The struggles of the Missouri defensive line have been the hot topic of the week. On Tuesday after practice, junior defensive end Charles Harris met with local media. It was one of the more honest and interesting interviews we have had, so rather than parse out the quotes here and there, we have Harris' full Q&A session.
Coach Cross said he thought week two was a lot better than week one defensively. Did you guys see that?
Harris: "Yeah. I mean as a defense, we seen it. It was evident."
Where do you think you guys are at as far as picking up the new scheme and feeling comfortable with everything?
CH: "I feel like just more of the application process. Like we've got it mentally, in practice we can run it, it's just a matter of making it transition to the game. The game's a different atmosphere, of course, with the fans and everything like that. We're older guys. Eventually we'll be able to zone out everything and be able to just totally focus on the game, but right now, I feel like it's just us being able to actually apply it."
Has it been frustrating for you, having to read the keys and make the adjustments?
CH: "It's always frustrating, you know, not to say anything bad, but whenever you change something that's been working so well, when you change it, it's frustrating for everybody. But it doesn't matter, you're either going to adjust to it or you're going to keep fighting it. So we basically came to the conclusion, we got to work with it. It ain't like we can go back and bring back the old defense. No matter how much people want to, you can't do that. So you got to adjust with it."
You've been close to a few sacks and hits. What's it going to take to get you over the top there?
CH: "Really getting off the ball faster. Not even getting off the ball, get off my man faster. Read my man, making the mental connections a lot more faster. And also, bending the corner more. If I got to do it on my own, if I got to come out here on my own and work the bags more, get my hips better, that's what I got to do. Just little things like that are going to turn into bigger things."
Last year, it was just snap the ball, you guys are roaring upfield as fast as you can, right? Was there anything more to it?
CH: "Yeah, of course, I mean, whenever the back's on your side, you'll shuffle down. Same concept, but just a matter of more instincts. I feel like a lot of people talk about how D-linemen have to have instincts, but when you have those instincts and you're not using them, you have to actually do other things, like mentally, you know, it makes a difference. Takes a while to adjust to it."
Does it create some hesitation for you?
CH: "Yeah, I mean it creates a little more hesitation for anybody when you have to change something like that."
Is it becoming a little bit more natural? Does it still feel forced or do you feel like you're getting there?
CH: "I mean, we're repping so much, so many times in practice, reading our keys and reading backfield sets and stuff like that. We're doing it so much in practice that it's starting to get natural. And if it doesn't, then you're not going 100 percent in practice. It's starting to become more natural."
You guys have faced some teams that do a lot of things on offense, quick throws and such. This is a team that has more of a true pocket passer and runs more. Will the predictability of the Georgia offense help you this week?
CH: "Yeah, I think so. I think so a lot. But I mean Georgia's Georgia. Even if you know what's happening, you've got to be able to stop it."
How good is Nick Chubb?
CH: "I haven't watched him too much this year, but you know, I'm pretty sure he's pretty good."
You faced him two years ago, right?
CH: "I didn't play in that game. I played them when Sony Michel. I played them last year, but Nick Chubb was hurt when we played them last year."
So you weren't in that game two years ago?
CH: "No...Actually I was. I was, yeah. Now I remember. I was."
You blocked that one out?
CH: "Yeah. It wasn't something to remember."
Sacking the quarterback is probably a defensive lineman's favorite thing. Was it hard to get the guys committed to this new scheme?
CH: "Yeah, like I said, it's hard with anything that's different that's worked well. It's hard, but like I said, can't nobody the D-line keep fighting it. Nobody on defense, we can't keep fighting it. Or he'll get somebody else in there, somebody else who will make plays, so we got to adjust to it no matter what it is."
Have you personally fought it pretty hard? Did it take you a while to buy in?
CH: "No, it didn't take me that long. Me mentally, it was just more so the different concepts. Like every day, something different. It's not me not wanting to change, it's not me wanting to be, I was willing to change, it's just me getting it down on a daily basis."
What's the key having it work in practice and then having it transition to Saturday?
CH: "Really just doing it in practice. Trying to create that environment in practice. With music, and you know, we do the right things in practice, music and sideline and stuff like that. But really you can't do that. You can't replicate a game. Just a matter of you're going to do it or you're not going to do it. So we're gonna see."
Does adrenaline, the crowd, stuff like that, does it just kind of make you go blank?
CH: "Especially when you have like five different things in your mind you're supposed to do versus having only one or two things last year, this year having five different things. It is, it's an adrenaline thing, it's environment thing, but like I said, you've just got to be able to calm yourself down."
Even with having to think about everything, how much do you feel like once you get one, the floodgates will open?
CH: "Oh yeah, I feel like this is that type of defense. Once we see this working in the game, which we have seen it here and there, but once we get that ball rolling, I think it's going to start clicking for everybody."
