Adam Gase (Halftime) – August 19, 2016
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Head Coach Adam Gase (Halftime)
Halftime at Dallas – Aug. 19, 2016
(On the defense in the first half) – “On defense, we just got to do a better job of stopping the run. We just got to get some negative plays, get our hands on some balls and when we do, we have to finish it with a turnover. That’s why it is preseason. We have to figure everything out.”
(On coming away with two touchdowns on three trips to the red zone) – “I think we had a shot there in that first (red zone) series to score and we didn’t make the plays that we needed to make. There were a couple of bad calls that I had there against what they ran on defense.”
(On the first-half performance of QB Ryan Tannehill) – “It was pretty good – everything as advertised as far as how tough he is and just battling. I liked the mentality that he had going into that first half. I liked the fact that the ones wanted to stay in and do another series. That’s what I wanted to see.”
(On clarifying that the first-team offense wanted to stay in longer) – “Yes.”
Laremy Tunsil – August 17, 2016
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Guard/Tackle Laremy Tunsil
(On how pleased he is with his progress so far) – “Every day I’m going to keep getting better. I’m going to keep coming to practice trying to get better every day, listen to what coach says and listen to the techniques they give me. Like I said, it’s up to the coaches at the end of the day.”
(On his thoughts on his NFL experience so far) – “It’s the same thing I thought. You’ve got to come in every day and work because everybody in the league is good so you got to bring your toolbox every day.”
(On what he thinks is the biggest transition moving from tackle to guard) – “It’s nothing really, you just have your hand on the ground 24/7. It’s nothing different; it’s all football. It’s different techniques you’ve got to learn. Nothing major. I just have to stay in the film room and stay listening to the coaches and we are all going to be good.”
(On the feedback he is receiving from the coaches) – “The same thing, just keep working every day. I consider myself a hard worker, so I work every day trying to get better and trying to perfect my craft.”
(On what it would mean to him to start on Friday at Dallas) – “I’m just here to help the team, so if I do get the start against Dallas (Cowboys), it will be nice. But it’s up to the coaches. Whatever happens, happens.”
(On how concerned he is about starting with the first team or second team offense) – “I’m not concerned about it at all. I’m just trying to get better every day. Like I said before, it’s up to the coaches on these decisions. I’m going to keep perfecting my craft each and every day.”
(On if he expects to start the season opener) – “I don’t know yet. Like I said, it’s up to the coaches.”
(On would it be disappointing to him if he didn’t start the season opener) – “It doesn’t matter. I’m going to come in every day and try to get better.”
(On has the coaching staff told him what his role will be on Friday night against Dallas) – “No, they haven’t told me (anything) yet.”
(On his transition to South Florida and if how much he gets noticed down here) – “I’m actually from Florida, but up there by Jacksonville. I really don’t get noticed that much. I really don’t go out that much anyway. I’m kind of a low-key guy. I stay to myself.”
(On if he goes out to eat at restaurants) – “I stay home and cook – ‘Chef LT.’ I cook myself.”
(On if he is noticed when he goes back to visit the University of Mississippi) – “I get the same reaction. I went to school there, so it’s still all love up there, as always.”
(On him being a celebrity in Oxford Miss.) – “You think that I’m a celebrity? I don’t consider myself a celebrity. I just consider myself a regular person.”
Arian Foster – August 17, 2016
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Running Back Arian Foster
(On how he feels about science) – “I think science is our greatest accomplishment as the human species. It’s been a pleasure to really start to read into it and discover the natural world as we know it to be.”
(On how he feels to be in a position to promote science to kids that look up to him) – “I don’t know if I’m promoting it, I just express my passions along. I don’t think I’m credited enough to promote science, but it’s something that I’m passionate about and I love and I like to share my views with (others).”
(On what preseason reps mean to him throughout his career) – “It depends on what position you’re in. Honestly, year to year it changes. Some years you feel like you don’t need any and some years you feel like you need some. So it kind of varies as the years go.”
(On how he feels about getting reps this year) – “I need some this year. It’s been a while since I’ve been hit. Not in training camp but it’s different. In games, it’s different. You want to get that feel of getting hit week in and week out again.”
(On what he is looking forward to in this offensive scheme) – “Just the offense gelling, I think that we are making positive steps forward day by day and it’s fun to watch us grow. I think that we have a high ceiling in this offense. We just have to continue to put one foot forward and keep getting better.”
(On his confidence in his leg) – “It’s back. We’re good.”
(On what motivates him the most in his life) – “It doesn’t take much, just waking up. I like being on this side of the ground and I appreciate it, so it doesn’t take much.”
(On does the offense gelling mean getting more reps and plays on the field) – “Yes, that’s exactly what that (means).”
