JAGUARS WR CHRIS CONLEY
August 16, 2020
(On his responsibility being a veteran leader on the offense and how it has been working with the new players so far) “I think it’s a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to be a gatekeeper and to be watching out for those guys. Seeing what it is that they’re doing on the field, things that they’re doing well, and make sure that you voice those things. Things that they can work on and things that just come with experience. Really just helping them to learn the ebb and flow of this offense and how to get in and out of the huddle quickly, recognize the defense, so that they can go out there and play and attack. These guys are extremely talented, and you guys are going to get to see that very soon. It’s been fun.”
(On if the wide receivers are a fun group of players to be around) “They are. I think very quickly being around Dede [Westbrook] and [Keelan] Cole and DJ [Chark Jr.], those guys can bring a lot of energy out of anyone. Then you add the young group that we have right now, and they act like they’ve been here for years already. [There’s] a lot of energy in the meetings, a lot of energy out in the field. Quite a few times having to reign the attention back in, but it’s good to be light-hearted.”
(On the potential for another great WR duo in the organization and if DJ Chark would be included as one of those players) “I think the sky is the limit for that guy. I also think we have a lot of guys in that room who have the potential to have those kinds of seasons back to back – a lot of guys who can have high catch and high yardage seasons who can really affect defenses and have to be accounted for. I think as of right now, the onus is on us to make sure we’re on our P’s and Q’s so that when those opportunities come, we don’t let them go. A big thing about Coach McCardell and when he was playing is every opportunity that he had, those guys capitalized on it. They were in the right spot at the right time. They were able to take something that was a 5-yard route and they were able to take it to the house. That explosiveness is something that this group has. The consistency is what we’re looking for. We’re working on being consistent so that week in and week out, guys can make those plays and they have to be accounted for.”
(On if Coach McCardell or the players refer back to his former playing days) “All the time. It’s a position coach’s job to nitpick and to be hard on his players- to push and to really get the best out of them all the time. It’s the players job to glean any information from that coach. I think it happens on both fronts. Not only does he bring up instances where he would have done it this way but also players will ask him, ‘Hey, what would you think on this? What did you see?’ Also, there’s a lot of poking fun. If he coaches something and we say, “Hey, well I watched your film and you did it just like I did it.” There’s a lot of examples of that as well. Being able to talk to someone who was in your position, what seems like yesterday, is very valuable. There’s a wealth of information there.”
(On training camp this year compared to previous years) “I can only speak to my perspective. This is my sixth training camp and honestly for me this feels completely different than any other training camp that I’ve been in. There’s a lot of guys in the locker room who haven’t been through that many camps or who have been though different camps and they can’t really spot that much of a difference. But for me, it does feel a lot different. The virus has changed a lot of things in a lot of our lives and it’s had a big effect on how we do things in the building. I think there’s even more necessity for players to push and to really spend a little bit more time working on their craft, working on their game mentally. Right now we’re just limited in the amount of time we can spend together, limited in the amount of players you can have in one space. It really takes the level of communication- it has to elevate and effort has to elevate. It’s different but I think it’s a good opportunity for us as a team to really show that we want it.”
(On things they have to make up for because of the different preseason and lack of preseason games) “Timing is a big one. The fact that you can’t play an actual game before your season opener is huge. Preseason games are excellent opportunities for teams to realize what areas they need to speed up in, realize what areas they really need to finetune and sharpen before game day. I’ve said this many times to a lot of people in the building; the first game may be one of the fastest and sharpest games that we’ve seen in a long time because people are healthy or it might be one of the most sloppy game we’ve seen in a long time because guys haven’t had the opportunity to go out there and make mistakes in the preseason. Right now, our job as a team and as an offense is to really nitpick on those things and hone in and fine tune our crafts so that when we go out on the first Sunday, we’re ready.”
(On his awareness of the sanitation during camp) “You definitely can smell the cleaning product. I just want to give a humongous shoutout to the people who have been in this building tirelessly day in and day out, early in the morning, hours before we get here, late at night when we leave, and just making sure this a safe place for us. It’s not an easy job and there’s a lot of hoops that people have to jump through right now and they’re doing their best to make it so that we don’t notice it. I want to thank those guys because without them, we wouldn’t be able to play a season right now, it wouldn’t be safe for us to be in the building. But yeah, you definitely notice it. You notice it in the building. You see all these arrow stickers on the ground, [that say] go this way, go this way, stay this far apart. It’s definitely in your face and noticeable but the guys are handling it very well.”
(On if he can smell the cleaning product in his helmet) “I can’t in the helmet. Cleaning helmets has been a thing that they’ve done long before this year. It might not have been every day, but it is something that happens. Cleaning the helmet, the facemask, and getting the dirt out of there is fairly common. So, if that does bring an odor, I’m probably used to it by now because they’ve been doing that for a while. It’s more so cleaning every other object that you do touch throughout the day. That is a big change.”
(On the significance of the first day of practice in pads) “I think that the first day of pads always has a significance. Now the significance is different than when I came in the league. A lot of these teams are a little smarter on how they do things now, a little more health conscious. When I came in the league, first day in pads meant star drill, or as other people call it “Oklahoma.” You’re lining people up, turning them around, then they’re running about ten yards at each other full speed cracking pads. A lot of teams don’t do that anymore because it’s not necessarily safe and there are a lot of injuries that came from that. But there is a lot that changes from shells to pads. A lot of your bigger skill players can really get into their type of game, their physicality. A lot of your finesse players have to move with a little more weight. You have to make sure that your linemen don’t carry over any bad habits from when they’re out of pads and pad level is good. There’s a lot of stuff that goes into the first day of full pads. I’m always excited for it because I’m a bigger guy and when there’s pads on I get to use them. I’m excited about this and we really need these padded practices because, like I said before, they aren’t any preseason games so each of these are very valuable.”
(On how the young guys are adapting to the league, especially given there was no offseason program) “I think they’re handling it very well. They are playing fast which is always something that you want to see. Typically, young receivers can come in and they can go one of two ways. They can either run everything at one hundred miles per hour or they can tip toe through everything, kind of thinking about it. So far, right now, they’re playing very fast and they’re playing lights out, which is what I love to see. They’re attacking the defense and they’re going out there to make plays. I think one of the big things that’s going to be important for them, being that there were no OTA’s, that there are no preseason games, is that they’re going to learn how to take care of their bodies. Because right now you’re practicing, you’re at home, the days are shorter, and it doesn’t really give you a good idea of what a regular season game week is like. When you’re at Week 8 and your hamstrings are a little tight, your back is hurting and your feet are hurting, you got to really take to time to invest in your body. That’s one of the things that they’re not really going to experience of until we’re there in the season. I’m trying to harp on those guys and make sure they spend a little bit of extra time in the cold tub or going to get soft-tissue work. That stuff, teams that are healthy this year, is going to make a big difference in this landscape.”
