October 16, 2025 • 8 mins
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen speaks to the media Thursday from the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Shade much defensive been better last few weeks.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Was some piece for why that's approached so much.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Yeah, I mean I think our guys are swarm into
the football. We're getting guys to the football. I think
the tackling has been improved. I mean you even look
at the ones early that stay Quon had against us,
they get them down for thirteen and eighteen. It's addressed
difference than going for forty plus, right, so, and I
felt like our guys responded after those two, but continue
(00:30):
to just work our technique, work our fundamentals, the mentality
that comes with that, and making sure we're able to
get off blocks and swarm and don't leave it up
to one on one tackles.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Shane, you still about run fits, run fits, that's something
you see improving each week.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, I think that's something we got to work at always.
I mean, these offenses they get creative, they understand kind
of how to attack certain schemes in the run game,
and just making sure our guys are there. And again,
I think it even more so than that. We got
to be sound in our fits, but we got to
be able to change with that and get guys off
blocks and take two at times and find free players
(01:05):
that way too, where you can get to the ball
and not just rely on one guy to make the play.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Shane as a co ordinate, how do you balance you know,
this is what I believe and this is what our
plan is.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
This is what we're going to do versus the.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Heat of the moment in games where players are we
want to do.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
This, we want to do this, you know, going to
be more aggressive.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
You know, how do you balance that and you know
not have a chaot.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, I think we have a we have a game
plan going in.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Uh, it's a little bit of everything, just in terms
of how we want to play a certain offense. But
at the same time, you try to go in with
a good mix right where where you can be a
little bit more let's rush before play to coverage or
let's try to bring some pressure. So you have a
lot of that stuff in your in your back pocket
as you go throughout the game. And I think just
(01:49):
getting a feel for how teams are trying to attack
you our studies throughout the week, situationally, how things are going,
if that's changing throughout the game. But hopefully we have
another in our arsenal going into a game plan where
we're able to make adjustments based on that as we go.
Whether it's our players, whether it's what we're seeing from
the offense, we can do that.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
In your history, you have players ever come to you
passionately and said, coach, we need to be less aggressive?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Or is it always it's I mean, it's funny because
you're talking to different groups.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
And you get different answers. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So, I mean I'm open to those guys having their
opinions and bringing suggestions and how we how we see things,
how we want to play things, and making sure we're
all on the same page. That's the most important thing
to me, making sure from the back end to the
front that the coaching staff, everybody's on the same page
with whatever we decide to do, whatever we think is best,
(02:48):
going into a game plan that we're able to go
out there and execute and guys see it, see it
through the same set of eyes, so we're able to
go execute it.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Have they earned your trust for the last couple of weeks. Yeah,
I think I think they're doing a good job. Again.
We got some new pieces.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I feel like we're trying to evolve as we go
there's a comfort level that's getting established I think among
them out.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
There as well.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
That always plays the part in it, especially when you
add pieces to the back end. That's where a lot
of the communication and and some of that stuff comes
into play a little bit more than up front. But
I'm I'm pleased with the group. I'm pleased with the
progress we're making. Again, we got to continue, Like teams
that have success are usually the ones that continue to
(03:32):
improve throughout the year. So just continue on that route
and see where we go.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
People talk about you wanted you to be more aggressive,
like be aggressive when I you know what happened on
the you know the interception. You brought a lot of
a lot of pressure on that play.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
How much is that a concerted effort? Is that just
specifically for that game? Is that a concerted effort for
the season?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Like, how do you have that?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah? Again, it kind of a little bit goes back
to his question earlier.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think by game plan, we have our have our
kind of plan going in of how we feel like
we can attack right and dictate. And you want to
be able to dictate on defense because the offense has
so much out their arsenal where they can motion and
move and different groups and everything else. Like, you want
to be able to find ways to dictate defensively obviously,
and I think that's something moving forward as we go,
(04:20):
just finding ways to do that and being timely with
it when we do and be able to go forward
that way.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Shane, when you look at the stunts up front and
just the idea of you know, it's one thing to say, Okay,
we want to do this up front, how much falls
on individual.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Players and the guys getting together and kind of learning each.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Other and feel for it and how does that.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Make them successive? Yeah, a lot.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
I feel like that's one area of you've kind of
seen us progress as the season's kind of went on,
just the comfort level and a little bit of that.
You move pieces around and one guy does it one
way and then another guy, different body type, different skill set,
does it a little bit different. So just continuing to
build that feel with each other. In terms of how
those games are executed, I think the understanding of the
(05:07):
details of those games is important, and that correlates to
to who's running it with you. But the coordination among
those guys has improved. I think they got a good
understanding of it. I think they're seeing success from it.
