We played with it last year and I think it is a good system. Basically, if an offensive player has an explosive run or pass, they will get points for it. If a defensive player gets a sack or a tackle for a loss, they will get points for it. They get points for turnovers as well. We feel like it is a very fair system and we think it will work out well. We will score it from the field."

On Senate Bill 1790 and a proposed tournament bracket:
"I would like to see at least an eight team tournament of some kind at the end. The basketball system solidifies any thought that you might have for any team that slipped in one game or had early injuries to come back and win it in the end. It is something I hope we continue to look at. I do not think anybody is talking about pulling out of the NCAA. The point is to look at it more closely and find a better solution for teams to compete and win it all in the end. The attempt is to take the human element out of it as has been done with instant replay. I think it is good, but I think we need to take a look at a team who might have slipped up and had a loss. That team should still be eligible for the running. Ohio State and Texas are two of the best football teams in the country, but someone will have to lose that game next year. Hopefully a playoff will, at some point, be feasible and can help fix that issue."

On the BCS:
"Neither Deloss Dodds, myself, President Faulkner, or The University of Texas has any interest in pulling out of what the NCAA is trying to do. The BCS is a better system than what we have previously had. It has some components that we all like to see so I don't think it would do any good to throw it all out. I think we should just build on what we have got."

On players who have impressed him this spring:
"Lyle Sendlein has played great at center. Neil Tweedie has had an outstanding spring at tight end. Chris Ogbonnaya and Ramonce Taylor have both done good things at tailback. Limas Sweed has come on and improved as a wide receiver as well as Myron Hardy. Defensively, Rashad Bobino has had a good spring, and Brian Orakpo has made some great plays at defensive end. Drew Kelson, Marcus Griffin, and Bobby Tatum have all played well in the secondary."

On Aaron Harris becoming a playmaker:
"Obviously Aaron is a different player than Derrick Johnson. DJ is one of the best linebackers to ever play. Aaron will have his chance to show his ability and earn his reputation next year before he leaves. I think he took a great step forward toward that in the Rose Bowl. He had a great game and we would like to see him play with that passion every week. He will be the middle leader of the defense."

On Michael Huff:
"He looks really good at cornerback. He just has a knack for breaking in on the ball for interceptions. We have all seen him do it at practice. He gives us a lot of flexibility and depth at both corner and safety. We always want to make sure we are covered."

On the new things the team has worked on this spring:
"We have really worked on play-action offensively to build on misdirection. Vince is throwing the ball so much better and more confidently. With that and his ability to run, we feel like we have got so much opportunity to get the ball deep to the wide receivers and tight ends on play-action. Defensively, we have worked mostly on new coverages and disguises."

On Jordan Shipley:
"Jordan will be a flanker in the fall. He has looked great on the deep ball this spring. He as still got just a little bit of a limp, but there is not doubt he will be 100 percent by the fall. We probably will not play him on Saturday night because it is a live scrimmage. He and Tully Janszen are still in green jerseys. They have both been able to do so much more than we thought this spring, but most likely we will make the decision to play them on Saturday. It is the last day, and they have four or five months to get well. It would be stupid to put them out there and risk anything."