Jevon Holland – August 9, 2023
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Wednesday, August 9, 2023
S Jevon Holland
(How has the energy felt out there the past couple of days?) – “It’s been fun. Playing against other people is a blast. I got friends out there competing, and everybody is at a high level. It’s been an enjoyable experience for sure.”
(Anything tricky or standout to you about the Falcons pass catchers or skill players?) – “Yeah. They got a dynamic that we haven’t seen really. They got a lot big personnel, and their tight ends likes to split out wide, and run a lot of routes, so I think that’s a different look for us. It’s been fun playing against it. It gives us a different look trying to move around.”
(Is WR Mack Hollins still a little loud out there?) – “You know Mack, he’s going to talk. Mack’s been like that, but it’s always fun. Mack is one of my good friends, so I enjoy the (explicit) talking and all. It adds fuel to the fire and makes the game more competitive, more fun.”
(Your relationship with Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, how is that going…?) – “It’s going well. I’m just trying to get every ounce of knowledge out of him. He’s an individual with a big well of knowledge. I’m trying to learn as much as possible, honestly. How he sees the game, what things to improve – he’s very level-headed, whether it’s a good day, bad day or whatnot. He’s always level-headed. As a leader, I’m trying to really learn from him because a lot of guys follow him easily. It’s not hard to buy into his program, into his thought process because he is a hell of a coach, and he has a hell of a mindset. It’s a great experience for me.”
(Does that excite you to have a guy like that?) – “Yeah. Absolutely, absolutely. Any time somebody knows ball to that level is around you, you just want to ask as many questions as possible. Always asking him what he’s thinking, in between periods what he sees, how I could improve. Like I said, I’m trying to wring as much knowledge out of that towel as possible. It’s a great opportunity for me.”
(How do you measure the defense’s progress in these joint practices, and how do you think you guys did today?) – “I think you have to take it rep by rep, execution wise. A lot of times things get competitive and temperatures rise and guys try to make a play and you get out of placement. I think today was good. I think it was a good learning experience for us. I think both days was good for us. I think playing ball at a high level against your own team is one thing, but playing against somebody else adds that level of competitiveness that puts more fuel into your tank. I think that’s what the joint practices have done for us as far as the defense. It’s good to get that kind of energy, feel how it feels to hit somebody else. That’s basically my thought process on that.”
(How are you guys doing as far as grasping defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense?) – “Doing well. Just chopping at the wood, honestly. Just chopping wood. That’s all you can do. Head in the dirt. There is a lot to it. He made the defense, so obviously there are little things nitpicking here and there that you got to focus on. But continuous progress and knowing that every day you’ve got something to work on to really lock in on that and take advantage of the time we have.”
(Have you watched or spoke to guys like Justin Simmons or Eddie Jackson, guys who were like All-Pros in Vic Fangio’s scheme?) – “Yeah, I talked to Justin. Not recently, but I talked to him before when he was already in it. And then I’ve watched tape on Eddie and guys like that. I grew up watching guys like Dashon Goldson, and Donte Whitner. Seeing how they played it, and watching a lot of tape, trying to get the technique right, and the timing and things like that. Every player is different, every thought process is different when you’re in the game. I’m trying to make it my own kind of thing and thrive within it. “
(Were you a Niners fan growing up?) – “My pops played for the Niners, so I was naturally a Niners fan. I just kind of molded that way. Never a Raiders fan, sorry. (laughter)”
(A lot of the defensive players have talked about how detailed Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio is, like he wants things a certain way. Does anything stick out with him hammering home a concept?) – “He says for d-ends – if a tight end flashes or something, he says to ‘sled him.’ That’s one little detail he’s always saying is ‘you got to sled him.’ Is that what you were looking for?”
(Yeah, it’s like a mannerism or a Fangio-ism, or something he always says.) – “Yeah, he says you got to sled him, or clobber that guy or just little terminology that he says that makes me laugh.”
(So, no tight ends run free in this defense?) – “I don’t know about that, but I just know the terminology is pretty unique, it makes me chuckle in the meeting room.”
(On a related note, LB Bradley Chubb was just telling us that Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio has a Fangio way of challenging a player. Have you noticed it being unique when he deals with you?) – “Yeah. It’s just a level of detail. Like an extra level of detail that he kind of puts on things. It’s kind of hard to explain. You kind of just understand when he’s talking to you about it. He has just a unique perspective on how he sees the game. Very X’s and O’s to a very finite level. I think that’s kind of my perspective on that.”
