Matt Burke – June 7, 2017
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke
(A couple of things on DE William Hayes. He told us last week he thought he would play inside some. How often do you envision that happening and him playing at tackle? Then the other thing is obviously it was established earlier this year, it might have been Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum or General Manager Chris Grier talking about DE Cameron Wake coming back as a starter and that you’re not going to experiment like you did last year with him coming off the bench. DE Andre Branch is obviously returning as a starter. So knowing that DE William Hayes is at his best in base against the run, what’s the challenge there of where to play him and when to play him?) – “Well, hopefully it’s not a challenge. Hopefully it’s easy for me. He’s been working a lot of places. He’s played a lot of football in his time. Obviously we value what William brings to us as a base end, setting edges for us. One of the reasons we brought him in here was to help us in the run game. For us, he’s actually pretty versatile, moving inside a little bit. Right now, I know what we’re doing with a lot of the positions is moving those guys around. So Will has gotten some work inside and outside, and (we’re) just trying to get the best fit. To me, again, it’s a benefit if we can have players that are playing multiple positions and have the depth that maybe we haven’t had there in the past that we can … If we’ve got four or five ends that we’re rolling through and working in different spots, we can week-to-week – what the matchups dictate – use them there. He’s been getting work at a lot of different spots. All of those guys have been. I think his versatility is just a bonus for us, so we’re going to try to use him in a lot of different spots.”
(At his size, can DE William Hayes be his No. 3 defensive tackle if your two rookie draft picks don’t develop to a point where they’re ready to have that work?) – “Man, that’s a dark cloud already. (laughter) No, I don’t envision him in that sense. He’s an end for us. It’s a matter for us of just in early downs and in passing situations, just how we are using guys and moving spots around, in that sense. I don’t see him bumping in as a full-time inside guy for us.”
(We’ve asked you a bunch about how you’re going to use the linebackers. How is that coming into focus the last three weeks?) – “It’s a work in progress. They’ve done a good job, honestly. We’ve been moving those guys like we said we would and just trying to get different combinations. Again, some of playing linebacker is playing with each other and getting used to Kiko (Alonso) getting used to what Lawrence (Timmons) is going to do next to him and having a rookie (Raekwon McMillan) in the mix. Mike Hull and Neville (Hewitt) have both taken some big steps for us. We’re really trying to work those groups and just try to find the best fit, but also get those guys comfortable playing with each other. Again, for me, having a more versatile ability to have different packages and move those guys around a little bit, they’re good. They’re all working really hard. (Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach) Frank (Bush) has done a good job with them. It’s probably harder on him – that was my room, so I’m probably harder on Frank and try to put a lot on those guys to do that now and find out how we can utilize them. It’s good. It’s coming along.”
(Is this something that until training camp it might be until you have a firm idea on the linebacker position?) – “It’s fluid; but yes, at some point we’re going to have to play these guys. Right now, we’re working the groups and moving guys around, like I said. Probably we’ll keep doing that through this portion of the season or the offseason. As we get closer to the season, you hope that the roles will start crystalizing a little bit and we have a better feel for where we want to utilize those guys.”
(We’ve seen LB Raekwon McMillan at the middle linebacker position a decent amount. How big of a challenge is that mentally for a rookie to get everybody lined up and make the calls?) – “It is. That’s obviously something we put on (the middle linebacker). He’s done a really good job with it. He’s a very bright kid. He’s very serious about it. He’s all about ball and he wants to do it. That’s always a concern with a young kid coming in and putting him in that role, but he’s taken to it. Obviously he did a lot of that in college. He definitely has a presence about him. He doesn’t present like a rookie, so that’s helped him – his presentation. He’s got something to him that helps him in those roles, so he’s done a good job with it.”
