Defensive Coordinator James Bettcher -- December 19, 2019
Opening Statement: Good afternoon. Starting off, coach has addressed everything with Janoris. The only thing I’ll say is, just like with all the guys that have played for me, I wish them nothing but the best and it’s the same for Jack, too. Moving on to this week, I think this is an offense that you see each and every week getting better. The young receivers are playing fast and the quarterback is doing a good job managing the game, dealing the ball and getting the ball out of his hand. 26 (Adrian Peterson) in the backfield and 25 (Chris Thompson), 25 is a pretty dynamic player out of the backfield as well. We all know AP is really, really a special back. It’s going to be a great challenge. Our group of guys continue to run to things. Two outstanding practices and we are going to keep stacking those things. We’re going to keep getting better each and every day and each and every meeting as we kind of push forward to this weekend.
Q: Obviously Beal, Baker and Ballentine played a lot all season. Not having Jackrabbit around, did that do anything for their urgency? Taking away a security blanket they could rely on?
A: I think in the meeting room, it was let’s move and let’s find a way to get better and that’s what they did last week. I thought we played a better second half than a first half defensively. I thought we tightened some things up. The guys continue to compete and work to get better. I said this probably 10 or 11 weeks ago, we treat it like going to the doctor and getting a prescription and that doesn’t change. The way guys get better in this league is intentional work. Your intentional work might be different than the guy’s intentional work that’s standing right next to you. The things you need to get better at from a skill set standpoint is different from the next guy. We have to coach each guy differently and our players have to attack their things that they have to get better at differently as well. To answer that, it’s just go to work and get better at the things we need to get better at.
Q: Has something clicked for DeAndre Baker in the last few weeks?
A: I think it’s just a combination of a young player starting to understand where his eyes need to be, being square at the right times. It really falls under what I was saying with the last question. Identifying the things you need to get better at and having really good intentional work to get better at them. About two or three weeks ago, I said it in front of the whole defense. It was a Friday practice and we do some production things during the week and we put it up on the boards every day. He had just a great week, he had a really good week of prep and it showed up on game day. Those kinds of things, stacking one rep in practice, stacking one position meeting and for rookies in this league first, second, third-year players to develop their skills sets, I think he’s progressing in regards to that. He has to continue to get better at some things.
Q: Now he is your number 1 cornerback right? Does his role change now?
A: Nope, he is going to keep doing the things he’s been doing. Just continue getting better at the things we need to get better at.
Q: Do you remember what week that was that you are talking about?
A: I couldn’t tell you the actual week. I remember the meeting though, for sure.
Q: When you watch film of Haskins, what he is doing now versus what he put on tape from when he played you guys earlier, how is he better?
A: Very decisive with the ball, knows where he wants to go. Doing a good job of managing stuff. I think offensively they’re doing a nice job of handing the ball to 26 and they’ve always done a great job in the run game of being creative. Pulling guys, jet motions and some of those kinds of things that mess with your eyes. They have always done a great job with that. They are doing a nice job in protection trying to keep him clean. He’s being decisive with the ball and the young receivers are getting better.
Q: Is there any value to the film the last time you played him?
A: I think there’s value to all film, I really think there is. There’s always value to turning tape on and seeing some of their thoughts on attacking us and some of the things they wanted to do with him in the game when we played them the first time. You also take into the account the last six or seven games where they’ve kind of got into their groove of the things they are really trying to do offensively with a new coordinator.
