By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
New Baylor defensive coordinator Matthew Powledge met with the media for the first time on Tuesday and talked about taking over, the style of defense he wants to play and developing leadership. Star Bryson Jackson also discussed his transition to the new position, while defensive back A.J. McCarty spoke.
Matt Powledge
(Goals this spring) We’ve been really trying to establish relentless effort on the defensive side of the ball. We really emphasize the takeaways at practice with some of the circuit drills we’ve been doing. In the meetings, we’ve been teaching exactly how to take the ball away and finishing on the ball when it’s in the air, and then playing together. We called that shared commitment, brotherhood, connection. It’s bigger than just me, it’s all of us. For us, that has really been the main emphasis of the spring.
(Trying to force turnovers like in 2021) I think it starts with playing hard. So we want people to turn on the film on Sundays when they’re playing us that next Saturday and say holy cow, these guys played balls to the wall, like their hair’s on fire. So that’s really what we’re looking for right now with each practice. Can we improve that because there will be some mistakes sometimes, but more than that when we’re playing hard, turnovers will kind of come when more guys are around the ball and there’s more guys with strip attempts, fumble attempts, sack attempts, and now tipped balls all of a sudden become picks. That’s really been a huge emphasis for us.
(Press man coverage) We want to get up in people’s faces and really challenge them at the line of scrimmage, so I think that’s something we want to have as a tool in our bag. Is that going to be who we are all the time? I can’t really tell you that right now. But I do think for us it’s an area we want to improve on. We want to be tighter in coverage and we want to take away the windows for the quarterback. We want to apply some pressure, and then all of a sudden you get rush and coverage working together. That’s the shared commitment again.
(Bringing energy to defense) Now that I’m doing this interview, you’re like where is all this energy? I think everything counts and everything matters. It’s been part of me for a long time. I’m very, very passionate about football, whether we’re in a meeting setting where we’re talking about football and I’m trying to get the guys fired up about that day at practice or that week of the game. Coach Aranda comes up today using an example about everything counting and everything mattering, and how there’s an art to just about everything. As you see it, you know it, and I see meetings that way. I see cut-ups that way, I see walk-throughs that way, I see practices that way. I think for us as coaches, it’s really hard if you don’t bring energy to get guys to play with relentless effort. It’s easy for me because I’m passionate about it and I love it so much. The best part of my day is when we hit the grass. Sometimes there will be a lot of things on your mind, but once you get out there if you can be like what you’re getting the players to do and just be 100 miles an hour, you’re going to like the results.
(Coming back to help establish culture) Yeah, 100 percent. I think the culture is a huge part. All I can tell you is my experiences here. I felt like in that 2021 season that team culture was as good as I’ve ever been around, and I know we’re working hard with this 2023 team to build it in a similar manner built on the same principles. I think there’s a lot of things on this ’23 team that resemble that team in certain ways. The youth would probably be a little bit of the difference, but I do think we have some key leaders. We have some older guys with experience to help the other guys.
(Biggest obstacle) I think the biggest obstacle is the older guys showing the younger guys the way. Sometimes when a young guy who is now a sophomore or junior and is an old guy and now needs to be a leader. It’s being able to call people up when it’s good and then also try to call them out and bring them up when it’s bad. Sometimes that can be a challenge. But we’ve got some guys that are starting to get comfortable doing that. I think with us trying to play together and work together, and all those types of things, I think the young guys understand that it’s not coming from a bad place. It’s this dude really cares about me, this dude really wants me to really do good and succeed and make plays, and be a part of something great.
(What changes have you seen in Aranda since you’ve been back) To me, he seems way more comfortable. Coach is himself 100 percent himself all the time, and that’s one of the things I love about him. He’s unique but he’s so sharp, he’s so bright. But I would think just the comfort level in that position, it feels so natural right now. I’ll go to every staff meeting and leave with two or three pages of notes. There’s not many I’ve been around that I’ve been more impressed with. He’s that guy, not just from a defensive perspective, but from a team perspective. I really believe he’s doing an elite job right now.
(Who has stood out as leaders) I think in the front, TJ and Gabe are starting to take those reins. I think when you talk about the backers, Matt Jones, and Mike Smith has been extremely vocal the last two practices. He’s been helping a lot of the younger guys. Secondary-wise, Devon Lemear’s role right now, it’s really cool to see him try to take those reins. Those would be some guys defensively that I think stand out for sure.
