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Skins Quotes 9/6/19: Gruden, O’Connell

Boone

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September 6, 2019

Head Coach Jay Gruden

On injury report:
"[QB] Colt McCoy is out. [CB] Fabian Moreau is out. [DL] Caleb Brantley, [LB] Cassanova McKinzy and [TE] Jordan Reed are all questionable and everybody else is full go."

On if TE Jordan Reed passed concussion protocol:
He was still limited, so he's still not cleared for full contact. Obviously, we're not having full contact anyway, so he was able to do some work today.

On what test he has to pass in the next 24 hours in order to be cleared:
"They'll probably have a good feeling tomorrow morning."

On if he has met with T Trent Williams in person:
"I have not. We are getting ready for the Eagles and we have a lot of work to do."

On the amount of leeway he will give to G Ereck Flowers if he struggles in Week 1:
"Well, he's still a fairly young player and he's not really experienced at guard. So, yes we're probably going to have to fight through a few ups and downs, but we feel like there's a talent and a skill set there that we can work with. He also has the ability to play tackle in a pinch and he's proven he can do that both left and right. We'll see how he does at left guard, I've seen him make really good strides over the course of the last month or so and I think he's only going to get better. He's a big body. Once he learns how to use his length a little bit more, I think he is going to get better and better."

On if his expectations of the rookies are tempered going into the first regular season game:
"No, not really. I think these guys are good players. I think they've proven that – they haven't proven it in the NFL, but they're very skilled. [LB Montez] Sweat has a skillset that you love at outside linebacker, pass rusher and obviously [WR] Terry [McLaurin] is a very smart guy that can handle a lot of things, a lot of different routes, and [WR Kelvin] Harmon has done a lot of good things in the running game and passing game with his physicality. [CB] Jimmy Moreland has really come on and really made a name for himself coming out as a seventh-rounder. Just taking advantage of every rep and getting better and better. Cole Holcomb, very smart, prepared and he's fast and has done a good job too. So, you never know when the lights cut on for real, but I have total faith in those guys."

On the importance of keeping the rookies even-keeled heading into their first regular season game:
I think they have to have their juices flowing a little bit. I think they should all be excited and fired up, this is a big moment for them and we're all excited to see them play. But you are right; they have to stay in the game, know the situation and have some poise about them. That's what we'll keep a close eye on."

On the inside linebackers:
"I think [LB Cole] Holcomb and [LB] Shaun-Dion [Hamilton] have done a good job, and obviously, Josh Harvey- [Clemons] gives you some speed and some length. So those four guys are pretty good in my opinion. So we have some versatility there. Especially with Cole and Shaun Dion, they can both call the plays as well. [LB Jon] Bostic really is the lead dog right now and Shaun Dion will gets his work and obviously Cole we feel good about and then there is a place for Josh Harvey."

On if there will be a rotation at inside linebacker:
"Not really. We have a rotation we'll see them all play a little bit."

On DL Treyvon Hester being ready:
"I think he is.”

On if Moreau took part in any portion of practice today:
"None."

On how much Reed participated in practice today:
"He did individual today."


Offensive Coordinator Kevin O'Connell

On how involved RB Derrius Guice will be in the offense on Sunday:
“My vision for him, he's absolutely involved. We want to get him touches just in the confines of how we want to run our offense and run the football. We feel really, really good about our run game plan, but also we feel good about him in the pass game – whether it's the screen game or some of the RPO stuff that we involve him in him as the runner. We feel good about him. We're going to try to get him involved, try to get him in the rhythm. I think the Atlanta game when he played was kind of indicative of what we expect out of Derrius.”

On the wide receiver group:
“I feel it's a talented group. We're really excited about those guys and their development since we've really got some of those rookies into the building in the spring. Obviously [WR] Trey Quinn, I spend a lot of time with him. I spend a lot of time with [WR] Paul [Richardson Jr] and [WR] Terry [McLaurin]. They're just such smart football players. They want to learn on a daily basis so it makes it fun to throw a lot at them and see what we can digest in a week and go take it to Sundays. It's going to be fun to watch those guys each and every week grow and get better and better.”