Jarvis Landry – August 17, 2016
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Wide Receiver Jarvis Landry
(On if he is glad that camp is over) – “Yes, very much so. Just talking to these guys, I was just telling them how I finally get a chance to have some time to myself, time with my family and enjoy that time.”
(On if he remembers how to get home) – “Yes, I do. I’ve been home a couple of times after we broke camp a little bit, but it’s been later and we have a curfew of course, so I have to try to get back; but now to get that break and actually sleep in your own bed is what I’m looking forward to.”
(On how he characterizes this past training camp) – “(Head) Coach (Adam) Gase demanded a lot out of us. For one, to learn a new system; and two, come out here with the same intensity every day. Some days we didn’t match the defense’s intensity; but some days we did. I can say that this is probably one of the hardest camps I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here. It’s been one of the most fun ones, as well, and competitive for me. I can say that.”
(On what CB Bobby McCain said to him) – “Nothing, it’s just competitive spirits getting fiery a little bit and showing a little team love to each other. That’s what we call it, just a little team love.”
(On him and CB Bobby McCain hugging after and making up) – “That’s it – it was over with. What happens between the lines happens between the lines. It’s nothing personal. No hard feelings, just team love.”
(On moving into the next phase of the season and if the offense is ready for it, starting Friday in Dallas) – “Yes, I think we are. I think it’s that time for us to make a move forward after the two three-and-outs up there in New York. It’s that time for us to make some progress.”
(On learning the playbook and if the learning part is over with now) – “Yes, it is. I think we put in the last couple of things we needed as far as weapon-wise going into the season, yesterday. For us, it’s just game planning, figuring teams out and attacking them.”
(On what needs to happen in order to keep the chains moving on a consistent basis) – “Positive first plays. The more we can get – (Head Coach) Adam (Gase), (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen), (Quarterbacks Coach) Bo (Hardegree) – those guys in situations like third-and-manageable, third-and-short, second-and-short, it allows the offense to go that much more. (We’re) trying to find ways to get a positive first play.”
(On how this camp can be hard but also fun) – “It was hard in the sense of conditioning. When you come in, you train to be in shape, but with this offense as fast-tempo and fast-paced as it is, (Head Coach Adam Gase) wants you to have that tempo and make the defense match your tempo. Us running 50 yards downfield and having to run back, after a while it takes a toll on your body and it hurts. But at the same time, seeing guys make plays and the things that we’ve done in the building as a team has made it so much fun and brought us so much closer together.”
(On if Head Coach Adam Gase has done anything special during this camp for team building or to lighten the atmosphere) – “This was it (ending practice early and cutting the last day of camp short). This was his one bone for the camp. Again, he demanded a lot out of us and each and every day we came out here, we had something to work on. Each and every day we went in, we were trying to find ways to better ourselves. We weren’t worried about anybody else in our division or anyone else in the NFL. We were trying to find ways to make our team better – to make our offense, defense and special teams better – and that’s what it’s all about.”
Ryan Tannehill – August 17, 2016
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(On the urgency for the offense to get going and if this is the time when things will start clicking) – “Yes. It’s now or never. It’s time to go. I think we feel that urgency. This week has been a good week for us. I think we got a lot better. I saw some great strides from the offensive line the past couple of days, just protecting and giving me time to get the ball out, and guys are winning downfield. We still have a lot of work to do but I think we’re headed in the right direction. The past couple of days, we’ve seen some great strides.
(On if the offensive struggles were caused by just trying to get familiar with new stuff) – “Some of it. Early on, you’re learning a new system, you’re learning new concepts. (It’s) a lot of information for everyone. You’re having to think and figure out exactly what we’re supposed to do. Now, it’s a lot less thinking. We know what to do and we just have to go out and execute.”
(On if he has asked the coaching staff to stay on the field until the unit scores a touchdown on Friday night) – “No. (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) has a plan for us. I’m planning on scoring when we’re in there. That’s the mindset every time we hit the field – what can we do to move the chains and get the ball in the end zone? I haven’t asked that, no, but I do plan on scoring. That’s the name of the game.”
(On the versatility of the running backs) – “It’s a good group of guys. We have some speed. We have great hands out of the backfield – some power. I feel like we complement each other very well. We’ll be able to find the niches of those guys of what they do well and really accent our offense with them.”
(On RB Damien Williams and if he is as hungry as he’s ever been) – “Yes. Damien’s had a great camp. He’s a fast guy. He’s a football player. He just has that football mindset. He loves the game. He has great hands (and) great speed. He’s definitely going to be a weapon for us.”
(On what RB Arian Foster brings to the offense) – “Arian is a veteran guy. He’s been around a long time. He’s played a lot of football. He’s seen a lot of football – just that knowledge of helping those young guys in the room, as well as he’s a good football player. He’s got a lot of experience in the zone running game. He has great patience – you see him just have great patience. He sees a crease and hits it. He’s definitely going to help us out a lot in the zone game as well as out of the backfield. He has great hands and a good feel in the pass game.
