Arkansas defensive line coach Deke Adams talks fall camp

coach seven days in just uh what do you thought about your defensive line group through these first few practices and what you looking forward to in the scrimmage tomorrow yeah I I think they've done a really good job I mean they're competing hard um they're holding each other accountable um the expectations in the room are High um and and even with the guys that are coming back I mean they're they're really putting a lot of pressure on the young guys to learn things and and kind of develop and come along so it's been good and tomorrow I'm just you know I I want to sit back and let them play see where we are see what we have to do we've got a lot of work to do but I want to see where we are at this point tomorrow um and I think like I said they've done a great job up to this point though is Eric Gregory the most undervalued guy on this team doesn't seem like he gets a lot of headlines or all SEC recognition stuff started 12 games for you last year six years yeah you know he's so he's so valuable because he does so much um I mean he can play both inside positions he can play outside I mean he's done he did that early in his career and I I kind of agree with he very very underrated um but I you know he he does a really really good job he's such a humble kid that stuff doesn't bother him he doesn't think about it he doesn't ask questions about it it's it's not even an issue with him he just shows up and he works every day coach uh two kids I want to ask about Quincy roads and Ki Road how how are they coming along are they developing like you want to yeah yeah K's doing a a really good job I mean he's jail with the room great you know a lot of times when you bring transfers in you don't really know you kind of try and pick the best kids that kind of can can um Jael with your team and your room and all that and and you don't know how it's gonna end up um but Ki man is such a great relationship with the guys in the room um and he's developing a lot like I thought he would um and I have no issue with at any point if Ki had to jump in and be a starter and he's pushing um you know he he plays hard so and he does a lot of really good things so I'm I'm excited about him I then quinley just a kid that's really growing up still a kid that doesn't realize his ability and his you know he's such a big kid 67 whatever and almost 285 pounds he's still such a he's still a baby um and he's growing up and and he's learning the system he's learning football and as he learns football he's becoming a better player but I I you know I'm high on him and I'm high on I'm high on the room I think they've done a good job I know Sisters still like to talk about injury I'm not asking injur but then in a position where he can get back pretty quick and play yeah he's going to be fine yeah he he he'll be fine he's a tough kid come from a tough program tough family great family he's gonna be fine the the buck position I'm wondering like uh when does that come in to play most often what kind of offensive sets and what have you seen from uh how it might benefit you guys well I I don't know if the position itself just say you tied in and what offensive guys are doing is more so a scheme we play with that guy on the field in multiple we have the ability to play with different Personnel we have the ability to play with the same guys on the field and I think that's the good part about what we do and how we do things um and so it really is just a position within the defense that could be manipulated however we wanted to do it and um it it really boils down to what we're getting ready to get that week how much we want to run certain things and all that but um I that position and those guys that are playing that right now played they play well Sam has made no bones about how he felt like the team had to be tougher the had to do more tackling and all and that that would apply to D tackles as much as any position on the team physical how's your group you know taken to the more physicality that you're going to have in Camp well I mean we've been fine because I mean I you know I I think and there's no doubt about it that the game is one in the trenches and so I demand that of my guys up front all the time anyway um and and tackling is a big part of what we do in a lot of ways because you know you look back to last season we left some things on we left a lot of plays on the field we left some sacks on the field and um if we can make those plays this year it'll make a difference in a lot of a lot in a lot of games two freshman Charlie Collins and cavon Henderson just what have you liked about them so far and what where do you feel like they are from when they came in I mean they're workers that that's the biggest thing that stands out right now you you you know when you get a young kid a freshman that comes in you a lot of times they want to shy away and jump to the back of the line and let the older guys kind of take over these two kids man they jump in the front of the line and they get in the middle of the older guys and and they they they're workers they really work hard and uh they have a lot of development to come along they got to get stronger obviously put on more weight all that that stuff that's got to happen but the the hunger the hunger to play the game and learn the system and be in the midst and and not be shy being around old the guys no they they they they just one of the guys right now going back to Anton I know he's been out the last few days but just when he does return what you hope to see from him what do you need to see from him to give you confidence for him to to season continuing to grow I mean he had a really good spring um a lot of things that you know when he got here that he had not been taught or not been exposed to and he was learning he as the spring went on he got later in the spring he understood what we were doing and and he started you can see his his his uh growth started to really take off and I think we really want to get back to when get back to that point continue to grow cuz he he'll be a big part of uh our success talk specifics but you've been on a pretty good role recruiting wise and you also brought in your Kavon and and Charlie in this past class just what's the key to recruiting at such a high level when you know there's a lot of outside noise about you know the hot seat with Coach Pitman and things like that just what's the key to to still be able to recruit like that just being yourself I mean you know I kind of went through this process and I talked to parents about it I went through this process with my own son and and just you know I sat in rooms where I listen to coaches talk to my own kid and I'm like um no that's not real right there and