Everything Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said previewing matchup with South Carolina

Prior to Vanderbilt’s game against South Carolina this Saturday, head coach Clark Lea met with members of the media on Tuesday. Here’s everything he had to say.

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Opening statement

“First practice day for South Carolina. I thought was a good day. We’ve we’ve shortened our time on the field a little bit. We’ll also pull back a little bit physically as the week wears on. You just knowing where we are in the season and this being the back end of the kind of that middle six game stretch, it’s been a really physical run, proud of the way the teams performed to that and I want to make sure we have a fresh and fast team on Saturday, because we’re going to need it. Obviously, enjoyed last Saturday immensely, appreciated the opportunity to celebrate with the team. I think you know when it’s a marker for us as a program and for this team to get the bowl eligibility, but certainly not our destination. You know, we keep climbing here and keep reaching for more and more.”

“For us, this weekend is a really talented South Carolina team that is as good on defense as we’ve seen. I mean, they contest space. They play really well on the edges. Know how to get the ball turned over. It’s an offense that has an identity, that’s patient, that starts with a physical run game, and, you know, Coach beamer has always had really strong special teams play in between. So it’ll be a real challenge, just like every game in our league is, but a challenge that we’re excited for, and certainly to be in this point in the year and playing really meaningful games is a testament to the work and investment that our players have put in, our staff has put in, and that our communities invested in over the course of our time here. And it’s fun, so we’re having a good time, and we’ll look forward to the chance to compete against a really good team this weekend and in front of a home crowd that seems like it’s gonna be a great environment.”

On how to stop South Carolina’s defensive line

“Well, you got to, you got to find creative ways to make for space, because if you are inefficient on early downs, and this is a little bit what got us against Auburn, but when we get behind the chains, you know, if you get this group to third and seven plus, you’re going to have to deal with that edge pressure. And you know, they’re really good at being disruptive at the launch point, so finding space on early downs will be kind of a one priority for us to do that. Obviously, you know, you’ve got to, again, handle the edges and find the matchups you like in the run game to get some semblance of, you know, forward movement. And you know, we need to be able to connect on some of the shots that I felt like we were close on against Auburn. You know, we’re looking for one or two more first downs within that game just to, just to really control possession. And then, you know, another touchdown to create separation, and I think it’s going to be a very similar game this weekend, and that’s if we can, you know, protect the ball.”

“You know, if we don’t protect the ball, then we expose ourselves to a team that is really good at capitalizing on turnovers and short fields, and that was on display for them against Texas A&M, which is a really good team that they beat at home, and, you know, their ability to great short fields for their offense and and then create explosive plays offensively, you know, was a formula that allowed them to create distance in that game. So obviously offensively, like I said, first and second down efficiency sets up third down and manageable. That’s that’s kind of our rhythm for maintaining possession. We maintain possession, we get a chance to get the ball up and over the top. And now, now we’re playing our formula. If we’re all scheduled early, it’s going to become a defensive grinder like Saturday was, and we’re going to rely on defense and special teams to hold the line until we’re able to find those breakthroughs.”

Diego and Cedric not bursting to the outside and dealing with that

“Well, you know, I’m trying to learn and grow in my role too, and that means, you know, we’ve been since our since our first buy. You know, we’ve we’ve really scaled practice back earlier than we maybe have done in the past, and this week, you know, I sensed that too. I thought, I thought our team played really hard in the game, and I was so the passion, the effort, I mean, all of it was there. I was really proud of that. But I also saw a team that you could just sense the lag effect of what’s been a really, you know, physical season, I mean, but particularly when you look at this six game stretch that you know we’re battling through, you know, whether it’s Alabama, Kentucky, the Ball State game, which is physical, Texas, Auburn, I mean, it’s, it’s one right after the other. This, this won’t be the same.”

