RUNNING BACKS COACH MAJOR APPLEWHITE
On the running backs: We've been working them in two groups, basically. Chris (Ogbonnaya) and Vondrell (McGee) and Fozzy (Whittaker) have been working with the ones and twos. We've been letting Tre (Newton) and Jeremy (Hills) get some reps with the younger guys since they haven't had the chance to go through a full install. Overall, right now we're not really worried about a depth chart with the guys. We're worried about the process and how to prepare and how to play each and every day. (The depth chart) will sort itself out in the end. The guys have been great. We've been trying to get as many young guys who didn't see snaps last year as many reps as we can.

On what he's seen from the running backs: They've all shown great things. They've made great explosives. They've done a great job. We've had two scrimmages now and we're taking care of the ball. We haven't had a turnover at our position. That's what we constantly preach to these guys, turnovers and explosives. They're taking care of the ball and they've created some explosives in the run game and the pass game. We're just going to continue to do the right things. Now we've got a little bit of a break, we'll see what our focus is like when we come back for practice eight.

On the understanding he wants the running backs to have: It's key to understand what the other 10 guys are doing. As a quarterback, you get a perspective and you understand offensive line protections, you understand the back's route, you understand the timing and spacing of the passing game. You teach those things as you go into it. When they have a flare route, I want them to know why they're running a flare route and what we're trying to get done with the spacing. I think that helps a guy accomplish his assignment. It gives him a little bit more sense of urgency for what he's got to do. He's an integral part of those 11. I want them to know not just what and how, but also why.

On finding strengths in each back: We've got a lot of backs that can make a lot of explosive plays. You don't replace a guy that runs 10.2 in the 100, you just don't do it. You miss that type of speed, but backs are all different. We've had backs that are 5-11, 240 like Ricky (Williams) that have gone over 1,000 (rushing yards). We've had guys like Hodges (Mitchell) that are 5-7, 180 that have gone over 1,000. Each back has its strengths. We've got to feature what those strengths are. We're doing a great job of that with what we're doing offensively and our backs are answering. We've just got to continue as a running back position to understand the process and the focus we need every day out there in spring ball, and then carry that out there to fall camp and offseason workouts.

QB COLT MCCOY
On the competition of spring practice: It's a lot of fun right now. The defense is really competing hard. They're coming after us. They're giving us a lot of good looks. When we're out of the pocket, they're going to thud us a little bit to make us take care of the ball. It's fun, it's competition and we're making each other better.

On the running backs: I thought the running backs did a tremendous job today. The three we've got going right now, Chris, Vondrell and Fozzy, they're all getting a lot of good looks and they're all making positive yards every time they touch the ball. That's a good thing for us as an offense, and we're staying ahead of the chains.

On running the option: I just want to do what Coach (Greg) Davis asks. We have a lot of checks, and when we can run option effectively and check out of a pass, when I see a good option play, I need to do that. Our backs can stretch the ball real wide. They run pretty good when they get outside the pocket, so it helps us offensively.

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