Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
"You're always wondering who's going to be that pleasant surprise” - Q&A with Defensive Coordinator Scott Shafer ahead of Spring Practice
3/13/2023 5:08:00 PM | Football
The veteran coach is emphasizing keeping things simple in the spring, so he and his staff can find out who can play
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It's been an even longer offseason for Scott Shafer than normal for the Blue Raiders' defensive coordinator.
Thanks to a knee replacement surgery that's kept the coach away from the office, Shafer will be getting his first extended look at the 2023 Middle Tennessee football defense when MTSU takes the practice field on Tuesday, March 14, for the program's first day of spring practice. But that time away has only made Shafer more excited to get into spring ball.
"Over the years, you're always wondering who's going to be that pleasant surprise or somebody that steals somebody's job," Shafer said. "It's hard going into it for me this year, because I wasn't in Mat Drills because I was on IR. But I've listened to the coaches talk, the strength coaches talk. So, I'm interested to see some of these guys."
Bringing back nearly every starter on his defensive unit from a season ago, Shafer's experienced group will still be focused on what they always are in the spring: letting the players play, so the coaches can answer questions for next year.
Shafer chatted with GoBlueRaiders.com about that spring ball philosophy, some of his focuses for his unit after the 2022 season and some names he's keeping an eye on after Mat Drills.
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This is the first time in nearly four seasons where MTSU will have a "normal" spring ball, between the COVID restrictions of 2020 and 2021 and the roster turnover in certain positions in 2022. What's it going to be like for the players to have a more typical college spring ball routine?
More than anything, it's trying to identify the depth chart. Trying to see the kids that have improved a bunch in the off season, letting them play and trying not to put too much in scheme wise. Keep it simple enough that you can just let them play and not try to game plan or overcoach scheme right now. Just let the kids see what they're taught to see and let them go and run and play and see who can step up and try to challenge in the depth chart.
You have a real veteran group, only losing a few starters from last year's unit. Does that change what you do in the spring, as far as install is concerned?
I don't think it changes a whole lot, because in the spring, just what I was mentioning, trying to just do what we do and do it well and let the kids go. I think the biggest thing that happens when you do have a veteran group is you can get to some things that are not changing the scheme, but making it look like we're different.
What I'm talking about there is disguising, disguising fronts and coverages, showing something that we're not in. Things that we always try to get to in-season during a game week. But hopefully, they can do some of those things a little bit on their own because they've been in it. They know the calls; they know the rules and we're trying to catch up with some of the new kids. But more than anything, the pre-snap disguises is something I think you can do with a veteran group.
You mention the process of finding those breakout guys, who have put in the work in the weight room, in Mat Drills to make that jump. Do you remember anyone that's had a monster spring to quickly rise up the chart?
We have some new faces, but we also have some kids that have been around that have been special teams guys that are really fighting to see if they can get on the defense and make an impact. Guys like James Shellman IV in the back end. He had a really good winter program. He's grown into his body, and he's grown into his mind. He's just one of many examples. Guys like CJ (Chris Johnson). Chris is a kid that walked-on here from in-town and Riverdale and he's had a really good offseason. Vincent Dinkins is a guy I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do for us. Tyrece Edwards (as well).
That doesn't mean they'll necessarily be guys that step for us and be in the starting lineup, although you never know. But just guys that you're like 'Ok, we've kind of been waiting to see where these guys are going to be over the course of the last year or two.' That's the good part about spring. You have time and space to not press the issue as much as you do in summer camp.
After the season, I'm sure you and your staff did a wholesale review of the defense after enjoying some time with family after the Hawai'i Bowl win. Were there any areas y'all identified as points of emphasis for spring ball?
Yes and no. There are always areas that you want to improve upon when you look at the statistics. But for me, it always goes back to, and this is coach talk sometimes, but getting back to the fundamentals well in the areas that weren't as good as we needed to be. Like giving up pass yardage. I've been less about pass yardage and more about pass efficiency, which adds in interceptions, pressures on the quarterback and those types of things.
