Opening Statement:
"Alright, let's get rolling. I thought, first thing I wanted just to give a shout out to SC [University of Southern California], to [University of Southern California Head Coach] Lincoln [Riley] and their team allowing us to come be here and help get ready. What a solid move by them, so we really appreciate that. Give you some captains as we're heading into the game. So, three guys, heavy hitters for us and all making their impact. So, on offense it will be [WR] Deebo [Samuel Sr.], defense it'll be JK [DT Javon Kinlaw] and on special teams will be J-Mac [RB Jeremy McNichols]. So, three real guys, man, that were pumped, and we hit on the competitiveness all week and they certainly fit to that. So, hit the team all week, complementary ball, I thought threw a good week. Today was the culmination of that to make sure we could hit all the spots that we wanted to hit. And so, we're ready to get rocking. So, glad to open up to you guys."
On who is not a full go for Sunday:
"Who is not full go is the guys that we had ruled out from yesterday."
On QB Jayden Daniels progressing through this week:
"Yeah, so I thought he threw a great week. I kind of mentioned, I thought he really put in the time over the last few weeks to get himself to really push it and all the way even up to now post practice, getting an extra couple small tweaks in to get exactly aligned like we want to, but he threw a good week."
On how he felt about Daniels' chances to play throughout the week:
"I felt good. I had fresh eyes for all the days and all the things, but I felt good going into it based on what I saw from towards the end of last week. So, I was optimistic."
On if the brace he wore during practice is the brace he'll wear during the game:
"Yes."
On what the team will do tomorrow:
"We have our normal Saturday practice. So, that's a good piece of getting here. We tried to just make it as normal as we could, practice back home yesterday, flew out meetings cetera this morning, practiced like a Friday today here and then our normal Saturday walkthrough to get ourself exactly aligned like we want to."
On what point it's no longer considered early in the season:
"Well, I'd say early is kind of through that first quarter and then as you're getting into the next space you want to see improvement. I think your team should get better as it's going. That doesn't mean one game, but it means just improvement, improvement. So, I don't put a timeline on it per se, but I do want see us sharpening and getting better. I think when you watch around the league, games, how close they are. I think through the first quarter of the season, don't quote me on it, but almost 70% of games within one score in the fourth quarter, that's the game. And knowing how to navigate those spots and nail them, that's why we've spent so much time at the end of the game moments and there'll be, so I told them, it likely be another one this week. We have to prepare so when the air gets thin, we're at our best."
On talking with Daniels about having a lot of family and friends in attendance:
"Yeah, I think not the over trying piece, that's what you're saying too. And make sure he had a routine, which he did come in here to make sure everybody's not pulling at your time. And that's the biggest thing usually and family and friends, they're all excited that you're there, so you just want a little piece to say hello and check in. And so just knowing, hey man, that's March. I'll get there, I'm coming here on the trip to do business and so he fully understands that."
On Samuel Sr. and CB Mike Sainristil at practice today:
"Yeah, it was good to see them both, I thought with full speed and flying. I was anticipating that to go. Both of them were itching to get more work in yesterday, but we just keep following the plan man to go through it. But they both had a really good day."
On DT Daron Payne not practicing today:
"Yeah, so we gave him a day, just get recovered and get going. So yeah, we expect him ready to roll."
On Sainristil playing more inside compared to last season:
"Yeah, we played him through the camp some inside and out, but more inside and that's kind of where we see him featured at."
On what he's seen from Sainristil this season:
"Yeah, like the whole team man, there's things that I really love and there's things that I want to see better from everybody. So, he's somebody that has a lot of trust on this team. He's got a lot of play making ability and we fully expect to see that from him and from his teammates, keep getting better."
On how Daniels has grown when it comes to protecting himself:
"Yeah, that's an area that we want to really make sure you constantly talk it through. And so even though he's done tremendous through the first year, he's still a young player and there's still things to grow and learn. When's one to let that play go, that might be a throwaway or that's one to slide and get down. And so those are the lessons that you want to keep digging on. As you said, you don't want to take away from the competitive nature and when he can extend, but just the decision making when those come and it's not something that he takes carelessly. We just gotta keep pushing, keep reminding. I'm certain he will get there."
