Mike Locksley on run game, Malik Washington's performance, win vs. Hampton

Ahmed Ghafir
8 hours ago
7 min read

Everything that head coach Mike Locksley said following Saturday night's 62-0 win vs. Hampton:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hoGLQpI0bk

Opening Statement

“Sure. Obviously, great to be back in The Shell. Really excited. Thought our fans did a great job of bringing good energy. Pleased with how we executed today and in all three facets of the game. We're able to establish the run early, which we wanted to do on offense. Obviously, our defense did a tremendous job tackling to have a shutout here in the first game and create the turnovers and put the pressure on the quarterbacks. They did a great job, and I thought all three phases kind of held the standard, which is a little different than maybe we've been. It's good to play a lot of players. In a game like this, we want to be able to play a lot of players because it helps develop our depth that helps us throughout the season. There's still obviously a lot of work to be done. We'll see a big jump obviously from game one to game two, and obviously the next game will be on the road. So it's our first opportunity for us to rehearse on the road and prepare ourselves where we need to when you go play in hostile territory. So excited again that we were able to get a win for the first time in a long time. Players [are] super excited, but we'll put this behind us. Get out in here tomorrow and start our preparation for UConn.”

On defense’s sacks, interceptions, DD Holmes sacks

“I think it starts with just what you said. It starts with the effort that the defense played with. I thought they ran to the ball really well. We've talked about obviously when you lose Zahir Mathis, we talked about the next man up mentality. And I've said from the start, that the depth that we've created for the outside backers, DD Holmes, Nahsir Taylor, Sidney Stewart, all very capable. And then we're able to get a bunch of plays for Zion Elee as well. So I really liked the way our defense played. I thought they played great team defense, really gap control sound, and they did a good job of finishing.”

On the establishing the run game, efficiency and depth

“Much needed. I mean, for us to have any chance to be successful, each week is going to start with our ability to run the football and I thought today was a good start. Still got to watch the tape and get down into the nitty gritty. But I think the benefits, if there was one benefit of the run game, was I thought our receivers, if you go back and watch the tape, they really from [Na’eem Abdul-Rahim] Gladding to Chris Durr to [Jayden] Kitchens, I thought our receivers did a really good job with the blocking down the field for the run game, and that helps you.”

On DeJuan Williams’ status

“We haven't got any word. He did get nicked on late in the second quarter. Hopefully it's not a big deal because again, he was one of those guys heading into our first game that I thought would be able to add some explosiveness and some big playability to the run game now that he's 100% healthy.”

Whether there’s concern with Malik Washington’s first half

“There's always concern about when you don't complete drives. And when you watch it, the good thing for us, we have opportunities to see things a little quicker than in the past because with the iPads on the field. But, as I said, I thought he forced some things and was pressing a little bit early. I think you start to see things slow down for him again in that two-minute drive before the half that we needed to have. And then, we got great field position there in the beginning of the second half and didn't execute. Had a touchdown call back, had the holding call. So I thought he kind of settled in there as the second quarter, late in the second quarter, and would love to have seen them start off a little faster. But as we've said, the benefits of a run game helps a quarterback and I thought it helped them today.”

On what DeJuan Williams showed

“I've said it all along, Michael, that DeJuan has shown throughout spring ball and now coming off the ACL injury, coming off of – he's about 18 months out of that surgery and recovery, and I think today on the long run you saw the speed. That was when we recruited him prior to the injury. Those were the things that jumped out, and he's definitely one of those triple threats because he can make plays in the run game, he made plays in the pass game, and he does a really good job in protection.”

On who stood out from the win

“I would say on defense when Messiah Delome, I think had two picks, and I think we've been singing his praises as a guy that we expect to have a breakout year for us in the secondary, and to come up with you know a couple gifts in the passing game. I thought the interior, DD Holmes, really early in the first half with the back-to-back sacks, and even a guy like Sid, who if you look and doesn't see the stat sheet, but the run, the way our front seven played the run today, they did what we were supposed to do. And they gave us opportunities to build our depth because I saw a bunch of those other big guys rotating through there throughout the course of the game. And those reps are going to be so meaningful for us.”

On Iverson Howard’s development

“ I think it's confidence. Ivy's one of those guys. He played at QO, used to winning championships, has been a big time player there in high school. And I thought a year ago, much like most freshmen, when you throw them in there, the toughest part is playing without the football. But I think what you're starting to see, and one of the things that really has pleased me with Ivy's continued development is how he's protected. He's one of those guys, a year ago, I think he kind of turned down some of the playing without the football stuff. This past summer during training camp, and up to now, he's really done a good job of developing a skill without the ball in his hand. But we know what he does when he has the ball, and he was able to make a few plays.”

On QB Cardell Williams

“I wouldn't say that we don't expect to see him because anytime when the skill set that he brings to the table, it allows us to have another weapon because obviously he can make plays with his feet. I think you saw on the RPO pass to number 14 [Jordan Scott], he does throw the ball well enough. That quarterback room was one that was a little scary for us with us losing a lot of the depth that we had at it a year ago, and we had to really work hard to feel the backup roles behind. And that's a byproduct of when you sign a quarterback like Malik, you tend to have to go find guys that are willing to come in and accept their role. And Cardell really has done a great job to the point where he's a weapon for us. That I think, as we get into the meat of it, I wouldn't be surprised if you see some two quarterbacks on the field and utilizing him with the skillset he brings to help add to the run game, but as I said, he can also throw the ball decent.”

On Malik Washington’s chemistry with the new WRs

“I thought actually the two new guys, they probably had a little more sync. I think if you look and look at Kaleb, I think he had two drops in the you know first half, and that's that hasn't been like a Kaleb to drop the ball. But I thought the two new receivers and Malik definitely have had the timing. I would have liked to see Durr get involved a few more touches. He's one of those guys that you want to get him his opportunities because he tends to make plays when the ball's in his hand, as we saw in a couple of the runs. But I don't think the timing for the receiver quarterbacks was the problem as much as our quarterback just settling down, which he did? I thought near the end of the second half, and I started to see him play kind of within the system.”

On improvements in the pass game

“I mean, again, the quarterback’s reads, making sure that the ball goes where it's supposed to go, and not find ourselves where we're forcing the ball in there. And I didn't think he forced it, but I think he didn't always take advantage and didn't read it out. One that jumps out the mind is down in the red area where Dorian [Fleming], we had a double move with Dorian, and he runs into the backer, and the flat is wide open. It's just a matter of it's a touchdown - checkdown mentality in the red area. He's got to get the ball down to the back and keep a drive going. But I don't think it was the timing as much as just Malik settling down. I think he started to drop his eyes to the rush a couple times and there was really no need because I thought we did a pretty good job of protecting them.”

On setting the tone in the season opener

“I don't know how much for the rest of the season, and again, I'm gonna try to stay as focused as I can on just the next opponent. I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and talk about down the road, but it's good to start that way. It's good to see, as I said in the opening, all three phases for the most part play above average, the way that they have to play. But now the key is, can we get it consistently? We got a tough road test coming up against UConn, our first opportunity to travel together, and we need to put a good week of work Sunday now that we practice on Sunday, Sunday through Friday, and go up to UConn and find a way to come back with the win.”

Related Links