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Marion Hobby – September 29, 2020 Download PDF version

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby

(A guy as physically imposing and big as DT Raekwon Davis you would hope that at some point he’d become a dominant run stopper. Can that quality be taught to someone of that size at all? What can be done to get to that level? I know we’re talking only three games into an NFL career so there can’t be unrealistic expectations yet, but…) – “But? (laughter)”

(But can that be done?) – “I think he’s getting better each game. He’s getting better every day in practice. He is a big pretty specimen, that’s for sure. I think he’s getting better. He’s very conscientious about his game, so I think eventually he’s going to be a really good football player. But let’s not make him Reggie White just yet. (laughter)”

(From appearances, from what we saw, DE Emmanuel Ogbah and DE Shaq Lawson didn’t necessarily have great opener at New England, but have been factors in the last two games. What have you seen from them in terms of them picking up their play?) – “We talked about the very first game and we ask them to grade themselves a lot of the times before we ever grade them. You can be your worst critic. Your worst critic sometimes comes from inside-out. I don’t think they were happy with the way they played the first game of the year and I think they took some pride in it and decided they’ve got to play better. It sure helped us out.”

(I wanted to ask you about, I know LB Jerome Baker is a linebacker, but he spends plenty of time up on the line of scrimmage as a pass rusher. I just want to ask how involved you are in working on his pass rush game and what you’ve seen from him in that area.) – “I think everybody knows that (Jerome) Baker’s been a playmaker around here for a long time and when the offensive linemen see Baker on the line of scrimmage, they all know he can really run. So a lot of times he’s stretching the offensive linemen out and getting better every day with his pass rush. Sometimes he’s calling the plays for us, so he’s like a coach on the field for us in those situations. But his speed is evident in those situations as a pass rusher and a penetrator.”

(DT Zach Sieler got himself a lot of playing time against the Jaguars on Thursday night and Head Coach Brian Flores told us that he basically earned the playing time by the way he was playing. What specifically was he doing well?) – “Everybody talks about how big Raekwon (Davis). Zach (Sieler) is a pretty big man himself. I’m not short or anything, but he’s a 6-6, 315-pound guy who plays with an outstanding motor. His motor never stops running. He gives such a great effort. His technique and stuff – he’s really active in there. He did earn his playing time. He kind of jumps out at you on game day.”

(What is the downside to a defensive tackle rotation? Educate me here.) – “What’s the downside to it?”

(Yes. I mean less snaps for everybody. Maybe higher level of play from everybody?) – “I think that’s the key. We talk about it early in the year is trying to keep those big boys as fresh as possible and getting them rotated in and those guys being honest enough to say, ‘hey, I’m a little bit tired. Get another guy in here.’ So you’re just keeping fresh legs coming in the game – great energy coming in – I think is an advantage on both ends. It’s kind of the happy medium. You want to have your best ones on the field in certain situations, but then also sometimes your best one is the freshest one.”

(DT Christian Wilkins had the really big first game where he really stood out on a lot of “splash plays.” We haven’t seen those the past two games, but how would you evaluate how he did in those two games?) – “I definitely know he didn’t get all the splash plays that he had in the New England, but I think he played well in the last two. Sometimes – I think ‘Coach Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) said it the best: sometimes you don’t make the splash plays and you still have a good game. And it’s kind of what’s your assignment? What are we asking you to do? Sometimes the defensive tackles – they can get their hands on a lot of tackles and in some games they cannot because they’re running away from them or just the opportunities didn’t go their way. So sometimes as a coach, we have to grade them on what did they do in the system compared to the production because if not, those players, all they want is production and we’ve got to calm them down sometimes and say, ‘hey man, take it on two, being where you’re supposed to be is just as important as you knocking on batted balls or tackles for loss.’ So we’ve been pleased with the way he’s played.”

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