Assistant Victor Cabral's intensity is felt on the field by his players
The addition of Victor Cabral as WVU's outside linebackers coach this offseason brought an emphasis on pass rush abilities. It also brought a new type of intensity which Cabral brings on the practice field.
From 2000-2004, Cabral played defensive line at Georgia Southern. 20 years later he occasionally puts the shoulder pads back on to help bring a different type of intensity to his group.
"We make a lot of sound effects, there’s no doubt about it. We try to compare ourselves to the tennis players of the world, when they serve they try to really get after it," Cabral said.
Cabral jokingly said he's constantly in sleeves when in public because of the occasional beating he takes from his players during practice.
"Those guys give everything they got every day and it’s a lot of fun to be working with those guys and sometimes I get in there mix it up with them too. I got some bruises, that’s why I wear long sleeves because I got to cover up the bruises nowadays. But it’s a fun time and they exert all effort. You can’t practice in slow motion, especially at that position, really any position on the field. It’s a good time. They got a lot of personality and they’re giving tremendous which is what we’re looking for," Cabral said.
Part of the reason for the intensity is due to the physical nature of this fall camp for the Mountaineers due to the tough stretch they have out the gate to start the season. Another reason for Cabral's group specifically is the one thing they are trying to do, you can't simulate in practice — hitting the quarterback.
"Those guys, I like them celebrating a little bit after positive plays. I want them to show personality, I want them being loose and having fun. It’s the greatest game ever and they get to play it at the greatest place in the country, they have a lot to be happy about and a lot to play for. We got to stay away from the quarterbacks obviously there’s no doubt about it. That’s why I take some of the beatings on that and my assistant, we take some beatings on that because someone’s got to replicate the quarterback," Cabral said.
Not only is Cabral replicating the quarterback but from a coaching perspective he's trying to be able to properly critique and teach, something he can better do when feeling the thud of a hit.
"We can’t be telling all the dang secrets in the room but I like getting some pads on with them because I want to feel them and criticize or critique. If I’m not feeling it, Wyatt (Milum's) not going to feel it. They got to bring it. Sometimes they go a little overboard and knock me off and I complain to them about my insurance and my coverage that I don’t receive," Cabral said. "But we have a good time and I think that’s part of it. You have to have brute force at every position and you have to be a guy that can set the edge and probably go against the best offensive lineman of any offense in the country. I try to be hands-on with those guys and I always tell them, I’m not going to make them do anything I haven’t done or willing to do with them. We get after it."
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