By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor defensive line coach Dennis Johnson met with the media following Tuesday's practice and opened up about the what the goals for 2022 will be. TJ Franklin and Cole Maxwell also gave their perspective.
DENNIS JOHNSON
(On their experience level, knowing more coming into spring) Yeah, that’s probably one of the biggest differences. I think we’re able to move faster within our defensive scheme because of our knowledge. We have a room full of guys that this is basically our third go-around in the winter and spring time, and just having the understanding of the technique that we’ve been trying to get across and having those live-game reps and multiple, multiple practice reps has allowed us to move to that next level, defensive scheme-wise, for sure; and technique-wise, for the most part.
(You could see it happening toward the end of last season, better pass rush) Correct, we started to understand where we fit within each call, whether it was run or pass, our rush lanes, the technique we want to work within those rush lanes and the calls, execute them. If you’ve got to contain, you’ve got to get the contain. If you’re an A area rusher, you’re an A area rusher. And just understanding those basic principles to be successful within a defense.
(Next step for the D-line) We’ve talked about this, literally since we got up here. We want to lead from the front. So, the leadership aspect for the whole team. We lost a lot of guys that were skill players this past year. Obviously, they’re coming back and doing Pro Day stuff tomorrow – linebackers, DBs, receivers and stuff. And just filling the void, leadership-wise, up front. Big men leading the way. And I think if we can take that step as a unit, we’ll be a lot better as a whole team.
(How much does it help the ends having a big guy in the middle like Apu to take up blocks) Well, obviously, if you’re big up front in the middle, like the core of your defense, you can’t be single-blocked. So, you’re going to count for doubled and sometimes triples against some teams. And that allows those guys who are skilled – and they’re big, too, but they’re probably a little bit more skilled in speed – to get one-one-one blocks. Last season, we saw a lot of guys doubling inside, and it allowed us to get some free one-on-ones outside. And we’ve got to be able to win our one-on-ones. So, that big presence inside allowed those guys to kind of get those one-on-one blocks. And they have to win ‘em.
(Does the dual-threat QBs who can beat you with their feet change the way you have to play defense) Absolutely. If one person is out of their rush lane, it’s going to be exposed. You can play any team in our conference, every quarterback can run, everyone can take it the distance. So, if you’re not playing with discipline and speed, especially on the edges, and account for the quarterback in the rush lane, then you’ll get burned. So, every call that we have, we take that into account how we fit in the pass rush lanes. So, that’s a huge part of what we do.
(Do you plan to rotate guys) The more people you can play up front, the better you are. You’ve got to get everyone to that playing level. So, if we could rotate eight, nine guys, then we’re playing at a high level. Guys taking like 30 snaps or less per game, in the fourth quarter, back end, we’re rolling. So, that trust factor, and again, it kind of goes back to what we talked about earlier that you’re going into Year 3, and guys being familiar with the technique, guys being familiar with the scheme. And the whole room as a whole just being on the same page and playing all at the same level, so there’s no when anyone comes in, allows you to lead up front.
(Feel like guys are elevating each other) This spring, I’ve probably seen that more so than I have this whole time here. Guys picking up guys, guys challenging guys, guys pushing younger guys who may not have had that type of experience, to come along just a little bit quicker than probably they’re used to. And I think that comes with confidence and the amount of reps that they had at doing it. So, the more comfortable they are, and the better they are and they put it on tape, and you can come and see it, I think that’s kind of raising the level of play in the room.
(Balancing just getting better at what you do and maybe trying to tweak things with the older guys) Coach Aranda does this thing where we talk about rage to master and always being a learner and never a knower. So, it’s almost like you can’t do it correct enough or to the exactness. So, you’re raising every day to unlock another level of mastery is what it amounts to. So, we’re pushing that even in our most simple of techniques, if it’s a simple reach block, how can I get y pads lower? Can I get out of my stance faster? Can I get extension quicker? So, we’re always pushing, even in the most simple aspects of defensive line play.
Cole Maxwell
(Coming back this season) It’s hard work and dedication. We play together as a defense. We lost a couple of key guys but up front we stayed solid. I think it’s going to help us this fall.
