Here are five quick questions with Falcons linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich:
Q: How’s the linebacker group doing after two exhibition games?
A: They are improving every day. They are just learning now what it takes to be a pro. There's a lot to it. It's not just what you see between the white lines on game day.
Q: What are some of the issues they face?
A: They have to learn how to take notes and study. Now, they are learning how we game-plan for a week. It's a lot different than college as far as the information, processing it and then applying it all out here on the grass. So, today was a learning experience. It was rough for them. Their minds were fast and their bodies were slow. We're growing everyday.
Q: Is Vic Beasley’s injury slowing down his transition to strongside linebacker?
A: It's a little bump in the road, but at the same time he's done a great job in practice as far as picking it up. He has a really strong learning curve. Our (strongside) backer, fortunately, the job doesn't require a whole lot of thinking. There are not a ton of responsibilities. It's not easy, but it's fairly simple.
Q: How did the rookies – Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell — play in their first NFL starts?
A: They had their good plays and their bad plays.
Q: What’s next for them?
A: The beauty of it is, I think, is that both have the right mindset. Both want to be great. Both acknowledge when it's not right. Whereas some young kid resist that. They know a certain way that they had in college and they kind of nod to your face then go do their own thing. But they're both totally not that way. We have to recognize the fact that they did some good things, but there some things they definitely need to improve on.
About the Author
