Falcons linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich spoke about his players with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday.
Here’s what Ulbrich, who helped Deion Jones reach the Pro Bowl last season, had to say:
On the development of Jones and DeVondre Campbell. "It's been two seasons with long playoffs runs, so there's been a lot of games played by (Jones). They've learned a lot and they've matured a lot. What is exciting about the both of them is that they are still like their (harshest) critics (while) going for it every day. Competing to be the best in the game. They have a tremendous amount of humility and it's going to be really cool just to see how they progress because they are no way near tapped out."
On Jones' development. "He's fulfilled the vision that I think most the people in this organization had for him, but (after) saying that, he's no way near being a finished product. He's got work to do. He knows it and he's willing to do it. There is some stuff that he does in coverage that is freaky and uncommon, that's best-in-the-league type stuff, but there is also stuff from a fundamental standpoint against the run that he needs to improve on. He understands that, he knows that and is working on it every day."
On Jones going to the Pro Bowl. "That was a tremendous help in creating a strong vision of what it could look like, what I can look like by being around guys that are doing it at the highest level. He got a chance to be around Derrick Brooks. He got a chance to be around Thomas Davis, some guys that have done and are still doing it at the highest level possible. Yeah, he soaked (that information) up and took all that he could from them. It's exciting for him to implement those things into his game now."
On his connection to former Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith. (Smith flipped from UCLA to Georgia when Ulbrich came to join the Falcons from UCLA). "I'd like to say I saw it. But that's a lot to say that I saw a Butkus Award winner and a first-round pick. What I did see was a special athlete. Then when I got to know the young man, he was a special young man from a special family. From that standpoint, I knew he had a chance to be a really good player. It's been really fun watching him. I'm just so proud of the player ... he has become. I can't wait to see him play this year."
On rookie linebacker Foye Oloukun from Yale. "He's looking good. He's got all of the stuff that you can't coach. He's fast. He's explosive. He's got tremendous length. It will be fun. Every day is like a new day for him. He's running a lot. He's soaking it all up. He's tremendously smart and bright. He doesn't repeat mistakes and he's very eager. It will be fun to see where he can go."
On Duke Riley's second season. "He's a guy that, the honest truth, he knows this and I know this, everyone in his circle knows this, he didn't fulfill his expectations as far as his play was concerned. We both took a very honest look at his game. Early in the offseason, very very early in the offseason. We made some goals and he's absolutely going for it. Who's to say if he becomes a special player, that's up to him and the opportunity to he has. I promise you this, he's doing everything humanly possible to be better than he was last year."
On the two nickel linebackers (Jones and Campbell). "In our zone stuff they play very similar roles. They are into the hooks and have to be great open-field tacklers. They've got to carry receivers all the time on vertical routes, so they've got to be able to run. But last year, we transitioned into a little bit more man-to-man. So, in that way, they are not interchangeable. In that way, DeVondre (Campbell) becomes a very good matchup on a tight end because of his length. Deion becomes a very good matchup on running backs because of his elite quickness. I don't think we…the vision was never to create a (middle linebacker) and a (weakside linebacker) in that way, but it's evolved to that and it's become a really cool thing. It allows you a lot of flexibility with what you can do. It allows really a guy like Keanu (Neal) to be more of that free robber, roamer, extra guy so that he can do what he does and we know what that is."
Subscribe to "The Bow Tie Chronicles" podcast with the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter on iTunes or on the new AJC sports podcasts page.
About the Author