(Beyond the obvious with DE Charles Harris – we know he’s a great athlete – but what do you think about him and what are your observations about him as you’ve had him working for you for about a month?) – “Honestly, probably the biggest thing with Charles is his work rate. He’s non-stop. It’s every snap he’s going. He’s playing hard. We’re working him and he’s responding. He never lets up. Like you said, the athleticism and all of those things are obvious; but for him to practice at the tempo that he practices at and with the work load – we’re putting a lot on him and he’s going and going and going – he never stops. I think that’s as much as some of the sort of flashes he’s made in camp as anything is just his effort and his energy out there. So that’s been pleasant to see because … It’s been said in here and it’s been said by a lot of people, until we put pads on, nobody is getting overly excited about anything; but just to know that’s the foundation to what he’s doing is his work ethic is through the roof. So that’s been fun to see.”
(How do you guys decide who to cross-train and who to leave in one spot?) – “Again, it’s a lot of things. How we feel, obviously, like can they handle the mental workload? Just physically, what their traits are that if … Some of those guys it just doesn’t translate. They don’t have the ability to play multiple spots and we’ll profile at one spot. Sometimes we’ll just try it out. Sometimes we’ll just take a day and say ‘Hey, why don’t we throw him in there and see how that looks,’ or see if that’s a fit and if he can do it. Maybe we’re like ‘No, that doesn’t look right.’ Or we’ll feel guys out. Just the whole staff, we watch the film every day and we’re evaluating mentally is he grasping what we’re trying to do and then obviously as a physical fit, can he physically do the things we would want him to do in whatever those spots are.”
(It seems that the one position in the secondary that is kind of up for grabs is the slot corner. Obviously CB Bobby McCain and S Michael Thomas have played there. Are those the two main guys that you’re focusing on or has there been a third option?) – “Again, we’re rolling groups. Bobby started every game for us last year. Bob’s had a good spring. He really has. He’s competing. He has the – whether you call it the fortune or misfortune – of going against one of the best slot receivers (Jarvis Landry) every day. For us, it’s obviously a great evaluation tool to see him compete against Jarvis. He’s been holding his own. I really like … One of the benefits for us last year of playing a lot of those young guys – Bobby, ‘Lipp’ (Tony Lippett), I mentioned Neville (Hewitt) and Mike Hull and those guys – they’ve all taken that next step because they got so much playing time last year. Bobby is in that group. He’s done a good job. We’re rolling a bunch of guys through there as well. Bobby hasn’t done anything to discourage us from what he’s shown.”
(What have you seen out of S Walt Aikens? He’s also gotten some work there as well.) – “Walt’s another guy that we’re moving around a little bit and cross-training. He’s played some safety; we’re playing some corner. He’s a big athlete. He’s obviously a huge asset to us on (special) teams. We like having a versatile player in that role on the roster, so Walt has done a good job. Again, we’re trying to put him maybe in a spot that he’s not as comfortable and see how he responds, and he’s done a good job working for us so far.”
(You’ve been in this job for a few months, I doubt you’re really surprised by much because you’ve been around, but what have been the most interesting challenges you’ve had to deal with in this new role?) – “What do I do during individual period? (laughter) It’s crazy, I just stand there and I don’t know what to do with myself … My hands moving. (laughter) It’s hard. It’s just a different relationship with the players. Interaction with the players, that’s been different. Usually you have … I’m a very hands-on coach. When I was with the linebackers, I’m in there and I’m all with it and stuff. So it’s a little different being slightly removed from that. You kind of train your eyes from a different spot, seeing the whole field as opposed to in practice we’re watching a play and I’m watching the linebackers. Now I have to see everybody. If a mistake happens out here, I have to be on top of that too. It’s been hard just sort of shifting my focus in terms of that stuff.”
(Does it change your role in terms of personnel decisions, too, I’m guessing? Eventually when you pare down the roster.) – “I’d like to have that power. (laughter) I think the organization does a great job here. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) and (Head Coach) Adam (Gase), we’ll have those conversations once we get back to camp and those things are progressing. There’s really ongoing conversations. Like I said, it’s similar where the roster is fluid. They’re really good here. I like … Chris handles it. He’s always talking to me. He’ll pop into my office and ask ‘What are you thinking? How is this looking?’ or ‘What if this happened? What would we do here?’ Just kind of playing out scenarios. Those conversations are ongoing. I don’t know how much weight I have on that but at least my voice gets heard.”
