Mason Graham Talks After Minnesota Win
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00:00 >> Yeah, I know, just been out the last two weeks,
00:03 just been hungry to get back on the field with my guys.
00:05 Get back out on the defense and the team.
00:07 So I just waited for my opportunity and I guess today was the day.
00:11 >> I was gonna say, you had surgery a couple weeks ago.
00:14 Were you determined to come back this quickly?
00:16 >> Yeah, I mean, I met with the doctor last week and
00:20 just see how the progress was on my surgery.
00:23 And he said I was good to go just as long as it's protected.
00:25 So I wanna get back on the field as soon as possible, so that's what I did.
00:29 >> You're at the big club, how do you play with your hands when you can't grip
00:33 somebody, is it good to make some adjustments?
00:35 >> Yeah, it's a little difficult, but
00:36 throughout this past week I've been practicing like that.
00:38 So I've definitely gotten used to it, and today I felt pretty good today, so.
00:44 >> And then you guys gave us a little bit in the run game earlier,
00:46 what were the adjustments that you guys made in the sitting here?
00:48 >> Yeah, they gashed us a few times on the stretch, they were stretching us out.
00:52 But when they run sideways,
00:54 they've got those gaps that open up as they run the play.
00:56 So they're staying patient, finding open gap, but
00:59 we just started playing more sound defense in our gaps.
01:01 >> Back to John, and when you mentioned that sound defense,
01:06 what does that look like filling that gap?
01:08 How do you particularly see your role in filling that gap, and
01:11 how much were linebackers and
01:12 safeties moving up into the box helpful with that?
01:15 >> Yeah, I mean, the linebackers pulling off the double teams on us, so
01:18 that makes the job easier on us to make plays when we're single block.
01:21 So I feel like everyone on our team could do that, so, and
01:24 that's what we started doing once that happened.
01:26 >> Mason, it looks like some of those negative plays that you guys made were
01:30 kind of drive killers for them.
01:32 How significant was that to be able to get in the backfield and
01:35 make some of those tackles for loss?
01:36 >> Yeah, I feel like a big focus on our defense this year, coming in this year,
01:40 was creating negative plays for the offense, cuz that sets them back.
01:43 They get off track, so it helps us get to that third down where we have those
01:47 opportunities to pass for us and get to the quarterback and
01:49 all the things that you want to do as a D line.
01:51 So I feel like that's been a big emphasis for us.
01:53 >> You guys are at the midway point of this season.
01:58 How would you evaluate where this team is right now?
02:01 >> I feel like our team takes every little thing and maximizes that.
02:05 So whenever we make a little mistake or we're off a little bit,
02:08 I feel like we need to make that adjustment and we grade ourselves harder.
02:12 So I feel like that's something that we need to keep doing.
02:15 >> I know you talked about the club, but is it uncomfortable to play with it?
02:19 >> No, it's not uncomfortable,
02:20 just getting used to playing basically with one hand.
02:22 So just gotta find ways to get it done.
02:25 >> Is there any pain when you're eye contact or anything?
02:27 >> No pain, it's all casted up and everything, so
02:29 it's protected as much as it should be.
02:31 >> Is this a dog?
02:31 >> [LAUGH] >> Are you hopeful that the cast will get
02:34 smaller from week to week?
02:35 Is that what they kinda said the expectation is?
02:37 >> Yeah, that's what we're expecting.
02:39 We'll see how it goes, how it keeps on healing and stuff like that, so.
02:42 >> Middle there, Zach?
02:44 >> You guys mentioned you like to grade yourselves harder and
02:46 hold yourselves to the high standard.
02:47 Is it hard when you're winning 40 plus points?
02:52 I mean, how do you guys find stuff to clean up or improve upon?
02:56 >> I feel like when we come in the next day, like Sundays, we come in,
02:59 we watch the film.
03:00 Some of us watch the film individually or with some of the other guys.
03:03 Like me and Chris Jenkins usually come in and we just watch the film.
03:07 We eat and then we just grade ourselves.
03:10 The other guys just coming in to Monday,
03:13 cuz that's when we watch it as a team,
03:15 knowing what adjustments we need to make with them.
03:17 >> Austin?
03:19 >> Mason, was there anything in particular that worked for you tonight,
03:22 like a move or a matchup or anything you saw on film maybe during the week?
03:27 >> Nothing specific, but I feel like we always have a good game plan.
03:29 Coach Miller gets it done, all of our staff.
03:32 Just creating those opportunities for us to make those plays.
03:35 >> All right, final one for these guys is Tony.
03:38 >> Yeah, Mason, last year, I guess the phrase was sort of coined, no star defense.
03:42 But if you, Chris, Mikey, Will, I mean, on and off.
03:47 Is there a new, does this need a new name?
03:50 >> I mean, I think you heard Coach Harbaugh say it, the we fence.
03:54 Something like that.
03:55 I mean, we all just play together, I feel like.
03:57 That's how our defense is.
03:58 That's what we preach.
03:59 We don't want one person to say make all the plays.
04:02 We just want everyone, when the play comes to them, make that play.
04:05 And we all rely on each other when that time comes.
04:07 >> Okay, thank you all for your time.
04:08 Coach Harbaugh will be in.
04:09 [BLANK_AUDIO]