(Improving last year) After my two previous knee surgeries, I was kind of rusty. Getting out of that knee brace, I was able to go full speed again.
(D-line depth) It’s awesome. Everybody can play up front. We have seven, eight or nine guys rotating, so we can be the best we can be.
(Having Apu and Chidi in middle) It helps us tremendously having somebody like Chidi or Apu in the middle. They’re taking up double (blocking), and it leave us with one on one blocking, and it allows us to make plays in the backfield.
(Did you see last year coming from 2-7 to 12-2) Not necessarily. We had a goal in mind to become Big 12 champions and Sugar Bowl champions, and I think our hard work and dedication paid off.
TJ Franklin
(Depth up front) It’s very valuable to us as a defensive line because there’s times where as a D-line we’re going to need breaks if we’re on the field for 10 to 12 plays in a row. Having good depth for the D-line definitely helps us.
(Sacks in Sugar Bowl) We always want to stop the run, but the pass is where we have a party. We just dream of having those games where we can all let loose.
I think it will allow the coaches to see that we’re able to do it, so now they’ll trust in us to go out there and do it.
(Competition at DE) As a D-line we just push to make each other better because we’re all going to get better as a group when we get better together. We just push each other to get better.
For us every time when we take a break and come back, we start with basics. You can never get too good at doing the right thing. You can always continue to grow and get a little bit better at your technique every day. So I think that learning the basics again helps us.
(What are you working on) I’m personally trying to become a better person, a better leader amongst the team, not just the position group. I’m just praying that they allow me to lead them the way I expect them to.
(Difference from 2020) Definitely COVID season, we probably had the youngest D-line group, and it was a mess, honestly. We had maybe four guys in the rotation. We were running three or four guys down, so we definitely needed help with the D-line. It was a young group. But as the years progressed, we could definitely see the younger guys getting better and learning their technique, working and becoming valuable to the D-line.
(Same D-line, DC for three years) The change was definitely different just because we came from a super hard coach and we were bashing on each other to a guy that actually cares about us, actually cares how our body is feeling and how we are outside of football. So it was a big change for me personally. I feel like I’m getting better.
Publisher
Baylor defensive line coach Dennis Johnson met with the media following Tuesday's practice and opened up about the what the goals for 2022 will be. TJ Franklin and Cole Maxwell also gave their perspective.
DENNIS JOHNSON
(On their experience level, knowing more coming into spring) Yeah, that’s probably one of the biggest differences. I think we’re able to move faster within our defensive scheme because of our knowledge. We have a room full of guys that this is basically our third go-around in the winter and spring time, and just having the understanding of the technique that we’ve been trying to get across and having those live-game reps and multiple, multiple practice reps has allowed us to move to that next level, defensive scheme-wise, for sure; and technique-wise, for the most part.
(You could see it happening toward the end of last season, better pass rush) Correct, we started to understand where we fit within each call, whether it was run or pass, our rush lanes, the technique we want to work within those rush lanes and the calls, execute them. If you’ve got to contain, you’ve got to get the contain. If you’re an A area rusher, you’re an A area rusher. And just understanding those basic principles to be successful within a defense.
(Next step for the D-line) We’ve talked about this, literally since we got up here. We want to lead from the front. So, the leadership aspect for the whole team. We lost a lot of guys that were skill players this past year. Obviously, they’re coming back and doing Pro Day stuff tomorrow – linebackers, DBs, receivers and stuff. And just filling the void, leadership-wise, up front. Big men leading the way. And I think if we can take that step as a unit, we’ll be a lot better as a whole team.
(How much does it help the ends having a big guy in the middle like Apu to take up blocks) Well, obviously, if you’re big up front in the middle, like the core of your defense, you can’t be single-blocked. So, you’re going to count for doubled and sometimes triples against some teams. And that allows those guys who are skilled – and they’re big, too, but they’re probably a little bit more skilled in speed – to get one-one-one blocks. Last season, we saw a lot of guys doubling inside, and it allowed us to get some free one-on-ones outside. And we’ve got to be able to win our one-on-ones. So, that big presence inside allowed those guys to kind of get those one-on-one blocks. And they have to win ‘em.
