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Pitt defensive coordinator Josh Conklin met the media on Monday to talk about the safeties, the defensive line and more.
WHAT HAS HENRY MILLER SHOWN YOU?
CONKLIN: He’s just picked up the scheme pretty well. He had a hard time early on, just in terms of kind of getting his feet in the ground, understanding big-picture what we wanted, just in terms of the coverage checks and some of the cover-four checks and things that we do. But he’s done a good job. We’ve moved him back and forth between field safety and boundary safety, and I think that has served him really, really well in terms of just maybe picking it up a little bit faster.
WITH WHAT YOU ASK THE SAFETIES TO DO AS FAR AS DIAGNOSING PLAYS, HOW TOUGH IS THAT FOR YOUNG GUYS?
CONKLIN: It’s tough for young guys to understand what the offense is doing. I think the hard part is, you’ve got to learn your job, you’ve got to learn your responsibilities within all the coverage checks, but then the other part of that is, what we do is so much based on what the offense does. Once they can kind of figure out what I’m doing, then they can worry about the offense, and if you can’t understand what you’re supposed to be taking care of, it’s hard to really put it all together with the offense as well.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FROM ALLEN EDWARDS? HE GOT A LOT OF PRAISE EARLY IN CAMP; IS HE BEING CONSISTENT?
CONKLIN: He’s being consistent. He had a - he took a lot of steps in terms of his growth through the month of June and July, and even those first two weeks of camp. It’s hard, though, for guys to sustain that type of group all the way through, just because he’s advanced, he’s more advanced, he’s been around the system, he knows it. He’s been steady. His production has been - I would say, good. He’s had some really good days and some just kind of average days, but that’s to be expected by anybody. We’re really pleased with where he’s at.
ARE YOU GETTING THE DEVELOPMENT FROM THE YOUNGER GUYS ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE THAT YOU’D WANT?
CONKLIN: Yeah. We’ve had a couple guys step up. Until Folston had his injury - he’s going to be back here shortly. But I mean, we’ve had some guys step up and really play well. Guys like Weaver, I think has had a really good camp. Jimmy Medure, we moved him to end and I think he’s going to find a home in Delta, you know, our third-down package. So some good things to see.
IN TERMS OF TACKLES, THAT BOUNDARY SAFETY POSITION HAS BEEN YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. DO YOU SEE THE GUYS YOU’RE LOOKING AT FOR THIS YEAR BEING ABLE TO FILL THAT?
CONKLIN: Yeah, I do. I do. I think we’ve got some bigger, more physical type bodies there. I think when you look at guys that we’ve moved to field safety, like Bricen Garner and Jay Stocker and even Whitehead, those guys are more athletic, a little bit more explosive. You’re looking for some of those bigger bodies to play that boundary safety position. They’re not on a number-two skill threat all the time.
But I do think the guys that are there right now have a knack for it. I think a guy like Phil Campbell and Henry Miller can definitely fill that role. And I think a guy even like Jay Stocker can move over and potentially play that as well.
DO YOU HAVE WHITEHEAD IN PENCIL FOR THE FIELD SAFETY SPOT OR IS THAT GOING TO DEPEND ON WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE FIRST THREE GAMES?
CONKLIN: Yeah, he played that last spring and we kind of moved him over there. I think he found a home there, you know? He’s always a guy that can go back and play boundary as well, but I think he feels pretty comfortable in the field and may give us a little more athleticism over to the field as well.
YOU LOOK AT CAMPBELL AND MILLER, THEY BOTH LOOK LIKE THEY’RE BIG ENOUGH TO PLAY LINEBACKER. IS THE IDEAL BOUNDARY SAFETY A GUY YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO KEEP AT SAFETY EVERY YEAR?
CONKLIN: Not necessarily. I think when you go out and recruit right now, we’re trying to look for one true safety-type body that you would consider a traditional safety, a bigger body type guy that can play cover-three and some of that traditional stuff. And then the field safety and both corners, we’re really looking for guys that are more DB-corner type guys. I think that’s kind of the evolution we’ve come through with the teams that we face in the ACC.
WHAT HAS BRIGGS BROUGHT? HE’S THE MOST EXPERIENCED GUY IN THAT GROUP; WHAT HAS HE BROUGHT TO THE BOUNDARY?
CONKLIN: He’s consistent. He just brings consistency. If you talk to our strength staff, when he weighs in, he’s going to weigh the same amount every day. His lifestyle reflects that. He’s just a consistent, confidence, knows-what-he’s-doing type of kid. That allows us to get into the right checks and do the things we want to do from a coverage standpoint, and he’s just been steady. Nothing real flashy, but I think he can get the job done and he’s one of those physical run-fitting type guys. He has the ability to do that.
IF HE’S THE STARTER, DO YOU STILL SEE ROLES FOR CAMPBELL AND POTENTIALLY EVEN MILLER?
CONKLIN: No question. No question. I think, if he’s the starter, there will be an opportunity for a boundary safety when he goes to nickel in our Delta package. I think a guy like Henry Miller could fit that. A guy like Jay Stocker can fit that. I feel like we do have some DB’s that we can maneuver around.
You know, Bricen Garner right now has really had a phenomenal camp. He’s probably been the best, I would say, just in terms of consistency, knowledge. He’s got a good feel for the package, he communicates well. And when a guy starts to communicate with everybody else around him, you know he understands what he’s doing and also understands what the offense is doing and is starting to put the whole picture, you know, big picture together.
WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT YOUNGER GUYS AT THIS TIME OF CAMP, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOU’LL END UP RELYING ON FRESHMEN, WHETHER THEY’RE REDSHIRT FRESHMEN OR TRUE FRESHMEN?
CONKLIN: I think it’s hard with defensive linemen, just from a physical standpoint, to depend on them. I think it’s difficult with linebackers because of the knowledge and the aptitude that they have to have within in the system. There’s a lot on those guys in terms of making checks and all of that. I think where you could potentially see it is at corner. I think, year in and year out, those are the guys that could help you sooner just because it’s a different position in what we do. It’s a little bit more man-to-man; there’s not as much knowledge but it’s more technique-based, so if you get a corner that comes in and really understands the technique that we’re looking for and has been exposed to it at the high school level, he’s got a chance to help you.
THAT SAID, HOW COMFORTABLE DO YOU FEEL WITH CAMP AND WATTS LINING UP SIDE-BY-SIDE?
CONKLIN: I feel comfortable with them, both of them. I’ve been really encouraged with Keyshon Camp. He’s been, like a Briggs, consistent day in and day out. It’s really important to him. He understands what his job is and he understands that if he does his job, he’s going to have plays to make.
