What has Mazi Smith brought to the d-tackle spot and are you pretty confident with the depth you have there?

“At d-tackle?”

Yeah.

“Yeah, yeah. I feel really good about it. You know, I think the bigger key is Carlo Kemp; 290+, more athletic than a year ago. I think he’s really brought a sense of maturity to the inside position. And the guy that’s probably made the biggest jump in one year is Donovan Jeter. You know, just…big, strong, always looked like a pro defensive tackle to me but now head’s screwed on, body’s tight, understands the position and playing at a high level.

"Mazi’s coming along. It’s a learning process. He should have been going to the prom this spring and being at home and he’s here playing major college football, and has shown flashes. But this 15 practices, really just a piece of his development, which will continue on in June, July and then preseason camp. But love the man, love what he brings to the table—he’s one of the strongest guys in the program—[but] we just need him to translate that strength, that physical prowess on a down-to-down basis consistently and that’s hard to do when you’re just walking in the door. But real happy with him, no question.”

Josh just got done talking about how he thinks his offense can help protect a defense. Usually it’s the big clock-consuming kind of offense that you hear about protecting a defense. In what ways do you think this offense could help protect your defense?

“Well, first off, you got to stand up on your own two feet and take care of your own business, so that’s one thing we need to do. But obviously if they’re moving the football and controlling the clock and finishing drives, there’s nothing more important than filling up the scoreboard with points. That kind of—it’s nice when you can sit over there and those kinds of things happen.

“It’ll be interesting. Last two years we’ve averaged 64-66 snaps defensively, which is not a lot, now, you know. So it gives you a chance to really, when you get on the field, put your life on the line in that sense and get after it, but hey, the beautiful thing is when you’re sitting on the sideline and the offense is moving the football. That’s not only a chance to recover but it also builds confidence in your defense knowing they can go out there and lay it on the line and we have a chance to score a lot of points.”

How do you assess your linebacking corps from—

“Unbelievable. Right now I’m really excited about the direction that group’s gone. Khaleke Hudson’s playing at a high level, which I knew he would. Has really—you know, he was sick yesterday, so I’m assuming—and actually Phil came in and said, ‘You know, I don’t think he’s gonna end up going today’ and I’m like ‘Okay’ because he had gone the whole—so I go up to him, ‘Hey, you’re probably not going today.’ He goes, ‘Coach, where am I from?’ I’m like, ‘McKeesport.’ He’s like, ‘I’m going today.’ I’m like, ‘Okay.’ So he’s playing really well. His coverage skills are up, his pressure mechanics and his techniques and fundamentals there are excellent, understands the linebacker position. Michael Barrett’s playing behind him and really doing a good job. Josh Uche’s kind of filling in there; he’s our swiss army knife, he’s all over the place. Rush end, package get out there and be a Cheetah, you know, all the things that we ask him to do he’s doing really well.

“Josh Ross—that’s probably been the most frustrating for me. I mean, he has not gone at all but if you said to me who is your smartest linebacker, I would say it’s him. He just—again, he’s sitting right next to me and he’s engaged and understands concept and Biggs [James Ross] is with us as one of my graduate assistants, his brother, so there’s not a lot of lost translation in concept but one man’s frustration is another man’s opportunity and I think Jordan Anthony, who logged if not the most he’s up in that 1,2,3 for participation award, [and] Cam McGrone—Cam McGrone is fast. Now, I’m finally saying ‘Cam McGrone is fast,’ which means brain’s on, I know how to go, I know where to go, I know what I’ve got to do, and now his ability to play fast is being met with concept understanding, so happy with him. I think he’s played really well the last four, five practices and couldn’t be better.

“Now, over at the Will position you’ve got Devin Gil playing very solid. Body, he’s really done a good job with his body. He’s faster. He never makes a misstep, but he better watch out because ol’ Glasgow is making a lot of plays and, again, he’s another one of our guys, he’ll play some Viper, he’ll jump in there and play in the packages, but he’s making a case for playing a lot of Will linebacker as well. I’ve never been this deep. I’ve never had this many guys that I can go [karate chops] bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp, they can all jump in there and play. Now, it’s gonna be—competition breeds success and let’s see where the fall takes us, because, you know, you can only play one at a time so you either better find a way to get in that rotation or win the job outright, so that’s the exciting part and that’ll carry over to the fall and I’m excited about it for sure.”

