Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby
(A little birdie told you guys have a nice little family dinner every Tuesday with the coaching staff?) – “Oh, yeah. Family night?”
(Yeah. Hope important is that do you think to help you guys as a coaching staff get to know each other during this first season?) – “It gives a chance to see people as more than coaches. We’re seeing some of the guys with their kids, seeing how they interact with their families and stuff like that. My kids are a little bit older now, so it’s good to see some of the other guys interact with their families, the camaraderie of it all. I think that’s big in football and in life.”
(Is that a Head Coach Brian Flores thing that he kind of inspired?) – “Yes. It definitely comes from him. I don’t know if they did that in the past here before; but yes, it was definitely something that was – we’ve been doing it all year. I think it’s really worked out well. We’re working long hours this time of year so to get a chance to see your kids in the daylight, get a chance to come out here and see the guys throwing the ball with to their kids, it’s always good. It really is.”
(How has that helped the working relationship?) – “Like I said, you get to see people in different lights. Sometimes in the coaching role, we’re talking X’s and O’s, it’s strictly business. It gives you a chance to see some guys relax and be fathers and meet their wives. It’s good.”
(You seem to be the lighthearted guy on the defensive coaching staff. I feel like you and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, you guys get to joke around a little bit. You guys have a couple laughs, lighten things up, but also you work really hard too. Who are some guys on the coaching staff that really makes things a little bit easier for you guys, lightens the mood?) – “I think we’ve got a lot of different personalities on this staff. Sometimes things are real serious and intense. They might not be funny right when they say that; but then when you think about it, you think about the situation and maybe the next day I’ll come back and say, ‘What you said yesterday was crazy.’ It’s the same thing even dealing with the players. At that point, some of the comments they make might not be funny at that moment because you’re…”
(Then you come back around?) – “Yeah, you come back around and you go, ‘That was pretty funny.”
(So you come back around the next day you’re like “Man,” you think back on it?) – “Yeah. Maybe an hour later. Maybe at that point it’s just so funny you can’t – it just kind of lightens the mood a little bit. Being intense for 10, 12 hours, it’s kind of hard to turn it on and off.”
(Assistant Quarterbacks Coach Jerry Schuplinski told me that Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo is delivering those one-liners. Who’s some of the guys on the defensive staff that’s lightening the mood?) – “(Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks) Josh Boyer is pretty good. (Safeties Coach) Tony Oden has his own way of explaining things, which is always pretty funny. Everybody has got their – (Linebackers Coach) Robbie Leonard. Everybody has their little deals no matter what that subject is. But it’s good that we can actually laugh and get the work done as well.”
(How important is that for you guys to tone down Head Coach Brian Flores a little bit? I feel like he is – maybe headstrong is the wrong word but he’s strong. He’s the one that’s putting the face on and leading everybody but how important is it for you guys to keep him level too?) – “I’ll tell you what, he does a great job. I think everybody’s personality is different. Everybody’s humor is a little bit different. Sometimes when ‘Coach Flo’ says something, you have to look down to see if he’s pulling your leg. When you do look down there, he’s got a big smile on his face. He’s kind of like, ‘Alright, I’m pulling your leg right here.’ It’s just different personalities. That’s what makes a good staff. If we were all the same, how boring would that be? Being on the same page is important, but being the same person, I think you’re asking for it. It’s just like asking all our players to be the same. They’re never going to be the same.”
(That’s probably helped you guys a lot this season right?) – “Yeah, different personalities. It’s kind of like in the meeting room, I want everybody to be themselves. Be yourself. Be your own personality. But when we jog on the field, let’s just be one.”
(Is Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham also kind of done this thing where he’s divvying up tasks to everybody and let everybody bring their input in? You guys feel like the defensive effort is a collective one?) – “Yes. That’s one thing about it whether it goes good or goes bad, that’s what we agreed on so we all can take accountability for it. We call can – just as long as we agree on it, that’s important.”
(I’m going to ask you on a couple of the young guys. On DE Avery Moss, do you have a sense yet of what you have with him as far as what he does well, what he could be?) – “I’ll tell you, he was really heading in the right track before he got injured earlier this year. Getting him back to playing speed again is good. Avery, football is important to him. He’s very conscientious about his job and what he has to do. He’s not afraid to ask questions if he doesn’t understand. We keep developing him as he goes. It’s a new system for him, new expectations. He’s been an outside linebacker, he’s playing d-end, slash, he’s moving around. I think right now, he’s better against the run than he is against the pass. But I think he does a lot of good things. He’s a tackler. That’s one of the things I like. He is a tackler. There’s something to be said about those guys. They might not do everything perfect, but you find a way to get him on the ground. He is a tackler.”
(From being around DE Jonathan Ledbetter only in the offseason program before he got hurt in Week 1, did you emerge from watching him thinking we might have something here as far as a run-stopping end? What had you thought about him up to the point he got hurt?) – “I thought he was doing really well. He’s another guy that comes from a great high school, a tougher high school in Georgia, went to the University of Georgia. He’s a football guy, so this is right in his element. We’re asking him to play physical at the point of attack, doing the dirty work. That’s kind of what he’s done his whole career. (I was) very pleased with the way he was progressing. It’s a brutal game in there. He ended up getting injured, not able to bounce back and I could see that was wearing on him because he really wants to play football. But I’m very pleased with him.”