(On his offseason creative work) “I’m very passionate about it. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to tell stories and I wanted to find ways to move people. If you can illicit a gut feeling out of someone, I think that’s one of the biggest compliments you can have as a creator. I constantly look for opportunities to tell those stories, personal stories, and things that I’ve seen in my life. I will hopefully, God willing, continue to do that and find opportunities to write unique situations that I feel like connect with people. This offseason I had a little more time to do it and I had some of the stuff in my house when we were stuck in the house and decided to make something happen.”
(On the monologue in his video) “That was a Conley original. Nolan really only worked in Gotham, so I think maybe in the third movie there was mention of Metropolis somewhere. They really stayed away from that, but maybe Zack Snyder, maybe that’s a Snyder moment.”
(On if he would write the story) “Who knows? Comic books are my things so if I could work in something that had to do with superheroes that would be fantastic. Comic books have told a lot of stories that have connected with a lot of people over a lot of years and I’m no different.”
(On Coach McCardell telling young players to look at him as an example) “No he hasn’t told me that. You might have given him away. But that’s the name of the game, that’s football. There’s always eyes on you. There’s always evaluation and the older you get, the more reasons they look for to replace you. Once you get that, you rip that band aid off, it allows you to come in the building focused with your mind on your work. When you have a couple years under your belt, you know what works. You know what work ethics have produced guys who have consistently gotten better. Really my game and the way that I practice is just me emulating guys that had been on their eighth or tenth year in the league and how they practice and really the tempo and the intensity and the attention to detail they had.”
(On which guys he’s referring to) “When I came in the league, my vets were Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant. I had guys like them, [and] Travis Kelce. I really wanted to emulate those guys. Jeremy was on year eight, Jason Avant was on year 10 and they were the fast guys on the field everyday at that age. They knew exactly how to get open every time. They made the most of every opportunity.”
(On what areas of his game he’s looking to improve on) “I would really like to take some more of those short and intermediate balls to the house. I had a number of long runs last year, some that I scored on, some that I came really close to scoring on. I want to finish all of them. If you’re limited in the number of touches you get in a year, each touch has to be an opportunity to score. You look at some of the greats in this game [and] they’re able to take a 5-yard slant and they’re able to turn it into an 86-yard touchdown. That is a level and a consistency and a threat that I really need to bring more out of my game. Three broken tackles is not enough. You have to break the fourth and score. Really just making sure I’m keeping my eyes up, downfield and kind of preparing more for that second move after the first and second contact.”
(On his first memory of Superman and what put him on to his fascination with him) “I just remember reading some comics that my dad had from when my dad was a kid and seeing the interactions between Superman. I have this picture in my head right now of an interaction between Superman and Wonder Woman- these people who were just so above and beyond everything that we are as humans, but their only concern was us. I remember being baffled by that and realizing that that connection with humanity is the only thing that separated them from the villains. That resonated with me and as I read more and more comics, as a young kid growing up on the West Coast and reading those comics, I could see myself in those characters. As I got older, I read more and more and would start learning about the archetypes. These stories, they transcend time and they’re not just in comic books- they’re in novels, they’re in movies. I was kind of interested in how just different mediums could connect different people with the same stories and comic books just happened to be my medium.”
(On if he’s seen clips of the original Superman TV show) “I feel like I have seen some. I’m not sure if what I’m thinking of is exactly what you’re referring to. I’ll look as soon as I get out of here, but I have seen early clips. It’s interesting how things evolve over time as our notion of the perfect person evolves in this county- our notion of what a beautiful woman is, our notion of what a strong man is. It really can show the faults of the writers and the artists and what their image of perfect and good is. But as time has gone on, I really hope that other kids realize, just as I did, that if I don’t look like their version of perfect or their version of courageous and strong, I can still be that. That’s why representation does matter.”
(On the improvement of QB Gardner Minshew II in year two) “I’m very impressed with the way that he shown up in this camp. I did some work with him in the offseason. He looked good in the offseason but when you’re running on air and there’s no one watching and all these things, things can be a little bit different. But since he’s gone into the huddle with a defense, with coaches breathing down his neck, with a little bit more pressure, he’s really performed well and seems very comfortable. Not only that, but he’s taken some chances that I didn’t see him take last year. If the read tells him to go here, this is the safe throw, but in the back of your mind you can throw this, it’s more of a fifty-fifty situation, he’s actually taken some of those. Not every time, but he’s taken them when its smart and that has really impressed me. I’m excited to see how he continues to progress. He’s put in a lot of work and there’s a lot of work yet to be done, but the mentality that he has right now is that he’s not afraid to put in that work and I’m excited about that.”
