• last year
Duke co-defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri thinks that linebacker Shaka Heyward has developed as a player and leader and could be a breakout performer on his defense
Transcript
00:00 You know we haven't done any of that right now as far as you know complete
00:03 overhaul of positions but we definitely you know in different packages put guys
00:07 into spots and cross train them for sure. There's no doubt to try to make sure
00:11 that always our goal is to have the best 11 on the field so it's our job to do
00:15 that and then you know however someone's attacking us right we might need to have
00:18 extra hats in the box or extra hats and coverage based on what guys are doing to
00:22 us so no complete overhauls of positions but we definitely have cross trained
00:26 some guys. I think a guy that's in the middle of our defense again you guys
00:30 have seen Shaka Hayward play but his growth from his first start against
00:34 Alabama to where he is today has been a tremendous growth not only as a
00:38 football player and physically and mentally but as a leader of our defense
00:41 so I think he's a guy that that you'll see kind of the heart and soul of what
00:44 we do in the middle of our defense and he is not disappointed throughout camp
00:48 at all so he's definitely a guy that I would say it's a young guy not as old as
00:52 some of those other names that you mentioned that I think that you'll see
00:54 continue to grow and take a real leadership position in this defense. Yeah
00:58 no doubt David we actually have done a you know three year study 17, 18, 19 in a
01:02 similar system of of how we've performed against the run, the pass, points against,
01:07 third down you know so we've done we've done extensive study in the downtime
01:09 that we had when the players obviously were not back on campus and the run
01:14 defense has been a big point emphasis for us and sharing that up you can't
01:17 just let somebody run the football against us so there's no doubt about
01:20 that so making something that wasn't as strong stronger while obviously still
01:25 continuing to grow what we've done against the past because it's been high
01:28 in the ACC for a number of years and making sure that both those things are
01:32 at a high high level so there's no doubt David that the strengths better still be
01:36 strengths and anything where you were weaker before has to become a strength
01:40 for us. It's the same Mark Gilbert that you guys knew and loved before he got
01:44 hurt he's been absolutely fantastic and an even more mature version because he's
01:49 had overcome so much adversity in his life you know I've known Mark since he
01:53 was a sophomore in high school and to see him grow and progress to who he is
01:57 today not only what he is he's always been a talented dude but who he is
02:01 that's a special guy and I'm really really proud of that guy and I'm honored
02:04 to be on the same team as Mark Gilbert.

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