Catching up with George Smith and Reshard Langford

Following coach Bobby Johnson's press conference, I had a chance to catch up with captains George Smith and Reshard Langford as they count down the hours until the Commodores' season opener Thursday night at Miami of Ohio.

GEORGE SMITH

Address how the receiving corps looks in your absence.
GS: We’re strong in the receiving corps. Sean Walker has become one of the biggest vocal leaders I’ve ever seen. He’s got a world of confidence.

It's been reported that Sean Walker has had a great camp, even staying after practice to run routes.
GS: Something like that, staying after practice, is a ritual for receivers. Sean has been working hard. Ever since I went down, I think he knew in his head that he had to step up and be a vocal leader and lead by example.

What should we expect from Jamie Graham?
GS: We don’t like at him like a young guy. He’s played basketball and played in front of big crowds and that gives us a lot of confidence knowing that he can perform under pressure.

Do you think playing basketball helps with football?
GS: I think anybody who’s played on TV or played with games on the line, that definitely has to be taken into effect.

What will it be like to watch from the sidelines on Thursday?
GS: I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader on Thursday and that’s not a tough job for me.

You have to be careful not to hurt the foot again.
GS: I’ve got the one hop on lock. I’m looking forward to cheering on my teammates and making sure that they can do the best that they can do on Thursday.

How has it been preparing for two quarterbacks?
GS: I think it’s a great luxury. Both of them are well-prepared and I think I, along with the rest of the team, have confidence in both of them. Both of them have been in big games and made big plays and that’s exciting to know that you have two quarterbacks capable of winning games.

Who are some guys that you think are in store for a big year?
GS: Jamie Graham, Casey Hayward, a lot of guys on the offensive line...And, how can I forget my No. 1 step-up guy, Chris Marve. I'm looking for a great season out of him. He’s not going to be a freshman, especially after the first game.

Talk about the growth of the program in your time here.
GS: I think this is the fastest team I’ve ever seen, fastest defense I’ve ever seen, and that’s exciting because I get to go against them. That makes me better.

You face both D.J. Moore and Myron Lewis on a daily basis. While D.J. gets a lot of the hype, how do they compare?
GS: Myron is just as good, 6’2", 6’3", 190 (pounds), long arms, can steer you any direction he wants you to.

RESHARD LANGFORD

How excited are you for the season to start?
RL: We’re just ready to go out and play. We’ve been talking about it all season, changing this program, changing things around here. We’re just ready to go play.

How much sleep do you expect to get this week?
RL: I didn’t sleep much last night. But I’m going to sleep, and do what I have to do to prepare myself to get ready for this game.

What will it take for the defense to be as good or better than it was last year?
RL: I feel like playing defense is all about will and how much do you not want the other team to score or complete a pass on you or run the ball on you, and I think we’ve got that. We can be just as good or better than we were last year.

What's the biggest question mark you have with your defense?
RL: I don’t have any question marks at all. I think we’ll go in confident, ready to play, we’ll play hard from start to finish.

What impresses you most about Chris Marve?
RL: His attitude about the game. He loves the game. I enjoy when he’s out on the field, I enjoy all my guys out there. Just his intensity, his love for the game, his spirit about it, is just amazing.

How much different is it being a senior?
RL: It’s a little different. I have a lot more knowledge. I know what’s going on. I can see things differently than some other players might see things. It makes the game a lot easier and it slows it down for me.