HEAD COACH JESSE MINTER
Opening Statement: "First of all, I am just super excited to be in this position. Week 1 – getting ready for a really good [Indianapolis] Colts team. [I have] a lot of respect for them. [Indianapolis Colts head coach] Shane Steichen does a great job. I had a chance to go against him last year. I got to know him a little bit over the last couple years. [Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator] Lou [Anarumo] does a really good job with their defense. [Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Brian] Mason does a really good job with their special teams. So, it's a really good team. You look at how they played the first 10 or 11 weeks last year — where they were at offensively — and then they made some moves on defense as well. So, [they are] a team we have a lot of respect for. [I am] excited about the opportunity to get ready this week. One thing I'll say just to kind of get it out of the way — Jovaughn Gwyn will start at center for us. [I have] a lot of confidence in him. This is a guy that I think that when opportunity knocks, [he is] ready to take advantage, and he's done a really good job. He's obviously repped a lot with our starters over the last couple weeks, and I would say that's a Week 1 decision — not necessarily a permanent decision. Obviously, we know what Ethan [Pocic]'s capable of. He's still coming back from the injury, but we have a lot of confidence as a staff in Jovaughn — [and] as a team — and [we are] excited to see him get this first opportunity. With that, [I'll] open it up for questions."
Maybe outside of DL Nnamdi [Madubuike], of the guys on the 53-man roster, do you feel heading into this week that health-wise they would probably all be available? (Jamison Hensley) "I feel pretty good about that. Yes, it's a pretty healthy team. I would say there are some guys coming off of injuries, Teddye [Buchanan] and Nnamdi [Madubuike] — that we'll kind of track, but overall, I think we have come out of [training] camp pretty healthy overall."
Just going back to OL Jovaughn Gwyn, what specifically stood out to you about him throughout training camp? (Brian Wacker) "[Jovaughn Gwyn] came in with obviously a lot of experience with [run game coordinator/offensive line coach Dwayne] Ledford and some things schematically that carry over to kind of how we're playing now. So, I think there's a lot of familiarity there and some of the terminology in the run game and things like that. Then again, he came here knowing that there was an opportunity and has been in a competition all the way back from the second he signed. [He] has just taken advantage of getting a lot of reps. He's been training for this moment for the last few years under these O-line coaches that we have, so there is some familiarity there and a comfort there amongst the coaches. Again, I just think [I'm] happy for him and proud of him for the job that he's done taking advantage of the opportunity."
With DL Nnamdi Madubuike, what was his involvement in the last week with the team and are there specific physical benchmarks you're waiting for him to clear, or is it just sort of his overall comfort level being brought back into it? (Kyle Goon) "It's just a process I would say. [Nnamdi Madubuike]'s been involved more and more just about every day. So, he'll be involved in practice this week, he'll be in team. He'll be doing things, and we'll kind of see how it shakes out as we get closer to see if it's even possible for Week 1."
So, at this point you wouldn't rule out DL Nnamdi Madubuike? (Jamison Hensley) "I wouldn't rule any of those guys out for Week 1."
With the center competition, did you sort of have a vision of how you wanted your center to play? Were you sort of looking for the guy who best fit your vision for that position, or was it more just, 'Hey, we'll build around whichever guy we end up thinking plays best?' (Childs Walker) "I think there's a combination of all that. You're building schemes and the style of play that you're going for, and the types of run schemes and protections that you're using. You're obviously trying to put the best player out there that fits that. I think we have two really, really capable centers. Obviously, one has a lot of experience and is probably more proven, but is also coming off of a major injury, and I think that at times sort of limited the competition a little bit. So, for Week 1, we think this gives us the best opportunity to operate and do the things we need to do."
