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University of Minnesota Athletics
Coach's Corner - Everett Withers
4/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Gophersports.com had a chance to talk with defensive coordinator Everett Withers, who brought a fire and attitude to the Gopher defense this spring that was unlike anything seen in recent memory. Withers talks about building the base for his defense by learning its personnel, holding his defensive unit accountable, and his feelings about being back in the college game here at Minnesota.
On the feel he got for his defense through the spring season:
EW: It’s still evolving and we won’t know as a staff probably until the first week of the season. We’re going to have to count on some young guys to help us this year and it’s going to be a work in progress.
On the level of his defensive players:
EW: It’s about what I thought. We’ve got to find a way to be more athletic on defense because the way you win on defense is with athletes.
On how he can get the current players more athletic:
EW: We can get some of them more athletic. Those guys have been working hard and doing everything we are asking them to do. We’ve got to do what they are able to do.
On running the defense the way he wants with the current players:
EW: We can tailor the defense to what they can do. Obviously some of the stuff we run comes from the NFL so we’re not going to be able to do it all. We want to throw it at them and see what they can do and what they comprehend and what they feel comfortable with. We have to build a base.
On coming from the NFL to the University of Minnesota:
EW: The best thing about being here at the University of Minnesota is that these kids are here to get an education and football is their second deal. I appreciate that because it takes a special person to go to school all day and come over here and have coaches yelling and screaming at them and chasing them to the football. I appreciate those kids.
On his philosophy of his defense:
EW: What we are trying to do here is make these guys accountable. Not pity them, but hold them accountable for going out and working every day - fundamentally, technique-wise, effort wise. Then build some confidence in them that they can make a play. It’s attitude. Can you make a play? Will you make a play? That’s what we’ve got to instill is that they can make plays and be upset when they don’t. We should be upset and they should be upset. That’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to make the play and we’re going to make the play. We have guys that can go out and work and compete in the Big Ten, but we have to keep pushing them every day.
On his future plans as a coach:
EW: I’m happy being right here. I really am. I’ve been wanting for a long time to get back to the college game and to be a coordinator and I’m so happy to be here.
On the feel he got for his defense through the spring season:
EW: It’s still evolving and we won’t know as a staff probably until the first week of the season. We’re going to have to count on some young guys to help us this year and it’s going to be a work in progress.
On the level of his defensive players:
EW: It’s about what I thought. We’ve got to find a way to be more athletic on defense because the way you win on defense is with athletes.
On how he can get the current players more athletic:
EW: We can get some of them more athletic. Those guys have been working hard and doing everything we are asking them to do. We’ve got to do what they are able to do.
On running the defense the way he wants with the current players:
EW: We can tailor the defense to what they can do. Obviously some of the stuff we run comes from the NFL so we’re not going to be able to do it all. We want to throw it at them and see what they can do and what they comprehend and what they feel comfortable with. We have to build a base.
On coming from the NFL to the University of Minnesota:
EW: The best thing about being here at the University of Minnesota is that these kids are here to get an education and football is their second deal. I appreciate that because it takes a special person to go to school all day and come over here and have coaches yelling and screaming at them and chasing them to the football. I appreciate those kids.
On his philosophy of his defense:
EW: What we are trying to do here is make these guys accountable. Not pity them, but hold them accountable for going out and working every day - fundamentally, technique-wise, effort wise. Then build some confidence in them that they can make a play. It’s attitude. Can you make a play? Will you make a play? That’s what we’ve got to instill is that they can make plays and be upset when they don’t. We should be upset and they should be upset. That’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to make the play and we’re going to make the play. We have guys that can go out and work and compete in the Big Ten, but we have to keep pushing them every day.
On his future plans as a coach:
EW: I’m happy being right here. I really am. I’ve been wanting for a long time to get back to the college game and to be a coordinator and I’m so happy to be here.
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