Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander
(I wanted to touch on something Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned when S Jevon Holland was drafted here about his communication and leadership skillset. I was wondering from your perspective, how could a rookie establish himself as a primary communicator or leader on the defense early on?) – “Really for any rookie, especially in Jevon’s case, he’s got to develop a great understanding of what we’re doing and what to say. He’s been doing a really good job of being attentive in meetings and gathering all of the information and the things that he’s going to be responsible for because as a free safety in our defense, we need him to right the wrong, and really know all of the other individual spots and know how the 11-piece puzzle on defense works. For him to be able to establish that, he’s got to know what to say in what situations and not just what to say, but also be loud and confident in his demeanor in order for him to take command that we need him to take as a free safety or any position on the field.”
(I just wanted to ask you on two guys what positions they are focusing on. With DB Jason McCourty obviously we know he can play corner. He’s done it for years. He’s done safety recently. Which of those two do you have him focusing on? I know with CB Noah Igbinoghene, you told us last year that you didn’t want to put too much on his plate. So you had him focus on the boundary and did not work him much in practice in the slot. Is that still the case? Is Igbinoghene still focusing primarily on the boundary?) – “For Jason, he’s got a lot of experience in this system. Ideally, we’d like him to be as versatile as he has been in his experience. Whether it be playing at the perimeter corner or in the slot or as a safety, he’s got the versatility to do a lot. So he’s going to get a lot of the information and really just try to be an X out there on the field where we can kind of put him wherever. In Noah’s case, he’s still going to develop as a perimeter corner but also have the versatility to be able to play inside. I think when we looked at his skillset, ideally when we got him drafted, we knew that he had the physical ability to do both. In order to focus on the communication part, yeah there is going to be a little bit more that he’s going to have to pay attention to this offseason, so he can be an effective communicator playing inside and knowing what to do. Especially when you think about the responsibilities in the run game, and how that vision changes than being a perimeter corner on the outside, you’ve got to look at a little bit more and know a little bit more in the box as a Star.”
(You mentioned S Jevon Holland earlier. What do you lose in a player like S Bobby McCain?) – “You just lose experience in relationship obviously to a rookie with Jevon. I’ve known Jevon for a long time, being on the West Coast and recruiting out there. Jevon was actually in Northern California when I was at Cal. With Jevon in the building, now you’ve kind of got to get him up to speed in regards to some of those things that Bobby was able to do as a communicator for us. Obviously we appreciate the things that he’s done. We know that with what we have now, it’s a challenge to get a young guy to be able to communicate at that extreme level in order to put our defense in great situations to be successful. So we look forward to obviously working with him, as we have, and I think we’re off to a great start just with his demeanor and his energy in meetings.”
(I have a DB Jason McCourty follow up too. Essentially you guys have four cornerbacks who could play on the outside and having a fourth one is also really important too just because you don’t know what happens with the first two. Is that what went into the thought of bringing McCourty along? Along with the versatility and experience, he could also be your fourth corner, if necessary?) – “I think when you look at the NFL, it’s a passing league, so you can’t have enough guys who can cover and who can be efficient on the back end and make plays. With the attacks we see, especially even within the division, the way that Buffalo spreads the ball around, you can never have enough guys that can be guys that you can rely on in the secondary. Getting Jason, getting his versatility, getting his experience, getting his veteran leadership, that’s going to be some of the things that really don’t show up on the stat sheet on how he could impact the group. That’s going to be beneficial for us and I think that was the idea going into it to get him a part of our squad.”
(Going back to CB Noah Igbinoghene, what’s a fair expectation in terms of the kind of development and jump he can make in his second year?) – “I don’t necessarily deal in expectations as far as potentials; but I think right now, Noah is giving himself a great chance in regards to how he’s being attentive in meetings and how he’s developing out there on the field and developing his body. The expectations are going to be the work that he puts in. That’s what I expect. Based on what he’s doing so far, I know he’s chomping at the bit to get into competitive situations to see how far he’s come along the way, and only going to get better as we continue to work. Who knows? I think he has the potential to do a lot of special things as we’ve always thought about him and his skillset. It’s just a matter of putting the work in and having it apply on the field and being consistent in the performance.”
(How far along would you say CB Noah Igbinoghene has come since the first time you’ve got your hands on him?) – “Noah was in a situation last year where he was able to really concentrate and develop. Again, this is a guy that hasn’t played the cornerback position for very long in his career, not just his pro career. He’s developed a lot just as far as his technique, his fundamental footwork, his transitioning and then not to mention developing in our defense and what we’re asking him to do. Now it’s time to take really the next step and also learning some stuff on the inside. Now getting a chance to know what the run game looks like and know what keys to look at and guard guys in the slot that are dealing with a little bit more space and having a little bit more presence in the middle of the field, or any help versus out there on the perimeter. We have a long way to go. I’m not going to sit here and sugarcoat it like we don’t have a long way to go; but I think for him to be as good as I know and we know that he can be, we hope to continue to make strides where he can become what we think he can.”
