Hogs' Secondary Coach Deron Wilson After Monday Practice
How players adapting to new style, being able to fit in multiple positions and improving over last year.
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00:00 Tell us about how some of the new guys are fitting in.
00:03 So we got a few new guys.
00:05 One, Jaheim Singletary, has been really impressive
00:09 these first four days.
00:12 Getting the defense down, he's flying around,
00:14 communicating, fitting with the rest of the guys.
00:16 Same with Keon Stewart, another new guy that we have.
00:20 Just getting him acclimated, and he's doing a good job.
00:23 Impressive player, both of those guys.
00:25 New, when you talk about, from a freshman perspective,
00:29 TJ Metcalf, he continues to impress.
00:33 If you walked on the field, you wouldn't even know
00:35 he's a freshman, how he communicates, how he talks.
00:38 He's impressive.
00:40 Also, another guy, Jalen Braxton,
00:43 has been having a really good fall camp, also.
00:46 You're just talking from a new guy's
00:48 or freshman perspective.
00:51 Singletary, specifically, he was a really big-timer
00:54 for when he first went to Georgia and stuff.
00:56 Just looking at him, he might be your tallest defensive back.
00:59 Looks like he could be the quickest feet, too.
01:01 I mean, just what kind of talent is he,
01:05 and what does he have to do to, I guess,
01:07 get on the field for you?
01:09 All we tell him, continue to learn the defense
01:12 and communicate.
01:13 He's a guy, you said, he's been impressive.
01:16 He's to get on the field, keep doing what he's doing,
01:19 getting better, keep on elevating, right?
01:21 Because if you're not getting better, you're getting worse.
01:23 And over these first four days,
01:25 he has been getting better every day.
01:27 So keep on growing and heal.
01:29 He'll be a really good player, just as you said.
01:33 Walcott missed the spring.
01:34 Just what have you seen from him
01:36 the first four practices of fall camp?
01:38 Another impressive guy.
01:40 You can tell he's played a lot of snaps before.
01:43 When he communicates, he's loud, he is confident,
01:47 he flies around, he's a hitter, he can cover.
01:51 Al, he's a great addition.
01:54 Glad to have him back.
01:56 Hudson moved from corner to safety last year,
01:59 starting in safety right now in fall camp.
02:01 What do you think about him so far?
02:03 With Hudson, Hudson is a guy
02:05 that could play a whole five position,
02:07 both corners, the nickel position,
02:10 or either safety from his intelligence.
02:12 He gets guys lined up, he can cover.
02:17 Hud, he's progressing as well.
02:20 Called the nickel spot the hog the other day,
02:22 so I guess y'all are using them both.
02:23 But who at that position has risen up?
02:27 I mean, we see Jaylon Lewis with the one,
02:28 but can you tell us about that spot a little?
02:31 The hog position, yes.
02:32 Jaylon, J. Lou has been having a really good fall camp.
02:38 So some other guys, we kind of, we're in a position at the hog.
02:42 We also have A.J. Brathwaite.
02:44 That's a guy I failed to mention when we talked about the hog,
02:47 talk about new guys, which he's been impressive.
02:49 Also, we got Jabray Shaw, another new guy at hog.
02:55 We have some guys there.
02:58 We're rolling them out, in and out.
02:59 As we say, we still early in camp, trying to figure it out.
03:04 But those guys are doing well.
03:07 Do you work more with the corners and the nickels,
03:09 or how do you and Marcus do this?
03:13 I knew that would probably be a question.
03:15 So to answer the question,
03:17 so we meet as a secondary all together.
03:21 Sometimes he runs the meeting, sometimes I run the meeting.
03:25 Sometimes we split up,
03:27 because the reason we run it together,
03:29 because we all want one voice,
03:31 whether it's his voice or my voice,
03:32 which if it's his voice, it is my voice.
03:34 If it's my voice, it is his voice,
03:35 because we're on the same page.
03:37 At times, we split up, where I may take the corners
03:40 and he may take the safeties and vice versa.
03:43 So we work as one, make sure we're always on the same page,
03:47 no matter reason for doing it.
03:50 Let's say he's upstairs and I'm downstairs on the game.
03:53 Everybody's used to hearing that one voice, or vice versa.
03:55 If I'm upstairs and he's downstairs,
03:57 everybody's used to hearing that one voice
03:59 and we're all on the same page.
04:01 [Indistinct]
04:05 No, we hadn't had the first scrimmage yet,
04:07 so we don't have it ironed out yet.
04:11 Wyatt, last year, he had a pretty good season.
04:15 Then in the bowl game,
04:16 I think he got defensive MVP, McLaughlin.
04:19 Just how has he looked in the spring?