But a lot of the pass yardage concerns we had last year were because of technique and fundamental situations more than scheme. It's guys in position to make plays and how do they finish the play. Or guys not doing the job that they need to do in the underneath that affects the over the top.
A big emphasis last year going into this (past) season was red zone. The kids really improved in that area. Looking at how they improved and how maybe we approached that is something you want to look at across the board. Whether it's a coming out situation or middle of the field, by down and distance. We wanted to get better at first downs. We wanted to get better at third down, got a lot better at third down. But there's still a lot of room to improve.
When I look at it every season, it goes back to your personnel and then us being smart and putting kids that can make plays in situations to make plays. And kids that maybe aren't as good at making plays in certain schemes, we're not asking them to do those things.
Everyone talks about the analytic side of things; the analytics start with your people. And that's the part you always have to remember in the spring. Let's identify the people by keeping the scheme and fundamentals constant so the kids are playing with some confidence.
How many early enrollees are part of the defense this spring?
Sam Brumfield, he's from Pearl, Miss., he's a good player. Jordan Thompson, a high school kid out of North Carolina, I'm really excited about him. We've got those two at the linebacker position.
Brandon Buckner, the defensive end from Oregon, a coach's son. And I think that's it.
Brumfield will get a lot of reps given the injuries at MIKE linebacker
You better believe it. He'll get a lot of reps there because we've had injuries with Devyn Curtis out with his shoulder and Johnathan Butler. It'll be good to see those other kids. We'll be bouncing guys at linebacker.
The thing we've always tried to do is teach the kids that you're not a one-position player. You've got to be able to be a utility guy as a defensive player, in my opinion. Safety has got to be able to play both sides, corners got to be able to play both sides and nickel. If you're an outside backer, you're an outside backer whether you're strong or weak. And if you can run at middle linebacker, why can't you play outside in the box. Same thing up front, right and left ends should be able to flip flop. And having guys that can play end that went to tackle and vice versa. We'll still promote those types of things and give them the opportunity to learn more than one position.
It'll be fun, spring ball is always a good time because you're not shoving it with that pressure of a game around the corner. You're just trying to get better daily.
Thanks to a knee replacement surgery that's kept the coach away from the office, Shafer will be getting his first extended look at the 2023 Middle Tennessee football defense when MTSU takes the practice field on Tuesday, March 14, for the program's first day of spring practice. But that time away has only made Shafer more excited to get into spring ball.
"Over the years, you're always wondering who's going to be that pleasant surprise or somebody that steals somebody's job," Shafer said. "It's hard going into it for me this year, because I wasn't in Mat Drills because I was on IR. But I've listened to the coaches talk, the strength coaches talk. So, I'm interested to see some of these guys."
Bringing back nearly every starter on his defensive unit from a season ago, Shafer's experienced group will still be focused on what they always are in the spring: letting the players play, so the coaches can answer questions for next year.
Shafer chatted with GoBlueRaiders.com about that spring ball philosophy, some of his focuses for his unit after the 2022 season and some names he's keeping an eye on after Mat Drills.
--
This is the first time in nearly four seasons where MTSU will have a "normal" spring ball, between the COVID restrictions of 2020 and 2021 and the roster turnover in certain positions in 2022. What's it going to be like for the players to have a more typical college spring ball routine?
More than anything, it's trying to identify the depth chart. Trying to see the kids that have improved a bunch in the off season, letting them play and trying not to put too much in scheme wise. Keep it simple enough that you can just let them play and not try to game plan or overcoach scheme right now. Just let the kids see what they're taught to see and let them go and run and play and see who can step up and try to challenge in the depth chart.
You have a real veteran group, only losing a few starters from last year's unit. Does that change what you do in the spring, as far as install is concerned?
I don't think it changes a whole lot, because in the spring, just what I was mentioning, trying to just do what we do and do it well and let the kids go. I think the biggest thing that happens when you do have a veteran group is you can get to some things that are not changing the scheme, but making it look like we're different.