it's about being real and being honest with the kids and and and and being honest in the whole situation we understand what we are as a program we understand what we have to do so nothing any other university tell a kid is they won't tell them anything that I haven't already told him and so just being straight up with them and being honest and tell them where we are and um and and being somewhere being the who the parents will want to drop their kid off with and and it's just been uh fun it's been a great group of kids getting back to Eric for a minute how big was it to get him back for six year and you know six year guys are getting a little more common but it's it's almost unheard of that a guy stays at one school for six years what do you think about him being here all that time and just as a sixy year guy it's been it's been great I love having him back I want him back and uh you know it's it's kind of a joke in the room you know when coach pit might bring up when he first got here and things like that he asked guys to raise their hand who was here when we first got here and all that and he might be one of maybe two or three that's in the room that was actually here when he first got here so I mean but Eric is such a mature kid and um he's very very quiet doesn't say a whole lot he just works and so it's it's man it's great to have him back say he's underrated and I agree what is it what is it he does specifically that that makes him Val so valuable these guys everything I mean he he brings a lot of maturity to the room um you know when there's time to open his mouth and and and and take control of the room he does that um understanding every position up front he knows that he plays at a high level plays physical I mean he just everything that he brings to the table uh has been great for us in our room what are what are some of the strengths of of Nico's game like is he a guy that you know third and long he can be a part of that pass rushing group that's kind of maybe you get three four defensive ends there on the field well Nico's played well you know Nico got here um Nico and were coming in at the same time and at that time you know Nico walked in and and you know he he was a great player um been around a really good program and then you know I think he thought that that he was just gonna kind of fall into the mold of things realized he had to work at it didn't play as much as first year played a little bit more last year the light came on this spring and he's playing at a high level right now so I'm really pleased with where he is and he does a lot of good things for us he plays physical and he's playing fast right now Landon spoke a lot at SEC media days about needing to be more consistent you know he had the Alabama game but he wants to translate that what can like how specifically as a coach can you kind of get that out of him is there anything that he can do better to to have that performance across the entire season we just requiring him to do all the little things he's such a hard worker when you turn the film on you just see how hard he plays and how physically plays but being consistent in all the little things that comes with being a defens alinan um um you know he he's such a great uh player he studies a lot he knows a lot he's very smart understands the game but the little things of of of taking the right steps and being in the right place at the right time putting your eyes or transitioning your eyes to where they supposed to be and all the little things I think will Elevate his game to another level um what's the what's like the minimum number of defensive tackles you'd like to have like ready to go and and can Danny soy can he that rotation your impressions on him too well I don't know if there's a a certain number um because I'm a play who's ready to play I I think it's really hard in this league to to ask a GU to go out and play 60 70 snaps a game at the level you want them to play um you know we have a room full of guys right now I say a room full of guys we have a good number of guys probably five guys right now that we feel comfortable with um Danny's got a lot of growing still to do um you know he he transferred in from another University and but he was only there with them a semester so it it wasn't like he really got into the college mold cuz he was just coming out of uh junior college at that point so he still got a lot of growing to do and he's doing a good job and and um you know we just expect him to continue to get better is he in that five or you talking about maybe I mean he's he's in the mix of all of it all of them and I say five right now it could be any because my philosophy is this you know if you make us better when you're on the field you're going to play I don't care if you're a senior I don't care if you're a freshman that's that's the way I that's the way I talk about the room um and you talk about the Freshman they both gained some good weight in the offseason stuff but um are they physically ready at least not ready but where you want them but like to go out and help you guys like be in the it's still early yeah it's still early right now you don't you don't really know I mean I I know they're getting better daily so and I know playing in this conference is is tough and so I mean we're only in practice what six I I already lost track of days but we're only in practice six so still got a long way to go we'll see they're getting better though Cam's a guy that really seemed to come on strong cam ball really seemed to come on strong last year he's a fourth year guy I think what what have you seen from him kind of what what are your expectations for this year well the same as Landon he's playing at a high level right now he he really really played well this spring he did a great job this spring he understands what to do he's understanding leverage and and and all different type of uh things up front so I'm really expecting him to take the next step um and and become a guy that that's dependable every play um last year he played a lot and he played well but he could have there are things where he could have done it been a lot better and Cam I talk about this all the time so um he will be a a really good player for us and I'm excited about him like I said just like I am about the room kind I think specifically can he do better is it just more about being consistent or well playing with better pad level which he's gotten better at that um understand leverage on on on when I can counter when I can do certain things against pass rush and then and then even just keeping my eyes in the right spot and we talk about that a lot in our room because that that that's uh that has a big part of of uh who you become and how physical you are and and being able to take chances