By: Fletcher Page

The media gets to speak with coordinators and assistant coaches each Tuesday. Check the Blawg Post every Wednesday for, ‘The Grantham Gig’.

What are your thoughts following the loss...

TG: We need to play physical. We need to play fast. You need to do your job and do it to the best of your ability. You know, there is no such thing as a perfect game, but you need to play physical and you need to play fast. And if that’s not happening then we need to play guys that are going to play fast. If you want to earn playing time, then you need to show production.

How was Tuesday’s practice...

I thought it was a good practice. I thought it was spirited. I thought they did the things we asked them to do. And I think we need to have another practice like that on Wednesday and Thursday and carry that over to the game because you play the game the way you practice in my opinion. We’re all creatures of habit, and we need to develop better habits and take them to the field.

Were you surprised about the tackling issues...

You know, I think it was a combination of a couple of things. You know, I wouldn’t say I was taken back by it. I think you’re always going to have situations that come up, and you’ve got to respond. You’ve got to fight, and you’ve got to answer the bell. And, you know, I thought there was a point-in-time in there where we did get better, because really, up until that, what I can four minute drive at the end of the game, they hadn’t scored. We had gotten off the field, and we had gotten some sacks and created some lost-yardage plays. I thought we’d gotten back a little bit, and then I was disappointed in that situation at the end of the game. I think that’s something you’ve got to learn from. To me that’s mentality; it’s a toughness thing. I think we’ve got guys that want to do it, and I think we’ve got to show everyone how to do it and work to get the job done.

Does Arkansas offer different challenges...

Well, I think these guys will run the ball too now. I mean, they’ve got an excellent coach. He’s going to take advantage, just like anybody, if you don’t stop something they’re going to run it. You’ve got to stop plays. Just like every week, we have a corrections period. Basically you take the things that happened in the games in the previous week and you correct them, because people watch tape. ‘Oh that play worked, let’s run that play.’ So, I mean, you always have to be correcting, even when you win a game because people are going to look at the tape. From that standpoint I think you have to correct the things that happened on Monday, OK, from the previous game. And then you got to get ready to play. I think it’s just like anything; you still have to stop the run with this group, because they want to run the ball. They’ve got big physical guys. They’ve got multiple backs, and they’ve got an NFL kind of quarterback. The guy’s very talented. He can make all the throws. He’s got great accuracy. He’s strong. He’s going to be a first-round pick, and you know he’s going to be playing on Sunday. So we have our hands full with him.

Are you worried about the nose tackle position...

Yeah, not really. I think that, you know, basically we can play the guys we want to play whether we’re in base, nickel; we can play those guys. You know, when those guys get their opportunities they have to make plays and show that they can continue to play.

Well, I think that every week we’re going to evaluate our team and our players. I believe that you play the best players and you play the guys that earn the right to play. When guys play good in games, even when it’s a handful of plays, maybe they should play a few more plays.