WEBVTT - Nick Sorensen: ‘Great Competitive Group on Defense’ | Press Pass 0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:01.280 How's it going good? 0:00:02.560 --> 0:00:06.680 Questions Diam Diamond, Laura, how would you just to evaluate 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:07.400 his camp so far? 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:09.920 I think it's been solid, you know. I think that 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:12.960 he you know, being able to go inside outside. I 0:00:12.960 --> 0:00:15.400 think he's taking that next step, just another year of 0:00:15.480 --> 0:00:17.960 just being comfortable and being able to see it. And 0:00:18.400 --> 0:00:19.919 you know, like I've said in the past, it's tough 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:22.040 to do that within a game, you know, to play 0:00:22.079 --> 0:00:24.640 inside and outside, like are you okay base? Now you're 0:00:24.680 --> 0:00:27.680 outside nickel, go play the nickel. And I think it's 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:31.360 just clicking that much faster. It's like anything time on task. 0:00:31.640 --> 0:00:33.840 He just continues to get better in both spots because 0:00:33.840 --> 0:00:36.520 he's playing both spots, So that part's good him. 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:38.240 Was it something like, you know, just kind of getting 0:00:38.240 --> 0:00:40.360 passibley where he's felt like he was thinking through things 0:00:40.400 --> 0:00:42.320 too much and now he's just more reacting. Is it? 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:45.440 That's it? I mean, that's really it. That's really anybody. 0:00:45.640 --> 0:00:48.520 How fast can you get away from the thinking about 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:52.640 everything to where you're anticipating and just reacting. That's really 0:00:53.159 --> 0:00:55.880 the main goal with anyone. And usually you see with 0:00:55.960 --> 0:00:58.440 the young guys or rookies when they start to flash early, 0:00:58.480 --> 0:01:00.960 it's it's because they grasped it quickly, you know, and 0:01:01.000 --> 0:01:03.520 then then it starts to click, and that's really the goal. 0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:06.039 How quickly can it you know, be second nature and 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:06.680 be reactive. 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:09.720 Jalen Graham got some reps with the starters there at 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:11.399 the end. What are you see from those two linebackers 0:01:11.440 --> 0:01:12.319 in particular. 0:01:12.400 --> 0:01:15.480 The same thing. They're just you know, getting better because 0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:17.920 it's starting to click for him. And you know, I 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:20.399 talk about you know, speed, violence, and finish. To me, 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:22.320 a lot of speed is yeah, you run fast, but 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:25.440 speed is also your preparation and your knowledge of the game. 0:01:25.480 --> 0:01:27.759 Because you hear veteran guys say it all the time. 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:29.959 All the games slowed down. For me, it slowed that well, 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:32.679 you know, you look so much faster because it did 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:35.720 slow down, because now you're more comfortable and you're understanding. 0:01:35.760 --> 0:01:39.360 Now you anticipate, you know, based on motions and alignments, 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:41.759 and it's the stuff happens as you think it should happen, 0:01:41.800 --> 0:01:43.640 and now you can go make plays. And that's where 0:01:43.640 --> 0:01:45.679 you're seeing. D almost had a pick today, you know, 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:48.320 and that backed up here because again the game's slowing 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.240 down and he's playing faster. Same with Jalen between d 0:01:51.400 --> 0:01:53.920 and Devondre and Jalen. 0:01:54.640 --> 0:01:57.280 How do you go by determining which which of the 0:01:57.320 --> 0:01:58.960 two will be out there when you're in the nickel. 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:03.000 Well, Devondre is he's out there with with Fred. So 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:05.240 it's just a good group of linebackers. I think a 0:02:05.280 --> 0:02:08.480 lot of those guys, even Zeke Turner, who's new, you know, 0:02:08.560 --> 0:02:11.000 he's come in, he's fit in. Curtis Robinson has had 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.239 a nice camp and flame when he's you know, back 0:02:13.280 --> 0:02:15.560 healthy the times he's been in, he's always been a 0:02:15.600 --> 0:02:18.359 staple for us that can play all three positions. And 0:02:18.760 --> 0:02:21.639 even Tatum Bethune, you know, one of our late round picks, 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:23.839 he's done a nice job. He's starting to grasp it well. 0:02:24.200 --> 0:02:25.600 I think you see that with a lot of the 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:28.080 guys that we brought in period. There are type of 0:02:28.120 --> 0:02:31.359 guys and they care and it makes sense to him 0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:33.840 and they're starting to you know, We've got this great 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:37.040 competitive group on defense on all levels and that's the 0:02:37.040 --> 0:02:37.919 part that's exciting. 0:02:38.280 --> 0:02:40.359 It seems like Gyr Brown's going above and beyond when 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:43.359 it comes to communicating what have you seen from him 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:45.880 and jumping from year one to year two and just 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:48.040 as far as intangible. It's not not so much on 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:48.440 the field. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.960 Yeah. Again the comfort and the confidence. I think he 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:55.320 can anticipate things. He's starting to do more communicating out there, 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:59.440 and again that's it's that's what's gonna You're gonna find 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:02.640 out Ken Without Huff out there, what are Geo and 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:05.320 Tig gonna do? You know? And those guys stepped up, 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:08.600 they elevated their game. Huff is a great communicator. You know, 0:03:08.880 --> 0:03:11.560 get as well who's not here, right, So those guys 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:14.280 get this opportunity and they get all these extra reps 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:16.760 and now they're stepping in and doing a really nice job. 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:19.079 And it's through all those extra reps that you're seeing 0:03:19.120 --> 0:03:20.720 that improvement different ways. 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:22.600 Can you can you use Yeter growth Monsos? 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:24.720 I feel like I've seen Hi rush inside outside drop. 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:28.080 Yeah, I mean we he can you know, mix it up. 0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:30.680 Like I said, he's an interior pass rusher as well. 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:33.799 Like he gets after it and you know, it's it's 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:37.480 exciting to have him because he's very multiple. He can 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:40.440 beal so far really talented guy. 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:42.000 But from where he was last year to. 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:46.920 Now, it starts again the same thing. It's another year 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:48.600 of being able to get on his lines and be 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:52.000 explosive and think less. If he's a really explosive and 0:03:52.080 --> 0:03:53.880 fast guy, like he can really run, and if he 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:57.000 can just stay on that track and continue to get better, 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.080 he's going to be a good player. 0:04:01.880 --> 0:04:04.360 Linebackers, you talk about like the versatility you want, especially 0:04:04.440 --> 0:04:06.560 in backup guys. You kind of thread the needle when 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:08.360 you've got a guy like like Graham for example, where 0:04:08.440 --> 0:04:10.160 you want him to get comfortable at Mike, but also 0:04:10.280 --> 0:04:11.720 maybe you're going to need him at Sam, Like, how 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:13.080 do you just kind of work through that? And in 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:15.040 terms of getting reps in a different spot. 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:17.560 Based on the player and what we know about him, 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:19.200 and as you get to know him, what you think 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:21.640 is their best spot. That's something that you know, Johnny 0:04:21.640 --> 0:04:24.120 Holland is you know always kind of and everybody really 0:04:24.120 --> 0:04:26.279 when we evaluate guys what you think they could play. 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:28.800 But when you're young in a backup, Okay, what are 0:04:28.839 --> 0:04:31.400 the two spots I can play? So there is some 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.400 value as you get older if you can play multiple spots, 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:36.479 just like I say about demo guys that play nickel 0:04:36.480 --> 0:04:38.599 and corner or people that have played nickel and safety. 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:41.720 If you have that versatility, it's good. Same with linebacker. 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:43.680 I mean it's different, Oh am I making the calls, 0:04:44.200 --> 0:04:46.040 you know, as the mic, and you're in a different 0:04:46.200 --> 0:04:49.040 spot and you could have some different responsibilities, or am 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:50.919 I the will of the same where I could be 0:04:50.920 --> 0:04:53.360 more outside. And with Jalen, you know, he had never 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:55.320 really been in the boxing college. You know, he was 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:57.960 a high school quarterback too. He's a good athlete, he's smart. 0:04:58.120 --> 0:04:59.960 So we're like, okay, let's see how he is at Mike. 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:02.800 And he's handled it well. But you still need to 0:05:02.839 --> 0:05:05.880 have the versatility like you see with you know, Curtis 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:08.840 Robinson who's been here a while, and Flan and you know, 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:12.480 the more they get, the more they add to their value. 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:14.279 The harder when you have a guy who you're using 0:05:14.400 --> 0:05:16.640 more at Mike to get them reps at other places 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:18.280 just because there's so much more on their plate when 0:05:18.400 --> 0:05:19.240 when they're taking no. 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:22.440 I mean, you can still get multiple spots. I think 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:24.680 early you started early, you know, kind of like what 0:05:24.720 --> 0:05:27.280 we did with Ronardo with Nickel, we made sure we 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:29.440 got in both spots. You don't want to you don't 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:33.320 necessarily just totally shock somebody later with something that's harder, 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:36.720 you know, but you can you trickle it in as 0:05:36.760 --> 0:05:38.479 you see it based on the player and what you 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:40.320 think they can handle, and so it's it's never the 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:41.920 same for everybody. Everybody's different. 