Frank Smith – November 10, 2022
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Thursday, November 10, 2022
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(I think one thing people wonder when they watch your offense is how in the world are WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle often seemingly so open in the middle of the field? Is it simply their talents? If you could explain, from your perspective, why you think that’s been the case?) – “Yeah, I think it goes into obviously utilizing their skillsets of speed, but at the same time, I think it comes down to just what do they do well and what is the defense trying to do. So basically, putting them in spots to be able to utilize their skillsets. The one thing you see about our offense is that we’re constantly in motion, we’re constantly moving pieces to try and allow our guys to get in positions to attack the defense. So I think it’s a combination of the process when it starts on Tuesday, when we start coming with the game plan – how do we get our guys in best position to attack the defense and what they’re trying to do coverage wise. Then that comes into their understanding, their execution, the combination with Tua (Tagovailoa), the timing. You start the ingredients being baked on Tuesday, and when it all comes together, you have a great dish on Sunday. So I think that’s just the challenge for us each week is to make sure that we don’t just run plays to run plays. We run plays with a purpose, and I think that’s the greatest thing about what we do around here.”
(RB Jeff Wilson Jr.’s contribution, I thought I saw him have a good block against a rusher against QB Tua Tagovailoa, the reception, the 28-yard run, the physical presence. What did he do and what does he add to the offense?) – “I think you hit everything right there. I mean, that’s exactly what he brings – versatility within the offense and an understanding already of it coming from San Francisco. His familiarity with (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and knowing what Mike is going to ask him to do. I think this last Sunday was a good representation of what he’s going to bring and not being a one-dimensional back doing one thing – I mean, he’s got a broad skillset. It’s pretty cool to see him make that catch and then dive in from four yards out to score. Then (he’s) just a guy who loves football. You can just feel his energy every day when you’re just talking to him. So I think that we’re really fortunate that it was able to happen. (We’ll) just keep utilizing him for what he can do, and that’s a complete back.”
(How would you assess OL Robert Jones’ first start at left guard?) – “I thought he did a good job. I think there were some things that when you come out there, as far as making sure you’re looking at the right things, constantly working on technique as things move. But overall, we felt that he executed the gameplan. He was physical. The things that he needs to work on and improve on he’s well aware of, and he’s already attacking it starting yesterday. So I’d say overall, we’re very pleased with how he started for his first game.”
(In regards to WR Tyreek Hill, the football player on the field, from the moment he’s arrived, when I say to you, is there a moment, the first moment, any moment that just jumps in your mind like, “Wow, that’s different. Wow, that’s unique. Wow, that’s special. Wow, I haven’t seen that.” Does something jump in your head when I talk like that?) – “Yes, and unfortunately, I saw it for four years on the other sideline and division. So I just watched it all the time and go like, ‘Ugh, wow.’ I mean, I remember back in 2018, he was lined up in the slot on rookie nickelback and I’m just stand there going, like, ‘Uh oh,’ and then he just runs right past him like he was like a cone standing right there. So when you watch it on the other sideline two games a year for four years, when he comes to the field in-person, the one thing that sticks out to me might not even be what the world would see. To me, what sticks out is his passion, his work ethic, his ability. It starts in individual drills, how hard he works. Success isn’t by chance in this league. It’s not like – so many times people say, ‘Oh, wow. He makes it look easy.’ He makes it look easy because of his preparation and the diligence he has. When you’re around – I was fortunate enough early in my career in New Orleans to be around so many great players, and just the strain at which they operated just on a daily basis – he’s the epitome of that. So I think overall, the production that we see on the field, that was never a surprise – I saw that way too often. (laughter) However, how he is as a worker, how he is as a guy, that is what sticks out to me, because that’s why you’re like, ‘That’s why he’s successful.’”
(How are you guys treating the return of OL Austin Jackson? Do you want to get him back in at right tackle? Or with the way T Brandon Shell is playing, would you like to see if he could have a hold on that? Or maybe give OL Austin Jackson a chance to compete at left guard with OL Robert Jones? How do you want to treat that?) – “I think ultimately, we’re just trying to make sure we get Austin (Jackson) ramped up in an appropriate way, so we don’t have any setbacks or anything – so introducing (him) back in, the slow ramp up into getting ready for the game. Ultimately, our goal is to play the best five. Whatever combination that is is what we’re going to try and put out there. So ultimately, right now as far as where guys go and each spot, I would think that as you guys have seen throughout the season, the consistency and the versatility is kind of something we’ve tried to hit on from the beginning, especially with the (offensive) line. So when it comes to his return, we’ll evaluate that when we get there. But ultimately, right now, our goal is just to get him back to the practice field and getting him back to the game field.”
(Earlier this week, Head Coach Mike McDaniel talked about the idea of how many people put into the running game with yourself, Offensive Assistant Mike Person, Assistant Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierrre, Offensive Line Coach Matt Applebaum. I’m just curious as a former center, former run game coordinator, all that stuff, how have you enjoyed getting with this group of people to put together a gameplan each week, especially in the running game?) – “It’s been awesome. For me personally, starting really kind of in Chicago, doing run plans kind of independently by myself and having learned through that process, I always studied the Shanahan scheme. We were kind of similar, doing some of that in Chicago. So for me to really watch what (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) was doing from afar and then now kind of – when you study a scheme, it’s hard to really replicate it sometimes unless you’re inside of the system. You kind of understood certain things, but now working with Mike (McDaniel) every day on that has been awesome. The way he sees football, the creativity, the understanding of that, what the defense is trying to do, and how to attack it, I mean, it’s been awesome. It’s kind of like – I’d say our game planning always starts on Tuesday with an abstract thought of where we see the vulnerability or with the defense, what area we need to attack, what we’re both seeing, and then we kind of build a gameplan off of that. As opposed to many places you’ve been, ‘Hey, these plays worked against them. Let’s do that. Let’s do this,’ where we start with an abstract thought and kind of go, ‘OK, here’s what we see. Now, let’s build upon that.’ I would say that’s one of Mike’s greatest strengths is understanding the defense, its rules, where they’re trying to do things and then we build a plan off of that. Then the guys help with that as well when we look at combination blocks, leverages, stuff like that. I mean, that’s where the whole – I would say it starts off with a lump of clay and then turns into a piece of art by the end of the week.”
