CLARK LEA TUESDAY COMMENTS
Opening statement
They’re looking for context as a program; they’re 3-3 and can still achieve a lot
They’ve lost to three top-15 teams
They’re facing a third top-10 team in a row this weekend so they’re getting measured against the best
The results are a measure of where they are and not where they’re headed
Once you get past the sting of the result you can see progress
They don’t back away from wanting to build the best program in the country
Continue to pour into the process they started and that’ll deliver the results they want
They’re excited to go into Athens and play in a fun environment on the road
They’re anxious to see if they can pull from positives, which includes the first half of the Ole Miss game
As painful as the result is, they’re not defeated or discouraged
Once you get past the sting there was some joy in putting themselves to win at half
They need to stretch that over four quarters
Do they discuss last year’s loss to Georgia?
They won’t and they haven’t
He feels like he’s coaching a different team
RB room being down to 2 on the depth chart
Joked he and Norval McKenzie played running back and you could see them
The depth chart took a hit with Rocko’s departure and they have to work on a plan for that
The team’s banged up midseason, they need a formula to stay fresh and healthy and be at their best
The two on the depth chart are proven commodities
Ray Davis had a great effort on Saturday
Patrick Smith is a guy they’ve leaned on before also
Cooper Lutz and Chase Gillespie could be the third piece
They can also play multiple personnel groups
They’re excited for what they have
Status of Sannienola and Gillespie?
They’re soft-tissue injuries and day-to-day, Gillespie should be further along
Daevion Davis
He’s progressing, still a few weeks out, he’s getting closer and out of the pool
Is playing him four games and getting him back next year a possibility?
Yes, depending on if he wants to play
Christian James
He’s banged up and has a maintenance injury
Do they re-evaluate how they play pass coverage?
They look at where breakdowns are
Young guys are getting experience now against top-flight teams, that magnifies mistakes
In the first half, Wright was in Cover-4 and closed the middle… they get a pick. End of half, they didn’t get an extra body there to defend. Same guys, similar situations, responses have to be consistent
It’s painful to learn that way
There’s design and structure to close the middle and they’re looking into that
They have to build to the stop, they have to eliminate escape routes and down the ball
AJ Swann, how has he progressed, do they want to throw deep more?
They missed Carter on a post, the shots are in the plan and part of the plan is also ball control to stay in rhythm
Georgia losing so much talent and yet is still No. 1, how is Georgia similar and different to last year?
They’ve recruited well and re-loaded
QB and TEs are good, they’re No. 1 for a reason
De’Rickey Wright
They want to be a team that attacks the ball and De’Rickey can do that
They’ve got to be better and they want his ball-hawking mentality to be part of that
Improvement on run defense but not in pass defense, do you agree with that?
Early in the season, they didn’t play to an identity at corner, that improved on Saturday
Russell and Anderson still haven’t played a lot of football
They’ve got to do a better job of alignments and discipline and that bit them Saturday
Those two and Wright haven’t played a lot and Mahoney’s been a safety
They’re frustrated with pass defense and want to be better
A screen went for an explosive score on Saturday
Credit Ole Miss, when their eyes were in the wrong place or they were a step slow. Ole Miss made plays.
On offensive improvement
They believe in their guys
A year ago, “we would have said we were a mess.”
What Lynch has done is design things and grow within that design
OL is working as a unit
They can improve in spots
When 11 guys focus on doing theiir job, you have a chance
The same thing will apply to the defense and they’ll find it through experience and maturity and design
They’ve been able to do those things on offense
Credit to the players for development and the staff for design
To come out of the Ole Miss game was a product of getting the ball out on time and on rhythm
AJ is doing a good job of avoiding rush and extending plays
They’re developmentally-focused and pushing forward every day
Every day they’e getting closer to four quarters of putting it together
Stetson Bennett
He’s confident
Gets the ball out on time
He knows where to take risks
He believes in the targets he’s throwing to
He’s elusive and athletic and that’s a challenge
Does having faced tough QBs help the defense?
Yes, they’re getting experience against the best in the country
Vs. Ole Miss, when they don’t close the middle on a post, it doesn’t go well
They haven’t problem-solved on the move on defense
That comes with comfort in a position and in a system
They think the players are capable but their margins are thin
They have to get this headed in the right direction quickly and continue to improve
Saturday, they gave up a lot of passing yards but when you watch it again you do see some strong play and strong play calls, but when the floodgates open they couldn’t close them.
