UCF defensive coordinator Erik Chinander gives his early assessment of camp, talks about the position move of Shawn Burgess-Becker, the questions in the back end, Shaquem Griffin's leadership and more.
How are the guys looking early on?
"I think the knowledge by the ones and twos, usually you take a quick step back, not huge, then you move forward. Really the ones and twos have continued that accelerated path. That's a credit to the kids and what they did by themselves over the summer. They did a lot of group work and a lot of stuff when the coaches weren't even here. Sometimes we weren't even in town and they were still working. The young guys are working. The cool thing about this group is the older guys are trying to bring the young guys along. I think you only get there when the starters say, 'I'm going to show you how to take my job, but you're not going to take it.' I think we have some of that on this team. Maybe not at every position, but at a lot of positions. We're moving in the right direction."
What are you seeing as far as the offseason gains?
"Our team looks stronger and faster. Of course it's only the first couple days, so we'll see how the endurance builds up. Right now the guys look like they did a heck of a job in the weight room. Some of the guys that need to gain weight are up. Some guys who needed to lose weight are down. But the team looks great. They're running around right now."
Shawn Burgess-Becker moving from safety to outside linebacker, why did you make that move?
"No moves are final. We've moved a couple guys around so far. My job, as you guys know, is to get the best 11, best 22, best 12-13, whatever that personnel package is. The best guys on the field. In order for us to do that, he's going to have to play a couple different roles along with some other guys. He has a lot of tools in his toolbox. Where's the best place to use him? We're going to find out here in week one."
What do you expect from this team from year one to year two?
"What I know is the culture is better. The team is a better team. The guys are doing a better job with the process. What we don't know is we obviously lost a lot on defense. Will we respond? The front is pretty good right now I think. They've got to prove it again. They did last year, but they've got to prove it again. Shaquem has got to prove it every day, just like he always has his whole life. The back end has got to step up. We'll see how we come along. I'm really impressed with the offense right now. They look like a whole new unit. They look fast. They look like they know what they're doing. The offensive line is doing a good job. I definitely think the offense is going to improve. I'm hoping that we can come along with him."
What more can Shaquem Griffin do to step up his game?
"Just like any great player, he needs to execute the details. He needs to find out what other people are doing, not just his own job. He's past that. He needs to know what everybody is doing, so I can do my job better. I don't care about last year. Last year is a long time ago. Shaquem needs to be Shaquem this year. He's got a target on his back now, just like all great players. Now he's got to go."
What's your reaction to hear that he's sleeping in the football offices during camp?
"It's not surprising if you know the kid. He's in here all the time anyway. I think it's a little crazy. I'd probably go home and lay on my own pillow. That's what he wants to do and if he thinks that gives him the edge, I'm all for it. As long as he gets his rest and he's ready to go. He's a phenomenal kid. He watches more film than anybody. He meets with the coaches more than anybody. He helps the young guys and works as hard as anybody on the team, so it's not surprising."
What players are stepping up as leaders on the defensive side?
"Shaquem is stepping up and I think that whole defensive line as a unit. There's not one huge voice there, but the three of those starters and maybe the next couple guys. They bring the team with them. That's such a strong group along with Shaquem. Everybody will follow where they're going. Pat Jasinski is doing a nice job as the mike linebacker, making calls and getting our defense set."
What's the biggest question your side of the ball needs to address this preseason?
"The obvious one is who is going to be starting in place of the seven starters that we lost? There's been guys that have taken reps. Obviously Tre (Neal) and Kyle (Gibson) have taken a lot of reps. Pat (Jasinski) and (Chequan) Burkett have taken a lot of reps. Titus (Davis) and Bam Bam (Dedrion Bacote) got a little action, with Bam Bam more in the spring. Who is going to be the starter, that's the biggest questions we've got to ask. Are those guys willing to step in there? Sometimes it might be a freshman in there. We don't know until the lights go on. It's all fun and games when we're in practice, but when the live bullets are flying it's a different ballgame. The biggest question won't be answered until game one."
How much does it help having Chequan Burkett come back because for a while there it looked like he was gone.
"Unbelievable. He's an unbelievable family guy. That's why he made the decision he did, to be with his family. Having him back, he's a calming force in that room. He's a great teammate. He can lead in his own way. Just a guy that knows the system, can make the calls. Obviously he's a phenomenal athlete too, so having him back is tremendous."
As a coach, do you make any adjustments starting practice in late July?
"Not for me really. Maybe a little shorter vacation or a little earlier vacation. My kids get to see me a little less. Other than that, it's status quo. We basically get done with our work before we leave for a little vacation in July. We're really ready to hit the ground running when we walk in the door. The adjustment is not big."
Besides Shaquem sleeping at the facility, any examples you can provide of him exhibiting leadership?
"A lot of times I like to call the defense up after practice because I don't have as much group time as I want, the way we practice now with the new NCAA rules. I don't get as much group time as I need to. Usually I call them up. After the first practice, he had them called up and he was talking to them. So I walked away, said, 'All right, see you boys, he's got you.' When you got one like that, I'd rather not talk. It's not my team. It's theirs. It's not Coach Frost's team. It's theirs. I want them to take that ownership."