(We know DE Taco Carlton can rush the passer. Do you think he needs to prove that he’s more stout against the run to be viewed as an NFL starting defensive end on a good team?) – “I’ll tell you on any team, this is the National Football League. I don’t think any player wants to be labeled as a pass rusher. I don’t think a running back wants to be labeled as a pass catcher. They want to be labeled as, ‘I’m a defensive end. I’m a running back.’ We also know everybody has their specialties, but to be a three-down starter at this level, you want to be labeled as a defensive end, not a hybrid. I think that hybrid pass rusher, that guy is basically – that’s for the older guys who’ve gotten old now. But nobody wants to be labeled one side or the other. His development – keep working at it.”
(Is there physical ability there for DE Taco Charlton to be stout against the run and setting the edge?) – “He’s beautiful. He’s 6’6, he’s 270 pounds. He’s got long arms. He’s coming from a system where they were more pass to run in Dallas and now we’re more run to pass. You have to make those adjustments. You think about his days in Michigan. He’s been out of there for what three years now? So three years, it takes transition.”
(As you watch tape with DE Taco Charlton, what reasons can you identify as to maybe why his run defense isn’t at the level of his pass rush?) – “I didn’t say that.”
(Just from a laymen’s view.) – “I think he’s got to be more consistent with it, because there’s times where you see him and go, ‘Oh you lock out the big lineman, you handle the big tight ends, you throw your body in there, you make the tackle,’ and also he’s a tackler. He finds a way to get his hands on the ball. It might not be pretty the way he gets it done sometimes, but he does find a way to get to the football. But he’s just got to be more consistent. I think that’s with everybody. That’s not a glamour position. Too many times guys are judged on just sacks. Too many times guys will just – the production sheet. What are they really doing to help their team win is what’s most important.”
(On these ends, with what you’re trying to establish, you said you want them to be run first. So the key is to hold the point and set the edge for the defensive ends. And then the tackles, what are their primary responsibilities or roles outside of I know you want them to take on two?) – “I’ll tell you it’s kind of – we’re a big situational team. What is that situation? Is that a run? Is this a run down? Does that dictate the run or is that a pass? In this level, in every level, if they can run the ball, you’re never going to get a chance to rush the passer. As a defensive lineman, from the age of 6 to 30, they all want to rush the passer; but you got to do the dirty work in order to rush the passer. It’s the same thing inside. ‘Hey man, I’ve got to do the dirty work of playing the double teams, getting off the blocks and being physical at the point of attack,’ and then hopefully you can get in a situation where you can rush.”
(How much does it bother you that you guys have ranked amongst the bottom of the league in stopping the run all season?) – “I wouldn’t know.”
(Why is that?) – “Because when the season starts – my college coach told me something a long time ago: he said, ‘You’re never as good as they say you are. You’re never as bad as they say you are. I suggest you not read the media during the season.’”
(But you’ve only limited three opponents to less than 100 rushing yards.) – “Yeah. That’s what he told me. I’m just telling you. I’m not into that. I know one thing, I don’t know about them three opponents, I know we have three wins.”
(But if you stop the run better you might have more wins?) – “But that’s the past. That is strictly the past.”
(So what is the key to getting better against the run?) – “We’ve got to be on the same page. We’ve got to put our guys in the best position. These guys have got to do what they’re coached to do. The combination of coaching and playing and everything, we’re all in it together. We’re all in it together. That’s why I don’t get really caught up in the stats. At the end of the day, I want to look up at that scoreboard when it’s said and done and it says, ‘Dolphins win.’ And then the next day I can come in here on Monday, I feel like anything on tape can be fixed if you’re willing to fix it. There’s 10 guys doing what they’re supposed to, one is out of position. And give credit to the other guys on the other side too because they’re all pro football players. I really don’t get into the stats. That’s a stat you just told me about.”
(It’s an important stat, especially every defense says they want to stop the run. They always say the main priority is to stop the run. You guys have not been able to do that consistently this season.) – “Yeah and score. And holding them to one less point. Right? That’s just kind of my mindset. Because when you’re coaching the defensive line and they start reading about (how) they don’t have sacks, they don’t have whatever, then you get guys starting to doing their own thing. So as a coach, you kind of do the same thing. You’re kind of like you have to stay laser-focused too because they will feed off of you. So in my meeting room it’s more or less, ‘Let’s play together. Let’s complement each other. Let’s play with good motors. Let’s find a way to get this thing to the fourth quarter and find a way to win.’”