(You talked about having familiarity with S Jevon Holland’s game due to some of the West Coast connections. When you drill down on some of his college tape, what are some of the things that stood out as far as strengths that you hope one day could translate to the pro game?) – “There is a lot. I think Jevon, when you look at his college career, as a freshman – he’s a guy that opted out, so he really only played two years of college football. But as a freshman, he played as a deep safety. If you got a chance to study his freshman film, he played as a deep safety a lot in sub packages and situational packages because of some of the upperclassmen. But he did some really good things as a deep safety as a young guy being thrown into the fire, and his willingness to tackle in the middle of the field showed up as well. His second year, switching defensive philosophies, Andy Avalos was the coordinator and they really allowed him to play really more in the box, really more of an edge guy, nickel guy, big safety. So he was able to be physical in the run game, make tackles in the open field, be an underneath zone defender, play some man-to-man. So when you evaluated his college tape, along with his natural athletic gifts, you can see a very versatile player. So getting a guy like that who can be multiple – which as you guys know, we prioritize multiplicity in our defense – and understanding who the person was, me having a familiar background with his personality, you knew that he had that person that we wanted in our building. Our kind of guy in a sense. We knew that we could get a guy like this and work with him and we look forward to his development.”
(I just want to clarify on S Jevon Holland, you were trying to recruit him when you were at Cal? Is that where the connection first started?) – “Oh my god, yeah. I was trying to recruit him, of course. (laughter) I was trying to get him to do the stuff that I want him to do now at Cal. But he had other plans. It’s one of those things where it just worked itself out in the end. Better late than never.”
(I need to know how come you couldn’t close the deal.) – “(laughter) Listen man, do you see the nice shiny toys that Oregon has? They’ve got uniforms, they’ve got buildings. All I’m doing is selling academics, you know what I’m saying? He wasn’t really worried about that part. (laughter) He knew he was going to get into the league and he knew he was going to get a new building here in a little bit. I guess he knew what the plan was before I knew it. (laughter)”
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Outside Linebackers Coach Robbie Leonard
(LB Jaelan Phillips – what has struck you so far? I know there hasn’t been a ton of on-field stuff, but the physical gifts that he has that had stood out to you in-person and on tape.) – “Really just for me is all the intangible stuff that he brings to the table. Who he is as a person, his work ethic, his detail and just his drive. He’s been consistent day-in and day-out so far, but that to me as a coach and really as an organization, outside of the obvious physical ability, is first for me that has stuck out with him.”
(LB Andrew Van Ginkel had himself an awesome jump last year with the Dolphins. I wanted to know what it is that you’re wanting to see from him moving forward and to further his development as a pass rusher, as a more balanced linebacker? What is it that you’re looking for from him?) – “For him, it’s really just stay the course. If you truly believe in the process of getting better every day and those aren’t empty words – which I think he speaks for himself when you ask him about those things – to stay the course and with anything, time comes, confidence comes, anticipation with the experiences. So build on the experiences he’s had, show others the way and the processes he’s developed over the past two years of being a pro. When I think of Van Ginkel, he’s a true pro just in every way that he goes about his business.”
(And to follow that up, I wanted to also ask because LB Kyle Van Noy, a lot of the veterans on the team now they’re gone, so LB Andrew Van Ginkel kind of has to take a little bit of a step up in that role. What kind of lessons do you feel that he learned from Van Noy and others last season that he can take into this next one?) – “Kyle (Van Noy) did a great job for us. Again from a professional standpoint, and I think ‘Ginkel’ (Andrew Van Ginkel) observed all that through the last year. But first and foremost with him, I would encourage him to just be himself. If you want people to follow you, you’ve got to be yourself day-in and day-out on the field and not to try to be someone you’re not and people will follow. People notice. They notice all the little things, all the detail and in my opinion, that’s what people follow is genuine authenticity. I think Andrew is those things. He doesn’t have to try to be anybody else.”
(I wanted to ask you about a free agent acquisition in LB Duke Riley. What has been your early impression on him so far on the defense and on special teams as well?) – “Duke – he’s been great again with coming here just with his intensity in which he practices, eager to learn and he’s done well so far. He’s learning the techniques and fundamentals we’re teaching him, and it’s fun to see someone embrace those things and with such tenacity. He’s done a good job.”
(I wanted to ask you – your movement on the coaching staff the last three years. How have you taken that? How have you taken on your roles and how do you think you’ve come out better as a coach for the movement that you’ve had?) – “Coaches are kind of like players in this system. I just came to work, tried to get better and tried to keep a humble mindset and learn. It’s amazing what I learned last year just being able to observe and see a way that I can improve personally, the way things all tie together. This is a special place and the time being here, seeing things evolve over time as they have, last year helped me have time to think and see all those things.”
(Could you give just an overview thoughts of what you have in your room obviously among LB Andrew Van Ginkel and LB Vince Biegel and LB Duke Riley and LB Brennan Scarlett, because you lost two pretty good players with LB Kyle Van Noy and DE Shaq Lawson at outside linebacker? Just what you have talent-wise in that room. Obviously LB Jaelan Phillips as well.) – “Again, this probably may not be what everybody wants to hear, but I always start with the intangibles and how they work together as a unit. Physically, they’re always out there trying to improve better physically in the weight room, fundamentally on the field and those things all matter; but the way we play defense here is collectively as a unit. When I see that room, that’s what I see. Guys that can communicate, they’re aware, that are smart, that won’t beat themselves and play with a relentless motor. After that, if you’re willing to do all those things, the physical things will come.”
