Rutgers OC Kirk Ciarrocca talks Spring Practice: Press Conference

Rutgers Football began spring ball this week and on Friday afternoon, Rutgers Football Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach Kirk Ciarrocca spoke to the media for his spring football press conference opener.

Hear Ciarrocca’s complete comments to the media embedded in this article, or on live replay on the The Knight Report YouTube Channel. He spoke for roughly 15 minutes and addressed a range of questions, including the quarterback battle, some new faces on offense and much more.

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Full Kirk Ciarrocca Presser Transcript

I wanted to ask you about Dylan Lonergan. What made him the right fit here? What did you see in him that made you want to bring him to us?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “We looked at a lot of quarterbacks that were out there and I just thought his skill set was a good fit for our offense. I thought he had a lot of growth potential behind it and I liked him as a person.”

Where is AJ in his development right now?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “AJ’s had a really good winter. He’s a really hard worker, very conscientious young man, but he’s had a really good winter. Just like Dylan and Sean, he needs repetitions out there to learn and grow from. He needs those experiences that we need to have so we can put them away back in our memory and be able to draw on them as the season approaches.”

Kirk, what have been your first impressions of Xavier Stearn?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “He’s got a great work ethic. He’s super smart, tall, strong-armed guy. Really the same things I thought when we recruited him. The one thing I never do with the freshman quarterbacks is I just give them the spring to learn and no judgment. I know that this offense is very difficult for an inexperienced guy.

It becomes very easy as you gain these experiences and more and more things become instinctual to you in the offense. But at first it’s very difficult. So he’s done a great job so far.

Coach, how confident are you right now in the younger receivers filling the void left by Ian Strong and DT Sheffield?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “I think when Ian left, Coach and myself and Dave Brock had a conversation. We all felt very comfortable with the group. Very comfortable with where they would be by September.

That was the decision that we had to make. I’m very excited about that group. But at the same time, I know it’s a race against time. There’s a lot of things that we’ve got to become habits and instincts with those guys between now and September. Those guys, those younger guys, they had a couple of injuries last year where we would have liked to have gotten them some more game experience. Last year they would have gotten it.

I know there was a couple of games that are just thinking in my head that we were planning on playing them 10 to 15 snaps. Tuesday or Wednesday or something they got hurt. That would have made me feel a little bit better with it. I love their potential. I love their work ethic. I think they have the best receivers coach in college football.

That’s the proof to the pudding right there with what he’s done here in his three years with that position group. I’m very confident in that getting done.”

When would you like to have a resolution on the quarterback competition and how do you weigh Dylan’s college experience versus AJ being here for two years and having been able to learn your system?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “It’s going to be based on their performance out there on the practice field. Doing this as long as I have, it becomes apparent at some point. You certainly hope that it’s the case, that it becomes apparent. When that time comes, coach will sit down and talk about it and ultimately he’ll make that decision.

He’ll want my input but he’s going to make that decision with it. It’ll play itself out. I’m not in any hurry or anything like that. They both need a lot of experience right now. I’m hopeful that we can end spring ball with both of them in a good position that when we get to training camp, let’s go and see where we’re at. Who knows? Maybe it’ll play out differently. I don’t control that.”

How different do you expect the operation to be now with Damiere as assistant OC?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “I don’t see it as any different. He’s been an integral part of what we’ve done here.

He’s done a fantastic job for us. He has an unbelievable future in this profession. I feel blessed that he’s part of this team. As far as our process goes, there’s not going to be any changes. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve been a collaborative type of person. Everybody has their roles and different strengths and weaknesses and areas that we can lean on. I lean heavily on Coach Shaw.”

You’re reunited with Jim Turner, coaching the offensive line. In his time here so far, what have you seen from him as a coach and how the guys in that room have taken to him?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “It’s always nice when you’ve worked with somebody and you’re crystal clear with your vision for what it’s going to be like when they get here. It’s been a while since Coach Turner and I have been together, but it’s exactly as I envisioned it. One of his strengths has always been his ability to connect with the players. I see that happening right now. I see them starting to take on his personality. I’m really excited about where that group is going to go.”

How different do you see KJ Duff playing a role from a leadership standpoint coming into the season?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “Just seeing him right out, we started out in the wintertime in the weight room, taking on that leadership role, which was really good to see.

I’m sure Coach had talked to him about it. There’s no better person in teaching leadership than Coach. He meets with those guys, those key players on the team, and talks to them about leading. KJ is a natural leader. He’s taken that role on really well and done a great job so far.”

You guys don’t throw a lot of screen passes since you’ve been here. Is that a philosophical thing? Is that personnel? Why is that the case?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “You might see something this year. I’ve been known to surprise you every now and then, haven’t I? I’m not adverse to the screen passes in any way. Did you sneak in my office and look at my grease board? I did not.

One of the things I got written up there is screens that we’re investigating and looking at and just seeing how they fit. One of the cool things about spring ball for me is the constant development of the players, the incremental improvement every day. You don’t have any other concerns than that.

When spring ball is over, being able to take a look at what our pieces are and where do we have to expand, where do we have to contract with it, what do the new wrinkles need to be to take advantage of what our strengths and weaknesses are going to be from a personnel standpoint. I do think there’s merit to that question and I’m definitely pondering it and looking at it and thinking about it and wondering if we have the right people to invest in that.”

How important was it to bring in another running back knowing you already have Antwan and Ja’shon?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “I think that we felt like we needed to add some depth at that position in competition. I don’t think it was 100% certainty that we had to do that, but we thought Clay was the right fit from a skill standpoint and a work ethic standpoint. We’re excited to work with him and go with that. I never feel like you have enough running backs.

Unfortunately, I’ve had seasons where we’ve lost four guys and we’ve been down to the fifth guy with it and then had to move somebody from another position to be the backup in that. You never feel great about that running back position. You’re always looking to add depth and we found a guy that we thought we could. I love the way the kid’s been working so far.”

You have a history of using the tight ends and you lost Kenny and Colin last year. Who are you really filling in that role now because you guys don’t take anybody in the portal?

KIRK CIARROCCA: “Did you say I have a history of using the tight ends? Yeah, in Minnesota. I thought the guys were always asking me about why I haven’t been using the tight ends.

No, we feel really good about our group of guys that we have there and we’ll watch and see how they develop. Kenny had a certain skill set that we try to take advantage of and we’ll try to do the same thing with these guys. Again, evaluating where we think, what are their strengths, what are their weaknesses.

Let’s accentuate their strengths. Let’s try to limit their weaknesses and we’ll do the same thing with those guys. But right now, we’re just business as usual and we’ll worry about that at the end of the spring.

Thanks Coach. Thanks guys.”