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach Josh Boyer
(I saw you guys inked CB Eric Rowe to the deal, the new deal that he came out with. What did you see first in transitioning him to more of a tight end covering role and also what has he provided for you guys as far as versatility?) – “I think Eric, from the minute that we had him in New England, there was always the versatility. He’s been in the tight end covering role before, very much so match-up based depending on what type of receivers are out there. I think he’s a smart guy. He’s tough. He’s able to tackle. He’s a selfless guy. He’s more than willing to do whatever it takes to help the team. I think those things have been consistent over the years for him. He was a very diligent worker at probably injury prevention because he’s had some injuries over the years. He works very hard at trying to keep him body where it needs to be. I think he’s learning as he goes on that. I think as he’s getting more of a role in the safety world, if that’s what you want to call it I would say there’s a little bit more comfort there. There’s still things that we need to improve and there’s things that he’s doing to really well that we need to build upon. You just really can’t say enough good things about his work ethic, his mentality, his selflessness to the team. There’s a communication element we need to continue to work on, which it’s a little bit different from outside in, from inside out, so there’s a little bit more communication there and I think he’s working at that.”
(Obviously, you guys are still in this year; but can you start to see when you get some of those elements back that have to go on IR what that unit could look like when it’s all pieced together with CB Xavien Howard and maybe S Bobby McCain and CB Eric Rowe?) – “I always think there’s a fine line of – you really deal with what’s in front of you, but you’re not so shortsighted that you (aren’t) able to see in the future. But for the most part, all your effort and energy is what’s in front of you. For us this week, it’s the Jets. I think we’ll get their best shot this week. They got a lot of explosive players. That’s where our mindset is. Again, we try to teach concepts and try to teach it as a holistic approach so guys understand what the guy next to him is doing, so if they have to go a different role, they kind of already have a knowing and understanding. There’s just an element of getting them out there and experiencing it. Teaching it that way I think helps smooth over that thing. I think everything for us is short term and even so much more short term is we go from day to day. Our goal every day has never really changed. It’s be better today than what you were yesterday. Be better tomorrow than what we are today. That’s been consistent from Day 1.”
(I also wanted to ask you about CB Nik Needham. He’s a guy that we saw some of in the preseason and he didn’t look like how he was going to look at this point. What can you say about how you guys have been able to develop him to where he could be a starting corner for you guys and contribute the way he has?) – “I think again, it starts with Nik and his work ethic. We’re fortunate here we’ve got a good group of guys, they come in, they put a good day’s work in. I think the thing no one understands is we’re making some progress; but we’ve got a long ways to go. I think Nik knows and understands that. I think the things that he’s done well he’s built upon. And the things that we’re working hard to improve, he’s working hard to improve. He’s put a lot of time and effort in. He’s gotten opportunities and he’s made the most of those opportunities, so he continues to get opportunities.”
(I know we talked in May about the path that you’ve had with Titans CB Malcolm Butler and some of these other UDFAs. Obviously, CB Nik Needham is a UDFA. It’s probably too early to make any comparisons to that, but when you find those UDFAs and those gems and develop them, what is it about a certain player that you can see early on that, “This guy may have it if we can fine tune some of these other things?”) – “I think when you’re watching film, the first thing that pops out to you is play style. Does the guy play with relentless effort? Is there a skillset there? Is he able to make plays? I think regardless of where you’re at or what school you’re at or what system you’re in, I think if you play with a great play style – which to me incorporates your effort, your ability to tackle, your ability to make plays and be around the ball – I think when that all shows up, there’s something to work and develop with. And then to mention guys that you’ve mentioned like Malcolm, Nik and the thing when they get here is it’s a work ethic thing that carries over that allows them to further develop their skills. I think that’s kind of what you look for. The rest of it is really up to the player, putting in work on and off the field of knowing and understanding the game of football – the NFL game, because it’s so different and foreign from the college game – and then working hard to develop techniques that we’re asking them to do. I think over the years we’ve had a number of guys that have fit in that role – the John Jones’, the J.C. Jacksons. It’s a long list. And we have a long way to go with Nik and he knows that and we’re going to keep working hard. Again, it all goes back to what are trying to do is we’re trying to get better today than what we were yesterday.”
(Building off of that, because I’m looking at your defense and especially the secondary and it seems very specific. You guys sometimes are changing in three, five guys and it seems like the roles are very specific. You were saying once you’ve identified stuff on film, play style and all that, go a step further. Once they’re in here, how do you go about identifying what this guy does well and fitting him in a package?) – “I think it goes back for all of our defensive players – not exclusive to the secondary – I think what you’re trying to do is you’re trying to put them in position to succeed. You identify what the opposing offense is doing and how they’re trying to attack you and you’re identifying what your players do well and you try to marry those things up and then you try to put guys in specific roles that they can succeed within the defense as a whole to limit offensive production. That’s really what we try to do.”
(Because your system seems more than maybe some others in the league very team – the scheme. And the parts are – I don’t want to say interchangeable, I don’t want to devalue a player like that – but as opposed to this is the skillset that we have, here’s our scheme, let’s find what this guy can do. Is that correct?) – “I would say, again, we try to identify what our guys do well. We try to identify the things that opposing offenses do well. We try to identify ways that we believe that they’re going to attack us and we try to limit that to the best of our ability utilizing our player’s strengths. It may be different week to week.”
