Daryl Dickey will be the first to tell you that there’s still a lot more questions than answers, but that’s to be expected with what limited time he’s had molding his new product.

The first-year University of West Georgia football coach will be wrapping up spring practice this weekend when the Wolves have a scrimmage Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on the Observatory Field, which is open to the public and free of charge.

And while Dickey and his staff have been awfully busy during the spring meet-and-greet session with the team, it’s quite obvious that the 15 days allotted for spring workouts is a mere microcosm of what lies ahead and the hard work still needed to be done.

“We haven’t answered many questions, but we’ve done a lot of teaching and a lot of coaching and a lot of them getting to know us and us getting to know them,” Dickey said. “You know, we’ve fortunately got 29 more practices before we have to play a game with one being Saturday and 28 in the fall, so we’ll need every bit of it to be prepared to play.”

As far as personnel goes, Dickey said there’s not one spot that is solidified right now and he and his staff are evaluating everything they see collectively as a whole.

“You know, we’re not looking for starters, we’re looking for guys who know how to work, know the game and can play the game and will compete,” Dickey said. “Guys who will be good listeners and are able to be coached. Those are the qualities that we’re looking for when we’re trying to instill and get to know people.”

Dickey, who inherits a team that finished 2-9 last season, including a 1-7 mark in the Gulf South Conference, noted that there are basically holes at every position as of now, beginning at quarterback.

The Wolves lost both Keats Baldwin and Ryan Poole to graduation and return a group short on experience with sophomores Sean Gray (Evans) and Chris Hirschfield (Woodstock) and redshirt freshman Kyle Padgett (Central-Carrollton) back, along with senior transfer Todd Faulkner. Gray was the only one to see legitimate playing time last season for the Wolves.

As for now, Dickey said they are merely “a pack of guys” battling for the position.

“Nobody’s really stood out, one way or the other,” he said.

The Wolves will be thin at offensive line this season, but should have more solid numbers on the defensive front.

“But, again, it’s a learning process and 15 days is just not a whole lot of time to evaluate,” Dickey said. “I wish we had more people up front, but we don’t. That’s what we’ve got and that’s what we’ll have to coach and get ready to play with.”

Players at the skilled positions are also adjusting to the change and Dickey said some days they look decent and others lost when trying to pick up the new schemes.

“But, for the most part, it looks like we’ll have a group of skilled players that can be competitive,” Dickey said. “Hopefully, you know, there’s six or seven guys that will end up being good football players before it’s all said and done with.”

As for the overall adjustment to a new staff, Dickey has been pleased with the reception he and his coaches have received, as well as the attitude during the spring practice session.

“Fifteen days isn’t a lot of time, especially when you’re introducing new schemes, both offensively and defensively, so these guys have had good attitudes and they’ve worked really hard for the most part and they want to learn, want to be taught,” he said. “They want to be coached and they want to win. That’s what the objective is, to win, so it’s not an easy process. It’s a long, hard road to get to where you can be competitive on a weekly basis and that’s where we’re headed.”

From a leadership standpoint, Dickey said there is more to be desired, however it is something he expects to come along.

“There’s been times when there’s been lulls out here in the spring,” Dickey said. “We’ve got a good senior group that’s coming back and we’re going to need them to step up and be better leaders than they have been in the spring, no question. But they’re learning, too, and they’re trying to learn and get a feel for us and what their role needs to be.”

The Wolves, who have been relatively injury-free this spring, will look to make a splash come Saturday and have a solid finish with the scrimmage.

“We’re looking for people that can make plays and people that are disciplined in their assignments, know what they’re doing and can apply what they’ve learned in 14 days out here,” Dickey said.