Jay Bateman talks defensive progress, depth, freshmen who could contribute and more

The defensive play-caller spoke with reporters for the first time during camp

Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman spent just over 13 minutes speaking with the media after Thursday's practice.

Here are the highlights of his question and answers session on a number of topics:

On what he saw in Saturday's scrimmage...

I think defensively, you’re usually ahead of the offense at this time of preseason camp because an offense, if one guy screws up, it can mess the whole play up. On defense, if one or two guys does a really good job, you can win the rep. I thought we played fast, communicated well; I think the learning curve has kind of gotten a little bit less with our defense right now and we’re playing pretty hard.

Where the defense is overall...

I think we’re improving — I don’t think your’e ever comfortable — so I think we’re improving, I think they understand why more, I think they’re able to do it on their own more. When they take ownership of it, it’s really good.

On Jason Strowbridge...

I think he’s a really, really important football player in our football program. He’s a super-talented kid, he plays really hard. He’s a hard guy to handle one-on-one in protection, so I think we’re really fortunate that he’s here.

On defensive line depth between Aaron Crawford and Strowbridge...

I think behind those is where I’ve been really happy. Jahlil Taylor has done a great job... moving really well. I feel so confident in him going in and playing for Aaron. Xach Gill has improved a ton; Xach Gill in the spring took a lot of reps and I think it paid off.

Tomari Fox and Krisitan Varner are two freshmen we’re really high on … Tomari is a kid that came in physically ready which was huge for us. I Think the biggest surprise has been Ray Vohasek, the junior college kid, who’s 290 pounds and physical and has given us a presence. I think what was our biggest concern a month ago has become something I’m not as concerned about, which is good.

The overall depth of the defense...

I think the key right now, I think if our top 12-15 players are playing, I feel really good. I think it’s generating the next 15-22, some of the freshmen (defensive backs), some of the sophomore, redshirt freshman (defensive backs) and I think it’s at inside linebacker, trying to get Jonathan Smith back up to speed, who I think has done a great job so far. Getting Chazz Surratt used to being a linebacker; Tommy has done a great job with those guys.

What he hopes to see in Saturday's scrimmage...

I think just more communication. It’ll be a little more South Carolina-oriented, so some of those kinds of things. At this point, kind of, the install is in. We walked through about 60 plays this morning and I said, ‘Guys, this is more than a gameplan ever would be as far all the calls we have. If you can handle this, you can handle any gameplan.’ I think just a continued communication and you know, effort is non-negotiable. The ability to play fast and play physical and then also communicate; when you get that, you’ve got a pretty good shot.

On classifying players as 'hybrid'...

I think everybody on our defense is a hybrid. Myles Dorn, he plays safety; he blitzes, he plays man coverage, he plays zone coverage, he plays the A gap, he plays the B gap, he plays the C gap. Sometimes the nose guard plays B gap, but we don’t ask Myles Dorn to play nose guard. I think the more you do, the better off you are.

On which outside linebackers have impressed...

I think Tomon Fox is a really good player. I love him as a kid, he’s really powerful, really strong and plays hard every day. I think Allen Cater has really come along and I give that kid a lot of credit; I think he’s like 8 ½ months from ACL reconstruction and he’s taken almost every rep we’ve asked him. I think Jake Lawler has gotten a lot better; I feel way more comfortable with him going in a game than I did in the spring.

Tyrone Hopper, who broke a finger and has missed a couple of days … I think Hopper is super-talented, so I think seeing him injury free will be exciting.

On hearing that players say they're having more fun...

Well, I think we forget sometimes, this is a game. They started playing because they liked it when they were (kids), and I think sometimes, college coaches try to make this into math class. Man, I hated math class. I think, let’s make this fun and if you enjoy something, you’ll be better at it.

On balancing fun with his intensity...

I think we try to establish what our standard is. Effort is non-negotiable, knowledge is non-negotiable, so I’m going to set the standard as high as I can, and if they don’t meet that standard, I'm going to demand that they do.

What’s really cool is we’ve guys like Dominique Ross and Myles Dorn and Myles Wolfolk and Jason Strowbridge that are demanding that of other people. When players demand the standard is met, you have a chance.

On having Dorn and Wolfolk back...

Dorn didn’t play at all in the spring, but I could tell meeting him — he would stand out there with me and the concepts made sense to him. I think those two are elite smart, so they will allow us to do a lot.

On which true freshmen could play...

I think Don Chapman and Gio Biggers at safety are both kids that are taking all the two reps right now, doing a good job learning every day.

Storm (Duck) and Khadry (Jackson) will play, I would think, in spot roles right now, but could play a lot depending how things shake out. Eugene Asante is really talented and I think Tommy (Thigpen) is doing a great job with him. I feel like every day is a giant leap for him.

On players taking advantage of summer workouts...

Our kids worked their tails off this summer. I told them when I got here, ‘ we have to take advantage of the summer because everybody else we play that are junior and senior team, that we hopefully would have been, would have had the defense installed six or seven times. We’re going to have to install it twice. If all we do is install it in the spring and the summer, that’s enough.’ WE really attacked the summer and our kids did a great job and I felt like when we cam eback for fall camp, it was like we had a really veteran team and I credit our seniors for that.

On Jeremiah Gemmel...

I think he can really run, he’s really smart and and I trust him; he’s very reliable. He’s one of the guys I count on him and I think he’s going to be a really, really good player, and he wears No. 44, which all great inside linebackers wear.

On what lessons from West Point he's given his players...

I tell these guys all the time, at West Point we didn't necessarily have the most talented athletes; we had really good players. I think being a good player and being a good athlete aren’t mutually inclusive. I think the ability to do your job, to play with great pad level, to play fundamentals, and to play with great effort and communicate, those don’t take a ton of ability.

So, if you do that and then add in the fact that they are longer, faster guys, then you should be OK. That Army West Point defense, those kids were tough. Those jokers competed and we’re trying to get to that spot here right now.

On why he recommended Brian Hess for the job...

He’s a great motivator, he’s a great energy guy and I thought at West Point, those kids have a lot on their plate. They don’t get to sleep much, nutrition is not great, there’s a lot of stress involved and he did such a great job of managing injuries.

I think he’ll do a tremendous job of the injury-prevention piece in the weight room. You can already tell, we’re more athletic and faster … I noticed a difference between spring and when I came out to watch them in the summer do a workout. Brian Hess is a rockstar; we’re fortunate to have him.

On Dre Bly...

The thing Dre has, he’s got great energy, he loves North Carolina and he’s in the Hall of Fame; I’m not. When he says, ‘I’d do it this way,’ there’s some immediate buy-in from the kids. I’ve been really impressed. A lot of the times, the knock on a guy with that kind of success that goes into college is that he doesn’t want to work as hard. Dre has worked his tail off; no one has worked harder in recruiting. On the field, I think every day he’s getting better. He knows the defense really well right now, because he had to learn it too, and I feel very confident.

How the corners set up behind Patrice Rene…

Trey is working out there some. I think Trey is one of our best players and I didn’t want to get into a situation where he wasn’t on the field against certain formations and certain personnel groupings. We’re working him at the corner some and at nickel some, Trey has done a nice job out there. Greg Ross has really improved, I think Storm Duck is going to be really good; big, fast. 

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