After hearing the news about the demotion of defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, coupled with the mounting pressure on Texas coach Charlie Strong, Longhorn players were quick to accept blame for their team’s defensive troubles on Monday. Each player was quick to talk about the things they could do better, and took time to defend both coaches.
Here are some views expressed by a few players provided to the media.
Linebacker Breckyn Hager
- If there was one person standing on the table for Strong, Hager was that guy. When asked about the talk surrounding Strong’s future at Texas, Hager wanted everybody to know he does not support a coaching change: “You guys have to listen to us as players. He’s a great coach. We love him as a coach. Getting a new coach is just going to set the program back. We have one of the best in the business. You got to keep him. He’s not only a great coach, he’s a great man that’s helping us become better men. We’re blessed to have him. Our fans need to realize that and listen to people who are being coached by him every day.”
- Hager also expressed relief that Bedford is still on staff. When discussing Bedford, Hager said, “We need him now more than ever.”
- The biggest issues hindering Texas’ defense is missed tackles and stopping opponents on third down, according to Hager. He could not explain why his team misses so many tackles because Hager said they practice it every day: "Of course, coach Strong and these coaches, they’re men, so they are going to take the blame. That’s us. We’re letting y’all down. We’re going to fix that and get after it this week."
Linebacker Malik Jefferson
- There have been a lot of questions about Jefferson’s presence this season, and the linebacker admitted he should be playing better: “I haven’t done anything to impact this team, and that’s my problem. That’s what’s eating me alive right now. Of course, I know how to grow from it and look forward, and know there are bigger things out there. I need to make a bigger impact. If it’s not stats, I don’t care. I just want to make an impact on the team where they have success, and we have success with each other.”
- Jefferson said he needs to step up and become a leader. I asked Jefferson to expand on that comment because earlier this year the former 5-star recruit said it would occur because he no longer felt the need to defer to upperclassmen. Jefferson told me he was still deferring to senior this season, but if he had to step on some toes going forward, so be it: “That means Malik Jefferson has to take account of all the other 10 players out there on the field when he’s out there. Even the ones when they come out there, the backups, to make sure they know what they’re doing, too. This game is not promised that everybody can play every snap. Anything can happen to any player. I just want to make sure everybody is ready, and that starts in practice, and becoming a better practice player myself, and making sure I’m on guy’s butts about what they need to do.”
- Here was Jefferson’s response when asked if he should be playing outside linebacker instead of the Mike: “I’m fine where I’m at. I’m comfortable where I’m at playing inside. I know I can run from sideline to sideline. Of course, it’s hard when it’s inside because you’re taking on 300-pounders head on, but that doesn’t bother me. I go out there and play the game because it’s just a game. I’m focused, I know what to do, and all I have to do is go out there and execute.”
Defensive tackle Chris Nelson
- Nelson’s interview was interesting because he agreed with some of Strong’s press conference statements, but does not think coaching is the defensive issue. Strong believes hearing a new voice could help, but Nelson said, “We need a change, but not necessarily a new voice. We need something. There’s a void somewhere down the line. We’re just going to keep working moving forward to win games.”
- In addition, Nelson does not believe anybody on the defensive unit is pressing. Instead, Nelson thinks the team needs more leadership.
- This was Nelson’s response when asked about the coaching change: “I think it’s going to be the same. He’s on us every day. He’s always in our meetings. It’s going to be the same.”
- Overall, Nelson believes it comes down to players executing more than Strong doing something different. Those views may have been hard to piece together by reading Nelson’s interview, but that is what he meant.
Here are some views expressed by a few players provided to the media.
Linebacker Breckyn Hager
- If there was one person standing on the table for Strong, Hager was that guy. When asked about the talk surrounding Strong’s future at Texas, Hager wanted everybody to know he does not support a coaching change: “You guys have to listen to us as players. He’s a great coach. We love him as a coach. Getting a new coach is just going to set the program back. We have one of the best in the business. You got to keep him. He’s not only a great coach, he’s a great man that’s helping us become better men. We’re blessed to have him. Our fans need to realize that and listen to people who are being coached by him every day.”
- Hager also expressed relief that Bedford is still on staff. When discussing Bedford, Hager said, “We need him now more than ever.”
- The biggest issues hindering Texas’ defense is missed tackles and stopping opponents on third down, according to Hager. He could not explain why his team misses so many tackles because Hager said they practice it every day: "Of course, coach Strong and these coaches, they’re men, so they are going to take the blame. That’s us. We’re letting y’all down. We’re going to fix that and get after it this week."
Linebacker Malik Jefferson
- There have been a lot of questions about Jefferson’s presence this season, and the linebacker admitted he should be playing better: “I haven’t done anything to impact this team, and that’s my problem. That’s what’s eating me alive right now. Of course, I know how to grow from it and look forward, and know there are bigger things out there. I need to make a bigger impact. If it’s not stats, I don’t care. I just want to make an impact on the team where they have success, and we have success with each other.”
- Jefferson said he needs to step up and become a leader. I asked Jefferson to expand on that comment because earlier this year the former 5-star recruit said it would occur because he no longer felt the need to defer to upperclassmen. Jefferson told me he was still deferring to senior this season, but if he had to step on some toes going forward, so be it: “That means Malik Jefferson has to take account of all the other 10 players out there on the field when he’s out there. Even the ones when they come out there, the backups, to make sure they know what they’re doing, too. This game is not promised that everybody can play every snap. Anything can happen to any player. I just want to make sure everybody is ready, and that starts in practice, and becoming a better practice player myself, and making sure I’m on guy’s butts about what they need to do.”
- Here was Jefferson’s response when asked if he should be playing outside linebacker instead of the Mike: “I’m fine where I’m at. I’m comfortable where I’m at playing inside. I know I can run from sideline to sideline. Of course, it’s hard when it’s inside because you’re taking on 300-pounders head on, but that doesn’t bother me. I go out there and play the game because it’s just a game. I’m focused, I know what to do, and all I have to do is go out there and execute.”
Defensive tackle Chris Nelson
- Nelson’s interview was interesting because he agreed with some of Strong’s press conference statements, but does not think coaching is the defensive issue. Strong believes hearing a new voice could help, but Nelson said, “We need a change, but not necessarily a new voice. We need something. There’s a void somewhere down the line. We’re just going to keep working moving forward to win games.”
- In addition, Nelson does not believe anybody on the defensive unit is pressing. Instead, Nelson thinks the team needs more leadership.
- This was Nelson’s response when asked about the coaching change: “I think it’s going to be the same. He’s on us every day. He’s always in our meetings. It’s going to be the same.”
- Overall, Nelson believes it comes down to players executing more than Strong doing something different. Those views may have been hard to piece together by reading Nelson’s interview, but that is what he meant.