[The most I've transcribed in 5+ seasons after THE JUMP]

How much more versatile does Josh Uche make you with his role? You haven’t really had a guy like him here I don’t think.

“Well, we’ve had him.”

You have, but to this point in his development.

“Yeah, I mean, I think that’s what you’re alluding to. I mean, now—here’s the nice thing about him: when you put him in to play outside linebacker when he was a young guy, we didn’t—remember the old saying, now: might have traded him for two used footballs. Now he can go out and play Sam linebacker. He can line up at open-side defensive end and knows what to do [and] how to do it in the run game as well as the pass game. He can jump in all the package stuff and obviously he’s a pass rusher extraordinaire. So we found out last year through injury that we were able to, between him and Kwity [Paye], in essence we got first- [and] second-down production out of Kwity and third-down production out of Josh, which was an exciting thing for us.”

What’s it like to practice against an offense that’s learning a new system, or is it any—

“Um, you know, that’s a difficult one. I’ll tell you this, now. I think coach Gattis has done a great job of—he’s got those guys going fast, which that certainly helps us because like I tell our guys, we’re a package defense. It’s not a mystery. We’ll play 17, 18 different guys in different packages and we’re going to sub and go and you better get up to speed and be running with a sense of urgency to get lined up and all those things, so I think that part of it’s been really tremendous for us.

“We’ve been going through our transition in terms of defensively just trying to—we’ve integrated a bunch of new concept and I’m kind of excited where we are right now.”

Josh said the toughest part about facing your defense in practice is its versatility. How have you been able to maintain that versatility after losing so many guys after last season?

“Well, last season was really like a picnic in terms of after the ‘16 season in terms of changing guys, so, you know, you just try to—the thing that’s important, and that’s really a great point, [is] when ‘16 ended and ‘17 came, you’re figuring out in the spring hey, we’re good at this, we’re good at this, we’re good at this, we’re good at this, we’re not good at this, we’re not good at that, that package ain’t that good, and so you kind of figure out who you are and then you give it your best shot.

"Then this year we have the ‘18 defense, now new faces. Alright, what are you gonna be good at? Cheetah, Tampa, this, that, Superman? We’re doing all these different things and you’re trying to figure out what you’re going to be good at and I think for us to find that out we’ve got to put it out there and do it. So, that’s what—Coach is great about letting us do that. He never puts the handcuffs on the defense. He just says ‘Go do your thing.’ And I’m talking the boss, now. So, you know, that allows us to experience growth and find out what we’re good at. I think that’s really an important piece.

"I think coach Gattis has done a great job of—you know, if they were learning they certainly seemed prepared. I’m really excited about this football team. Not just my side of it, just watching our team practice, watching them interact with one another. Pretty exciting stuff.”

I think we know the answer to this question but what new concepts have you been wrinkling in this spring?

“What new concepts?”

Yeah, you said you’ve been integrating some new stuff. I said we probably already know the answer but I figured I would ask anyway.

“Well, you know, here’s the deal: if I tell ya—”

[cross “Yeah”]

So you’d have to kill him? Take him!

[smiles] “I’d have to kill ‘im.”

[laughs]

“But, you know, you just got to find out what you’re good at and there’s some trends that we’ve paid attention to and I think fits our needs, fits who we are. When you’ve got, for example, a number of linebackers that I’ve obviously been complimentary about, well, you’ve got to find ways to involve them in the gameplan, you know, and it really comes down to that. You know, you’ve talked—Josh Uche, you don’t just go, ‘Hey, put him in the game’ [lobs a pretend grenade] and throw a grenade over there. You’ve got to find ways to be able to put him in the game where it’s a consistent, finite approach and you’re not impacting everybody around him, so there’s some things that go into that, so, uh, you know…but nice try.”

Maybe next time.

“You know I think we’re playing a hair more—we’ll never be a true zone team but I think we’re playing some things that we feel really good about. We got about nine different ways to come get ya now in coverage and, you know, I’m excited about where we’re at. And I just want to say this: I don’t remember a secondary and back seven integrated in coverage playing as solid as this group. I’m just sayin’.

And why is that?

“As physical and as mistake-free as this group in the spring.

“Well, one, you know, thank god, I think it’s our fourth year so a lot of these guys have been with me from the get. A Josh Metellus, you got Hawkins, Ambry Thomas now three years, Jaylen Kelly-Powell three [years]. You can go on and on and on and on. Devin Gil, his fourth year; Josh Ross is coming up on his third, and it’s the same guy delivering the message so consistency gives you a chance to get everybody on the same page, so I think that helps ya. When you’re constantly in upheaval, that’s a difficult deal.

