Frank Smith – October 31, 2024
Download PDF version
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(I’m wondering have you felt – pressure is not the right word – but with the offense obviously not playing up to standards of the last two years, albeit well last week, have you felt any pressure as offensive coordinator to present new things to Head Coach Mike McDaniel that might work? Do you feel that internally as an OC?) – “No, actually I feel the opposite where you want to make sure you’re going back to core principles, core things you’re attacking. I learned early on in my career when you’re facing some adversity, it’s like you want to make sure you bring the group back to find consistency in something to improve upon to get better. So I think always when we’re going through stuff, is all right, what’s our core, how do we improve at it, how do we give guys ability to get consistency. So I think always my task is to centralize things and say, ‘Here’s where I see it,’ and help paint the picture as we try and attack the defense each week.”
(I’ve been told by a few players that one of the things that defenses are doing with WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle is jamming them, putting hands on them at the line of scrimmage. What is your counter to that because I’ve been told it throws off the timing of the passing game? They just have to beat that? What is your counter to that?) – “I think yeah, there’s times where you have to be efficient in your release but also it comes down to us trying to help with formations, creating stacks, bunches, access points for them to get into the defense. So there’s certain things like when I was a young coach, I learned that line formations can control defenses so you get certain reactions, so we try to use that to create access for them. But at the end of the day, it’s about ability to get off the line of scrimmage and get into the defense, but we will use different formations that allow us to be able to try and do that.”
(What do you think about RB Jaylen Wright has done with his opportunities and maybe his case for more opportunities?) – “He’s done a fantastic job. It goes into the process to get to your performance and we knew – like all along what we’ve talked about for him is just getting used to the complexity of an NFL offense versus the offense he came from (in) college. But man, he’s worked his tail off and it’s awesome for us and a good problem to have. So just making sure that the backs – we’re making sure that we have groupings where each one of them can get involved earlier is something that we’re being conscientious about.”
(Has WR River Cracraft with his work in preseason, his work the last couple years established himself in your eyes and Pass Game Specialist/Wide Receivers Wes Welker’s and Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s eyes as someone who, when he’s active, needs to get a package of snaps on offense? And what will he give you when he’s back?) – “I think when you have a guy who is very reliable, dependable, you know his play, you know where he’s going to be – being in the system obviously prior to his arrival here helps – just a guy that’s going to go about his business the right way and always just knowing ‘how can I help with all things.’ I mean that’s just where with him, he’s been very reliable and dependable for us. He’s made plays when we’ve needed it in the past, and we’ll be excited to add him to the mix whenever we’re able to bring him back.”
(Three interceptions from QB Tua Tagovailoa the last time out. When you guys turned on the tape what did you see from that?) – “Saw for us just execution things that we know we can improve on. Game 2, it was one of those where we’re hoping to – each year is a little different where you find a way in Game 1 to get success and then Game 2 build upon it, and that one just there were some timing things that didn’t work out in our favor. But now when you come back and you reflect upon it, we know, OK, this is why this happened and how we can be connected. So whether it’s – whoever (is) in the game, is just knowing what’s the intent of the play and that way we can stay connected with the quarterback to make things happen.”
(How important is it for this offense to tap back into some of those explosive plays that we saw so regularly last year, the 20-plus air yards, the 60-, 70-yard touchdown catch-and-runs? How important is that for the success of this offense?) – “I don’t know necessarily if it’s vital. I think also we’ve learned in the last couple weeks especially last week how to have longer drives and score. So you’d say the year before, it was if the drive is over eight, you guys are used to short, explosive drives to score. So later in the year when your goal is to make the tournament, the balance of all teams, you have to learn to make sure you have the ability to be patient and have long drives, ball control drives especially when each opponent is a little different as how you want to attack them. So ultimately our goal is to score points, and however we score points is kind of the way we’re doing it. So last year we got the explosives; this year there are some more longer drives. I think ultimately our goal is to find the balance, be able to score to quick and also you have ball control drives where you’ll be able to effectively score to help the defense win.”
