Catching up with Lance Anderson, the Willie Shaw Director of Defense
Q: Every year, you must replace key performers. That said, the unit has talent, experience and able replacements ready to step up.
A: We lost some good football players, but I'm excited about this group. I see guys who had limited snaps last season really improving this year.
Alijah Holder has played a lot of football for us and he's been a leader. He did a good job during the off-season getting guys together to watch film and talk schemes. Joey Alfieri has been doing a great job of that since the end of last year. Bob Okereke has been outstanding.
You look at a couple guys like Alameen Murphy and Brandon Simmons that were elected captains last year and that shows the kind of respect their teammates had for those guys. They are the voices that everyone is going to listen to.
Q: What is your biggest priority heading into the season opener against San Diego State?
A: The defensive line, because those are the most important positions on the field. We need guys to step up who don't have a lot of playing time and experience. It's big losing a guy like Harrison Phillips, and Eric Cotton became a really good football player. Dylan Jackson is a better player this season, and Jovan Swann and Michael Williams played some. Add Thomas Booker and Dalyn Wade-Perry to that group, and we can be very solid.
We lost Justin Reid and Quenton Meeks in the secondary, but I feel really good about the talent coming back. Even when he was hurt the past couple seasons, Alijah Holder was playing as well as any other corner in the conference. We need him healthy and back to full speed. Frank Buncom, Ben Edwards, Brandon Simmons, Malik Antoine and Alameen Murphy made big contributions last year. Paulson Adebo, Obi Eboh and Stuart Head are improving every day. We have a chance to be really good.
Q: Your linebacking corps is deep and talented. Many think it's your strength.
A: It could be. We're going to have the ability to roll guys through and I don't think there is much of a drop off. Bobby Okereke was as good as any inside backer in our conference last year by the end of the season. It's been great to watch his development and he's gotten better each year. I think he's playing his best football right now and I'm excited to see what he can do this year.
Before he was injured last season, I think Sean Barton was playing as well as anyone on the defense. It's great to see him back healthy. We also have Jordan Perez, who played a lot of inside backer for us last year, and Mustafa Branch, who has playmaking ability on defense and special teams. Another guy I can't leave out at inside linebacker is Andrew Pryts, who moved over from safety. He received a lot reps at inside linebacker during the spring and continues to impress.
On the outside, we have a number of guys we can roll through as well. We moved Joey Alfieri back to the outside -- his natural position -- and he's been a force off the edge because of his strength. Casey Toohill is doing a good job and has really improved as a pass-rusher. So has Gabe Reid, who has a knack for making plays. Jordan Fox also played a lot last year and Curtis Robinson has played since he was a true freshman. When healthy, he can add speed to the position.
Q: Of the newcomers, who has impressed?
A: Let's start with the true freshmen. It is very hard to get on the field because of all the new schemes and techniques they must learn. I'm really pleased about the physical talent of this group. Most of them are not going to help us in games this year but will make a difference in practice and in the future.
Thomas Booker is one who jumps out and can be someone who helps us this year. He's received a lot of reps in fall camp and I've seen him get better and better. I can see him having a role. There are a number of redshirt freshmen that are going to be key guys for us. Paulson Adebo at corner did a tremendous job in the spring and that has continued in fall camp. Gabe Reid is one of our best pass rushers. Dalyn Wade-Perry had a terrific spring. He has tremendous talent as a defensive lineman and moves well.
Q: Sophomore linebacker Thunder Keck redshirted last year and only played in six games in high school. Word is he has shown great potential and could be a contributor?
A: To me, he is a remarkable story. To have a kid come in and not know the terminology of the game, like not knowing what a screen was, not knowing how to read pass and run. But now, not just on special teams, he's making contributions on defense. I don't know if it's this year or maybe down the line, but he can help us as a pass rusher. Looking at the film from the one-on-one pass rushes, he's one of our better pass rushers with his speed and athleticism. He's invested himself so much into learning and he's been in the film room on his own. He'll wander into my office and ask a question or he'll shoot a text. He's really working hard to be a good football player.
