Here are the highlights of Todd Orlando’s media availability on Wednesday:
- Orlando liked the physicality of his team against USC. However, Orlando is unhappy his unit did not close off that game.
- Here is an interesting quote from Orlando about his squad being aggressive against USC quarterback Sam Darnold: “The last thing I didn’t want to do was be aggressive throughout the whole game and all of a sudden [stop] … I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night, to be honest with you, if we would have let him sit back there, those guys get open, and all of a sudden you sit there and go, ‘You know what? You ain’t got any spine. You go the whole game, and you’re getting after the guy, and all of a sudden you stop.’ It was we’re going to put the pedal down and see what happens. He made a couple of tremendous plays. We were a little bit late on a couple pressures. He stepped up on (Malik) Jefferson, a little jump ball pass that he made. Great players do that. Great players find a way to be instinctive enough when it’s really on the line, and it’s really hot and heavy, they’re at their calmest. I thought Sam did a good job.”
- Orlando said this defensive system starts at the second level. The defense is really good when opposing offenses are in predictable down-and-distances, according to the coordinator. Orlando said his linebackers' success against USC was based on turning them lose and pushing that unit toward plays. Orlando added, “I’d rather us try to press the issue, knowing that they have to execute too, instead of sitting back and letting somebody be comfortable. Sam throws a bad ball … He’s a got a guy wide open, and he overthrows a ball and it’s like, we didn’t really do much. But, he sees a little bit of stuff coming at him, so, he doesn’t get through his throw, and all of a sudden the ball sails on us. That’s how I want us to play.” Orlando said he wants his guys to be unpredictable, yet, wants to get them rolling.”
- Poona Ford’s performance against USC is what coaches saw in fall camp, according to Orlando. The defensive coordinator said it was important to learn why he did not see that production prior to USC. Orlando said it was because of his calls, and he is learning how to put his players in a position to succeed.
- Orlando was happy with defensive end Charles Omenihu’s pass-rushing ability against USC, but needs him to improve in the run game. Omenihu can be an elite pass-rusher, and Orlando wants him on the field when teams are going to throw.
- Orlando believes his guys were more aggressive in going after the football against USC than Maryland. He also said his team ran to the ball really well.
- During pregame warmups, Orlando said he felt his team and knew they were ready to go against USC.
- Orlando described cornerback Davantae Davis’ performance as “okay.” He wants Davis to be more detailed and fundamental.
- Orlando on making sure his unit replicates their USC effort against Iowa State: “To me, it goes back to collectively going into the film room. From the naked eye, you can sit there, and you can pat them on the back. From the coaching eye, you look at that film and say, hey fellas, this is what happens. This is why we don’t close games right here, because we don’t do this, we don’t do this, and we don’t do this. We’re not in the second-place business. I think that’s the biggest thing. When you lose some games, sometimes you get into your mind, we did this and did this. No. You either win or you lose. It’s really simple. It’s cut and dry. It’s not my daughter getting a sticker on her forehead for coming in second place. That’s not what we do around here. We’re the University of Texas, and we should win ball games like that. That’s what we explained to them right off the bat when we had them in there, and we showed them the film.”
- In addition, Orlando said his defense had a great practice on Wednesday and is starting to understand the culture.
- Orlando on cornerback Kris Boyd: “He needs the work. Getting out of fall camp, we legitimately thought this is a big-time dude. The consistency is what we need. What he does, there’s some guesswork on it, instead of being fundamental and technical. That’s what we want Kris to do all the time in practice, which is to take the guesswork out of it. You saw a couple of plays at Maryland where it was a guess. Corners can’t play the guess business. That’s not how it works. We still on Kris and say focus in on your job, play technical. He has the talent to do it, but he has to play much better. There’s no doubt.”
- Orlando said he broke his headset after USC’s touchdown right before halftime because he was frustrated the inability of his guys to make a tackle.
- Orlando liked the physicality of his team against USC. However, Orlando is unhappy his unit did not close off that game.
- Here is an interesting quote from Orlando about his squad being aggressive against USC quarterback Sam Darnold: “The last thing I didn’t want to do was be aggressive throughout the whole game and all of a sudden [stop] … I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night, to be honest with you, if we would have let him sit back there, those guys get open, and all of a sudden you sit there and go, ‘You know what? You ain’t got any spine. You go the whole game, and you’re getting after the guy, and all of a sudden you stop.’ It was we’re going to put the pedal down and see what happens. He made a couple of tremendous plays. We were a little bit late on a couple pressures. He stepped up on (Malik) Jefferson, a little jump ball pass that he made. Great players do that. Great players find a way to be instinctive enough when it’s really on the line, and it’s really hot and heavy, they’re at their calmest. I thought Sam did a good job.”
- Orlando said this defensive system starts at the second level. The defense is really good when opposing offenses are in predictable down-and-distances, according to the coordinator. Orlando said his linebackers' success against USC was based on turning them lose and pushing that unit toward plays. Orlando added, “I’d rather us try to press the issue, knowing that they have to execute too, instead of sitting back and letting somebody be comfortable. Sam throws a bad ball … He’s a got a guy wide open, and he overthrows a ball and it’s like, we didn’t really do much. But, he sees a little bit of stuff coming at him, so, he doesn’t get through his throw, and all of a sudden the ball sails on us. That’s how I want us to play.” Orlando said he wants his guys to be unpredictable, yet, wants to get them rolling.”
- Poona Ford’s performance against USC is what coaches saw in fall camp, according to Orlando. The defensive coordinator said it was important to learn why he did not see that production prior to USC. Orlando said it was because of his calls, and he is learning how to put his players in a position to succeed.
- Orlando was happy with defensive end Charles Omenihu’s pass-rushing ability against USC, but needs him to improve in the run game. Omenihu can be an elite pass-rusher, and Orlando wants him on the field when teams are going to throw.
- Orlando believes his guys were more aggressive in going after the football against USC than Maryland. He also said his team ran to the ball really well.
- During pregame warmups, Orlando said he felt his team and knew they were ready to go against USC.
- Orlando described cornerback Davantae Davis’ performance as “okay.” He wants Davis to be more detailed and fundamental.
- Orlando on making sure his unit replicates their USC effort against Iowa State: “To me, it goes back to collectively going into the film room. From the naked eye, you can sit there, and you can pat them on the back. From the coaching eye, you look at that film and say, hey fellas, this is what happens. This is why we don’t close games right here, because we don’t do this, we don’t do this, and we don’t do this. We’re not in the second-place business. I think that’s the biggest thing. When you lose some games, sometimes you get into your mind, we did this and did this. No. You either win or you lose. It’s really simple. It’s cut and dry. It’s not my daughter getting a sticker on her forehead for coming in second place. That’s not what we do around here. We’re the University of Texas, and we should win ball games like that. That’s what we explained to them right off the bat when we had them in there, and we showed them the film.”
- In addition, Orlando said his defense had a great practice on Wednesday and is starting to understand the culture.
- Orlando on cornerback Kris Boyd: “He needs the work. Getting out of fall camp, we legitimately thought this is a big-time dude. The consistency is what we need. What he does, there’s some guesswork on it, instead of being fundamental and technical. That’s what we want Kris to do all the time in practice, which is to take the guesswork out of it. You saw a couple of plays at Maryland where it was a guess. Corners can’t play the guess business. That’s not how it works. We still on Kris and say focus in on your job, play technical. He has the talent to do it, but he has to play much better. There’s no doubt.”
- Orlando said he broke his headset after USC’s touchdown right before halftime because he was frustrated the inability of his guys to make a tackle.
