Frank Smith – August 4, 2023
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Friday, August 4, 2023
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(I wanted to ask you about the race or the battle for the No. 3 receiver. Who is the guy who will get the most targets or receptions after WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle? How is that going?) – “I think the whole group has been doing a great job. I know that starting in spring, all the way through now, they’ve been really focusing on just techniques and fundamentals to really get better at all the little things we have to see from our defense and that’ll build for the season. So ultimately, I think all the guys in the room are competing. We’ve been really pleased with what they’ve done so far and I think we still have a long way to go before we’re going to make decisions with all of that stuff.”
(Is there anybody who you would think is best qualified based on their past? WR Braxton Barrios, RB Raheem Mostert, for the for the No. 3 receiving target or receiver role?) – “When we still have the whole month of August left, sitting here and trying to say anything I think is jumping to conclusions because the next two weeks, we’ve got great competition with Atlanta and going to Houston. I think a lot of guys are really focusing on each day and then with the next couple of weeks, it’s going to really show out who’s been competing and who’s really working for the job.”
(Along those lines, how imperative is it for that No. 3 guy to be able to do some of the blocking that Trent Sherfield had last year?) – “I don’t think it’s necessarily we’re looking for someone specific, a certain skillset. Ultimately every year is different with the personnel you have and you adjust to everyone’s strengths so ultimately, we’re looking for overall the right 53 for the roster. So on offense, we’re trying to find the best players and whatever those guys can do, we’ll maximize their skillset and we’ll adjust it any way we have to, to meet what they can do.”
(RB Raheem Mostert said he put some emphasis on becoming more of an elite pass catcher in the offseason. Where have you seen improvement there at all?) – “I just think his overall process is outstanding. He’s a great vet and you can see he was really on it in the spring. Just all of his fundamentals. I think just when players take that approach and they have a daily process to improve, it shows itself maybe not here, not there, but it’s going to build over time. And with him, what he’s been able to do from spring to now, we’re really excited with the way he’s been progressing.”
(We’ve heard from so many guys about the familiarity of Year 2 in the offense and how it just kind of eases the transition here in training camp in the first week so far. How have you seen this year’s first week of camp and how comfortable guys are with the system compared to where they were a year ago?) – “I think overall the guys, they hear the concept and now it’s more of a not executing an assignment, but understanding what it attacks, how it attacks, how they work together, how the quarterback’s progression fits in what they’re trying to do. I think it’s overall, when you learn something the first time, it’s just trying to make sure you get it. And this year, now you’re really taking this next level to the overall understanding of the offense and the concepts.”
(What differences have you noticed in what the offensive line now with Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry here? I know you previously had to kind of get more active with that group than maybe you would have wanted to as an OC. So what differences have you seen?) – “I think it comes into also the second year of the offense. Conceptually, a lot of the guys now have a greater understanding of what we’re trying to do and Butch (Barry) does a great job with the group. (He is an) excellent teacher and I think that in our understanding of the system and understanding what we’re trying to do plays heavy into a lot of the stuff overall, the whole offense’s improvement as far as the way we’ve gone through camp. We’re excited with what the group and how they’re growing and really the next two weeks, when we start changing the look, changing the opponent, it’ll be a really great time for that group to keep ascending.”
(On RB De’Von Achane’s development throughout camp) – “Coming out of A&M, you saw the explosive plays that he was able to make in the running game and the passing game, and just the NFL level there comes a process of understanding the volume increases, what we ask increases and he’s really working with Eric (Studesville) to understand all the nuances that come with the NFL level playing running back, especially in this offense with being able to run the ball and then catch it. So overall, where he’s been working to so far has been very promising and again the next couple weeks for the guys is going to really be the greatest growth because you go against the defense for several weeks and then now it’s going to change as we play different defenses. So it’s going to be a great opportunity for him to really grow.”
(How did the offense I guess evolve over the course of the 2022 season when you saw what QB Tua Tagovailoa could do, put more in play perhaps than you originally thought and how much freedom does he have [unintelligible]?) – “Again, with him and overall, I think all the offensive players, it’s just you evolve to the skillsets of your players and what do they do well. And this year, it’s taking what we learned from 2022 and now trying to really improve on the things that we can control and that is our effort, fundamentals, overall operation. So not just him but all of us, I think that’s where we’re all growing, especially in this camp and focusing on those things that we can control and making sure that we don’t have any issues with our operation going forward and that’s been really our growth right now this season – working on ourselves.”
(On how Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio challenges the offense) – “Through working with him in Chicago, it’s a lot of the same things of the multiplicity of what they do, the multiplicity of the coverages. It all starts looking the same. It makes us have to really be on our recognition, be on our communication and be on our fundamentals. So I think that we overall have been able to really work on our game, our techniques, what we’re trying to accomplish through what they’re providing, because hey, you assume something and the next thing you know it changes. So I think it’s helped us a lot and again, I’m excited for the next two days to really growing upon it.”
(On what he looks for as a coordinator.) – “I think what we look for every day is guys trying to really execute what they’re trying to do within the play and not every play is going to be a 60-yard touchdown, but on every play, are we executing within what the concept is and the timing of the play? Are guys, really in practice, challenging themselves to put themselves in positions to grow and improve? And I think that’s ultimately what you look at. If you worry about every day and whether you have these plays, you have this, as opposed to, ‘okay, why did this occur and how did we grow?’ I think that’s what we focus on here and the players really understand that and that’s why they understand it’s going to be a process to get to Game 1, not the result of each day of practice.”
(I’m looking forward to watching QB Mike White and QB Skylar Thompson in particular to participate in the stadium on Saturday. What do you think will determine who finishes ahead and who by the time we get to the season?) – “I don’t think there’s just one specific thing or two specific things. I think it’s a collection of time. It’s a collection of opportunities. You’re gathering information over a long period of time, not just kind of saying, ‘hey, these determining factors will then therefore dictate.’ So I think again, the closure of this week with going against ourselves and then the next two weeks where really it’s going to change from week-to-week is going to be a great opportunity for those guys along with the whole offense to what have you learned, what are you doing and now the picture changes? Now how do we execute, how do we respond to that? And especially for a week here and then a week in Houston, a lot of variables that I think over time will really help clarify the situation as it plays out.”