04:21 We didn't get to talk to you in the spring,
04:22 so how do you do in the spring
04:24 and the first three or four practices preseason?
04:28 Dwight has had-- in the spring, he had a good spring.
04:30 He's having a great camp.
04:32 With Dwight, special talent.
04:34 He's coming along as a leader, being more vocal,
04:37 holding himself accountable,
04:38 then holding other guys accountable.
04:40 Started in the spring, progressively got better
04:43 throughout the summer, and then after the summer,
04:45 he's continuing to do it throughout this fall camp.
04:50 And transfer forward, they come in the first year
04:51 and they're kind of-- don't want to step on anyone's toes,
04:54 they're just trying to fit in the next year,
04:56 the ones that have more than one year of eligibility
04:58 that take on more of a leadership role.
05:00 You see that pretty-- that pretty common with transfer?
05:04 The transfer porter's probably, what,
05:06 three or four years old right now,
05:07 so we all figuring it out.
05:09 But yes, it's typical.
05:11 You're getting to-- you're going to a new environment
05:13 and you don't want to step on anyone's toes.
05:15 And then now, you get a little bit more comfortable.
05:18 The second year, you've been through a spring,
05:20 you've been through a fall camp, and they know you better
05:22 and it naturally starts to happen.
05:24 I mean, Landon Jackson, they were talking about
05:26 Landon Jackson being that way the other day,
05:27 it's why I brought that up.
05:28 Just, you know, he came in the same time he did.
05:33 Coach, I just had a couple of terminology deals.
05:35 So, you call boundary corner, boundary safety,
05:38 you call it field corner on the other side?
05:40 Yes, sir.
05:41 And you call it field safety or free safety?
05:43 Free safety. Free safety.
05:45 Are you flipping those guys?
05:46 Are you flipping them to play the play?
05:48 Honestly, it depends on the defensive scheme
05:51 that we have in.
05:52 It depends on the defensive scheme.
05:54 I mean, I just think with, like, offenses hurrying up,
05:56 sometimes it might be hard to flip corners
05:57 and stuff like that. Yeah.
05:59 Of course, you game plan for all those type of things.
06:02 So, you guys are four practices in.
06:04 You go until Wednesday and you take some time off.
06:07 Is there any thoughts to, like, maybe switching some things up,
06:10 trying some guys at different spots,
06:12 maybe a corner to a nickel or safety to nickel
06:15 or corner to safety, any of that kind of stuff?
06:18 Of course.
06:19 That always happens because you put in dime packages,
06:22 you put in quarter packages,
06:23 and you have to find the best five or the best six
06:26 when you talk about dimes.
06:27 So, you're always trying to figure out,
06:29 let's always get the best five or six on the field together
06:33 so you can put the best --
06:35 you could be -- put your best foot forward.
06:38 R.J. Johnson and Christian Ford, are they safeties?
06:41 They're safeties, yes.
06:42 So, just by my count, I think you got, like,
06:44 nine players working over at cornerback.
06:47 And so that would put, like, what,
06:49 18 guys over at safety nickel.
06:52 Is that about the ratio you want?
06:54 So, Coach Pittman, like, even at practice,
06:57 he does a good job of we have something called two-spot.
07:01 And it worked for us, again, because we have two
07:02 full-time secondary coaches.
07:04 And we split the secondary up, one go on this field,
07:07 so-and-so, and that always mix and match.
07:09 It helps with the development of the team, right,
07:12 because everybody's getting reps.
07:13 If we always had one field, well, of course,
07:15 people are watching and not learning.
07:18 And through my experience playing and coaching,
07:20 the best way to learn is by doing it.
07:23 So, when I'm making mistakes or I'm doing it
07:25 the correct way as a player,
07:27 I am feeling it and seeing it's like, oh, I got it.
07:31 Oh, yeah, Coach, I see what you're saying.
07:34 -You know, I know you were here last year with Hudson.
07:37 A lot of times, he was in the right spot,
07:38 but he had trouble making a tackle.
07:40 Sam talked about that the other day.
07:42 He's at about 12 pounds.
07:44 I know you guys aren't tackling to the ground yet.
07:46 In practice, what have you seen from Hudson with that weight,
07:50 maybe, if you looked at film last year,
07:51 how he might be different?
07:53 -Hudson is playing stronger.
07:55 He has gained weight
07:57 and corrected some technique errors within tackling.
08:00 He has gotten better with angles to the ball.
08:03 We always talk about near-footing it, near-shoulder it.
08:06 He has gotten a lot better with that.
08:08 -And then, you know, obviously, we all know pass defense
08:11 was an issue last year.
08:12 Got to look at the stats.