(your growth in the year when you were gone) One, I think seeing it done a different way. And that’s in a lot of rooms. So, maybe defensively, maybe team-wise, maybe recruiting-wise. At a place that’s done it at a high level, or for a staff with a lot of coaches that have done it a high level. I think that experience, being able to bring in new guys, being able to bring in maybe a different way to . . . I was going to say skin a cat, but I feel like that’s an old coaching term that I don’t even know if that makes sense to other people. Anyways, I would say that, the experience that I gained from there. That was big-time.
(how have the safeties doing) A lot of the things that we’ve been emphasizing, the relentless effort piece, I think we’ve done a good job of attacking the ball. I think there have been guys that not only understand what their job is but they’re starting to understand where their help is. And to me, that was a huge difference in ’21 was understanding, ‘Hey, I can play to my help.’ ‘Hey, in coverage, this is where the help is. ‘In run support, this is where my help is.’ And being extremely detailed in that category. I really feel like, as we’ve gotten to practice six, seven and eight, we’ve become a little bit more detailed, especially in the foundation base calls of our defense.
(Back at Baylor, how special is that?) Yeah, I mean, I tell people all the time, whether it's family members, whether it's recruits, whether it's our players, I mean, this place is special. And you don't realize it until you're immersed in it and you really feel it. There's not another place where you can get an elite education like here. You can grow in faith (and) obviously compete for championships, it's been done just about in every program on campus. And so, it's really, really cool from that standpoint. And then I think that just the community in Waco and the Baylor support system, whether it's alumni or y'all (the media), it’s just been amazing, and I love it. So, appreciate that question. (Dave???)
(On QB battle) Man, it's been awesome to see. They give us their best every day. Just like most position groups, they're competing at a really high level right now. Blake threw a couple of balls on Saturday (where) I'm like ‘how did he fit that in there?’ And I've seen his growth, his Moxie, him growing as a leader. And then Sawyer on the other side, man, I mean, holy moly. I mean, (he’s a) really good athlete. I mean, he's energetic. He's got this vibe about him. And so, yeah, it's been really cool to see and they've been pushing us from a defensive standpoint.
Bryson Jackson
(New spot, how’s it going) It’s going well. It’s a lot of just attention to detail and focus that goes into it and couldn't be more proud to be with Coach Powledge. He's just been so detailed and intentional in meetings and every day so, that keeps all the guys in there locked in, and questions are always flying. He's able to answer them and apply them to film. And so, just that preparation part and aspect to it — but the footwork – it's been different. So, just getting with the guys after practice and working on that. But it's been an adventure, it’s been an experience and I just couldn't do it with a better group.
(And what do you like about Coach Powledge?) I just love his enthusiasm. I love his intentionality. And when it comes with being a younger coach like that, that brings energy. And what happens with that is that gets everybody locked in and gets everybody focused. And he's able to relate to us a lot. So, the things that go off script, like when we come home, when we get done with practice, we go up there and watch film with him. He's very relaxed, he got the mood set for us so we can go in there and get that film in. And he's able to still be intentional after practice and having that focus. So, we all love it and we all are locked in whenever he's talking.
(Was that a spot you always felt like you could play? When did you get interested in the STAR role) So, when I first came here, back in 2017, I came in as a Sam (line)backer. So, it’s just bigger personnel at that position, but that was something I came in playing and worked there for my first two years. So, it just kind of felt like home and it was natural. And just being able to apply what I learned at pass rushing at playing Jack, and being able to play Will backer a little bit in some of the games previous, it just kind of helped me out and allowed me to come to this position and apply all of that to make up for that position. So, I love it.
(What’s the difference that you’ve seen since we last saw you at the beginning of spring) Our whole thing's been ‘pound the rock’ every day coming in, being intentional with how we prepare and how we just go out there and practice. So, protecting the team and that's just in practice, being pros, and that's keeping guys up, practicing body position, being able to play fast and violent without hurting each other (and) being able to be intentional. So, I think the team has become pros at that. And it's really unique. It's really cool to see because you got a bunch of guys flying around full speed at practice, and then people are staying up off the ground. People are being intentional with their assignment. And that's just what we want to be, we want to be a fast, violent and assignment-based defense, and offensively that's exactly what we want to be as well. So, to be an offense, to be a team that goes out there and not having penalties and being able to have O-lineman having tight hands, (wide) receivers being able to have tight hands (and) quick feet on routes. Man, those are the things that we want to have on the team. So, I give kudos to all the guys because they take every day seriously and practice has been really intentional, so have meetings.