(On what the team needs to do to pick up first downs consistently and stay on the field) – “That’s offense. You’ve got to move the ball. You have to have efficient third-down plays (and) get yourself in third-and-manageable. If you’re there, we feel we can convert those at a good rate and stay on the field. Basically staying out of third-and-long situations will always make it a lot easier and we’re going to have to make big plays as well.”
(On what things he sees that made G/T Laremy Tunsil a first-round draft pick) – “Laremy is an extremely athletic guy. He’s flashed at times. He’s playing a position that he hasn’t played a lot in the past so he’s learning, but he’s learning fast. If we can just keep him on that track and he keeps making strides, he’s going to be a force for us.
(On being from Texas and if he has feelings about returning to the state for Friday’s game at Dallas) – “Not particularly. There will be some fans and friends in the stands – and family. That’s always fun to go home and play in front of friends and family. I’ve played in the stadium several times before and it’s a fun stadium to play in but it’s a business trip. We are there to get better (and) to take the next step along this process.”
(On how many friends and family he expects to be in the stands on Friday night) – “I don’t even know. I’m just there to play. I don’t know exactly.”
(On what he wants to have personally accomplished when he walks off the field on Friday night) – “It’s not really about me personally. It’s about this offense and this team – just taking strides in our process – moving the ball, seeing good first- and second down-plays, getting ourselves into third-and-manageable, converting those at a good rate and just keep the chains moving and get in the end zone. That’s what we are looking to see.”
(On if he is looking forward to playing more with the first team offense over the next two preseason games) – “Yes. We’ve had seven plays so it’s an extremely small sample size. Obviously, it wasn’t the showing we wanted to have, but it was two drives. There are a lot of games you’re not going to score on the first two drives and you’re going to have to bounce back and the game goes into the second half. We’re not worried in the least bit, but we understand that the time is now and we have to continue making strides.”
(On the significance to him of training camp ending) – “It’s Phase I of the season ending and getting into a more normal swing of things in the season. Training camp has ended but it’s still training camp. We still have a few more weeks to really grind it out with each other and really get better before we start playing games that count.”
(On his receivers getting into a couple of scuffles today) – “I don’t know exactly what started them but those guys are competitive. They’ve been going against each other for a long time now – a lot of reps. No one likes to get beat so there was some jawing back and forth and the competitiveness kind of came to a boiling point today. I like to see a little bit of that out of our guys just, ‘Hey, we have a little bit of an attitude, a little swagger about ourselves and we’re not going to take crap.’ I appreciate (that) a little bit. Obviously, you don’t want to have four or five in a practice that drag on a whole practice, but I feel like a little bit of that is okay.”
(On what has to change to reduce the number of sacks this year) – “We have to protect and get the ball out. That’s what it comes down to. Like I said, (we have to) stay out of third-and-long situations where you’re having to hold onto the ball forever to get past the chains. (We have to) protect (and) pick up the quick rush and twist games inside (so we can) be able to get the ball out on time and in the right spot and let our playmakers make plays downfield.”
Adam Gase – August 17, 2016
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On his take on some scuffles at practice today) – “It’s football. It happens. I don’t know. No one got hurt. I don’t want that happening like every day but it’s going to happen every once in a while. When we get into that bubble, it seems like it gets interesting.”
(On if players are tired of going against each other on the last day of camp) – “I don’t think so. I think it was just one guy makes a play and starts talking. Bobby (McCain’s) not going to take that. It just kind of got heated from there. The wide outs are protecting their guy and the DBs protect their guy and that’s what happens.”
(On if practice ended early and why) – “Just going into it, I had been thinking about it if we came out and were flying around. I didn’t really say anything to any of the players, as far as making a deal with them or anything; but just thought we had about three periods left. We had a situation in a special teams period and I just thought if we were flying around and executing and doing things right, we’d give (Andrew) Franks a shot to end camp the right way.”
(On how he feels about what was accomplished during training camp) – “Well, I love the energy level that we came out with every day. I felt like the execution got better. This was probably our best week as far as our consistency on both sides of the ball. It was good work when we were in pads. I think now it’s just got to be the next step – playing well in a preseason game and then building off of that.”
(On if everybody that is healthy will play on Friday night) – “Yes, we are going to try to play as many guys as we can. Obviously we still have walkthrough to get through, which I’ve actually been in a situation where we’ve lost a guy in a walkthrough. It’s hard to believe but it happens. We’ll go down there and hopefully we can get everybody out there.”
(On how long the offense will play on Friday night) – “I’m not setting anything. We’re playing and then whenever I feel like taking them out, I’ll take them out.”