08:14 I know it's early, spring and fall camp.
08:17 What sense do you have about how the pass defense
08:19 is going to be improved and why?
08:23 -One way we plan to improve it is within the camaraderie
08:29 and making every -- we meet all together,
08:30 because one issue that you see around the country,
08:33 not specifically last year here, but around the country, period,
08:37 if you have issues within a pass game,
08:40 busted coverages is because of communication, all right?
08:43 And that's the reason we do the things that we do,
08:46 myself and Coach Woodson,
08:48 having guys together and hearing both voices.
08:50 So now communication is not an issue.
08:53 Pursuit to the ball is not an issue.
08:55 That's two ways, communication, not busting.
08:57 One way, communication, not busting coverages
09:00 and getting to the ball.
09:02 -Parkasaw's gone to four down linemen, obviously.
09:05 Do you like that better as a secondary coach?
09:08 -That probably would be a question for Coach T.
09:11 Will. Whatever Coach wants to do, I'm with it.
09:13 If it's four down, if it's three down,
09:15 if it's just three, three, five, whatever it is, I'm all for it.
09:18 I support my coordinator.
09:19 I support my head coach in whatever it is.
09:22 -As for where you weren't, you weren't here,
09:26 but 131 out of 131 last year in passing yards
09:30 surrendered on defense.
09:31 Did you know that when you took the job?
09:33 And what's kind of been the thought with you guys,
09:36 you and Coach Woodson and Coach Williams,
09:38 just about turning that thing around?
09:40 Because Coach Woodson, I know when he got to Florida State,
09:43 one of the worst pass defenses in the country the year before,
09:45 and last year, I think they were fourth nationally.
09:49 -Myself, Coach Woodson, and the guys,
09:51 we embrace the challenge.
09:53 We embrace the challenge in becoming better.
09:55 We're always hard on them.
09:57 Don't let up, and the standard is the standard.
09:59 What that expectation is, don't lower it.
10:02 We always talk about we don't talk in 110%.
10:04 We don't talk in -- We talk in 100%.
10:06 We want your best to be your best.
10:08 Not 95. We want it to be at 100% every single day.
10:12 -Talk to a little bit about some of the transfers.
10:14 We know a lot about Laurando Johnson because he was here,
10:17 but could you touch a little bit more on Keon Stewart,
10:21 what he brings to the table, and A.J.
10:23 Brathwaite, what kind of role you might see for him also?
10:26 -Both of those guys, Keon and A.J.,
10:28 bring something to the table with their bets.
10:33 They have a lot of snaps under their belt.
10:36 Keon played as a true freshman,
10:38 started as a true freshman at TCU.
10:41 A.J. started the last school he was at.
10:43 So, with that being said,
10:45 they bring veteran leadership game experience,
10:50 and you can't -- Game experience
10:52 is the best experience you could have
10:53 when you're talking about 80,000 people, 60,000 people,
10:58 however many it is.
10:59 It's a little different when you're a true freshman
11:01 and you've made some mistakes.
11:03 You can be a good player, but you still make mistakes,
11:05 and now those mistakes, when you're older,
11:07 you're like, "Oh, I remember that play from last year."
11:10 So, they definitely bring some veteran mentality
11:16 and snaps being played to our defensive backfield.
11:19 -I feel like you kind of hit on it right there,
11:21 but when you were adding these guys in the transfer portal,
11:24 what exactly were you looking for in the guys?
11:28 -The first thing we look for is fit, right?
11:31 Would they fit our room?
11:32 Could they fit in with the guys?
11:34 Could they meet the standard of,
11:36 "A, expectation is 100% every single day"?
11:39 The next thing, when we were looking, like,
11:41 "Okay, we do need some older guys,"
11:44 or if we had a young guy
11:45 that was a really good high school player
11:48 or older guy that made plays in college,
11:51 that's the two things that we're looking for.
11:55 -A couple older guys, Lederious Bishop and Malik Chavez,
11:57 just what are you seeing from them so far?
11:59 -Oh, they're having great camps as well.
12:01 They're having great camps as well.
12:03 Malik is having a really good camp.
12:06 Communication, getting to the ball, tackling, covering.
12:11 Malik is doing well in D-Day.
12:13 He's progressing with technique things
12:15 and embracing the challenge as well to get better.
12:18 So is the group.
12:20 -Jalen Braxton, what is it about his skill set
12:22 that you guys like that he's in the two-deep corner?
12:26 -Jalen Braxton can fly.
12:28 He has really good change of direction.
12:31 He's a guy -- he's mature,
12:33 and he wants to be a really good player.
12:35 He has all the potential in the world.
12:38 He has a shot to be a good player in this conference,
12:41 a really good player in this conference.
