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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah receiver Kenneth Scott is not one to hide his emotions. If he's frustrated with his role on the team, he's not afraid to speak up, whether others want him to or not.
And that's exactly what Scott did Monday afternoon after his first practice of fall camp. Speaking about the difference with the upcoming season and that of last season, Scott said he was frustrated with the role the coaching staff hoped he would embrace.
"Last year, I'm not going to lie, I was kinda pissed off because they labeled me as a position receiver. It kinda pissed me off because I was like what the heck. Just because I was forced to run comeback routes the whole time doesn't mean I'm a possession receiver, that's just what the coach had me do," Scott said. "I'm probably the only receiver that's big enough and willing enough to go down the middle and try to catch a pass or on the sidelines and shield a defender or anything like that.
"Last year, we were just doing what we were told," he added. "We just tried to make the plays that were called and I think coach (Jim) Harding and coach (Aaron Roderick), they're going to do a great job this year. I love coach Rod. I grew up with him, he took care of me when I broke my ankle the first time. I love that dude to eternity, so I have total faith in what he's going to do on offense."
Under last season's offensive scheme, Scott said it was easy for anybody watching to know what he was going to run, which made it extremely difficult on the quarterbacks to get him the ball without the element of surprise.
"You guys knew what I was doing every play, so don't you think the people that are getting paid the big bucks know what I'm doing? It's pretty easy: I go to their sideline and they'd be like, 'oh watch out, he's running a comeback route.' I'm like, thanks."
Scott had a minimal roll with the offense last year and was clearly frustrated about it at the end of the season. Scott told media after practice last season he was sick of the rhetoric about the receivers not getting open or making plays.
"That's the most frustrating part about the media nowadays because these Jon Gruden analysts, supposedly, they want to act like they know it," Scott said, speaking about route structures. "And it's like you're only seeing the first development of it."
But Scott added clarity to his frustration saying the play-calling and offensive scheme put in place was not meant to utilize the players' strengths, but to fit the scheme then-offensive coordinator Dave Christensen wanted to run.
"There was no tension. I was just more than a possession receiver, you know. It's just a different offensive scheme and just trying to fit into that mold," he said. "Some coaches try to fit their scheme — they're not stubborn in a way — but they like what they want to do and they're not going to change it to complete their personnel. So this year is different."
Scott said this year's coaching staff, though, is "using the personnel way better. … It's more personnel type, he's fitting it to more of people's personalities and things like that. I think we're going to be doing real good."
While the offensive scheme last season was frustrating to Scott, he said he hopes quarterback Travis Wilson is free to be able to do what he does best and not keep him locked down under a system that restrains him
"I just know quarterbacks like to throw the ball, so if you give Travis enough time to throw the ball like 60 times a game like other schools, he'll be more happy," he said. "Basically, yeah, let him be Travis Wilson."
