Football Position Preview: Corners

Tell us what you've seen from you the guys in your room that you have liked so far. 
We have a very competitive room. Last year, they were in more of rotation where the corners would switch off every series, but what I'm used to is your starters are going to play every drive. These guys have done such a good job of competing that I might have to change my style, which is a good thing. At the end of the day, we're building depth, and right now, the dude that runs with the threes on Monday might be running with the ones by Friday. I'm happy with the development that we've had, and everyone is getting better each day. I have eight guys in my room, and any of them could be the best on any given day. Everybody is holding each other accountable, and nobody is slacking. 
 
How confident are you in how your guys match up in practice? 
We have several receivers and tight ends over 6'0, and they might end up as one of the best receiving corps in the country. It's good that our guys see that every day. It means your technique has to be sound, and you have to work on the little things. If we were going against nobodies in practice, it would be hard for me to know where we are. Because they go against the best every day, I know I can put any of them out there. 
 
What is something you are telling your guys every day? 
"One percent." Each day, you have to find something to get one percent better at, and you can't fix everything in one day. You can't make the same mistakes. At the end of the day, it's us against the quarterback and you have to trust yourself. We are trying to change the way our guys think and emphasizing how important it us for to make big plays. Each week in camp has progressed. We are getting more hands on the ball, more interceptions, and less drops. Gameday should be easy. Saturdays are when you showcase the work you have put in all week, and if you're nervous, it's because you didn't work hard enough. Mental focus starts on Sunday when we are previewing a team, and Saturday is when we see how we do on the test. 
 
What can fans expect to see from the corner group this fall? 
Explosive playmakers. At corner, you have to have a certain mentality, and you have to think you are the best on the field. You will see a lot of plays made on the back end. We are going to try to take away their number one receiver, and we are going to hold our own with anybody they throw out there. Watching film from last year, I thought the corner room was one of the weak points of the team, and we aren't doing that this year. We want to be a group the rest of the team can depend on. People should expect a lot of INTs, a lot of big hits, flying to the ball, and a lot of fun. 
 
You mentioned the idea of turning a "weak point" into a strength. What has that process looked like? 
When I got here, we assessed everything what we had, and then we got a couple of guys from the portal. Figuring out what makes our guys tick, what their goals are, how bad they want to win, and when you figure all that out, you're able to push them as hard as they want to be. Sometimes, you have to make them believe they have a little more in the tank. 
 
What are the goals you have set for your group this year?
We need to have the most hands on the ball in the conference. In my last year at Texas Tech, we had four All-Conference DBs, we almost led the league in pass production, and that's the same mindset. We are going to touch the ball as many times as receivers do. We do ball drills before and after every practice. Receivers run routes all day knowing the ball is coming, but we do all these things for maybe one chance in a game, and we have to be ready for that. We need to get the ball back to our offense, and a pass breakup isn't good enough. 
 
Let's talk about your returners. What have you seen so far from that group? 
Shelby [Washington] transitioned to corner after the spring, and he's been doing a great job learning the technique and footwork, and he is making plays. Triston [Anderson] has some big playmaking ability and brings a good bit of experience. He had a big spring and continued that into the summer and fall. Roland [Williams III] understands how things are supposed to go, and he comes in every day and handles his business as an adult. It's good to have an older guy like him in the room to show the younger guys what they are supposed to do. [Anthony] Egbo [Jr.] just got put on scholarship last year, and I didn't know that at first because of the way he comes to work every day. He has a huge involvement on our campus, and if you don't like him, there's something wrong with you. I love everything he does, and he does so many things the right way. Dishon [Hall II] is another taller guy in that group who brings experience to the group. He is consistently working hard and continues to get better. 
 
What about the newcomers? 
[Brandon] Ramsey has transitioned well, and he will hold his own no matter what group we put him in. Sometimes with freshmen, you wonder how they are going to adapt to college football, but that hasn't been the case with him. [Marcus] Haskins is very versatile, and he makes plays. He's a vocal leader who's been at the FBS level, and he is bringing that mentality here. He brings a little something extra that you need in the secondary, and you can line him up anywhere. [JaDarius] Thursby is a competitive dude, he's feisty, and you're going to hear him all day, and [Patrick] Jolly is one of the longest guys we will put on the field at any position, so we are looking forward to seeing how he fits in.