(On how important it is for QB Ryan Tannehill to have a clean pocket) – “For any quarterback, they’d love to be able to just stand back there and hold onto the ball for an hour. But the reality of the NFL is (it’s going) to collapse quick no matter what line you have. You have to be decisive (and) get rid of the ball quick. We’ve got to call good plays where we can put our offensive line into a good position. I felt like last week we kind of had a couple of ball-holders in there early, trying to get a couple of plays, and we probably put them in a bad spot with the limited number of snaps they had. This week, hopefully I do a better job as far as putting our guys in a better position.”
(On if QB Ryan Tannehill doesn’t have an opportunity to do as much because he has fewer chances to make plays without a clean pocket) – “Right, but I’m looking at a guy that’s not afraid to stand in there. I’m pretty sure that anybody who has watched his tape the last four years (has seen that) he’ll stand back there and try to hold onto that thing and get the ball out. We’d love it to where we get through a game and limit the hits and sacks and pressures. That’s what every team is trying to do.”
(On how he would assess G Billy Turner during camp and bouncing between guard and tackle) – “I think he’s done a good job. It’s something that we’re always looking for in our offensive linemen – flexibility. I know I’ve said it before as far as, when you go to game day, you better have a bunch of guys that can move all over the place and know what to do because you never know what’s going to happen. He’s done a good job of … his execution as far as knowing what to do has been really good. The physical nature of it has been good; we just have to keep working on some of the stuff that he’s been doing at tackle.”
(On what the next step is for QB Brandon Doughty) – “We still had a few group mental lapses to where when he can get to the point where he starts to see something is not right, he can get everybody re-grouped and organized and in the right formations. We had a couple of formation busts (on Friday night) to where he didn’t notice it until the play was over and going, ‘Uh, oh.’ When you take that next step, where you’re controlling everybody, (I think) that’s his next step. I feel like he’s really comfortable in there. I have no reservations about calling anything. I feel like he can just roll. But I think that next step of, ‘Yeah, he has it,’ but when he gets to that point where he knows everybody else’s job is and he can make sure we’re all good, that’s going to be the next step for him.”
(On how likely it is that G/T Laremy Tunsil will get first team reps on Friday at Dallas) – “We’re still kind of toying with what we want to do there, early in the game. Like I said, I’m not putting an actual snap count on how many plays the offense is going to play with the ones. We’re going to talk about that tonight and then revisit it again tomorrow and see what we want to do as far as who is starting, who is going in when (and) how many guys we want to put with the ‘one’ offense. It could be five guys the entire time or it could be seven or eight guys, moving around. Nothing is really set right now but I think we’re starting to get a little bit of an idea. We just have to put it in pen. Right now it’s in pencil.”
(On if he’s going to treat this as the first preseason game for some of the guys that didn’t play last week like RB Arian Foster) – “Yes, pretty much. I’m not going to go out there and be like, ‘Hey, I want you to take 20 snaps.’ I’m going to be smart, especially with him. With his history as far as playing a lot of football, I mean how much do any of us really need to see? We know what he can do. He’s been a very successful running back in this league. I want to get him in a rhythm with the guys up front and trying to do some things to where he gets comfortable playing at the line of scrimmage because he’s been in a huddle offense for most of his career. When you get into a game and you start doing the on-the-ball stuff, it’s just a different feel. You feel like it’s moving faster, but it’s not always as fast as you think. There’s a little bit of a pace to it.”
(On if he feels like he’s any closer to establishing an identity up front along the offensive line) – “I think we’re still trying to figure it out. I have an idea of what direction we’re headed, but now it’s about finding the right five. And is that the right five for what we think we’re going to be? We’re still in that process. We have some time here – I think we play September 11th so we still got a few more weeks.”
(On RB Arian Foster’s intelligence) – “I feel like it’s something that I didn’t really know about him. Him coming in, in training camp, not being here in the spring, and how fast he picked (everything) up, I guess I wasn’t anticipating that. But then you think, (he’s a) veteran player. I remember being around him in the Pro Bowl and just talking to him and being like, ‘Man, this guy is really sharp.’ When we got him in here, I felt like by the time he came off PUP, he knew what to do. He’s probably one of the guys that we have the fewest amount of mental issues (with). It’s really, for him, just fine tuning some of the details of what we are looking for. He’s done a great job. He’s great when we meet as an offense as far as the skill guys and go through routes and talk about things that happened in practice. You can see when you tell him something, it’s like locked in there and you don’t get that same mistake again.”
(On what he is looking for from QB Ryan Tannehill in the second preseason game) – “Really, for the whole offense, it’s like, ‘Let’s move the ball.’ We had seven plays (last week at the New York Giants) and punted both times. Really, they (were) negative plays. We just didn’t do anything. We need to move the ball. I’m not going to say, ‘Hey, we have to score two touchdowns or have 10 points,’ it’s just, let’s move the ball, let’have positive plays (and) put our defense in some good positions. Field position wise, we weren’t helping anybody last game, especially the first five series. We need to do a better job of being consistent (and) move the ball down the field whether it be the run game, short passing game (or) throwing the ball down the field. Whatever it is, let’s figure out a way to move the ball.”