when you can and he's still big but he's maybe not quite as big but you know it seemed like he when he got in last year he did a pretty good job you know yeah um against offensive line I'm sure they didn't enjoy it too much what have you seen from him and what what kind of improvement can he make he's I mean he's a big kid he's the biggest one in the room um you know but he's still a baby in the sense just like Quincy Rose there's a lot of growth that had that needs to be had and and he's getting better every day um he's being more physical and I think part of truly understanding what we're asking in the scheme will allow him to play faster and he's getting to that point um but you know there's all there's learning all the time and like I say he he's continuing to get better lon's decision to come back was a big deal uh what what did that mean to you personally and then uh if you can go from there to talk about just all the uh experience you got coming back in your room what did that does for you as a coach well it it was huge for me because you know he and I sat out and had a conversation and he had some goals in mind and his family had goals in mind and and I think that he wanted to come back to reach some of those goals at this level and even moving on to the next level and um you know he he's such a really good kid and and and uh you know I say a kid a young man you know he's married and all that and so um you know he's done a really good job so I'm expecting a lot from him and it meant a lot to me for him to come back um and so he just knows he has things he want to get done and that that was a big part of it and and then just experience in the room you know we've got we've got guys in the room and the Landon Jackson the K Rose the Eric Gregory all those guys there's a lot of experience between those guys um but we really need the younger guys to step up and come on and develop um but the experience means a lot you know because now I can spend a lot more time with the younger guys trying to bring them along faster than uh than it would if we didn't have all that experience he talked about looking for versatility out of the buck roll what do you what do you mean by that what are you looking what's the kind of player that you're looking for and who all been working at that spot well we have we well we're looking for a kid that has the ability to rush the quarterback that also has the ability to drop in coverage um and it's just a more of an outside linebacker type mindset but the same type of ability like I said they can put their hand on the ground line up on a tight end and play in this league um we've had multiple guys work at it um ni's worked at it um Brad Spence has worked at it um training some of the younger guys depth the depth wise so it's just different right now and like I said they're all pushing each other right now you refer to as a buck and not as like a Sam linebacker no not really it's more like an outside linebacker but it could be I mean the two guys that are doing it are athletic enough to be able to do it but that's not the way we see it right now we've um done this whole press conference we haven't said cam Ball's name so yeah cam ball ceiling oh he did I overlooked it sometimes I don't know no but cam Cam's had man he's had a really good camp he had a phenomenal spring and like I said he I me he's just such a great kid like I said my I I I I can say that about my whole room yeah every one of those kids are such great kids and they want to get better they want to learn they want to get coached and they are right now and I'm going to tell you right now with the changing of the rule that allowing quality control guys and really G to really get in and Coach I've got two guys in my room right now and Kelvin green and and Tyrone Hopper who played for me at another school I mean they're doing a phenomenal job with those kids and it allows I trust them enough to be able to do we can split groups up and do things we can get more detail on a lot of things so it's been really good for us you mention kie a minute ago that he's pushing for I think he started a couple times I think he played in all the games um and he's a sixe guy right so you got two sixe guys that's probably a nice nice luxury but um the second year from lot Tech you know he's had a whole CC season under his belt kind of what what kind of even as old as he is what kind of improvement can he make well just you know he understands the game and everything that's what U what happened I think some of the different techniques and things we were asking or or or teaching were a little bit different from what he's done but I mean ki's an experienced player he does a great job and and he's physical he plays hard and so I am I mean I I no question at all about having him in the game I might have my timeline mixed up I think you and Landon got here at the same time uh just when he got here and you first saw him did you have any idea that this was possible for him kind of the Season he had last year and what could come this year has he maybe even surprised you a little bit I didn't to be honest with you because my biggest question is when I first got here because he was just coming off of uh off an injury and uh my biggest question was how physical he's gonna be because I had never seen him play and you know here's this big kid he long he's is he gonna play physical and that question was answered like immediately when he got on the field there's no doubt about it and the progress he's made from the time he walked in the door to now I mean it's been great and and it's just getting better and better every every day we go out how do you think land Landon's been handling maybe these heightened expectations this year and have you had any conversations with him in the entire room about hey you might see a little bit more double teams this year this is how we're going to maybe adjust to that well we talk about it all the time cuz I was fortunate enough to coach another player um that just happened to be he he was pretty good too that uh that was double and tripled and all that stuff after um uh you know he had a major hit in a bowl game and and and all of a sudden he became this guy that that nobody could block but I I we talked about how hey things are going to be different for you but all this the the the publicity and all that stuff he's getting right now is not it's not going to him and I don't I'm going to his head or anything and I don't allow it and for those guys anyway cuz I'm I'm quick to tell them you know those same guys that lift you up are the same guys that going to you know what they G they G they gonna do cut you down or whatever when you're not playing the way they think you are so don't listen to all that stuff just play