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Anthony Walker Jr. – November 18, 2024 Download PDF version

Monday, November 18, 2024

LB Anthony Walker Jr.

(Obviously the defense – I find it interesting that earlier this season you guys were struggling against the run; now you’re ranked ninth. Struggling in the red zone; now you’re ranked eighth. What do you think is the attributed to the turnaround in those areas that you guys have had?) – “Just a collective unit playing together, understanding what we’re trying to get accomplished from ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) calling it to the assistant coaches implementing it, executing it with individual drills and all that and meeting rooms. And then we’re all taking it to the field and just getting better at it. Better at understanding what he’s trying to call, why he’s calling it and then executing our plan when it comes to that.”

(Four straight games you hold an opponent to under 100 yards rushing. What’s been the key for that specifically?) – “Yeah, same thing. Just guys just executing, doing their job. That’s all run game, is just being in your position so whether you make the play or another guy makes the play, it doesn’t hit in your gap or… yeah, basically. (laughter) Don’t want to say too much.”

(After digging you guys’ self in this hole you guys have currently, how do you guys approach each game like not much room for error? You guys are well aware of that.) – “I think the guys put it on themselves. We’ve kind of basically entered the playoffs a little early in our mindset; we’ve just got to keep stacking wins and just taking it one week at a time. Each game has pretty much come down to must-win, so that’s our mindset.”

(What do you feel you have brought to this defense since your insertion into the lineup?) – “Just try to do my job. As a Mike linebacker, you’ve got to control the tempo, control the calms and keep everybody calm in each situation and then the communication, make sure my communication is up to par so that the guys can execute and we all execute and do our job on the same page. So just trying to do my job. Not too much, don’t try to do nobody else’s job, just mine.”

(A lot of those things that you mentioned, communication, keeping everyone else in check; do you feel you’ve kind of honed in on those skills from your coaching experience with your dad?) – “I guess so. I think I’ve played Mike linebacker now for – going back to college because I didn’t play at… yeah, since college. So what is that, 10 years now, 12 years now? Wow, I’m old. (laughter) Yeah, 12 years now, so getting that comfortability and then obviously my dad being a coach, you kind of take a lot of leadership and skills and stuff from him. So just adding that to my game, like I’ve been able to do that for a very long time now and I’m comfortable with it. So I take on that challenge. As a Mike (linebacker), you’re the quarterback of the defense. You’ve got to earn that and that’s your job each day.”

(Now so what was the key to pulling off the Ransom Everglades win?) – “(laughter) Man, the guys just played well. They played hard. They have a great quarterback over there at Ransom Everglades. He played really well. I think he threw for 300, but they only had 10 points, though. We tried to limit them in some ways, making it hard for them in the red zone, but he’s a great player and offensively just making some plays and able to put up 40 points and got the win.”

(And got it clamped down in the red zone?) – “Yeah, it gets tight down there. You can’t miss – there’s not a lot of field down there so played different coverages down there, gave him a different look. Like I said, he’s a great quarterback, though, so he made a lot of plays that as a freshman, you shouldn’t be able to make. But he played well though, so I’ll give him…”

(What’s the coaching dynamic with you and your dad? Is it good cop/bad cop? How does that work?) – “No, bad cop/bad cop mostly. (laughter) I mean, whatever the team needs at that point. My dad is pretty tough on them. I try to be kind of the good cop, I guess, coming in after and making sure everything is all right. But trying to win and I know that’s all he wants and he wants the best for each kid. So I know he means well and I’m with him.”

(So who’s next?) – “LaSalle this weekend, this Friday. Yeah, second round.”

(What did you think of Raiders TE Brock Bowers?) – “I thought he was a great player, played well. We knew that coming in that he was going to be a focal point of their offense and they were going to try to get him the ball, so he was definitely in our game plan. Yeah, just executed. They made some plays, he made some plays at the end of the day, but again, we’ll take the win.”

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