(Really you guys have had a lot of personnel changes. Obviously, no S Reshad Jones and no S Minkah Fitzpatrick and no CB Xavien Howard, no S Bobby McCain now. You’re plugging in guys who haven’t been here a lot of them the whole season since training camp and it’s still working. Is that because the sum is bigger than the individual parts?) – “I think that’s football in general. That’s one thing that I love about the game of football. When you sign up to be a football coach or a football player, you’re signing up to be a part of something that’s greater than yourself, which is kind of counterintuitive to today’s culture where it’s usually put yourself first and somebody else later. That’s why I love football. I think we ask the guys to do the same thing. I think we try to teach it from a holistic approach that we teach concepts and guys understand concepts. When a new guy comes in, we teach the specific things that they need to know right away and then we try to build on that as they continue to be here.”
(Looking ahead to the draft and free agents, the qualities that you want in your corners are what?) – “I would say the first thing that you’re going to look for in guys is there a selfless guy that put the team first. I think the other things that you look for is – to play defense in this league, you’ve got to be a good tackler. That’s something that we put a big emphasis on. And then obviously there’s skill – skills that are specific to your positon. Like if you’re a defensive lineman, you better be able to rush the passer and stop the run. If you’re a DB, you better be able to cover or play the ball in the air. All of those things. But I think it goes back to the characteristics and the fundamentals of the things that you look for, for guys. And we’re very fortunate. We got a good group of guys here that put the team first and work hard.”
(I wanted to ask you on a couple of the cornerbacks. With CB Ken Webster, what skills has he shown you that leave you guys intrigued about what you might have there?) – “I think it starts with his tackling. I think he’s a good tackler. He has the ability be heavy-handed at the line of scrimmage. He’s also got a good coverage skillset. He’s like a lot of our young guys: we’re just asking them to improve on a daily basis. Our goals really haven’t changed from the start of the season. It’s be better today than what you were yesterday and then be better tomorrow than what we were today. We’ve got a good group of guys that work hard and they’ve put in their time and they work hard at trying to understand what we’re doing schematically. At the same time, they’re working to try to improve their skillset too as well.”
(I know obviously you aren’t going to evaluate what you have with these players until January, February, March; but have you seen enough of CB Jomal Wiltz to think we have something here? We have an NFL rotation piece in our defensive backfield. Or is it too soon to say that?) – “Again, I’d say one thing as a position coach, you’re very shortsighted. It goes back to thinking of things in terms of days. How can we be a better group today? And then really as far as we look would be this week’s opponent, which is the Jets. They have a number of explosive players. There’s some games this year that they’ve been able to put up quite a bit of points and move the ball offensively very well. There’s things that – that’s where our focus is. The long-term focus of what this guy will be or what that guy will be…”
(Yeah that comes later on. With CB Jomal Wiltz, things he’s done that have pleased you and how he’s played?) – “I think first, his effort. He plays with great effort. He’s been a solid tackler for us in the run game. He’s been able to communicate and move to multiple positions for us defensively, which has been a real value for us, especially having interchangeable parts going in and out of the defense and him understanding the defense form a conceptual standpoint has really benefitted us.”Tony Oden – December 3, 2019 Download PDF version
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Safeties Coach Tony Oden
(The defensive guys, how do you guys get along? How has the staff come on and for yourself, joining some guys who have worked together previously, how has that been for you too?) – “It’s been good. We have a few guys who have worked together before kind of like you mentioned. They’ve helped us out – the guys who haven’t been there – so we can kind of hear it in different terms. The good thing about it, all of the guys that have worked together, they have worked together on different levels on the back end, the linebackers room, and the d-line room. So it’s kind of helped us, all as a staff, kind of gel. Sometimes if you have one guy that has expertise on the back end, or one guy on the front end, that they can’t always express that to the staff. But for us it’s been great, because all layers are covered from the previous staff in our room. We have guys that have coached in the room already in the league, so that kind of helps to kind of bring some things to the table. It’s been a good experience.”
(What’s been your early sense of what you have with S Adrian Colbert?) – “He’s doing a good job. He’s an excellent, excellent communicator. We can start with that. He has some good physical characteristics. He works hard. Once we pair all of those things together, it’s been a good experience. I’m glad we have him.”
(What physical talents there make S Adrian Colbert someone you’re going to take a look at? Obviously he had 12 NFL starts in San Francisco.) – “Like you said, he’s not green in regards to that. The game’s not too big for him. He’s got some decent size, he can run, he’s got a physical component to his game, and also he has a cerebral component. Then when you put all of that together, he’s a great communicator. When you put those things together, you have an opportunity to have a solid player. He works hard too. It means something to him. He’s a passionate young man, which is excellent. He’s an excellent addition to our room.”
(I was going to ask you about S Steven Parker as well, and what you have in him. Do you have enough body of work to be comfortable with what you have from him?) – “We’re still building it. The same thing with – we’re still building it all together. Those things are going to show themselves over time. The thing right now is that they are all gelling together. They’re all learning the strengths and weaknesses of the guys in the room. We’re learning as a staff the strengths and weaknesses of what those guys can do within our scheme. It’s still a learning process, but we’re happy with the direction the guys are going.”
