Photo by: AJ Henderson - Georgia Southern Athletics
Sloan Checks In at the Midway Point of Spring Ball
3/29/2018 3:30:00 PM | Football
Defensive coordinator gives his thoughts on his side of the ball
The Georgia Southern football squad has hit the midway point of its spring football session and has its sights set on April 14's Spring Game in Paulson Stadium. GSEagles.com had a chance to catch up with new defensive coordinator Scot Sloan to get his thoughts on how his offense is progressing, who's standing out and what he'd like to see before the Eagles wrap up the 15-game session.
Q: What has the first half of spring focused on?
SS: A lot of it is focusing on guys taking good angles and chasing the football. We've put a huge emphasis on 11 guys chasing the ball, so we show a hustle tape to the guys each day in their meeting so we can actually point out guys chasing the ball. We want our guys to take proper, inside-out angles to prevent over-running and missing on pursuit. We're teaching near hip, hat behind typer of tackling, much like you see in rugby or with the Seattle Seahawks, where they are roll tackling. So we've watched a lot of film to show what we're doing right and I think the guys have gotten better each day.
Q: What percentage of your scheme is in now and what's your goal by the end of spring?
SS: We're not overly concerned with scheme as we are getting us tied together. I don't care if we only get one or two defenses in this spring, the things we can't compromise are chasing the football, playing fast and physical and putting a huge emphasis on creating turnovers, as well as taking proper angles. It's not how much we can get in this spring because we have a long time between now and when we play. We're hammering home the fundamentals as opposed to doing install, install, install.
Q: What returning players have impressed you the most early on?
SS: Several guys have been good early on. I think both corners in Monquavion Brinson and Kindle Vildor have been good, as have RJ Murray and Joshua Moon at the safety spots. RJ has been light's out and has caught my attention. Christian Matthew has shown up at times and out two insider backers in Todd Bradley and Tomarcio Reese have done well in the new scheme. Lane Ecton and Raymond Johnson III have both given us some really good reps as well. Jessie Liptrot and Darrell Baker Jr. have gone from corner to strong safety and that position is really a third cornerback for us, but they've done a good job for us, as well.
Q: What player fans may not be familiar with has impressed you early on?
SS: Benz Josue keeps popping up on the video, so we have to find a way to get him on the field. Ian Bush has lost a lot of weight and has been good. This defense relies on quick-twitch players and I think Ian can help us. And then finally, Quan Griffin has been good early on for us. So I'm excited about some of the younger guys and seeing how they come along here in the back half of spring ball.
Q: What's your philosophy for your scheme?
SS: We've got to stop the run first, then we've got to match the numbers and then we have to stay on top. You've got to stop the run if you're going to be successful. If you don't stop the run, offenses will just bleed you to death for 4- and 5-yard runs and you can't get off the field. But we have to stop the run with as few players as possible. Anyone can put nine in the box, but stopping the run with the fewest number of players is key to the scheme. You've got to match the numbers with formations into the boundaries, off of motions, off the unbalanced sets and things like that. That's what the 3-4 allows you to do because you've got more moving parts instead of having four hands on the ground. And then we have to stay on top, and by that I mean we can't play our butts off stopping the run and then giving two cheap ones over your head and there's 14 points off of two plays. The quickest way to lose a football game is through the air, so we have to understand that we have to stay on top and not have dirty eyes. But our team is going to play fast and smart, is going to play physical and is going to be violent at the point of attack to try and create turnovers.
Q: What do you want to see between now and Aug. 3 when the Eagle open preseason camp?
SS: I want our guys staying committed to the process. We've gone from winter workouts and now into spring ball and will move back into summer workouts and OTAs to get ready for camp. They'll continue to change their bodies physically and continue to sharpen their minds as we get ready for August.
Q: What has the first half of spring focused on?
SS: A lot of it is focusing on guys taking good angles and chasing the football. We've put a huge emphasis on 11 guys chasing the ball, so we show a hustle tape to the guys each day in their meeting so we can actually point out guys chasing the ball. We want our guys to take proper, inside-out angles to prevent over-running and missing on pursuit. We're teaching near hip, hat behind typer of tackling, much like you see in rugby or with the Seattle Seahawks, where they are roll tackling. So we've watched a lot of film to show what we're doing right and I think the guys have gotten better each day.
Q: What percentage of your scheme is in now and what's your goal by the end of spring?
SS: We're not overly concerned with scheme as we are getting us tied together. I don't care if we only get one or two defenses in this spring, the things we can't compromise are chasing the football, playing fast and physical and putting a huge emphasis on creating turnovers, as well as taking proper angles. It's not how much we can get in this spring because we have a long time between now and when we play. We're hammering home the fundamentals as opposed to doing install, install, install.
Q: What returning players have impressed you the most early on?
SS: Several guys have been good early on. I think both corners in Monquavion Brinson and Kindle Vildor have been good, as have RJ Murray and Joshua Moon at the safety spots. RJ has been light's out and has caught my attention. Christian Matthew has shown up at times and out two insider backers in Todd Bradley and Tomarcio Reese have done well in the new scheme. Lane Ecton and Raymond Johnson III have both given us some really good reps as well. Jessie Liptrot and Darrell Baker Jr. have gone from corner to strong safety and that position is really a third cornerback for us, but they've done a good job for us, as well.
Q: What player fans may not be familiar with has impressed you early on?
SS: Benz Josue keeps popping up on the video, so we have to find a way to get him on the field. Ian Bush has lost a lot of weight and has been good. This defense relies on quick-twitch players and I think Ian can help us. And then finally, Quan Griffin has been good early on for us. So I'm excited about some of the younger guys and seeing how they come along here in the back half of spring ball.
Q: What's your philosophy for your scheme?
SS: We've got to stop the run first, then we've got to match the numbers and then we have to stay on top. You've got to stop the run if you're going to be successful. If you don't stop the run, offenses will just bleed you to death for 4- and 5-yard runs and you can't get off the field. But we have to stop the run with as few players as possible. Anyone can put nine in the box, but stopping the run with the fewest number of players is key to the scheme. You've got to match the numbers with formations into the boundaries, off of motions, off the unbalanced sets and things like that. That's what the 3-4 allows you to do because you've got more moving parts instead of having four hands on the ground. And then we have to stay on top, and by that I mean we can't play our butts off stopping the run and then giving two cheap ones over your head and there's 14 points off of two plays. The quickest way to lose a football game is through the air, so we have to understand that we have to stay on top and not have dirty eyes. But our team is going to play fast and smart, is going to play physical and is going to be violent at the point of attack to try and create turnovers.
Q: What do you want to see between now and Aug. 3 when the Eagle open preseason camp?
SS: I want our guys staying committed to the process. We've gone from winter workouts and now into spring ball and will move back into summer workouts and OTAs to get ready for camp. They'll continue to change their bodies physically and continue to sharpen their minds as we get ready for August.
Players Mentioned
S
/ Football
ILB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DE
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
ILB
/ Football
CB
/ FootballThe GATA Zone - Air Rifle
Thursday, February 19
Walk and Talk: J.I. Clements Stadium
Friday, February 13
2026 Baseball Pre Season Check in
Thursday, February 12
Georgia Southern Football: 2026 State of the Program
Thursday, February 12