What I'm talking about there is disguising, disguising fronts and coverages, showing something that we're not in. Things that we always try to get to in-season during a game week. But hopefully, they can do some of those things a little bit on their own because they've been in it. They know the calls; they know the rules and we're trying to catch up with some of the new kids. But more than anything, the pre-snap disguises is something I think you can do with a veteran group.
You mention the process of finding those breakout guys, who have put in the work in the weight room, in Mat Drills to make that jump. Do you remember anyone that's had a monster spring to quickly rise up the chart?
We have some new faces, but we also have some kids that have been around that have been special teams guys that are really fighting to see if they can get on the defense and make an impact. Guys like James Shellman IV in the back end. He had a really good winter program. He's grown into his body, and he's grown into his mind. He's just one of many examples. Guys like CJ (Chris Johnson). Chris is a kid that walked-on here from in-town and Riverdale and he's had a really good offseason. Vincent Dinkins is a guy I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do for us. Tyrece Edwards (as well).
That doesn't mean they'll necessarily be guys that step for us and be in the starting lineup, although you never know. But just guys that you're like 'Ok, we've kind of been waiting to see where these guys are going to be over the course of the last year or two.' That's the good part about spring. You have time and space to not press the issue as much as you do in summer camp.
After the season, I'm sure you and your staff did a wholesale review of the defense after enjoying some time with family after the Hawai'i Bowl win. Were there any areas y'all identified as points of emphasis for spring ball?
Yes and no. There are always areas that you want to improve upon when you look at the statistics. But for me, it always goes back to, and this is coach talk sometimes, but getting back to the fundamentals well in the areas that weren't as good as we needed to be. Like giving up pass yardage. I've been less about pass yardage and more about pass efficiency, which adds in interceptions, pressures on the quarterback and those types of things.
But a lot of the pass yardage concerns we had last year were because of technique and fundamental situations more than scheme. It's guys in position to make plays and how do they finish the play. Or guys not doing the job that they need to do in the underneath that affects the over the top.
A big emphasis last year going into this (past) season was red zone. The kids really improved in that area. Looking at how they improved and how maybe we approached that is something you want to look at across the board. Whether it's a coming out situation or middle of the field, by down and distance. We wanted to get better at first downs. We wanted to get better at third down, got a lot better at third down. But there's still a lot of room to improve.
When I look at it every season, it goes back to your personnel and then us being smart and putting kids that can make plays in situations to make plays. And kids that maybe aren't as good at making plays in certain schemes, we're not asking them to do those things.
Everyone talks about the analytic side of things; the analytics start with your people. And that's the part you always have to remember in the spring. Let's identify the people by keeping the scheme and fundamentals constant so the kids are playing with some confidence.
How many early enrollees are part of the defense this spring?
Sam Brumfield, he's from Pearl, Miss., he's a good player. Jordan Thompson, a high school kid out of North Carolina, I'm really excited about him. We've got those two at the linebacker position.
Brandon Buckner, the defensive end from Oregon, a coach's son. And I think that's it.
Brumfield will get a lot of reps given the injuries at MIKE linebacker
You better believe it. He'll get a lot of reps there because we've had injuries with Devyn Curtis out with his shoulder and Johnathan Butler. It'll be good to see those other kids. We'll be bouncing guys at linebacker.
The thing we've always tried to do is teach the kids that you're not a one-position player. You've got to be able to be a utility guy as a defensive player, in my opinion. Safety has got to be able to play both sides, corners got to be able to play both sides and nickel. If you're an outside backer, you're an outside backer whether you're strong or weak. And if you can run at middle linebacker, why can't you play outside in the box. Same thing up front, right and left ends should be able to flip flop. And having guys that can play end that went to tackle and vice versa. We'll still promote those types of things and give them the opportunity to learn more than one position.
It'll be fun, spring ball is always a good time because you're not shoving it with that pressure of a game around the corner. You're just trying to get better daily.
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