(On the four turnovers the defense forced last week and if that surprised him after not seeing many in practice) – “I don’t think so because when you watch how our guys practice, they’re flying around and always trying to strip the ball. ‘VJ’ (Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph) does a good job of setting up these turnover drills. You see every once in a while in individual, we kind of set a little time (aside) where on the offensive side, we’re doing ball security and on the defensive side, we’re doing a turnover drill or a tackling drill. The mentality is there; they talk about it a lot. Just seeing those guys fly around and we keep talking about, ‘If you go 100 miles an hour and you hit a guy right and you’re flying to the ball, good things happen.’ I guess it wasn’t a surprise. There were six balls on the ground, I think, for the Giants. I anticipate the way we practice that this could be something we end up doing throughout the season.”
(On if he is trying to work or change any of QB Ryan Tannehill’s mechanics) – “He’s not a guy that you have to really mess with his mechanics. What we try to work on with him is more feel in the pocket – you see us do a lot of individual work with that – because we try to make it chaotic. We try to make it feel like you’ve got guys coming all over the place, how can you slide, how can you feel – the guy that you don’t see – how can you feel that he’s coming. We try to work on more things like that. I feel like when we got here, just watching him throw, I felt good about where he was mechanically. We tweaked just a couple things that were minor that really he brought up himself. I felt like he was in a real good place mechanically when we got here.”
(On why the Wide 9 causes so many complications in the run game even though it was designed for pass rushing) – “When those guys come off the edge, they’re coming so hard. The way the inside players penetrate, what happens is when you run an inside zone play and those guys are penetrating, the running back has to stop his feet and the linebackers can flow to the ball. It just feels like (for the running back), you stop and then all of a sudden you’ve got more guys on you. When you’ve got those edge guys coming off the edge as hard as they do and those tackles are trying to come at them, it’s just constant penetration and they’re setting the edge. These guys, especially our ones, you watch that and you feel like there’s nowhere to go. You just feel bottled up all the time. The more we work on it, especially going forward; we’re trying to script periods to game plan some of this stuff to give our defense what they are going to see. Yesterday we tried to do that and still, they made some really good plays. We were trying to run plays to take advantage of what their scheme is but they played them right and they played physical so it made it tough on the offensive side.”
(On the Wide 9’s emphasis of getting upfield and if that puts pressure on the linebackers, primarily the inside linebacker) – “A little bit because it’s on speed and being able to tackle. But when you have a (running back) that has to stop and restart and you’ve got a guy like Kiko (Alonso) coming downhill as fast as he does, historically he’s been a good tackler. I know we had a couple of misses the other night but that’s that first preseason game and live hitting. I think it’s only going to get better. I think everybody is trying to learn how to play off each other, too. I think this will be a good week for those guys to kind of get the feel for how that (defensive) front is going to play. Really, I think we’re going to have one guy remaining that was in that front this game from last week. So it’s going to be three new guys for our linebackers to get used to fitting off of.
(On if tackling is a concern, especially for the linebackers) – “I think the system that we have set up as far as what we’re going to be working on, some of the drills that we’ve been doing and making that emphasis that we are going to spend time working on tackling in practice. I think you guys have seen some of the different types of bags that we’ve been using and some of the drills that we’ve been doing that may have looked different. (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and (Applied Innovations) Mike Wahle did a great job as far as researching some things to where we could bring in some stuff to try to help our defensive players just be a consistent tackling team. Let’s not be one of those teams that’s in the bottom half of missed tackles. I think we’re going to see this pay off. I was a little surprised we had this many missed tackles (in the Giants game) because I really felt like we were making some good progress in those individual periods. Moving forward, I’m just seeing it get better as we go.”
(On if he expects that tackling emphasis in practice to continue from training camp into the regular season) – “Yes, I mean we never ended up going live on anything (in training camp) but we can still do all of our work in individual.”
Adam Gase – August 16, 2016
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Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Head Coach Adam Gase
(On Wide Receivers Coach Shawn Jefferson wearing shoulder pads at practice and how he follows that up) – “I’m not really sure. It’s something that I knew he did in Detroit because I left and then when he became the wide receivers coach, I’m trying to remember who first told me about it, then I called him up and then asked him if he really did that. I begged him to just use the shield because I’d rather them hit that than legitimately hit you. The whole point of that is the emphasis of push-cracking on a safety, just knowing the angle they have to take and it’s tough to do when you go against player on player because it’s a slower speed. Shawn was just trying to emphasize about the tempo that they need to go to go in there and dig a guy out that’s a low safety.”
