We don’t have a paper until Monday, when this thing is old news, literally. So I’m going to be putting up here the transcripts I’ve had with players this afternoon as I get them.
UPDATE 3:17 p.m.: Still trying to get in contact with players but I’m helping cover the OSAA boys basketball tournament at McArthur Court for another news organization, so I’ll be watching my phone for the people I have calls into.
First is Nate Costa, QB.
Nate Costa
Reaction?:
“Nothing overall reaction is not much of a reaction at all. It wasn‘t much of a surprise
to us players. It felt like this winter coach Kelly’s presence around us changed. I would say we’re pretty happy about it. We‘re prety sorry to see him go but we’re excited for new thing.”
How’d it happen?:
“We all got it today at 10 a.m. in a team meeting. Coach Bellotti went over some regular stuff over spring break and for spring football and it seemed like it would continue on to be the the head coach and toward the end he told us his plans. ”
Did Kelly or Bellotti tip you off at all?
“I didn’t get a sense from him I (Bellotti) too much. I kind of got a sense from Coach Kelly before the meeting. He made a comment to me that suggested something might happen. Coach Bellotti wasn’t very emotional really. I really didn’t get a sense from him just the way he was talking.”
Coach Kelly’s changes over the offseason:
“He’s always been the assertive person and he kind of brought it to another level this winter during workouts. I knew he’s been all over the country this winter not really to recruit kids but to improve himself but it was kind of a little signal that it was going to happen soon. I think his role with the team just the way it happened to us is one of the ways that sparked that idea in my mind that he’d be taking over pretty soon. ”
No other signs from Kelly today:
“That’s really all we got. He’s a pretty cool cat. He’s always been able to play his cards pretty cool. Nothing really changed with him at that bowl practice. Yeah he kept it under wraps pretty well. I wonder how far ahead he knew, or if he found out just like us. He kept a level head.”
Will Kelly call plays or hire a new offensive coordinator?
“I would expect him to hire someone new, but I don’t think much would change in the play calling realm.”