"I think that piece plus this group is as connected defensively as a group I’ve been around in terms of trying to help each other out. The older guy is not ‘Get away from me, you’re not taking my job.’ It’s more about ‘Alright, remember now, you got to dent this’ or you got to do that, you know what I mean? There’s a lot of that going on amongst their peers, which is [holds pointer finger and thumb together and punctuates each word] the best form of leadership comes from within. It’s not coach-driven.”

How about the guys in front of that back seven? Any concerns about the guys in front at this point?

“Well, let me think here for a minute, okay? Kwity Paye might be technically the best football player in the country, and I’m just sayin’. I mean, that guy, he’s hard to fool, so I have no concerns about him. Who is going to be sharing time? Well, you got Uche we’re gonna certainly give work in there. I just gave you a tidbit, okay?”

We’re getting there.

“And, you know, so he’s getting time. Luiji Vilain made it through the whole spring and all he did was go like this [mimics a plane taking off] and develop confidence that his body is back, so that’s a good thing. We got Gabe Newburg. He’s a talented guy. Got to get bigger, stronger, faster. You know, obviously should still be at the prom; he’s not. David Ojabo can fly, so his development will be interesting. You know, you look at this Michael Danna, okay? He’s gonna help us, so the question is does he help us at End? Does he help us at Anchor? You know, I don’t know.

“The guy that I think at Anchor, Aidan Hutchinson—big dude, and football, important to him, and has a charismatic way about him that I just like the guy. He’s still working on some things that he has to get cleaned up in his footwork but his upper body, length, being able to Oh, I’m reached? Wooom. I mean, that’s hard to do, now. Not a lot of guys in the country can do that, so you got him.

“I mentioned Donovan Jeter, I mentioned Carlo Kemp, we got Chris Hinton coming in, Mike Dwumfour’s been out with the guys practicing but in the fall, you know, on your mark, get set, go, so that’ll help us. I don’t—I count eight or nine guys there and I think we’ll be just fine. The interesting thing will be does Luiji get into the mix? Does Ojabo find a way [to] find some jobs? We tired to give him a couple jobs this spring; not quite ready for it yet, but next time around…you know, it’s easy to coach 10.9 100-meters. Guys like that, they’re easy to coach, so once their brain goes on and they can connect with that physicality again and play at a fast rate, you know, you got a shot to have a pretty good player there.

“So, you know, I think we’re in pretty good shape. I really do. I think we’ll end up with at least eight. At worst you’ll be three for two, but I got a good feeling about that d-line group. I think, you know, young guys get better and d-line guys just need repetition. Once they’ve dealt with the base block, the out-out block, the arc schemes and you keep giving them those repetitions, they get better fast. The key will be how many of those guys can be great pass rushers or good pass rushers and, you know, I feel really good about it.

“I think this is going to be an interesting group defensively. We may be a little different because we may have more guys like this guy’s good at this, that guy’s good at that so you might have to piece it in a little bit like that, but that’s the fun part.”

I was going to ask you if you have a starting group in mind but it sounds like it doesn’t even matter.

“It really doesn’t matter.”

It sounds like you’re going to be—

“Well, you know, in the defensive front you’re rotating those guys really anyway. At linebacker it’s a little different. If there’s a discernible difference you play the best guys. If you can keep the rotation on like a year ago at Will [with] Ross and Devin Gil, they shared time and Devin Bush Jr. played. Not rocket science to figure that one out. But if you can do that it’s a beautiful thing because guys have the ability to stay fresh.”

Does Ben Mason have a role in this at all?

“Ooohhhh, you know, I omitted him. I apologize. He’s playing tackle. Now you’re going ‘Don, he’s 260-something.’ Well, he’s got all summer, and if there’s a guy pound-for-pound that—like if you go over there to that wall and say ‘I don’t want you to drive your head through that wall,’ he’s going to drive his head through the wall. Just sayin’. I think he’s obviously he’s infantile stages learning as a defensive tackle, but why defensive tackle as opposed to defensive end? You guys have a—”

[a few people talk at once]

“Don’t have to teach him a lot. On your mark, get set, go! You know, there’s your blocks: fold scheme, double, combo, out-out, ‘bout it. But it’s on your mark, get set, go. So he’s been really receptive, responsive. He’s just, the last two practices, and I know this sounds strange but a lot of guys will go in there [growls] and their hands are in here and they won’t go like that [strong two-handed punch to an imaginary lineman] and the last two practices he’s finally starting to use his hands and we’re starting to see the benefits of that.

