Football Position Preview: Inside Linebackers

Tell us what you've seen from the guys in your room that you have liked so far. 
I love their size, athleticism, and eagerness to learn. We don't have a senior in the room, but they are progressing quickly. I'm biased, but I think I have the most fun group to coach. They are very mature, they come with a worker's attitude every day, and I'm excited to keep coaching them. Our strength staff deserves a lot of credit because our guys have transformed their bodies into stronger and more explosive athletes. Our linebackers will be the gladiators on the field. We are continuing to refine our fundamentals, and I expect big things once start game planning for an opponent. 
 
Let's talk about your returners. What have you seen so far from that group? 
Chike [Nwankwo] has the most experience in the room, and he played a lot of snaps last year. He provides a consistent presence of leadership. He is going to continue to help our group. Cirby [Coheley] and Ethan [Taite] are returners who understand the speed of college football. Ethan is more athletic and can run it down pretty good. [Derrick] Parker and Abe [Schwinn] will provide us with some depth at the position, and [Kyle] Pointer is coming off an injury season but is making some big strides. 
 
What about the newcomers? 
Darius [Moore] is a junior college guy who is an absolute brute, and Reese [Young] is coming from a high school with championship roots. Those two have already stepped up, and they will both be big plugs for us. They are the two most physical guys in the room. 
 
What is something you are telling your guys every day? 
I'm the king of catchphrases, but "PTC" – protect the core – is what they hear all the time from me. We don't want the ball to run through the core of our defense, and we want to protect the core values of the program and our university. 
 
Who is the best tackler in the room?  
Reese Young. You can tell he has played the position his whole life. He was born to be a linebacker. 
 
What about the hardest hitter? 
Darius Moore. If you walked into our room, you would know which one he is. He definitely has the most thump behind his hits.   
 
What can fans expect to see from the inside linebackers this fall? 
We will be the hardest working group on the field, and we will play with passion. I try to coach them to have a next play mentality, to be violent and to do their job. Stopping the run is a non-negotiable, but we also have a lot of pass responsibilities. In modern day football, people are going to make you defend all 53 yards, but our job is to get the ball back. We have to limit the other team's offensive plays. If you give them enough bites of the apple, they're going to find the honey hole. It's our job to limit the bites. 
 
What is the biggest strength of the room right now? 
Their "want to". They have pride in their performance, and they are incredibly coachable. They will get better as the season goes on, and it will be a glaring thing. They are a unit, they are strong, and are all good athletes. We just have to find the recipe for them.