From your experience preparing for RB Jonathan Taylor previously and having been in the league for a few years now, what makes Taylor particularly tough to prepare for? (Quentin Corpuel) "[I have] major respect for [Jonathan Taylor]. He's a great [running] back. He has great balance. He has great vision. He has speed. He's faster — he can hit a home run. In a way, they obviously have different body types, but it's similar to Derrick [Henry] — where these guys can run all the runs. They can be really physical in between the tackles, but he's also capable of taking one 70 or 80 yards when he gets on the outside. He was hot as can be at the beginning of the year when their offense was rolling, and he really kept that thing going throughout most of the season. But, they have a really good offensive line. They have a bunch of good players around him, and so when you have a back like that it certainly makes it challenging. It starts with the ability to control the run game for us on defense, so it's a challenge we are excited about."
How much do you look at that Week 7 game against the Indianapolis Colts last year and sort of make adjustments off that, or do you view it, 'Hey, this is a new defense and personnel — that game doesn't mean a heck of a lot?' (Jeff Zrebiec) "Everything that's happened in the past is an opportunity to grow and learn and to take things from. So, that's great tape, obviously, for myself to look at — I'm the one that was running the defense in that game — and so there are a lot of things that we're trying to look at and do. It is different. We have obviously different players and different pieces. But again, [I have] just a lot of respect for them and how they were rolling on offense, particularly the time we played them."
QB Daniel Jones is coming off an injury obviously, but do you sort of have to assume that you'll see the guy who came out of the gate the way he did last year? (Childs Walker) "Yes, I really believe so. [Daniel Jones] hasn't really been limited in practice. I think he'll be — just the way some of these things go now with the timing of it, when you're able to do the rehab and get back — it doesn't seem like it takes as long as it used to with the science and the way that these guys can recover. So, I feel like we'll probably see the best version of Daniel, healthy coming out of [training] camp and not having played. So, I would imagine we'll get a pretty good version of Daniel Jones."
There's obviously a lot of interest and anticipation in what this offense is going to look like under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Of course not giving away any secrets or anything like that, but how would you maybe best describe what this offense will probably look like in Week 1? (Jamison Hensley) "I think the first game of the season is your one time to put it out there that people may or may not know what you're going to do — and that's really returning coaches and new coaches. I was telling the staff — the opening game of the year to me is like a training camp game. You can't make assumptions about what the other team's going to run, because they've been studying themselves all summer just like you've been studying yourself. And so, it's not one of those games where you go into it and use all these tendencies and things, because again they're looking at themselves; we're looking at ourselves. [I have a] high level of respect for how they operate. So, it's just the one opportunity you have to come out of the gates. I think the first game always comes down to, 'Can you take care of the football? Can you run the football? Can you not make mistakes that beat yourself, not turn the ball over. Can you come up with some explosive plays that may break the game open a little bit?' Then, on defense, 'Can you get off blocks? Can you make tackles?' A lot of guys haven't tackled a lot between now and the last time they played — even last season — probably on both sides. So that's what the opener is about: handling adjustments, knowing that it's not going to be exactly what we're practicing for, because they're going to have new plays; we're going to have new plays — that's the opener. The teams that can adapt and adjust and stick together and not beat themselves and being able to overcome things that you may not be ready for — that's the thing that we're working towards, that mentality to be ready for the opener."
You said last week you were confident that K Tyler Loop would be the kicker going into Week 1. Is that the case? What have you seen from him and K Jake Moody this past week? What would it take to make that decision if you were to make a change? What goes into that thought process? (Brian Wacker) "To Tyler [Loop]'s credit, he's responded really well to bringing somebody in at his position. [It's] just like anybody [would] have. If you bring a guy in at their position, normally it brings out the best when you've got the right type of guy. I don't think he's missed a kick since we brought Jake [Moody] in. Jake's done really well as well. It's [about] protecting the team, protecting the long-term outlook of the team. I have a lot of confidence in Tyler. I have a lot of confidence in him going into this first game to kick really well. After that, not to play into the hypothetical, but every position, really other than a few super established guys, is a week-to-week thing. It's about going out there this week and producing and doing your job and doing what you're supposed to do. [I] have a lot of confidence that he'll do that, but again it's about having things available just in case it doesn't go the way you want it to go."
