Floyd and Gaines Helping Defense Progress as Opener Nears
August 20, 2014 | Football
Aug. 20, 2014
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LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Losing a pair of all-conference safeties has caused head coach Bobby Petrino a lot of consternation during the spring. However, Petrino added a junior-college safety and also added a veteran - Terell Floyd.
Yes, the same Floyd that has started 26 games at cornerback and will always be remembered for returning an interception for a touchdown on the first play of the game in the 2013 Sugar Bowl.
However, because the Cardinals were so thin at safety, the coaching staff asked Floyd to make the ultimate sacrifice and it's starting to pay off.
"I had no idea that I would be playing safety this year," Floyd said. "It's whatever you have do to help my team win. Coach (Todd) Grantham told me he needed me to play safety, and that's what I'm going to do."
With the movement of Floyd to the safety spot, the development of James Sample has given the Cardinals a stellar back end of the defense.
"We adjusted well because we're all working together," Floyd said. "The coaching staff and the players, we're getting together and we're doing everything we can to get prepared. With Sample coming in late, we had to get together and put in extra time in the film room. We had to get some extra film in and coach each other up."
Another player who came in with a lot of accolades was Gerod Holliman, who has played sparingly, but has had a great fall camp.
"Gerod, he's one of the smartest players," Floyd said. "He's played safety longer than all of us out here and he knows the position a little better, so he gives us his knowledge. He's come a long way since he first got here. "
Floyd has adjusted to the position change quite well during the first three weeks of camp. He has had a good camp and looks like he is a seasoned veteran at the safety spot, and feels like he has played there his whole career.
"I don't feel like it's been that much of a change," Floyd said. "I like it better. Back there I can see the field a little bit better, so I think it gives me a little bit of a chance to break on the ball and things like that."
The defense has been the biggest area of conversation this camp because the Cardinals had to replace seven starters, including three draft picks. However, the defense still had talent returning, but it was taking time to develop.
"As far as progress, we're coming along," junior Charles Gaines said after Wednesday's practice. "Our d-line is doing awesome getting to the quarterback. Our linebackers a getting awesome drop backs and making the right blitzes, and defensive backs, we're just doing the little things."
Gaines, who was named one of the team's five captains, is in his second full season at cornerback after a breakout year in 2013, recording five interceptions and earning first team all-conference accolades.
"The one thing I see myself making progress in is helping bring the younger guys along," Gaines said. "I have shown them the plays and showing them the little things. We have been also helping with things like if it was a run or a pass."
Gaines has also been forced to learn a lot going against one of the best offensive minds in the nation in Petrino's explosive offense.
"As far as that, we're still trying to learn coach Petrino's offense as well," Gaines said. "The things they're doing and sometimes it'll be hard. We're worried about what coach Petrino's doing and what we're doing. Sometimes we just get frustrated as defensive backs so we tend to talk to each other in a rough way, but it's nothing but fun and love."
The Cardinals have had a solid camp learning the new defense and adjusting to the new schemes, and it has helped to have two solid leaders in Gaines and Floyd to bring the young defense along each day.