(Can you just talk about some of the young guys – CB Ken Webster, how CB Chris Lammons played last game. Just talk about how they are performing for you.) – “Well, I’ll just talk about them as a group. As a group, they are doing a good job talking in the meetings. I think it all kind of starts with that. Before we can even get out to the field, the tougher part is the mental – do these guys know how to line up? If they know how to line up, can they communicate? Can they anticipate the shifts and the motions the offenses are going to give us? Before you can execute the play, you have to get lined up, you have to communicate, you have to make sure you know what the guys are doing next to you. All of those guys, because we have so many moving parts in there, are getting used to communicating with each other and getting used to knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the guy that he’s aligned next to and learning how to play off of that. Do I need to communicate a little more with this person? With this person do I know his body language to where I can tell what he’s going to do based off of that? As a collective group they are still learning each other, but each day in the meeting room, each day at practice, it’s all coming together more and more for them. Because we’ve had some guys that were playing that were out and now are coming back, it’s starting to change again a little bit. But this past game was a good start for them. This will be a big week starting tomorrow with practice for them gelling together again. We’re excited for the progress of all of them. We don’t want to single out any one individual because it’s a collective group for all of them. They are all learning together and we’re excited about it.”
(Not to mention anybody individually, but when I said CB Ken Webster it was because he was leading the defense in tackles with seven last week. CB Nik Needham leading the team or tied for first in passes defended. Is the game slowing down for these guys, do you feel like they are getting it?) – “Sure. Just like with anything in life, the more you do it, the more comfortable you get with it. You hit the nail on the head: the game is definitely slowing down for them. It slows down for them and it builds their confidence that they can do it, they can tackle, they can make a play on the ball. Now we want to continue the progression of that. Knocking the ball down, now we’re intercepting the ball – anticipating those kind of things. Those guys have done a good job of tackling and defending the pass. We want to continue to grow and take the next step with those guys, whatever the next step may be for them. Each one is a little bit individual in regards to that, but we’re excited for their progress. They are still young. They still have a lot of football to learn. They are obviously by no means a finished product and they know that. They don’t practice that way. They practice and prepare like they are hungry and they want to get better at it. They are pointed in the right direction.”
(How important is it for you guys as coaches to let your personalities show out and have a joke here and now, or lighten the mood when you’re around each other for 12 hours at a time. How important is it for you guys as a staff to come together like that?) – “We spend more time during the season with each other than we do with our families. So you definitely develop and have a good rapport with the staff. To me, it’s all about being who you are and being yourself. If you’re a serious guy, be serious. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. If you like to laugh and joke around, you have to pick and choose the times to do that obviously. You just have to be who you are as people, just like in the meeting room with the players, or talking to you guys, because you’re true self is going to come out at some point. So you might as well just be that. I definitely like to have a good time when it’s appropriate because life is too short to be all tense and tight. The games are stressful enough. You don’t always want to bring that stress into the meeting room. There are some times where there has to be some stress to grow. That’s part of it; but we’ve been doing good as a staff. We work well together. We’re from different paths in life, from different walks of life in general, and different walks of life where we come up from in the game. I think when you put all of those things together and do things for the greater good and not for the individual position, not for the individual coach, you have a chance to be successful.”
(What’s it like looking down the table and seeing if Head Coach Brian Flores is joking or not?) – “He has a much better since of humor than people may give him credit for. He’s a good guy, good person, a good humble man, a man of faith and that shows. He cares about people. He cares about growing the player as a man, as a father, as a husband, as a brother, as a son. He cares the same way about his staff. I think if you do your business or if you do your job, you see more of that. The more comfortable you are with what you do, then you can step back and see how relationships are formed or bonded, and it’s all sincere. He wants to win first and foremost, but he wants to do it the right way. He wants to do it with men of character, men who are good in the community and just build it and do it the right way. No short cuts.”Eric Studesville – December 3, 2019 Download PDF version
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Running Backs Coach Eric Studesville
(I wanted to ask you about RB Patrick Laird. When did ‘The Intern’ nickname become a thing?) – “He told a story about that – it must have been, maybe during training camp he told the team, the offense, the story about that. I think it was about during training camp. He might have told us beforehand in the running backs room a little before that.”
(And it just stuck?) – “(laughter) Yeah. I mean I don’t call him that. (laughter) He’s Patrick but it’s a good deal for him.”
(Which of the coaches call RB Patrick Laird “The Intern?” Any of them?) – “I don’t know. I don’t really pay much attention to it like that. I call him Patrick when I talk to him. ‘Hey, Patrick.’ I don’t think about it like that.”
(How did you feel RB Patrick Laird responded when he got some playing time?) – “I thought Patrick did a nice job the other day, having to go in and his most extensive playing time. I thought he really did some good things in the pass game, pass-protection wise. He had what? Four catches for 43 yards and a 2-point conversion? I thought he ran an excellent route and made a big-time catch on that. He was getting ready to get hit right when he made that catch. It was a good route and catch. He’s just continued to develop and get better. I wasn’t concerned about it. We put him in and doing things and it’s just a matter of getting playing time, and seeing all of the different things that happen with defenses. But he’s done a good job. And he’s taken advantage of the preparation and the time. He knows that he’s potentially part of the game plan and has been all year, he just hasn’t gotten in.”