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Linebackers Coach Anthony Campanile
(Obviously LB Kyle Van Noy did a lot for you guys. Who do you see fitting in his role and I’m sure it’s going to be multiple guys from all of the options you have – LB Andrew Van Ginkel, etc.?) – “I think the guys have all kind of always done a good job with that just as a group picking up for one another, being good communicators. I think Elandon (Roberts) did a great job with that last year. Benardrick (McKinney) coming in, he’s another guy. Jerome Baker did a great job with that, so I’ve been very, very pleased with that as a group so far. So pretty much everybody.”
(LB Benardrick McKinney – do you envision him being able to help you both inside next to LB Jerome Baker? Obviously LB Elandon Roberts is in that mix as well and on the edge because even though Houston didn’t maximize him maybe as a pass rusher, we know he has that type of ability.) – “I think Benardrick, like a few other guys in our room, he’s really got a versatile skillset, which here in our system, we value that. He gives us a chance to do a lot of things, like a lot of other guys. We’ve played with a lot of guys in our system even in this last year, as you guys have seen, doing multiple jobs and multiple roles. I’m very, very excited obviously that he’s here with us. I think he really gives us a chance to do a bunch of things with him.”
(When you studied LB Jaelan Phillips going into the draft – I don’t know if you salivated a little bit – what were some things that jumped out?) – “Just a really high-level competitor. He played really, really hard. Great motor. And when you get to know him, just a really good person. Good kid. Fits in well because of those qualities. That’s what we value here – team-first guys, unselfish guys that run around, have a love and a passion for the game – and he checked all those boxes. Just a great guy to be around to this point and we’re excited to have him. But hopefully to answer your question, just a high-level competitor and great motor.”
(I wanted to ask about LB Jerome Baker. Two years as the team’s leading tackler. Obviously you weren’t here for one of those seasons, but what’s next for him and how can he take his game to that next level, that next tier?) – “’Bake’ (Jerome Baker) is a guy – like I’ve said in some of these media meetings or gatherings in the past – who’s a really great guy to coach because he’s an extremely bright guy. He understands football concepts really, really well and those things come easy to him. Just his level of study I feel has continuously improved over my time here and he’s been really, really diligent in the classroom. His technique on the field in various ways has improved, and we’re hopeful that he’ll continue to do that. I know he will because it’s important to him. Just from in the run game and the pass game and even in pass rush, he’s really made improvements in a lot of ways and we’re just hopeful to do that, just like everybody else, hopefully to get better every day.”
(We’ve got a couple Sundays between now until the season where you could invite me over. You haven’t invited me over yet. I’m kind of hurt by that.) – “Come on through. (Defensive Line Coach Austin) Clark is over every Sunday. Me and this guy – forget it – we eat Sunday dinner like – we went Saturday the other day though because my daughter’s birthday was Saturday; but we’ve been going crazy. I need to go on a diet. The season can’t start fast enough. (laughter)”
(LB Andrew Van Ginkel – he kind of expressed that he’s going to be kind of calling out plays a little bit more when we talked to him last week. We know him and he’s kind of like a quiet, mild-mannered guy, but on the field when he plays, it’s a little bit louder for sure. But how do you kind of see him transitioning into that role where he’s going to be calling a little bit more plays?) – “I think Andrew’s been a good communicator. Even last year, I remember talking to you guys early on in camp, just saying he had jumped out and that was something I think he’s got a knack for that. He’s a very bright guy. Like I said, he’s always up in the office trying to do extra, trying to learn, study, just (trying to) get every little edge each week against his opponent. Just the players themselves that he’s playing against and then understanding our game plan. So he’s a guy that we feel good about in that role in terms of communicating. That’s important to him. It’s important to us and he’s done a very good job with that so hopefully he continues to excel that way, which I think he will.”
(I wanted to ask you about something the offensive coaches spoke about yesterday a little bit and they were, to a man, very adamant about being multiple much like your defense is. I’m wondering if the multiple looks the offense has and all the speed they added and the motion and stuff they can do pre-snap, how much do you guys use that in the defensive room whether it’s on the practice field or in the film room to kind of train yourself to not take the eye candy as it were and just to be disciplined with your eyes and your feet and all that stuff?) – “I think that’s football really at every level. I think there’s a lot of stuff going on pre-snap and what we try to focus on in our room – and I’m sure you’ve probably heard this from other guys more often than not – is worry about doing our job and doing our job well. And a huge part of doing your job – I talked about this last year as well – is your eyes. Before everything else, the eyes control the function of the body in football. And in order for you to communicate well, which is very, very important defensively obviously, to make sure everybody is on the same page in terms of forces and coverage structures; in order to do that and communicate well, your eyes have got to be right. I think the more you can do that at this time, the more we work on that with our guys; the better it’ll make us defensively. So that’s really what we’re working on right now, just worrying about ourselves and communicating well so that we’re all in the correct spots and totally understand every level of the defense in terms of structure and forces, coverage structure.”
