Q. Year two under Gene Chizik, what changes, what gets elevated with him as defensive coordinator?
DES LAWRENCE: I would say what changes is our mentality. I think everybody's mentality is the same now. It's on the level where he is, it's a mentality that we're going to go out and compete every day like we're the number one defense in the nation.
He really instills a certain confidence in us and allows us to make plays on the field. He's one that will tell you it's not a coach's game, it's a player's game. Saturday is just our day for us to show the world what we're made of.
Q. You heard a lot about Mitch. How would you define him from the other side, going up against him?
DES LAWRENCE: I would define Mitch as someone who is a student of the game. Regardless of what type of day he's had, the day he's had before, he's going to come out and put forth his best foot. He's a guy on defense you love to see. I love to see him in practice because I know there's not too many quarterbacks in the nation that study the game more than him, are on his level of skill, has his skill level. He can put the ball virtually anywhere. For me being a DB, on Saturdays I may not see that as often as I do in practice.
Mitch is a great player. I can't wait for him to show the world what he's been doing in practice for the last three to four years.
Q. Your bio says at the bottom that the reality TV show you'd like to be part of is Real Husbands of Hollywood. What inspires you for that? What makes you think your future wife might want you to be on that show?
DES LAWRENCE: That was taken like two years ago (smiling).
Kevin Hart was big at the time. Still is big. They have a lot of other comedians on the show. It's a light atmosphere, somewhere where I would like to, you know, be my first acting job.
Q. I see you have some sock swag going on, no shoelaces. Coach has no socks on. What's the inspiration for all this?
DES LAWRENCE: These are my Jesus socks right here. Just a slight dab, as we kids would like to say. Time for us to dress up, get outside of our comfort zone. Fun for us to do.
I didn't know coach was wearing any socks. That's his thing. I don't really know what that is. He looking good. He looking good (smiling).
THE MODERATOR: Any more football-related questions for Des?
Q. I know you talked about what's different or the same in year two under Gene Chizik. How are the expectations different this year?
DES LAWRENCE: I would say they definitely have to increase. You can't stay the same and be as good as you were. We're just trying to reach new heights. I think that everybody is challenging themselves to be better. That, of course, is going to make our defense better.
Me personally, I'm challenging the secondary to be better than we were last year. I think we were top 10, top 15 in most categories. The defense, we were number one in the ACC as far as creating turnovers. That's a goal we would like to duplicate.
Just to be aggressive on defense this year is going to be our thing, getting the ball back to those guys, Mitch, Switz, Elijah, all the other weapons out there because they're so explosive. If they put more points on the board, it makes our job a little easier.
DES LAWRENCE: I would say what changes is our mentality. I think everybody's mentality is the same now. It's on the level where he is, it's a mentality that we're going to go out and compete every day like we're the number one defense in the nation.
He really instills a certain confidence in us and allows us to make plays on the field. He's one that will tell you it's not a coach's game, it's a player's game. Saturday is just our day for us to show the world what we're made of.
Q. You heard a lot about Mitch. How would you define him from the other side, going up against him?
DES LAWRENCE: I would define Mitch as someone who is a student of the game. Regardless of what type of day he's had, the day he's had before, he's going to come out and put forth his best foot. He's a guy on defense you love to see. I love to see him in practice because I know there's not too many quarterbacks in the nation that study the game more than him, are on his level of skill, has his skill level. He can put the ball virtually anywhere. For me being a DB, on Saturdays I may not see that as often as I do in practice.
Mitch is a great player. I can't wait for him to show the world what he's been doing in practice for the last three to four years.
Q. Your bio says at the bottom that the reality TV show you'd like to be part of is Real Husbands of Hollywood. What inspires you for that? What makes you think your future wife might want you to be on that show?
DES LAWRENCE: That was taken like two years ago (smiling).
Kevin Hart was big at the time. Still is big. They have a lot of other comedians on the show. It's a light atmosphere, somewhere where I would like to, you know, be my first acting job.
Q. I see you have some sock swag going on, no shoelaces. Coach has no socks on. What's the inspiration for all this?
DES LAWRENCE: These are my Jesus socks right here. Just a slight dab, as we kids would like to say. Time for us to dress up, get outside of our comfort zone. Fun for us to do.
I didn't know coach was wearing any socks. That's his thing. I don't really know what that is. He looking good. He looking good (smiling).
THE MODERATOR: Any more football-related questions for Des?
Q. I know you talked about what's different or the same in year two under Gene Chizik. How are the expectations different this year?
DES LAWRENCE: I would say they definitely have to increase. You can't stay the same and be as good as you were. We're just trying to reach new heights. I think that everybody is challenging themselves to be better. That, of course, is going to make our defense better.
Me personally, I'm challenging the secondary to be better than we were last year. I think we were top 10, top 15 in most categories. The defense, we were number one in the ACC as far as creating turnovers. That's a goal we would like to duplicate.
Just to be aggressive on defense this year is going to be our thing, getting the ball back to those guys, Mitch, Switz, Elijah, all the other weapons out there because they're so explosive. If they put more points on the board, it makes our job a little easier.
