UConn D-Coordinator Don Brown: The One Thing That’s Going Unnoticed This Spring

Checking in with UConn defensive coordinator Don Brown….

“Do you know the one thing that’s going unnoticed this spring, that I’m really pleased with?” UConn defensive coordinator Don Brown asked after practice Tuesday. “It’s that we ask all 11 guys to defend the run, right? Their run fits have been really solid. That’s a thing as a cornerback you say, ‘well why is that important?’ Well, especially when you get into all the unique sets we get into, those guys become, when certain guys block or reads are made, those guys gotta become linebackers to make run fits. That’s kind of an important thing now.”

On the rise of CB Taylor Mack after struggling with the new system last season: “I can’t even tell you how many roles we have him in. We just fit him into our stuff and he’s got a lot of different little innuendos…all of a sudden you see this little No.29 and he’s lining up where he’s supposed to be; lining up and doing what he’s supposed to do. And, he’s pretty damn quick.”

On defensive line depth: I think we’re developing some depth at defensive line. With Jesse Joseph missing some time and Teddy [Jennings] it hasn’t been a bad thing because now Kenton Adeyemi, Jon Louis, Tim Willman are getting reps and getting better…[Julian] Campenni is coming out of the woodwork, an inside guy, he’s playing really well inside. Angelo Pruitt, coming out of the woodwork, using his hands, another inside guy. And the nice thing is, [defensive line coach] Hank [Hughes] is playing all those guys and they’re doing well so we are developing depth there.”

“I’ll tell you, this [safety] Andrew Adams is going to be something,” Brown added of Adams who has been working his way back from a knee injury. He should be ready to go when preseason practice starts in August. “They’re letting him run around in a non-contact role but all of these reps that he’s getting are valuable.”