(I wanted to ask you about a guy you were missing last year – LB Vince Biegel. Where is he in his rehab? What can he offer you guys this season?) – “Vince, he’s done a great job. I know he was a big part of the defense in ’19 and obviously he was doing really well in camp before his injury; but he’s worked tirelessly to get back and he’s really doing a great job for us and I’m very, very excited about him. He’s a team guy, too. A really, really smart football player, high-effort guy. Just a great guy to be around, so I’m really, really excited to have him back.”
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark
(I wanted to start off with DL Adam Butler today. You guys brought him in this offseason. I just wanted to get your take on his game and what he brings to the d-line.) – “A wealth of experience to start. Adam has had a very successful career thus far. He’s a hardworking guy, a good interior rusher, has some versatility and I really, really like what he brings to the group. He’s been great so far.”
(I just wanted to ask you to assess DT Raekwon Davis’ rookie season and areas where you think he could get better.) – “I would say first and foremost, starting faster is I think something that as a group – not just Raekwon specifically – but getting off to a hot start. I think he did a good job of developing throughout the year in terms of his run defense and being able to win one-on-ones consistently and hold the point on doubles. I think the major focus for him is finishing plays. I think he specifically probably feels like he left some more out there. Just taking the next step like any other guy this year, taking the next step in his second year. I’m looking forward to him. I’m really looking forward to everything he brings to the table. I love him.”
(I want a player you aren’t actually coaching but that you’ve been reunited with this in LB Brennan Scarlett. How cool is it to be coaching on a staff that includes a former teammate?) – “Yeah, ‘B-Scar’ (Brennan Scarlett). Me and him had a little background playing together in college. He’s had a successful career thus far. I think this is year five or six for him. He’s a good teammate and a great guy. It is cool any time you get another Cal guy around here. We have Pat Laird here too and ‘GA’ (Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander) really considers himself a Cal guy, I think. So I’m really proud of that and excited for Brennan this year. It’s a really cool experience.”
(Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander blamed himself for not getting S Jevon Holland to California. Was it your fault or was it his fault? Who is to blame here?) – “(laughter) I was actually at USC then and we didn’t get him either. (laughter) Obviously we both didn’t do so good there. But Jevon Holland is a hell of a player. I’m glad we are on the same team now, I’ll tell you that much.”
(What about DT Christian Wilkins? How much more do you think he can do?) – “I think he can definitely do a lot more. I think he did do a good job throughout the season of getting better and better. He had the COVID thing and whatever and missed some games. I do think that hurt him because he was starting to come on right then. But I’m really fired up about him. Obviously going into year three, I think his best ball is ahead of him. I couldn’t be more excited for him this year.”
(I wanted to ask you about the rotation that you guys are going to have on the defensive line because you guys have a lot of talent available – DT Zach Sieler, DT Christian Wilkins, DT Raekwon Davis. Now you’re adding DL Adam Butler to that group. So how important is it to have this internal rotation of guys just coming in and out of the game as opposed to having maybe one superstar like DT Ndamukong Suh way back when, and having that on the team – the important of having that rotation?) – “I think there’s no question that collectively, there’s a competitive group up front. I think a lot of that is matchup based and week to week. I think we have a lot of different guys that have a lot of different strengths. To be honest with you, I think it’s kind of tough to assess that without even having a minicamp and stuff like that. But I know that we’ve got a lot of great pieces up front. I think they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. I’m looking forward to building this thing with the players and I love the group.”
(As a former d-line player yourself, what pride do you get out of coaching the d-line here now?) – “I would tell you heart, effort, dedication, stopping the freaking run, and ultimately having a team-rush mentality. It all starts up front. There’s no question about that in the game of football. To be honest with you, that’s why I enjoy coaching d-line and coaching the front. I think what’s awesome is we have guys up front on this team that ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) and his staff has built that believe in those same values. I consider myself extremely lucky every day I walk through these doors and I’m fired up about this season.”
(What’s the difference between stopping the run and stopping the freaking run?) – “There’s another word we probably would use instead of ‘freaking’ in there. (laughter) Yeah, it’s a big deal. There’s no question that there are teams where – it’s become a passing league but when they know they’ve got to run it to get a yard and we know they’ve got to run it, we’ve got to be able to freaking stop that thing.”
(Just to piggyback on that, you talked about getting off to a faster start. I know you weren’t coaching the d-line last year, but do you feel like that was the issue in terms of the run-stopping ability?) – “I would say it’s a team game and ultimately, in terms of stopping the run, it starts up front but collectively as a unit and as a team. I feel like there’s no question that as a defense, we want to start faster. That starts right now. I think these players have done a great job so far. Yeah, I think there’s no question that’s a starting point, especially out of the gates. We’ve got to be able to do that as a d-line.”