| JAGUARS DT TIMMY JERNIGAN August 17, 2020 (On bringing his pro career to Florida after growing up playing in the state) “To me, it’s a little deeper than just Florida. I was able to move to Lake City from Jacksonville. I moved to Lake City when I was about nine years old and until I was about eleven or twelve, I was back and forth between the two, staying with my brother. He was definitely a big mentor to me. In the summers, my mom would send me back here so I’m familiar with the area, I’m familiar with the team. I really feel like it’s a blessing. I feel like [it’s] a dream come true.” (On his first practice with the team) “Listen, that Florida heat, you know what I mean that was definitely the first thing. Practice went well, great tempo. Guys out there taking care of each other. You definitely realize everyone’s out there practicing with a purpose. It’s definitely straight to business. I’m just ready to be a part of it. I was glad I was able to come out and start knocking the rust off a bit and getting acclimated to everything- the scheme, the climate, all that good stuff. I’m just taking it day by day, man.” (On what he can bring to the defensive line group) “Whatever the team needs. If they need me to come in and be a heavy run guy, I can make that happen, I can do that. If they need me to get to the quarterback, I feel like I have the ability to do both. All I need to really do is just prove to everyone that I’m ready for that. That’s the biggest thing. I have to prove my point that within the next three weeks that I’m ready for the task and I think I can do it.” (On his situation with the Houston Texans) “To be honest, I don’t really want to talk about what happened in Texas too much. I’m not going to do that. I’m going to leave it where it’s at. I’m in Jacksonville now. I’m just blessed that the Jaguars, when they called me and gave me the opportunity, they kept their word. They made a promise and they followed through with it so I’m going to give this team everything I got. I’m going to give them everything I got. Hopefully, I can end my career right here in Jacksonville.” (On his previous injury that has affected him the past two seasons) “It was actually a back injury. Honestly, it happened two or three years ago, and I haven’t missed a game for that since the year that it happened. I haven’t missed any games for it. Last year, I had a broken foot and that’s why I missed six games last season. I never missed a game last year because of my back. It’s just amazing that it keeps popping up. I’m ready to put it behind me and move on with my career.” (On being a Lake City native and being close to home in Jacksonville and on transitioning into full pads in his first day with the team) “You have to adjust fast, especially in this Florida heat. It definitely feels good being able to come home, especially with Lake City being right there. Like I said earlier, I actually went to school here, elementary [school] at some times. I went to Justina Elementary when I was a kid and then I moved to Lake City. But it damn sure feels good to be home, right here with Columbia down the road. It feels like I’m back in Columbia playing again- purple and gold. I’m definitely excited. I haven’t been this happy to play football in a long time. I haven’t been this happy in a long time.” (On how much he knew about the Jaguars before becoming part of the team and if he had spoken to former Jaguar Malik Jackson) “I never spoke with Malik about the team or anything like that, but I also knew a lot about the team. Like I said, elementary school, living in Justina. It was crazy because we had a Pop Warner team called the Justina Jaguars, right there across the street from our apartment complex. I remember as I kid, I had a little fake Mark Brunell jersey. It was horrible, horrible looking, but I had the Mark Brunell jersey and I had the little fake helmet. My sister was in middle school and I would lie to my sister when she came home and be like, “Hey, the Justina Jaguars need helping cheerleading across the street or whatever.” I would stuff my fake jersey with clothes and shoulder pads and all this crazy stuff. I always knew about the team. [I] definitely was a big fan back when big John Henderson and Marcus Stroud were here. I definitely used to tune in. That was the good old days- we have to get back to that.” (On if he knew he was wearing John Henderson’s number) “Of course. No, it wasn’t intentional but when I came in and saw the 98, I took it as a compliment.” (On if he chose the number himself) “It was all coincidence, but Henderson and Stroud were my two favorite inside guys all-time, especially when they were together. They were dangerous.”  |
JAGUARS DE/OLB JOSH ALLEN
August 17, 2020
(On dealing with the new faces on the defensive line) “I can’t control anybody’s health or anything. We just have to keep going and hopefully the guys that are behind those guys, the guys that we have here now, just have to play a bigger step in this role. The guys that we bring in to replace those guys, we have to hold them to a higher standard. They have to hold themselves to a higher standard. So right now, we’re just looking to keep playing, keep our heads up high, [and] just do what we can for right now because we can’t control if somebody for health reasons [can’t play] or somebody just is not here. We can’t really help that. I’m going to do what I need to do. Abe’s [Abry Jones] going to do what he needs to do. Taven [Bryan], [Dawuane] Smoot – all those guys are going to do what they need to do. We’re just going to have to ball.”
(On what he learned about leadership from Calais Campbell) “Before you get to be a leader, you have to make plays. If you’re not making plays and you try to have a voice, nobody is going to listen to you. [You] just [have to] be able to make plays on the field and show guys you’re consistent at doing that. Guys want to follow somebody that makes a lot of plays. If you’re making a lot of plays for your team, helping your team win, then that’s how you become someone guys listen to, someone guys want to follow. I feel like that’s just the first step of being a leader.”
(On if he’s proven he’s ready to be a leader early in his career) “I mean yes. Yes, but I’m not forcing myself. I’m not proclaiming myself to be the steadfast leader. I’m going on my second year. I did what I did last year and I’m only trying to improve on that. All I can do is just make as many plays for my team, get myself better, focus on myself first. If I focus on everybody else, then I’m going to be all jacked up. Right now, I’m just staying after practice with K’Lavon [Chaisson] and we’ve just been getting a lot of extra pass rush in so we can be great. Hopefully, they can see that- see that I’m putting in the extra work and then I’m stepped up to be the leader. I can definitely take that role now if they want me to.”
(On new teammate Timmy Jernigan) “I remember him back at Florida State. League-wise, I really wasn’t familiar with him, but that’s not an insult. I know he’s a heck of a player. He looks the part. Today was his first day out here and unfortunately for him, his first day in pads. We all have to get back in that football pad shape, but I’m looking to see what he becomes because he looks like he can be a heck of a talent for our team.”
(On what he’s seen in his matchups with OL Cam Robinson and OL Jawaan Taylor) “I was waiting for today for a very long time so I can really work on a lot of moves with those guys because I know those two, to me, are one of the best. They’re both two different tackles. Jawaan [Taylor] is quick on his feet. Cam [Robinson] is a heavy guy. It’s just working different moves. You can’t really work the same move on both guys. It’s just moves that I had in my head that I want to use on each one of those and I really got to, today, use some of those moves. I didn’t get to rush against Cam today as much as I wanted. But with Jawaan, you win some, you lose some. Jawaan’s a heck of a player, but I just can’t lose every rep to him. I trained with Jawaan also this offseason, so I know how good he got. I can’t wait to see him progress this year and be great, a great All-Pro, a Pro Bowl left tackle. Right tackle? Right tackle.”
(On the advantage of practicing against both Cam Robinson and Jawaan Taylor) “It’s big for us. They’re both good at what they do. If I’m playing against a bigger tackle coming up, I’m going to really rush against Cam [Robinson] more. Then If I’m playing more against a leaner or more athletic- I’m not saying Cam’s not athletic, but Jawaan is more athletic than Cam feet-wise and just being able to move in different directions- I’m going to rush against Jawaan more. Just talking to them, asking them questions [like], ‘Hey bro, did you see when I stabbed you? Was I too early? Was I too late?’ I ask those guys all the time that question and they try to get me better because we’re a team. I just want the best for them, they want the best for me and that’s how we’re going to be able to grow.”
(On his thoughts on Al Woods’ choice to opt this season versus a situation like Josh Oliver or Rodney Gunter not being able to play due to injury) “I didn’t see when Josh [Oliver] got hurt but I came and talked to him after practice. It just sucks for him because I feel like he’s never had that opportunity to play. I was really excited for him this year and just to see he got hurt again really, really hurt me. I really wanted to see him be a great football player because I know he is. That really hurt. As for Rodney [Gunter], I was really looking forward to playing with him. I know he’s a heck of player. I know he’s a heck of a three-technique on the inside so just being able to rush with him was going to open up my game a lot better, a lot more. It’s really unfortunate but I wish both those guys healthy progress and just nothing but a clean recovery. For Al [Woods], I never met Al yet. He was one of the first people to opt out. It kind of made me think. When I told you that I was thinking about opting out, it kind of made me think like what was the reason for he opted. But he was an older guy. He’s been in the league for a long time and so I kind of put that in perspective of he probably has more health concerns or something. I never knew him. That’s what I gathered from that.”
