meyer talks about secondary, defense
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:08 am
September 3, 2007
Adam Gorney
GatorBait.net Assistant Editor
The secondary is one of Florida's first concerns and with Troy bringing its spread offense to Gainesville this weekend, coach Urban Meyer said at Monday's media luncheon the defensive backfield has to get better. And fast.
"We're very concerned with the secondary," Meyer said. "We're looking at personnel. We're also looking at putting them in the best situation to be successful and they have to improve. The secondary and the interior defense, we have to get better fast."
Freshman Joe Haden and sophomore Wondy Pierre-Louis started at cornerback in Florida's 49-3 season-opening victory over Western Kentucky this weekend. Haden played well. Pierre-Louis has to improve a great deal, Meyer said Sunday. Sophomore Markihe Anderson (sprained knee) is expected to play. By Wednesday, there should be a final determination.
Western Kentucky completed 15 of 21 passes for 156 yards but it was not an accurate barometer of Florida's secondary because the Gators will face offenses with much more firepower. The Hilltoppers also used three quarterbacks. On the defensive line, Meyer said the plan is to move guys around.
"Javier (Estopinan) is not playing as well as he did last year before he was injured," Meyer said. "We addressed that. He doesn't feel good about the way he played. I haven't talked to Javi yet. I will. There is zero resistance. It's not an attitude issue or laziness. He just has to play better.
"Clint McMillan gives you everything he's got. He has to clean up a little of what he does. We're going to start moving some guys around in there. Lawrence Marsh is a guy that's going to get some opportunity to play. Torrey Davis has earned a little bit more time. He's as talented a d-lineman as we have. He just doesn't know how to hit the switch all the time."
Last season's defense set the bar high and Meyer said Florida will not lower it because this group is inexperienced. Redshirt junior defensive end Derrick Harvey, who finished with two sacks against Western Kentucky, played well.
Meyer said he was pleased with sophomore middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, who had a team-high 11 tackles. Sophomore linebacker Dustin Doe had seven stops and tried hard but still has a lot to work on.
"The one thing that happens when you lead the nation in rush defense and you play the way you did with those seniors we had last year, there's a certain standard we're not going to change so young players have to live up to that standard," Meyer said. "They did not do that. Derrick Harvey did. He was the only player on defense that graded out a champion.
"I'd say not great but good (for Spikes). He didn't set the standard of middle linebacker play here at Florida. It was set a long time before him…That (middle) linebacker sets the tone for running to the football. I was pleased with Brandon the first time out."
More News & Notes
Meyer said not getting any turnovers against Western Kentucky is a major concern…He said it was "really disappointing" there were two late-hit penalties called on the Western Kentucky sideline, one in which sophomore offensive lineman Cody Hughes stood up off the bench and too a shot at sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow…There is a possibility sophomore wide receiver Percy Harvin will return kicks. California's DeSean Jackson had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown and Arkansas' Felix Jones returned a kick 90 yards for a score this weekend. Meyer used those examples.
More Meyer Quotes
On freshmen and the first game: "Especially with a young team, it's the first opportunity they've had to play in a live situation. I make a big deal about our Orange & Blue Game because most schools around the country, when you play in front 1,500 people it's not much more than jogging out on the practice field.
"You get to see quarterbacks like Cam Newton get a little bit of those jitters out of the way last spring. We have an advantage…We get to see a lot of these young guys play…That was their first live experience in their home stadium. You can say the jitters aren't involved but they are. I've seen that for 20 years now. Dry mouth, not lining up correctly. Hopefully we've gotten that out of the way."
On Tebow running out of bounds: "He did a great job. I was surprised a guy stands up on the bench and takes a little shot at your quarterback. I was disappointed in that. I thought he did a hell of a job getting out of bounds. Couple times he stretched out and tried to get a couple extra yards. He was doing exactly what we taught him to do. If it's third-and-1 get the first down but he gained some great yardage and he stepped out of bounds twice. That's two more times than he ever did that in his life."
