Watch Live | UofL head football coach Jeff Brohm previews upcoming season

Jeff so much is talked about about turnover and change you you came in last year you embraced the portal you talked about you know using it to your advantage is it difficult at times though when you have a new roster to to in putting things in or or where things are and new guys and new faces and new terminology how do you kind of manage all of that well I think the number one goal is to try to win and to win now and uh that's always going to be our goal is to try to win football games this year played high level compete at the highest level we possibly can be very competitive uh every single week so in order to do that you got to just continue to build your roster and uh you know every year it's going to be slightly different as far as what your needs are or where you think things stand but at the same time you're always trying to improve the roster and get better and and we want to continue to do that and I think uh there are a lot of new pieces um the way the rules have been set up in college football you're probably going to continue to see rosters change quite a bit uh and and um you know you have to be able to adjust but right now our guys have been here this summer really every everybody except for one uh that we can't talk about yet uh is here uh they're working out uh they're getting accustomed to our conditioning our workouts uh our terminology how we practice uh you know a lot of football stuff is being done as well and we've got to utilize that I think it's important that when you're jailing a team uh you you you put as much time into it as possible and these summer months are valuable for us and right now we're about halfway through that juncture uh moving on to the second part of it and our guys have done a good job to this point and it's about getting everyone up to speed keeping guys healthy getting guys that have injuries uh through last season through the spring back healthy as well so that come game one your full roster is ready to go they know exactly um the plan uh they can execute it they can play fast and they can go you know showcase what they're all about Jeff kind of going along with obious ly MJ ronado jakori few of the guys that were out what's the update on them how are they kind of progressing and are they you know on track to to be ready for the fall well those are very good players and we're excited about the future MJ unfortunately got hurt in Camp last year uh so he is fully uh healed and recovered he's had a great summer uh looking forward to him having a great year he's a really good leader and uh I think he'll do a great job Bernardo unfortunately got hurt in pregame warm-ups in in the pit game uh we lost him he's getting close to 100% I think uh by the time we can get to fall Camp he'll be there but he's still got a little ways to go but he's done a really good job but he's very valuable piece as well uh jakory Brooks had a had a shoulder uh issue that we had to get fully healed he was limited in the spring um he's full speed now obviously we're protecting him as well but he's full speed he's looking good uh he needs to be big a big part excuse me a big part of our offense yeah as you get I think three weeks away from practice starting around around that um what areas of the team team are you most comfortable with and what areas do you have the most concerns with well I do feel like that we've built depth on both the offense and defensive line which is extremely important uh how you play in the trenches really determines if you can win big football games or not uh and I think we've added valuable depth there and uh hopefully we can see quite a few guys playing on both sides of the line and have great competition and that's an important piece uh when you go from there on the defensive side I think we we have some really good depth in this secondary uh we feel very confident that those guys can play very well also and they did last year but I think we can be even better uh the linebacking unit uh we'd like uh but just like last year we had some unproven pieces that stepped up and played well um there's a mixture of both now we've got a couple veterans that I think will will play well and then we've got some new guys that need to step up and emerge and and do a good job uh and uh you know but we're confident that that can be done so the depth there maybe isn't exactly where we wanted but it's continuing to improve and sometimes you just got to get on the field and play so uh when we get to the offens side of the ball um you know I like our quarterback room we're continue to improve there in add depth uh behind Tyler uh the running back room I feel confident that uh we have multiple guys and can go in and play and and do a really good job the receiving room I think Has Talent we've got to just put it all together and we've got to be more ficient and better in the passing game and find ways to create big plays and throw the ball vertically and get the ball in our receivers hands and they got to be consistent each and every week and in the tight end position uh we do have Mark Redmond here now uh who's a veteran with one year left to play that I think will will do a really good job for us Jamari Johnson has improved uh from last year he was a true freshman and then we've added Isaiah cumins and Jalil Skinner that you saw some in the spring that are continuing to advance and get better and we're going to need the tight end position excuse me and we have Nate kisy who's a solid veteran that can catch the ball in Block uh so I think we've improved that position uh and they've got to get on the field and prove it um so in general um you know I think we have a talented football team that just has to you know uh figure out who The Playmakers are going to be know what their roles are and and and play at the highest level they can Jeff what uh will you work on with Tyler