On the challenges of game planning when TE Jordan Reed could be unavailable on Sunday:
“I think you look at scheme first and you look at how it fits versus who we're playing and how the Eagles are going to line up, what they do well, which is a lot of things on defense. Then you just look to not only the guy when we have all our healthy guys up, that you'd love to be running concepts here or there. But the depth that we have, you said those names. [TE] Vernon Davis, we love having Vernon because it gives us that kind of 1A, 1B option with [TE] Jordan [Reed]. Then the backfield, everybody knows how deep that whole group is. [RB] Wendell [Smallwood] has done a great job since he got in here, just absorbing the playbook. The depth at those spots help, especially with what we're looking for this week from a challenge standpoint from the Eagles. We gameplan and it's the ‘next man up' mentality and we feel really good about our plan.”

On the specific skills that his receivers possess:
“The physical traits Terry [McLaurin] has showed since he's got here. He obviously runs very well. The detail in which he takes the meeting room to the practice field and the game field allows us to ask him to run various parts of the route tree. Paul Richardson's ability to push the field vertically, make plays on the football, his ball-tracking skills. Both those guys should allow us to feel good about our concepts when we're pushing the ball, not only outside the numbers, but third down matchups, down in the red zone situationally. Then Trey [Quinn] inside has always since he got here had a great feel and instinct for playing inside. So, I think when you talk about those three and then obviously [WR] Steven [Sims Jr] and [WR] Kelvin [Harmon] and some of the young guys in addition to [WR] Robert Davis, all guys that have flashed tremendous skill sets. So it's our job, and really, it's my job to support [Head Coach] Jay [Gruden] in putting together an offense that puts those guys in their situations where they feel not only comfortable, but their skill sets translate to success and getting open.”

On preparing for his first game as offensive coordinator:
“I said this in the spring, Jay [Gruden] as the play caller and our head coach and the play caller of our offense, I've really tried to be in a supportive role for him, like I really always have. It just makes it easier for me now to have the full-time to put into game planning and having my eyes on tape and evaluating our scheme that we've put in for this week versus what we've done in the past versus this team. Figuring out what works, what doesn't so that when Sunday does come around, my job is to have a play ready when called upon. My job is to coach up our group, coach up our skill group and make sure that I'm on the same page as [Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach Bill] Callahan and what we're doing in the run game and protection game so when it all comes together on Sunday, we don't miss a beat.”

On how WR Terry McLaurin's route running has progressed:
“I think the biggest thing is just the details – route depths, stems, angles and things you've got to play with. We change our splits a lot in this offense which change the routes that you run. It might be called the same route, but it may look different from three or four different spots. You can line up all on one side of the ball, whether we're stacking, bunching, all the things that I look to try to do to not only help those guys but put maximum stress on the defense. As he starts to learn not all route are the same, not all techniques are the same. What may work for him might be different then what works for Paul [Richardson] and I think that's one thing [Wide Receivers Coach] Ike [Hillard] does a great job with those guys. Having the experience, not only coaching as long as he has now, but as a player of just understanding how to put each individual player in a position to have success. From that standpoint, fundamentally and technique, those guys have been really, really good about buying in to what they need to do to have the best possible chance to get open.”

On if Guice makes the offense more versatile:
“I think we've always tried to be as versatile as possible because that's when we're at our best. When the defense has to play on their heels a little bit because they don't know the type of offense we're in because we can break the huddle and line up 1,000 different ways. The one thing I take a lot pride in is the versatility of teaching the system as we've installed it from the spring, so when the game week comes around, these players are showing up on Wednesday for the game plan, now that we've had extra days, they're showing up just wondering how we're going to line up and run the plays that we know and we know we can really excel at. That's what provides us the versatility, not only the scheme but then the skillsets of the guys we have. The tight ends, you mentioned the running backs, [QB] Case Keenum is a veteran quarterback, [QB] Dwayne [Haskins Jr] with his ability in the quarterback room. I think of all those guys. Then obviously the guys up front, they all lead to us having the versatility we want in this offense for Jay [Gruden] to call the play he wants to call.”