(On RB Leonard Fournette) “First and foremost about Leonard [Fournette], I really do believe Leonard is one of the best backs in the NFL, personally. This year I really got to be able to connect with him off the field and know what type of person he is, not just player, but person. He’s changed a lot in my eyes, just being to talk to him more. We talk about life, family, and literally football every time we talk. He’s really a great person. I know he gets perceived as one of those bad words, but Leonard is a guy that’s growing. He’s growing in his career, growing off the field. As a football player, on the field going against him, I kind of hate it. He is a really big back who is explosive, who catches the ball, who runs really great routes, who blocks in protection extremely well. He’s just one of those really versatile running backs that’s going to be a nightmare in the league for a very long time.”
(On working with DE/LB K’Lavon Chaisson after practice and how he’s dealing with his injury during practice) “He has a serious injury, an injury that affected him in the past so you can’t really be too hard on him because it is what it is. I can’t wait for him to come back. I need a break. I’m trying to rotate a little bit. Being able to do that with him and just be able to see him work and see him move and for him to see me move and me work. It’s good just to have that connection with him because now I know what type of player, pass rusher he is. The one thing I really want to harp on with him about is stopping the run. Before you become a good pass rusher, you have to be able to stop the run. That’s just something I’ve really been keeping in the back of his mind. Just being young together we can definitely grow. [I] had a great conversation with CJ [Henderson]- well-minded, strong-minded individual. I see CJ becoming a great player his first year and throughout the rest of his career as well.”
(On the first day of practice in pads) “I know speaking from my perspective, I have to definitely get back in full padded shape. I tried to go as hard as I can every play without taking any plays off. I definitely didn’t take any plays off. Just being back in full pads, it’s just something that we have to get used to again. I know Coach Marrone is taking really good care of us this offseason, so I really appreciate that. That’s why I do stay after practice to get that extra conditioning so I can be more prepared for the next day to come.”
TIGHT END JAMES O’SHAUGHNESSY
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
(On connection with QB Gardner Minshew II and expectations) “Fortunately, me and Minshew, I think the connection started in camp last year and a couple preseason games we had something going. And obviously when [former Jaguars QB] Nick [Foles] went down, Minshew came in and I think he had a connection with a lot of people. I don’t think people give him enough credit, that he just sped the ball around. I think he likes using his tight ends, but he has no problem throwing it to anybody else on the field that wins their routes. And offensively, I’ve been really impressed with what [Jaguars OC] Jay [Gruden] has brought in. It’s an offense that has many different looks to it, many different combinations, one off each other. [It] keeps defenses on its toes and we’ve already had defensive players from our team come up to us and compliment the improvements we’ve already made. You know, it’s early, we’ve still got a ways to go, but so far it’s been a sign of optimism.”
(On the tight end group performance in general and on TE Tyler Eifert’s efforts) “Well, I’ll start off with the group as a whole, I think this is one of the best groups we’ve had since we’ve been here. We’ve got a lot of us tall guys. Obviously, the injury to [TE Josh] Oliver really hurts, I hope everybody knows and understands how hard of a worker he is, how hard he worked to show something this year and sometimes it’s the way it goes. But as a group, we have a lot of young guys that I think can fill the role. We have a lot of versatility, people that can block end lines, split them out. And then you have [TE Tyler] Eifert, who is a Pro Bowl-caliber player, which if anyone has been watching him the first couple practices, you see why. He’s a heck of a route runner, he can fight in the pass game and in the run game. And he’s just a great leadership guy, we haven’t had veterans like that, that often in the last couple of years who have had Pro Bowl experience. So, to have somebody in that room sharing their knowledge, little tips—you know, I can even think of 2-3 little tips that he has given me that I’ve never heard before and they really help me out. So, we’re all very fortunate to have him in our room.”
(On the impact of TE Tyler Eifert’s past experience with OC Jay Gruden) “That’s awesome, because a lot of us, even new coaches, are still learning the system, learning the little things. And offense can be so nuanced, depending on who you’re going against, the defensive coordinator, the style of player you go against, there can be a lot of small changes to it. And since he’s played with Jay, knowing all the things he wants in different scenarios, it’s just a great resource for us that when we have questions on a look, we can just reference it to him.”
(On rehabbing during a pandemic) “I was very fortunate for the fact that I was able to come to work, besides for I think three weeks throughout the whole offseason. But just for being a football player, not having OTAs [organized team activities] was an odd thing for I think everybody. Especially for me, since I had been around the team at the end of the season, but I wasn’t in every meeting, I obviously wasn’t playing. So, for me, it felt like two years since I had last stepped on a football field or had even seen football. So, that was the oddest thing about the pandemic, where usually you have your set schedule, you’re planning this/that, you get your vacations in this time so you’re ready to go at this time. And now it’s all just on a whim, one week things are open, the next week it’s not, then everything’s not. I think it’s a difficult time for a lot of people, but like I said, I was very fortunate from the fact that I had a great training staff that still did everything possible to make sure I was ready.”
(On concern about not being on track to come back during the pandemic) “Yeah 100 percent, 100 percent. I was very concerned just because of how things are going. There was a time where I wasn’t allowed in the building, and then, all of a sudden, a day before, they say, ‘Oh you can come back.’ So, that whole weekend and week, I was scrambling trying to project how I’m going to handle my next week. Fortunately, I was able to get back in and then even two weeks before camp started, that kind of freaked me out because we weren’t allowed to—injured people weren’t allowed in the building. So, I was doing all of my rehab at home, working with different physical therapists, trying to communicate with the people here to make sure I was ready. It’s just—for me, every day matters, every rep matters, every rest day matters, everything matters for me to make sure I’m 100% when it comes day one, so I can contribute the way I need to. So, it was kind of touch and go and it really kind of gave me a lot of anxiety about it. But fortunately, like I said, I had a great training staff here that communicated with me, did everything possible if I needed help at home, if I needed to reach out to somebody, they did everything possible to make sure I was ready.”