(On how he thinks Wide Receivers Coach Shawn Jefferson did) – “That was the first time I saw him a little leery as far as wanting to do that. From what I heard before, he was always real aggressive on it. I went up to him before he did it and was kind of like, ‘How are you feeling?’ He kind of had this look in his eye like, ‘I might be getting a little too old for this.’ (laughter) But I told him, if you keep calling these guys by the wrong name, they’re going to pick up the tempo. I know a couple of those young guys were looking to go in there a little hard. I noticed that when Jakeem (Grant) got up there, (Jefferson) kind of was like ‘Alright, we’re done.’ He didn’t want to go against Jakeem.”
(On TE Jordan Cameron being more involved in the offense today and if it is possible for him to produce the same numbers he produced in 2014 in Cleveland in this offense) – “I don’t want to predict anything. I feel like what’s going on with him right now is that there’s a little bit of a learning curve for him. We went through some struggles there in the spring (and) a little bit at the beginning of camp. The thing about the tight end position is that there’s a lot of responsibility you have. You’re doing multiple phases of the game. If you’re a wide receiver, you have the route tree and sometimes you’re inside or outside and some guys do both. But for the most part, the run game’s not … you know you’re either blocking the corner or the safety. When you’re a tight end, you have a lot of responsibilities. When you’re learning both the ‘off’ guy (off the line of scrimmage) in a two tight end set and then when you’re in the three wide receiver set, you’re the ‘on’ guy now (on the line of scrimmage). It’s a lot of information to digest and it’s a lot of things on his plate. Plus trying to get as involved as we want him in the passing game, it’s just a lot on his plate. It does, it takes a minute. I went through the same growing pains with Julius Thomas. It wasn’t like that thing happened overnight. It was two years of he didn’t play and once it clicked for him, it clicked. Obviously with Jordan being a little more experienced, it’s going to happen a little faster.”
(On T Branden Albert having a veterans rest day) – “Yes. When you think about it, this is really the first time that we’ve had three consecutive days of … I know it’s not full pads but we’re wearing the shoulder pads and those guys act like we’re wearing full pads when they practice. I just wanted to make sure that when we hit tomorrow, he can go tomorrow. Then we can do our walkthrough and then he can play in the game and he’s feeling as good as he can.”
(On if he can explain why they didn’t bring in a punter to compete with P Matt Darr even though they brought in competition at kicker and long snapper) – “I think there are only so many spots we had on the roster. We set out with this is how many guys we want going into camp. Really, it was up to (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi at that point of what he wanted to do. I think the two guys that we ended up bringing in were probably the two best guys that we felt were out there. I think they felt really good about it. And it’s good competition at those two spots (kicker and long snapper). I don’t think we’re looking to bring in just anybody. We wanted to make sure that whoever we brought in, they were in a legitimate competition.”
(On if P Matt Darr has justified that decision thus far in camp) – “From what I’ve seen so far, out of all of those guys, they’ve done a great job. I don’t know if I’ve been around a whole group like this, especially in training camp, that are as focused as that group. Matt’s done a great job as far as – that responsibility, he has a lot on his plate. Holding seems like an easy thing to do but you think about how many times a game has been won or lost because of that spot. I feel like there’s a big-time confidence there with our special teams coach.”
(On S Isa Abdul-Quddus’ camp) – “I think it’s been good. The longer we go, it seems like the better that whole group is getting. He’s done a great job. I think we knew what we got when we signed him and what we saw on tape, he’s really shown to be the same guy.”
(On Dallas’ offensive line and how good of a test they’ll be on Friday) – “Obviously they’ve been getting a lot of praise here over the last few years. Any time you can go against a group that you know is a proven group, and they’ve done it well together for a couple years now, it’s going to be something that I think our guys will enjoy going against. It will be fun to get that group out there and see them do what they basically do to the offense every day. It’s a tough test to go against those days. I think (our defensive line is) fired up to get out there. I was debating whether or not I even wanted to play them in this game and really they took that decision out of my hands and said, ‘We’re going.’ That’s exciting for me to hear.”
(On G/T Laremy Tunsil getting more work with the ones today and if a change is being made at that position) – “No. We’re just going through our process. I’m pretty sure if we had five periods the other day, I think he started three of them. Every day it has been two to three periods that he has been starting. It’s just sometimes it seems like everybody notices.”
(On the value of QB Brandon Doughty throwing with anticipation) – “You’re throwing guys open. In this league, that window closes so fast. As soon as you’re trying to evaluate whether that guy is open or not, he’s probably going to get covered by the time the ball gets there. With him having a great feel of the route concepts and turning the ball loose – sometimes it looks, like today I think he threw an in-cut today and it didn’t look good, but he knows, ‘I’ve got to get rid of the ball.’ As a receiver, you’ve got to know that, ‘I’ve got to get my depth, I’ve got to snap out of this thing and that thing is going to be there.’ He’s done a great job as far as being that consistent in anticipation.”