Thinking about the preseason and the practices you've done, really the only person who doesn't get live rounds is QB Lamar Jackson. What's your personal anticipation of seeing Lamar in this offense and just being able to be like, 'OK, here it is — this is what it looks like when we have live rounds?' (Kyle Goon) "I am really excited about that. [There's] high anticipation. Seeing Lamar [Jackson] play live just a couple years ago in L.A. and obviously here for a few years — the level of anticipation is really high. He's in a great place both physically and mentally. He's in really peak condition and shape, and again I think he's just excited and ready to roll. That doesn't mean it's going to go perfect. There are going to be plays that you're going to have to overcome. There are going to be plays where it's a bad play — and it's, 'what happens the next play?' But, [there is] nobody you'd rather have under center than Lamar. [I'm] excited to see him really lead our offense and lead our team in this first game."
With how often you've talked about wanting this team to be at its best when its best is needed, do you see Week 1 as a kind of referendum, or is it just one stage of a season-long series of tests for this team to be able to close out fast? (Jonas Shaffer) "I mean, I think every test is real. When you emphasize things, this is really the first opportunity for that to really show up in a real setting. I think the misnomer about that a little bit is, being at your best — every play could be the most important play in the game, and it's not only in the fourth quarter. It's not only when it gets tight. It's just a mentality that every play could be the difference in the game. Then when you get in those moments, it doesn't seem like all of a sudden you have to raise to a certain level or do something that you haven't done all game. I am excited about the possibility of us being in a tight game in the fourth quarter and seeing what we have. You just look forward to those moments. Growth happens when you get in those situations finally. You can create those in practice with two-minute drives and game-winning plays and all that stuff, but nothing is like the real thing. [I'm] just excited for the opportunity to play this first game."
You were clear from the moment we talked to you first that relationships don't happen overnight — it's something you build, it's something you constantly work on. How has your relationship with QB Lamar Jackson grown over the last four or five months? Since being around him on a more regular basis and closer than you used to be when you were here the first time, has anything surprised you about that process? (Jeff Zrebiec) "It's been really good. I think it's grown a lot, even this training camp, as you obviously get to spend so much time together. You get to compete on the practice field — obviously as somebody running the defense, or in charge of the defense — get a chance to go against [Lamar Jackson] and have fun, kind of that competitiveness back and forth. I would just say that it really just validated what I thought about him — that he's an unbelievable teammate. He's an unbelievable leader. The guys rally around him, and some of the things that he can do — he's one of one. So, I think that's honestly what's been proven — just getting to know him, getting a chance to be around him. This guy is who you want under center, who you want leading the team, who you want running out with the guys, who you want pulling for the other guys. [He's] a really good teammate. I am really excited for Lamar just to go out there and be the best version of himself."
I know that when you left here a few years ago, former head coach John Harbaugh was running what was probably at that point one of the NFL's toughest training camps, with a lot of practices under the beating sun, sometimes two and a half hours. Did you dial that back? How do you find that middle ground that you felt like was getting guys ready for Week 1 but also not undercutting them physically? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes, it's just your own experiences over time and what you think as you're going through it. As an assistant, you're making notes of what you like. I love [former Ravens head coach] John Harbaugh, and there are a lot of things that he does that we still do, so I don't really want there to be a misnomer of, 'Oh, he's changing all this stuff.' There are a lot of ways that we operate and think about the game very similarly. I learned a ton from him working here for four years, [and I] learned a ton working with his brother [Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh]. I think they operate maybe differently than people think, and so maybe somewhere in the middle is kind of where we landed from how we go about our business. The first thing was the time of day, and I really just went to some of the data and some of the science [about] the heat and where it's the hottest part of the day and where you can kind of maximize the amount of work that you want, especially early in training camp when it's really hot in late July and the first part of August. As you get closer to game time, I think you shift more towards a more normal game-time type of practice, which we're in now. So, just stuff like that. I think I've always just been about really efficient practices, and that means different things. Sometimes, we're getting the same amount of reps that maybe were gotten in a longer amount of time, [but] maybe it's just moving faster, moving quicker, moving in and out of the huddle [and] not wasting time. So, all that stuff I think is probably overrated. It's [about] trying to figure out what's best for the particular team that you have and what gets the team ready to play, and again, we won't really find that out until Sunday when the game starts [to see] if we're ready to play. So, [I'm] looking forward to that."
