LB CAM SMITH
--on where the defense has improved the most this spring
“I think there are 20 or 21 guys that really know it and I feel confident playing next to. I think that’s the biggest part about spring is getting some of the young guys who haven’t seen a lot of reps or came in the fall, where it was pretty fast. That’s exactly what the spring is for, seeing these guys progress and start learning more and that’s what we did.”
--on if he feels that the team is going to count on the defense to win
“I think we have to keep growing together and playing well. It’s our job to get the ball in their hands and so that’s whatever Coach (Clay) Helton says, it goes and its within ourselves that we want to be the best out there and get the ball back in our offense’s hands. So it’s something that we hold within ourselves.”
--on Sam Darnold embracing Cleveland as a potential landing spot
“I’ve seen a lot of cool things from Cleveland in the offseason. It looks like they totally changed their mindset and they’re picking up older guys that want to win and want to be great. I have nothing to say about who they’re going to pick or anything but I know wherever Sam goes, he wants to be the best. I think it would be a really cool thing to see him lead the Cleveland Browns, a team that for the last couple years, has struggled. Also I think that’s just a challenge for him and he wants to be somewhere where he can be the best he can be. And I think he’s just excited by the amount of pressure that comes with and is in this process. i think he just wants to see wherever he lands and be Sam.
--on if there was a point in the time in which he thought Darnold could potentially be the top pick in the NFL draft
“I’d say his redshirt freshman year, on scout team. He lit us up everyday. And I think that’s where everyone kind of said, man, this guy is pretty good. And then going into that fall camp that following year, that spring ball and fall camp where he was competing with Max and everyone was like, this guy’s got it. And I think that’s where I think i saw it but I think seeing him more, maybe where other guys don’t, off the field, seeing how competitive he is and how athletic he is and how much he takes the game seriously. I think that’s where it all is. You don’t go through the interview process and know as much as your best friend. I know Sam pretty dang well and I know wherever he lands is going to be a great fit.”
--on what Darnold is most competitive about
“I think just winning. I think he wants to be the best but it’s not something that he just talks about. It’s more of, he wants to be the best deep down inside him. He’s more of a walker, he’s not going to chit chat about how much he wants to be this or that and not do it. So I think he’s just competitive in all areas of life. He wants to be the best, do everything right and be remembered.”
--on how he would assess this spring
“I’m excited by how much we’ve progressed and I think that’s big for our defense and for our team too. A lot of guys are playing well right now and that’s big for us because it’s a long season.”
--on what impact he thinks being in the same spot for a second straight year will have
“I was talking to Coach (Clancy) Pendergast today, we were watching some spring film from last year and it’s just amazing how much further along we are now from where we were last year. We still have some hiccups but we’re running a lot of new guys in there so that’s what spring’s for. But I think the communication and the level of knowledge is to the next level in this defense amongst 20 guys. I think it’s huge for us and when you hear a guy say the same thing for three years, it starts to sink in. So it’s been huge. I think that’s what every college player asks for, is to play for a guy for as many consecutive years as you can. It’s been big.”
--on what he thinks he’s doing better
“I think I’m anticipating a lot more of what I’m expecting to come. I know how it’s supposed to look, almost like in the back of my head, I see where all the safeties are, where the corners are supposed to line up and then in front of me, if something doesn’t look right, it’s something that hits me, it’s not just like, wait this doesn’t look right. So it’s real quick. I think two years making the calls and seeing everything is big for anyone. I just feel more comfortable out there and leading.”
Continued below...
--on where the defense has improved the most this spring
“I think there are 20 or 21 guys that really know it and I feel confident playing next to. I think that’s the biggest part about spring is getting some of the young guys who haven’t seen a lot of reps or came in the fall, where it was pretty fast. That’s exactly what the spring is for, seeing these guys progress and start learning more and that’s what we did.”
--on if he feels that the team is going to count on the defense to win
“I think we have to keep growing together and playing well. It’s our job to get the ball in their hands and so that’s whatever Coach (Clay) Helton says, it goes and its within ourselves that we want to be the best out there and get the ball back in our offense’s hands. So it’s something that we hold within ourselves.”
--on Sam Darnold embracing Cleveland as a potential landing spot
“I’ve seen a lot of cool things from Cleveland in the offseason. It looks like they totally changed their mindset and they’re picking up older guys that want to win and want to be great. I have nothing to say about who they’re going to pick or anything but I know wherever Sam goes, he wants to be the best. I think it would be a really cool thing to see him lead the Cleveland Browns, a team that for the last couple years, has struggled. Also I think that’s just a challenge for him and he wants to be somewhere where he can be the best he can be. And I think he’s just excited by the amount of pressure that comes with and is in this process. i think he just wants to see wherever he lands and be Sam.
--on if there was a point in the time in which he thought Darnold could potentially be the top pick in the NFL draft
“I’d say his redshirt freshman year, on scout team. He lit us up everyday. And I think that’s where everyone kind of said, man, this guy is pretty good. And then going into that fall camp that following year, that spring ball and fall camp where he was competing with Max and everyone was like, this guy’s got it. And I think that’s where I think i saw it but I think seeing him more, maybe where other guys don’t, off the field, seeing how competitive he is and how athletic he is and how much he takes the game seriously. I think that’s where it all is. You don’t go through the interview process and know as much as your best friend. I know Sam pretty dang well and I know wherever he lands is going to be a great fit.”
--on what Darnold is most competitive about
“I think just winning. I think he wants to be the best but it’s not something that he just talks about. It’s more of, he wants to be the best deep down inside him. He’s more of a walker, he’s not going to chit chat about how much he wants to be this or that and not do it. So I think he’s just competitive in all areas of life. He wants to be the best, do everything right and be remembered.”
--on how he would assess this spring
“I’m excited by how much we’ve progressed and I think that’s big for our defense and for our team too. A lot of guys are playing well right now and that’s big for us because it’s a long season.”
--on what impact he thinks being in the same spot for a second straight year will have
“I was talking to Coach (Clancy) Pendergast today, we were watching some spring film from last year and it’s just amazing how much further along we are now from where we were last year. We still have some hiccups but we’re running a lot of new guys in there so that’s what spring’s for. But I think the communication and the level of knowledge is to the next level in this defense amongst 20 guys. I think it’s huge for us and when you hear a guy say the same thing for three years, it starts to sink in. So it’s been huge. I think that’s what every college player asks for, is to play for a guy for as many consecutive years as you can. It’s been big.”
--on what he thinks he’s doing better
“I think I’m anticipating a lot more of what I’m expecting to come. I know how it’s supposed to look, almost like in the back of my head, I see where all the safeties are, where the corners are supposed to line up and then in front of me, if something doesn’t look right, it’s something that hits me, it’s not just like, wait this doesn’t look right. So it’s real quick. I think two years making the calls and seeing everything is big for anyone. I just feel more comfortable out there and leading.”
Continued below...