(Does the dual-threat QBs who can beat you with their feet change the way you have to play defense) Absolutely. If one person is out of their rush lane, it’s going to be exposed. You can play any team in our conference, every quarterback can run, everyone can take it the distance. So, if you’re not playing with discipline and speed, especially on the edges, and account for the quarterback in the rush lane, then you’ll get burned. So, every call that we have, we take that into account how we fit in the pass rush lanes. So, that’s a huge part of what we do.
(Do you plan to rotate guys) The more people you can play up front, the better you are. You’ve got to get everyone to that playing level. So, if we could rotate eight, nine guys, then we’re playing at a high level. Guys taking like 30 snaps or less per game, in the fourth quarter, back end, we’re rolling. So, that trust factor, and again, it kind of goes back to what we talked about earlier that you’re going into Year 3, and guys being familiar with the technique, guys being familiar with the scheme. And the whole room as a whole just being on the same page and playing all at the same level, so there’s no when anyone comes in, allows you to lead up front.
(Feel like guys are elevating each other) This spring, I’ve probably seen that more so than I have this whole time here. Guys picking up guys, guys challenging guys, guys pushing younger guys who may not have had that type of experience, to come along just a little bit quicker than probably they’re used to. And I think that comes with confidence and the amount of reps that they had at doing it. So, the more comfortable they are, and the better they are and they put it on tape, and you can come and see it, I think that’s kind of raising the level of play in the room.
(Balancing just getting better at what you do and maybe trying to tweak things with the older guys) Coach Aranda does this thing where we talk about rage to master and always being a learner and never a knower. So, it’s almost like you can’t do it correct enough or to the exactness. So, you’re raising every day to unlock another level of mastery is what it amounts to. So, we’re pushing that even in our most simple of techniques, if it’s a simple reach block, how can I get y pads lower? Can I get out of my stance faster? Can I get extension quicker? So, we’re always pushing, even in the most simple aspects of defensive line play.
Cole Maxwell
(Coming back this season) It’s hard work and dedication. We play together as a defense. We lost a couple of key guys but up front we stayed solid. I think it’s going to help us this fall.
(Improving last year) After my two previous knee surgeries, I was kind of rusty. Getting out of that knee brace, I was able to go full speed again.
(D-line depth) It’s awesome. Everybody can play up front. We have seven, eight or nine guys rotating, so we can be the best we can be.
(Having Apu and Chidi in middle) It helps us tremendously having somebody like Chidi or Apu in the middle. They’re taking up double (blocking), and it leave us with one on one blocking, and it allows us to make plays in the backfield.
(Did you see last year coming from 2-7 to 12-2) Not necessarily. We had a goal in mind to become Big 12 champions and Sugar Bowl champions, and I think our hard work and dedication paid off.
TJ Franklin
(Depth up front) It’s very valuable to us as a defensive line because there’s times where as a D-line we’re going to need breaks if we’re on the field for 10 to 12 plays in a row. Having good depth for the D-line definitely helps us.
(Sacks in Sugar Bowl) We always want to stop the run, but the pass is where we have a party. We just dream of having those games where we can all let loose.
I think it will allow the coaches to see that we’re able to do it, so now they’ll trust in us to go out there and do it.
(Competition at DE) As a D-line we just push to make each other better because we’re all going to get better as a group when we get better together. We just push each other to get better.
For us every time when we take a break and come back, we start with basics. You can never get too good at doing the right thing. You can always continue to grow and get a little bit better at your technique every day. So I think that learning the basics again helps us.
(What are you working on) I’m personally trying to become a better person, a better leader amongst the team, not just the position group. I’m just praying that they allow me to lead them the way I expect them to.
(Difference from 2020) Definitely COVID season, we probably had the youngest D-line group, and it was a mess, honestly. We had maybe four guys in the rotation. We were running three or four guys down, so we definitely needed help with the D-line. It was a young group. But as the years progressed, we could definitely see the younger guys getting better and learning their technique, working and becoming valuable to the D-line.
(Same D-line, DC for three years) The change was definitely different just because we came from a super hard coach and we were bashing on each other to a guy that actually cares about us, actually cares how our body is feeling and how we are outside of football. So it was a big change for me personally. I feel like I’m getting better.
