[Fuller/MGoBlog]
Talk about the play last game of the corners. Those guys just seemed to be right on.
“Yeah, they’re playing well. They’re working hard in practice preparing themselves week in and week out and they just gotta continue, and it’s paying off in the games. So, we’ll keep on that same path and just try to keep building it.”
Lewis interception ranks where in the pick offs that you’ve seen?
“It’s insane. I mean, I haven’t seen anything like that from a defensive player. Seen a few guys offensively do it, but nothing like that defensively. That was a hell of a play.”
Besides that, the way that he’s closing in the run game and getting to the ball, just talk about how good he’s been.
“Yeah, he’s a complete player on the defensive side of the ball. The kid’s very competitive, very feisty, he’s very good at man-to-man coverage, very good at zone coverage when asked to drop, and he knows how to get off blocks and he knows how to make tackles. I mean, he can do it all. He’s a pretty good player.”
You’ve coached Jourdan now for a year and a half. How many times can you recall during a game where he made a technical mistake?
“Well, we all make mistakes and he has made a few. Even last week, him and Channing made a few technical mistakes that we’re trying to clear up and we will clear up. They’re few and far between with him. And the thing is, when he does it, he knows it and he gets pretty upset about it. He tries to figure it out real quick.”
Obviously not having Jeremy [Clark] you guys are kind of on thin ice with just two guys, even as good as they are. With the other two [freshmen], are they ready?
“I feel so bad for Jeremy. Really practiced so hard and played so well in the games he was in, and everybody’s talking about him and hoping the best for him. Brandon Watson had a hell of a camp. Really since spring. Played well in the spring, played well all through camp, and he’s going in, filling in just fine. Lavert Hill: extremely talented young man. He’s just got to grow and mature. He’s young. David Long, same way. His injury held him up a little bit, but now we’re starting to see some things out of him. It’s very unfortunate we lost Jeremy—you never want to lose a guy like that—but those guys, those three guys I think in time and if in need can fill in and play.”
[After THE JUMP: discussing soil conditions in the garden]
Do you need to try and find times to get them in the game to get them live snaps?
“Yeah, yeah. I wanted to do that a couple times last week. It’s just there really wasn’t a time. But yeah, absolutely. If there’s a time, we’re going to try to get them some experience.”
It seemed like Wisconsin was throwing Stribling’s way a lot, I assume to stay away from Jourdan a little bit, and he handled it well. Do you talk to a player about hey, they’re going to come after you specifically?
“Well, not with these guys. I really don’t Generally we match up different guys on different guys, but last week they were pretty balanced across the board so that conversation never really came up. But it’s more of finding their best receiver or matching our skill set to their skill set in terms of talking to guys in that way.”
Does Channing get a little overlooked and overshadowed because of Jourdan?
“I don’t think so. I really don’t. You know, he may out here amongst the folks. Maybe. But not in here. I mean, if you watch a game, if you’re at practice and you see Strib make a play and Jourdan make a play, it’s the same kind of enthusiasm. I don’t think so in here. I think everybody understands that Strib’s pretty damn good.”
You had challenged him to be better against the run. Has he accepted that challenge?
“Yes, absolutely! Last week he made a hell of a play on their sideline in the run game and stuck his face in there, his eyes were up. So in that respect, yes. I think the more he’s playing this way, the more confidence he’s getting. You’re starting to see the light—not that he hasn’t. But confidence can go a long way in this game, as everybody knows.”
Have you seen an uptick in confidence from him?
“Yeah. He’s got the little Strib thing going, so yeah, absolutely. He’s got a little bounce to his step for sure.”
How good was it not just for the secondary but for the defense as a whole to be in a ballgame where one play could tie it at the end?
“It was good to be in a fight. It really was. We need to become callused that way, to be going head to toe with everybody and bloody each other’s noses and then who comes out on top? That I think builds a team, builds some character. We needed it. Absolutely. It was good for the team, the whole team.”
How good is this defensive line?