(I wanted to ask you about the versatility of DT Raekwon Davis, DT Zach Sieler and DT Christian Wilkins. I know you used those guys a little bit inside as well as outside last year. How valuable is it to have those guys that are such big players on the defensive line, that can play both tackle and on the end?) – “Yeah, I think it’s definitely something that we want. You want guys that are versatile, that are smart, that can handle a lot. I think ultimately we now have that and it’s the game plan, it’s matchups, it’s week to week there; but it’s awesome to have the group of guys that we have that are versatile enough to do a lot of things, for sure. Absolutely.”
(One final quick thing on two young guys. DE Jonathan Ledbetter, is he back with you guys? Is he healthy? And the DE Jason Strowbridge skillset that intrigues you, Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer and Head Coach Brian Flores a year into his pro career is what?) – “I would say Ledbetter has been great in everything he’s doing. I’m really excited about him. He’s a good smart player. The stuff I’ve seen on tape of him is great too in the year prior. With Strowbridge, I think ultimately for him is he has some twitch and he definitely has some pass rush and some versatility. It’s just putting it all together in year two. I think there were moments where he went in in some games and did some really good things. We’re just looking for him to build on that and I think he’s done that so far. I’m really looking forward to seeing him.”
(The signing of DT John Jenkins kind of went under the radar a little bit a few years back, but he’s a guy – how big could he be in terms of helping you guys stop the run?) – “He’s played a long time. I think in Coach (Flores)’ first year here, he did a great job in terms of playing the run but also as a veteran presence for some of our younger players – how to get ready for a game, things that he sees and things that he’s seen in the NFL so far. He’s done a great job. We’re really, really lucky to have him.”
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer
(I wanted to ask you about a couple of your veteran front seven additions – what you think LB Benardrick McKinney is going to be able to do for you? I know Head Coach Brian Flores talked about the fact that he can play inside, also play on the edge. And DL Adam Butler’s skillset – what you think he’s going to offer you guys?) – “I think with both players, I think multiplicity is something that comes to mind with both of them. Both of them throughout their careers, they’ve done different thinks. I would say (Benardrick) McKinney has been off the ball, on the ball, inside rush, outside rush. Adam (Butler) has really played from the nose all the way to five-technique end. So I think there’s a lot of versatility with those guys and we’re excited to have them, excited to work with them and to try to put it together as a collaborative group.”
(Obviously the defense made a big leap last year and finished No. 6 in scoring defense, and I’m wondering given that last year was your first year as the defensive coordinator, what do you plan to change this year either in your approach to the players or in what we will see on the field?) – “I think what we’ll see on the field remains to be seen. I think each year you start over and I would say that like I said last year, our defense will evolve. What it’s going to be, I’m not exactly sure. I know that the things that we do well, we’ll try to implement those as much as we can and the things that we’re not doing well, we’ll try to correct those. I don’t put too much stock into – last year was last year and this year will be this year. The things that you look for, we need to focus on the day that we have at hand, but knowing that we need to get off to a good start. I would say those are the things that you kind of learn from some things that happened last year and you just try to make sure that things that didn’t go so well, make sure that those don’t happen again. I’m excited for this year, excited to work and what our defense will be, that remains to be seen.”
(When you look at things that maybe didn’t go well last year, what might be one or two points of emphasis for you?) – “For me personally, we need to start fast. We started the season at 1-3 last year and we need to get out of the gates and we’ve worked very hard this offseason. Every team on our schedule is going to be good, so we’ve got to get out of the gates. I would say that’s where kind of all my focus has been is to have short-term goals like get better today, but with the long term of getting ready for the season, getting ready for training camp, getting ready for mandatory minicamp. Those are the things that are on my mind and that’s what I look to.”
(What have you guys learned from the two matchups against the Bills last year and how much of this offseason has been to get over that next hump, to compete with a team like the Bills that is pretty dynamic offensively?) – “I think each one of those games was unique. They’re obviously very well-coached. (Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator) Brian Daboll, he’s as good as there is and they have talented players. They have a very good offensive line. They have very good skill players. I would say that the focus for us is on us internally at this point and trying to get better at things. That’s kind of where our focus is and obviously we’ve looked at all of our opponents for this season and we looked at everything that we did against them last year, and some things that we think we could do a little bit better and differently, we’ll definitely implement those.”
(We haven’t had a chance to talk to you since that finale. Did that game kind of eat at you a little bit and motivate you throughout the offseason?) – “I don’t remember who said it, but whoever said the quote ‘each time you lose, you die a little bit’ – I believe that and I kind of feel that so yeah; but you move on. It’s like anything else. You move on and you try to get better from it, because like you guys have heard me say probably a thousand times last year, things don’t stay the same. You either get better or you get worse, so you just try to learn from things that don’t go your way and try to get better.”