(On RB Arian Foster’s status for Friday’s game) – “Right now, I’m pretty sure that he’s going to go. Unless I change my mind for some reason, I want to see him get in there with that first group and get him a little feel for how we operate.”
(On TE Thomas Duarte’s work with in-line blocking in the Giants game and how he did) – “I think there’s a little bit of a learning curve there for him. I know the effort is there, which that’s the number one thing you want to see from a guy that really hasn’t had to do it before or asked to do it before. Hopefully sooner than later it will just keep getting better. Of course, you’d love to jump to step 100; but it’s early in his career and we’ve got a ways to go here before that first game and figuring out who (are) going to be our guys. But I see improvement and I see a guy who is willing to try to do the right thing.”
(On if he’s close with CB Xavien Howard or DE Dion Jordan) – “We’re still keeping a close eye on that. I think ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is closer than Dion (Jordan). I don’t want to say an exact date yet just because when you’re going through that process that they’re going through, you could always have little minor setbacks that could push it back. When (it’s) the right time to take one of those guys off, then we’ll do it. But we want to make sure that we get the check marks from the sports science, trainers and the strength staff and then obviously the kid’s saying ‘I’m good, I feel good. I’m ready to go.’”
(On Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph saying that DE Dion Jordan has done everything the right way and if he’s seen that also) – “Yes. Every time he’s supposed be somewhere, he’s been there. He’s been engaged in everything we’ve done. I see a guy that seems to be excited to be here and, for him, it’s like the first thing I told him, ‘Whatever’s happened in the past is irrelevant. You got a fresh start so make the most of it.’”
(On what he’s seen from CB Lafayette Pitts) – “I see a guy that’s very confident, which at that position, you love to see. I see a guy that wants to push to see if he can find a spot on this roster. Anytime you get a young, hungry guy, (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) always said ‘Give me as many guys with no means possible. Nothing to lose.’ I feel like that’s the way (Pitts has) approached everything. And when you got a guy at that position, treating everything like that, that’s a good thing.”
(On if G/T Laremy Tunsil has improved as he’s made the transition to guard and if he is more comfortable the last couple of days) — “I don’t want to say it’s just over the last couple of days. It’s been a steady process. I just look at a guy like (Jermon) Bushrod for example, who has played left tackle his whole career and moves to right guard. It’s not the easiest thing to do when thing you go from being a tackle, especially on one side of the ball, and then flip to the other side and then get moved inside. It takes a minute. It takes a minute to understand the angles. It takes a minute to understand those guys are on you quicker. It takes a minute to understand those guys are bigger and stronger than what you’re used to going (against). And that’s why you can’t rush and just be like, ‘Oh, let’s just throw them in there.’ This is a league where confidence does matter. And I’ve seen rookies before, you throw them in and (you’re) like, ‘Well, he’s got to play,’ and then two years later everybody’s calling for his head. So right now we’re going through the process that we need to go through. I like what he’s doing. I like the fact that he’s coming out there, giving everything he has, and he’s trying to make sure mentally that he’s on the same page, because there’s two other guys counting on him plus a back. We’ve got to make sure that whoever our five guys are, we’re doing the right thing – playing physical and they can count on each other.”
(On when the last time he wore a helmet and shoulder pads) – “Way long ago. There’s no chance I’d ever do that.”
(On if it’s tough coming up with a balance between keeping WR DeVante Parker healthy and seeing him in action or if he has a specific plan for him) – “I think we’re kind of getting to the point where it is what it is right now. He’s just got to keep fighting to push himself through the little bit of pain he has remaining. I feel like he’s trying to do that and him being out there and showing me, ‘Hey, I want to make sure that I get in these games, I need the reps. I need to get in there with the quarterback. I need to get in there in the system as far as getting on the ball. I need to be in there when the adjustments (are) made and then do the right thing.’ I feel like he, especially the last couple of days, has really pushed himself to stretch his muscles as far as strutting it out and making sure, ‘Alright, I feel good. I’m ready to go.’”
(On RB Damien Williams and if anything has surprised him at all) – “No. He was a guy that when we first got in here, and I know when (Running Backs Coach) Danny (Barrett) came on board and (Offensive Coordinator) Clyde (Christensen), we kept talking about what we could do with him. Some of the skillset that he has, it’s unique. Because he’s a big man that can run really fast and he can catch the ball. Just having a guy that can do all of the things that you want a running back to do, how fast can he get into this system? Which (the system) is different than what he played in the past, where he was in an offense where they tagged a lot of the halfback’s responsibilities. In this system, it’s a lot of concept-base so you have to understand what’s going on with you and a receiver. It’s a change for him. I know early it was tough for him and then he gets hurt and when you don’t get the reps, it sets you back a little bit. I’ve noticed a difference, especially this week, where he doesn’t make mistakes and he’s playing full speed. Today – I loved it – we’re doing a 2-minute drill and he comes up to me and he goes, ‘Get me the ball.’ I was like, ‘Alright, we’ll see what happens.’ We dialed up a play for him and he makes a play. I love that about him. I love that he is confident and now he is starting to feel like ‘I know what to do,’ so now he’s playing faster.”