And the thing we always tell him, it's not always
the guy that's getting picked for that gets it right.
A lot of times it's the guys that's doing the
(05:27):
pick in that that's the penetrator. And but they're unselfish,
Like all those guys are unselfish. They're doing a lot
of good things for us right now, and hopefully we
can keep building.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Obviously you're not in a players only meeting, But I
guess what does it say buck Burns that he's calling
that and.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Wants to Yeah, he's established himself as a leader for us.
You know, he's done a really good job. He's showing
up on game day. He comes out here and works
every day. He spends time in the building, studying the opponent,
talking to the other guys. I think that's that's a
big part of it, and just getting those guys all
on the same page, making sure they're accountable to each other,
(06:04):
continuing to work to evolve and come together as a defense.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Of course, you know the official game book, Abdoul did
not register a stat in the game.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
You just smiling. I assume you think that he actually
played in the game and did yeah, he's I mean,
I get it.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
The sacks and the sacks numbers are not what probably
he wants him to be right now, but he's he's
been extremely productive for us. He really has just continuing
to push for those are going to come and hopefully
they come in bunches when they do start coming. But again,
he's been a very productive player for us. Just whatever
we've asked him to do, he's been able to do.
(06:45):
Go back to the case game, playing off the ball,
the entire game for us because where we were at.
So we'll continue to find ways with him and all
these other guys see even create some opportunities for him.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
But it was there was no no tackles, no assists,
no hits, no you know, zero to close the board. Yeah,
I guess you have a different grading system, and there
was some things in there that.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, I think there'll be there'll be more opportunities week
to week. I mean, I think it varies just based
on where they're run ball, how they're doing things. I mean,
I think that kind of a little bit depends on
how we're being attacked and where he's aligned, and some
of that stuff comes into play.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
With cordell as the primary outside cornerback didn't really do
the rotation, but Deontay would went into that decision.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Yeah, I think, like we've told y'all here every week,
it's going to be a week to week evaluation. We're
gonna need both those guys. We are, we're gonna need
them both. Again, I think they've both shown some good
things throughout. There's been some plays all of us would
probably like to have back, but just encourage where he.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Was going in the week.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's what we decided to do, and he showed up
and played well for.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Us this week.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, I think we'll see, like we're working through it,
talking through all that as we go. Obviously they ahead uh,
I don't even get into that, but yeah, like week
to week hmm.
Shade much defensive been better last few weeks.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Was some piece for why that's approached so much.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Yeah, I mean I think our guys are swarm into
the football. We're getting guys to the football. I think
the tackling has been improved. I mean you even look
at the ones early that stay Quon had against us,
they get them down for thirteen and eighteen. It's addressed
difference than going for forty plus, right, so, and I
felt like our guys responded after those two, but continue
(00:30):
to just work our technique, work our fundamentals, the mentality
that comes with that, and making sure we're able to
get off blocks and swarm and don't leave it up
to one on one tackles.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Shane, you still about run fits, run fits, that's something
you see improving each week.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, I think that's something we got to work at always.
I mean, these offenses they get creative, they understand kind
of how to attack certain schemes in the run game,
and just making sure our guys are there. And again,
I think it even more so than that. We got
to be sound in our fits, but we got to
be able to change with that and get guys off
blocks and take two at times and find free players
(01:05):
that way too, where you can get to the ball
and not just rely on one guy to make the play.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Shane as a co ordinate, how do you balance you know,
this is what I believe and this is what our
plan is.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
This is what we're going to do versus the.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Heat of the moment in games where players are we
want to do.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
This, we want to do this, you know, going to
be more aggressive.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
You know, how do you balance that and you know
not have a chaot.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, I think we have a we have a game
plan going in.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Uh, it's a little bit of everything, just in terms
of how we want to play a certain offense. But
at the same time, you try to go in with
a good mix right where where you can be a
little bit more let's rush before play to coverage or
let's try to bring some pressure. So you have a
lot of that stuff in your in your back pocket
as you go throughout the game. And I think just
(01:49):
getting a feel for how teams are trying to attack
you our studies throughout the week, situationally, how things are going,
if that's changing throughout the game. But hopefully we have
another in our arsenal going into a game plan where
we're able to make adjustments based on that as we go.
Whether it's our players, whether it's what we're seeing from
the offense, we can do that.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
In your history, you have players ever come to you
passionately and said, coach, we need to be less aggressive?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Or is it always it's I mean, it's funny because
you're talking to different groups.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
And you get different answers. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So, I mean I'm open to those guys having their
opinions and bringing suggestions and how we how we see things,
how we want to play things, and making sure we're
all on the same page. That's the most important thing
to me, making sure from the back end to the
front that the coaching staff, everybody's on the same page
with whatever we decide to do, whatever we think is best,
(02:48):
going into a game plan that we're able to go
out there and execute and guys see it, see it
through the same set of eyes, so we're able to
go execute it.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Have they earned your trust for the last couple of weeks. Yeah,
I think I think they're doing a good job. Again.