“Oh, man. They’re lights out. And you go across the first four, then you bring in the second three or four…I mean, they’re really good. Coach Mattison does a hell of a job with them. Those guys are very receptive to his coaching, they’re into it, and they just want to get better. They’re constantly talking on the sidelines during the games what the offensive line is doing, so they’ve been a huge plus. It certainly helps us out on the backend big time.”
After Jeremy was injured, did any of the freshmen come talk to you about playing time or take a step up?
“No, they didn’t, but I think they realize in practice and their reps increasing in practice time that it’s real now, and the chance of them playing is a lot—it’s out there, for sure.”
Are they handling it well?
“Yeah, I think so. I really do. I think Lavert and David Long are doing really well.”
In your two stops in Philly, did you get a flavor for new jersey high school football and why that area produces the amount of guys it does?
“Yeah, it’s more, in my opinion, northern Jersey has the better brand of high school football. Is that where we’re going? Is it northern Jersey? Is Rutgers up north? Yeah, I’m not even sure. But yeah, some good ball up there, for sure.”
Jourdan said there was a little rust when he came back last week, even if it looked like there wasn’t. Were you surprised how quickly he became reacclimated?
“Well, I wasn’t because of the way he practiced all week. He fell right back into it on that Monday. When we came back and did our workout that Monday, he just stepped in. It looked like he never left the field, so for me, I wasn’t surprised. Again, he’s just—he’s a special, special player, for sure.”
What changes with the defense when you’re on the road? Are there elements? I know you guys haven’t gone through that before [this season].
“Yeah, this’ll be an interesting one. All these home games in a row, nothing that Coach Harbaugh, I don’t think it changed anything in the schedule as far as what we did last year on the road. It’s just gonna be for us understanding that we are on the road for the first time this year, and things are gonna be different: getting on a bus, getting on a plane, getting off the plane, getting on another bus, going to the hotel, those kind of things that can get in your way, but I think once the guys get there they settle “themselves in. It’s a pretty—the team itself, and this is just me speaking, they’re pretty loose. They’re pretty…kind of calm about things. I don’t think it’ll affect them much.”
After Utah, you guys were pretty good on the road last year. You won the rest of your road games.
“Yeah, very true.”
Is there something Harbaugh does to--
“Well, you know, that Utah game, the first game out as a group, we had some turnovers here and there and things that we did defensively—I think that was…I don’t even wanna go back there. No, Jim, I don’t think he does anything different that he did that game compared to the rest of the games.”
MGoQuestion: With the young guys and Brandon Watson, do you have a preference for playing them over the slot versus on the outside, or is that just matchup dependent?
“It’s mostly matchup, but B-Wat, he’s been working inside, he’s been working outside, and you gotta give him a lot of credit. He’s been working at Pep’s position, so he’s been working really at three positions. But he’s been inside, outside, and in Pep’s deal, but Lavert is the guy that’ll go inside if Jourdan couldn’t go inside. Very similar.”
Have you ever looked at why the best football is in north Jersey—northeast Ohio and Cincinnati, too—and why it sort of pockets in different states?
“I don’t know. Maybe just certain areas are tougher than others.”
What are you tryin’ to say? Youngstown’s tougher than--
“Well, yeah. [/laughs] I mean, I think the proof’s in the pudding, right? I’m not from Jersey, so I can’t compare anything. I just know where I lived in south Jersey is a little different than some parts of north Jersey.”
So now you’re going to start a rivalry in the state of Jersey.
“Not by me! Not by me! It’s just fun to see.”
Do they carry a different swagger? There’s nine of them on this team.
“Oh, absolutely. They’re just tougher, I think. Tougher kids.”
The Jersey kids versus kids from—like Jake Butt or something? Kids from Ohio?
“No, no. I did not say that! I did not say that! [/laughs] I thought we were comparing Jersey kids to Jersey kids.”
These Jersey kids, do they carry themselves differently?
“They’re tough. They’re tough, but Ohio kids are tough. Some of our Michigan kids are tough. You know, I mean, we like to think all our guys are tough. Not comparing!”
They talk about how they have an East Coast mentality and stuff, and I’m wondering if that’s really noticeable.
“I mean, in their minds if it is, that’s great.”
Just like in your mind the Youngstown stuff--
“No doubt! No doubt.”