Tell us what you've seen from the guys in your room that you have liked so far.
I have put a lot of stress on those guys, but we are continuing to get better and better. They have to be the leaders of the defense, communicate on every play, and get everybody else lined up. That's a challenge for a group with a lot of young guys, but they have risen to that. They continue to take everything I'm giving them, and they always want more. They are playing faster every day as they get more comfortable with the system. I'm never going to handicap them into being robots, but this group wants to be playmakers. This is the deepest group on the defense, and we have a lot of guys that can play some big-time snaps at this level.
What is something you are telling your guys every day?
We have to be able to operate as a group with Coach Wilson's corners, so we are constantly telling this group to be playmakers. Our guys have to understand that they are going to be put in one-on-one situations all the time. When that opportunity presents itself, we can't be afraid to make a game-changing play.
What is the biggest strength of the safety room right now?
Depth. Everybody brings something different to the table, but we all push each other every single day. One thing that's great about our room is that there isn't a comfort level in being ok with where we are, and we are continuing to get better and better. There are a bunch of guys that we are going to rely on in different situations, packages, and even special teams, so this group is going to include a bunch of major pieces.
Let's talk about your returners. What have you seen so far from that group?
[Elijah] Moffett is extremely gifted athletically. He's big, strong, powerful, and is a great tackler. We ask him to do a bunch of different things, and he does them all. He's a younger guy that we ask to lead because he already has a lot of game experience. His game gets better every single practice, and we are excited about him. Trey [Adams] is the most reliable guy, and he is incredibly coachable. Because of that, he has made a lot of plays throughout camp. He has made some hard tackles that he has had to make as the last line of defense, and he is a great communicator, so he is the voice on the back end when he is on the field.
What about the newcomers?
[Marcus] Haskins is a versatile guy that will go back and forth between corner and safety, and he is able to handle a lot of things. He is extremely good in coverage and has a knack for covering slots, and he naturally is a ball hawk. He has learned our defense quickly and understands all the motion adjustments. Dorian [Plumley] was a high school quarterback, but he is extremely athletic and continues to improve every day. The more we refine his techniques, the better he wants to be. He goes 100 miles an hour all the time, and I love that about him. Abner [Dubar] is a guy that brings a physical element into our secondary because is an extremely good tackler with a lot of athleticism. He is getting more and more comfortable, which is allowing him to play fast every week. As he gets more confidence in the scheme, he will continue to be a guy whose upside is extremely high. Kele[kolio Linton] is a guy that is one of the smaller guys in our room, but he'd be a linebacker if he could. He is going to fit every single run exactly how we want him to, and he's not afraid of anybody.
Who is the fastest guy in the room?
This is going to be an argument, but probably Moffett.
Who is going to argue with that?
Abner.
What can fans expect to see from the safety group this fall?
We have to be the quarterback of the defense. With the way our scheme is set up, we are going to put a lot of stress on our defensive backs, and we are going to ask them to make plays. People are going to see an exciting and aggressive brand of football, but we will have to execute tough situations. Flying to the football is going to be something we hang our hats on. We are going to put offenses in uncomfortable situations and try to make them operate that way. When an opposing quarterback looks at the schedule, we want them to not want to play against our defense.
What will be considered a success for this group as ACU enters its second season in the WAC?
Winning ballgames. Everything we do is to be champions. Our guys have worked hard, and I think they are going to reap the reward. In the game of football, you work 365 days a year for 11 guaranteed games. Those first few games are going to allow them to showcase what ACU is about. KP says all the time that the best is the standard, so we are going to go into every game expecting to win.
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