Safety DeJon Gomes

Senior Safety DeJon Gomes
Press Conference Quotes
Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010

On how they can get better as a secondary
“In some plays we weren’t in the best position we needed to be. Even if the quarterback didn’t throw it, we know that if he would have thrown it like what may happen this Saturday, we’d be out of position to give up some big plays. We just have to make sure we’re always doing the right assignment.”

On what they’ve seen out of Washington quarterback Jake Locker
“He’s a good quarterback as everyone knows. I guess he is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, probably a high draft pick next year. The most I see is that he has that leadership ability and the offense really follows behind him.”

On if the defense likes the challenge of going against a top quarterback
“I think we’re all looking forward to it. We’re getting prepared in practice; we’re trying to work hard and make sure we’re ready. Maybe he will throw his first (interception) this Saturday, but if he doesn’t we’ll just make sure we’re in the right spots.”

On Washington’s slot receiver Jermaine Kearse
“We’ve been watching him on film, I actually just got done watching some film on him. He doesn’t seem like a big receiver like we have, but he has the ability to break a lot of tackles and make a lot of plays. I think he is (Jake) Locker’s favorite target, I believe he has four of his touchdown (passes). He’ll probably be one of his go-to guys this game.”

On who Kearse reminds him of
“I don’t know, it’s hard to tell being early in the season. He is just Locker’s go-to receiver, so his stats are higher than everyone else’s.”

On how much of his success is being in the right spot and how much is his instincts with the ball
“I think I have the instinct growing up playing running back and wanting to score every play. Moving to defense, that wasn’t going to happen, but some of the instincts carry over and when I do get the ball in my hands I try to make the best of it. Ultimately it is the coaches and putting us in the right spots. They won’t put you in a spot they know you can’t do. When the coaches put you in a spot you have to go out and give your all because you won’t be asked to do something that is detrimental to you or to the team.”

On if he ever doubts something that he is supposed to do
“No, I don’t think I would doubt this coaching staff. They have a really good grasp of football, especially defense. If they say I can in do something, then in my mind I know I can do it, and I’m going to try and go out and get it done.”

On when he felt comfortable with the defense last year
“Last year I felt the most comfortable going into the Texas game. The scheme is a very advanced scheme, but once you get a grasp of it, it’s not too bad. This year, moving to safety, I got a real good grasp of it because I played the corner so I knew the corner spot.  I had learned safety, and I was in there at dime also. I really know pretty much the whole back seven.”

On the toughest part of playing safety
“Knowing that you are the last line of defense. There is no one behind you, it’s the end zone. If you mess up the whole stadium is going to know it’s you opposed to if a D-lineman misses his assignment, he still has people behind him. You are the last line of defense, so you have less room for error.”

On if he thinks Washington will try to run the ball  or throw right at the safeties
“Honestly I don’t know what they’re going to do, but this week at practice we’re going to prepare for it all and they’re going to put us in tough situations so we’re ready for Saturday and whatever it brings.”

On if he is seeing that Washington is willing to run the ball
“Oh definitely. They run the ball. With a quarterback like they have, they’re going to throw it. They’re balanced, so we just have to prepare for it all.”

On what he expects from the team going on the road
“You get to see how good the chemistry really is. If things are going tough, you’re going to see who is going to fight through it and who is going to fold. You have to handle adversity with going on the road and playing at a place like Washington to play a game and knowing you don’t have the crowd behind you, you just have to really count on the other 10 players you’re on the field with to have your back.”

On if the team likes being on the road and being the “bad” guys
“Definitely true. We’ve had a pretty good road record. It’s just the mindset we take into it. Like Coach Bo always tells us, it’s us against the world. When we go on the road I think that is the mindset we have in just trying to get back to Lincoln.”

On playing big teams in the nonconference
“I think that plays a part. Even though it really shouldn’t happen, sometimes you play down to the level of competition. When you go into the bigger games you know you have to bring your big pads and prepare and focus to do everything you need to do.  If you slip up, they’re going to really take advantage of it and you can’t just rely on your athletic ability.”

On the competition he has with Secondary Coach Marvin Sanders about coming in early and working
“I don’t know if it is a competition because I pretty much win it every time.”

On all the work the players put in behind the scenes
“I think they put that work ethic we have into play last year. Carrying over to this year, just going out, you know you have to watch film and do the extra stuff. You don’t want to be average, so you have to go above and beyond. Before I came here, some teammates and I were just watching film, trying to get ready for the game.”

On if Saturday’s five interceptions set the bar for future games
“Oh yeah, we’re just going to go out there. Now that we know we can be that aggressive, we’re just going to go in there week in and week out and try and raise the bar.”

On if Washington quarterback Jake Locker he stays in the pocket a lot
“He stays in the pocket, but he also has the ability to scramble a little bit and make some moves with his feet. We just have to make sure we get him contained.”