S Dane Belton
May 13, 2022
Q. What's your impression of (Defensive Coordinator) Wink’s defense, now that you’ve gotten the chance to get into the playbook?
DANE BELTON: We're not fully into it yet. Just hitting the ground running from now. I feel like it's going to be an exciting defense hearing how the coaches talk about it, and the kind of scheme we run. For me, I'm just looking forward to learning more and being a part of it.
Q. What are you trying to accomplish these first few days here?
DANE BELTON: Right now, I'm just trying to hit the ground running, trying to learn as much of the playbook as I can. Being that the safeties kind of run the defense in Wink’s defense, trying to be able to make calls fast and efficient, make sure everyone is on the same page. Just trying to be mentally strong and translate to the field.
Q. How similar is this system to what you ran in college, in terms of what you're going to be asked?
DANE BELTON: It's very similar just talking about how the safeties control the defense. In college I was called on to get the call from the sideline and distribute our part of the call to our defense. It's very similar in that aspect. As far as the scheme, it's a little different, the scheme as a whole, trying to understand the defensive aspect. It's very similar to the tasks I had to do.
Q. You had the speaker in your helmet, are you saying you have to call the defense?
DANE BELTON: Today I didn't, but he asked me if I did – hopefully they might put it in. But understanding I have to make calls on the rotations and things like that. Being able to be efficient in that.
Q. You played like that star role at Iowa, how do you see that kind of translating here? What do you view your position or how that's going to work in the NFL?
DANE BELTON: In college I played that star role as well as safety. Right now, I’m just working on learning both safeties and being able to be versatile, that’s the biggest thing for me. Being able to play multiple positions in college, translates to blitzing off the edge, covering deep and match routes underneath. Just shows the versatile aspect to myself. And right now, I'm just learning safety, but once I feel I’ve got this down, hopefully they'll be able to move me around.
Q. Do you find the safeties being interchangeable in this defense?
DANE BELTON: Yes. Right now, we are just playing left and right. Being able to know both sides, whether that be the passing strength or the passing weakness, or weak side, just being able to know the rotation on both sides, and being able to make the call fast.
Q. You played a couple games against Wan’Dale Robinson before. Tell me what he's like as a player.
DANE BELTON: Like you said, I covered him for three years, two at Nebraska and one at Kentucky. He’s a real quick player. Gets in and out of breaks really well, I think he’s an electric player. Looks to do good things. We’re all just out here working, and he looked pretty good today.