(RB Patrick Laird seems very polished in the pass game. Is that something you guys saw at California?) – “Yeah. He had a lot of catches at Cal. The thing is for me, we try to establish roles for guys and what they can do; but they have to be able to do everything in order to play. So you can’t just do one thing good. It kind of has to be the whole thing. I’ve seen him run the ball more physically in the spots that we like the ball to be put in and then obviously him catching the ball. Then in pass protection, he’s done some nice things this year already in pass protection in some of the chances that he’s gotten.”
(What’s your confidence level in all of the young guys if RB Kalen Ballage happens to be out for a bit?) – “They all have to be ready. That’s how we talk about it all of the time. Patrick (Laird) has been working at it. Myles (Gaskin) has been working at it. De’Lance (Turner) hasn’t been here that long but he’s the only other guy that’s in the room now and we’re going to have to get him up to speed and get ready because if that’s what happens, we’ve got to be able to be ready to go and just have another guy ready to go in. The one thing I like about all of them is that they’re competitive, they’re focused, they work hard at it, they take it seriously and they’re ready to go for their opportunity. They’re just waiting on an opportunity.”
(Let’s talk about RB Patrick Laird. He’s a kid who seemed to just grind this whole entire season and this opportunity kind of paid off for him the last couple of weeks.) – “I think that’s right. I think that’s a great way of describing what he’s done. He came in here, he was great in the classroom and learning stuff, staying on top of things and really pressing himself to learn everything. Then obviously I think his contributions early on special teams got him into games and got him used to what the NFL setting is. He’s just continued work and then when the opportunity came, he’s performed and he’s taken advantage of it.”
(How devastating is this injury for RB Kalen Ballage?) – “As far as?”
(For the rest of the season, the way RB Kalen Ballage’s season has kind of gone.) – “I don’t know that – I think every injury feels to guys like that and to teams like that. People that you’re counting on, that you’ve got time invested in. It’s important to us to have your players on your team and to keep them healthy. So it’s never a good thing that happens. It’s an unfortunate part of our game. As big and fast and as explosive as this game has become, it’s just one of these things with these athletes.”
(A little lighthearted question – what is Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham like over there? I want to get to know the coaching staff. How do you guys kind of interact with each other? Who is the funny guy? Who is the quiet guy? Who is the serious guy? Who are all of those?) – “That’s kind of a fraternal question. (laughter) You’ve got to be in the fraternity to get those answers like that.”
(How do you think you guys have kind of come together as a coaching staff this season?) – “From my experience, I think this is an outstanding coaching staff. I think ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) has put together a tremendous staff. There’s a lot of good football coaches, guys that are passionate about what they do, how we coach, preparation and work; but yet at the same point and time, there’s great personalities on the staff too and you enjoy the diversity of the personalities on the staff and the people and their experiences and things. Everybody brings something different to the table and I think it makes for a good recipe.”
(What’s something that you bring to the table for the staff?) – “Well hopefully I bring a knowledge of how the offense is affected by the running backs. The fact that I don’t just look at the run game. I’m involved in the protections. I know a lot about the passing game too and how we fit into the passing game and things that come up as well as just running the ball. Hopefully it’s a well-rounded contribution in all areas, not just – where I’m contributing with my experiences and things that I’ve seen in the past, different kinds of runs, different kinds of protections, adjustments and all of those things that are made to help the group be successful.”
(How much do you think a bunch of these guys working together previously kind of helps you guys fill in gaps or helps the continuity of things?) – “I think it helps. I think it certainly helps. I think it helps (Offensive Coordinator) Chad (O’Shea) to have known those guys in the past. But I think too, sometimes you get an influx of new ideas and people see things different that haven’t been around for a long time too, and that’s a good thing too.”
(Beyond how RB Patrick Laird works, what else impresses you about him?) – “Well, I think that’s it. He works and that’s what gives himself a chance to maximize opportunities because he does work so hard and he is prepared and how he attacks every day. He’s trying to establish a role for himself. He has since he came here. He really took that part of it and said ‘Okay, if it’s special teams, I’m going to do that. And when my time comes, I’ll be ready on offense.’ He’s demonstrating that he has done that.”
(RB Patrick Laird did a good job on the touchdown run but his per-carry average was low. Was that him not finding opportunities? Blocking? A combination of the two?) – “Well, we’re always trying to find better averages and better things in there but I think it’s maximizing the situation. He did a great job on that (touchdown) run. There were only three yards to go and he got the three yards. So from that perspective, you’d say it’s a productive run. But we’re always trying to – we’re continually trying to find ways to get the run game going and we know that’s an area that we’ve got to get going some kind of way. It’s all hands on deck as far as trying to figure out solutions to this to give us a chance in that area.”
