Northwestern University Athletics
Camp Kenosha: Day Seven
8/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 15, 2006
KENOSHA, Wis. -- On another beautiful day -- 75 degrees and sunny -- the Northwestern football team finished its first week of practice at `Camp Kenosha' with a two-hour, full-pads practice Tuesday. With one week in Wisconsin and 14 overall practices under their belt, the tempo and consistency in both the offense and defense is starting to show.
A big reason for the improvement on the offensive side of the ball is the offensive line. NUsports.com caught up with Kentucky native and offensive tackle Dylan Thiry after practice to get his thoughts on the offensive line and the offense as a whole.
Thiry started 11 of the Wildcats' 12 games at left tackle in 2005.
NUsports.com: The offensive line has been together for 14 practices so far this fall, how is the front line progressing?
Dylan Thiry: We're doing real well. Most of us played together last year, (Ryan) Keenan and Joe (Tripodi) started every game a year ago and Joel Belding (currently at right guard with the return of Trevor Rees at center) started a handful a games. All of us are working hard and I'm confident we will be where we need to be for the season opener.
NUsports.com: What kind of impact will the return of Trevor Rees have on the offensive line?
Dylan Thiry: Trevor just does his thing in the middle. He does a great job of calling out plays, leading us around and making sure we are all on the same page.
NUsports.com: Do you feel the offensive line is starting to come together more as a group?
Dylan Thiry: Definitely. Through film work with Coach Ingalls everyday and especially practice, we are getting more and more comfortable with one another everyday.
NUsports.com: Speaking of Coach (Bret) Ingalls, you've been with him for spring practice and now in Kenosha, how is it going?
Dylan Thiry: Coach Ingalls is a player's coach. He'll take the time in meetings to go over specific assignments individually to make sure we all have it down, but at the same time he expects the best from us. He is demanding, but he is demanding to all of us, he wants two-deep at every position to be able to step in and do the job. We are all accountable, no matter who is in.
NUsports.com: Noah Herron ran for over a 1,000 yards two years ago, and Tyrell Sutton had a tremendous freshman season last year, does the offensive line take pride in 1,000-yard rushers?
Dylan Thiry: Oh yes, most definitely. Our goal is to make sure whoever is running the ball has enough room to get the yards we need plus more. We strive to get out running backs 150-to-200 yards a game. Sometimes that happens, sometimes it doesn't, but we love to get down in the dirt and run the ball.
NUsports.com: What do you expect from the offense as a whole this season?
Dylan Thiry:: Big things. I know we lost a lot of experience at quarterback with Brett (Basanez) and Zach (Strief) at tackle, but Tyrell (Sutton) stepped up and gave us a potent ground game. I'm confident that whoever is under center is going to step in and make plays, especially with Sutton and Terrell Jordan behind us, and guys like Shaun Herbert and Kim Thompson split out wide.
NUsports.com: Everyone at Camp Kenosha raves about the food, in an eating contest between the offensive line and defensive line, who can eat more?
Dylan Thiry: O-line, no question.
