[Fuller/Upchurch]

Talk about the secondary, what with all the departures and the progression not only today but in the spring with the young guys.

Brown: “You know, I’m really happy with our young guys. I mean, they’re all young. Thought Brandon Watson did a good job today, but he’s done a good job all spring, so that’s not surprising. Lavert Hill’s been hurt a lot, so him getting back and getting repetitions was good. David Long made it for three quarters. Nothing serious, but he’s been fighting it as well so we really had to lean on the young guys: Ben St. Juste, Ambry Thomas, and a couple of our younger roster guys, Matt Mitchell.

“So, all those guys were well informed today. Thought we did a pretty good job for a good chunk of the time. Obviously there’s so much to learn as a young player the first time you come and play in front of an audience. It’s just different. I think it was an important task and we did it. Obviously we were challenged on both sides of the ball; I’m sure Drev would feel the same way. You know, neither of us unveiled our attacks, but at the same time, you just want to see your guys compete and play hard and see where we can go technique and fundamental-wise.”

I remember that Josh Uche wasn’t participating in bowl practices. He came pretty close to blocking a punt today, Devin was in the backfield a lot--

Brown: “Oh yeah, jeez. Josh has had some good days. We have a few things special for him, so when we let him do those things he’s been exceptional. But he’s got a long way to go. Again, he’s a guy who was a defensive end in high school who I absolutely loved because he was fast. Now we’re teaching him to play linebacker. That’s a huge challenge for him, so that’s a big deal.

“Devin Bush is exactly what we knew he’d be in this type of environment. You know, he played a year ago. He’s certainly right in form to stepping in to do a good job. Between him and Mike McCray and Robo helping out at times, I feel good about those three guys. We’re really looking for a fourth guy, and I’m not sure we know that yet. From a linebacker standpoint, that would be my huge task.”

Anything that jumps out at you as far as progression with Devin? Is he faster? Is he stronger?

Brown: “I mean, just look at him. You know, I teased him yesterday. He walked by me and didn’t have a shirt on; ‘Last year you were a short, pudgy guy,’ and he’s chiseled. He’s got a Division I body now. I’m asking him to play two positions. Played pretty much one today, and I’m very pleased with where he’s at, obviously.

“You know, this is a day about individual evaluation. Again, I think Drev would say the same thing. Guys are playing out of sorts in different units and spots and all that, but it’s about your performance individually and just see where you take it from that standpoint.”

[After THE JUMP: Don Brown’s Rome plans include scheming for Michigan’s week-three opponent]

What is the number one thing that you look for individually in the spring with it being jumbled and switching teams at times?

Drevno: “Just look how they’re handling the team, if they understand your concepts, playing fast and physical, making good decisions, the competitiveness, atmosphere. You know, just getting in there and seeing them compete and fixing the problem if there’s a problem that occurs; do that. That’s the biggest thing, and then as you go through spring ball it kind of starts to filter and guys start to rise up at positions you see. But it’s a great atmosphere to day to go out there and play in front of this crowd and it’s good for the younger guys in our program to experience that.”

Don, people look at your defense, 10 starters gone, but young talent. Have you seen enough progress this spring to believe that if not the number one defense in the country next year they have the talent to be?

“That’s…that’s a mouthful right there. Without question I’m very excited about our group. We’ve gotten really quality leadership on all three levels. Mo Hurst; Rashan Gary is a young guy but boy, he’s been a leader. He’s played very, very well throughout the spring. Those two guys I feel really, really good about.

“Bryan Mone’s had a solid spring. Chase Winovich is better. You know, obviously we split those guys today. Really happy with Khaleke Hudson playing VIPER. And I’ve said this a hundred times: Glasgow’s found a home. He’s not a linebacker, he’s not a safety, so we found him a home. He’s playing VIPER and he and Khaleke will share that job and continue to compete, which we absolutely love. Noah Furbush has had a really good spring. We mentioned Uche. I told you about the linebackers.

“Tyree Kinnel’s been good. Nicked up a little bit toward the end of spring but has shown me a lot of leadership and athleticism but has played and played fast. Josh Metellus has been nicked up; I think that showed a little bit today. J’Marick Woods didn’t even take a snap, which was difficult for the Blue defense because we had to go with another guy. I would have liked to have seen him get that work. He needs it.

“But, you know, we’ve got good, young players at all three levels. The key is [inaudible] we get enough repetitions. We just went through a season of football in spring, and now we’ll repeat it again in August and then we’ll see kind of where we’re at. And remember, we only have to put 11 out there, so that’s kind of an important deal. But the competition will be key and we’ve got great young men that are in competition.”