(Last week LB Andrew Van Ginkel had a great analogy about taking care of your own grass and having a “do your own job” type of mindset. I’m wondering how the process of getting that buy-in across the roster with all the young players, what that process is like for you and the coaching staff?) – “Again, I think it starts with ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier). The guys that they bring in are selfless guys. They put the team first and again for me personally, I think when you sign up for football, you automatically have signed up for something that’s greater than yourself and I think our players buy into that. I think they believe that and I think to get everything coordinated on the field, you’ve got to have all 11 guys on the same page and a lot of times if an interception occurs, there’s probably something good that happened in the front. And if we get a sack or we get pressure, there’s probably something good that happened in the back end. And if it’s not coordinated, that’s usually when you see big or explosive plays, which obviously we’re trying to eliminate.”
(To follow up on that, do you think that that skillset is something you can identify with a player whether it’s college tape or the meetings you have with players in the run up to the draft? Is that something you think you can identify before you get them in the building?) – “To a degree, for sure. I think you can see what a player’s motivation is. I think there’s a little bit of that for sure. Some of it is unknown and the other thing is, obviously when you bring in guys whether it’s free agency or the draft, there’s a little bit of unknown because the team that they were on is different than the team that you’re asking them to be on. But like I said, I think ‘Flo’ and Chris have done a great job with the guys that they bring in. That’s not really been a ‘hey, I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to do that.’ Our guys, they pretty much know and understand if they take care of their job and they understand what’s going on around them, we usually have success.”
(You spoke earlier about getting out of the gates slow last season and mentioned the Bills just now as well. How much does this process in OTAs and having offseason work with the players allow you to kind of get the install in so they’re not seeing it for the first time in training camp like last year and kind of help you get out of the gates a little bit faster?) – “I think it’s an important time of year for us, I think, as far as it comes to learning our fundamentals and techniques and learning our playbook and also being in great physical condition. We’re blessed with good weather down here and it makes it a little bit harder than it probably is in some places, so our guys have opportunities to get out in the heat and work and it’s a mental and physical thing. We’re going to try to take advantage of each and every day and try to push the installs, try to push the fundamentals and techniques so we can give ourselves the best opportunity to go out there and start fast.”
(From a rep standpoint, this defense, it seems more conceptual so when you understand the concepts through the reps that you get week-in and week-out, you get a better retention from it. Just how valuable do you think the reps are at this time of year?) – “I think it’s extremely valuable and I think not just for the players, just for the coaches. It’s been a handful of months since I’ve coached at all so when you step on the field again, you start over. You’re not the same coach that you were at the end of last year and you’ve got to get out there, you’ve got to train your eyes, you’ve got to see the game and I think we ask the players to do the same thing. They’ve got to train their eyes, train their movements, see the game and I think it’s an invaluable time of the year for coaches and players and again, everything for us is set up to make the most of it. We appreciate the time and we appreciate the work, but it’s a necessary evil to be able to go out there and perform at a high level.”
(I wanted to ask you about your vision for two players. First I’ll start with LB Benardrick McKinney – the new addition that you guys traded for – how do you see him fitting into that linebacking unit and the versatility that he has. How does it help your defense kind of expand?) – “I think any time you can be multiple, it’s going to present some problems for the offense. I would say our vision for him right now is to work hard, to understand and learn the playbook, to understand our fundamentals and techniques and then when we get out here and we start practicing, to build some camaraderie and chemistry as a defense. We’re excited to have him and we’ll see what it can do. We don’t really put parameters on like, ‘hey, it can only be this or it can only be that.’ We’ll kind of let the players kind of dictate what we can and can’t do. He’s obviously done a lot of multiple things, so we’re excited about that and hopefully we can get that out of him.”
(With DT Raekwon Davis, you guys got a good glimpse of what he was capable of in the second half of the season last year. Do you see yourself expanding on that role? How can he get himself better and is he or do you view him as a nose tackle or is he more of a defensive tackle/defensive end type?) – “Again, some of the things that we’ll ask him to do, whether it’s nose tackle, defensive tackle, end – I think he has the ability to do all those things. And I know this: I know he’s working extremely hard and you can see him getting better this offseason and obviously we’ll hope that continues and the more things that – like all of our players – the more that we ask of them to do just breeds multiplicity. Again, we’ve talked about this before, but when you line up in the same thing over and over again, that’s usually – the offense is just too good, and they’ll find the holes in it and we need that ability to be multiple for sure.”
(In getting to know LB Jaelan Phillips and S Jevon Holland a little bit before the draft I assume and now a little bit in person, can you kind of tell me about some of the commonalities that you’ve identified from how they approach things off the field and also what they offer on the field?) – “I would say the similarities are they’re both fiercely competitive. They both love football. They’re both students of the game and they’re both driven. For me personally, like a lot of our guys, they’re that way. I’m very fortunate to come into a work environment where you’ve got highly motivated, highly skilled – they’re the best at what they do and it’s our job to get them better. Guys that desire to get better and guys that work at it, that usually trends in that direction. Those are the things that I’ve seen from him and it’s been good. Hopefully tomorrow we’re better than what we were today and that’s kind of the way we approach it.”
