Anderson Looking to Take the Next Step with the Pirate Linebackers

For second year ECU linebacker coach Ryan Anderson, getting his group better is job one this spring. So far he has been pretty pleased with the work of his linebackers and he doesn't mind saying so.

"You know I'm pretty proud of the guys that have been there. We've got an experienced group. We've got four guys who are really seniors," Anderson told PirateIllustrated.com, "I'm really happy with Jordan Williams. He's done a good job, always staying and assisting and he had a really good scrimmage on Saturday."

"Ray Tillman has really stepped up too. Ray has been a guy who has been here for a while and did a really good job. He's playing our Will linebacker now. He's done all the right things from the offseason to spring ball and he is flying around and making plays. He's just got to continue to get reps. A lot of times you get guys who are older but they haven't played a ton so it's a matter of getting a whole lot of reps. The good thing about Ray is he's played in games."

"Cannon Gibbs is a new guy that has come in. He's actually stepping up and doing really well."

There is another linebacker to watch come this fall who Anderson is really high on.

"The new guy on the scene would be Aaron Ramseur. He's doing a really good job. We've just got to continue to get him along. He's a young guy who has got to continue to learn and get game experience," Anderson told PI.

The coaching staff isn't having to waste an inordinate amount of time teaching guys how this staff wants to practice after going through it for a full first season last year.

"I think it's great. I know from an individual standpoint from my drills for my guys, it's great because the guys know what to do. It's not a bunch of teaching, it's getting a bunch of reps and drills," Anderson said, "I know the flow of practice has been better from where we were a year ago, having to come out here and walk through practice just to show guys how to practice. It's been great for this camp."

Anderson outlined what he and his group of linebackers seek to accomplish in the final days of this year's spring workouts.

"Execute. That's the number one thing. Execute and the more we can get in scrimmage and live situations, that will be the best thing we can do."