“So how do we do it? Obviously, you know, trying to pull back some of the load in practice, knowing that there’s a need for really good work against the South Carolina looks, but some, maybe some of the good on good work will peel back, also looking to pad down a little bit earlier in the week than we normally do, just to protect some of those shoulders and just the physical parts of the aches that kind of come about through the season. Again, my goal is that we bump meetings back a little bit this morning to promote sleep. I was grateful for the falling backward of the clock, which I’m sure we all were just everything we can, right? This is about putting all of it into one effort and then knowing that there’s going to be some rest on the back end of that for a two game push to finish the season. But we’re, I’m not going to grind this team into the ground this week. We put a lot of great work in. We got to trust in that. And again, I want to see a fresh and fast team on Saturday knowing that in any any team this time of year is going to be dealing with some of the things that you know we are. It’s just inevitable, especially in this conference.”

On third down conversions being taken away at Auburn

Well, it’s, it’s a team. I mean, it’s a team game, you know, there, there have been games, obviously, that our offense is kind of carried and set the tone for success. And Saturday, it was, I felt like defensive performance and special teams that set the tone for success. But again, when, when we needed the offense to come through, I think it was a 14 play, 70 something yard drive that ended up in a touchdown and also took the clock from 13, something to four, something right? I mean, that that moment in the game was huge, and so in that way, we synced up at the right time. I thought it was a game that, you know, the entire time you’re just fighting for some type of control. When we took the lead off the punt return with a field goal that felt like, you know, with the way we were playing defensively, that felt like a real positive, you know, point for us, when we were able to drive down and make a 10 point game, you just, you kind of sense that it was, you know, we were going to have a chance to to close it out. But that’s just what team, the team games about. I mean, you know, you’re going to have off days in one phase. I think we’re playing against some really good defenses too.”

“I mean, this is, you know, the third week in a row that we’re facing what I consider to be an elite defensive unit, the scheme, the skill. Anytime you’re talking about dynamic play in the front it’s hard to get things started. We have to kind of dig into our bag of creativity and also, again, put our guys in favorable leverages and favorable matchups to try to get the move we need. But I was proud of the team aspect of Saturday’s game, and I think it speaks to the confidence we have throughout the program right now, not just through one phase.”

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On remaining focused even though the Commodores are already bowl eligible

“First of all, I think if there’s any regret, you know, through the season, I still contend and believe that things happen exactly as they should. I mean, I you know, but truthfully, there’s opportunities for us to have experienced that win earlier in the year, which would have been great, you know, because we want to reach for the highest of heights here. And I forget the number of points that we’ve that have differentiated us in our losses, but it’s obviously the slimmest of margins, and I think that’s a great lesson for us that, you know, once we do turn the page on the season, we’ll carry forward with respect to how close we can be, you know, but as far as the team goes, you know, you you just kind of build trust through the year. And I think part of that is messaging.”

“I think the messaging hasn’t changed much here, but I think the way it’s carried to the position rooms and affirmed there and supported there, and then carried into the locker room too. You know, this team has some real player leadership that I feel like from last season to this season, we really separate ourselves from a lot of the kind of the internal, negative attitude mentality that was that we weren’t strong enough yet to break through, you know, it was still holding us back. And we interjected some, obviously, some confident, you know, process driven players that have elevated, you know, the guys here that we’re ready to to reach for this type of season. So all that to say, actually, I’m not, I’m not concerned about either us lingering too long in a celebration of six wins, or us projecting ahead. You know, if anything, the indication I get is just the guys showing up and how they looked in the meetings, how they looked on the practice field, what the conversations are around the attitude around the building. These guys are excited to play on Saturday.”

“Now, you know, we have to prepare the best we can. We have to be in our process. We can’t skip steps. We have to understand what makes South Carolina a really good team, and a team that, you know has has lost some tight games against good teams and was able to separate from a really good team on Saturday, and that that’s, again, how they’ll challenge us, too. So I believe that this team knows that in our conference, you know, we can’t, we can’t have a misplaced focus and expect to get the outcome we want. And these guys are hungry to take this as far as we can, take it serious. I, you know, sincerely, like I don’t. I just, it doesn’t occupy any part of my mind. I don’t. I just don’t hang on to those things. I, you know, to me, it’s like, I’m really interested. What’s personal to me is that we represent ourselves the best we can on Saturday. That’s what I want to do. And, you know, obviously, in doing that, I would like for it to be in a winning effort and independent of who we’re playing or, you know, I mean, you know, I didn’t realize that it had been since 1955 that we beat Auburn Alabama. But, I mean, those are things that are fun to find out after the game. But you know, they don’t have any part of our, you know, approach or process. So again, we stay pretty insulated here with, you know, focus on us, focus on who we are, focus on things we need to strengthen in our performance, and that’ll be our formula.”