(I have a sense that I know what you’re going to say to this question, but I’m going to ask it anyway. Following up a little bit on LB Jaelan Phillips, obviously you guys have him listed at linebacker vs. defensive end. What should we read into that? What are some of the things you think he can offer the defense?) – “I don’t know what you should read into it because we look at players as defensive players and the more they can do, the more they’ll help us. So call him an end, call him a linebacker, you can call him a DB if you want. We’ll ask him to learn concepts. We’ll try to utilize his abilities and ultimately coaching is pretty simplistic when you really get down to it. It’s our job to put the players in position to make plays. It’s their job to make plays. So where we can put guys that one, give us team success, is related to where guys line up as individuals. And again, the more multiple they can be, the better off we’re going to be.”
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Cornerbacks Coach Charles Burks
(It was interesting last year with CB Nik Needham. He played obviously really well but then struggled like everyone against Buffalo. Then you bring in CB Justin Coleman. I know you can’t speak obviously for Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier, but is the thinking there that you hope with two guys, one will emerge as a clear-cut slot for you? Is the hope that Coleman’s present will make Needham even better potentially?) – “Really right now, we’re just focused on improving from a fundamentals standpoint. Both of those guys are diligent workers. Justin has been a good football player in this league for a long time. Nik, as you said, has definitely progressed over the period of time that he’s been here. Competition is good for everybody in the building, so it’s good to have Justin. It’s good to learn from his experiences in the same system. Again, those guys are both focusing on improving right now so we’re happy with where they’re at.”
(One of my favorite things to watch at practice last year and games as well was CB Byron Jones just always out there early and getting his work in. He talked a lot about working with you on the ball skills, and he winds up with a career high in interceptions last year. I’m wondering how he’s progressing in that area with the ball skills in this point of his career; but also, what does a player of his caliber and of his resume, working that way, do to the rest of the room and the rest of the players? How does that kind of have a snowball effect on those guys?) – “When you have a guy like Byron Jones, who number one, from an example standpoint, (sets) a great example for everybody in the room from his routine, his attention to detail and he’s definitely self-motivated. For a guy from a ball skills standpoint, it was said that he didn’t have the ball skills or this or that; and he just worked on it and worked on it and worked on it simply because he just wanted to improve. It’s not that he couldn’t do it. He just improved and he made it a focus. He improved, he challenged the ball and I think guys saw that. I think guys saw that he was willing to be uncomfortable to improve his game. That has a ripple effect for everybody in the room, because for a guy like Byron Jones, who has had success in this league and came in, worked and developed, that really just makes all of the younger guys go and raise a level of their game and really follow in his lead.”
(In the last three years here that you’ve been with the Dolphins, how grateful are you for the opportunity to be promoted and how did it come about?) – “I’m very grateful. I came here, like you said, three years ago as a coaching assistant and just did whatever was asked of me. Obviously I had experience coaching defensive backs through my career in college. Working with (Defensive Coordinator) Josh Boyer and working with (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores, those are two guys that not only have been in this defense for an extended period of time but coached in this defense at a high level. To be able to be put into position to learn from those guys, to make myself a better coach in this league, it’s very humbling. It was a difficult process but it made me better each day; so I’m definitely thankful to be here working with these guys that we have in the secondary and really to raise the standard in the secondary.”
(I really like what you just said about CB Byron Jones and how he was uncomfortable to improve his game and it was a ripple effect. Can you speak a little bit more to that ripple effect? How did you see guys trying to be uncomfortable so they can improve?) – “Our approach is to get better, you have to make yourself uncomfortable. It’s everybody. It’s when you’re going to improve your footwork. It’s spending time on it, making yourself uncomfortable to say, ‘this is something that I want to get better at. This is something that I want to spend time doing.’ Once he was doing that, coming out (to practice early), well if you see Byron Jones come out early and I’m a rookie corner, well I’m going to come out early. Not only is this a guy that has played corner in the league, but he’s played corner at a high level and he’s working like he’s a rookie. I think when guys come into the room and they see that, and they come into the room and this guy is asking questions, this guy is taking notes – Byron takes notes and asks questions like it’s Day 1, which for me as a position coach, that’s something I’m very thankful for, to have that guy as an example for everybody in the room.”
(I was looking at your bio and it’s interesting. It says here that you’re from Grand Prairie, Texas. I’ve never been to Grand Prairie. I’ve also never been to West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Commerce, Southeastern Oklahoma State or Arkansas Tech. Can you just talk about your journey and what you might say to a young coach in the profession who wonders if they can make it from a West Texas A&M to the National Football League?) – “My journey, as you just listed, it started at East Central – my alma mater, it’s Division II. All of those schools you named are Division II schools, so I’m a small school guy. I’ve always wanted to coach at the highest level and compete with the coaches at the highest level and coach the best players. In each stop that I was able to have, the most important thing for me were my players. The most important thing for me was improving them. Southeastern Oklahoma State for me was my USC. It was the best college that I’ve ever been to. (Texas) A&M-Commerce or West Texas A&M, that was my big time. That’s how I really wanted to approach each school because when that next jump happened, I didn’t want to put that jump on a pedestal because football is football no matter where you’re at. In Division II, those guys are on partial scholarships and I have to make those guys peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and have pizza dinners and everything. Now my guys in the NFL, they really don’t want any peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They’re good. They’re good on that. (laughter) That’s definitely been a process and it’s been a really humbling journey. I’m thankful that I took that route because it really makes me appreciate talking to you guys right now a lot more. Then as far as younger coaches that are going through that process, I would just say be where your feet are. The most important opportunity that you have is the one that you’re at right now. I feel that if we take that approach as coaches and we concentrate on the people – which are right in front of us, which are our kids – I think wherever you go will be a fulfilling journey for you.”