Devin Bush was all over the field it seemed like today. Talk about what he’s given you this spring and the progress he’s made from last season to now.

“Well, you know, when he came in he had huge shoes to fill. We made him the no. two Will when he walked in the door. I think Mike McCray was a really good role model for him. I think he really—he’s a mature guy. Football’s important to him. He’s from a football family.

“I asked him at the beginning of spring, I said, ‘Listen, I want you and Mike and Robo to divide the work of the ones. I know what you’re capable of and I know what Mike’s capable of.’ And we want to make sure that we saw Robo in a highly competitive situation to see where he’s at. So, you know, he just welcomed the role.

“It’s so nice when you have a young guy like that and he can play two spots. You can ask some guys to do that and they’d look at you like ‘Are you kidding?’ but he handled it really, really with ease.”

He seems to have a really good nose for the ball.

“Yeah, he’s a really good player. We’re excited to see him when it’s live and in color, that’s for sure.”

Coach Brown, can you talk about what you’ve seen out of the freshmen early enrollees?

“Yeah. Let’s see. I mentioned, J’Marick didn’t go, which, arghh. I wish you’d have seen him today. He’s really been showing some things. I thought Jaylen Kelly-Powell jumped in there and did some good things. We fooled around with him and we have fooled around with him a little bit at nickel and strong safety. He certainly handled himself well out there today and did a good job with it.

“Ben St. Juste, really solid through three quarters. Struggled with a couple fade balls at the end, which a lot of times it’s focus and concentration for a young guy. You’re grinding, grinding, grinding, and just the mental fatigue of competing at a high, high level kind of gets to you, but I’m very confident as to where he’ll end up. He’s 6’3”, he’s long, he’s athletic, he’s fast. Ambry Thomas is everything I thought he’d be. He just learns and gets better every day; he’s not perfect. You know, we’re asking our young guys—those are young, young guys—to compete in first and second tiers and they’ve all handled it really, really well.

“Ben Mason at the Mike position: I mean, if you look in his eyeballs there’d be water in there because he’s swimming. It’s not an easy deal transitioning, but we’ve seen some physical surges from him. I think he’s got a real chance to be a real tough guy between the tackles and he runs really well for a big guy.

“Jeter: very, very interesting guy. Corey Malone-Hatcher’s been banged up. But I thought Jeter played very well out there in a limited role, and you never know how that’s going to go when you first go, but he really exceeded expectations of mine today.”

Coach Drevno, people will try to draw conclusions out of one practice but talk about Wilton Speight’s effort over the course of spring ball so far?

“It’s been outstanding. Wilton’s done a great job of leading this team, leading the offense. He’s really progressed under Pep. Pep and Coach have really done a good job. And just his football awareness and seeing the whole field and different coverages and some protection things we’re layering on him—he just really has done a good job understanding it and does a great job leading us.”

Going back to the early enrollees, you both have been coaching a long time, do you feel like high school kids are coming in more and more prepared for the college game?

Drevno: “Yeah, there is. I mean, there are some kids that come in there ready. For example, Cesar Ruiz comes from IMG Academy. He’s lived away, he understands the regimen of waking up and going to class and going to study hall and things. There’s some growing pains in there, but it’s all good. It’s part of the process of them getting in here and getting their feet wet in college and meeting new people and meeting us as coaches and getting to know our style of coaching and things.

“They all have done a great job, they really have. And Coach Harbaugh does a great job leading it and really taking those guys underneath his wing and developing them, as well as us as coaches. We’re very, very conscientious of that and we’re kind of like the mother hen, always double checking on them and making sure that we’re protecting them because they’re very, very important to us in this transition.”

You guys are turning the page and going to Rome now for a unique couple of practices. What are you guys expecting out of that both personally and professionally?

Drevno: “I’m really excited. I think to be able to take the players over there and my wife’s gonna come and I know Coach’s wife is gonna come, and just to experience that as a team, what a great team bonding. And to share with the Italian people in Italy just the American game of football and take our players different places and see the great history of Europe and Italy—there’s nothing better than that, than guys getting on a plane and going to stay together and practice over there. It’s going to be a phenomenal experience, so I’m really, really, really—I’m excited about it. I think it’s gonna be fun.”

Brown: “You know, I’ll just second that. What a great opportunity for our players to have that opportunity. They’re the only ones in college football that are gonna get that opportunity this year, so you don’t take that for granted.

“For me, we got three more practices over there. We got one next week. I gotta think about getting ready for Air Force and the triple option, so that’s gonna be the majority of my time, but, uh…I’m looking forward to going to Rome. Coach has really got a tremendous plan for our players to experience that culture, so pretty excited.”