August 11, 2024
Opening Statement: “So, really this is – the guys know this that have been around – this is really, now they’re in camp. This is camp. We started the week, way back when we started – it was acclimation, then you get to put the pads on, it’s all fresh and new, then you go to the Giants, different opponent, and now we’re back home and we’re seeing the same faces. So, this is when you’re sore, you’re tired, you’re beat up, and you find out who’s who. This is where you get an advantage, if you approach it that way, and we will, our guys will. That’s where we’re at. Today is going to be get them on their feet, move them around, four-minute backed up, one-on-ones, crisp, clean, and really prepping them for tomorrow. So, we’re going to get good work. But, it’s really over the next two practices after this is where the bulk of what we’re going to get is coming in. I like where we’re at.”
On how he thought Lions CB Amik Robertson, Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Lions CB Terrion Arnold did in their debut with the team: “Yeah, it was encouraging from all of those guys. Certainly, you already mentioned TA, I thought had a good week at practice. Got some really, really good reps out there, outside and, you know, he’s a competitive guy, which we already know. He just continues to grow every day, and then from what he got in the game, he really wasn’t targeted, he did a good job. I thought Ennis really showed up, I did. He got a lot of reps, defensively and special teams and I thought he competed in all levels. He’s just another one of these young guys that continues to get better. The game’s not too big for him, so we like where he’s trending right now. He’s just got to keep stacking them up, and Amik went in there and did a nice job for us. Played the nickel, and it was good to see. So yeah, all those guys you listed are really stepping up. And look, (Lions CB Khalil) Dorsey did a good job too now, so we like where we’re at at the corner position right now.”
On Lions QB Hendon Hooker’s status throughout this week and if he will be practicing at all: “Honestly, we don’t know, we don’t know where he’s going to be. He’s not going to be out there today. We probably won’t have him tomorrow, and so it’s looking less like we will have him in practice this week until Friday getting ready for the Chiefs, and that’s not a guarantee yet. Until he obviously clears the concussion protocol, then we’re on hold with him. So, that’ll kind of play itself out. But, as you guys saw, there were some encouraging things in there. He was able to move the offense down the field, he saw a couple of things, had a hot throw, did a good job on one of his progressions kicking it back out to the back, had a couple of runs there. So, for the limited snaps that he was in there with a very limited package offensively, he – it was promising. But again, there’s not a lot of reps and we don’t know until he’s ready to go, we’re on hold with him really.”
On if he feels that they need to add another quarterback to the roster: “(Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I talked about that this morning. That could come down to the wire, today or tomorrow. There is a chance. I think we’ll have a pretty good idea this afternoon as to do we need to go ahead and do that just to make sure we’ve got a guy other than (Lions QB) Nate (Sudfeld) for the game, so we’ve talked about it.”
On if he is planning to play starters in the next preseason game: “I’m thinking about playing some of these guys, I’m back and forth a little bit right now, so we’ll see. We’re a little bit open to everything. I know right now the priority for me, for these guys, particularly for the guys, the core of this team, will be these next three practices. That to me is where it all starts and depending on the type of work we get, the quality of work, the amount of reps, that’ll tell me what we need or don’t need going into Kansas City.”
On if he felt that the team got a taste of having a bullseye on its back against the Giants: “Yeah, I think so. Rightly so, I mean those guys want to come out and it’s a brand-new year. They were coming off of a playoff season and had kind of a rough patch there – injuries and a number of things that happened to them, and they want to get back in it. They have a lot of young guys, they’ve brought in some free agents, they’re trying to make their mark too. That’s the nature of this League. A lot of it is where we were at two years ago, and you’ve got to give your best to everybody. And now, it’s still about giving your best, but understanding how you’re going to be approached. You’re going to get everybody’s best shot. So, it was good. It was great for us to really get that, honestly. I go back to, we’ve really got unbelievable work, we really did. At the end of the day, the tape was outstanding and being able to watch on both sides – I’m talking about the mistakes too that were made. We can learn from them.”
