Spring Break
Hernandez To Switch To Receiver
Football
Patrick Parker
Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Sports
After weeks of contemplation with D.J. Hernandez, head coach Randy Edsall announced Tuesday that Hernandez would try out for the wide receiver position this spring and not quarterback.
This wasn't as sudden as many would think - Edsall and Hernandez met before spring practices began on March 13.
"I told D.J. at the time, what we have to do is we have to let it run its course a little bit," Edsall said. "Let's go through the first six practices and see where we stand after six."
Monday morning, Hernandez and Edsall sat down and decided to go through with the change.
"He came and expressed his feelings to me about what he thought his position was here on this team," Edsall said. "The biggest thing was he felt he wanted to contribute, whether it was at quarterback or the possibility of going to wide receiver." Edsall said.
Currently, Hernandez is auditioning for one of the wide receiver positions on the depth chart. If that doesn't work out this spring, he will sit at third on the quarterback depth chart.
"He's at wide receiver and I think it's the right move for him," Edsall said. "I think it's the right move for our football team, and he's a tremendous competitor and I thought he did some pretty good things out here today."
Hernandez is getting into the mindset of a wide receiver, according to his coach, and he has the bumps and scrapes to prove it after two practices.
"The thing that has impressed me more than anything is just how physical he's been in there and getting after it and blocking," Edsall said. "He's got to get better with each practice."
Last year Hernandez started six games at quarterback, with nine touchdowns.
Although Hernandez will play a different position, Edsall believes he has a lot of the natural abilities required to play wide receiver, especially with the physical aspects of blocking. Learning the assignments will be among the skills that he needs to tackle this spring.
This wasn't as sudden as many would think - Edsall and Hernandez met before spring practices began on March 13.
"I told D.J. at the time, what we have to do is we have to let it run its course a little bit," Edsall said. "Let's go through the first six practices and see where we stand after six."
Monday morning, Hernandez and Edsall sat down and decided to go through with the change.
"He came and expressed his feelings to me about what he thought his position was here on this team," Edsall said. "The biggest thing was he felt he wanted to contribute, whether it was at quarterback or the possibility of going to wide receiver." Edsall said.
Currently, Hernandez is auditioning for one of the wide receiver positions on the depth chart. If that doesn't work out this spring, he will sit at third on the quarterback depth chart.
"He's at wide receiver and I think it's the right move for him," Edsall said. "I think it's the right move for our football team, and he's a tremendous competitor and I thought he did some pretty good things out here today."
Hernandez is getting into the mindset of a wide receiver, according to his coach, and he has the bumps and scrapes to prove it after two practices.
"The thing that has impressed me more than anything is just how physical he's been in there and getting after it and blocking," Edsall said. "He's got to get better with each practice."
Last year Hernandez started six games at quarterback, with nine touchdowns.
Although Hernandez will play a different position, Edsall believes he has a lot of the natural abilities required to play wide receiver, especially with the physical aspects of blocking. Learning the assignments will be among the skills that he needs to tackle this spring.
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