“But he’s got all June, July, and then August comes, he’s going to get it all over again. He’s definitely in the mix. If you said to me would he be one of the eight or nine guys you would consider putting in the game I would say that would be an easy one, absolutely.”

Not to get into specifics of course but obviously you guys evolve every year, coaches evolve every year.

“Yeah.”

How much of this year’s would be with how the game is called and how other teams run offense or what they do to you? How much of the new things or whatever wrinkles you add in, how much of that factors into it?

“You know, it factors in a lot, but the problem you can do, which I don’t have a problem with—it’s like we had this big discussion, well, what about this, what about that, what about that. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don’t react to anybody, now. You just live in the reaction world, that means you’re not acting. You don’t have—so what’s your identity? Well, you don’t have one, you’re just reacting to the offense. And I’m not saying we’re perfect but we’re gonna have an identity. We’re gonna stand for something. I make that clear to the players and I think the players understand that we need that. I think if you went in the room and asked them they’d be fairly strong on a couple things for sure. But I think you got to be careful about being reactionary.

“Now, there’s all these runs from 2018, all these different runs, from #1 through the last one, we have a way that we will defend each and every run, so it’s not like oh, you just don’t care, you just let it go and then they outscheme you. It’s really not that dramatic. It’s this is the way we defend the slash play. This is the way we defend the counter-G H and we go, we’re in—defensive end, dent; first puller, second puller, you’ll show up as the—I mean, we do that and there’s a method to the madness on each and every run. Then it’s just getting your—here’s the key: then just get your guys good at defending all the runs. Now, how well you can achieve those two things will determine success or failure on a given Saturday. That’s just the way it is, so you better be right as much as possible in terms of a) this is what I think they’ll do against us. Now, we have the big decision: gap scheme versus zone scheme. You guys don’t really—what am I saying. My point is are they zone blocking because they’re worried about all the penetration because also if they gap scheme and stop pulling they create holes and obviously we put big smiles on our face when people do that.”

Is more zone in coverage, is it not reactionary, it’s more personnel-driven then?

“Uh, no. It’s having—like Coach tells me all the time, more is more. Make sure you have enough answers. Had enough answers.”

How do RPOs change how you teach run fits?

“Do you know what people will say to you about RPOs?”

You tell me.

“Do you know?”

I don’t.

“It’s very difficult to defend RPOs and play a lot of true zone coverage, so do you think I’m worried about that?”

No.

“I’m not being a jerk, I’m being honest as a heart attack. If you’re defending zones against what Josh Gattis does, hang onto your hat. You at least got to have enough guys that can cover your run scheme gaps and cover the guys. Now, that’s not the only way to defend it, okay? There’s other ways to defend those RPOs but my true point is it’s got to be—an element of that has got to be account for those guys and still have the numbers that are effective to stop the run because if you don’t have the numbers that are eff—because they read the box and you don’t have the numbers that are effective enough to stop the run or manage the run, they’re gonna run the ball up and down the field on you.”

SID: Got time for one or two more questions because the man has to get on an airplane.

“Yes he does.”

I don’t mean to be flip. Do you get tired of—I think you listen to things that people say and read some—

“Yeah, I’m not stupid.”

Do you get tired of the Monday morning quarterbacking or the simplifying what you’re doing that’s not simple?

“There’s only one thing that I don’t—I mean, I think everybody has a right. I mean, that’s the profession that I’ve chosen. I think everybody has a right to their own opinion. That’s…it’s all good. It’s all good. I don’t like it when things start being said about 18-, 19-, 20-year-old guys that shouldn’t be said, okay? Old guy? Okay. Been there, done that.

“Had moments, you know, I’ve had moments when—we won 10 games in a row; we had great moments, okay? Then we have the Ohio State debacle. [raises hand] Don’t blame the players, okay? But you know something? You live in that world of negativity, are you ever going to get yourself out of it? You’re not. We’ll be ready to go. Every day there’s a part of the day that you’re getting ready to get better as a professional. Trust me, that’s the approach I take.”