(What’s your approach to coaching players? And as briefly as you can, how would you summarize how would you summarize how you try to get that done – the most effective connection with the players?) – “My approach is that players are people. And I think that people, given honesty and respect, if you start there – bottom line before you give any critique, before you give any demand, if you start with honesty and respect, you can really coach the man first and then that gives you a chance to coach the player. I always want to start there with each one of my individuals – giving them respect, earning their respect day-in and day-out with my work ethic and my development or attention to detail to them as a person. I think once I start there from a basis, then I can work on the technique, the footwork, the ball skills. Ultimately, that’s my approach.”
(I wanted to ask if you watched any tape of CB Trill Williams before the draft and what you think you’re getting with him. Also, you have a handful of really young corners who either haven’t played in an NFL game – the CB Javaris Davis types, obviously Williams, etc. – or have played just a little, like CB Terrell Bonds. Is it fun for you? Is it exciting to see which of those you and Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander can mold into productive NFL players? Because this franchise has had success molding guys – undrafted, overlooked like DT Zach Sieler, WR Preston Williams. So that and also Williams, just his skillset there.) – “Yeah, I’m very excited. With Trill, what he brings on his tape coming out of Syracuse is he was a run-and-hit guy. He was a guy that was very physical on his tape. He played some corner and he played some safety, so again in our system, we like guys who are versatile and can do a lot of things. Then as far as Tino (Ellis), ‘JD’ (Javaris Davis), Terrell Bonds and our younger guys, they’re working diligently. They’re doing a good job asking a lot of questions. They work really hard and it’s very, very important to them. I would say all of those guys are really good young men. It’s been a joy to work with them. I’m very excited to see where their development will take them because you never know. We can project all we want but we’ve got to get on the grass and we’ve got to practice. As of right now, they’re doing a great job. They’re learning, they’re asking questions, they’re working well together. I’m excited to see that work itself out.”
(You spoke highly of CB Byron Jones and I wanted to ask you about CB Xavien Howard. What’s your relationship like with him? How do you kind of motivate a player like that who has led the league in interceptions? How do you think he can progress even more from last season?) – “Me and Xavien, we have a great relationship. Again, he’s another guy – the guys learn a lot from Xavien as well. From a preparation standpoint, it’s pretty amazing to watch him. To get 10 picks, it’s not just you go out there and get 10 picks. There’s a lot of work that goes into it. He does a great job with his preparation, understanding his opponent, understanding the situations that he’s in. He’s a guy who asks a lot of questions as well. He’s very diligent with his technique. He’s very detailed with his technique. As far as motivating those guys, when you’re working with top elite corners, just the simple fact that they’ve got to go and match up against the No. 1 receiver, that’s motivating in itself. When those guys go to work, they understand that to be at the top of my game, I’ve got to go dominate the top receiver. When he walks into the building, he’s already ready to go.”
(I wanted to ask you what you’ve seen in terms of progress from CB Noah Igbinoghene from the time you started working with him.) – “I’ve seen great progress with Noah. Noah is a guy who played the position for only two years in college. Obviously he’s a great athlete. He came in, didn’t have an offseason but he just went to work as soon as he got here. Over the time that we’ve had him, he’s done a really good job of understanding the scheme, understanding multiple positions – that’s what he’s going through right now is being again another versatile guy that can do more than just one thing. It’s been a lot of growth. I love where he’s at. Again, he has a tremendous work ethic, attention to detail, day-in and day-out. I believe in Noah and I’m glad he’s here.”
(How much have you seen CB Noah Igbinoghene picking the brain of either CB Byron Jones or CB Xavien Howard?) – “All the time. All the time. As far as picking their brains, they wouldn’t let him sit in a meeting without making him pick their brains. That’s the type of guys and the type of leaders those guys are. Again, when you have a guy like Xavien Howard and Byron Jones sitting in your meeting room, if you’re a corner, you really have no choice but to develop, because those guys won’t let you be average.”
(I wanted to ask you about the duo that is CB Xavien Howard and CB Byron Jones. When you have two guys that can essentially lock down either side of the field, how much of a luxury is that on a defense? And how does that give you freedom to experiment with the defense as a whole?) – “It’s a great luxury. It’s a great luxury. Obviously a lot of teams wish they had that luxury. Both of those guys are different as far as from a skillset standpoint, but they really work off of each other from understanding or studying the specific matchups. At times they may match up against the same receiver in a game. At times they may match up on one receiver in a game, just depending on how we want to attack the offense. I would say just having that luxury, it allows us to concentrate on maybe other areas within a given game plan. Those guys really just allow you to free up other guys to maybe focus on one individual that the offense can attack you with.”
