Four Downs: Nearing Game Week

NORMAN — With classes in full swing and game week just days away, football is in high gear across the nation. Redshirt senior Nick Hodgson, junior Matt Dimon and redshirt freshman Orlando Brown took time out of their busy schedules to talk about the team's progress.

JUNIOR DEFENSIVE END MATT DIMON

1. How did camp go for you and what have you improved the most?

“It went well. It was difficult, but I think overall everyone had a good camp. Now we just have to continue to get better each day. Over the offseason I improved my strength, as you do every offseason. I improved my technique. That has been an obvious improvement for me this offseason.”

2. What do you think the defense will improve on most this year?

“I think we will improve a lot in our pass defense and our pass rush. We didn't do as good of a job as we would have liked to have done last season. So we need to make improvements and to keep making strides and I feel like that is something that we have done throughout camp.”

3. What have you seen from the young offensive linemen thus far?

“They have performed well in camp. They just need to keep perfecting their technique each day and eventually it will all come together for them. If we do that then we will definitely play well come game time. (Freshman) Dru Samia has been playing pretty well, even when he is rolling with the ones. He has done a good job this whole camp. He seems like a guy that has great potential and a great future.”

4. How does it help the down linemen to have pass rushers like Eric Striker and Devante Bond on the edge?

“It has been like that for the last two seasons. Those two guys are amazing pass rushers. As linebackers, they do a lot that we can't do as interior guys. That takes a lot of pressure off of us in the middle.”

SENIOR NICK HODGSON

1. How did fall camp go for you?

“Well it wasn't as good as my spring was. I had a couple days where I struggled. I started off well, had a rough patch in the middle and managed to get back on track toward the end, so not great, but not terrible. There were just some issues with my form. I had to watch a bunch of film to figure it out and work through it.”

2. How have you handled the kicking battle between you and Austin Seibert?

“It forces everyone there to elevate your level of play because (Austin) is a really good kicker and punter. So if me and Jack (Steed), as the incumbents, want to keep our jobs we really have to step it up.”

3. Having spent the last two seasons as the kickoff specialist, does that help you overcome any nerves you may have when place kicking?

“I would just say it makes me comfortable. It's different going from high school to stepping out on a college field. I can attest to that; my first kickoff I was terrified. Two years later, you're just playing to the confidence level you have when you step out on the field. You're not as nervous.”

4. What is the key to being a great kickoff specialist?

“Most players are in the locker room trying to get hyped up before the game. As a kicker, you have to do pretty much the opposite. You just sit there and calm yourself and worry about doing what you've done thousands of times and just let muscle memory take over for you.”

FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN ORLANDO BROWN

1. What have you improved on the most during fall camp?

“Camp was good. I always can get better and things like that, but overall I felt like I got a lot better from spring practice until now as we're getting ready for the season. I've learned to play faster and be more explosive. I felt like I made a huge jump with that.”

2. What did redshirting do for your game?

“It definitely helped me to develop a lot more; Just being able to sit out and see Daryl (Williams) and Tyrus (Thompson) and the older guys and the things they did right and things they did wrong. It helped me learn to be able to sit back and watch and prepare myself mentally and physically before my time came.”

3. How would you assess the offesnsive line?

“I feel like we've all gotten better. With Ty (Darlington) leading us and our seniors Josiah (St. John) and Derek (Farniok). They're our leaders and I've just been following those guys.”

4. Is there anything from your dad's time in the NFL that you have adopted?

“There are little things we've talked about from when I was younger, but actually not very much I feel like because he played in a different era. Back in the '90s is completely different than now because they used more run-game or I-formation. It's also a whole different type of guy. He's going against the Reggie Whites but now you've got guys like Dwight Freeney and Jadeveon Clowney."

JUNIOR DEFENSIVE END MATT DIMON

1. How did camp go for you and what have you improved the most?

2. What do you think the defense will improve on most this year?

3. What have you seen from the young offensive linemen thus far?

4. How does it help the down linemen to have pass rushers like Eric Striker and Devante Bond on the edge?

SENIOR NICK HODGSON

1. How did fall camp go for you?

2. How have you handled the kicking battle between you and Austin Seibert?

3. Having spent the last two seasons as the kickoff specialist, does that help you overcome any nerves you may have when place kicking?

4. What is the key to being a great kickoff specialist?

FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN ORLANDO BROWN

1. What have you improved on the most during fall camp?

2. What did redshirting do for your game?

3. How would you assess the offesnsive line?

4. Is there anything from your dad's time in the NFL that you have adopted?

Players Mentioned

Devante Bond

Orlando Brown

Orlando Brown

Matt Dimon

Nick Hodgson

Nick Hodgson

Dru Samia

Austin Seibert

Eric Striker

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics