Frank Smith – November 21, 2023
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Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(RB De’Von Achane, were you able to talk to him on the sideline and what is his mindset as far as being a young player who experiences a setback after such a good game?) – “Yeah, I’m in the press box during the game, so I did not. But afterwards, I talked to him in the locker room and saw him around. The only thing you can control is your attitude. You can’t control the events that occur. It’s just your response. That’s the nature of being a professional athlete. There’s going to be highs and lows and your choice and how you handle that is going to be most times the outcome.”
(Were you in the press box last year?) – “No, I was on the field.”
(From your perspective, how do you see the game up there?) – “It’s great. I started my career in New Orleans in the press box. I was up there for five years. When you first come down, it’s like, ‘Oh there’s a game going on down here.’ You’re so far removed you feel like you get a different vantage point and you’re behind a giant piece of glass watching everything going on. So you get less of the – especially in the Superdome it was way worse because you were in the rafters. Here at least you can still feel like you’re part of the game. The Superdome, I just felt like I had some popcorn and watched everything going on. (laughter) But yeah, I think it’s a great perspective. I enjoy it. I enjoy anything I need to do to help this program.”
(How did TE Julian Hill play aside from the turnover?) – “Being a rookie is always a process. Tight end, it’s a hard process with all the different variables that come into play. He’s doing a great job with it. The one thing with Julian, there’s a guy that every minute of the day he is using to make himself better. I know him and Jon (Embree) are always trying to maximize their time. We’ve been really pleased with what he’s been doing. To come from Campbell and be contributing is really pretty cool.”
(How was your reaction to losing RB Salvon Ahmed? Another running back injury now.) – “It’s unfortunate. But again, you can’t control a lot of things that happen. He was doing very well for us, especially the early part of the year. It’ll be on collectively the guys in the room and guys in the offense, when we lose guys, to step up and rise to the challenge.”
(How would you describe the Jets defense?) – “Very well coached. They have a very good identity to what they’re doing. They know how to play together. They communicate well. They play aggressive. They’re going to be a great challenge for us on Friday. I was about to say Sunday (laughter). Facing another division opponent, it’s obviously an important game for us. We’re really looking forward to Friday.”
(How much mystery is there associated with how to play QB Tua Tagovailoa considering he didn’t play against them last year?) – “I don’t know. I mean the mystery is more what are we going to get on (Friday). I mean, we get so many things that necessarily another opponent might not get. The New York Giants played nickel the whole game or play guys who play a different amount of snaps. I think ultimately it’s about our understanding of the concepts and our understanding of our communication with each other and the intent and purpose of all things. Whatever they decide, if it’s to deviate from what they do, then it’s our job to adjust and make sure they’re on the same page together. The variables and what ifs, it’s more about how can we get better each day at what we do.”
(I wanted to ask you a couple questions about the short-yardage offense. From your vantage point, what’s gone wrong or right with the short-yardage offense?) – “It’s not just one thing. It’s one thing here, one thing there. You hope over the course of a year, at the end, things even itself out. Ultimately, when you have something that you can improve, I mean we’re very aware of it and we’re working on it. It’s just when you have a situation where it’s either yes or no, it’s one yard or not, it gets magnified sometimes. We’re all very aware around here. It’s just making sure we’re on the same page connected because one yard is important. Ultimately when you’re halfway through the season, things can turn around with the emphasis and focus by the group.”
(You’re not a team that goes under center a ton and we understand why you wouldn’t throw QB Tua Tagovailoa or a franchise quarterback in that situation and all that. A couple years ago they used Jacoby Brissett in short yardage. Have you thought to use a non-quarterback or Mike White maybe to get you that yard if you don’t want to put Tua at risk like that?) – “I mean, we’ve weighed a lot of different things. If you’re putting someone under center who is not there all the time, it’s another chance for you to put the ball on the ground. There are variables for all things that you can weigh, and we try to make sure everything that we do is for a purpose and for a reason. This last game, we know what our issues were and we’re working on improving it. Friday will be our opportunity to try and improve in that area.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa was harping on cutting down on turnovers. What are some of the key teaching points?) – “I mean the hard thing is when it comes to turnovers, you look at the root of them. When you deal with accountable men, you know you’ll improve in it. His commitment, the whole groups commitment to it, will be the reason why we improve. It’s a start to your basic fundamentals and intent of how you go about your day. If you have that deliberate nature toward the importance of ball security and you approach your day that whole way, that normally creates that habit you’re looking for. Sometimes the minute you take the ball for granted, you might not have it. It’s just that sense of urgency with everything we do. That’s the fortunate thing is we have guys that really take that approach.”
