Bateman Monday highlights: an assessment of South Carolina, impressed with Chazz Surratt and pleased with defensive line depth

Bateman isn't, however, too worried about his own progress

Opening statement

Had a great training camp, excited about our guys; they’ve worked really hard this summer. We told them when we got here, summer was going to be a big part of it. trying to learn the defense a second time, they did a lot on their own. I’m really proud of them and I’m excited to get going.

I’ve seen a lot of improvement and I think our older kids have done a great job bringing our younger kids along and now it’s time for some of our younger kids to start improving to where we can play them in the game a little bit more.

On South Carolina...

I think they’re really physical and they do a really good job up front.

I think Bryan Edwards, No. 89 is a really talented player, I think he’ll probably make a lot of money playing football. Obviously, the quarterback, (Jake) Bentley is a coach’s son who’s played a lot of football. He’s really smart and hard to fool.

We’ve got to be very gap-sound and I think we’ve got to try to create some confusion up front and we’ve got to do a good job trying to find where 89 is and stay on top of him.

On Chazz Surratt's progression at linebacker...

I think the thing that has helped Chazz is believe it or not, coming from quarterback. I think at quarterback you have to have kind of a picture of what the whole thing looks like.

Chazz is really smart; he understands defenses, he understands offenses, so I think that’s sped up his learning curve. But he still needs reps, he’s still a kid who has never played it in a game since like 10 grade or something. I mean, it’s still going to be some learning curve, but he’s a really, really special athlete and I think he’s a physical kid. I’m really excited to see him play and I think he’s going to be a good player for us.

He’s come a long way. I don’t want to say he was crawling; he was probably like a toddler, kind of using the couch to walk in. Now, I’m really confident that he’s going to play really well. That’s not a concern of mine.

On his concerns with defensive line depth...

That was probably our biggest concern coming in. Jahlil (Taylor) has done a really good job, he’s 318 pound sand he’s hard to move. I think Ray (Vohasek) has been really good, I think as he’s become more comfortable with the players on the defense and everything, he’s improved. Xach Gill has improved and I think we’ve got a couple of young kids; I think Tomari Fox, Tomon’s little brother, is going to be a really good player. That’s become less of a concern. 

Obviously, Aaron and Jason, I think, are pretty elite players so we need them to play as much as they can, but we feel a little bit better about resting them now when we need to.

On how much he stresses forcing turnovers...

Anymore in college football, I think that’s the deal. You want to try to create negative plays and create turnovers and win third downs. Offenses they go so fast, they run so many players, they get the ball out in space so much, they’re going to make a play or two. If you can limit explosive plays, win on third down and cause turnovers and create negative plays to get them off par, I think that’s the key.

On his first time coaching players at the Power Five level...

They’re just taller. It’s the same. I get asked that question; I think it’s the same X’s and O’s, they’re just a little bit bigger. I think the D-line is a little bit different because the space they take up is different and they can kind of suck up two gaps sometimes a little more, but I think it's the same.

On whether the defense's confidence was affected by its past...

We’ve talked to them about how they’ve got to get better. I think they’ve got some confidence, I think we’ve stressed some things that are easily attainable like playing with effort, communication. Those things don’t take any skills; I think as those things improve, then their skill can take over.

I think they believe in what we’re doing, I think we’ve got some really, really strong leaders that want to finish on a strong note in that senior class and now we’ve got to go do it.

On his progression through coaching to finally reach this level and whether he's excited for Saturday...

I coached in the Army-Navy game, so yeah, I’m good. It’s the same. I prepare the same way I’ve always prepared.

On strength and conditioning coach Brian Hess...

Brian Hess is a rock star. I think our kids quickly realized how much of an improvement he was going to make in them. So, I think Brian Hess, he’s got an ability to bring out the real, reach into a kid and bring out what he’s got in him.

 I think he does a great job with injury prevention. They do some things that are a little bit different and I think our kids are starting to feel healthier and that they’re more agile. I think you’re going to see it on the field but as far as a culture-builder and team-chemistry builder, I think Brian Hess is as good as it gets.

On the possibility of Cam Kelly becoming eligible...

I try not to worry about things that might happen, I try not to live in that world because I think if you live in that world, it becomes really hard to be a defensive coordinator. I try not to chase ghosts. So, if and when they tell me Cam Kelly is eligible then we’ll put him in where we think is the best for him; he's been working at corner. 

I think Cam Kelly is a good player; I hope he gets eligible, that would pep me up, but until that point, we’re handling it like we don’t think he’s going to be eligible.

On Sam Howell..

I think he’s really talented; I think he’s worked really hard. Our players have talked about the extra work he’s put in. I feel like he’s here all the time; I get here pretty early in the morning, I feel like half the time, he’s here. I think Jace Ruder is a dynamite football player. Phil would ask me all the time and I’d be like, ‘I’ve got my own problems to worry about.’ I think they’re both really good. I don’t think anybody on our defense or defensive staff feels like, ‘Oh my gosh, this one versus that one.’ I think we’re very confident in both of them and I think our players are too.

On the safeties, Myles Dorn and Myles Wolfolk...

When I got here, Dorn didn’t practice all spring but I could tell how smart he was in meetings, then Wolf practiced about half the time. Tommy Thigpen kept saying, ‘Just wait ‘til they both get out here.’ 

They’re both veteran kids that have played a lot and they’re both extremely bright kids that can handle a lot and they’re both kids that I think have a lot of pride in this football program and this defense and this school. I think they want to be very successful and I think we’re doing a little bit more schematically than they have done and I have challenged them to be me out there.