Post Sugar Bowl Thoughts: Defense and 2012

The following is a transcript of a taped interview with Raleigh Hokie.  Comments in bold are questions or comments from Chris Coleman, followed by answers from Raleigh.

It was like you said before the game.  Tech played outside-in, and the defense just crushed Michigan.  It was pretty incredible.

If you look at individual efforts, Derrick Hopkins and Luther Maddy played great.  Corey Marshall was off the charts.  I’m sure when he chased down Denard Robinson on that one play, Michigan was like “who the heck is that guy?”  Some defensive tackle just caught Robinson from behind.  That guy is super fast.  We can make some headway with that guy at defensive tackle.

One of the problems we had on defense this year, and maybe the last two years, is we need safeties who can make plays.  Eddie Whitley, bless him, he’s just not a playmaker.  He had two interceptions right in his hands against Michigan, and he didn’t come up with either one.  Antone Exum, he’s sort of like the Marcus Davis of the defense.  He’s a tremendous athlete, but he has a poor feel for the game.  Those two are very similar.

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