(Regarding RB Jaylen Wright getting back to that, is there just a few plays that you could give him and put him in the game even though maybe you’re tipping it off, is it that simple, or no?) – “I think it’s kind of a mixture of the two like all things. It’s never as simple and as hard as you think, so I think for us it’s just making sure that when we have a group of guys that are very talented in the backfield, is making sure that certain packages, ‘OK hey, let’s distribute it with him. Let’s distribute it with him. All right if we’re in 21 (personnel), being a little bit more specific. Maybe we want to have this back versus that back,’ so I think that there’s a blend of how do you get guys involved early? Well, let’s make sure that we’re good on the preparation end so that way we can have a grouping where they get involved earlier.”
(Totally random question. In the Big 12, they’re doing an investigation. This is the first year that they’re allowed to have the communication between the coach and the quarterback in the helmet and they’re doing an investigation because one of the teams is convinced that due to the lack of encryption, some of the other teams have been listening in on their plays. Have you ever felt that the other team just must know your plays during the game?) – “I mean the only place where I’ve heard they had intercommunication was in New England in 2013. We’re playing them on Sunday night or whatever it was and all of a sudden we’re on the headsets, you can hear a radio station. You’re like, ‘How is that getting in here?’ Seriously. It was like we’re in New Orleans, you’re hearing… you’re like, ‘what is that?’ So like that was the only time, only place in my 15 years I ever was like, ‘what’s going on here?’ (laughter) Just kidding, but as far as years tested with things, it’s like ultimately – I mean, I always laugh with college football because I think they all want billboards so they can steal it from each other and now this new piece that it changes the piece of the puzzle where we’ve never had a problem. I don’t think it’s really ever a thing we ever concerned ourselves with.”
(How would you assess the quality of play of your interior offensive line this year – OL Robert Jones, OL Aaron Brewer, OL Liam Eichenberg?) – “I think it’s like what we’re seeing the last couple weeks is kind of where we thought we would be. There’s factors with all the change of situations early on that for us, we had variables that we had to solve and now getting back to some of our stuff that we felt better that would help consistency, I think that’s why you’re seeing the guys the last couple weeks really being able to play the ball that they feel comfortable with inside. Because ultimately, the inside three have got to be able to all play together. It’s vital that they have the communication, have the understanding and I think that’s something that we’ve really gotten honed in on the last couple weeks.”
(A mishandled snap in shotgun, another one under center. Are there any coaching points that maybe need to be emphasized or does it come down to the chemistry between QB Tua Tagovailoa and OL Aaron Brewer?) – “Just minor nuances of coaching, but ultimately it’s like both of them said, it’s just hey, making sure that I distribute a catchable ball and I’m there at the right time. So it was a variable for that and then under center was just making sure that we’re getting the connection. They’ve been awesome yesterday and today and they’re very aware of making sure that doesn’t happen again.”
(Obviously when you have smaller wide receivers the opportunities in the red zone are going and goal-to-go situation changes how you run routes. What can you do to counter that in terms of making sure you’re not throwing corner routes to WR Tyreek Hill on a consistent basis?) – “I think ultimately it’s just the distribution and what formations you’re doing to create space and where’s the ball get pushed to? Sometimes it pushes it into that spot. But ultimately in the red zone, the most efficient teams in the red zone are good running teams because the space is minimized so that’s where you’ve got to maximize run opps and then you get run opps, then you can get them to compress and then when you can get them to compress, you can hit different lanes. So it all works hand-in-hand, but ultimately I think it’s just for us to make sure that we’re getting formations and movements so that way we can attack the different areas of the defense so when it’s in that pocket, it’s about the release and the timing. And then when it’s in other areas it’s about timing and distribution.”
(How did the offense look to you last week with QB Tua Tagovailoa back in there?) – “I think everyone here would feel – it’s like (it) felt kind of more where we wanted to be. Like ultimately we think we’ve got to end our drives with touchdowns and get that area to improve, but overall felt the movement of the game and the growth is where want it to be.”
(How concerning is the TE Julian Hill shoulder situation?) – “Like all guys, when you have guys that are part of the puzzle when you’re working through things it’s challenging, but he’ll be diligent in his rehab. So ultimately we always try to make sure we have answers for contingencies so that way we don’t limit ourselves as far as the attack for Sunday.”
