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Akeem Spence – August 2, 2019 Download PDF version

Friday, August 2, 2019

DT Akeem Spence

(Tomorrow at the scrimmage, what are you looking for? What do you want to see?) – “(I) want to go out tomorrow and execute what we’ve been going over in training camp, the defenses and guys competing and really playing hard and going out there and setting the tempo for the season and overall having fun in our stadium.”

(You’ve been in a lot of defenses before. How is this one different for you in terms of interior play with the guys you’ve been around?) – “It’s not more so the attacking defenses that I’ve been in, in the 4-3 systems that I’ve been accustomed to. In this defense, you’ve got to really learn a lot. It’s more so learning about more spots than positions and learning a new technique and what (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores wants and (Defensive Coordinator) Patrick Graham want and trying to go out and execute and compete. Overall, on the defensive line, we’re trying to make our room better. So we’re just creating competition at different positions and going out and executing and having fun with it.”

(How have you seen that room evolve? In the past you’ve had DE Cam Wake and DT Ndamukong Suh as big names. Now you’ve got it seems like a bunch of hungry guys on the same level.) – “Sometimes that’s what you want. Sometimes people want the big names, but right now, we’ve got a good nucleus of young guys that’s coming to work every day, that’s working hard, that’s doing what the coaches ask and then overall competing. Like you said, (we’re) hungry (and) guys (are) scratching, clawing, trying to make every play and then having fun with one another, encouraging one another when we come to work, pushing through these camp days. That’s what makes a good room and a good defense. You start inside out.”

(You’re used to rotating because you’re a defensive tackle and you guys have to share the workload. Now most of this team is learning how to share a workload. How difficult is that going to be for them?) – “I think guys are adapting well to it. It’s something new and with anything new it’s going to take time, but I think guys are adapting well, filling in their roles, doing the things that the coaches are asking them to do and doing it to the best of their ability. It’s all about competing. When you step through them white lines, for me, it’s about the man across from you. Every time my hand is in the dirt, I’m trying to whoop that guy and I know for the defensive linemen, it’s the same aspect and the same for the corners. It’s all about competing. You might have to learn two or three spots, but the more you can do, they say in this league.”

(Where is the pass rush going to come from with this team?) – “It’s going to come from everywhere. It might come from upfront one play. We might have the blitz one play. It’s going to come from all over. We’re going to do it as a defensive group and a nucleus and go out and execute. Trust me, we’re going to get after the passer.”

(What are looking forward to at the scrimmage tomorrow?) – “We might do some live things, whatever (Head) Coach (Brian Flores) has scripted. I don’t know, but I’m looking to go out to Hard Rock Stadium and have some fun. If I get to take a couple guys to the ground, cool. Just playing good defense with my teammates and having fun and setting the tempo for the season, then come back to work.”

(Are you happy with what you’ve seen out of yourself through seven days of practice?) – “Absolutely. Being able to take the things that I learn in OTAs and fine tune them in training camp, keep working at the little nuances and then corrections that the coaches are giving me. Also learning the little ins and outs of the defense, where guys are supposed to be, knowing what I’m getting from offensive fronts. I feel like my game is going to another level in this defense. I thought I knew a lot about football, but you can always learn something new. I’m learning a lot.”

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