Jaelan Phillips – September 22, 2021
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Wednesday, September 22, 2021
LB Jaelen Phillips
(I know it’s not a ton of defensive snaps – I think 40 for you so far. What’s your feeling on how you played on those snaps?) – “Honestly, regarding the snaps, I can only control two things and that’s my attitude and my effort. When I get out there, regardless of how many snaps I play, I’ve felt that I’m still kind of settling in. I don’t think I’m completely comfortable yet. I’m definitely working on being able to let loose and have fun. At the end of the day, I think that’s the most important thing – when you’re talking about success, being able to free flow and let loose. I’m just grateful for the plays that I’ve been able to play – the couple of half tackles and stuff that I was able to make. It’s definitely good to get my feet wet.”
(What are your impressions after getting in a little bit in two games?) – “That doesn’t change. At the end of the day, I was a guy at UM and even before, basically at every level you go in and you’re the best on your team and you play every single down, and when you get to the NFL it’s a whole bunch of guys who were the best on their team. That’s doesn’t change. Every day is a competition, every day is humbling. I feel like I’m starting to kind of find my ground. I definitely feel like I’m settling in.”
(It’s never automatic, but you don’t just step on a team and become the guy from Day 1. You know that. Is that tough to keep in the back of your mind, that it’s not supposed to be that way. There is a learning progression, there’s a learning curve?) – “Yeah. Funny enough it’s actually not tough, it’s actually, if anything, more comforting, just understanding that you have to be patient with yourself. Like at UM, I remember that last year I got frustrated because after four games, I had some TFLs and stuff but I didn’t have a sack and I really didn’t have too much production. But as the season went on, basically three weeks after that happened, I had like six. Everything happens at the pace it’s supposed to happen at. For me, to take comfort in knowing that I have to be patient with myself and understand that good things will come as long as I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.”
(You mentioned the comfort level. How much of that are the added responsibilities of coverage versus if they just turned you loose and said go get the quarterback and that was it?) – “I don’t think it’s so much a schematic thing as it’s just the NFL. There is a lot going on. The schemes are more complexed. When I was at UM playing d-end, I didn’t really have to worry about coverages or know what’s going on with the defense. It was more just line up and go. The more I’m having to know, obviously when you start thinking a lot it kind of slows you down. I think it’s going to be key for me to be able to prepare well enough and to feel comfortable with the defense and what my responsibilities are, so that when I step out on the field I don’t have to think at all, I can just go.”
(The time missed during training camp, is that still a factor? Are you in catch up mode from there?) – “Like I said, I’m starting to get settled. I think at first, definitely from a conditioning standpoint, and from having … in your body, I hadn’t played football in almost a year. It definitely took me a second to kind of get back into things, but I feel like I’m starting to get there, for sure.”
(As far as pass rush moves in college, where are you now in the learning process that every NFL edge rusher or rookie goes through in determining which work in the NFL, and which don’t?) – “I think the biggest difference between the league and college is just the technique of everything and how disciplined you have to be. There are not a ton of guys in the league where you’re just going to run around or you’re not going to bully them. You have to be really tactical with what you are doing and very precise with your hands. I think that’s the biggest thing really is hand work. Being able to be active. Guys aren’t just going to let you slap their hand down and give up. They are going to try to get hands on you again. It’s just being tenacious when it comes to rushing, and that’s in all facets of the game honestly. That’s setting the edge, that’s pass coverage, that’s everything.”
(How can you describe how much smarter you are today than you were a year ago? Just all the things you’ve had to learn at this level. Is there a way to quantify the difference between what you knew then and what you know now?) – “My football knowledge has definitely increased. I didn’t know what Cover 3 was last year. I’ve definitely learned some more. Just being able to know other people’s responsibilities as well as my responsibilities, and kind of how it fits in the schematics of the defense. I definitely think that a year ago today, I definitely wasn’t as smart as I am now, and a year from today, I’m going to be 10 times smarter. It’s all about growth. It’s about persevering and being able to take the criticism and really just build upon what you want to do.”