(Did anything RB Myles Gaskin do the other day intrigue you where you want to see more on the field during games?) – “I don’t think it was just the other day. I think it’s been Myles since he’s been here and how he’s worked on the practice field, in the meeting rooms and all of those things. You love the kid. He’s passionate about it. He’s focused on it. He’s worked very hard to get – it just hasn’t been a situation where he’s gotten an opportunity. All of a sudden that opportunity came and what you saw is not someone who just flashed but someone who has worked for that opportunity and prepared for it, and he was ready for it. It wasn’t too big for him.”
(What’s the on-field NFL skill with RB Myles Gaskin, beyond obviously work ethic. What does he do well that makes you guys intrigued?) – “I think Myles does a couple of things. I think the first thing is Myles is shifty. He’s got a little slipperiness to him. He can get on the edge of people and he can get in small spaces. He’s much faster than – I think he’s fast. So he can get to the edge, he can threaten the edge on things. That being the case, you’d love to get him in space because of his shiftiness and his speed to see if he can do something and make people miss. He catches the ball much better than I thought he would have. He caught that hitch the other day on the sideline, which was a great catch. It was a 6-yard catch but it was really outside of his strike zone and he made a really nice catch on that. Then the other area that I think he’s really probably exceeded even my expectations on to this point is his pass protection. He’s willing to step up in there and hit these guys. He’s not a real big guy but he’ll go up in there and compete and he’s doing what we’re asking him to do. That’s an area we’ve got to keep working on but I’ve been pleasantly surprised.”Patrick Graham – December 3, 2019 Download PDF version
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham
(I wanted to talk to you about the defensive packaging that you guys do and how extensive it is. How do you get guys to, I guess, do those assignments? How do you pick? How do you know what a guy can do because it seems very specific to me?) – “I think first it starts with the assistant coaches. They do a great job of identifying the strengths and the weaknesses of each player and then challenging them to improve on them – a lot of times improve upon the weaknesses (and) keep your strengths going in the right direction. Coaches will say, ‘okay, I think this guy can get this done, I think this guy can get this done. Maybe we can expand his role a little bit.’ That’s what ends up happening and so from there, if the guys can handle the role expansion right there, then we’re able to introduce more packages, introduce to them to more roles. Again, it always comes back to what we think is best. Whatever we did last week against the Eagles, that’s done. We’ve got the challenge now with the Jets in terms of their offensive line is gelling together a little bit. I know they have some injuries, but they’re working together. They’ve got a dynamic back back there. They’ve got several backs, really when you talk about (Bilal) Powell and (Ty) Montgomery – they all present challenges along with (Le’Veon) Bell. Then the receiving corps. It’s going to be a difficult task, but we’re going to try to figure out which guys do the best job for what we need to get done for the game.”
(So once you get to that point, it seems like you’re able to take the fight to the offense as opposed to reacting. Is that correct or no?) – “We’re always trying to take advantage of their weaknesses and really take advantage of our strengths. Usually, hopefully it plays into our favor, but again, none of that matters – the meetings, the practice, all that stuff is – we’ve got to get it done on Sunday. That’s the main thing. And that’s really a combination of assistant coaches getting the players ready to go and the players being ready to go on Sunday.”
(You have no problem going eight, nine defensive backs deep or however many linebackers because you know if he’s one of those 46, he’s got a role. You identify that through the week and this is what we’re going to do?) – “If they’re up – and I’m sure ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) – if they’re up for the game, we’re going to use them. We’re going to try our best to use them, and they’re up for a reason, so that’s the main thing.”
(I wanted to ask you about the evolution of CB Eric Rowe and the move to safety. I know he played the position in college, but what went into the thought process of making that switch from having him on the boundary to working as the tight end coverage guy?) – “I just think his skillset in terms of what we’re asking him to do – he’s a big long body, he’s physical, he can tackle and he’s smart. Those are like a lot of things – for the role he’s playing right now – that helped for last week and then we’ll see what it morphs into this week. It’s really, his skillset really gives us an advantage there as long as we play well. I think that’s part of it. Then the thing is his selflessness. He’s willing to do whatever is best for the team. He’s a guy that does a good job of communicating, as well. We’re going to need all that this week against the Jets because all the problems they present, with (Jets Head Coach Adam) Gase being one of the best offensive minds in the league and how they deploy all their weapons. Those guys – the smart guys, the communicators, the tough players – those are all key and vital, and we’re going to need it really bad this week against the Jets because they present a lot of problems. A lot of problems.”
(With CB Eric Rowe, how much has he helped because you’ve got a young group of cornerbacks, defensive backs who get here one week and start the next – how much has he helped that unit in terms of understanding the schemes, concepts, the philosophies?) – “I think you have to ask the individual players; but from what I’ve observed, I know Eric (Rowe) is a professional. He comes in – and he’s consistent. He’s a professional and he’s consistent with his demeanor. I’ve never seen him get too up, too down. He’s always taking notes. He always has his iPad, working through (and) looking at film. I’m sure the players – you’d have to ask them specifically – but I would think his consistency in terms of his levels, in terms of emotions, I think is pretty strong. And I think the fact that he’s a diligent worker. Players see that – especially young players see that – and they kind of gravitate to that because he’s had success in this league. That’s a big part of it.”
