Following the morning practice on day five of training camp kicker Connor Barth, running back Kapri Bibbs, center Matt Paradis, and safety Darian Stewart spoke to the media, elaborating on where they are aiming to improve, as well as their health as camp gets into high gear.
Here are the highlights…
Connor Barth: “All I did all offseason was work with my kicking coach up in Charlotte, (N.C.), Dan Orner, and he works with a bunch of guys kicking off in the league. It’s showing. We kicked off the 30 today, and I hit one out of the back from the 30, and the rest off of the 35. That’s what I’m trying to show. That’s something that’s kind of been a negative in my corner, so I am trying to show people that it’s more of a technique thing and really just working on it like have in my field goals. If I can get as consistent on my kickoffs as my field goals, then it shouldn’t be a problem. I’m finding that and I’m kicking off ten times better than I ever have. It is completely different. Hopefully I’ll carry that over to the games and it will show.”
Kapri Bibbs: “(I’m) just trying my best to be all around and (be) able to catch the ball out of the backfield. I know there are a lot of people who said I couldn’t catch. I just think that is absolute(ly) false, so I just go out proving to everybody that I can catch the ball. I want to be the best option that we have coming out of the backfield catching on the depth chart or roster.”
Matt Paradis: “Any new offense, it takes a while to learn the ins and outs of it. It’s been a fun ride so far. I’m enjoying camp so far. I can’t wait to get back on Thursday.”
Darian Stewart: “From first to third group, I think we have a good depth at cornerback—maybe the best in the league, actually.”
Barth: “Last year I was still coming off the injury, and to come back in fully health is awesome. I kind of see the first week as kind of getting your swing back in. I’m hitting the ball really well. I hit the ball really well today. Want you want to do, I kind of try to build, build and build as the preseason goes on. When I’m hitting the last preseason game, I’m at my top. (Aaron) Brewer and Britton (Colquitt) make it easy on me. It’s nice having them back. In the past, I haven’t had that fluidity in having the same snapper and holder, so it’s great having Britton and Brewer. They’re doing a great job. We can just jump right back into things from last year and it’s going well.”
Bibbs: “It’s real good to have those pads on because you have to able to get those hits in. You never know when you’re going to get those back. That just tells me that I have to lower my pads a little more next time that guy comes around me, regardless of if he was my teammate or not, and just be ready. It’s training camp… You just try to get in the ice tub and NormaTec and (get) massages every day—just to make your body feel like it is good even when you know it’s really nicked up. You just have to go out and just grind through it. That’s what training camp is all about. It’s a grind.”
Bryce Rudnick, a Mile High Sports intern and CU-Boulder student, contributed to this report