Wednesday, October 9, 2019
(Opening statement) “Obviously today we’ve made corrections on Monday and [we’re] getting ready to play an outstanding football team coming in here, so we’re excited to be at home. We’ve been on the road two weeks. We know we have a lot of work to do, we have to clean a lot of things up and we have a lot of challenges with New Orleans coming in.”
(On what the back specialist said about the condition of Jalen Ramsey’s back) “I think they’ll both just confirm what our doctors have said, and today we expect him to be outside and we’re going to try to do a little bit more and just keep testing it and pushing it. He’s working extremely hard to get back and everyone’s doing everything they can, so you guys will see him out there today, and we’ll just take it day-by-day.”
(On how much input the player has on if he will practice or not) “I think a player in any situation has input. I would think when I go to the doctor, I have input in how I’m feeling and going. So, I would think it’s the same as everything in my opinion.”
(On if he expects Ramsey to be limited in practice) “I think we’re just going to take it step-by-step. I think this way we’ll go out there – we’ll stretch in here and see how that goes. If that goes well, then we’ll go outside and we’ll warm up, we’ll stretch. And if that goes well we’ll go to the next, so I think we’ll just take it step-by-step.”
(On if Ramsey’s status is day-by-day) “Yeah, I don’t know if I want to say, ‘yeah’, but I started off with step-by-step. Day-to-day, yes, exactly.”
(On what the reaction is when you face a team you used to coach for) “For me it’s just an unbelievable amount of great memories. I don’t really have the time to look back on that, so I guess the next thing would be just a ton of respect. From [Saints Executive Vice President and General Manager] Mickey Loomis, and [Saints Head Coach] Sean Payton and the guys that are on the staff that I was there with and worked with, to the guys in the equipment room, to the trainers, to everyone there. It was a great experience. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t spent that time down in New Orleans from a standpoint of learning from Sean and everyone else, Mickey included, to a lot of great people I worked with [to] personnel. Rick Reiprish who was here before was down there initially when I was here. Ryan Pace, who’s a GM now in Chicago, was there when I was there. So, there was a lot of good people around there, and a lot of great players. Now a lot of the players are, they replaced them with other great players, but Drew Brees and I have been close and communicate yearly with each other. I just have a ton of respect for everything that they’ve done down there, and I have a ton of gratitude for what they’ve done for me.
(On the injury status of Josh Oliver) “He’ll be out there today. And I think it’s the same as with Jalen [Ramsey], we’re just taking it step-by-step. We expect he’ll go out there, stretch, see how he feels in individuals, see how he feels. And then go into working some team stuff, some scout team stuff first before we get them over to the other side. So, same thing, just step-by-step.”
(On what he can count on out of newly signed TE Ben Koyack) “I think we just feel comfortable. Ben’s [Koyack] been here, so we’re comfortable. He knows the system. He can come in and go right away. We’ll just see how he looks. He’s in shape. He’s ready to go. He’s stayed prepared. Obviously, he’s worked out for other teams and we’re fortunate enough that we were able to get him back and in a time where we lost a player for the year who was really doing a nice job for us.”
(On if TE James O’Shaughnessy has had surgery on his ACL) “I do not know that. I don’t think so, I think you’re waiting for the swelling to go down.”
(On if he has seen the maturity of RB Leonard Fournette improve) “I don’t want to get into where ‘He was awful.’ But, has he gotten better? I think absolutely. I think a lot of players have though from the first year or second year and having gone through injuries, which is always tough. So, you see that in a lot of the players that we have now, more so on the offensive side probably, because of more injures [that have] taken place there then the defensive side. So, you see that, and its great growth. You go through a day and you think, ‘Hey, what can I do to be a better teammate? What can I do to be a better coach?’ Everyday that you go through your job, or your situation, you want to be better. You want to be better for everyone. So, it’s not just Leonard [Fournette], it’s everyone, but Leonard’s done a very good job and I’m very happy in the direction that he’s going.”
(On what Fournette is doing specifically to allow him to break off for a long run) “I think it’s the mentality, and I’m sure it’s an inner-struggle. He would probably be able to answer it better than me, of not getting frustrated early on. I think a lot of times when guys get frustrated that it doesn’t happen that way. I think if you can just keep working through as the course of the game evolves, and you’re talking to the guys up front in the line, and the coaches, and you know it’s going to break sooner than later and you believe in that, then I think those things can happen. So, there’s a little bit of that going on and obviously we want to become more consistent in it.”
