Everything From Defensive Backs Coach Willie Martinez During His Media Availability

On where he feels like his depth is at the cornerback position…

“Obviously, we recruit athletic kids that can be very multiple and we've moved around. We've actually practiced guys at different positions, even though you haven't seen them in games, play the position. So, we're going to rely on our athleticism and some of the players that have been bouncing from left to right, you know what I mean? Whether it's a young player like Tim Merritt or Dylan Lewis who has the skill set, you know what I mean? That's how we make it. Obviously, we've got some veterans like Will Wright, who did a really good job this last ball game. We kind of shuffle them around. I mean, you got the Jalen McMurray, you've got Boo Carter. I mean, got guys that can play a lot of positions. So, we'll use that. We'll just mix it up, and we'll play the best lineup at the time, but we'll be very versatile as far as moving them around.”

On how he balances what position is best for Jalen McMurray…

“Again, he's a really good player, just like a lot of the guys we have on the back end. They've been practicing it. They've been back and forth, you know what I mean? So, it will be very natural whenever we mix it up.”

On how different it is getting transfers and high school kids game ready…

“I don't think it's any different. The only difference would be that the high school kids are young. You know, they're young, right? Don't have the experience. Like we say, young guys can't stay young anymore. Since the guys have been here since December, you know, in January, we don't view them as young anymore. The transfers have the experience coming from somewhere at the college level, and that’s where he has a little bit of a separation. You look at a guy like Ty Redmond really did a great job this last ball game. He was ready for the moment. I just think it's our culture. You know the standard is the standard. The expectation is the expectation. You know, recruit really good players and put them in the spots that give you a chance to be very multiple. We've said it since we've been here. We're going to recruit guys that are very multiple that have the skill sets that can play at any position, exactly what's happened here. You know what I mean? Don't take a kid that can't play man. Got to play, man. You don't. Now you could be corner. It could be star. It could be at safety. We got to be able to play man because at some point in time somebody's going to have to play all of them. He's got to play man, whether you're a safety or a linebacker. It gives us the opportunity to move guys around, and it's not their first time doing it. I mean, they've been at corner, they've been at star, they've been at dime, they've been at free, they've been at strong. We play left and right when we practice out here. That schematically helps us, but it also builds depth. It builds continuity. It gives us a chance to play like we did in this last ball game here, where nobody flinched. Here we go. Next guy, next man up, and they produce.”

On Ty Redmond being ready for his moment and trusting him…

“I think the thing about Ty, he's very focused, very locked in, like a lot of the guys. The moment's not ever big for him. You know, he's very calm. That is kind of his personality. We're not surprised by how he performed. Again, he's like that every day. He's made a bunch of plays out here in practice as he did when he was in high school, and it's been a continuation, but I just think the way he handles stuff, you know, the moment's not too big. I'll leave it there.”

On how he evaluated Edrees Farooq in his first start at safety…

“Yeah, he did great. I mean, he obviously had a little bit of cramps in opening up the second half, obviously had to continue to get some fluid in him, but I thought he did really good, outstanding, you know, made some really really good plays on the ball in the air, and was solid in the run game. Very good communicator, too.”

On whether Ty Redmond has exceeded his expectations and what stood out in the recruiting process…

“Man, he comes from a great high school program. I mean, he's got great coaching going on there. Now, he did transfer from another school, and that school that he transferred from had some really good coaches. I'm going to give credit where credit deserved. It starts there because that's kind of like how we are when we recruit. You know, where they're coming from, who's developing the guys. He’s got a solid family that's very competitive. So from a personal standpoint, when you get to talk to them, you know, and you get to build a relationship with them, you can see the fire, you can see the competitive edge in him. I think his training, he's a guy that’s always training. Always was when he was young, you know, whether he was a young man, 8th grade, 9th grade, you know, I mean, it's been in him. I’ve had a lot of success with you. If he's a player young, he's probably going to be a player when he's older, you know what I mean? If he just buys into to the work that it takes and he has in knowing him.”

On what Colton Hood does in practice to have head coach Josh Heupel say he isn’t surprised by his performance….

High energy, locked in, really good with the players, his teammates, fits in right away since the day he walked in here because he wasn't with us in the spring. It's going to take a special person to do that. How do I blend in here, you know what I mean? He's got a great personality, but he's always an upbeat, high-energy dude. I mean, it's not hard to figure out what his personality is because he's the same dude every day. He's obviously really talented.

On how the secondary can tighten up zone coverage…

“Play better technique, man. Have a little bit better thought process in the downs, you know, in the D&D what we're doing. Third down and long, and we've got certain guys that are not seeing it as third down and long. They're still seeing second down and medium or something like that, where they think the run's a part of it. That's on us as coaches, but just executing not only the job itself, but the fundamentals that go along with it. Eye training, too. We had some missed assignments because of our eyes, and that's always going to be a battle. You keep on coaching that, you've got to put your eyes where they belong, so you get the right keys. It's easy when you play man. That's my man. That's where you get really mad. That's your guy. That's your guy. That's our guy. It's the him coverage. Don't mess that one up. So, that's a great question.”