0:05:42.360 --> 0:05:44.560 The third down defense wasn't great last season. What would 0:05:44.560 --> 0:05:46.400 you say the key is to improving that aspect of 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:47.200 the defense this year? 0:05:47.560 --> 0:05:49.400 Well, I think there's a few things. It's a lot 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:52.080 of times it's just execution and you know, harping on 0:05:52.120 --> 0:05:55.200 the details and being really really detail oriented with how 0:05:55.240 --> 0:05:57.560 we rush, how we cover, and just those two things 0:05:57.600 --> 0:06:00.880 tied together. It's always so much these things are so 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:03.320 close and so minuscule that if we just continue to 0:06:03.320 --> 0:06:06.400 stay consistent with how tight can we be with our details, 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:09.160 that extra half a step is you know, a winner 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:10.719 or a loss on that play. 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:13.480 Guys are a deep a defensive tackle. 0:06:13.520 --> 0:06:13.960 It seems. 0:06:15.360 --> 0:06:17.040 What do you and Chris think so far of Evan 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:18.760 Anderson and what does he need to work on to 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:19.520 make this team? 0:06:19.960 --> 0:06:22.320 I think he's done a nice job. But with him, again, 0:06:22.360 --> 0:06:24.760 it's the guys learning the attack and being on their line, 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:27.200 getting your footwork right. With him, it's you know, being 0:06:27.240 --> 0:06:29.880 consistent in your steps and your footwork. He has the power. 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:32.839 He's an athletic guy for a big guy. But it's just, 0:06:32.960 --> 0:06:36.320 you know, how consistent can he be? And our offense 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:38.080 gives us, you know, good looks. They give us a 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:39.719 lot of looks. You get a lot of movement. It's 0:06:40.360 --> 0:06:43.160 you know, good players with you know, explosive O line. 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:45.240 So he's getting a lot of work. He's gotten better. 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:50.320 Is there a process with deciding if young normanor is 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:55.320 best always outside or best being outside and rotating to Nickel? 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:57.880 Is there any like process behind that? Or is he 0:06:57.880 --> 0:06:59.640 pretty much just the best nipple guy so he's. 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:02.680 Always going to Well, we've been kind of rotating. We 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:05.480 kind of mixed things up, and you always want to 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:07.920 try and change things up and see what guys can 0:07:07.960 --> 0:07:11.080 handle at different times. And that's that's pretty much what 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:14.880 we've been doing a lot of positions. We'll see you 0:07:14.960 --> 0:07:18.640 before the next weekend. Coach Shanahan and yourself and you 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:21.000 guys decided, will any of the starters see the field 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:23.280 in the in the first preseason game. I'm sure Kyle 0:07:23.280 --> 0:07:26.880 will handle that and we'll talk through it. You call 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:29.920 plays for the first time preseason game, I am. I'm 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:32.040 excited because it's fun when you get to some of these, 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:34.000 we started getting into the move of the ball periods 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:36.920 where it's not scripted, and it makes it just more fun, 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:39.480 you know. And it's also with your process of you know, 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:41.920 your coaching staff and who's giving you personnel and how 0:07:41.960 --> 0:07:44.040 we hand that off and how we communicate to the 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:46.560 players and you know, being in a rhythm. There's been 0:07:46.600 --> 0:07:49.320 some different situations to where you can call different calls, 0:07:49.320 --> 0:07:51.000 but those true move the ball, that's where it feels 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:54.120 the most like football. You know, a bit of a 0:07:54.200 --> 0:07:54.920 random questions. 0:07:55.320 --> 0:07:58.040 You don't work closely with him, but Bobby Turner is 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:00.200 somewhat of a legendary figure. 0:08:00.280 --> 0:08:05.280 Yes, his tone is extremely meticulous, among other things. How 0:08:05.280 --> 0:08:06.880 would you describe what you know. 0:08:07.040 --> 0:08:11.760 Him, just his coaching style and why he has a reputation. 0:08:11.800 --> 0:08:17.560 You're right pretty much what you've said, meticulous on it, passionate, 0:08:18.440 --> 0:08:21.600 very serious. But he you know, in talking with him, 0:08:21.640 --> 0:08:23.560 I think at one of the away game dinners or 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:25.400 something like, he was a really good athlete, like multi 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:28.400 sport athlete too, so he's like he'll he'll talk about 0:08:28.440 --> 0:08:31.040 that too, But as far as his football and getting 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:34.160 the players right, that's that's his number one. Like he's 0:08:34.200 --> 0:08:36.000 going to take care of that. And he's a heck 0:08:36.040 --> 0:08:39.040 of a coach and he's very very detailed and very 0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:41.760 serious about it, and that's why you see so much production, 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.360 and that's why he's coached for so long. A lot 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:45.160 of respect for him. 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:46.480 Is ever not serious. 0:08:47.400 --> 0:08:50.240 No, he'll joke around here and there. I've seen him 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:54.760 joke around here and there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thanks guys,