MSU S Coach James Adams Defensive Dominance

Is there anything that changes with that position? Yeah, there are guys that are cross-training in both corner and nickel. They kind of sit in my room, they kind of get the big rocks of the techniques and the install, but they're also playing some corner and so there are situational opportunities for guys that are on the edge to come in and play in the spot. So I really think it's good for them because they're getting that man-zone teaching on the perimeter at corner and then they're applying some of the same techniques there in the slot, but also getting the run fits, the blitz paths, and some of the deep cover work in the slot. So in our defense, that position is a dollar sign. So those guys that we are repping in that position are really taking on that responsibility to be the X-Factor. We've got to make a lot of plays. Do you feel like the players and coaches are noticing the benefit from having Lawson being able to float? I think so. I think what Coach has been able to do floating is paint the picture. But on install days, game plan weeks, he does a phenomenal job at painting the picture of the defense and then drilling it way down positionally as to what we need to get done in each position. So I think what it does is, one, it's his voice that the guys hear and it's the same message that we're delivering. And so they're hearing it twice, they're seeing it, they're hearing it all week. And then I also think it helps with him just continuing to build strong connections with the guys, building those bonds with the guys. So I've benefited from it a ton as an assistant coach because there are times when I'll have a guest lecturer and I'll have Coach Lawson come in and talk through a technique or even if it's not about our position, maybe what the linebackers you're seeing are doing or the defense in front are doing. So he provides more of the why behind the scenes. I think the one thing that the guys have done a really good job of is being able to play multiple positions. So you look at the safety room, you have the nipples, you have the threes and the strongs. There are several guys that can play all three. And we feel really good about them going in and playing. We're looking for like the Swiss Army Knights. We want a guy that in the back end can blitz, he can play deep coverage, he can play man coverage. He becomes a guy three, four, five games into the season that he's like Waldo, but the offense is different for him because he's a problem. You want to have three of those guys. You want to have three guys back there that where they are, the offense has to deal with them. And that maybe slows down their process and allows us to attack them.