PARKER: The linebackers are really fitting together with Ben Niemann on the outside, Josey (Jewell) on the inside at the Mike backer, and then Cole Fisher has done a really nice job in the spring and in two a days. That would probably be our top three. At the back end, obviously we have to replace Lowdermilk and Miles Taylor is doing a good job there at strong and Anthony Gair is competing there. Lomax is at the free and he is backed up by Snyder, so there's a good challenge there. At corner with Desmond and Mabin back and Reese Fleming and Draper, they are all guys who have played and have experience and we are pleased with that. Then we have some younger guys that might be able to jump in.
Q: Seems like you have a lot of solid depth?
PARKER: Yeah, probably the best we have been in a while. They have all had a chance to play and showed that they can do it on the field.
Q: Early last season there were communication issues between the linebacker and the secondary. You worked on that during the year. Are you ahead on that aspect this time of the year?
PARKER: Yeah, I think the communication all starts in the summer. A lot of times guys are working in the summer and they are talking going thru plays on their own sometimes. We do have an opportunity to meet with the guys during the summer, so that has helped. I think the communication has been really good.
Q: Did you say Cole Fisher has jumped up the depth chart?
PARKER: Yeah, he has done a good job this camp. He seems more comfortable and the game has slowed down for him.
Q: Is he on the weakside?
PARKER: Yeah, he will be the WILL backer and he can play outside too. He can play multiple positions. We have a lot of guys doing multiple positions, but right now he is the WILL, but he could play on the outside.
Q: It is just that five years of experience and now he has put himself in the right position?
PARKER: I think so. Obviously it's not easy to play linebacker when you have both facets of the game, the run and the pass. It's a lot of stuff and a lot of formations to understand, so it takes a little time to understand that and he is feeling more comfortable.
Q: How much more comfortable do you feel with your linebackers now than you did last season?
PARKER: I feel pretty good right now. Obviously we haven't played a game and we are playing against our own team, so after a while you get tendencies on what we do and the reactions are probably a little bit quicker. That will change when we start getting into different opponents, so we will have to see after the first couple of opponents and see where it goes.
Q: You talked previously about how you felt you had to improve along the edge. Do you like where that's going?
PARKER: Yeah, I think we have. One of them is base fundamentals and setting the edges. Whether you change the scheme or have the same scheme, its how you take on the block and leverage the ball and we didn't do a very good job of that last year.
Q: Are you happy with what you have seen up front so far?
PARKER: Yeah, I am happy. I know we lost two good tackle guys inside, but with the defensive line, I feel very comfortable with the first two deeps.
Q: It seems like Miles Taylor has been delivering some good shots and maybe your safeties are more punishing this year?
PARKER: I think so. Miles Taylor is extremely high intensity and a full go type of guy. He will come up and hit you and so will Jordan. The whole key is you have to be tough and physical in this game. Obviously he's not very big, but he does like to hit you.
Q: Does this defense have a swagger to it like most good defenses do? Or do you not know until you play some games?
PARKER: it's going to be hard to know until we play some games. I think that the confidence that our kids have shown and the communication between each other and coaching each other, and being competitive with each other has really been good. From that standpoint, I think we are coming closer as a defense.
Q: If you were made President of college football, would you have one preseason game and when would have that game? Maybe in the spring?
PARKER: It might be good, but where do you do it? There are so many variables and different things going on. Kids have to go to school and then we are going to take them over for a weekend and play. I don't know if I am really for that or not. I wouldn't be for that.
Q: How have Parker Hesse and Matt Nelson done at getting up to speed at defensive end?
PARKER: I think very good. Parker Hesse has done a good job. He is a tough, physical, high motor, intensity guy. He has to continue to learn what he has to do with each play, but he is doing a good job. With Matt Nelson, we have been pleased with how he has grown as a person and how big he is. He is doing really well for us.
Q: Are you feeling better about your depth at defensive back?
PARKER: I don't think you ever feel good about anything until you startin playing a game. They all have played in games and have game experience and nothing will be new to them if they go into the game. I think we have some younger guys coming along, so we are excited about that.
Q: Do you have any freshmen that you think are going to play this year?
PARKER: There are probably going to be a couple of freshmen. We are going to have to make that decision shortly to decide if we are going to put them on special teams and if they can be a factor, not only this year, but can they be a factor next year in the game plan.
Q: What have you seen from Drew Ott this month?
PARKER: He's really been a good leader in how he practices and how he works and obviously how he is playing. I think between him and Nate (Meier) and Josey Jewell and Lomax, he's a guy who has played three years as a starter. I think all those guys believe and know how to win.
Q: How do the young guys respond to Drew Ott, who might have a little different way of going about his business?
PARKER: I think they see a guy who has been here for a while and is a senior and the way he works hard. If you are a younger guy, you see a guy who is a starter and a senior. If guys want to learn and be as good as him, I think they should take some of his qualities. He's a guy who plays with great effort, is tough, and he runs. He is not very vocal, but with the way he plays, people should respect that.
Q: What's it like for a defensive coordinator starting next Friday and building up towards that next game? Is your mind swirling? Do you figure the hay is in the barn and there's nothing I can do about it at that point?
PARKER: I never think the hay is in the barn, but I always think there are situations in games and how will you play that? What if it's the last play. Maybe they have two plays left. Basically everything is installed for us and our kids know it and have been thru it because we cover a lot of different situations in practice. The end of the game situation might be a little different, but being back up like we did today was a good thing. Can we hold the guys down there? Can we get good field position and give an opportunity for our offense to score more points? We have been hitting all the situations that we want. When you go thru a week, you are hitting all the preparation that you want. This is a good week for our kids to be in school and then start game planning for our first game.