once you get out on the field and get uh I know uh before you had a quarterback that had played for you but he's never played for you I hear he's got a a very strong arm and what what things will you try to you know smooth out with him and get him to know before the first game we're excited about Tyler I think he uh competed in the spring uh and did a good job he showcased his arm strength uh he's learned our offense he has it down he studies uh he's a student of the game he's a veteran he's played a lot of football he's had some ups and downs uh which is good that he's uh been seasoned uh so I I think um you know even now we can spend some time with him and and we have and uh I feel good about where he's at that and I think he can play at a high level obviously he's had few injuries through his career but you know he was asked to run the ball quite a bit in the past and while we'll have that package available at the same time we want to make sure that you know we protect him he can throw it we get the ball in our Playmakers hands and we don't have to run him as much uh so we feel confident about uh his leadership skills what he brings to the table and uh we think he can have a big year uh de defensively uh you might have a better team than you had last year talk about that you got a lot of people back you were pretty good last year too well I like our defense and I think through uh 10 games last year we played at a high level uh and and were really really good had some dominant games and then we probably slipped a little at the very end which is not good uh but uh there's a lot of things that we can learn uh from and we definitely have tried to utilize the last six or so months to make sure that that doesn't happen again because I think we are Ed so I think um you know plenty of veterans Aston gelotti Quincy Raleigh amongst a whole slew of others we've added some uh additional guys that uh have played a lot of football uh at some of those positions uh so I think we're going to be able to um um play a lot of guys on defense uh we want to be uh as aggressive as we can but yet you know not give up big plays and and keep the score low and create turnovers um but I but I like our pieces and uh without question I I I expect our defense to to play very well this year Jeff when uh looking at the spring portal window all but one of your additions in that window were on the defensive line uh two questions coming out of spring was dline an area of concern that maybe you had when you wanted to kind of bolster in that area and two how have those newcomers not just on the D line but them plus Dan Foster how have they kind of jelled with the team both in terms of chemistry and how they've work looked in summer workouts and things like that well I think uh the trenches is uh the area defense and offensive line that you got to be good at and um you there's a lot of great skilled players throughout the country that you can recruit and go get and obviously some are a little bit better than others but on on the on the uh defense and offensive front you've got to be good and you've got to be physical you've got to be athletic you've got to be able to uh change the outcome of the game so I think um we understand that uh and we we tried to attack it in that way so I think U you know when you look at uh defensive line uh without question you know Ashton gelotti and Roman perier and um Dez um Jared Dawson are all guys that have played but I think when you look at U you know Addie and Thor Griffin up front Addie miles Jernigan Richard Kinley uh Renee Conga uh those are all guys that play a lot of football and and I'm probably leaving out a few as well um you know Jared Jordan Gard who we added in the spring unfortunately he got injured but was doing a really good job I think we have quite a bit of depth on the defensive line and we can play quite a few guys and uh obviously you want to see difference makers emerge that can take over the game but at the same time we're going to have competition I think on the offensive line um you know we we have more depth than we've had in the past uh we should be able to play nine or 10 guys if they're healthy and and and doing what they're supposed to do which gives us competition as well and it gives you the ability to um rotate guys some it gives you the ability to pull guys out of the game if they not doing what they're supposed to and make sure they understand that uh we expect them to play at a high level and and be their best every time they step on the field so that's what you're looking for obviously they got to go out and prove it but uh we like what we've seen to this point well coach Barkley's done a great job uh he's been with me for a while now coaching a lot of a lot of places um he's from here he takes a lot of pride in representing uh this city uh this state uh last year we had two running backs drafted only team in college football had two running backs drafted last year we had two running backs go the combine uh us and Georgia the only two teams had two running backs go the combine their two running backs did not get drafted uh so I think we've been able to develop guys uh they've played very well for us last year uh we we relied on the running game quite a bit last year they came through for us uh we still want to be balanced uh but yet explosive as we can be but you have to be able to run the football so I think U with the running backs we have um you know we feel like we're we're four deep that uh you know do does one or two need to step up and become that playmaker the Difference Maker the guy that you can count on every game yes but at the same time you know they've showed us some things at this point uh and all of them need to be ready to go but Chris has done a really good job and uh uh he really loves uh coaching football here Jeff you uh talked about the the depth behind Tyler and you have some guys younger guys like Pierce and