(Anybody that’s really stood out to you) Definitely Blake, definitely Drake Dabney offensively. Gavin Yates has been in there, Clark (Barrington) on O-line. Running backs wise, all of all those guys — so ‘Dom (Dominic Richardson) has just come in and Qualan and Bryson (Washington) the little freshman — like everybody's been intentional; Richard Reese. So, offensively those guys have been locked in and been really, really focused. Defensively, TJ (Franklin) and Gabe (Hall), they’re getting to the quarterback and then they're breaking out of the (stags??) running full speed. So, we got GPS, and like seeing those guys run 20 miles per hour at practice, man that’s elite. So, just seeing those guys like that take charge. And then we got Mike Smith (Jr.) that just came in at linebacker, and man, when I tell you, he's out there talking, keeping guys’ heads up, like that’s the positivity, that’s what we want on the defense. And I think that's what's gonna keep us and give us our edge in the season.
(What's the biggest difference you've seen in Blake so far?) In Blake, just the confidence and the courage, man. He comes out to practice, he's focused, he's locked in. He's keeping everybody else around him up(beat). And that's what we need on offense. And just seeing that confidence in him was something that he was working on last year to improve on. So, definitely the confidence piece (and) the intentionality piece. He's always been elite on that, but he's definitely stepped his game up on that and being able to bring guys up with him.
(On transfers leading) Absolutely, yeah. He's out there talking and he's out there completely buying in. And what's cool is, we have like call ups and put ups at the end of practice, and he's one of the guys who's been up there multiple times. So, that's just from coaches watching him and other players are watching him, and it's something that's come up in meetings, but you got these guys that are coming in (like) Carl, Isaiah Dunson, corners; man, they're all talking, communicating and upholding the standard, man. So, that's part of being a team and we need that. And that's been our culture so far. So it's awesome.
AJ McCarty
(what have you learned from Coach Powledge) He’s really been stressing technique and playing green. And if you mess up, it don’t matter, just keep going. I really like Coach Pow, because I feel like he brings confidence and energy into everybody. And it makes everybody want to play harder and put more effort into the things that we’re doing on the field. I think that’s one of the big things.
(have you seen a difference in Coach Powledge from ’21 to when he came back this year) Nah, it’s the exact same Coach Pow, he never changed. I like Coach Pow just because the energy he brings is unique. And he has all these different slogans and things that he says that you really don’t hear too much, so it’s really cool having him back.
(how helpful was that to bring in somebody everyone was already familiar with) I think it’s really helpful because, like I keep saying, the energy part of it. Like with Coach Roberts, he was really X’s and O’s, and he was really strict, but he never really had just that energy that he brought to the team. And with Coach Pow, the bar has been raised 10 times. I feel like in meetings and stuff, everybody’s more locked-in, paying attention, and able to take it out to the field.
(big opportunity at safety with a lot of the veterans gone) Yeah, for sure. At safety, we kind of really had the same people. Devin Lemear is going to come back (from injury), and he did his thing last year. Me and Bryson (Jackson), we’re working at the STAR right now and I think we’re competing pretty good in that. But, honestly, I feel like we have a higher ceiling this year than we did last year, for sure, just because the people in the room, we want to compete, we want to win. We don’t want to be mediocre.
(more corner last year, how’s the adjustment to safety going) It’s been going great. Actually, I feel more natural at safety because I feel more free. I’m a high-energy dude, so I like running around and getting to the ball. And I feel like at corner, I was more restricted, like this is your guy, this is who you got to be with, don’t have your eyes nowhere else. So, I feel like I’m more open and more free to play.
(how does that experience from last year help you, Devin and Bryson get to that higher ceiling that you talked about) I think it leads us toward a higher ceiling because we have experience. We played last year, we know how it feels on the field instead of this being our first year about to play and ‘Oh, this is the first time we’re out here,’ and being more hesitant. Having a year under your belt, I honestly feel like you can go out there and be more calm and be yourself, and you don’t have to think as much.
(mentality heading into the season to make that safeties group, the DB group the best in the Big 12) Yeah. Like I was saying earlier, everybody in the group, it doesn’t matter who it is, we want to work and we want to get better. And I feel like I practice that we’ve been showing that. We’ve been out there competing and striving to reach a higher ceiling than we did last year, for sure.
