Opening Statement:
"All right, good morning everybody. Block two for us and that's a little bit of more of our ramp up. It continues. We'll add pads. That's kind of first about nine or 10 [padded practices], not counting the joint practices and the ball games. Another red zone emphasis today, what you'll see is almost the entire practice from like the 30-yard line in, some high red zone, some low red zone, even some two man at the end of the game will be into that space. So, we'll really push that part hard. On some good news, [LB] Kain Medrano will rejoin practice and pumped to see him. I thought he really had a good spring. No other changes to the other guys on NFI or PUP, that crew right now. So, let's get it rocking." On signing C Trey Hill and if there is any concern that C Nick Allegretti will be out longer than expected: "Not any more concerned that it was longer but it did feel like just adding another person who had snap ability in game into that space was the right call. But it wasn't something different or no setbacks in that way." On the difference having practice with pads makes: "I would say the run game has a big factor, especially at the line of scrimmage. It doesn't change where the target is. It doesn't change that. It does change how you can fit combinations of blocks, get into the next level, work into that. And I think the pass protection that's another big one to go where the line of scrimmage guys, that's to me where so much of it is. There'll be a lot of the parts of practice that would feel similar, whether it was with pads or without. So, good guidelines for that. I see you, you see me, that's where the contact happens. We're trying to avoid a big hit from the side that would do it down. So, we just try to work it as hard as we can. We got good competitions for that day, but it is an important part of the evaluation at some positions more than others. And I would say line of scrimmage, obviously that's a big piece of their part. So, the ongoing evaluations on these days like today and Wednesday and into the weekend I would say it elevates that." On how practicing with pads changes the interactions between the secondary and the receivers: "Same thing, blocking and like one person that comes to mind is [WR] Luke McCaffrey. I thought like for two years you've seen his growth at the position of what it looks like. And so, to see the receivers into the blocking, the DBs engaging, 'I got cracked and I get lockout to go kind of thud up on the back as a corner when all of it bounces out to me.' So, it's definitely a big part of it. The line of scrimmage, like in man-to-man techniques and that, it doesn't change a whole heck of a lot, but it is more in the run game."
On CB Mike Sainristil's ability to play outside and inside: "So, he's got great background doing that, number one. So, through college he's had the ability to play inside and out. But there'll be some blocks where he mostly stays outside and we wanna feature other guys to go. But you're right, like you said, and before long, hopefully [CB] Trey's [Amos] back into it as well. And so, where's [CB] Rasul [Douglas]? How do we get him going? Like there's other people that we wanna work into different spots as well." On the padded practice adding competition for the linemen:
"There'll be linemen doing some one-on-ones in pass protection, but not in a run blocking sense. We'll get more of that during the team element of it. So that would be one example of that. But, past that, we want to be a feature part of practice, but not anything that's, you know, one off or a drill that maybe we saw years ago, we don't do anymore." On player injuries and how Amos fits into the new defensive scheme: "I would say with, like, Trey and [P] Tress [Way], a couple other guys who we'll get into a good assessment on them Thursday, and then we'll know the next block after that. 'Okay, is that something that we can work back in with those two?' So that's a little bit of the timeline. Our next big assessment with them will be Thursday. So, one of the things that Trey's excellent at, he could play on and off the ball. And so, in this system, when do you wanna be down? When do you wanna be off? It's all a big part of the disguise. So, when Trey's working off to the side, honestly, like right now, a lot of the drill work is specific to what do the guys do today so he can almost mirror that to the side. So, he's got a lot of versatility. Obviously, he's got size and you feel that at the line of scrimmage a lot. But we're excited to get back rolling with him." On if he's seeing any unexpected traits in OLB Odafe Oweh and OLB K'Lavon Chaisson:
"That's a good question. I would say, as you're putting in a new system, you're learning what to do, how are they featured? They're both interchangeable a lot, which is a big deal. Can they play right side, left side, rushing, dropping? So, I wouldn't say anything different, but I do like the intensity that these two bring. I like, honestly, that he, [DE] Charles [Omenihu], KC, Oweh, they bring an intensity even amongst the three of them. And I think that's a pretty cool thing. I'm excited for [DE] Dorance [Armstrong] to be a part of that, just to push one another. And so, when you have that kind of competitiveness in a very genuine way within the group, I think that's a good thing too."