Zordich said the other day the scheme was good, the execution was terrible. It’s an easy way to analyze it but how does that happen?

“I don’t know. It’s difficult. It’s a difficult process. You know, my hat’s off to them. They had a better gameplan than we did. Well, you know, and obviously you look at their season: Purdue, Maryland…there’s games there. It just happens. Now, it’s beautiful when you don’t have any, but it’s not happening those ways anymore. You don’t just go out and people do a good job of gameplanning on a week-to-week basis and that determines success and failure and when you succeed you move on in a humble way [and] when you fail you fix it. Or if you don’t fix it then just lay in the weeds and feel sorry for yourself and fail again. Obviously that’s not what you try to do.”

Josh says that Harbaugh’s hands off the offense. He’s obviously not hanging out with you in the defensive rooms.

“Wait a minute.”

I’m sure he wants to, but—
”Wait a minute, now.”

Are you seeing him—is he operating things differently this spring?

“I’m gonna say this about Coach, okay? Going on my fourth—wow, fourth year. Wow, that’s awesome. He runs—he’s the CEO. He’s running hte program. I marvel sometimes like when spring practice ended and then I look and see the repetitions we’ve got on, you know, we were talking about plays, right? Slash play, sucker play, bluff play. Different situations that we’ve been put in as a defense: red zone, 2nd-and-7, play the next down. I mean, I think he’s a master at touching all the competitive situations that you’ll be involved in. He’s a master at maximizing repetitions, but once again, keeping players on their feet and healthy at the same time so when you go into camp you got a chance because you got all your soldiers that are upright, so that’s a beautiful thing. I mean, he just knows what he’s doing. He’s the best at managing a team, managing a roster, and getting the most out of practices and keeping the team healthy. So, you know, I don’t know anybody that does it better. I mean that sincerely.”

Do you want him to hang out with you in the defensive—

“YEAH! Would like him to hang out. He’s got good ideas, now.

 “I’ve got one question for you: what do you guys think of the transfer portal?”

Yeah, I was going to ask you about Myles [Sims].

“I’m not talking about any individual. The concept. Interesting.”

Feels a little…

The jokes have gotten very old, I will say that.

Do you think it’s a free agency thing?

“I’m 63 years old and I just, I’m just not sure this was the way it was supposed to be but that’s just me.”

What do you think of a one-time transfer? Do you think that would be a reasonable [proposition]? A freebie, basically.

“Eh, I guess. It’s just… I’m just not sure it’s good for anybody. Adversity introduces a man to himself. So Don Brown has a problem with a player, I’m out. I mean…is that teaching a young man anything? Is he learning anything from it? Now, I guess every situation’s different and I’m probably opening myself up to—I just…you know, it’s disappointing. With all of the activity that’s going on, I’m not sure that’s really what we’re searching for in college football.”

You can’t be surprised to see the number of quarterbacks who are—

“Yeah, you know, I get—that’s…you know, I don’t—“

SID: What’s the number of players that are in the portal?

All sports?

“Football.”

In the hundreds.

“Hundreds, right. Now, I mean, I know that includes people that aren’t on scholarship, not only the players that are on scholarship but [shrugs] you know, it’s…I don’t know. There’s something about it that just makes me feel bad, you know, that we’re not still in education, still a part of the educational process. Learning to deal with people [and] situations that may be adverse I think are all things that are important and I think I’m out of here, well..and I’m not saying coaches aren’t a part of that deal either because there’s a lot of movement in our profession, so I think it’s a two-way street. But I just don’t—the fear I have is that I’m not sure it’s good for anybody, that’s all. I mean, you can get your whole team wiped out.”

But there are going to be exceptions, you think? Obviously Shea coming here—

“Yeah! I think there's—I don’t see a lot of exceptions now. It’s whatever you decide and then I don’t know if there’s really an evaluation of each situation now. And I’m not—again, I’m not—just fearful. Now, hey, you know, something that’s obviously there’s a problem, that’s a different deal, now. What did we say? Hundreds. Hundreds. That many unhappy people?”

[Inaudible]

“Yeah, I guess.”

Are there days you want to jump in the transfer portal?

[high fives]

“We’ll end on that.”

[Ed. A--I was travelling and unable to attend these pressers on Friday afternoon. (These==Gattis and Brown went back-to-back) This transcript exists thanks to the video taken by Game of Thrones enthusiast (and publisher of wolverineswire.com) Isaiah Hole]