12:43 -With us, Sam Pittman has floated the idea
12:45 a couple of times about if you feel like
12:47 you're good enough at corner,
12:48 then maybe one of those guys can go over
12:50 and help at Hog/Nickel, and he's brought up Snacks' name.
12:55 Has that progressed any further yet?
12:57 -Yes, he's been playing a little Hog,
12:59 but our mindset for the secondary period
13:03 is kind of like get the best five on the field,
13:04 and that's what the head coach mindset is.
13:07 It means, like, "Hey, who's the best five?
13:08 Let's get the best five on the field
13:10 so we can put our best foot forward."
13:12 You don't want to have one of your better guys on the bench
13:14 because he's stacked behind,
13:15 whether it's the safety or he's stacked behind the corner.
13:18 Let's get the best five on the field.
13:20 -Recruiting question. You spent time in San Antonio.
13:24 You got, obviously, ties to Louisiana.
13:26 Spent time at Florida last year.
13:28 What do you view your role as a recruiter,
13:30 like territorial,
13:32 and what do you think makes a good recruiter?
13:37 -The thing that I feel is don't make a good recruiter
13:39 is relationships.
13:41 So, with anything, when you get the initial contact,
13:46 you don't -- you're not asking them to trust you.
13:49 You just want to hear, for them to listen to you,
13:51 and now the relationship and be who you are,
13:54 say who you are, right?
13:55 So if I say one thing and doing something opposite,
13:58 it's not matching, right?
13:59 So always be true to who you are
14:02 and stay consistent, do what you say you're going to do.
14:05 All right?
14:06 From the aspect of area, so, again,
14:10 I did spend time in Texas.
14:12 I spent time by birth in Louisiana,
14:16 and also worked at a school in Louisiana.
14:18 But so that does help from a relationship standpoint,
14:22 knowing people from a high school area standpoint, coaches.
14:28 -Your area is pretty much Texas, Louisiana.
14:31 It's prime recruiting areas for you.
14:34 -I view my area wherever Coach Sam Pittman says it is,
14:37 to go get a defensive back.
14:40 -To the other side of the ball,
14:41 obviously you see these wide receivers quite a bit.
14:43 Is there anybody that's giving you guys some trouble?
14:48 -One of the guys that's doing well, I think Armstrong.
14:51 He's a good player.
14:55 Jay Wilson, I always call him my little cousin.
14:57 It has the same last name.
14:59 He's doing well.
15:00 We got a pretty good group of receivers.
15:03 I don't think a specific guy,
15:05 but I know the group is doing well.
15:07 -What are the differences or improvements
15:10 that you've seen in Nudy's play from spring until now?
15:13 And then what did you see in his off-season work?
15:17 -I think Nudy is straining more, getting to the ball.
15:22 From a technique standpoint, he is getting better.
15:24 The different things that we talk about and work on,
15:27 and I think he's trying to get better,
15:29 whether it's at home, whether it's in a weight room
15:32 or at practice, he's asking educated questions
15:35 on what he should do in certain situations.
15:38 I think Nudy is -- the White is coming along.
15:41 -It looks like it's pretty competitive in practice
15:46 between the receivers and the DBs.
15:47 That's always good because if one unit's
15:49 whipping the other consistently, that's not good.
15:52 But what have you seen, you know,
15:54 just in these first few practices
15:55 between the receivers and the DBs,
15:57 the competition and stuff?
15:59 -Oh, exactly what you say. It's competition every day.
16:01 All right? And when you talk competition every day,
16:04 it is a problem if you just --
16:06 which, hopefully, would transition to translating
16:09 the game if we're just dominating them every day.
16:12 But it's good. They're making plays.
16:13 We're making plays.
16:15 And that happens. We're on day four.
16:18 We want to get to a point, hopefully,
16:20 where we're making all the plays,
16:21 but at the end of the day, we're still a team.
16:24 We're all together.
16:25 -You're making all the plays. That's not good, though, is it?
16:27 I mean, for the SEC schedule.
16:30 And then, you know, Nudy, we asked him.
16:33 I don't know how much consideration he gave
16:35 to maybe coming out for the draft,
16:36 but I'm sure it was a thought anyway.
16:38 I would think it's good to see played.
16:40 Having a guy like him back who's got SEC experience
16:43 in two schools and is going to a second year here,
16:45 how big was that, do you think, in retrospect?
16:49 -It's similar to the conversation we had
16:50 about the last guy, getting guys
16:52 that have game-rep experience.
16:53 So when he came in, of course,
16:55 he came in from another school with game-rep experience,
16:59 and he is, again, continuing to develop
17:02 and making plays and doing well.