Publisher
New Baylor defensive coordinator Matthew Powledge met with the media for the first time on Tuesday and talked about taking over, the style of defense he wants to play and developing leadership. Star Bryson Jackson also discussed his transition to the new position, while defensive back A.J. McCarty spoke.
Matt Powledge
(Goals this spring) We’ve been really trying to establish relentless effort on the defensive side of the ball. We really emphasize the takeaways at practice with some of the circuit drills we’ve been doing. In the meetings, we’ve been teaching exactly how to take the ball away and finishing on the ball when it’s in the air, and then playing together. We called that shared commitment, brotherhood, connection. It’s bigger than just me, it’s all of us. For us, that has really been the main emphasis of the spring.
(Trying to force turnovers like in 2021) I think it starts with playing hard. So we want people to turn on the film on Sundays when they’re playing us that next Saturday and say holy cow, these guys played balls to the wall, like their hair’s on fire. So that’s really what we’re looking for right now with each practice. Can we improve that because there will be some mistakes sometimes, but more than that when we’re playing hard, turnovers will kind of come when more guys are around the ball and there’s more guys with strip attempts, fumble attempts, sack attempts, and now tipped balls all of a sudden become picks. That’s really been a huge emphasis for us.
(Press man coverage) We want to get up in people’s faces and really challenge them at the line of scrimmage, so I think that’s something we want to have as a tool in our bag. Is that going to be who we are all the time? I can’t really tell you that right now. But I do think for us it’s an area we want to improve on. We want to be tighter in coverage and we want to take away the windows for the quarterback. We want to apply some pressure, and then all of a sudden you get rush and coverage working together. That’s the shared commitment again.
(Bringing energy to defense) Now that I’m doing this interview, you’re like where is all this energy? I think everything counts and everything matters. It’s been part of me for a long time. I’m very, very passionate about football, whether we’re in a meeting setting where we’re talking about football and I’m trying to get the guys fired up about that day at practice or that week of the game. Coach Aranda comes up today using an example about everything counting and everything mattering, and how there’s an art to just about everything. As you see it, you know it, and I see meetings that way. I see cut-ups that way, I see walk-throughs that way, I see practices that way. I think for us as coaches, it’s really hard if you don’t bring energy to get guys to play with relentless effort. It’s easy for me because I’m passionate about it and I love it so much. The best part of my day is when we hit the grass. Sometimes there will be a lot of things on your mind, but once you get out there if you can be like what you’re getting the players to do and just be 100 miles an hour, you’re going to like the results.
(Coming back to help establish culture) Yeah, 100 percent. I think the culture is a huge part. All I can tell you is my experiences here. I felt like in that 2021 season that team culture was as good as I’ve ever been around, and I know we’re working hard with this 2023 team to build it in a similar manner built on the same principles. I think there’s a lot of things on this ’23 team that resemble that team in certain ways. The youth would probably be a little bit of the difference, but I do think we have some key leaders. We have some older guys with experience to help the other guys.
(Biggest obstacle) I think the biggest obstacle is the older guys showing the younger guys the way. Sometimes when a young guy who is now a sophomore or junior and is an old guy and now needs to be a leader. It’s being able to call people up when it’s good and then also try to call them out and bring them up when it’s bad. Sometimes that can be a challenge. But we’ve got some guys that are starting to get comfortable doing that. I think with us trying to play together and work together, and all those types of things, I think the young guys understand that it’s not coming from a bad place. It’s this dude really cares about me, this dude really wants me to really do good and succeed and make plays, and be a part of something great.
(What changes have you seen in Aranda since you’ve been back) To me, he seems way more comfortable. Coach is himself 100 percent himself all the time, and that’s one of the things I love about him. He’s unique but he’s so sharp, he’s so bright. But I would think just the comfort level in that position, it feels so natural right now. I’ll go to every staff meeting and leave with two or three pages of notes. There’s not many I’ve been around that I’ve been more impressed with. He’s that guy, not just from a defensive perspective, but from a team perspective. I really believe he’s doing an elite job right now.
(Who has stood out as leaders) I think in the front, TJ and Gabe are starting to take those reins. I think when you talk about the backers, Matt Jones, and Mike Smith has been extremely vocal the last two practices. He’s been helping a lot of the younger guys. Secondary-wise, Devon Lemear’s role right now, it’s really cool to see him try to take those reins. Those would be some guys defensively that I think stand out for sure.
