Baker said the bottom line is they have to coach better and play better and that the team was not playing to its standard. He said they have to prove that Saturday's performance was an anomaly. He did give Tennessee credit.
He said he has seen a lot of pride since the Tennessee loss. He said there is a chip on the defense's shoulder. Baker said it starts and stops with him.
He said he didn't do a good enough job explaining to the safeties what he wanted to do to cover Jalin Hyatt and Bru McCoy. He said that and that the team didn't execute, but again he said it's on him.
He said there was poor alignment a lot of times.
He said there was a halftime adjustment and when the game was 28-24 that's when the Vols ran that pass play to Hyatt for a 68-yard TD. He saw the play unfolding and wanted to call a timeout but he admits he should have run to Drink and told him to call a timeout instead of trying to yell to the refs in that loud environment. He said this play kept him up at night.
He said this loss is easier to bounce back from than it would've been in week one or two.
Baker said Trajan Jeffcoat, Darius Robinson and Isaiah McGuire were huge for the development of the defense and that they bought in quickly. He said he can't be more proud of these guys. He said Martez Manuel brings energy and brings it every day. He said it's huge for the culture of a first-year coordinator.
Baker said Robinson has what it takes to play professionally. He thinks with another season at Mizzou he thinks Robinson can be a first or second-rounder. He said he has been ascending all season.
He said the team has a number of juniors and that there'll be a lot of leadership available next year.
He said NM State does a good job running the ball and that schematically they are not one-dimensional in that aspect. He said they are explosive in the passing game. He said they will cross that bridge when they get there as far as playing younger players this week.
He said Chad Bailey's return is huge from a production and leadership standpoint. Baker said he tells players if they are likely going to be drafted in the top 3 rounds that he tells them to go, but if they aren't they have a good life here playing football (obviously NIL helps this). He said he's ultra-impressed with Chad Bailey.
Next up is Isaiah McGuire.
He said that the importance of this week is keeping the energy up and finishing the season strong. He said that they will have to focus and bounce back.
He said Kristian Williams and Jayden Jernigan can lead this team next season.
Isaiah McGuire said this is his last year. He said it time and the next level is there for him but that is in the future. He said there wasn't a timeline.
He said they lost focus when it was 28-24 and some plays happened in UT's favor.
Next up is Darius Robinson.
He said the last couple days have been tough but that they have to a short-term memory.
He said he is still figuring out what he wants to do. He's not sure if he wants to go or stay.
He said him Jeffcoat and McGuire talk about their next steps often. He said McGuire has been the best player on the defense the last 2 years and said if you watch the tape he's the best DE in the country.
He said this scheme has made him more comfortable. He calls it a defensive line-friendly scheme.
Robinson said he had a lot of emotions losing his starting spot for a couple of games, but he persevered. He said it was humbling but lit a fire under him. He said getting the job back was also emotional for him. He said he wears the "C" on his jersey proudly and that is part of what kept him going.
D-Rob said he thinks he has been talking about going to a bowl game too much. He said that it helps him lock in on NM State.
He said NM State is able to give better zone schemes and that gap discipline will be key.
D-Rob said Cody Schrader, Dominic Lovett, Armand Membou could be captains in the future along with Jernigan and Williams.
He said he has seen a lot of pride since the Tennessee loss. He said there is a chip on the defense's shoulder. Baker said it starts and stops with him.
He said he didn't do a good enough job explaining to the safeties what he wanted to do to cover Jalin Hyatt and Bru McCoy. He said that and that the team didn't execute, but again he said it's on him.
He said there was poor alignment a lot of times.
He said there was a halftime adjustment and when the game was 28-24 that's when the Vols ran that pass play to Hyatt for a 68-yard TD. He saw the play unfolding and wanted to call a timeout but he admits he should have run to Drink and told him to call a timeout instead of trying to yell to the refs in that loud environment. He said this play kept him up at night.
He said this loss is easier to bounce back from than it would've been in week one or two.
Baker said Trajan Jeffcoat, Darius Robinson and Isaiah McGuire were huge for the development of the defense and that they bought in quickly. He said he can't be more proud of these guys. He said Martez Manuel brings energy and brings it every day. He said it's huge for the culture of a first-year coordinator.
Baker said Robinson has what it takes to play professionally. He thinks with another season at Mizzou he thinks Robinson can be a first or second-rounder. He said he has been ascending all season.
He said the team has a number of juniors and that there'll be a lot of leadership available next year.
He said NM State does a good job running the ball and that schematically they are not one-dimensional in that aspect. He said they are explosive in the passing game. He said they will cross that bridge when they get there as far as playing younger players this week.
He said Chad Bailey's return is huge from a production and leadership standpoint. Baker said he tells players if they are likely going to be drafted in the top 3 rounds that he tells them to go, but if they aren't they have a good life here playing football (obviously NIL helps this). He said he's ultra-impressed with Chad Bailey.
Next up is Isaiah McGuire.
He said that the importance of this week is keeping the energy up and finishing the season strong. He said that they will have to focus and bounce back.
He said Kristian Williams and Jayden Jernigan can lead this team next season.
Isaiah McGuire said this is his last year. He said it time and the next level is there for him but that is in the future. He said there wasn't a timeline.
He said they lost focus when it was 28-24 and some plays happened in UT's favor.
Next up is Darius Robinson.
He said the last couple days have been tough but that they have to a short-term memory.
He said he is still figuring out what he wants to do. He's not sure if he wants to go or stay.
He said him Jeffcoat and McGuire talk about their next steps often. He said McGuire has been the best player on the defense the last 2 years and said if you watch the tape he's the best DE in the country.
He said this scheme has made him more comfortable. He calls it a defensive line-friendly scheme.
Robinson said he had a lot of emotions losing his starting spot for a couple of games, but he persevered. He said it was humbling but lit a fire under him. He said getting the job back was also emotional for him. He said he wears the "C" on his jersey proudly and that is part of what kept him going.
D-Rob said he thinks he has been talking about going to a bowl game too much. He said that it helps him lock in on NM State.
He said NM State is able to give better zone schemes and that gap discipline will be key.
D-Rob said Cody Schrader, Dominic Lovett, Armand Membou could be captains in the future along with Jernigan and Williams.