Brady Allen and them what do they have to show you in the early portion of fall Camp to signal that they they're taking another step forward or what are you looking for out of them I guess well the quarterback position is unique and uh to play at a high level you've got to be really good you've got to be seasoned you got to be sharp you gota be able to make plays you got to be able to come through when your team needs it you gota be able to get the ball in the end zone so I think um you know right now Pierce Clarkson continues to improve and get better um getting giving getting him as many game reps as we can where the rush is coming at him he's got to make plays and be able to adjust and and play on the Fly uh is important and I think we've we've done a decent job of that but he's got to continue to keep keep excelling at that uh Harrison Bailey is a transfer we took that uh has shown really good things that in the spring game I didn't give a whole lot of opportunity to throw the ball up the field a whole lot that was that was my fault but he's he's had a good spring and a good summer and uh I think he can play effective football if we ask him to he's not uh extremely mobile a quarterback but he can throw the football and he understands our system uh Brady Allen we've had for a while now at a couple places uh he continues to improve and get better um you know playing fluid and playing natural and playing athletic is what he needs to work on because he's very smart he understands what we're doing uh so you know right now that position's important at some point they're all going to play um you know if if they prove to us they can play uh right now we we've been known to have multiple packages where maybe two quarterbacks play maybe three quarterbacks play uh last year one time 10 quarterbacks played we probably won't have a package for that but uh yeah he he he thinks he he thinks he can go out there and play as well but um you know those guys have worked hard and you know it's hard to to sit back and not get game reps and uh uh really feel extremely confident even though all those guys are confident but we've just got to make sure that we continue to get him seasoned up um but I think once we put them in they'll be ready to go and they'll play well Jeff when you uh you talked about the running backs and getting two drafted you've got a room this year where it's going to be a little different but you've got some guys in there I mean Maurice is for two years has got six touchdowns and has has run a lot the last two years and Donald obviously has experienced and then some good young guys your thoughts on on on the five that you have in there well I I like uh Maurice has uh really had a good spring he's in great shape uh he understands it's his position uh and his time to shine uh and uh I think he'll do a really good job so he's been a good leader I think Ed and Donal Cheney from Miami he's he's shown good things he's got experience uh he loves being here he'll do a good job I think kiwan Brown's a young running back that show has shown glimpses he's got to continue to to improve but he's got some strength he's got some pop to him uh you get down to Isaac Brown a true freshman he he's he's our fastest running back and he's quick and he can run and he's he showed some joar Jordan traits uh at a at a young age that is hard to teach now getting up to speed and uh what that position entails and blocking and and understanding protections and being able to do that he's got to continue to improve there but it's really shown a lot of good things he works really hard and then Duke Watson we had it uh uh as a true freshman as well that has really good talent as well he he's uh got a ways to learn the offense and system but uh he has talent he has speed and I think at some point he'll be a really good player you mentioned gelotti there a minute ago he certainly has got a lot of preseason accolades All American talk about what he brings to the table for your defense and what he can do for you well we love uh ashon gelot what he gives our football team a ton of experience uh extremely hard worker uh he wants to be great he came back this season to uh improve his stock and and showcase uh to the world how great he can be and help his team win so I think he's been a great teammate um he's very strong at the point of attack he can rush the passer he's got some quickness and speed as well he's one of those guys that can um you know he reminds me at Purdue we had George kofus who was the first round pick of the Chiefs he won two Super Bowls his first two years with the Kansas City Chiefs he comes back here and trains very similar game just very strong hard workers um sneaky athletic uh can move around a little bit if you need to move them uh at times uh but but a tremendous person uh with a great work ethic and and a and a great teammate so I think he needs to be our leader he leads more by example but it's a good example a really good example so I think uh you know we expect him to have a great year and I think it's important that we play well around him so that he can showcase all the traits that he has that are really outstanding Jeff earlier you talked about the importance of adapting nowadays to build a roster when do you feel because there always is so much movement it seems like it's from November until even after spring practice guys can come and go when do you feel comfortable about the team that you're going to have to to work with in the fall well um as far as feeling comfortable I think uh you know these transfer portal Windows uh in January and in uh late April you don't know for sure who you're going to have on your team until May uh uh so with that you've just got to roll with the punches you got to hope that you can uh keep a lot of people on your team happy and uh that they know that they're working for a common goal and and they can see the uh light at the end of the tunnel