Vance Joseph – June 6, 2016
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Monday, June 6, 2016
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph
(On whether CB Xavien Howard knows how to use his size yet for the cornerback position) – “Not yet. He has showed us that he has great movement skills. He has long speed. He has ball skills. He has great lateral quickness. Obviously, being a rookie, he knows nothing about playing the position on this level but talent-wise, he’s what we thought he was going to be.”
(On whether he was surprised by CB Xavien Howard’s size) – “At the combine, I walked by him a couple times. I knew he was going to be long when he came in for his draft visit. He was a bigger man (than) I thought he was going to be. He has long arms. He has big shoulders. He is built like a safety, but he has corner skills. And that’s important not just to be big, but to have corner skills.”
(On the competition at cornerback) – “It’s going well. Obviously, (Byron) Maxwell is a guy we’re hoping to be our starting right corner. We have (Tony) Lippett and (Xavien) Howard competing for the left side. (We) also (have) Bobby McCain involved. It’s an ongoing battle, but you guys all know (that) to be a great secondary, we need three or four guys who can play. That’s important (to) keep those guys. It’s getting better every day.”
(On how CB Xavien Howard’s patience and footwork are coming along) – “His footwork is really good. His patience – his eye progression – it needs some work. That’s most young corners coming to the league. In college, you can kind of put your eyes in the wrong spots and still make plays, because the quarterbacks aren’t as accurate. But in the NFL, if you put your eyes in the wrong spot, you won’t make a play. That’s his issue – it’s really eye progression – even patience you could say.”
(On his impressions of players so far despite no-contact practices) – “It’s tough, because the guys up front are rushing against guys. We’re not wearing pads, but you can see the front-four guys rushes, as far as the get off, as far as the quickness and bursts and the skillset, you can see that; but obviously for an offensive lineman, it’s tough blocking (DE) Mario Williams with no pads. You can see it, but also, the evaluation is going to come better with pads on, obviously, in training camp. It’s fun to see Mario win on the edge, but with pads makes a difference.”
(On the defense’s pass rush potential) – “We have great potential with Mario (Williams), obviously Cam (Wake) and (Ndamukong) Suh and those guys. They’ve got history of being great pass rushers, but that’s on paper. Until we do it, nothing is solid.”
(On being in the defensive coordinator role) – “It’s different. At first, I couldn’t find a spot to keep myself busy, but now I float from spot to spot (on the practice field). But it’s important to be detailed. If you’re going to play great defense, it’s always the fine, small points that you have to perfect. That’s (in) every position. That’s football. It’s a game of inches, literally.”
(On the competition at nickel) – “Nickel is going. We have Bobby McCain working there. We have the young kid from Penn State – (Jordan) Lucas – working there, also. (Tyler) Patmon is working there, also. That’s an, obviously, important job. That’s a starting position. Most of your snaps are going to be in nickel, so that spot is obviously an important spot. And we have to find a guy who can do it from down to down.”
(On CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu) – “We’re taking it slow with him. He had a, obviously, serious, serious knee injury, and it has probably been a year – a year and a couple months – from his injury. We’re taking it slow with him. (We are) hoping to get him to camp, so we can give him more attention. But right now, we’re feeding him some reps slowly, so we can get him back in the groove of playing football.”
(On what has impressed him about the defense so far) – “Just the attitude and the effort. Guys have been engaged every day, and that’s important. If you’re going to be a great defense, you can’t have days where you take days off. If they’re going to beat us, they’re going to beat us, because they’re better, not because they outwork us. The work ethic has been very impressive.”
(On DT Ndamukong Suh’s participation in voluntary OTAs) – “It means a lot, because … My philosophy with this is this: It’s obviously voluntary. It is voluntary workouts. But it’s also voluntary to be good. If guys want to be good on defense, they’re going to be in town, they’re going to be here working. I get it. It’s part of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). But if you want to be good on defense – you want to be a good player – you’re here. That’s how I look at it.”
(On whether he insisted DT Ndamukong Suh attend voluntary OTA practices) – “No. He wants to be here. He’s obviously learning a new system. He’s in great shape. He’s having fun doing it. I’ve been really impressed with him so far.”
(On S Reshad Jones and whether his absence affects the defense) – “It doesn’t hold us back. Obviously, again, that’s a contract matter. That’s not my area. But it won’t hold us back, because when guys aren’t here, I treat them as (if) they’re injured for the week. I don’t even think about it, really. I move on with guys who’re here. The guys who are here, that’s who we’re coaching. That’s who we’re going to go forward with until he shows up.”
(On whether he expects S Reshad Jones to attend mandatory minicamp) – “I’m not sure.”
(On the message it would send if S Reshad Jones does not attend mandatory minicamp) – “Again, it’s a contract matter. It’s his personal contract matter. It won’t be any message, in my opinion. We’ve got Michael Thomas out there. We’ve got Isa (Abdul-Quddus) working. The guys who are here, we’re going to work with and focus on those guys.”
(On situating himself at practice as the defensive coordinator) – “I bounce from the DBs first. That’s my comfort zone, obviously. I go DBs first, (then) linebackers and very little with d-line. They’ve got plenty of help down there with (Assistant Defensive Line/Pass Rush Specialist) Coach (Jim) Washburn and (Defensive Line) Coach (Terrell) Williams. I float between the DBs and linebackers.”
(On whether he has given thought to how DE Dion Jordan might be used) – “I have not. That’s a league issue. And if he shows up, I would certainly do so. But right now, I have not.”
(On whether the defensive tackle rotation will be similar to last year’s) – “I’m not sure how it was done last year, to be honest. But to keep those guys fresh is of importance, obviously. We want guys to play hard and fast all the time. Big guys, they wear down if they’re playing too many snaps, so that’ll be determined probably in the fall.”
(On how DE Cam Wake looked in his return to the practice field) – “He looked great. He looked explosive. Obviously, it’s still early on. He has not gone full speed, but he looked great.”
(On Head Coach Adam Gase talking trash to the defense) – “I love it, because practice should be fun. It should be competitive. Every down counts. If you get a team that’s always engaged and competing every day, that’s a sign of a good football team in my opinion (and) not just going through the motions (or if) they score, it’s no big deal (or) we make a play, it’s no big deal. It’s a big deal to win every day. That’s important.”
(On sharing quotes of the late Muhammad Ali with the defense) – “We shared this morning. We’ve got four days left of OTAs and the minicamp before the break. We were just talking about one of his famous quotes, ‘To be a champion, it takes skill and will, but more will.’ Football is a game of will. Lots of guys have talent, but the will part is so important in football. It’s a hard game – to practice every day, to play injured, those things. It’s a game of will.”
(On DE Cleyon Laing and where he has been playing on the defensive line) – “He’s playing only end right now. He’s doing a fine job. He’s rushing hard. He’s playing hard. And again, that evaluation is going to come more in training camp when pads are on.”
(On DE Chris McCain and the decision to move him to defensive end) – “Being a 4-3 (technique) team, we’re playing with more outside ‘backers that are space players. Our defensive ends are more in the mold of outside linebackers. It fits his skillset more. He’s a taller outside pass rusher, so for him, it just fits better for him to be a (defensive end) in this scheme versus a Sam ‘backer or a Will ‘backer.”
