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T.J. McDonald – June 5, 2019 Download PDF version

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

S T.J. McDonald

(I’m sure it’s nice to have S Reshad Jones back. Just some of the things you all have achieved last year, what pleased you about how you guys played in tandem and what can you build on?) – “It’s always good to have guys out here. It’s just right now we’re learning a new scheme all over the place. It’s important for us now that you have to know the scheme as a whole and not just your position because there are so many moving pieces. That’s the biggest thing, the biggest challenge for us and in my seven years, it’s something I haven’t done before. It’s refreshing and it’s a challenge. I’m enjoying that right now.”

(How has your role changed in terms as what’s the new challenge for you?) – “Just lining up everywhere. This thing is … I don’t want to get into too many schematics but you’ve got to know what everybody is doing on the field. I think that will help us in the long run. It’s tough right now as you install and it’s a different challenge.”

(When you have all of these moving pieces, how complicated is it to learn? I know you’re the son of a coach, but how complicated is this to learn?) – “It depends what you put into it. It’s not easy. You can’t just come in and not take notes and line up and think you’re going to get it. You have to be able to put the time in and ask questions, make mistakes. Not make the same mistakes twice, but it’s not something that you can just pick up right away. That’s the challenge I’m enjoying right now. Just being able to plug yourself into different spots and see what’s going on and know what your brother is out there doing next to you.”

(So you have to be smart to play in this defense?) – “I believe so. I believe you have to put the time in. I wouldn’t necessarily say you have to be smart, but you have to put the time in.”

(How much time are we talking here?) – “Everybody learns differently. I’m in my seventh year, I might not need as much time as somebody who is playing in the first scheme that they’re playing in. For me, it’s translating stuff from my past lives and being able to correlate it to what we’re doing today and put it into my mind. That might be able to help me a little bit, but it still takes me some time too. I’m still learning and trying to maximize every practice that we get and the little things that we are doing.”

(How has CB Bobby McCain looked to you in his free safety snaps?) – “He’s looked good. He’s looked good for what they’re asking us to do. Everybody has gone in and taking the coaching that we’re getting. It’s not just me, everybody is moving around. It’s something that we all have to buy into and adapt to. I think that’s going to give offenses fits once we get lined up and know whose where and stuff like that. I think that’s going to help us in the long run. The big thing right now is buying into knowing what the hell we’re doing.”

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