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Some may call it “coach speak”, but Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White truly believes that football is a game of inches. White knows that the difference between being good and being great could also be the difference in a game.
When asked what his team was focused on during spring drills, White immediately went right back to that mantra.
“I don’t know if there’s a biggest difference. I think it’s a continual stress of hey, listen, the margin for error between playing great defense and average defense is this small, it is,” White said. “It’s making the tackle one year, then not making it last year. Dropping an interception when it should be an interception.
“Those plays change games, they change outcomes. It’s wins and losses, it’s keeping points off the board. Obviously, third down, we were really good two years ago on third down. Last year, we were not good enough.”
The other thing that White has emphasized to his team this spring is to play hard on every play. That’s because you never know which play in a game could be the one that makes the biggest difference.
“Understanding those crucial moments are going to be what defines this season. And you don’t know when those moments are going to happen. Obviously, third down you do but then there could be a play on first or second down, we had an opportunity to punch the ball out or had an opportunity to get a sack but we miss it,” he said
White believes that even those little plays, which may not seem significant at the time in which they happen, can be the difference between winning and losing.
“All of those little things add up,” White said. “That one mistake can lead to big plays and big momentum shifts. I think that’s the stress – you’ve got to play every play and every down at full speed.”
When asked if it’s harder to have focus on every play during spring practice, White had a thoughtful answer.
“Yes and no. You know you’re not playing a game, but what you are doing in spring is you’re competing for a job,” White said. “And you understand that, if coach is stressing this so much, when he’s evaluating film, it’s not just about my physical mistake, if he’s judging me on my finish, my effort on all of that as well, if I’m not doing that, I’m not going to win that starting job or I’m not going to win that backup job.
“So, there’s probably as much stress in the spring for players, you’re jockeying for position. Our depth chart is in pencil. When you take that mentality as a player, it should drive you.”
One Response
Good article & good interview because it was not a lot of typical hype. Just basic facts about what is needed to compete at a higher level than the past 2 lackluster seasons.
Tampering with a good defense is a concern. Bring in a co-DC is instant confusion. Brad White has been one of the relatively few coaches or assistant coaches in UK FB or UK BB (men & women) and he has built a solid D.
What happened to UK FB the past 2 seasons! I think the culture took a deep hit when the overly complex OC with complex plays broke down good solid players to the point their confidence was shattered by confusion – including ALL of the players. It impacts the receivers running routes AND even the OL because every complex play also includes them.
I have been a Stoops fan since day 1, but he or an assistant should have seen the breakdown of the great receivers during Spring and August and especially after the first game and even more so after 2 or 3 games. The OC needed to be replaced to try to restore the culture breakdown which obviously speead to both sides of the ball.
The loss of Coen (was he controlled a 2nd time & said enough is enough?) is a gigantic hit.
2 years of slipping backward all began the month or so after the complex OC was hired.
It takes time to restore a confident and cohesive culture. UK FB has a much better chance because Stoops wants UK to win rather than trying to showcase a few pet players to the pros.
Thanks to Stoops not being an arrogant jerk who does not care about UK but only promotes pets.