The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Tracking the Longhorns: Thursday media availability
09.21.2017 | Football
Linebacker Malik Jefferson, defensive back DeShon Elliott and wide receiver Collin Johnson met with the media following Thursday’s practice.
Junior linebacker Malik Jefferson
On improving after the USC game: This is definitely a teaching week for us. Guys understood that we lost. The expectation is to win. People give us pats on the back but it honestly means nothing because the record shows and the game shows a different score. It's tough. What he [Coach Orlando] is teaching us is how to finish games and learn that everything that happens in the game is important. It all has a trickle-down effect. You never know when the important part of the game is.
On feeling optimistic despite 1-2 record: I honestly don't think about the record. The coaches haven't mentioned the record to us. I don't think that it's particularly important. Moving forward, we know we have to get better and better every week and keep that competitive focus that we had last week coming out. I'm not doubting that if feels different around here but for us to move forward we have to keep that same momentum that we had last week going into every game. And what the coaches are doing is making sure that we have the competition and the mindset that you have to have to finish the game out. You can't just be complacent towards the end.
On the emphasis on effort at practice: Yeah, guys were still flying to the ball. Stopping runs, left and right. We know that's important, especially up front, that's what we've been focusing on. First and second down we try to stop the run and then third down we try to get the ball to them [the DBs] and get some sacks. It's all important because it all trickles down and has an impact on the game.
On whether the defense will work unless he's a leader: Yes. We have to. Every week we have to play up to that level. Coach Orlando and I both know that and we talk about that. We hold ourselves to a higher standard and that's why Coach Orlando is on us 24/7 about being the leaders because the defense flows around what we do. I'm was just really excited because the energy kept going the whole game and it made me excited to be on the field. It was a whole different energy. Normally, guys get down on themselves and they get tired of being on the field. But we we're excited to be out there every second.
Junior defensive back DeShon Elliott
On how he feels having a big game but still losing: I'm not worried about me. If I have a good game and we lose, it doesn't even matter. I don't care, we still lost. Means we didn't do enough as a team to pull out the win.
On the secondary playing well against USC: We just believe in each other, communicate and do your own job. If you do your job, you can get things done.
On what changed for defense between Maryland game and now: We play loose. The first game we were kind of tight, because it's the first game of the season. But we just go out there and play. We've been playing all camp, all spring, just go play and have fun. As long as we have fun we'll play together and pull out the W.
On if practice felt different coming after the USC loss than after another loss would have: No. A loss is a loss. We were still burdened about that loss. So every week, no matter if we win or lose, we're going to work hard. And that's what we're doing right now, bye week or not. It's an open week, what Coach said, so we're going to work as hard as we would any other week whether we have a game or not.
Sophomore wide receiver Collin Johnson
On the difference between the team against Maryland and now: Like I said in the earlier weeks, it's all about growth and taking what you can learn from each and every game and just building from it. So that's something we obviously saw against USC, and again, there's no moral victory. So it is what it is. We've got to move on now but it's all about growth, and as you can see that growth in action against USC and we plan to just keep growing and keep building off those positive, good things each and every game and just building from it.
On going against five-star corners at USC: I've never really paid attention to stars or anything like that, but those are great players obviously if they're at USC, a school like that, but anyone I go against I try to act like they're the best corner in the nation. So whoever I go against, they're going to get my best no matter who it is, but those are great competition. It was a fun game for sure.
On difference between passes from Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger: I really don't notice much, I just notice the ball coming toward me and trying to catch it. I really don't care who's back there, I really trust the coaches in that regard, but both of them are great players and phenomenal competitors. Style-wise, I really couldn't tell you. They both have a good ball.
On Sam Ehlinger as a team leader during USC game: I was extremely proud of Sam being put on the biggest stage, or one of the biggest stages, and he gets just thrown in the fire like that and he competed in each and every play. He didn't show much frustration or any worry, he was just poised pretty much the entire game. So I was proud of him in that regard, that he just competed until the final seconds of the game. We're proud of him, no matter the outcome.
