Linebackers coach Jason Tarver (11.17.23)
Talking about the fourth quarter Sunday. Just the tenacity that you could feel from out of the defense on the sidelines. Can you maybe expand on that? You were down there also just what you were feeling from that defense in the fourth quarter as it was sort of trying to get the ball back, get back, give you guys a chance to win.
“We felt the whole team on the sideline. This team is full of resolve and we could feel it. We were talking about it, players, coaches, everybody, of how this is where we want to be. This is our mindset. We know we work well together. We like each other. We have trained for these moments now we’ve become more resilient, like Coach (Kevin) Stefanski always says. So, when you’re able to talk about those things in the moment, it brings everybody together and coaches, players, everybody on our sideline did a great job of just going to the next play and making sure were in the right spots and also straining as hard as we could to finish that game.”
It also seemed like when we talked to those guys after the game, basically all of them said they had no doubt. Even when it’s 31-30 and they’re like, oh, we’re just going to go out and get another stop. How have you seen that confidence kind of materialize?
“Yeah, it’s really cool. Those are the things that as a coach and as an organization and being a part of it a few times when it gets built, it’s really cool because you can’t give that to people. You can’t give that to a group. That resilience comes from shared situational awareness and just mindset. And it really was, everybody was talking about it and we need to continue that. And when you have it, you have to keep bringing it back out. I was a part of one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history as a young offensive coach. I had my glasses on before LASIK when I worked for a team on the West coast and Jeff Garcia came to the sideline in the third quarter after we got stopped on a fourth and one and it was in the playoffs against the Giants. And he just looked at us and said – we’re down, I forget how many, but it was a lot. And he just looked at us, said, “We’re going to win this game.” And everybody went and it took off and that team was resilient like that. So as a young coach, I won’t say my age at that point, but that’s where I saw it for really the first time when it becomes collective and it’s not easy to get. And now it’s our job, all of us together, to, no matter what the circumstances, live that way.”
How special is that?
“You’re trying to, as a group, build this from the ground up. And that’s one of the greatest things about coaching or being involved with any sport, but especially at this level, is watching people get that and helping bring that along. It’s rare. Yeah, it can be. But because it takes everybody. It takes everybody’s mindset and it takes everybody buying in and everybody understanding that all that matters is the team and going want to know each week.”
How have you guys created that?
“How have we created it? A lot of it is the resilience. We’ve done a lot of things as a team. We’ve been in a lot of situations. Not only some of our players in the past together, but the players that we added to this team are great pieces and they’re unselfish and they come in and they have different experiences. But our experience has been welding together and then we’ve been through a lot of stuff. Who’s playing? I don’t know. Let’s go.”
Does it also come from the ups and downs of a season as well as you guys have gone through different games, of just the ups and downs of that as well, that you build that resilience throughout a season?
“Yeah, but I also think it’s your mindset when you go through it, because if you’re going through it and you’re not conscious as an individual and as a team, then you’re not learning the lessons. I think our players and everybody involved has done a good job of recognizing when it is something we need to learn and learn from and applying what we’ve learned and that consciousness of being able to do that, that’s huge. That’s where tying it together is really special.”
Is that what you notice when you kind of tie into this week’s opponent? You face them a lot, a long time. It just seems like they have thrived in those type of moments over the years. The great, the fourth quarter, that sort of thing. Is this sort of a standard for a lot of the great organizations? Is what you’re talking about that resolve that you’re starting to see develop here?
“Yeah, we got to learn how to do that in every game, no matter what the circumstances. Finish the game. It can’t be sometimes, but it does. It comes from consistency of the organization working together. It comes from how players interact, and it comes from when you’re in these moments recognizing it and applying what you learned. So, yeah, we got to keep it going. And yeah, that’s our challenge this week and it’s a big challenge and we have to do that no matter who the opponent is. But this is obviously a great test and it’s at home. And what we’re excited about is to be back at home because the last time we were here, the Dawg Pound was amazing, especially, like when we’re on defense, when the last team was backed up. That was awesome. So, Dawg Pound, keep doing it. We need you. We love you.”
Specifically the unselfishness. But I realize you’re on the coaching side, not on the scouting side or in the front office part, but from an organizational philosophy. How important is it for you guys to bring in players that have that kind of mentality as opposed to trying to find players that fit a certain skill set? Where then it’s up to you guys to coach that unselfishness into them?
“Well, I think it works both ways. It’s kind of like nature versus nurture, right? Every human is his own person, but that human being put into the environment, there’s give and take on both sides. And we’ve gotten better at it as an organization since we’ve been able to be together, of just identifying those personality types, but then also when they come in, of helping them jump into this society that we have. So, I think we’ve gotten better at that, and we need to continue to get better at that, at identifying who fits and what pieces, because we need everybody. We’re a great example of a team that’s needed everybody this year. And some have made contributions of people that have just been lucky enough, and we’ve been lucky enough to get them to show up and contribute. So, it’s conscious in this organization, though, there are discussions from all of us. It’s just talking about the personality types and how they fit. It’s constant.”
We ask you about Jeremiah (Owusu-Koramoah), like, every time you’re up here, but it really seems like with each passing game that he’s maybe unlocked the next level of his career in year three. Now, is he like, seeing the game better? Has it slowed down for him and his reactions and all that stuff? How has that improved?
“He’s staying in his process. I get asked the questions and I talk about the same things because really it is. It’s building his body and building his game preparation process. He had a little dip in one game, and his preparation the last two or three weeks is even up another level. Even more notes. And he’s been taking this year, he’s taken better notes. He’s conscious of what he does. He’s like, I need that play again. Like starting to own things that happen to him in practice on the field, “I need that one again, coach.” Or that would be an example of a quote and how he communicates with Anthony (Walker) and Sione (Takitaki) and everybody is just going up and up and then there are a couple of calls that maybe he hasn’t had. Like, I threw him in one for yesterday and he just looked at me and goes, “Yeah, it’s time. Let’s go.” So, it’s coming. It’s coming. But his challenge is to stay in this process and his challenge is to, no matter what the arena, stay in the process. Like road [games], home, it doesn’t matter. Get your eyes right from play one to play 60. Whatever it takes. There it is. And it’s becoming more consistent and that’s what we’re working on.”
How has the Steelers’ run game changed from week two?
“I think we have a big challenge. Their last game – their last few games, they did a really good job of establishing the tempo and with both of their weapons that can handle the ball in the backfield, they’re both different, and different is not bad. Different is a great thing. And so, what we got to make sure we do is get whatever eleven defenders were on the ball around these guys, whichever one they have at, however, they get them the ball. So, I think they’re getting better. And it’s our challenge to make sure that we stay in our identity and do what we just said, which is stay in each play and be able to deal with the different schemes that they have.”
How has their offense overall evolved since week two? I know Matt Canada supposedly he’s down on the sideline now calling plays, I guess. What have you noticed where their offense has changed dramatically from the first time you saw?
“I don’t know if it’s dramatically, I think they’re getting some of their guys back. Like, I don’t know for sure if 88 (Pat Friermuth) is going to play, but he’s a good player. I think it’s just their ability to put the ball in those two guy’s hands with some good scheme runs. And for us, it’s about how we do what Jim (Schwartz) talks about all the time, which is the front needs to disrupt and the linebackers and safeties need to clean it up. So that’s going to be big in this game is whatever happens in front of us, fixing it and then swarming because they’re good runners.”
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