On keeping the competition healthy: "Yeah, for sure. Like, man, being smart. That's our rule, protecting the team. So, they know I go through the video of what we're looking for, how we want, we want right at the edge, but never across it. The analogy I use, and I showed an example the other night of sparring partners, and the best of the best have really strong ones that, 'No, I got you right there. All right, keep your hand up.' So, that's a good analogy, I think, for us because it's pushing it to the space, but never going past it. And that's a learning process, and we're not gonna nail all of that today on the first day. And so, new players, how we're getting it together, but we'll improve as we're going. But that's the analogy that I bring up."
On the newcomers in the cornerback room: "Outside and inside, how are we featuring the guys and what does that look like? So, we added Rasul recently, and so he's got good experience. We've coached against him, and so it's nice. I know background where he's from, similar to where I'm from in New Jersey. And so, you know someone following them, it's nice to have him here, and him getting up to speed quickly. But it's a lot of competition at that spot and it'll take a little bit for that selection to take place. I love [CB] Amik's [Robertson's] competitiveness. I think it's this unique balance with [CB] Mike [Sainristil]. These are two chip on your shoulder competitors, and they push one another in the very best ways. I saw it in the spring, I see it now, and so it's just seeing one another, they sit together, they're like, 'I wanna go, I wanna go', and they push one another."
On S Jeremy Reaves getting more involved with the defense:
"Yeah, he definitely has. And so much of the communication on the defensive side, safeties and linebackers. And so, Jeremy has really been going for it in that space as a safety calls at the line, what could change, how to go through it. And so, that's another group that has three, four, five guys that you'll see [Defensive Backs/Safeties Coach] Tommy [Donatell] rotating through different groups. But Jeremy is very much in the mix in that space through an elevated role on defense as well."
On the running back room: "This is also a good time for them because in practice, it's the tracks, it's catching, it's movements, but now there's contact. And honestly, the games are the best for them because did he break that tackle or did he not? And so, you don't know that. But having contact for the running backs at the line of scrimmage, running through things, that's a big deal. It's a very deep group right now. They have different skills. So, like, over the next few weeks, I'm excited to see. But, like, one to six, all these guys can play. And I'm excited to see, it's gonna take a while." On having depth at the center position and on what he wants to see from G Brandon Coleman: "Some of it was depth, honestly, just to make sure, you always want four up and ready to go into that spot. So, the interior guys who can do that, and sometimes it's a little bit of experimentation to say, 'Can you or not? Is that something that you can add to the group?' So, Brandon is fully on competing for the left guard spot. And so, some of the afterwards is just, 'Okay, can you add this to your plate?' Maybe not in the practice right now, but eventually down the line. [G] Tim McKay is one that we did that with last year. Now he can do all the interior spots. So, if you can play inside, you want somebody that can play both spots. And that's basically kind of the rhythm behind it." On the differences he's seen in G Sam Cosmi: "Yeah, in the big guys, I think what you see coming back specifically talking about, like, O-lineman and D-lineman from an ACL, there's definitely an element of confidence to coming back. So much of their game is, it's not built on speed, how fast I can run. It's power. Can I withstand? Can I go? Can I put that foot in the ground when I got somebody charging at me with this kind of thing? So that's the thing that I see differently now. He doesn't think about it anymore. And so that confidence comes from not how strong you can be or in your physical testing but absorbing all this pressure and stuff to come. So now you got real power to move people, and that's really one of Sam's strengths. He can anchor his size, and so the ability to have confidence to stick that foot in the ground when someone's trying to push you back. I definitely see that now."
On TE Colson Yankoff growing into his role: "I think it kind of elevates to the passing game. So, his background at quarterback kind of leans toward that. Then he went to UCLA, kind of multiple spots. The competitive nature of him allowed him to develop into a special teams player. He's got good speed. We've split him out some to say, 'Can he use space?' Because he's got good speed, he's got good movements. So, it's in the passing game that we featured him more and then he's definitely established himself a role as a teams player, but as a pass catching tight end and a special teams player, he's really carved out his way. He's got a lot of trust in the quarterbacks back and forth. So, it's the relentless work for him that set him apart to give him a chance, and then, like, he's taken it." On anyone that has stood out to him thus far: "There's a lot of guys that I thought just really came ready to get down. And I thought that was what I was looking for. That's what I was hoping to see. I thought, no surprise, but I felt like [QB] Jayden [Daniels] was even further ahead maybe than I thought he might be into that space. But there's a lot that I'm pleased with, and I'm actually – all I wanted for those guys was think about that four day block and then as we're starting today, just these next three days, and see what went good, what do you wanna improve? So, I'm asking them not to look too far down, and can they really stay in it?"