We got some new pieces.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I feel like we're trying to evolve as we go
there's a comfort level that's getting established I think among
them out.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
There as well.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
That always plays the part in it, especially when you
add pieces to the back end. That's where a lot
of the communication and and some of that stuff comes
into play a little bit more than up front. But
I'm I'm pleased with the group. I'm pleased with the
progress we're making. Again, we got to continue, Like teams
that have success are usually the ones that continue to
(03:32):
improve throughout the year. So just continue on that route
and see where we go.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
People talk about you wanted you to be more aggressive,
like be aggressive when I you know what happened on
the you know the interception. You brought a lot of
a lot of pressure on that play.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
How much is that a concerted effort? Is that just
specifically for that game? Is that a concerted effort for
the season?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Like, how do you have that?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah? Again, it kind of a little bit goes back
to his question earlier.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I think by game plan, we have our have our
kind of plan going in of how we feel like
we can attack right and dictate. And you want to
be able to dictate on defense because the offense has
so much out their arsenal where they can motion and
move and different groups and everything else. Like, you want
to be able to find ways to dictate defensively obviously,
and I think that's something moving forward as we go,
(04:20):
just finding ways to do that and being timely with
it when we do and be able to go forward
that way.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Shane, when you look at the stunts up front and
just the idea of you know, it's one thing to say, Okay,
we want to do this up front, how much falls
on individual.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Players and the guys getting together and kind of learning each.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Other and feel for it and how does that.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Make them successive? Yeah, a lot.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
I feel like that's one area of you've kind of
seen us progress as the season's kind of went on,
just the comfort level and a little bit of that.
You move pieces around and one guy does it one
way and then another guy, different body type, different skill set,
does it a little bit different. So just continuing to
build that feel with each other. In terms of how
those games are executed, I think the understanding of the
(05:07):
details of those games is important, and that correlates to
to who's running it with you. But the coordination among
those guys has improved. I think they got a good
understanding of it. I think they're seeing success from it.
And the thing we always tell him, it's not always
the guy that's getting picked for that gets it right.
A lot of times it's the guys that's doing the
(05:27):
pick in that that's the penetrator. And but they're unselfish,
Like all those guys are unselfish. They're doing a lot
of good things for us right now, and hopefully we
can keep building.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Obviously you're not in a players only meeting, But I
guess what does it say buck Burns that he's calling
that and.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Wants to Yeah, he's established himself as a leader for us.
You know, he's done a really good job. He's showing
up on game day. He comes out here and works
every day. He spends time in the building, studying the opponent,
talking to the other guys. I think that's that's a
big part of it, and just getting those guys all
on the same page, making sure they're accountable to each other,
(06:04):
continuing to work to evolve and come together as a defense.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Of course, you know the official game book, Abdoul did
not register a stat in the game.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
You just smiling. I assume you think that he actually
played in the game and did yeah, he's I mean,
I get it.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
The sacks and the sacks numbers are not what probably
he wants him to be right now, but he's he's
been extremely productive for us. He really has just continuing
to push for those are going to come and hopefully
they come in bunches when they do start coming. But again,
he's been a very productive player for us. Just whatever
we've asked him to do, he's been able to do.
(06:45):
Go back to the case game, playing off the ball,
the entire game for us because where we were at.
So we'll continue to find ways with him and all
these other guys see even create some opportunities for him.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
But it was there was no no tackles, no assists,
no hits, no you know, zero to close the board. Yeah,
I guess you have a different grading system, and there
was some things in there that.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, I think there'll be there'll be more opportunities week
to week. I mean, I think it varies just based
on where they're run ball, how they're doing things. I mean,
I think that kind of a little bit depends on
how we're being attacked and where he's aligned, and some
of that stuff comes into play.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
With cordell as the primary outside cornerback didn't really do
the rotation, but Deontay would went into that decision.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Yeah, I think, like we've told y'all here every week,
it's going to be a week to week evaluation. We're
gonna need both those guys. We are, we're gonna need
them both. Again, I think they've both shown some good
things throughout. There's been some plays all of us would
probably like to have back, but just encourage where he.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Was going in the week.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's what we decided to do, and he showed up
and played well for.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Us this week.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, I think we'll see, like we're working through it,
talking through all that as we go. Obviously they ahead uh,
I don't even get into that, but yeah, like week
to week hmm.
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