Fall Camp Day 2: Dalton Johnson and Tre Smith
Safety Dalton Johnson and edge rusher Tre Smith are a couple of veterans on the defense that will have a bigger role in the upcoming 2025 season that begins on August 30.
After the second day of fall camp, Johnson and Smith shared what they had to say, from the art of tackling to low expectations on the defense.
What is different about the way you guys are approaching tackling?
Smith
"I would just say we do more of it. Like we do more of working on the form, you know, more of just the violent pursuit of getting to it. So feeling those good habits."
Johnson
"I would say the same thing. We kind of just rep it more and just kind of engrave it in our head that we're gonna run full speed and go hit someone, so you might as well get good at it now. If it's a dummy, One day it'll be your person, but you gotta be ready, so rep it as much you can."
Are low expectations for the defense something you use as motivation?
Smith
"I would say that's fuel more than anything. A little bi,t speaking from a personal standpoint, I come from that type of background. I think, and a lot of the guys we've added, the guys that decided to stay, we all kind of have that mindset that we got to go get something. So yeah, we embrace it."
Johnson
"I personally say defense wins championships. As far as a team standpoint, if people have low expectations on us, it is fuel just for us to prove them wrong. It just kind of puts that chip on your shoulder that gets you out of bed ready to go work every day. So, I'm alright with that, and I think we're fine with proving people wrong this year."
How does Gonzales' passion fuel you?
"(On) defense, you got to have that passion and that fire," Johnson said. "If your coach is bringing it before you get out there on that field, it kind of just gives you that extra juice. I love it, it gets me going and I think the guys get going too. And, you know, it just, it fuels us. He's out there, it's hot, he has a lot of trust in his defense. So if he's that passionate about it, I'm gonna be passionate about his defense. I'm gonna do my best in that defense."
What does it do to a defense to give up a big ball on the first play?
"It definitely wasn't good for me," Johnson said. "But it's all about your response after that, I guess your resiliency. So after that play, I had Gen (Genesis Smith) and the guys backing up, saying, 'That doesn't fly,' because that's not our standard. You can't come out there first play and give up a deep ball, so I just had to respond and not get in my head as well, because a lot of people can get down on themselves and focus too much. So I had to move forward."
What do you think of Eduwa Okundaye and how he's developed so far?
He's doing well," Smith said. "He joined us last year, and when I look at Ed, I look back into myself coming in and just try to see that perspective, think about the things I was thinking. He's been taking it really well, just telling him focus on the details now, while he's young, because he's gonna explode when he's older."
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Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.