Here are the highlights for Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando’s media availability after practice on Wednesday.
--- Orlando’s response when asked about the breakdowns against LSU: “When you look at it, the way that we played, how hard we played, and how physical we played, it was a huge positive. I've been here in the past when you get on this stage, you see guys get knocked around. I didn’t see that at all. Joe [Burrow] made some really good throws. I think we're very close to making some of those plays, and there's still a small hesitation with it. I also say to myself, there’s a lot of things that I could have done to help those guys out. When you evaluate the film, to me, it's not about the kids. I say what can we do to help some of these guys out? But then when you watch the film for the 20th time, and you say to yourself, man, this guy's an arm’s length away from making this play, he’s really close to doing it. There are a lot of positives. I know you get enamored with yards and stuff like that. You really dissect the game itself, and there's just a handful of critical plays that if we come up with, or we get our hand on one, or we get off the field on third-down … even look at 3rd-and-17, just inches away from getting our offense another possession. Like I said before, and as a coach myself, and as the coordinator, it's on me to get these guys in some better positions. I just love this group in terms of the way that they competed out there.”
--- When asked what he needed to do better, Orlando said he did mix up his defense a lot against Saturday night. Orlando said he needs to know what his guys can hold up to on defense.
--- One big point of emphasis during practice this week has been over-communicating on defense: “We just got to do a better job, especially with some of our younger guys, of over-communicating. There's nothing wrong with yelling out the call. Those guys don't know what our calls are. Just scream it out. That way, we can reduce the part of a guy really, really tired. A guy getting lined-up guy coming from this type of play. We really, really went after them on Tuesday. It was out of control talk. We do a little bit of a tempo drew every day where we kind of fast paced them, and make them talk, and I think we got our point across.”
--- Orlando said the communication is necessary to help younger players. He said Malcolm Roach played well against an up-tempo offense, but Keondre Coburn, for instance, lined up a “shade off” a few times, and that was because the young player was not 100 percent sure at times. He believes the increased communication will help.
--- Orlando on staying with Jalen Green and Kobe Boyce as his starting cornerbacks: “To me, those guys go back out. I say that from watching yesterday's [Tuesday] practice, and from what I saw on the field today [Wednesday]. Once again, I told you guys this beforehand, this is not going to be set in stone. This is going to be in practice, and I'll tell you, I think Jalen has a chance. He really does. He's very, very close. I think it's going to take just a handful of making some plays, and then all sudden he's going to really start to believe, then you're going to see something elite.”
--- In addition, Orlando said he remains comfortable with his guys playing press. He said it is easier to execute than playing off receivers, keeping guys in front of you, and then having to make a tackle.
--- Orlando’s response when asked if he thought about using the Cowboy package on 3rd-and-17: “No, I didn't. In my opinion, when they came out there, it was like this guy's trying to win the game. We looked at our thing and said, okay, we're going to try to win the game. The second that we sacked them, that call was coming, whether it was 3rd-and-4, 3rd-and-7, 3rd-and-17. It didn't matter. It was like, hey, listen, we're sending the house. Told our guys to play off. In hindsight, the only thing is that Chris [Brown] had the back. We're bringing six, and Chris had the back. If we had to do it all over again, I would have told Chris … Chris plays it from depth. [I would have said] Chris line up right next to Jeff [McCulloch], and the second he blocks Jeff, I want you to go, and then we got him before he has a chance to go.”
--- Orlando’s response when asked about the breakdowns against LSU: “When you look at it, the way that we played, how hard we played, and how physical we played, it was a huge positive. I've been here in the past when you get on this stage, you see guys get knocked around. I didn’t see that at all. Joe [Burrow] made some really good throws. I think we're very close to making some of those plays, and there's still a small hesitation with it. I also say to myself, there’s a lot of things that I could have done to help those guys out. When you evaluate the film, to me, it's not about the kids. I say what can we do to help some of these guys out? But then when you watch the film for the 20th time, and you say to yourself, man, this guy's an arm’s length away from making this play, he’s really close to doing it. There are a lot of positives. I know you get enamored with yards and stuff like that. You really dissect the game itself, and there's just a handful of critical plays that if we come up with, or we get our hand on one, or we get off the field on third-down … even look at 3rd-and-17, just inches away from getting our offense another possession. Like I said before, and as a coach myself, and as the coordinator, it's on me to get these guys in some better positions. I just love this group in terms of the way that they competed out there.”
--- When asked what he needed to do better, Orlando said he did mix up his defense a lot against Saturday night. Orlando said he needs to know what his guys can hold up to on defense.
--- One big point of emphasis during practice this week has been over-communicating on defense: “We just got to do a better job, especially with some of our younger guys, of over-communicating. There's nothing wrong with yelling out the call. Those guys don't know what our calls are. Just scream it out. That way, we can reduce the part of a guy really, really tired. A guy getting lined-up guy coming from this type of play. We really, really went after them on Tuesday. It was out of control talk. We do a little bit of a tempo drew every day where we kind of fast paced them, and make them talk, and I think we got our point across.”
--- Orlando said the communication is necessary to help younger players. He said Malcolm Roach played well against an up-tempo offense, but Keondre Coburn, for instance, lined up a “shade off” a few times, and that was because the young player was not 100 percent sure at times. He believes the increased communication will help.
--- Orlando on staying with Jalen Green and Kobe Boyce as his starting cornerbacks: “To me, those guys go back out. I say that from watching yesterday's [Tuesday] practice, and from what I saw on the field today [Wednesday]. Once again, I told you guys this beforehand, this is not going to be set in stone. This is going to be in practice, and I'll tell you, I think Jalen has a chance. He really does. He's very, very close. I think it's going to take just a handful of making some plays, and then all sudden he's going to really start to believe, then you're going to see something elite.”
--- In addition, Orlando said he remains comfortable with his guys playing press. He said it is easier to execute than playing off receivers, keeping guys in front of you, and then having to make a tackle.
--- Orlando’s response when asked if he thought about using the Cowboy package on 3rd-and-17: “No, I didn't. In my opinion, when they came out there, it was like this guy's trying to win the game. We looked at our thing and said, okay, we're going to try to win the game. The second that we sacked them, that call was coming, whether it was 3rd-and-4, 3rd-and-7, 3rd-and-17. It didn't matter. It was like, hey, listen, we're sending the house. Told our guys to play off. In hindsight, the only thing is that Chris [Brown] had the back. We're bringing six, and Chris had the back. If we had to do it all over again, I would have told Chris … Chris plays it from depth. [I would have said] Chris line up right next to Jeff [McCulloch], and the second he blocks Jeff, I want you to go, and then we got him before he has a chance to go.”