(And that’s new, right?) – “Yes. Usually … It’s just hard. You just have too many people in the room. If you have all of the coaches in the room when everyone is sort of trying to fight for their own guys and push for this. Usually it’s sort of pared down to the coordinators where I’m the voice of the defense and (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen) is in there and ‘Rizz’ (Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi) and we’re just kind of all … If you have too many voices in the room, it’s tough. So I’ve been kind of more involved in those conversations.”
(What can you do in the offseason to prepare yourself for calling defensive signals and, by nature, how would you characterize yourself? Are you overly aggressive? Do you tend to side with caution?) – “Everything is different. One thing I actually really appreciate with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) is he’s giving me those opportunities now. We have a … I hate to say, he kind of got me today a couple times. We had a couple of 2-minute drills where he beat me on today, so I’m a little disappointed; but we have a lot of periods in practice where we’re calling off the cuff. Even when we script, to be honest with you – what he does when he scripts practice is he actually gives me just what his down and distance and personnel are going to be for the period, which is basically the information I go off of in a game, for the most part. So pretty much every day that I script, I try to play each play as a scenario. ‘Okay, it’s first-and-10 on the minus-20, here’s what I’m thinking. Okay, it’s second-and-8 on the 30-yard line, this is what I’m playing.’ So I’m trying to play that game now as it is and then within practice, usually one period a day or a couple of times a week he has periods that are unscripted that we’re literally just calling off the cuff and trying to move the ball down the field, whether it’s a 2-minute drill or just sometimes he just has to move the ball. So getting that experience right now in terms of putting myself … Adam does a really good job of just every period in practice is a different situation, whether we’re working third downs, red zone (or) a specific coverage. So I’m trying to always play the game, even at practice. As for my play style or calling style, I mean every week is different. It’s a tough league. Every challenge is different so week-to-week – I’m avoiding it a little bit – but that’s a pretty fluid thing. I try to put our players in the best position to make plays. I keep saying that every time I step up here, but that’s all I’m going to do.”
(Among the dozen or so obscure players on your unit – I know you don’t think of it in those terms – but guys like DE Praise Martin-Oguike and DT Lawrence Okoye and LB Deon Lacey and S Maurice Smith – who comes to mind as guys who have flashed to you? I know it’s without pads but the first couple of names that come to mind?) – “This might be like recency bias but ‘Mo’ (Maurice) Smith has done a pretty solid job. He’s a headsy player and he’s another guy where we’re moving around a little bit and he’s been able to sort of take to that to some extent. You’re putting me on the spot here. (laughter) I thought (Davon) Godchaux is actually showing a little bit. He’s got some power in his body. He’s another guy that’s a real worker. He doesn’t say three words to me, he just goes out and does everything every day. I see him really watching (Ndamukong) Suh and those guys and trying to just puppy dog him and follow him around and do what he does. In terms of the rookie class, obviously besides the top couple picks, those are two guys that have definitely kind of shown a little bit.”
(Is your vision with S T.J. McDonald during the preseason – because of his suspension – do you play him a lot or less so because he’s a veteran and you just treat him like he’s a veteran?) – “No, we haven’t come to anything close to those determinations. That will partly be from (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) and how (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and those guys want to see the roster. But we’re going to have to get him so work. As much as he’s a veteran, he’s new in our system. We’ll ask him to do some different things. Obviously then we’re going to have to know that he’s not going to get any football for however long that’s going to be. We haven’t come to … We literally haven’t even had that conversation yet, but that’s something we’re going to have to decide, as an organization, what the right price point is for him to get the work we need him to get but also not steal work from guys that will obviously be able to start the season with us.”