On how he feels about the Redskins being viewed as underdogs this season and kind of flying under the radar thus far and if that impacts how he coaches:
“It really doesn't because whether people are talking about us or not talking about us, my job doesn't change. My role, being in charge of the offensive side of the ball for the Washington Redskins, being in that role for Coach [Jay] Gruden, it's not going to change no matter what the outside noise may be. I care about the confidence level of our players, which I feel is my job each and every day. Wednesday when I walk in there when I walk in with the plan to convey how excited and confident I am in the plan because hopefully the kind of work we put into building the plans, I feel good about them and every week I do. From the standpoint of throwing the football, running the football, all three phases of really our team, our role of our offense is part of those three phases. We feel incredibly confident about our group I know as a coaching staff and the guys I coach with. So when I look at the roster and the team that we have, the outside noise means nothing. The Eagles are going to show up on Sunday and no matter what the people from the outside think, we're going to be ready to go play them.”

On how QB Dwayne Haskins is taking in the game plan:
“Dwayne [Haskins] has been great. He's been great all the way through training camp of really trying to approach it. Obviously, when he was competing for the job, he was on a daily basis being asked to do things physically. But I've challenged him in meetings, and challenged him with Coach [Quarterback Coach Tim] Rattay and doing some stuff with Coach [Senior Offensive Assistant Matt] Cavanaugh on the side, just constantly – we have that support system for him. So even though we are in game weeks now, and we are really focusing on the opponent and making sure Case [Keenum] is prepared for everything that he may see, Dwayne's development does not stop. It's a minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, extra meetings in the mornings, extra meetings in the afternoon because he's one snap away, so he has to prepare. I know it's a cliché sometimes for the backup quarterback to prepare like you're the guy, but it's real because we're playing a veteran quarterback and Dwayne is the backup and we're rolling. He's got to be ready to go. I have a lot of confidence in Dwayne right now, that if he goes in the game he can operate at a very high level."

On the backup quarterback situation:
“I think just the whole offseason and the training camp we've had with him, I'm challenging him to digest the whole game plan. We carry a great deal of volume because we want to have the versatility and the options at our disposal on Sunday and that goes for him just like it does for Case [Keenum]. So, we'll see where he's at, we'll meet those guys a little bit later today and then we'll kind of see where they are at with the game plan and go from there as far as if he gets into the game, what he's comfortable running. I'm hoping it's a lot and almost all of the game plan because that's the type of work I've seen from him in preparation for this game."

On the environment in Philadelphia:
"Well there's definitely some things you hear, but I think it's a great crowd. I think it's a great environment. I can only imagine opening day, they've had a lot of success over the past few years. I imagine that place is going to be very loud. I imagine they're going to be absolutely ready to run out of the tunnel and ready to go. So, we're hoping we feel the way our guys have practiced this week, the energy they've had all the way through this week, we've got to match that. And then obviously being the road team, that's what you have to do, you have to find a way to match the energy of the crowd supporting the home team and do whatever you can to quiet them down early. Especially as an offense, and then see how long you can consistently operate snap in and snap out and see where everything goes from there."




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ereck Flowers has assumed the Shawn Lauvao mantle of being praised by coaches for his ‘skills' but coming up short in the games.

Charley Casserly said he would be really surprised if Flowers retains the LG job.

He said Wes Martin was impressive in camp and in his mind had Flowers beat.

Sounds like Gruden or Callahan's ego is getting in the way again on offense, admitting a flat rookie is better than a guy you told the front office to go out and get that cost $5M for the season.
 
Crap. Gruden is calling the plays.

This guy O'Connell strikes me as very bright and organized in his thinking. Hope we don't lose him and remain stuck with the current mediocrity at HC.
 
Deleted repost. Same issue: response not lengthy enough. Not the case.
 

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