Nov. 19, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The Nittany Lions host Michigan on Senior Day and the Penn State White Out on Saturday at noon (ABC).
Leading up to the contest against the Wolverines, defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach Terry M. Smith talked with the media on Thursday. Take a look at a Q&A with Coach Smith.
Q: How will the loss of Jordan Lucas impact the secondary moving forward?
Smith: "Well, clearly the loss of a senior captain is going to hurt any unit. He was the leader of the secondary. He was the leader on the back end of our defense. He was a guy all of the players in the locker room respect and look to. We are going to lose big time leadership and a big time player who could make plays. Like anything and any organization in football, we have to have the next guy step up, and that's Malik Golden. We have a really good defense, and we expect Malik to step in and fill Jordan's shoes and play equally or better. That's just the way we are shaped and molded as a defense. Malik will be ready to step in and play well on Saturday."
Q: Can you evaluate the progress that John Reid has made during his freshman season?
Smith: "John Reid is an exceptional talent. He is one of our best cover guys. He is really, really smart. He's an exceptional worker. He gets every ounce of his ability out of himself. The game is important to him. He plays that way. He plays intense. He asks a million questions in meetings, which are all good questions. That's why he is prepared on Saturdays. And that's why he makes very few mental mistakes. And to do that as a true freshman, that's a testament to himself and his high school coach who prepared him really, really well when he walked in the door here."
Q: How have you seen Grant Haley improve this season?
Smith: "He has great maturity. He doesn't get too rattled. He doesn't get too high. He doesn't get too low. Even in a situation like Northwestern, he maintains a levelness you need at the position. Grant is poised to be a very consistent player. He's been a very good leader for us. He's played some really good football for us, and he is a very important piece on our defense."
Q: What have you seen from the Michigan passing game during the past two weeks to make it click?
Smith: "I think the quarterback, Jake Rudock, is really coming into his own. I think he is really comfortable in the system. I think he is taking command of the offense. And I think he is executing the plan that their coaching staff has in place. And then they have some big-play targets. The two receivers ââ'¬" (Jehu) Chesson and (Amara) Darboh ââ'¬" they are making plays. And the tight end (Jake) Butt is making plays. And you can't throw out the x-factor in Jabrill Peppers. They just have a number of weapons that you have to account for on each play. And they are starting to spread it, and it's making them a little more dangerous each week as the season goes on."
Q: You are focusing on your defense, but if you have had a chance watch any film of Michigan CB Jourdan Lewis, what is your take on him and the matchup between the Michigan cornerbacks and your receivers?
Smith: "We get to watch some film in previous weeks that's like crossover film, so we've had an opportunity to see two or three of their crossover games. I think he is exceptional. He's one of the best corners in the Big Ten, if not the nation. He has really good feet and loose hips. He's an ultimate competitor. He challenges releases. He challenges the 50-50 balls. He's a good matchup for our receivers. We've got some good receivers on this team, and it will be a good challenge for those guys on Saturday."
Q: How important is it for a cornerback to play with some swagger and what type of personality does your group play with on the field?
Smith: "Each individual guys is his own guy...My guys in particular and when you look at Grant (Haley) and Trevor (Williams) and John Reid and Christian (Campbell), John Reid is probably the most talkative, but he only talks when the ball is coming at him. And he doesn't really talk to the receiver, he kind of talks to himself to get himself going. The other guys don't really say too much. They are just business-oriented guys. And they understand that each play is important, and they are ready to strap up and play 60 to 70 plays if needed."