Devin Lloyd keeps forcing turnovers

Added defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, “It’s tremendous. I mean, that’s the name of the game. And one, it’s infectious. He sets the standard for the rest of our defense. Two, he makes our offense better by the way he practices and forces their ball security. It’s value added in so many ways what he brings to our team.”

It’s the second point that stood out for the latter half of what we’ll call the series of the day today. Because several plays after Lloyd punched the ball out of Coker’s arms, the offense ran essentially the same play.

Coker cut across the middle on a shallow crosser. Young found him there. The receiver turned upfield. And the defense, hoping for a repeat, sent safety Tre’von Moehrig in for the punch. Moehrig moves at 100 miles per hour, and his attempt to force a fumble is no different. He even executed it well, punching from the top down on the broad side of the ball.

“It goes both ways,” Canales concurred with Evero. “It affects the defense. It teaches the offense how to secure the ball and not relax after the catch. They have to transition and get their mindset, ‘People are coming for me. I need to secure the ball.'”

But this time, Coker was ready.

He squeezed it into his body and stayed on his feet, gaining extra yards in a fitting way to close out the drill.