Tony Carter Defensive Coordinator XFL Orlando Guardians Discusses Game 3, Opportunities & Much More!

when we did it we did our jobs I mean I think that down the stretch you know we gave up a drive where we we were up you know three to nine and we gave up one big Drive um outside of that they did a solid job of you know holding them out of the Red Zone a few times fourth down stops uh but you know we didn't do enough to win the game uh which is what we're all striving for um so but they're getting better learning the system uh moving forward to this week um a totally different task they throw the ball now some pretty good receivers go line protect well quarterbacks um throws the ball in the right position so they do a lot of good things we've seen them once um so I'm sure they're gonna you know change up some things from what they did the first time but they're a good team and we're looking forward to the challenge all right guys questions coach good to talk to you again uh we were talking to t-buck earlier in the week on Monday and he said that you guys were going along but really The Next Step you guys need to take is kind of turn getting home on sacks and and making pressures and all into turnovers what's something you guys been doing in practice to try to make that extra kick happen and bring in more takeaways well we do a turnover circuit that we've been harping on guys you know just the fundamentals of you know actually uh punching the ball out uh with a strip sack fumble scooping and scoring um we we caused a few fumbles but we hadn't got any of them um so just working on that and I also that's forming to the ball and playing with high effort um and turnovers come in bunches so hopefully we can get a few this week the first time we played them we got two interceptions um didn't turn them into scores which is what we you know our next goal is to turn some of those turnovers in scores and kind of a quick follow-up to that you would mention you know you guys did have a good outing last week um obviously didn't have enough points but are you guys building on the fact that you guys had were in position to uh possibly win the game like the offense was there uh one toe touch or lack of a toe touch away from setting up the field goal there to take it home are you guys kind of using that to build on going into this next game yeah I mean I think that's the only thing you can do I mean you know either you win or you lose it's not really a almost one or almost lost um but I do think you know we're getting better as a team and as a group and guys are you know believing that you know we can win and we're not our record doesn't really indicate what type of team we actually have uh in my opinion so I think that um just finishing games and making those plays down the stretch uh will help us out always a pleasure Coach Carter definitely and I know you know it wasn't a result in a win but coach Buckley did say something something really great about you he did say that he thinks you're doing an excellent job what do you think about the compliment that coach Buckley gave about you uh I mean that's I'm doing my job I mean I don't think that I don't think that you know if I was doing a bad job then I would be mad about that but I think as as a any coach your job is to do a good job so you know it's definitely uh I respect him a lot he knows that and but I think I'm just doing my job doing supposed to do um if not then I wouldn't be here so yeah and and you mentioned you want to turn some of those turnovers into points can you kind of update us on CJ Holmes and his availability for this weekend uh we're hoping to get them back I'm not sure you know if he's been cleared 100 to go uh but he's definitely you know uh one of our better Defenders um he hadn't got a chance to play this year just because he had an ankle injury he's been nursing um but any guy we can get back from injury that you know we're counting on the beginning is always a plus he's definitely one of those guys how are you Coach Jeff Barnes from teammates media um one of the things you've been able to hang your hat on through these first three games defensively is teams have not been able to consistently run the football against you guys what do you contribute your success against stopping the run with these first three games uh I mean the players honestly they play with a good effort uh great technique um coach Ty Warren does a good job with those guys up front you know just teaching them technique uh playing with the attitude and our goal is every week is to make a team one-dimensional which is take away the run and force them to pass so the guys up front are doing a good job and we got good leadership at the linebacker position um so they understand and we we spend a lot of time stop you know talking about stopping the run and you know teaching it the right way and I think they're buying into it and it start it shows up on game day yeah coaching Coach Carter and one of the things about I wanted to ask you is you know just watching the game are you having good lines of communication down on the field with your players yes um I think you know that I like the technology part of things um you can talk to multiple guys while they're out there so that's pretty cool and then we have the iPads on the sideline where you can pre-watch plays and you know re-watch things so technology is definitely a plus and also you know but it's nothing like that human interaction you know when when you can look into a guy's eyes and know a piece you know uh hurt you know excited or you know emotionally not not there so I think that you know the advantage I have is being a former player I I know what that feels like and I know what it looks like and also knowing to leave a guy alone as a coach you know sometimes they know they did wrong or right you just leave them alone and kind of let them be them and and they'll play harder for you Tony you you haven't had a chance to really see him but you guys signed Clinton flowers this week um he did an opportunity on the field I know he's a quarterback but you guys facing against him what have you seen from him uh specifically he's athletic very athletic I mean he can throw it too he got a strong arm um so I think I'm excited to have him on our Squad and I think he'll give us a boost uh you know I'm not sure exactly what the plan is for him I'm on the defense side of the ball but I watched him in college and