(How much is that important? That guys gravitate to players – veterans – that have had success?) – “I think just in general – I’ve been coaching in this league for 11 years – some of the most important things I’ve learned as a football coach in the league have been from players.”
(Really?) – “So like guys that have done it. I didn’t play in the league, and I wasn’t a very good player in college; but some of the most important lessons I’ve learned have been from players in this league, so I can’t even imagine a young player, what they’re learning from (veterans) if I’m a coach and I’m learning something from these guys, because it’s pretty remarkable what they have to do on a week-to-week basis. You take this week for example: we dealt with a team that was good offensively last week. Now you’re going into this and it’s a whole different set of problems that you’ve got to deal with. There’s a whole set – different receivers, different backs, different offensive alignment – and they’ve got to get all that information, go out to practice, get that right, come back in, get introduced to more situations. Now you’ve got to get on the third down for the Jets. Now you’ve got to get on the red area for the Jets and then get all that done within six days and then go out and play on a Sunday? Yeah, I want to learn from the guys that have done that consistently because it’s pretty remarkable. I know it’s not curing cancer or anything, but it’s pretty remarkable to be able to do that, I think. That’s why I’ve always looked up to those guys. I’m always willing to learn from them.”
(When they come from the field, they tell you what they see and what’s going on.) – “Or even just about the game and how they see it. It helps – it’s their perspective. I’ve learned a lot of lessons from guys in the past.”
(What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a guy?) – “The biggest lesson was not football. It was how to be a better father during the football season.”
(Really? Who taught you that?) – “(laughter) I’ll keep that to myself, but he helped because he was a father before I was a father, so I asked him. He gave me good points.”
(What was the advice?) – “He said, ‘I don’t care how tired you are. Take your wife out on Friday.’ (laughter) That was more so a coach, but a player reiterated that.”
(When you look at this team now compared to maybe when you were first molding it early in the season, in what ways can you see the development that you guys have made and the cohesion of what you want this team to be?) – “I think one of the things that sticks out to me is the brotherhood or camaraderie is starting to build. I think these guys genuinely care for one another, and I think ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) touched on it, how much he loves coaching this team. That love doesn’t – it comes through blood, sweat and tears, too. There’s a lot of grind that goes through it, and I think the players, they’ve had to go through the grind with one another and you start to build that relationship. There’s only 16 of these opportunities you’re guaranteed to have, and you do all that work to build up for those 16 opportunities and there’s just a bond, a camaraderie that gets built through that process. It’s good to see that. You can see the genuine care that they have for one another whether they were here since April or they just got here. It’s good to see because that’s what’s going to help us on Sundays. If they genuinely care about each other, we’ll have a shot against the Jets. We’ll have a shot to get the defense right and cover these guys and stop the run. If there’s a genuine care for one another where we’re able to be honest with each other, that’ll go a long way this week when we go against the Jets.”
(How did you guys build that because I know early in the season there was a lot of continuity thing you had to get through because of the trades, the transactions, whatever; but you guys have seemed to – especially at this point in the season – started to pick up things to where like you mentioned, everybody seems to be playing for that single approach?) – “I don’t know exactly. The only way I know how to get improved in anything at this job whether it’s coaching,or playing, is to put the work in. I don’t know what the magic pill or wand or whatever it is; I just know that you’ve got to put to work in, and you’ve got to work at relationships, too. You can work at your craft, but you’ve got to work at relationships, too. If you want to have a fruitful relationship and a fruitful brotherhood or camaraderie with one another, you’ve got to work at it. It might not be pleasant all the time. The best brotherhoods I have, have not been pleasant all the time; but they’ve been honest. I would think – you’ve just got to put the work in. That would be my assessment.”
(It’s interesting because I know you guys always take principles from Head Coach Brian Flores because he’s the head man and I talked to some of the guys in the locker room about what does he and what the coaching staff done throughout this period, and they mentioned consistency. “They’re the same every day. Flores is the same every day. Even through all the adversity when we’re getting blown out, when we’re winning, it’s the same.’ When you hear that, is that what you guys want and how do you guys keep that?) – “I think just lessons learned from whether it’s our parents – I can’t speak for ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) or the players – but lessons learned from our parents. My parents are emotionally consistent. I didn’t know how broke we were. (laughter) I didn’t know. I didn’t know. Did they get too up or too down about anything? No. They just went by their faith and I just know they treated us well, so I think you try to give them examples of just being consistent because that’s how you’re able to push through and get to that breakthrough or get to wherever it may. I think it’s probably lessons learned from family. A lot of stuff of who I am is lessons learned from my mom and dad.”
(When you look at just the culture Head Coach Brian Flores and you guys are trying to implement on this team, how much impact do you think that’s had at this point on recent team success?) – “Again, I just think it’s the work the guys put in. That might be part of it, but it’s about the work we put in. It’s about the work we put in and then showing up on Sunday because showing up on Sunday, being able to execute, that’s where it comes (from). I don’t know, but I know if you put the work in, prepare to be ready and then if you are ready on Sunday and you’re able to execute when the whistle blows, you’ve got a chance. You’ve got a chance.”