(On feeling when he was activated for training camp this year) “Well, to be honest, I was a little bit frustrated because I wanted to never be on the PUP [physically unable to perform], I had planned to be cleared by when we showed up. So, to be put on PUP, I was a little frustrated. But it was a great feeling, man. To be honest, I didn’t really celebrate long because to me it was, ‘Now I’ve actually got to get to work.’ Before, being on PUP, you’re off to the side, you’re not running routes with the team, you’re not doing all the things that they’re doing to start off training camp. And it was just frustrating to see that and to know that I set a goal and I didn’t get a chance to accomplish it. But I knew that doesn’t change the real goal, which is to be ready for Week 1. So, it was a great feeling, but like I said, it was about 30 minutes of happiness and then I was like ‘Okay what do I need to know for tomorrow? What do I need to do to make sure I’m ready to go?’”
(On his thoughts of the possibility of no fans and its impact on their game day experience) “Well, I’ve thought about it a little bit and there’s no question, it’s going to affect things. It’s going to make the game day experience not as lavish, not as grand. And the game day feeling is a special feeling, it’s what you work every day, week, after week, month after month, to get to that game to showcase what you can, in front of all these 80, 70 thousand fans in person, millions of fans on the TV. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t change our job. We still have to come in and win, whether it’s a home game, road game, fans, 20 percent, no fans. Obviously, it stinks for a lot of the fans in Jacksonville and across the country who love this game and love to see it in-person. But it’s the world we live in now, we’ve just got to handle it. And us as players, we’ve just got to rise up to the challenge, because I think it will bring a little bit of a challenge for most because it’s a new thing. But at the end of the day, I think once the pads get on, you start rolling. You might not hear the crowd noises as much, but you’re still focusing on your job.”
(On Jay Gruden’s offense in general and the importance of the tight end position) “Well, [the] offense is amazing. It has a West Coast background, but it has new wrinkles that I haven’t seen before and I’ve been with some pretty good OC’s offenses before with the [Kansas City] Chiefs and the [New England] Patriots. So, I’ve seen a lot and I saw concepts I’ve never seen before and that was cool to see. From being a football junkie, enjoying the X’s and O’s to see the different ways he compliments each route off of another. You can see how we can go three different ways in a game and then hit them back and compliment off those—it’s impressive. And from the tight end standpoint, watching the film, studying what they’ve done with other tight ends, like [San Francisco 49ers TE] Jordan Reed, [San Francisco 49ers TE] Vernon Davis, Eifert back in Cincinnati. I mean, there’s a lot of optimism for everybody in the room. We’re going to have a role and we’re going to have to contribute, not just in the run game, in the pass game. And do our best to make sure that we have a well-oiled machine with a true identity.”
(On leaning on TE Tyler Eifert this year) “A lot. Yeah, I think I said this earlier that, even the coaches are new to this offense, so you can’t project talking about a certain style of player, a certain defensive coverage that might be the same as last week but played slightly different. So, we can always reference him when we’re watching film, like ‘Hey did you like think that was the right move? What would you do? What do you see on this combination again to this? Against this type of player? Against this style of defense?’ So, it’s just awesome to have him as a reference, to even—when we don’t have the coaches to talk to, or somebody to ask the question to, we can always go to him. You know, I’ve texted him before, on our off days, just to check in like, ‘Hey on this play here, did you think this?’ and he’s just awesome with that. So, it’s just been nice to have that type of resource, someone who’s been through it, a Pro Bowl-caliber guy who understands the game, so he’s been a great resource.”
(On confidence that the tight ends will be more involved this season) “Yeah 100 percent. I will say, it’s a tough question to ask because it’s pretty early on. But I think, no question, we’re going to—with this style of offense, we’re going to get more opportunities in the pass game, we’ll be more of a focal point than maybe in years past. But at the end of the day, the job of a tight end isn’t always just to catch passes, we have three or four different jobs, whether it be pass pro or if the o-line needs us, if we need a run game, which is extremely important. Then we also have fullback, if depending on how the team roster shapes out, we might have to do that, too. So, it’s going to be nice for the fact that I think we’ll definitely get the opportunities more in the pass game. But at the end of the day, our job is more than just that and I think we’ve got a heck of a room that can do a lot of different things.”
JAGUARS TIGHT ENDS COACH RON MIDDLETON
August 18, 2020
(On working with new Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden and the role his tight ends will play in the offense) “For the guys and for the team, I feel real good about it. You know I worked with his brother. He and I worked together at Tampa for a while. I kind of figured the tight end was going to play a more important role, a more vital role in his offense which is a good thing, like I said. For the players, and I think for the team, I’m excited. We’re going to prepare like we always have but I think it’s going to be a good a thing, like I said, for the guys and for the team.”
(On working during the pandemic i.e. having to wear a mask and conducting virtual meetings) “It’s definitely an adjustment. I look like at like this; it could always be worse. [I] could be like a couple of my friends out looking for a job during this pandemic. You can take it on, it’s a challenge. Like I said, it’s different. Everything’s different in this whole pandemic thing and we all have to make adjustments and just roll with the punches. I’ve learned that the more you do anything, the better you get at it, the more comfortable you become at it. I think my virtual meetings today are one hundred times better than they were at the beginning. I’m more comfortable and I think the guys have adjusted to it also. As far as the mask deal goes, again, that’s part of it. I’m just glad we’re taking all the precautionary steps available to make this thing go.”
(On what he’s seen from TE Tyler Davis and what he sees as his role with the injury to TE Josh Oliver) “I’ve been very pleased with Tyler’s performance thus far. He’s very smart. He’s one of the best interviews I’ve ever had with a kid [when we were] deciding on the preliminary stuff whether we were going to take him or not. [He’s] one of the smartest guys football-wise that I’ve ever interviewed. Then, his work ethic proved it wasn’t a fluke. He’s a hard worker. He’s very talented. He’s big. He’s bigger than you think he is. You get up next to him and he’s thick. He can run. He’s got some athleticism. The thing I wanted to see is when the pads got on, was he going to shy away from contact? Was he one of these cerebral guys [that] just wanted to do it on the board and read about it? He hasn’t backed down from contact yet. We still have to work on his techniques. There’s a lot of stuff he’s got to learn but so far I’m really pleased with his progress thus far.”
(On his thoughts on TE Tyler Eifert) “[He’s] just what I thought. I went back and I looked at my write-up on him and I was like, “Man, this guy can run every route in the book.” He is an accomplished route runner and he hasn’t disappointed. He’s shown some physicality. We’ve got to be smart, as coaches, to put him in the position where’s he going to best serve or best give us the most that he’s got to give. We didn’t bring him here to put him in the backfield and lead up on linebackers. We expect him to be split out, running those routes that we know he can run and doing those other things that make him such a valuable part of the offense. I’ve been very impressed with him. He’s a great a guy. We’ve gotten along extremely well. He’s stepped in and I look forward to working with him. I look forward to working with him this year, I really am.”
