George Godsey – October 11, 2021
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Monday, October 11, 2021
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey
(I was curious if the change in playing time allocation at running back yesterday with RB Myles Gaskin playing a ton and RB Malcolm Brown playing only five snaps, was that a logical byproduct of the gameplan, which was pass heavy, which would make total sense if that was the reason. Or, and this is what I was curious about, was it also a determination made internally that you need to start playing Myles a lot again because of his production last season, in training camp, etc.?) – “I think we alluded to it last week in kind of a similar question that we’ve got to get him going. We were able to get some production there. He had a couple of explosive (plays) there. Obviously the touchdown pass early in the game was a big one. His production is going to help us, whether it’s run or pass. It just so happened to be more pass in this past game.”
(I know this is something that is not going to be comfortably addressed, but Head Coach Brian Flores and QB Jacoby Brissett acknowledged that it’s now you communicating with them straight to the headset. How much does that impact you in your role and your ability to get the intent of the play-call out in terms of being the communicator with the quarterback?) – “There are a lot of things I feel like I see before the snap. As much as I can communicate with those guys, especially from upstairs, I think will help them. Whether it’s breaking the huddle, communication offensively, defensively, whether we’re aligned right. I think that streamlined things a lot. I’ll leave it at that.”
(How do you feel the offensive line played with the changes? Did you guys emerge from the game thinking ‘I think we might be on to something with T Liam Eichenberg at left tackle and T Austin Jackson at left guard?’) – “Yeah. I think there were some plays that were real impressive honestly, and then some that we’d like to get corrected. I think Austin is working his way through some things. Within a week, he made some pretty big steps there. Liam is going to continue to get better. Hopefully that group can maintain some consistency and some cohesiveness. We’ve had – whether it’s that group or the receiver group, it’s kind of been some plug and play with some different players and the more cohesive and consistent we can be with the same people out there, the better off we’ll be.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores seemed encouraged with how QB Tua Tagovailoa looked today. What are some of the things that he was doing well in your opinion before he got hurt, that you would like to build on going forward?) – “It was basically go and play the New England game. And we had a couple of plays or a couple of plays within the series that we’d like to have back. But overall, as far as leading the group, it was pretty consistently done. That was starting to build some relationships with each position. Whenever there is a lapse of time like that, I wouldn’t say restarting but we’re getting back on the field and now there is a little bit of an injury deal. It’s getting back the confidence that really you developed all training camp. For Tua, it will be getting back out there on the field, being decisive, getting back that silent alarm and really getting back to where he was building in training camp, and kind of taking it from there.”
(How much concern do you have with QB Tua Tagovailoa playing with pain, and what will you be looking for this week in practice to give you those indications that you’re not putting him at risk or in harm’s way?) – “It’s a unique week too with us traveling and getting ready for the London itinerary. But whenever there is an injury at any position, you’re looking to see what happens on a hit or you get tackled, whether it’s another position or not. We won’t be able to find those things honestly until game time. But as far as certain throws, making sure he’s able to rip a ball out to the sideline if he has to, show some touch over some linebackers, avoid movements in the pocket, those are obviously things that are going to happen throughout the game that you’d like to get a look at in practice and hopefully they come up – whether it’s a play that develops, a defensive linemen that kind of gets an edge on an offensive lineman. You like to see those movements take place. It’s a little bit different when there are no movements, which is kind of what’s going on right now, just to make sure you have the functionality to execute that when that happens. It’s always a touchy thing with all injuries, but obviously when he has the ball in his hands, he’ll be making those movements. We’ll take it day-by-day this week and see if we can arrive at a place we feel comfortable with before the game.”
(I noticed that you guys ran a lot of spread formations but with 12 personnel as opposed to 11 personnel. Was that more of a byproduct of not having WR DeVante Parker and WR Will Fuller? Regardless, what do you like about having 12 personnel in those formations as opposed to 11 with three wide receivers?) – “I think that’s a good question and the tight ends have a versatile role. Whether it’s run or pass, attached, extended, they can align in all of those different spots. I noticed some of them may have seemed like spread formations, but as a tight end, those guys really are dual-role players. Sometimes they motion in, sometimes they motion out. Receivers usually are detached and rarely are in the core of the formation. When you lose a receiver during the week, there are some things you have to adjust. But I think we can play the game both extended and attached, if you will, with the tight ends.”
(I’ve always been intrigued by WR Preston Williams’ talent. Obviously he did a couple of good things early in the game yesterday. What are the coaching points for Preston to enable him to when all is said and done, to say ‘you know what, he at least came close to reaching how good he can be?’) – “He’s coming off an injury. Getting cleared in training camp and not only learning the offense – it’s easy to think you have the offense when you’re not out there performing, then all of a sudden you’ve got 40 seconds between each play, then you’ve got to run back to the huddle, you’ve got to get your alignment, then you’ve got to know what identity you are. So as we were starting to learn that with Preston and as he was starting to get back into things, he got the opportunity this past week. He made a great play down the sideline to continue the drive. Then another catch and run that he had. He’s got to continue to expand his knowledge of the game, his alignments, his route tree. But that’s really what’s happening right now that we’re seeing. If we can keep taking steps forward with that, that will help us. Communication with the quarterback, getting on the same page, the third-down play comes to mind. The ball is thrown his way and maybe there are some things we can do better there too. And really play design, honestly. He’s going to continue to get better. He’s improving on his communication on where he actually needs to be when the play is over from the quarterback. We expect that arrow to continue to trend up.”
(The offensive line change, how much does that help you from a play-calling standpoint in terms of obviously this isn’t a finished product, but having a little bit more pocket security and pocket comfort for the quarterback?) – “Those guys got to prove that each week. It’s a different animal out there going against them. Blitzes, patterns – there is a lot that goes into the position. That whole group doesn’t get as much attention from every team as it should because there are a lot of things that are on those guys’ plates. Communicating from inside out. Like I said, pass pro, run, (play) actions. The more that group can work together and continue to excel play in and play out, the better off our unit will be. We think that every offense really goes the way their o-line plays. If they can continue to take it one play at a time and cover up who we need to cover up in both run and pass, then it will help the quarterback, it will help the running backs and obviously it will give us time to hit the tight ends or receivers down the field. The more that group can play together, the more the communication becomes more second nature and we’ll see a lot of positive plays from there. That’s definitely a good point.”
