Opening statement…

“Really happy with the effort our defensive players are playing with right now. I think our guys play very hard, very physical and with a swarm defense mentality that we talk about every day. Practice habits come game day I thought our guys did a really good job in the bye week and got some extra reps that we needed to get ready and then we carried it through the week of preparation into the week of the game and then executed them. very high level.”

“One of our keys to the win was stopping the run. This was definitely a pass-oriented offense, but you want to make sure you make them one-dimensional. Except for the first run they had, whatever that was, in the first. of the game, other than that I thought we did a really good job stopping the run, I think they only had 36 yards in the half.

“We were able to affect the quarterback, which was our second key to the win. I thought we did a good job of changing the shots, the windows, our players moving in and out showing looks under pressure, then coming out of pressure. We continued to trade snaps with him and I thought that affected him as far as we were able to get him the ball and also accelerate his progress in some of their route concepts and route trees.

“Situationally, we came off the field on third down at some really critical times. I was 8-for-11 on third-and-medium and long. We were 0-for-3 on third-and-short. A couple of them, they got us under-package, under-personnel, and they got to like 4th-and-1 and they were able to convert some of those, some of the short-yardage concepts.

“For us to go 1-of-3 in the red zone, I thought that was really critical. We managed to make stops there. in the second half, they had a drive right there and we were able to get out in the red zone as well. We didn’t give up a touchdown right at the end of the game. that was good.

“Again, three takeaways. I think we’ve had 13 in the last four games. Our guys do a really good job of getting the ball, and then we were able to put some pressure on the quarterback. We had two sacks, and they only gave up four throughout the season. We’re going in the right direction with a lot of things that we’re doing fundamentally on defense, and then guys that are leaning into some of the things.

“When you look at Mercer, you really like what they do offensively. Impressed with many of the concepts they run. They are very dynamic. They have a lot of volume – in fact, probably similar to what we saw in the last couple. They play two quarterbacks, and both of them can hurt you in the run game those guys have to do.

“They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now and that’s what comes from being 9-1. You can tell those guys are making plays down the field in the passing game, their quarterbacks are running really hard. They have two really free backs, one guy who’s really quick and when he gets in space, he can break away, and another guy who’s kind of a hunt.

“They will have a lot of confidence coming in. We have to do a great job with our preparation throughout the week, like our players did, and not take anything for granted, and then ultimately show up on game day and play with the level of urgency that I think we’re starting to play defense.”

When setting the edge on the perimeter…

“I thought we did a really good job of changing looks on the perimeter against LSU. Some of that was how we adjusted our run and how we set up, you know, that’s our strength linebacker on the field, that’s our strength linebacker on the boundary, but also who’s responsible for the flat from a coverage perspective We kept mixing and switching those looks and I think our guys did a really good job of that?

“That’s something we’re going to have to be aware of this week. Mercer does a really good job of attacking your perimeter and you have to hold the edge against them very well.”

Deontae Lawson saw his pick in practice and then the game…

“These things are huge. It’s also fun, you can point out to everyone else how critical each rep is in training because it can be the difference in production in the game. On the positive side, that was something I showed them and he showed up. on game day and made a hell of a play on that. I’ll use this example, I showed them the sneaky game they played in the morning, we prepared for it, I talked about it, I have worked, but we didn’t execute it at the moment. Every rep counts, whether it’s a pass on a surface outside a hotel on a Tuesday, or a practice on a Wednesday in the red zone, where we reach the package rep matters and it can be a difference in the game I saw that on Saturday.

On defensive efficiency in the red zone…

“We tweaked some things we were doing there scheme-wise, but I think it was just different variations of things we were already doing. Our guys are getting better and more comfortable at things that were coming up down in the red zone. So, you know red zone defense, it’s not too complicated in some of the things that we do, from what we ask them to do scheme-wise, but how you defend all the different variations of the pass concepts that teams execute them there it takes a little bit of time to lean into it and I think our guys are starting to do a really good job. They play with anticipation.”