(On working with five different offensive coordinators during his time with the team) “I don’t think it’s been tough at all. Energizing? I wouldn’t say energizing, but it keeps it fun. It’s fun, I’ll say. All the coordinators have had a positive approach to football. I think the tight ends’ role, of course I’m biased, is super important and I’ve been fortunate enough to have all the coordinators in that have given my guys [that role.] It hadn’t panned out this way most of the time, but we have a big role in the offense. We have to know all the shifts, we have to know all the motions, multiple tight end sets. Because of injuries and otherwise, we haven’t been able to, I think, be utilized the way I would like to be utilized but that’s no fault of the coordinators. Hopefully, this year everything falls into place and the tight end position can be afforded the opportunity to do a lot of the things that I think we’re more than capable of doing.”
(On if he could name the five coordinators he has worked with in order) “If you gave me a minute, yes I could. Yeah, Fisch. Yeah, Jedd, it was Jedd. I’m sorry, it’s too much work, man.”
(On the injury to TE Josh Oliver) “You really, really feel bad for the kid. You’re talking about just an outstanding person. First and foremost, [he’s] just an outstanding person. [He’s] tried to do things the right way. [He] comes to work, doesn’t say a lot. He not flamboyant or anything like that. [He’s] just a great a spirit. The kid has a great spirit. He has a lot of talent and I feel so bad for him that he hasn’t been able to showcase that talent. The few practices that we had before he got hurt this year, you really saw some things. If you go and look at some of the tape, some of the things he was doing. I was so excited for the kid. I’m just as disappointed. I talked with him the other day after it happened and I said, ‘Hey man, you know you can only control the things you can control.’ I said, ‘You never know what tomorrow’s going to bring. You just have to deal with every day.’ One thing I do know [is] that cream rises to the top, although turds do float. But this kid is going to be okay. He’s got talent and he’s a good person and usually good things happen to good people.”
| JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE Monday, August 17, 2020 (Opening statement) “Okay, it’s come out about [DT] Rodney Gunter, so I saw you guys saw that statement that was put out by him. And these are the things I think that are very difficult. You know, things come up that are out of your control, it takes away what you love and what you want to do. I’ve watched Rodney over the course of the summer at times, you know he was rehabbing. You know, the amount of work that he put in, the professionalism that he had. It’s our goal to try to get him here in a capacity where he can help our football team, which I think he can. So, we extended that to him and obviously it’s during a difficult time where there’s a lot going on, so it’s just an awful feeling, it really is. You know, it’s just tough. I think to move forward here, obviously, we signed [DT] Tim Jernigan, a guy who’s played in this league. So we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do, along with the rest of the guys up front. Stopping the run has been a big focus for us and some of the things that we did, some of the moves that we made, some of those guys aren’t here. So it’s going to put a challenge for us to make sure we find those guys, develop those guys, whichever way we have to do it. I mean, that’s something we have to get done. So we’re continuing to keep working on that. Another thing, another unfortunate thing, [LB] Quincy [Williams] fortunately, the surgery went well on the core muscle, so he should be coming back here, training with the players and seeing where he’s at. I don’t have any roster decisions yet, ‘Are you going to do this with him, do that with him?’ We just wait to see what happens after surgery is over and then we look at where he is from a rehab standpoint and then those decisions are probably made later or when we get more information. The next thing is [TE] Josh Oliver was running yesterday, non-contact, and he broke a bone in his foot. So he’ll have surgery tomorrow and, you know, it’s just an unfortunate thing. It’s something that can happen to any of us, sometimes you understand the contact part of it, but the non-contact stuff just happens, and I guess you just chalk it up to be a bad break. I mean, he was in shape, he was doing really well, we were really excited. He’s devastated, obviously, because it showed that he put a lot of work in, coming in. Today in practice, you won’t see Myles Jack, he got sick last night. It doesn’t seem to be COVID-19 related. So, he won’t be in the building, and so hopefully we’ll be able to get him back once he feels better. It sounds like just symptoms of being under the weather, but in this day and age we’ve just got to be careful, so that’s what we’re doing with him. You know, the other guy, [DE/OLB] Aaron Lynch, which I excused, he’s taking care of something personally. So he’s dealing with that and we’ll see where that is as we go forward, so we’re in communication with him so it’s not an issue. But I just want to tell you guys, so this way I’m upfront telling you where we are with the team, who’s out there, who’s not out there. [TE] James O’Shaunghessy, it’s a day off for him. We’re working him back, so you’ll see him out there, but on the side. And then [OL] Cam [Robinson] I think we’re getting close, so hopefully by the end of the week. He’s doing walk-throughs, doing a lot of stuff like that and obviously it’s just the on-field stuff. And we feel we’ll get a good indication tomorrow when we test him, and we feel like we’ll have him later in the week. So we should be at full strength. Today is the first day of pads, you know, I talked to the players. Everything is a ramping up-type period, so my goal is we want to get used to it, we don’t want to see people on the ground, we don’t want to be leaving our feet. You’ll see today, we’ll have one-on-one O-line/D-line and it’ll be a highly competitive period. Obviously, they’re all competitive, but in some areas it’s safety first. We’re just going to work our way into—getting ourselves into those types of drills to where we can see if somebody has the ability to play or not. And we have a lot of time left for that, so we just want to get out there. It’s restricted as far as time wise, 90 minutes is what we’re allowed on the field. I think that’s—I really like the way it’s going, as far as the buildup and the time. And I think it’s really helpful for our players as we get ourselves ready to go. The other thing that came out, obviously, the PA in the league [NFL Players Association] that they’re going to continue testing. I think from getting a feel for the players and the coaches, including myself, I think there’s a comfort level on that. And I think that was a good thing, it’s one that I think that we all embrace, and I haven’t heard any negative talk about that. When it comes to doing things to try to keep us all safe. That’s where we are as a team and I think that’s it for the opening.” (On DT Rodney Gunter’s status) “Like I said, we’ve offered a position for him to come and help our football team. You know, obviously, it’s not on the field, but I think he has a lot to offer. As far as the medical, as far as what could happen, what can, I think Rodney might be able to explain that better. I think it’s probably best for him to tell that story. I could only tell you from where we are right now. You know, we like him, we feel like he can help our football team, even though it’s not on the field, which was the number one thing. So hopefully after this very tough period calms down, I told him to get back in touch with me and he’ll be part of the staff in one way or another.” (On whether DT Rodney Gunter accepted the position offer) “He was appreciative of it, but again, I think if we all try to just take a moment and put ourselves in his shoes, you could see how difficult a time it is. So that offer is extended for a long period of time. It’s not going to be something that, ‘Hey I need a decision now.’ I told him, ‘Hey, get everything, there’s a lot going on, we have all the support here for you. We don’t want you to feel like you’re left out alone.’ I think that’s a credit to, obviously, [GM] Dave [Caldwell], [Jaguars Owner] Shad [Khan], you know, ownership, to be able to have that type of understanding. In a league, at times, that is business-oriented and for lack of a better term, sometimes cut-throat. So I feel proud that we’re doing the right thing.” (On whether the process of bringing in DT Rodney Gunter via free agency and with the restrictions affected the finding of his condition) “I don’t know, that’s a good question. I think that maybe [Director of Public Relations] Tad [Dickman] can get you the medical procedures on anything on that. I’ve seen it before where guys have gone for a couple years and things have gotten caught. More so coaches, with their physicals at times, there’s a lot of things that happen that you feel fortunate, when you look in perspective, that have basically saved lives. I think that this is a league that is built on safety, this is a league that’s built on doing the best job, having the best medical care, for both coaches and players. And I think it’s appreciated. So, I really can’t answer whether what was done before could’ve done it or now, but I think I wouldn’t know all the ins and outs of testing and what test shows what.” (On DL Dawuane Smoot’s progress and role moving forward) “I think he’s changed. I think you guys that are out there have seen and talked about his body type. I mean, he’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s really trying to take advantage of the reps that he has. I know that he will be able to help us and now it’s just a matter of seeing how much. I think that I feel very good about where he’s at. I think that he’s worked extremely hard and it shows. These next couples of weeks, like with a lot of these players, we’ll see what ability they have to help us win. But Smoot has done a really good job and I’ve told him that. I like the way he’s practicing and I like where his mind is. He’s really focused and he’s really working on things to make our team a better football team, which I think is important. I’m just really happy and if it does get on his plate, where he does have to do more, I don’t have an issue with that either. I think you’re dealing with a player that’s going to give you everything he has, every time. Whether he’s good enough or not, I think that we’ll see, but that’s what we’re working for.” (On whether he has ever experienced something like this for three years in a row) “Probably not, no. But, [it’s] part of the challenge.” (On the frustration when plans are changed so close to the season) “Yeah, I don’t know if it’s scrambling or like high-anxiety, it’s a matter of, listen, some of the young guys that we have are going to have to step up and we’ve got to get them ready to go. I think that there’s opportunities from now throughout the start of the season where you can acquire players, whether it’s the other players’ positions that are loaded on some teams. We’ll have to make some moves, or maybe it’s a trade? There’s a lot of options out there. I don’t think we’re in that mode yet of scramble. We’re in that mode of planning. I think that these things, kind of the way you’ve mentioned it. You know, during a game, you have a game plan and all of a sudden, you’re like, ‘Holy cow this plan’s not working, we’ve got to go to something else.’ So you’ve always got to be able to make adjustments in what you do. And the one thing I think I’ve learned over the history of this league is even though you’re doing all these moves or you’re doing all these things to fix things and you feel comfortable, at any moment in time those things can change. And you’ve got to be prepared and you’ve got to be able to do it. I think that in doing so, I know that there will be a lot written about, kind of like you said D-Rock [Mike DiRocco], these plans that they have, have been blown up. But it’s also a great opportunity and a great challenge for these other guys to step up and if you have that happen, that’s great. Especially the young guys, we’re looking—the guys that we’re talking about were guys that were experienced, guys that have done it before. Having those veteran type of guys brought in, we still have a decent mix, but now it’s a little bit more on the younger guys and guys that have been here, to step up. Whether it be Taven Bryan, Smoot, you know, [DE/LB] Josh [Allen] has done a great job, he’s worked extremely hard. You know, he helped the linebacker crew, which will help us out there and the run defense. Really getting—you know, you might not have, per say, the one player that can dominate and stop it, even though I think we have some guys that can develop into that. But it’ll be a challenge for the wave, you know what I’m saying, the wave of D-linemen that we have and putting them out there. So those are a couple things that we’re looking at and discussing. As we work to get everyone better, we’re not going to focus on things that are outside of the building, or at least the coaches and the players aren’t. Whereas myself and [GM] Dave [Caldwell] and the scouts, we’ll look at things and discuss things. Our focus still needs to be on the players that are here, the coaches that are here and getting the guys that we have good enough for us to be a winning football team.” (On whether DT Tim Jernigan is practicing today) “Sure, he has gone through his COVID-19 protocol, so he’s been tested. So he’ll be on the field and he’ll be practicing today. The way the rules read, once everyone clears the COVID-19 protocol, they immediately go into whatever phase you’re in. You know, if you pick someone up later on, it wouldn’t be a 14-day phase, or a 10-day build up. So, when those players, obviously, go through a COVID-19 protocol, whatever phase you’re in as a football team, they immediately get put into that phase. Now, obviously we’ll see where he’s at. I haven’t seen him on the field, tape is the only thing I’ve seen, so I’m sure that we’ll be smart in working him back and we’ll see where he’s at.” (On how tough it must be for a player like TE Josh Oliver, who was injured last year, to be injured again)“Sure, he looked good. I mean, those first couple days, it was exciting. I think that’s what the business element of it—okay here’s the injury, he’s not going to be able to go, so put it to the side and move on. You know what I’m saying? Next man up, this and that. I think that when we write that or I talk about that and people read it or they hear it, they tend to kind of go with that program. Because they’re not next to that player, they haven’t been able to see what that player has done, or the amount of time we’ve put in, or even if someone like Josh who was injured last year, wanted to come out and prove something, you know, I’m sure within himself, to a level of excitement from, not only his teammates but the coaches –‘Hey this guy’s really going to be able to contribute and we’re really going to get a lot out of him.’ So there’s a lot of emotion that goes into it or a lot of empathy that goes into the player, you know, what he’s done. And I think those are the things that probably get lost because whether it’s not that big of a story, or it’s hard to communicate. I know it’s sometimes hard for me to communicate that because I’m trying to paint a picture for everybody of what this player has done and how dedicated he’s been and how disappointed he is. And then, the next step is you go into this rehabilitation process and that was happening two years for him. Is he questioning himself? And you want to motivate the player to really rehabilitate in a way that he can come back even stronger. So, there’s a lot that goes into play when it comes to these situations. And I think a lot of times it’s like, ‘Okay this player got hurt, we’ll move on, let’s go.’ But there is so much more to it than probably what people can understand.” (On how he communicates unfortunate news to the team) “Yeah, I think there’s a lot of different ways. I think, first off, just putting the truth out there. You know, obviously the team knows. I mean, these guys are in the locker room. The empathy that I feel, I think the locker room obviously feels with these players. I think there’s a lot of times where you’re sitting there and you’re thinking ‘Have I taken my health, have I taken my ability to play or my ability to do my job, have I taken all that stuff for granted? Am I just looking at that as I’m invincible?’ I think a lot of times we talk about, with our faith, how this game can be taken away from you at any moment, for any of us. How do we want to approach it? How do we want to live our lives? I think there’s unfortunate things that occur all the time and I think it gives you, for some of us, I think it gives you the ability to step back and realize how fortunate we are. And are we going to take advantage of this opportunity or are we just going to take it for granted? So I think that’s probably the way—or it is the way how I think about it, how I communicate it. I think you’re right, it’s not gloom and doom, it’s not going to happen to everybody, but it does occur and that’s part of the sport. And how you handle it and how we support those players that go through that tough time, I think it is important. Especially at this level, it’s the professional football league. Whereas in college, you’re supported by the student body, you’re supported by your family, you’re supported by your teammates, you’re there, it’s pretty much locked it. I think when things like this occur at this level, ‘Hey is he going to be able to come back? Is he going to play? Is he going to be part of the team? Is the team going to keep him?’ There’s a lot of other things that get involved that I think we as players and coaches know, and that’s what we’ve got to do a good job of, continuing that support.” (On S Ronnie Harrison’s performance and expectations) “I think we’re going to have pretty good competition at the safety position. I think that Ronnie has had some success on the field, and I think we need to make really great strides on the strong safety and the free safety position. Right now, he and JDub [S Jarrod Wilson] are back there. But I think you look at a lot of these younger guys, whether it be Brandon Watson, who’s done a very good job for us on special teams and is really starting to practice well, getting to learn that position even though he converted. Josh Jones, a guy that has been flying under the radar, that’s really showed up and has done some really nice things, so we’ll see how it goes now. Andrew Wingard has done a good job on teams, he’s gotten much better, you know, you can see that on the field. J.R. Reed who’s a free agent from Georgia, you know, he’s big, long, he can do some things. So we’ve got some guys back there, we’ve got about 7 players back there for about 4 positions. I think that we’re going to see a lot in these next couple days, for what we ask those guys to do. They’re practicing well, they’re all healthy, which is a good thing, so we’ll be able to see how much better they’ve gotten or if they’re going to be good enough for us to put them out there on the field and win with.” (On adding FB Bruce Miller to the team and his experience value) “I didn’t really know a lot about him. I mean, I didn’t know a lot about his time in San Francisco, I didn’t really know a lot about his time at UCF and this didn’t happen quickly, this happened, this has been over a period of time, because obviously, I think everyone knows my relationship with Coach [George] O’Leary who was the head coach at the University of Central Florida. Also, my relationship with Jack Reale who was Coach O’Leary’s agent when I was at Georgia Tech [University]. So I had known—Coach O’Leary I’ve known since I was 16 years old and worked for. And Jack Reale I’ve known since coaching with Coach O’Leary at Georgia Tech. So, you know, I got a phone call over the summer and I just told him I can’t make any promises. And then [I] really did a lot of research. I had a lot of questions, had a lot of things going on as far as what I wanted to do. And the only thing I said was we’ll see where we are, and we’ll bring him in for a workout. I mean, if everything’s cleared and there’s no charges, and all this other stuff I said. I mean, obviously I went deeper than that with personal conversation. But I didn’t really know what to expect, and then we brought him in for a workout and then all of a sudden, he runs better than I ever expected or maybe anyone expected. He’s in great shape, you know, he looked good out there. I mean, he looks like he belongs, and we’ll see where it’s at. I think that, you know, that position, like I said, if he’s a fullback, he’s got to be able to catch the football, he’s got to be able to play special teams, I’ve got to be able to get the snaps to put him on the roster, when talking about numbers and things of that nature. Or whether it’s a tight end, if I put an extra tight end. Do I keep an extra tight end to fill that position or do I keep an extra fullback to keep that position? I think it’s something that we would like to do, but it’s something that we’re prepared that if we don’t have one, that’s fine. There’s a lot of other things that we can do formation[-wise] and things of that nature. So, we just want to make sure that we put something together where we can get the best players on the field and people that can help us win.” (On concern with the depth of the defensive line knowing that Week 1 is just four weeks away) “Yeah, I think that you’re always looking to get better at certain positions. As camp goes on, you’re looking to see what positions you might have a chance to upgrade at. I think that some of them really—if you’re thinking you’re going to upgrade getting a shutdown corner, you’re dreaming, if you’re thinking about upgrading to get a pass rusher, you’re dreaming, if you’re upgrading at a left tackle position, you’re dreaming. So I think there are certain positions that you can upgrade, but right now, we have an opportunity and I think that if I stand up in front of the team and I say, ‘Ugh we’re done, we can’t stop the run. We’ve got to get players; we’ve got to go out.’ What does that say about the players that are here? We believe the players that are here have the ability to do it. Now it’s just a matter of going out there and them showing us that they can do it. And if they do, then obviously as a coach, you’re going to feel much better about it. I think if you see issues that are going to happen and you don’t want to jump the gun and make those decisions too quickly—that someone can’t do it and not give someone the opportunity, then you’re going to put yourself in trouble there too. You know, if you’re looking to hope to get somebody to help you outside of what you have right now, that gets you in trouble in this profession. If you’re saying to yourself ‘Okay this is what we have, how can we do a better job and maybe do somethings schematically to help yourself there?’ Now I believe you’re working in the right direction. So, I think it’s important and I think a lot of stuff is going to be out there about devastating injuries, stopping the run, losing all these guys—which is the truth, I totally understand that—but at the same time, I’m going to be open to giving these guys an opportunity to see what can happen and try to get us better.” (On schematic changes on the depth chart) “I say let’s see what they can do, first, before we start making those decisions. Because when you change this schematically, you’re changing everybody; what their responsibilities are and what they’re doing. And I just have one last comment, I just want to say: nine in a row.” |