(On what he’s looking for in the slot corner position with S Michael Thomas and CB Bobby McCain) – “We’re looking for a guy that does a great job as far as keeping his leverage. That’s the hardest thing. It’s one of those positions where technique is the number one thing. You’ve got to be a sticky guy and you have to make sure you stay tight to the receiver. And you’ve got to trust what’s being called as far as the coverage – if you’re inside or outside leverage, if you’re off or if you’re pressed. It takes a little bit of faith to trust what you’re supposed to do. It’s not an easy position to play. You guys have seen a lot of these slot guys, the way offenses can manipulate what the routes are and take advantage of the leverage you’re playing. You’ve got to be able to stay tight and you’ve got to be able to be disciplined as far as what you’re asked to do.”
Ndamukong Suh – August 16, 2016
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Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh
(On what has encouraged him about the defense) – “I guess I really don’t look at it like that. I look at it from a standpoint of we’re out here each and every day making positive moves in the direction of getting better each and every day from our fundamentals. If I were to say something specific that I particularly like about – that’s positive about our defense – is the defensive line is moving forward in a direction with their footwork (and) things of that nature – things that we work on – that are going to be the foundation of our success. We’re going to game plan people, obviously, as everybody does, but it’s going to be our fundamentals that are going to drive us through the 16 games that we’re going to play.”
(On what DE Cam Wake and DE Mario Williams do well) – “They’re definitely physically gifted. At the same time, I like the way they play run, including ‘J.J.’ (Jason Jones). Obviously, being with ‘J.J.’ in Detroit, he’s a physical rusher. At the same time, at the point of attack, they’re not shying away from the blocker. They’re running through the blocker, and it obviously makes it a lot easier for me inside playing two gaps – one that I’m actually physically in and another one that’s usually between myself and the other tackle.”
(On whether he and DE Jason Jones are drawing on their play in 2014 with Detroit) – “I think there are things that we can learn from there. I think there are things from every single year – even last year and years past – that even coaches look at themselves. (There are) positives, negatives (and) things like that, that’ll repeat. So, without questions there are things that that we can dig from that year and implement into our year. Every year is going to be particularly different and then (we) kind of go from there.”
(On what can be learned from previous seasons) – “The fundamentals, the way we attack the run, the way our mentality (is) of certain things – things like that.
(On whether he keeps in touch with his 2014 Detroit teammates) – “Yes, no question. I got a lot of good friends that I had and created in 2014 as (in) previous years before. I look forward to going to Seattle and playing against (Seattle Seahawks DE) Cliff (Avril) and his group. You always keep friendly interactions with guys like that – (they are) good people.”
(On what he wants to see from the defense and defensive line in Friday’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys) – “For me, it’s consistency. That’s going to be our biggest thing – being consistent. Execution is a big part of that – being consistent and coming downhill, understanding what we have to do in our assignments and go from there.”
(On the defense competing against the offense during practice) – “Me personally, how I look at it is it’s a great offense to go against, a great one to compete against. I did it last year. Obviously, (Head Coach Adam) Gase was in Chicago, so I’ve seen it before. You just go out there and compete. We’re not going to … Not all offenses are going to be the same, but this is going to be – I’m sure – an offense that we’ll see a lot of similarities with other teams, as well.”
(On the defense’s adjustment to Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph) – “I think our adjustment has been fairly smooth. We put a lot of work in, in OTAs and minicamp. That was Vance’s goal: to push us hard in those particular instances in that period of time. Obviously coming into camp, re-visit those pieces and build on our fundamentals. Obviously, we got pads on (and) we get a lot more work done. We can work on fine tuning certain things, but overall I think it has been a good transition.”
(On the best thing Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph has done to help bring the defense along) – “I think he’s a jack of all trades. He’s very versatile. He has helped a lot of guys. I’ve had great conversations with him about football, outside of football. I think at the end of the day, he’s an overall good defensive coordinator and a good person at the same time.”
(On how S Isa Abdul-Quddus will complement S Reshad Jones) – “I think Isa will complement Reshad very well. They’re both great tacklers. I think Isa is a head hunter and finds the ball and makes plays. I enjoyed playing with him in 2014 up in Detroit. Knowing what he can do and being able to come here and bring that success he has had up there the last couple years, I look forward to playing (with him) and having him behind me and coming downhill and obviously knowing he’s going to be out there batting balls down and making interceptions.”
