[Fuller]

Coach Zordich expressed some concern with the corners. Have you continued to see them progress?

“Oh yeah. They’re doing just fine. Obviously I don’t know—we’re about a month in now and we had a little…I don’t know what you’d call it—moment, whatever—but about four or five days ago I’ve just seen us pick up the level of practice tempo. Mentally, we really took a huge step and things have started to click since then. It’s hard when you’re a young player, especially in the secondary, and you have a lot of things going on, but we’ve certainly cleared that hurdle and guys are communicating well back there and I feel good about the way we’re adjusting to stacks, bunches, etc. There’s some clarity there.”

What got the team over the hump four or five days ago?

“I don’t know. It just…a moment or whatever, things kind of started to click. You could just see a complete elevation in our energy and we haven’t really stepped back at all since then. I feel good about where we’re at.”

What are the challenges when you have to prepare for the possibility of three different quarterbacks?

“Well, you know, I prepared for Zaire back a couple years ago and he was sharing time with—I lost his name but he’s in the NFL now…Kizer. And so, he can run the ball. He’s a good spread run guy. He can get on the perimeter and hurt you with some throws. He can go back and huck it.

“Feleipe Franks, obviously he’s more of a drop-back guy, wing it around, which I don’t think they would change their scheme dramatically for him because drop-back is part of their game.

“Del Rio, he can run the nakeds. He’s got some ability to run. He throws the ball—  probably can do most things for them. Does he satisfy the equation of being able to make them the most multiple? Maybe that’s the answer, I don’t know. We’re prepared for all three guys.”

Your backup defensive line, are you pleased with their progress?

“Yeah. Really happy with Rashan, Mo Hurst, Bryan Mone, Winovich. Carlo Kemp has vastly improved. Lo Marshall has vastly improved. You feel good about what Aubrey Solomon’s bringing to the table. We’re getting some solid play out of Reuben [Jones] and also Kwity Paye; young freshman’s being doing some good things and has taken a number of reps in camp that we feel he has tremendous upside.”

[After THE JUMP: it’s a Don Brown presser, just click already]

What kind of step do you foresee Rashan taking this year?

“Well, you know, he’s got all the tools. He can rush the passer from the edge. He’s strong against the run game, especially versus the tight ends. I just see him just elevating his game. He’s prepared well. He’s a smart guy. We’re going to let him do all those things: pass rush, defend the run, and he’s got very good leadership ability, as well.”

When you look at Florida’s tape, where do you see that they’ve hurt people?

“Well, they’ve got three good tailbacks. I kind of like each one of them in their own way. They’re run the ball with tight zones, tight stuff right at ya. They’ll run the off-tackle slash play pretty well. They do have some elements of zone read in their package as well, split zone, so there’s some elements we’re getting ready for even though we don’t see it on tape that they could easily adjust to.

“That and they throw it around pretty well. Now, they’ve got some skilled guys in the receiver corps. Two capable tight ends; #30’s a very good receiver as well. So, you know, they can whip it around if they have to. I think they’re looking for balance, 50-50, and that’s our challenge. We’ve got to get ready to play a very, very good football team.”

Do you feel like you’ll learn a lot about what you’ve got on defense in this game or do you kind of know what to expect?

“Oh no, I think we’ll learn a lot. We’ve got a number of guys that’ll be in the soup literally for their first go-round. They’re gonna go through their adversity and how they come out of that adversity, continue to play and so forth are really important elements. And obviously you’re looking to develop some confidence as you move forward, so big challenge for us.

“I’m excited for us just to play a game. I mean, just play a game.”

For curiosity’s sake or—

“No, because I’m tired of coaching practice. I want to see our guys play and then you can obviously [say], ‘Here you are, this is where you are, this is where we’re goin’.’ What a huge game, what a great venue. Our guys are really excited. I’m really looking forward [to it]. I feel very, very confident in our abilities. I’m really looking forward to see us play.”

Who can you count on beyond the starting linebackers on your two-deep?

“If we put ‘em on the field we’re counting on them. You don’t get on the field unless we think we can count on ya. Does that change after the game? It could, but if we’re putting a guy out in the field, we can count on him.”

And who are those guys behind the starters?

“Uh…they’ll just remain nameless until we let ‘em play, until it gets closer to this game. I’m really excited to see us play. I think there’s some very interesting guys that have had great elevation in their play from spring to now, almost to the point where I’m giving them the ‘wow’ factor. Now you gotta do it in a game. That’s what it all comes down to: you gotta do it under the gun, in a game, in front of a huge crowd, so I don’t know if I’m answering your question but I don’t want to single anybody out until we get on the field and then we’ll see how it goes.”

When you first got here you talked about how pleasantly surprised you were with [McCray] given the fact that he’d been hurt, dinged up. When you saw that he was named captain the other day, how did that make you feel?

“Just really happy for him. I don’t know, I think I’ve said this before: last year when I was taking the job I’m going ‘Yeah, who’s gonna play Sam’ and they said ‘He graduated.’ ‘Who’s gonna play Mike?’ ‘He graduated too.’ And the same thing with the Will, so it was like—I laugh when people say, ‘Oh, Jabrill Peppers, they moved him to linebacker.’ Ha, thank GOD we were able to get into that mode.

“He had a big role. I sunk my teeth into the guy. He played a million reps during spring and the proof is in the pudding. He’s of the right stuff. So here he is now, a year later, same number of reps. Same work ethic. Couldn’t be more happier for a young person and a quality young man. This is a special guy, now. You feel good about those kinds of guys.”

In June you said Rashan was the best player you’d seen at that position. For a freshman, that’s pretty lofty. Where is his game going to go and where have you seen it already evolve in camp?

“Well, he is what he is. Every day he comes out to work, he does what’s expected. You’ll be running a can drill or coach Mattison will be running a can drill which is—you’re kind of going through it versus robots because the cans just stand there and he’s 100 miles an hour during the drill. Guys that have that kind of work ethic, they’re gonna flourish and they’re going to have great years because they’re putting in the time and the effort even in the, what some may perceive, pretty easy drill.”