You've been asked so many questions about firsts for you and being a first-year head coach. How do you anticipate you're going to feel heading into this week? Are you a guy that gets really nervous before games, and have you felt any different this week now that we're fully into preparation for your debut as an NFL head coach? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think you get anxious, which some people would say is nervous. Some people would say it's anxious [and] some people would say it's excited. But, January 23rd is a long time ago, and so many things go into preparing for 17 opportunities that you get. This being the first one, it's a major milestone for me, our coaching staff and our team. It's the first time for us to go out there and the games matter and count. So again, it's just something that we're really excited about. Yes — I think there's always this anxious feeling in the opener, and it kind of goes back to just the level of respect you have for other coaches in the league and the time that they put in and the changes that they may make. So, you just try not to go into the game assuming that you know what's going to happen, and that it's going to be about handling things, adjusting to things, not getting too high [and] not getting too low. I've always — especially the last few years — felt I have done a good job of that with the groups that I've been in charge of. So again, [I'm] just really, really excited about the opportunity to see our team play and see if everything that we've done can come to life."
Building on that — none of the preseason games were very close, and so it's not like you've been practicing any very close game management situations. I know you guys work on simulations and things like that, but are you sort of looking forward to being tested in that moment in sort of your version of 'being your best when your best is needed?' (Kyle Goon) "Definitely. This is what you sign up for. This is why you want to be in the chair that I'm sitting in. It's not to run from those situations, it's to run at those situations, trust your preparation and trust the training and trust all the things that you've done to try to be ready. So yes, just [with] everything that could happen in the first game, I think you're just excited about the potential. You're ready for whatever happens and just the excited feeling knowing the amount of work and training that you put into it. I'll sleep fine on Saturday night just knowing the amount of work that this team has put in, and we'll let it fly on Sunday and see what happens."
Have you pictured this week for many years, or is it more like, 'Well, I've been around football since I was a little kid — I know what a game week is like?' (Childs Walker) "Yes, I don't know that it's — probably [to] your second point, honestly. I think people have been asking me things about being the head coach now and all the different things. In training camp, coming up with the schedule is very, very thoughtful and time-consuming. Once you get into the season, you're past that. You certainly hope and think that what you did is right and has you prepared, but once you get into the season, you can get into a little bit more of a rhythm and a little bit more of a routine, even in the dual role. So, I think — especially over the last year — I've probably pictured what it could look like for myself and how I might do things. So, again, [I'm] excited about the opportunity."
Have you made time to think about some of the stuff that is incidental to games? Do you know what you're going to wear? Do you know what your breakfast is going to be like? Do you just kind of speak off the cuff to the team in your pregame team talk, or is it something you've written down? How much have you thought about the stuff that is not game plan related? (Jonas Shaffer) "Yes, I'm probably going to wear the same thing I have on right now. That's kind of my daily outfit. I don't try to make that stuff too complicated or put too much time into that. Normally, I'll write down some messaging-type things ahead of time, and then oftentimes, I'll go off of that and speak from the heart and speak where my head is at. So, I am a preparer. [I'm] somebody that likes to always have things in order and prepared, but I think there are moments where you have to let your guard down and be yourself and let them know what you're really feeling inside. So, when I get a chance to speak to the team, that's probably the way it'll go."
