Adam Gase – August 28, 2018
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Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What do you like from CB Jalen Davis at kickoff returner?) – “We’re always looking for guys that can – whether it be kickoff return, punt return – it’s one of those jobs you have to have a different mindset. When you have 10 guys running at you, you count on guys to get on blocks and you’re going to have to make a lot of guys miss in the open field, usually unblocked. It takes probably a little more than just courage to be able to stick it up in there. When you find guys that have that mindset and are willing to do it and can hit the hole hard, that’s a starting point, and when they actually have vision, that’s even better. I think he’s done a good job when we put him in there of creating a little bit. At the same time, we still have a ways to go because the more he does it, the better he’ll get at it.”
(Are you considering with WR Jakeem Grant for that job?) – “We’re going to kind of see how everything plays out.”
(What’s the biggest thing that S Reshad Jones brings to the defense?) – “His experience. He’s seen a lot of football. He’s been in multiple defensive schemes. I think the longer he’s played, you make it sound like it’s easier for him, but it becomes easier because you can react more and you’re not thinking as much. I think he’s seen a lot of ball over time and it allows him to be more aggressive, it allows him to take chances because he has an idea of what’s going on sometimes just before some guys understand it. He’ll see a route concept developing, he’s able to maybe take a better angle and get his hands on the ball.”
(We noticed DE William Hayes was working out in pads after practice today. Where does he stand?) – “He’s still working through that. I think he feels like he’s ready to go, but I think we’re good where we’re at right now, we just have to make sure that he’s healthy for Week 1.”
(Do you anticipate having him on track for Week 1?) – “I’m hoping so, unless we have any kind of setbacks.”
(What’s your feeling on linebacker depth? Obviously LB Chase Allen has certainly played well. Do you feel that you have enough there or do you need more clarity on Thursday?) – “We’ll kind of see how this plays out. We haven’t really gotten too deep as far as what we’re doing after this game. We’re focused on this one right here. Once this game is over then we’ll move on to the next step.”
(Are there any position groups or players you’re particularly keen on for this last game?) – “Really, both sides of the ball. They didn’t have a great outing last week and we have to make sure that we play better. It’s really both sides of the ball. It’s hard to say this group or one side of the ball. I think both sides need to show a lot of improvement. We need some guys to make more plays when they’re given the opportunity. We have guys that we’ve seen actually do it, and we just didn’t have a very good game last week. In the second half, we need these guys to play better.”
(How has DL Kendall Langford played in his first two weeks here?) – “I’ve been impressed with his ability to come in … He hadn’t practiced and to be able to go in and play against Carolina and then last week getting a full week’s work and then playing in the game. The longer we’ve gone, it’s just going to be a steady climb. Him coming in late, it’s a lot to pick up really fast.”
(I’m doing something on tall football players, 6-foot-7 and over. It occurs to me that half the game is cut off to you. It’s like being a left-handed baseball player where you can’t catch, you can’t play second base, you can’t play shortstop. Is that true?) – “(laughter) That’s a tough one to answer. I don’t know. I have no clue. I’ve been around Brock (Osweiler), who’s close. Zach (Sterup), he seems taller than 6-foot-7. I feel like a little kid next to him. I just know at that size, when you’re playing offensive line, I’m sure it can get interesting sometimes when you get those speed rushers. Those guys are getting so low. You guys watch Robert Quinn every day; the guy is so low to the ground, it just puts a guy like that at a disadvantage.”
(Are there advantages or disadvantages?) – “I think the length, when they get their hands on you. That was the first thing that most of the d-linemen told me when Zach (Sterup) got here was, when he gets your hands on you, it’s just so hard to get your hands anywhere near the frame of his body. Maybe that’s an advantage.”
(How much has T Zach Sterup progressed since he started that 2017 season finale?) – “I think he’s definitely improved as far as his knowledge of the system. It’s not sitting there trying to think through, ‘Okay, what do I have to do? What are my rules?’ Because there’s a lot of things the defense can do where it kind of changes what your technique is. His comfort level there has improved. I think he’s been very consistent. That’s like every other position. You’re just looking for those guys that just day in and day out are the same guy. I think he’s been one of those guys.”
(C/G Ted Larsen went down today.) – “I’m still waiting for them to come back and tell me whatever the evaluation was. I’ll know later today.”
(You’re going to play a lot of young guys, a couple of linebackers, tight end, S Minkah Fitzpatrick obviously. What do they bring and what do you – I don’t know if concern is the right word – but until they get into a game, what can’t they learn?) – “I think this group of young guys, it’s a different class to me. These guys come in with a different kind of maturity almost. Their football IQ is higher than probably a lot of the groups that I’ve been around in the past. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) did a great job putting this draft class together to where these guys, they’re getting thrown in there and they’re executing, they’re doing things well and they’re being impactful. They’re bringing great energy to the group too. You see Minkah makes a couple of plays and gets the defense juiced up. I know guys are anxious for Mike (Gesicki) to get involved in the passing game when we get going during the season because they’ve seen him do a lot of things in practice that gets those guys excited. They know that opens up other things for other players. These guys don’t feel like rookies to me.”
(Going back to S Reshad Jones, what one skill does he have above all others that makes him Reshad?) – “His tackling is probably unique as far as how consistent he is and how evolved he is. He really has a knack for the ball. I will say when I have seen him … thinking back to before we even got here, some of the interceptions that he’s made in the past have been very impressive. And some of the ones I’ve seen in practice, his ball skills are way above normal for that position. He can do things. He can do some good stuff with the ball in his hands. You’re in a Catch-22 with him because you want him near the line of scrimmage; but at the same time, you’d love for him to get kind of caught in a zone where he has a chance to pick a ball off.”
(You have some minor injuries to some wide receiver. Will that affect at all the roster make-up for Week 1?) – “I don’t know. I’ll find out next week.”
(What has impressed you guys about CB Torry McTyer, where clearly he’s more than just a special teams player at this point?) – “He’s covering guys. He’s not afraid to challenge guys. He mixes it up. He’s not the biggest guy, but he doesn’t care. He does everything he can to make the plays when they come in front of him. He doesn’t back down from any receivers. He finds a way to stay as tight as he can. In practice, he makes a lot of plays and when we get in the games, he’s close. That’s just experience. He’ll turn the corner and practice will start translating to the games.”
(Is your sense with CB Tony Lippett that he needs more time to be the same guy as he was before, or is something more significant wrong?) – “I think the more he plays, the more comfortable he’s getting. We’ve got this game coming up, which will be good. We’ll try to give him as many snaps as possible. I know in practice we’re trying to do the same thing and just keep him … encouraging him to challenge receivers, use his length, do all the things that he’s done in the past. Really, this game will be a great test for him to really go out there and challenge and play as many snaps as we can get him in there. Hopefully it’s a high number so when we get out of this game we have a really good sense where he’s at.”
(Was CB Tony Lippett playing a lot of off coverage last game?) – “Yes, he got caught in a couple of situations where we were off. Sometimes it’s situational. Sometimes it could be we’re playing zone instead of a middle to a close where he’s matched up. There’s a lot of different reasons that can happen. When we call certain coverages where we’re saying, ‘Hey, we’re pressing on this,’ he goes up and does it. I know that it felt like they were in the red zone where a lot of times you’re not going to see those type of coverages because those are higher percentage of plays for the offense to take a shot in the back of the end zone.”