On Que Robinson’s impact and the players who supported him…

“Que has done a tremendous job this season and unfortunately he will not be with us for the rest of the year. It’s a tough thing to go through as a player. It’s definitely tough for us as a team when you have a guy who’s been so productive for us, he’s a leader for us. I was so impressed with Que’s level of urgency every day, his leadership and demanding presence in terms of maintaining a standard, I think he really brought it to some of the players and guys in that room. He’ll still have to continue some of those leadership roles, he’ll just have to do it from an off-court role.

“We’re going to have to keep stepping up and move on without him. I have a lot of faith in some of our younger players who I think have already reached that position. Qua Russaw, Yhonzae Pierre is doing a really good job starting to get a little more out of him. Those guys are excited for the challenge, the next-man-up mentality. As the season progresses, these are the defining moments – are the players stepping up when they’re needed? And ultimately that will determine our success here in the back season.”

On Keon Keeley’s progress and why Keanu Koht wasn’t in Baton Rouge…

“Keon plays the bandit. In fact, I entered the game, at the end, very beautiful things are made. I think learning the position, you know, he’s always been a stand up guy, right? So it’s a totally different world when you get your hands in the dirt and play all the dirt and play all that stuff. But I think there’s some optimism about what he can do for us, just learning the position. But physically, effort-wise, I think he’s really taking steps in the right direction there.

“Keanu Koht will not be with us this week. I’ll let Kalen address those things, but certainly the other guys in the gym are ready to step up and fill the role without Q-Rob being there.”

Exploring whether Jihaad Campbell could play on the wing without Que Robinson…

“We do these things with Jihaad already as a passenger and some stuff under the package, you know. I think it makes a big difference wherever you put him on the field and so you want to find creative ways to bring him into one-on-one matchups. From a pass rush standpoint, there are things we can do if we show him as a defensive end and drop him in coverage, right? There’s different things we can do scheme-wise, from that perspective, but certainly as far as giving us a pass-rush, I think that’s part of his game and that’s what for me makes him such a well-rounded player. You can play him as an inside backer, you can play him as an outside backer, as a forward. I mean that guy plays four different positions for us right now and he’s able to hold a lot of volume in terms of what we ask him to do. So Jihaad is playing at a very high level and we will use him in any way we can.”

If defense progress is a permanent step…

“I would like to say that it is an obvious step. I just don’t have a crystal ball in front of me there. I think our guys are taking steps in the right direction. I think we’re trending in the right direction as a defense. I think with our players understanding what we’re trying to do scheme-wise, I think our players are getting better. Our coaches do a tremendous job of continuing to build the fundamentals of our players. And they start playing with a lot of offensive recognition and anticipation.

“So to me, the elements of a good defense is to create enough negative plays and play styles that change the game and also take away the explosives at the same time. I think we’re doing it at a higher level than maybe where we were at the beginning of the season.”

For example, Que Robinson was at the wolf cub…

“Following on from what I said earlier, I think Que has the standard of urgency, practice habits, discipline to fill that role and play that position because there’s a lot of things that we ask that guy to do make them in terms. to be part of a run match, to drop coverage, to fold back inside, to come off the edge. All those different skill sets that are required and there’s also a lot mentally that these guys have to be locked into.

“I think Que set the standard of urgency that we have to be disciplined to do your job in that role. But there’s also an energy level that he brings and effort that he brings in practice and that shows on game day in terms of some of the physicality and effort that he shows.

“The other guys, it’s a great room. C-Rob (Christian Robinson) does a really good job with those guys and they’re brought into that position. (The lions) like what we make of it and they like it. But ultimately, when you’ve got a guy who’s been a really steady presence and a playmaker on defense, those guys are going to have to step up at this point.

Activated if the keys to victory are tangible…

“We started doing this years ago and there are things that we carry in Swarm D that are kind of our identity, you know, who we are as a defense. And then on top of that we talk about what are the three things that we need to do to win this game specifically.

“We talk about it as a defensive staff on Monday, then we present it to the players on Tuesday morning, and then we review it on Sunday, whether we hit those marks or not. Some of those things are tangible things that we ask our guys to do in terms of maybe stop the run with a certain number or third down efficiency or whatever. But other things like affecting the quarterback, you can point to certain tangible things, but also did we put him in a position where the quarterback played at a more uncomfortable level than he normally plays? And I thought we were able to do that last week, and that’s going to be a critical piece of the game, so we made sure we set that up for the players.”