Regarding the defensive line:
Q: Is it disappointing that some of the older guys on the line haven't stepped up?
A: Sure. Yeah, we need them to. I don't think there's any question. Yeah, that's the challenge. When you get to that age, it's not just about lining up and being in the right position because it's very easy as a coach to be stuck in that cycle of `I know he's going to be lined up in the right place,' but hey, you got to make a play now. You got to move your feet, use your hands, get off a block and start to make some plays for us. Otherwise we'll play with a guy that may not line up right a couple of times a game but will go make plays. So I don't think there's any question about that.
I bolded the two thoughts that stick out to me. How many times in the last few years have we seen somebody in the right position to make the play and then just fail? (Granted, the last few years we've been lucky to see anybody lined up correctly in the first place, but you get my point.) This is the much-needed "next step" in the evolution of our football team, particularly on defense.
Another quote from the same interview on football intelligence:
Q: You've used the term "football intelligence" a lot. Is there any comparison to middle of August last year and middle of August this year in terms of where you're at?
A: There's absolutely none, zero. To hear the older guys now teach the younger guys those situations and just to hear those guys understand it, and also to get feedback. I got a text not too long ago from Lamar Miller saying `Thank you for teaching me the FBI (football intelligence) stuff.' That feels good because that's what they're going to learn at the next level, and that's what we're trying to prepare them for. There's still things we have to do a better job on. It's not just offense and defense, it's special teams. You think about the Georgia Tech play where our gunner is down there, he's got his feet in the end zone and we down the ball, but it's a touchback. I mean come on, we have to get better at those types of things ... They keep me up at night.