On taking on more of the defensive coordinator role

It’s been huge. I mean, I think that starts with with Tim in you know, Tim and his staff, which includes Jerry, and obviously Jerry, who also helps me, you know, keep perspective on the big picture things, you know, because as a coordinator, you can get buried really easily. Now, I also have a great defensive staff too that. I mean, I think probably they would tell you that from January till now, we probably spent too much time together, you know, but there was a long winter and spring where we watched a ton of film. We spent a lot of time, and all that is in an effort to kind of set the table for what we want, what I want this to be defensively, and what it needs to look like, and what our process needs to be as a staff. And Steve Gregory has kind of taken a lot of the coordinator role on in terms of just some that, you know, when I’m in here with you guys, obviously I don’t want them waiting on me.”

“You know, they need to be again, watching the practice film and turning the page on the day. And his ability to serve in that role gives me time to both elevate and do head coaching, you know, responsibilities, but also spend time really deep, diving into things like third down. You know, it was clear as the year went on, we needed stronger performance there, and that’s an area that I could put my attention sometimes, like the the trap you fall in is is creating too much defense when all you need is to really know and run your structures at a really high level. So that said, you know, I think I spend very little time with our offense. We’ll always follow through on how the day went and you know what issues they’re having. And anytime I can help, or I need to help with anything, you know, we have those meetings, and I meet with Tim and talk about the plan and what they’re going to do, but as far as the day to day operation, I mean, they own that, and that’s that’s a big help to me, along with, you know, Steve Gregory and Nick Leszewski and Larry Black, Javon Hay and Melvin Rice, all the guys, Jay Rich, Jimmy Thompson, those guys defensively allow me to to do the things I need to do to keep the program running.”

“And then on top of that, you know, when you’re responsible for 120 18 to now, like 26 year olds, I think is our highest end, which is crazy. Inevitably, any problem that bubbles up is kind of a problem that ends up on your desk. And one of the things that’s happened over the course of four years here is we’ve really strengthened in the support staff area. So our organization, our operation is such that I have a ton of problem solvers that that attack things before they get to me. So Ben Coughlin would be the primary example of that. But I mean, there’s so much that gets handled before I need to spend my energy on it, and I just get the updates as, hey, this is what happened, because we have a rhythm for how we handle stuff here. There are certain standards of operation that we that we exist in, and when the players take over those standards, you’re really running effectively, because a lot of the issues get addressed before they even get, you know, to your staff. So all that to say, I mean, you know, the balancing of two roles has been really challenging. And, you know, on some levels, I want to do both of them better. I know we’ve made improvements, obviously, on a team level, and we’ve made improvements defensively. I think there’s just more for us there. But the only way that it’s been effective, to the point that it’s been effective is that, you know, there’s so many people that have strengthened in their roles and are helping, kind of support me in this, in this effort.”

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On what they had to clean up going into Auburn that they plan to carry into South Carolina

“I mean, every team’s different. Every team presents different challenges. You know, I think if you look back at we, you know, there was a stretch there really, Kentucky Ball State and to certain extent, the first half of Texas where, you know, but Kentucky and Ball State in particular, you know, I was not happy with just the level of detail we had. And there were just still too many guys not playing the same call. Just, you know, not all. It’s not always capitalized on. So, you know, we don’t always talk about these things after the game, right? It’s just because, you know, it’s hard to see, as you know, someone observing the game, the 11 guys on the field and how the structure is supposed to work out. But you can be just inches off in your in your structure, and that can be a deep ball, that can be a run that hits, and it just felt like we were leaving too much to chance on the field.”