Q: The Pac-12 seemingly always has talented quarterbacks and this year is no exception. With that in mind, the nickel back position is always important.
A: With the guys that are returning in the secondary, we've been able to play them at a number of positions and get them more experience. Alameen Murphy has played cornerback in the past and played safety during the spring. He has also played nickel. Malik Antoine played some nickel for us last year but played a lot of safety in the spring, so he's another that can fill that role. Frank Buncom is a tremendously talented kid and has great understanding of the game. He's played all over the place since he's been here, so he's another great candidate. A young guy we are bringing along in that spot is Kendall Williamson.
Q: What are the biggest challenges?
A: We have to be better at stopping the run. If we're better at stopping the run, it makes it so much easier to play the other phases of defense. It's a lot better playing on third-and-8 than third-and-2. It's so much easier when you can turn a team one-dimensional.
Stopping the run starts up front, but it takes everybody. Everybody on the defense has to be ready to hit, be physical, take on blocks and get off blocks, so we've made those things an emphasis in the off season. If we do a good job stopping the run, I think it carries over to the other aspects of our defense.
Q: What do you think about the new redshirt rule allowing players to play in four games without losing a year of eligibility?
A: I really like it. I was talking with Coach Alamar (special teams coordinator) about this and I think there are guys who won't have much of an impact on defense, but can have a big role in the kicking game. That's a way for those guys to get their feet wet. If they continue to improve, it will help their chances on defense as well. It will be good for those guys to see if they can bring any overall talent, maybe it's a pass rush ability, maybe it's coverage ability on third down where they have a reserved roll, but it gives them time on the field. There are different ways you can go about it. You can try players out the first four games and if it looks like they are ready, you can continue to use them and expand their package. If it looks like they're not, you can shut them down a little bit. If they can't help out the first four games, but continue to get better as the weeks go by, you can try them out later in the season.
Q: This is your 12th season coaching at Stanford and fifth as defensive coordinator. What are the biggest changes you have seen?
A: Football-wise, the game has moved to more of the spread and up-tempo offense, and you have to match those schemes up with speed on defense. That's been a challenge. What makes it even more difficult is just the variety. One week, you're playing a team that spreads it out, and then the next you play someone that likes to pack it inside. Some of the rules have changed over the years pertaining to player safety, which I can completely understand -- like targeting – and that has changed the way we coach our players to tackle.
Q: Speaking of targeting, there was confusion and frustration by coaches and players last season about interpretation and enforcement by the officials. Do you expect better understanding and consistency on both sides?
A: Yes. I think a lot of it is conforming to it. When you're hitting and tackling, you have to try and keep your head out of it as much as possible. You have to keep your head and eyes up as much as possible. So that has changed the way you tackle and it's made us have a better understanding of the rules. There seems to be a better consensus as to what is targeting and what isn't, a lot of it is under review anyway so hopefully if there is a mistake, that gets corrected and I think it will get better as the season moves along.
Q: Does having so many offensive weapons provide added incentive for the defense to provide more scoring opportunities?
A: We just want to go out there and do our job, regardless of the situation. That's been our emphasis, doing the little things right, guys running to the ball, being conscious of takeaways, fitting in the right place, playing physical and getting off blocks, tackling well. So I think when we make our emphasis on the basics and fundamentals, everything else just takes care of itself.
Q: Coach Shaw has stressed a faster start this season. Have you sensed more urgency from the players during fall camp?
A: I definitely have felt that. Sometimes you don't know what that is attributed to, and I think with the understanding that we don't do two-a-days anymore and have only one practice a day, they have no reason to save anything. I think our guys have done a good job of responding to that. Defensively, our guys have brought energy and emotion into every practice. That's what we like to see and we hope carries into the season. With the nature of the College Football Playoff and the tougher schedules, we can't afford to start slow.