(On if he remembers Leonard Fournette ever giving a post-game speech before the Week 5 game at Carolina) “It would be hard for me to remember anything in the locker room, because I have to run to do the – After I’m done with the players, I immediately walk out. I have radio and then I have the postgame press conference, so I don’t want to keep you guys [waiting], I know you guys have deadlines and I don’t want to do a poor job. But, no honestly, I literally just talk, and I turn around and I walk out.”
(On if the lack of turnovers on defense bothers him and if he expects it to change) “It’s unbelievable. Do you have our team meeting tapped? Because that’s exactly what we spoke about today. We talked today about…you get a lot of focus. Like you guys asked me a ton of questions about penalties, and this or that. There’s a lot of things that go on with red zone, third downs, short yardage. There’s so many different situations that come into play and we’re constantly talking to the teams about it. And today, in my talk to the team today, we talked about just turnovers. I said I don’t want to get into all the other things that are going on, we want to talk about where we are. We’re minus four [in turnover differential]. We’re sitting here at 2-3, and this is something that is going to have to change. And we put up in the last five seasons the percentages. Obviously, if you win the turnover margin, you’re up there with 73 percent wins. If you’re even, it’s 50 percent. And if you’re below, I forget the number, but obviously it’s not very good. We just talked to players and we said, ‘Listen, we want to protect the football yes, and we want to take takeaways, but hey listen, let’s just be even. Let’s just be even, and go out there, and play and see how the game goes and give ourselves a fifty-fifty chance of winning.’ So, that was one of the things that we’ve talked about today, of hey, securing the football, takeaways. Those things, if we can get them, that will help us go ahead and give you an opportunity to play with a lead. Like I said before, it’s been a resilient football team, and the way you’ve been able to tell is because we have fallen behind. We’re going to try and do our best to come out, and play smart, and play good football early on and not get ourselves in that hole. And it’s going to be a great challenge this week with a really good football team coming in. But like I said before, I’m glad that we’re at home.”
(If not getting turnovers sometimes is just bad luck) “That’s definitely one way people will look at it. You just have to keep going and just keep trying to get it. Try to say a couple of extra prayers or something like and maybe it’ll bounce our way.”
(On Brandon Linder being listed as not practicing today) “He’s off. We had that last year with him, at the end of the year. He just takes the day off. Veteran day off. Calais [Campbell] will be off today too.”
(On the challenge that Saints RB Alvin Kamara presents and if he is similar to Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey) “Similar from a standpoint of their both very productive and very good. I would say it that way. I think that [he’s] a really good runner, both inside and outside. Really difficult to tackle, can run through tackles. You’re going to have to get people on him. Obviously, the receiving aspect of it, from either out of the backfield, or lining up at receiver or getting the screens. Whatever it may be, he’s obviously a great playmaker. I think each week you have these great challenges. He’s another challenge for our defense along with probably the best wide receiver in the game right now, one of the top ones for sure with [Michael] Thomas. You have Teddy Bridgewater playing well, they have a good offensive line, good tight ends. Overall, you look from each level of play of the defense and the offense, they have good football players. So, it’s difficult to get in there and say, ‘Hey, you have to stop this guy,’ and then you have all these other guys that can flat out play. [Jared] Cook’s a great player too, a tight end. So, it’s going to be challenging, we’re going to have to play well. We’re going to have to get a lot of people around him and really focus on whoever gets that ball that we’ve got to be at the right place and we have to make to those tackles.”
(On what look Saints QB Taysom Hill gives their offense) “Yeah, it’s different. Obviously, he’s a unique player with great skill. I wouldn’t be surprise down the road if more teams start going to players like him that can do so much from a standpoint of offense from special teams, to he can throw, he can run, he can catch. Just an unbelievable athlete. So, obviously we have to be aware and it’s just another aspect that we have to defend.”
(On how you get your team to stay prepared even though Saints QB Drew Brees will not play) “You just have to show them the film. I mean, when you look at the film, you’re seeing a team that is rolling pretty darn good right now. They have a lot of good football players and Teddy’s [Bridgewater] done a nice job going in there and filling in obviously. And granted, Drew Brees is a Hall of Fame player, but Teddy’s done a great job. But don’t ever lose sight of all those players that are around. The defense is playing really well, special teams they’re aggressive, and offensively there’s not a weakness on the team.”
(On why this team is so resilient) “They care about each other. I really think that’s the biggest thing. I don’t think there are a lot of other things that go into it, I think they truly care. They care and they believe. I think those are the two things. I think if you don’t have that, you don’t even have a chance to be resilient. I think in the simplest terms, this team cares about each other, but probably more importantly, they believe in each other. It’s easy to be resilient if you make plays as you start to come back and then that creates more confidence. I think those things have happened and that is why they feel the way they do.”