(your growth in the year when you were gone) One, I think seeing it done a different way. And that’s in a lot of rooms. So, maybe defensively, maybe team-wise, maybe recruiting-wise. At a place that’s done it at a high level, or for a staff with a lot of coaches that have done it a high level. I think that experience, being able to bring in new guys, being able to bring in maybe a different way to . . . I was going to say skin a cat, but I feel like that’s an old coaching term that I don’t even know if that makes sense to other people. Anyways, I would say that, the experience that I gained from there. That was big-time.
(how have the safeties doing) A lot of the things that we’ve been emphasizing, the relentless effort piece, I think we’ve done a good job of attacking the ball. I think there have been guys that not only understand what their job is but they’re starting to understand where their help is. And to me, that was a huge difference in ’21 was understanding, ‘Hey, I can play to my help.’ ‘Hey, in coverage, this is where the help is. ‘In run support, this is where my help is.’ And being extremely detailed in that category. I really feel like, as we’ve gotten to practice six, seven and eight, we’ve become a little bit more detailed, especially in the foundation base calls of our defense.
(Back at Baylor, how special is that?) Yeah, I mean, I tell people all the time, whether it's family members, whether it's recruits, whether it's our players, I mean, this place is special. And you don't realize it until you're immersed in it and you really feel it. There's not another place where you can get an elite education like here. You can grow in faith (and) obviously compete for championships, it's been done just about in every program on campus. And so, it's really, really cool from that standpoint. And then I think that just the community in Waco and the Baylor support system, whether it's alumni or y'all (the media), it’s just been amazing, and I love it. So, appreciate that question. (Dave???)
(On QB battle) Man, it's been awesome to see. They give us their best every day. Just like most position groups, they're competing at a really high level right now. Blake threw a couple of balls on Saturday (where) I'm like ‘how did he fit that in there?’ And I've seen his growth, his Moxie, him growing as a leader. And then Sawyer on the other side, man, I mean, holy moly. I mean, (he’s a) really good athlete. I mean, he's energetic. He's got this vibe about him. And so, yeah, it's been really cool to see and they've been pushing us from a defensive standpoint.
Bryson Jackson
(New spot, how’s it going) It’s going well. It’s a lot of just attention to detail and focus that goes into it and couldn't be more proud to be with Coach Powledge. He's just been so detailed and intentional in meetings and every day so, that keeps all the guys in there locked in, and questions are always flying. He's able to answer them and apply them to film. And so, just that preparation part and aspect to it — but the footwork – it's been different. So, just getting with the guys after practice and working on that. But it's been an adventure, it’s been an experience and I just couldn't do it with a better group.
(And what do you like about Coach Powledge?) I just love his enthusiasm. I love his intentionality. And when it comes with being a younger coach like that, that brings energy. And what happens with that is that gets everybody locked in and gets everybody focused. And he's able to relate to us a lot. So, the things that go off script, like when we come home, when we get done with practice, we go up there and watch film with him. He's very relaxed, he got the mood set for us so we can go in there and get that film in. And he's able to still be intentional after practice and having that focus. So, we all love it and we all are locked in whenever he's talking.
(Was that a spot you always felt like you could play? When did you get interested in the STAR role) So, when I first came here, back in 2017, I came in as a Sam (line)backer. So, it’s just bigger personnel at that position, but that was something I came in playing and worked there for my first two years. So, it just kind of felt like home and it was natural. And just being able to apply what I learned at pass rushing at playing Jack, and being able to play Will backer a little bit in some of the games previous, it just kind of helped me out and allowed me to come to this position and apply all of that to make up for that position. So, I love it.
(What’s the difference that you’ve seen since we last saw you at the beginning of spring) Our whole thing's been ‘pound the rock’ every day coming in, being intentional with how we prepare and how we just go out there and practice. So, protecting the team and that's just in practice, being pros, and that's keeping guys up, practicing body position, being able to play fast and violent without hurting each other (and) being able to be intentional. So, I think the team has become pros at that. And it's really unique. It's really cool to see because you got a bunch of guys flying around full speed at practice, and then people are staying up off the ground. People are being intentional with their assignment. And that's just what we want to be, we want to be a fast, violent and assignment-based defense, and offensively that's exactly what we want to be as well. So, to be an offense, to be a team that goes out there and not having penalties and being able to have O-lineman having tight hands, (wide) receivers being able to have tight hands (and) quick feet on routes. Man, those are the things that we want to have on the team. So, I give kudos to all the guys because they take every day seriously and practice has been really intentional, so have meetings.
