catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
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posted 08-18-2014 09:25 PM
He is a player who is going to be fun to watch and listen to after the game as he isn't afraid to tell you what's on his mind.
Kentucky freshman defensive tackle Matt Elam is never at a loss for words and offered insights into a lot of things during UK’s Media Day.
Question: Are you ready for this season?
Elam: “I would say that I am definitely getting ready. This is a big transition from high school. Not just the physical things, but the mental. The tempo and things, you have to learn so much, so quick. You have to learn everything boom, boom, boom. Man I am like, ‘I just learned that and now I have to learn this.’ If you don’t learn it, you are going to miss it and not just be good on that and that looks bad in the coach’s eyes. I want to be 100 percent in everything I do.”
Question: Did it surprise you at media day when Stoops said you would definitely play in the first game?
Elam: “I saw it on Twitter when I was laying down. That’s nice that he thinks I can get in there and play right away. I know that he has this big like about redshirting people. A lot of people look at it like it is bad, but it definitely a good thing for you. You have a year to learn stuff. That is one of the big things just to learn technique and stuff.
“He don’t want you to go out there and be on somebody’s highlight tape (for getting beat). That is not a good look if you are out there and not ready and that’s going to look bad on him. He definitely wants players to be ready. I think that means he thinks I am ready, and I am proud of that.”
Question: Do you think you are ready to play in the first game?
Elam: “I wouldn’t say I am ready right now, but I am definitely learning a lot and I have made a big jump already, so I will be way better. So definitely will be better.”
Question: How are you better now than when you got to Kentucky in June?
Elam: “I was just bull-rushing people and using my power. Now I am using my speed and more technique to beat people. Back in high school, there were smaller players and I just overpowered them and get to the ball. Now there is so much technique and everything. People are big and strong too, so you just can’t overpower them every play. Learning all that is making me better.”
Question: Did you have a welcome-to-college moment where the bull-rush didn’t work?
Elam: “It was against Zach Meyers, I think. I tried to bull-rush him and it worked for a couple of steps and then he anchored down. I was like, ‘This has never happened before.’ You know what I am saying. The coaches said, ‘I told you. You have to use technique.’ Definitely a lot you have to learn and I am learning.”
Question: How much has senior defensive end Za’Darius Smith helped you?
Elam: “He has helped me a lot. When you come in, you got lot of old players who might not care if you learn. But he wants me (to). If I am not there and not doing my job, they will block him and get more pressure on him. But if you have two players on the same side that you have to scout and look over, it is hard because you don’t know who is going to come where or what is going to happen. He is definitely trying to help me and I am going to help him.”
Question: Is the 375 pounds listed for you on the roster accurate?
Elam: “I would say it is about 370, 373. I came in about 390. I lost a lot of weight and got down to 350 range, but I have been building that up because we do a lot of work. Just getting better weight.”
Question: What did the coaches want you to weigh?
Elam: “They wanted me to be around 370, 360, where I can move well. If you are 380, 390, you are not going to be able to move. I feel like they would have redshirted me then, so I took it off on my own and had to get my own weight down. I tried to work hard on that.”
Link
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
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