(The team has generally been a bit more productive at home than on the road. What are some things that you know the team needs to do especially on the road?) – “I think also it’s a different year. When you play at home and you have a successful game like we did versus Denver, you’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore and everyone is going to looking at you going, ‘you ain’t doing that to me.’ So you get everyone’s attention in the league, so now when you roll up in town, they know who you are and they’re not going to let it happen. So it’s great for us to now have to rise to the occasion as we go on the road and grow as a group, and a lot of the times that we’ve been on the road, we’re facing really good opponents and the result might not come, but it’s about the process. Ultimately if you look at each game, the result went one way, but what did you learn and grow? And that’s ultimately how we build this program here. Yes, we’re a results-based business. If you talk process for too long and the next thing you know, I’ll be holding a seminar on the street. (laughter) But ultimately these environments are really good for us and growth and again, this Friday afternoon will be another big-time game being the first Friday game. All these things are happening for a reason for us and we’re growing through it together.”
(Two offensive coordinators have lost their jobs recently – Pittsburgh and Buffalo. I used to cover an offensive coordinator who said it’s the most high-profile assistant coach’s job in sports because everybody thinks they know how to call plays. Would you agree with that? Is your job the most high-profile assistant coach’s job in sports?) – “I don’t know. You guys can tell me. I have the dream job you could ever have. I coach football professionally in the National Football League. Whatever role I have, to be part of an organization, to help players be their best; that’s the most important thing for me, is helping these guys fulfill their lifelong dreams. And when you do that, all this other stuff that you get – I remember when I started out in coaching. My head coach made $120,000 at Miami of Ohio, and I was like, ‘man, if I make that, I’m going to be rich someday.’ (laughter) It just comes with the nature of this business. The higher you get, the more scrutiny you get. I don’t know who’s the most important job around here. I know that it’s definitely the head coach and the general manager. They deal with the most scrutiny. The starting quarterback after that? I don’t know. But pressure comes with the nature of this business and I look forward to it every day.”
(Can you speak to what TE Durham Smythe brings and the importance that he brings to the lineup when he is in?) – “Absolutely. Just a true pro, toughness, grit. Just everything you want in guys that are part of your roster. His approach, his detail to everything has been fantastic. He’s just a really valued member of our football team. We’re really fortunate to have him.”
(Not to talk about specific names, but how concerned are you with the offensive line going into a short week, a very strong opponent defensively, obviously no OL Robert Hunt at the moment – limited today according to the injury report – and then OL Lester Cotton and OL Austin Jackson? No OL Robert Jones. OL Isaiah Wynn on IR. How concerned are you?) – “The nature of a short week is there’s a lot of variables that are different. You don’t practice as much. We’re traveling again. So there’s a lot of concerns that we have just as far as our preparation and making sure we’re on things. When it comes to the roster, there’s just certain things that are going to be what they are and day-to-day we address it and we’ll work through it. So when it comes to the offensive line, each day we’re working with the guys that are going to be available and we’re doing the best we can schematically to make sure we put guys in their best position.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel had alluded to how difficult it is for a guy to come off the bench mid-game to play on the offensive line compared to having a whole week’s worth of reps to get ready for the game. Why is that? Why is it so challenging to do one and not the other?) – “When you play in a group with four other guys and you’re working together and having to communicate together to do or accomplish a job, it’s not like you’re an individual. Like wide receivers can work in tandem or groups as their pattern, their running. Running backs can work with the o-line. The offensive line – if one of them is not in phase with the others, it kind of sticks out. So to come in the middle of the game and get into the swing of things and make sure that you’re communicating, they’ve already seen things going on in the game so they may be a step ahead of you as far as the first thing that comes out of their mouth is like ‘Yo!’ I remember playing in college, starting three years, by the end I was the center and – I didn’t even, I was like, ‘hey!’ And they were like, ‘yep.’ You didn’t even have to really say it. You just kind of sensed because you already talked during the week so you know exactly what you should do and what the other guy is thinking. The closer you are, the better that occurs, so coming off the bench at that position, it is challenging, especially when you may have prepped here, there and everywhere and then now all of a sudden, ‘oh by the way, you’re going out here.’ So I think that’s a real challenge and that’s why we train the way we do to hopefully help them to be ready for those situations.”
(OL Chasen Hines, the kid that was elevated, can he play guard and center?) – “Yes, we try and cross-train as many guys as we can. It’s the nature of everything we do. That’s been the one challenge, like lessons you learn over the years, the versatility of the training of the offseason, or just having guys that are flexible just. You never know what poses in the middle of the year so that always is a benefit.”
