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Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/368605
IllustrateD volume 25, issue 1 33 f Hudson: "Well, we're still putting Sean (Robinson) and Joe (Gilliam) and Jimmy (Herman) out there, we're just putting them in the right positions. And they're a year better, so, yes, I feel better about that. And J.B. (Bentley) can get a hand in that, and the rest of the guys are right there on the bubble. They've got to just produce some more before you can get out there on the field, but some of them aren't too far away. Some of them are, but right now we've got a handful, you're right, that we can go out there and play with. "But we're going to play the guys that we can win with. It's not like the next guy in line at the fair and you go in. It's go in there and produce and get it done." Gold and Black: A little unfortunate that Ra'Zahn Howard was out as long as he was with groin and hip injuries, because he's a guy you're counting on a lot this year. Hudson: "Yeah, well, he really had a nasty spill and did the splits. Thank God he's athletic and is as flexible as he is, that probably saved him. We'd rather have him out a couple weeks than a couple months. We've been smart about it and when he's ready to go full speed, he'll be out there. He makes it different for everybody in that front; he makes it different for everybody, being that close to the ball and what he can do." Gold and Black: Ryan Russell keeps showing up. He had a couple sacks and a couple QB pressures in the jersey scrim- mage. Further evidence that he's close? Hudson: "He's close and he should be. That's his job and that's his production re- sponsibility. He should be a menace out there. And he's worked harder and harder than he has before. And believe it or not, we're going to ask him to give us even more because he's got it in there and we'll bring it out of him." Gold and Black: Your secondary had a different look when it opened camp with Frankie Williams at safety. What did you like about him there and what you saw from those guys over the last couple weeks? Hudson: "Well, Frankie jumped in there and wanted to be there. And we have some guys at corner that we feel good about so we were able to put him in there. I sort of gauged it by, I didn't keep wondering how he was doing, I just let it play out and said, 'Will I notice him not doing well?' And that didn't happen, which is good. He's done a good job. He learned a lot and learned even more about some things in the scrimmage. He's going to be OK there. It will be a really good position for him and it created depth there, so we're excited about it. "And it created opportunity at the corner spots and we have a pair and a spare at each corner battling it out. We're having some good work there." Gold and Black: What will happen when Tay- lor Richards returns from his suspension? Do you know yet? Hudson: "No. I'm worried about what's going on with Western Michigan. That's way down the road." Gold and Black: There's probably room for a freshman to play in the secondary, but I didn't see one jump to the forefront. Did you? Hudson: "They're in line with some guys who are football players and it's tough to get on the field when there's a couple guys there who have the skill to hold their spots. We're glad they're here, there's no doubt about that, but some older guys have had good camps, playing well and practicing well."