(Anybody that’s really stood out to you) Definitely Blake, definitely Drake Dabney offensively. Gavin Yates has been in there, Clark (Barrington) on O-line. Running backs wise, all of all those guys — so ‘Dom (Dominic Richardson) has just come in and Qualan and Bryson (Washington) the little freshman — like everybody's been intentional; Richard Reese. So, offensively those guys have been locked in and been really, really focused. Defensively, TJ (Franklin) and Gabe (Hall), they’re getting to the quarterback and then they're breaking out of the (stags??) running full speed. So, we got GPS, and like seeing those guys run 20 miles per hour at practice, man that’s elite. So, just seeing those guys like that take charge. And then we got Mike Smith (Jr.) that just came in at linebacker, and man, when I tell you, he's out there talking, keeping guys’ heads up, like that’s the positivity, that’s what we want on the defense. And I think that's what's gonna keep us and give us our edge in the season.
(What's the biggest difference you've seen in Blake so far?) In Blake, just the confidence and the courage, man. He comes out to practice, he's focused, he's locked in. He's keeping everybody else around him up(beat). And that's what we need on offense. And just seeing that confidence in him was something that he was working on last year to improve on. So, definitely the confidence piece (and) the intentionality piece. He's always been elite on that, but he's definitely stepped his game up on that and being able to bring guys up with him.
(On transfers leading) Absolutely, yeah. He's out there talking and he's out there completely buying in. And what's cool is, we have like call ups and put ups at the end of practice, and he's one of the guys who's been up there multiple times. So, that's just from coaches watching him and other players are watching him, and it's something that's come up in meetings, but you got these guys that are coming in (like) Carl, Isaiah Dunson, corners; man, they're all talking, communicating and upholding the standard, man. So, that's part of being a team and we need that. And that's been our culture so far. So it's awesome.
AJ McCarty
(what have you learned from Coach Powledge) He’s really been stressing technique and playing green. And if you mess up, it don’t matter, just keep going. I really like Coach Pow, because I feel like he brings confidence and energy into everybody. And it makes everybody want to play harder and put more effort into the things that we’re doing on the field. I think that’s one of the big things.
(have you seen a difference in Coach Powledge from ’21 to when he came back this year) Nah, it’s the exact same Coach Pow, he never changed. I like Coach Pow just because the energy he brings is unique. And he has all these different slogans and things that he says that you really don’t hear too much, so it’s really cool having him back.
(how helpful was that to bring in somebody everyone was already familiar with) I think it’s really helpful because, like I keep saying, the energy part of it. Like with Coach Roberts, he was really X’s and O’s, and he was really strict, but he never really had just that energy that he brought to the team. And with Coach Pow, the bar has been raised 10 times. I feel like in meetings and stuff, everybody’s more locked-in, paying attention, and able to take it out to the field.
(big opportunity at safety with a lot of the veterans gone) Yeah, for sure. At safety, we kind of really had the same people. Devin Lemear is going to come back (from injury), and he did his thing last year. Me and Bryson (Jackson), we’re working at the STAR right now and I think we’re competing pretty good in that. But, honestly, I feel like we have a higher ceiling this year than we did last year, for sure, just because the people in the room, we want to compete, we want to win. We don’t want to be mediocre.
(more corner last year, how’s the adjustment to safety going) It’s been going great. Actually, I feel more natural at safety because I feel more free. I’m a high-energy dude, so I like running around and getting to the ball. And I feel like at corner, I was more restricted, like this is your guy, this is who you got to be with, don’t have your eyes nowhere else. So, I feel like I’m more open and more free to play.
(how does that experience from last year help you, Devin and Bryson get to that higher ceiling that you talked about) I think it leads us toward a higher ceiling because we have experience. We played last year, we know how it feels on the field instead of this being our first year about to play and ‘Oh, this is the first time we’re out here,’ and being more hesitant. Having a year under your belt, I honestly feel like you can go out there and be more calm and be yourself, and you don’t have to think as much.
(mentality heading into the season to make that safeties group, the DB group the best in the Big 12) Yeah. Like I was saying earlier, everybody in the group, it doesn’t matter who it is, we want to work and we want to get better. And I feel like I practice that we’ve been showing that. We’ve been out there competing and striving to reach a higher ceiling than we did last year, for sure.
