[Barron/Upchurch/MGoBlog]
Ty, can you talk about how well blocked that touchdown was that you had, and how good it feels to contribute after transferring and waiting to have moments like this?
Ty Isaac: “I mean, it went like it did in practice for the most part. Everybody got their assignments, did their jobs, and it opened up.
“As far as contributing, obviously it feels good. I’ve been here for a year without playing, doing a lot of practice squad stuff. I know that stuff helps the team, but it feels a lot better when you can put it on the scoreboard and help your team win.”
With De’Veon struggling to get going, with the run game struggling to get going, how critical is it for you guys to be able to bring someone else in and kind of change things up for the offense?
TI: “I think that’s the nice part about just us having such a deep running back room. If one guy’s not going somebody else in the room is going to be able to go. So, maybe it’s not De’Veon, it’s not me; you have Drake [Johnson], Derrick [Green], Ross Taylor-Douglas. I mean, there’s a lot of guys in there that do a good job.”
Can you talk about the performance- offense, defense, whatever it is- regarding first half versus second half? You guys came out well, put some points on the board, and it seemed overall a little more of a struggle in the second half. Was there something missing in your regard?
TI: “Missing? I don’t know. I mean, I’m sure they were in their locker room making adjustments so we didn’t do the same thing we did to them in the first half but I feel overall the defense played well. Obviously it wasn’t a perfect game, but we’ll go back, look at it, clean it up, [and] next game try to do a lot better both halves.”
[After THE JUMP: “I think the identity we’re establishing is that we’re going to hit you in the mouth, regardless of who you are.”]
Can you talk about the patience you needed to have on that run? It looks like you had to be patient. Talk about some of the key blocks that you got. I don’t know if it was brother Graham who threw one or two blocks, but…
TI: “Yeah, that’s within the design of the play. You just kind of have to be patient yourself and then obviously you’ve got Graham pulling. Just making cuts off him and seeing where everybody else’s blocks were. Obviously that’s one of those plays where you can’t really run it too fast or you’re going to outrun your blocks, so I just had to take my time and let the blocks develop and set up.”
Ryan, as well as the defense played is it still disappointing to give up the drive for a touchdown there at the end?
Ryan Glasgow: “You know, defense played pretty good but we shouldn’t have given up any points. There was some sloppy play out there toward the end of the game, and sprinkled through the first half there were some sloppy plays. But the encouraging thing is I think when we do clean it up the defense if just going to be real good the rest of the season.”
Ty, what was the toughest part for you sitting out all of last year?
TI: “Probably just not being able to play. I mean, I’ve never had to do that before. I feel like I got better in that season, so that was something I could take away from it, but more than anything just not being able to play [and] contribute.”
Ryan, you were saying it’s a little disappointing. Was there a point there in the third quarter- seemed like some struggles were encountered by the offense. The energy sagged a little bit in the game. How hard is it to play through that, or did that impact maybe them getting a couple big plays on your guys defensively?
RG: “I think the big plays were just us not being completely focused with our job. Not enough pass rush from the D-line I know, for sure. But I think the big plays were just a lack of focus and not the energy that the offense has but just a lack of focus on the defense’s part.”
After three games with coach Harbaugh here, has there been a message he’s been preaching to you guys after each game in the wins or the losses?
TI: “I just think he wants us to play hard. You know, ‘do your job’ is probably the biggest thing he’s been preaching since he got here, and it resonates when the defense goes out and gets some stops and we can go out and put points on the board and keep them off the field, let them get a breather. And vice versa; they play well, we play well, so I think the biggest thing is just do your job and everything will take care of itself.”
Ryan, I realize you’re your own harshest critic but can you for a moment just step back and appreciate what you guys were able to do in at least establishing a defensive identity these last two weeks, sans the first drive of the Oregon State game? Can you take away some positives from that and feel like you guys are establishing an identity of some sort, and if so what is it?
RG: “I think the identity we’re establishing is that we’re going to hit you in the mouth, regardless of who you are. How big [or] strong the O-linemen are, how fast the receivers are, we’re going to try and hit you. We’re going to try and play fast and play physical.”
Ryan, we’ve been talking about the depth of the D-line, especially since the beginning of the season. Mario obviously, Taco with the forced fumble- just kind of going back to that energy thing, is this where you guys want to be at this point in the season?
RG: “You know what, I think numbers-wise with how the D-line is doing, yes. But technique-wise and making sure we’re doing the right thing every play, not quite. I think we can clean that up through practicing hard every week and just getting better through gameplay and just getting more adjusted to the season.”