On Malik Washington
“He looks like he’s very well coached. He obviously hasn’t been sacked and he really hasn’t made many mistakes on tape so he knows where to go with the ball based on what the coverage looks like pre-snap and what the coverage looks like post-snap. Looks like he has some really good blitz answers. He’s a decisive kid and makes the throws. You just look at the numbers through the year. Every game he’s throwing for over 200 yards. He throws a nice ball. I think it’s definitely a challenge. And then he has some skill around him at receiver, some skill guys that can run. A tight end that can get open and catch the ball. So, it’s definitely a challenge for us. Probably one of our biggest challenges at this point in terms of the overall passing game, the operation of the passing game, how well he’s coached by their offensive staff. It’s definitely a huge challenge.”

On the defensive line
“I think they continue to improve. Obviously, the results show that we hit the quarterback. We created more havoc and made more plays in that regard. From a results standpoint, you can see that we got some rewards there. The results came from not just the work we put in this week but, the continued work through the year and the emphasis on how to win in one-on-one pass rush, how to attack their protections, how to get off blocks, how to effectively move, and how to get more population to the football. Really with every position on our defense, it’s all a work in progess. I think because of the youth and inexperience there, they’ll continue to get better.”

On playing in a true road setting for the first time
“It’s going to be a great challenge for us. I went to school in that area. I went to Catholic University in D.C., which is like 10 minutes from College Park. It’ll be good to get back in that area of the country. But it’s a business trip. We’re going out there when we’re going out there, and we’re going to practice our ass off over the next couple of days and then finish our preparation in College Park, Bethesda area. It’s exciting to get on the road. You really test yourself and the mettle of your defense. I’ve always believed that when you go on the road, you better pack your defense. That’s just what you have to do. I’m excited about the challenge and wherever it is whether it’s in College Park or State College, when we’re going to Minnesota the next week. You’ve got to be ready to play.”