We're going to have to establish some kind of passing game. We've got guys who are ready to make some plays. Their safeties come up really well on the run. That's an opportunity for us to do some play action and go over the top.
Quotes about safeties (16 Quotes)
Their safeties were cheating down. I'd look over and there would be six or seven in the box and then by the time the ball was snapped there were eight or nine in the box.
One of Colorado State's big safeties said before the game that if they stopped Adam (Ballard) and Lamar (Owens), then they'd win the game. I think I knew right then that I would be getting more touches. I just didn't know it would turn into a game of that magnitude.
I told all of the coaches here that we had two of the most physical safeties in the country playing behind me. I knew if I didn't make the tackle they were probably going to hit me on their way to make the tackle. So I had to get there first before them.
It wasn't that we put extra guys on him or did anything different. The corners played a sound game they weren't cheating up or anything. The safeties were over the top. The defensive line put on good pressure. That's why it looked like we were all over the place Everyone was where they should be.
Linebackers today need to play like safeties, to drop back on coverage as well as come forward against the run. We've seen John enough times to know he's capable of that. The kid can run. He should be able to get up from 200 pounds to 215 without sacrificing his speed.
All are great athletes who can play on both sides of the ball as receivers or they can play as safeties. So they've really helped themselves with balance, athletes and speed.
Their safeties were playing up and to the outside, and we took advantage of it with play action, ... It left the middle wide open.
They appear to be a little bit stronger than we are physically across the board, ... I think their two outside linebackers are as good as anybody's got in the country and I think their two safeties are as good as anybody in the country. In that sense, we're probably comparable. They scheme a little differently they're a much more blitz team they are. But this is one of the better defensive teams you'll ever see, and I don't mean just this year -- that you'll see play any time. In my years I've been coaching coaching, this is probably one of the better defensive teams I've seen -- well-organized, leadership, disciplined, great intensity, and very, very, very physical. If we're comparable to those, I'd feel very good.
We felt responsible for each other. The D-line's got to take care of that line of scrimmage, (the linebackers) have got to clean up, and the safeties and DBs take care of that back end. We felt we're a brotherhood and we just had to get it done.
The coaches did a good job of that from training camp to now. They just don't coach you on what the safeties do they coach what the nickel backs do, what the corners do. That's a big reason why when someone goes down, someone else steps in right away and we don't have big drop-offs.
I think the interceptions have a lot to do with the underneath coverage. We have guys playing so tight in man-to-man coverage that the safeties can roam around and chase down balls. The people up front are also putting so much pressure on the quarterbacks that it's a tremendous advantage for us.
L.J. has done well. Being in the situation now where he is the starter, were able to do a lot of different things to get him in position versus linebackers or safeties. We feel good about that competition. Hes been able to get separation, which led to him having over 100 yards receiving. Its not going to happen like that every week, but we just take full advantage of it when it does.
If we're running the ball well, then the safeties have to come up. That's going to open things up for Chad. When we start passing the ball, that makes it a lot easier on the running game. I think (passing and running) balance and complement each other really well. If one's doing good, the other one's going to do good. We just have to keep defenses on their heels.
I'm one of the safeties who can cover around here. There are some great athletes here, guys who can run like the wind, and I've just been blessed with coverage skills. I've been working at those kinds of things and that's one of my strong points. I've been doing well, but I've got to continue playing against these guys. These are some fast dudes out here. They can fly. It's good competition, though, so I like it.
There were other safeties up there, but Wilson was the fastest, ... And because of that, our big question with him is, Can he track the ball We can see him as a weak or strong safety. We were not looking for an 'in the box, play close to the line of scrimmage, run-defend only' safety. That's not what we were looking for. We were looking for someone that can do that but who also had the ability to play free safety and play centerfield. And because of his speed, we picked him. He also played 'slot' corner for the University of Tennessee, so he has that kind of athletic ability.