“Now, I’ve said this before, but any, any issue, you know, I start with my desk, and then ever expanding constraint concentric circles around my desk. So we’ve, we’ve kind of, you know, dialed into it, identity on base downs defensively, that’s allowed our kids to to to really learn the structures at a deeper level, you know. So we’re, we’re kind of compounding repetition that way, believe it or not, we’ve kind of shortened our calls so that, you know, we’re not sitting there signaling for 30 seconds, and you know, as the offense is lining up. I’ve been committed to getting the calls in earlier to them, so that, you know, we’re pretty good when we have our cleats in the ground. And we all see it the same way. It’s just been a growth in general that we’ve we’ve kind of pulled forward, and I’ve challenged them, and we’ve challenged them as a staff in ways to to elevate their game. What I see now is a group that practices the way they want to play.”

“The communication in our on our practice field mirrors the communication we want on game day, there’s a better awareness of who we are in terms of our system and how we’re attacking we’ve shrunk the call list, and then we’ve pinpointed areas on third down, that that that have helped us change leverages and at times, you know, beat protections. So all of that came kind of to came with us to the field against Auburn, and, you know, we held the run and check because we played structurally very sound, and played with layers and leverage. And then on third down, we had a good performance, because we executed. And there’s, there’s more to be gained from that. So doubling down on that just it’s taken that growth forward and continuing to clean up, because there’s still things. I mean, we we miss it over. We don’t in thirds, we don’t cover it the right way, and it gets out in space. That’s a chunk game. There are tools we have within our packages to negate that over, that we need to access in that moment, you know, so the experience you build as you go helps to clean up the play as well.”

On new SEC punishments and procedures for faking injuries

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“Well, sounds like I need to read it. No, I have not, and it’s not. I mean, first of all, I’ve got the utmost respect for the commissioner and his leadership. You know, again, I’ve said this a number of times in the SEC meetings and media days, but I’m always blown away the opportunity to hear him talk, hear him his perspective on the game and what an incredible person to be leading our conference in this era of change. I just, I tried, you know, again, I I’m most effective when I put my attention on the things that are going to have a direct impact on our performance. And there’s no part of our program that tries to game the rules around, you know, feigning injury, so I just it’s not going to affect us.”

“Now, we absolutely coach situationally, you know, if you’re an offense I mean, we’ve actually coached this in the last two weeks that, you know, if I’m a defensive player and I’m not able to perform in the next snap where I need to come out, out of the field, off the field, for whatever reason, you know, we teach our players not to try to run off the field, you know, in a moment where there’s a shoulder issue or there’s an ankle issue, or there’s something where they’re able to maybe hop hobble to the sideline. But we always tell them, hey, it’s, it’s important that we don’t create that level of with an injury. We don’t create that level of chaos. You know, that’s standard operating procedure, the same, same vein at the end of games, you know, where you don’t maybe on defense, you don’t want to create a situation where you’re giving the offense a time out. You know, it’s like, ‘Hey get off the field at all costs.’ And we have to have everyone focused in that moment and understanding of the fact that, you know, we’re not trying to to, you know, do the offensive favor by, again, stopping the clock and allowing them to get themselves together.”

“Now those things are understanding within the game how, you know, to handle yourself when you’re hobbled, but on the whole and again, even those situations, there are times when, you know Bradley Mann tears his ACL and in the game on Saturday, and you know, hey, nothing you can do about that, you know. I mean, we, you know, and I, I’m heartbroken for him, but you know, those injuries, unfortunately, are part of the game. And you know that that’s something that you know, unfortunately, you know, is always going to be part of the game. But with respect to you know, what we coach or teach our players is the understanding and awareness when you’re hurt and you can’t continue to play you you are to go down and to stay on the ground. You’re not You’re not to try to drag yourself off the field. There’s never a situation where we tell someone to fake an injury in order to somehow impact the operation. So you know, they need to be aware of, again, the things that set in motion to get a substitute and to make sure there’s time to make sure they’re healthy too and safe. You know, those are all things that we coach and teach, but never do we cross the line of of trying to game the system that way.”

On Bradley Mann being out with an ACL injury
“Yeah, yeah. So he’s going to be out, and it’s the other one, so not the one. He’s injured prior. The rest of this, I think, looks fairly similar. We’ve got a couple other bumps and bruises, but on the whole, I think guys are, you know, working back to availability, but that’s the big one coming out of the game. It happened at the end.”

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