if they continue to work hard and and normally that takes place but at the same time some people want to move and and and and that's that's that's the way it works so we've got to be able to adjust and have a plan in case that happens at the same time um a lot of guys graduate some other guys uh you know may not be back for variety reasons and you've got to be able to to improve your roster and uh you know whether it's through signing young High School prospects which which we will continue to do um or saving some room for some veterans it's important that you're able to win football games so uh to have that right combination you know you you you know there's nothing wrong with having veterans that they can play a lot of times uh when guys are coming here with just one year left or two um you know they're hungry there's a purpose uh they want to get something out of it and if we can continue to mix that together with uh a great nucleus of young players with a great nucleus of veteran players uh you know it's not until after May well you really know for sure who's going to be on the team and then you got to utilize three months to get them up to speed as fast as you can to make sure that you know come game one you're ready to go right here um you mentioned in the spring and again today that you want to stretch the field vertically uh have a little bit more vertical passing game why are you confident you'll be able to do that better this year and and why is it important well I think in general uh we believe in in trying to score as many points as we can creating big plays uh utilizing the passing game uh to be effective doing that uh with great quarterback play and efficient uh receivers and tight ends and running backs out of the back field and making an exciting Brandon football I think that that's one of our goals as well is to play an exciting brand of football that people want to watch people want to play in they can score points point they can score quickly now at the same time you know defenses are improved defenses change every year they adjust they adapt and you've got to sometimes take what they give you so uh to be able to to run the ball effectively and throw the ball effective you got to be able to do both and there's going to come a point in time where you're going to have to do one uh because the team's going to take away the other so we've got to get really good at both uh but if you can create big plays um you know just like for example we create a lot of big plays in the Boston College game you know then then you can do great things now are team's going to allow you to do that they might they may not sometimes so you've got to be able to to to uh adjust uh have some things underneath and some things in the screen game to make sure you're you're figuring out ways to score points but you know the the quicker the drives are uh for touchdowns the the higher uh chance you have of of scoring and winning in my opinion so we've got to be able to uh you know back people off stretch the field vertically create room to do things uh like running the ball and throwing it underneath well I think that uh you know the landscape is changing every year uh as coaches you'd like to know what who your roster is and what it's going to be uh the sooner the better uh and uh while we want players to have the freedom to to come and go when they want the sooner and better we know the better off uh we're going to be so that's that's always important I think uh you know if there's a way to create a a uniform way to um control nil and and and and things like that I think uh you know that can possibly help uh as well because uh you know there's teams that are going to U do what they have to to acquire Talent and then there's teams are going to try to uh do things as as uh ethically and morally as they can as well to make sure you build the team the right way so there's just a perfect balance and uh right now there's uh uh you know a lot of different ways to get that done so you just want to you know do your best to adapt and adjust to what's going on but also um put together the best team you can in order to win now Jeff you you talked behind Tyler you talked about a lot of the other backup quarterbacks so to speak and I'm sure nothing's completely set in stone but do you have a clearcut number two right now at that position I wouldn't say clearcut right now Pierce Clarkson uh would be the next guy in uh Harrison Bailey and Brady Allen uh would be right there and uh there will always be competition for that there'll always be competition for the starting spot you know right now Tyler Shu has proved that uh you know he's a really good quarterback with experience and uh we like what we've seen and the other guys are are right behind him but uh we'll always have compet ition there um sometimes you kind of gauge and see what what are certain strengths of each player uh and if you need to develop a certain package for every game to have that ready to go we we we were not scared to do that so I I wouldn't be S surprised if we have those packages ready this year for for different quarterbacks and then unfortunately if some someone goes down like your starter the next guy has to be ready to to uh go in there and win the game for you uh so um continue to improve those guys that they all get quite a few reps uh is important uh but you know it's important to be ready when you go in there and sometimes if you're going in there too soon uh it can affect your confidence moving forward but at the same time you know now is the time uh for them to be ready to go and at any point they can go in and um they need to be ready but I but I think they've all improved and they've done a really good job they study hard they work hard uh and that room needs to be ready to play and and uh like I said uh you know we need to be be able to utilize all of those quarterbacks at any pointk okay thank you e e e e e e e