I was like you know people can't stop this guy is it good to have someone like that who's also some versatility who can do a little bit of not like you mentioned he could throw the ball but can also run a little bit and do some different things it definitely is because you know teams have to plan for it you know that's that's what DC team is doing to everybody that you spend a lot of time planning for for two different style offenses and you never really get good at stopping one coach we were talking earlier about um you know you getting advice from coach Buckley uh he being you know a Super Bowl champion himself former DB and you you would mention you would name drop coach Barn too I wanted to kind of bring him up too um as as your d-line guy is there anything that you've learned from him I mean I know I know you're the BC and you're you're uh higher in the hierarchy I'm obviously that doesn't matter too much when you're working together the plan I get that but um what's some stuff you've picked up from uh coach Warren as himself you know being a former NFL champion and a former player just like you used to play the game uh you learned a lot I mean he he played in the trenches so he understands you know d-line a lot different than I do um we're both knowledgeable uh in areas but he's a d-line technician teacher and also he's very organized on what he does and you know we we work together for the in the in Detroit with the Lions so we we worked together before and then we played together uh on a few squads he was in Denver uh he got hurt in Denver when I was there so we knew each other from a while ago and we speak the same language football-wise but definitely just d-line technique um efficiency and you know how to take on blocks uh the language part of things uh we definitely learn of each other that was a blast from the past yeah I forgot he was on Denver Squad there for a minute that's right yeah no doubt and I was in New England in 2010 with him as well right yeah coach Houston is very efficient on third down they're running about 46 and a half percent what are you gonna have to do this week to keep them from extending drives get your defense off the field I think just get him out of rhythm their their Rhythm offense uh they're in Rhythm and they're going they're going uh you get them out of rhythm by causing turnovers um you know by slowing them down on first and second down getting them into third and long rather than third in manageable situations uh so and they have a lot of weapons as well and they use them all um just I think just understanding what they're trying to do and then when the opportunity comes we've been talking to our guys a lot by just not trying to do too much but do what you're supposed to do make your plays and they're understanding they're going to make some plays as well yeah Coach Carter is it because you're you know you played in the NFL and you you're definitely very familiar with the way the rules are in the NFL is it more difficult in this league with a two-minute drill to defend the other play the other team because of the fact that they're playing by college rules no it's the same I mean it's it's no different I mean my job as a coach is to learn the rules and learn what's going on I mean the whole XFL room was totally different from a lot of things that I've been a part of I did have a blooper I mean you know after a touchdown you always think field goals from time to time so in my mind I said I was thinking field goal block and I said oh one two or three-point play so uh other than that the two minute situation is similar you know I'm just looking at the clocking you know when it when the code I mean at the when the referee uh you know Blows the Whistle to start it it's not a running clock but outside of that it's just it's all football to me coach another thing that the Guardians have struggled with on both sides of the ball is penalties or those mental mistakes that have extended drives what have you been working on this week to try to limit those mistakes and play aggressively but not get the flag pulled on them especially those you know on you know pivotal DPI calls that you've been getting this season that I thought went either way I'm honestly I'm with you guys on that but what do you got to do to minimize the penalties and the mental mistakes on the defensive side of the ball I mean guys are playing hard I mean you're playing hard and you're gonna get caught for a whole different time to time you know I don't I don't think that a ref can call it either way I don't think that's been like blatant you know calls to where I have to get on a guy about not doing a certain thing we had a few dumb penalties a couple weeks ago you know hit a guy out of bound stuff like that that's something that you know in practice or jumping off sides those things you know we got a little penalty system if you jump all sides in practice you got to take a lap around the field so that gives guys you know a little bit more discipline hold them accountable but other than that I mean I think if you're playing hard I'm never gonna be mad as a coach uh from a guy playing with hard playing hard with effort now if you blatantly just pulling the guy's Jersey or something like that then okay we can coach you up maybe put the mitts on you in practice so you won't hold but I mean it's been some some bang bang calls and the rest of doing the best they can and we just gotta overcome some things I think all right coach as being as the second time around you know um familiarity starts to become a factor in the matchup how do you play into not only continue to get pressure on a quarterback this time around like you did the first time but improve it the way you're getting more pressure that it's going to disrupt their offense a little more I mean I think just showing them different looks you know um they they are pretty efficient offense they have an answer for everything you do you just got to beat them to the punch so whenever you beat him to the punch then they're gonna have another answer so then you got to change it up and do something else if you just do the same thing the entire time and they'll pick you apart which is you know what I've been seeing on film so I think just just mixing it up showing different looks you know kind of confusing them beating them at their own game anything else for Tony all right coach thank you very much thank you guys appreciate it