(Are you going base jumping this summer?) – “No, I’m going actually to Uganda to hike with mountain gorillas.”
(Mountain gorillas you said?) – “Yes, we’re going to go trek some mountain gorillas for a couple of days. There are only like 700 left in the wild, their natural habitat, so we’re … Literally the day after the minicamp I’m flying out and going to be in Uganda for about two weeks.”
(You just go over there with a backpack and that’s it?) – “Pretty much. You’re only allowed like 15 kilograms on the little bush flight, so it’s about 30 pounds or so that you can bring and that’s it.”
(Do you guys cross-train your safeties or do you keep them pretty much at free and strong?) – “Both. We have a free and a strong but really we ask them to do … They’re similar. What so much has evolved to is with Reshad (Jones), obviously we try to utilize him in some ways and put him in some spots so we end up kind of cross-training because sometimes we want him to do a specific thing or stuff like that. We do have a strong and a free but we’re flipping guys around a little bit there. Some of that revolves around how we want to use ‘20’ (Reshad Jones).”
(How much are the lines blurred between strong and free safety any more in the NFL?) – “Honestly, just in terms of generically speaking for me, body type-wise, and the way we play, we don’t – this isn’t universal, this is sort of me – I think it’s blurred. It’s hard – I know I’ve mentioned it here before. Honestly, we see it at practice with Julius (Thomas). Tight ends, the way they are these days, it’s hard for me to have a true old school in-the-box strong safety that can’t play in space. To me, that’s difficult. To me, the way we do things, we’d have to cover up a little bit and do some things. For us, when we say strong and free; for us, that’s more like ‘Is he aligning passing strength? Is he aligning a way where we’re lining him up more than our strong safety is always down in the box as a hard run player.’ Those types of things. For us, that’s more part of the evaluation process in the offseason of ‘These are the types of safeties we’re looking for. We’re not just looking for sort of a one-dimensional player.’ So they’re blurred in that sense of we’re trying to get multi-dimensional talents back there. The strong and free part is more of how we are lining them up in the course of a game.”
(So it has more to do with alignment than the actual skill set?) – “Yes.”
(How long are you going to Uganda? Who are you going with? How many people?) – “It’s just going to be me and my girlfriend. I don’t know if she’s going to be happy or mad that I’m talking about that. (laughter) We’re leaving next Friday. We’re flying through Amsterdam, so we’re taking a few days there just to break the trip up. It’s about an 11-hour flight from Amsterdam down to Entebbe, Uganda, and then we’re in country for about nine or 10 days – I think in Uganda. You have to get permits and a lot of stuff to do this so we’re basically spending time at this place called Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It’s up in the mountains on the Western border of Uganda. There is a base camp lodge that we’re staying at that has about seven little cabins out on a ridge on the side of a mountain. You go out during the day and you track the gorillas and get to sort of witness them in their natural habitat.”
(First time, I assume?) – “This is actually not. Well, it’s the first time for gorillas. I’ve been to Uganda before. This will be my third straight year to Africa. I went to Uganda two years ago just out to do some missionary work with Jeremiah Washburn and his family. That same year I went and hiked Mount Kilimanjaro afterwards – I went to Tanzania. Then last summer, we actually went to South Africa and Botswana and Zambia and did some safari stuff and trekking around there. This is my third straight year to Africa and second time to Uganda. (It is my) first time with gorillas, hopefully.”
(What’s the level of risk with this?) – “We’ll find out. (laughter) I don’t know. I think you’re not supposed to approach gorillas and all of this stuff. Apparently you’re supposed to just not make eye contact. That’s like a pretty threatening situation so eyes down and just no sudden movements hopefully. (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) told me, he said if I die over there he’s going to come and kill me twice. (laughter) I don’t know if I’ll have cell phone service there so I’m not sure I can check in but he told me I have to check in as soon as I get a couple of bars on my cell phone. I don’t know. It’ll be fun. It’ll be good.”