Adam Gorney
GatorBait.net Assistant Editor
The secondary is one of Florida's first concerns and with Troy bringing its spread offense to Gainesville this weekend, coach Urban Meyer said at Monday's media luncheon the defensive backfield has to get better. And fast.
"We're very concerned with the secondary," Meyer said. "We're looking at personnel. We're also looking at putting them in the best situation to be successful and they have to improve. The secondary and the interior defense, we have to get better fast."
Freshman Joe Haden and sophomore Wondy Pierre-Louis started at cornerback in Florida's 49-3 season-opening victory over Western Kentucky this weekend. Haden played well. Pierre-Louis has to improve a great deal, Meyer said Sunday. Sophomore Markihe Anderson (sprained knee) is expected to play. By Wednesday, there should be a final determination.
Western Kentucky completed 15 of 21 passes for 156 yards but it was not an accurate barometer of Florida's secondary because the Gators will face offenses with much more firepower. The Hilltoppers also used three quarterbacks. On the defensive line, Meyer said the plan is to move guys around.
"Javier (Estopinan) is not playing as well as he did last year before he was injured," Meyer said. "We addressed that. He doesn't feel good about the way he played. I haven't talked to Javi yet. I will. There is zero resistance. It's not an attitude issue or laziness. He just has to play better.
"Clint McMillan gives you everything he's got. He has to clean up a little of what he does. We're going to start moving some guys around in there. Lawrence Marsh is a guy that's going to get some opportunity to play. Torrey Davis has earned a little bit more time. He's as talented a d-lineman as we have. He just doesn't know how to hit the switch all the time."
Last season's defense set the bar high and Meyer said Florida will not lower it because this group is inexperienced. Redshirt junior defensive end Derrick Harvey, who finished with two sacks against Western Kentucky, played well.
Meyer said he was pleased with sophomore middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, who had a team-high 11 tackles. Sophomore linebacker Dustin Doe had seven stops and tried hard but still has a lot to work on.
"The one thing that happens when you lead the nation in rush defense and you play the way you did with those seniors we had last year, there's a certain standard we're not going to change so young players have to live up to that standard," Meyer said. "They did not do that. Derrick Harvey did. He was the only player on defense that graded out a champion.
"I'd say not great but good (for Spikes). He didn't set the standard of middle linebacker play here at Florida. It was set a long time before him…That (middle) linebacker sets the tone for running to the football. I was pleased with Brandon the first time out."
More News & Notes
Meyer said not getting any turnovers against Western Kentucky is a major concern…He said it was "really disappointing" there were two late-hit penalties called on the Western Kentucky sideline, one in which sophomore offensive lineman Cody Hughes stood up off the bench and too a shot at sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow…There is a possibility sophomore wide receiver Percy Harvin will return kicks. California's DeSean Jackson had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown and Arkansas' Felix Jones returned a kick 90 yards for a score this weekend. Meyer used those examples.
More Meyer Quotes
On freshmen and the first game: "Especially with a young team, it's the first opportunity they've had to play in a live situation. I make a big deal about our Orange & Blue Game because most schools around the country, when you play in front 1,500 people it's not much more than jogging out on the practice field.
"You get to see quarterbacks like Cam Newton get a little bit of those jitters out of the way last spring. We have an advantage…We get to see a lot of these young guys play…That was their first live experience in their home stadium. You can say the jitters aren't involved but they are. I've seen that for 20 years now. Dry mouth, not lining up correctly. Hopefully we've gotten that out of the way."
On Tebow running out of bounds: "He did a great job. I was surprised a guy stands up on the bench and takes a little shot at your quarterback. I was disappointed in that. I thought he did a hell of a job getting out of bounds. Couple times he stretched out and tried to get a couple extra yards. He was doing exactly what we taught him to do. If it's third-and-1 get the first down but he gained some great yardage and he stepped out of bounds twice. That's two more times than he ever did that in his life."