On if he looks back at the fights that happened during joint practices and wishes they were not as prevalent: “Yeah, so, I’ve mentioned this and the guys know this. The worst part about it is having to stop the drill, reload the drill, you just took three minutes to do that. So, if you have three or four of those, you just spent 12-15 minutes trying to break up the fight, reset the drill, it’s just a waste. Everybody is on their legs, and that’s not efficient. So, that’s not what we went out there for. But, at the same time, those things happen. You just talk about it and then you push forward. The most important thing is to get good work out of it, and we did.”
On if there is a real long snapper competition and what he has seen from Lions LS Hogan Hatten with his ability to play multiple positions: “That’s a real competition. One of the reasons we wanted to bring Hogan in was, he was intriguing in his coverage ability. He did play linebacker in college. So, he runs pretty good, and he kind of has an awareness on the football. You saw he played some defensive snaps for us, a couple. We needed him in there with where we were at at linebacker to finish the game out. So, that’s what he’s got. Now it’s about, ‘OK, well can you’ – and what we know about (Lions LS Scott) Daly. Daly has been able to snap consistently and under pressure, big games, different looks, handling the protection and the snap. So, that’s the next step for him. He has to be able to prove that he can do that with a rush on him and games on the line. Some of these hard situations are what we have to try to put him in. It is a real competition right now.”
On if there is an injury update on Lions DL Nate Lynn: “Yeah, he’ll be done. He’s probably going to be done. He and (Lions OL) Connor Galvin are probably done for the season.”
On his expectations for Lions QB Nate Sudfeld this week: “Improve. And I would say that with any of these guys, just make the smart decision, do the things that, end of game, end of half, third downs, that we know that’s why you’re here, and just make all that clean. I don’t need to see make every throw, but just those little things and improve a little bit, and that’ll go a long way. It’s as simple as that. It really is.”
On if Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Lions CB Terrion Arnold are as advanced as any rookie cornerbacks that he has seen: “It’s hard for me to say that. Here is what’s unique, they both have ability. Let’s start there. They both have ability, but they’re also wired the right way. And I think that’s the hard thing. We talk about it with that position. It’s one thing to be able to cover or be able to run play man-to-man, but then, you’ve got to understand you’re going to get beat on some stuff. And then how does that affect your psyche? What about when? OK, we’re going to play man-to-man, and now we’re getting all the rubs, right? That’s the next thing. Everybody thinks you just line up in these spread sets and we’re going to play man-to-man, get right in his face. Well, that’s great. Tell them to start getting the bunches and the stacks and they make you pass them off, and you got somebody running at you, and you stop, or, ‘Oh, wait, I thought that was yours.’ And where you do feel pretty good about both of these guys is they have the right attitude. I mean, they don’t lose confidence. They’re dying to go man-to-man. They’re all about winning their one-on-ones. And they’re both pretty smart guys, so I think that’s what makes them intriguing to see and to watch.”
On if anyone else caught his attention after watching the game tape: “Well, I think everybody we kind of talked about. (Lions S Brandon Joseph) B-Jo, I thought he really showed up. What’s really encouraging – you talk about going into the game, all right, here’s where you’ve got to be better, whoever that player is, and to see those players do what we were asking them to do. B-Jo, man, we need you to be more physical down in the box, you’ve got to play bigger when it comes time. And he did that, and he came away with the takeaway. He showed up, and I thought he tried to do that on special teams. That was encouraging. (Lions DL Isaac) Ukwu. We put these guys on some of these special teams reps, he and (Lions DL) Nate Lynn and (Lions DL Mathieu) Betts, and they fought their ass off. I mean, they were grinding, giving everything they’ve got, played hard on defense. So there was a number of these guys, and it’s the little things you don’t always see. But when we tell them, ‘This is what we’re looking for in the game and what you need to improve on,’ you could see that growth out of these players. There was a number of them. So that fires you up as a coach.”
On if he has an availability update on Lions OL Christian Mahogany and his timetable to return: “Yeah, he’s in the building. I don’t see him practicing this week, but he’s here, and we’re going to get him going, start working him, getting his body right, getting back there with (Lions Director of Sports Performance) Mike Clark and (Lions Director of Player Health & Performance Brett Fischer) Fisch and those guys, and just start getting him back in shape. He’ll be in meetings. And then once we feel like he’s in a good place physically, then we’ll probably see where it’s at there.” | |
