Defensive backs coach David Gibbs, left, and cornerback Glover Quin spoke to the media after Monday's practice.
After the eighth practice of OTAs, members of the team spoke to the media.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on CB Glover Quin) "He just seems like he makes a play every day. He's got a knack for getting his hands on the ball and when he does, he tends to come up with it. So he's doing a lot of good things. He's getting a great deal of reps because of (CB) Dunta's (Robinson) situation, so, good chance for him to help the team quickly."
(on not missing CB Dunta Robinson because so many others are stepping up) "Well, a lot of guys are getting time, so that's the key when a player's out: Everybody moves up in the line. There are just a ton of reps to go around over the course of these 14 days and these guys need it, and the best way to describe it is they're taking advantage of it, so they're doing a good job with the reps."
(on being excited for the offense this year) "Yeah, I really am, you know, because the key in this league is keeping guys together, playing together. That's how they get better and get good, so to speak, as a group. So this group of guys has been playing together now for going on the third year, pretty much. The offensive line will be going on the second year if they can all stay together. With experience should come better execution. We're still going to have to make the plays. I'm sure people are going to catch up to some of the things we've been doing, but it's our job to get them in a position to make plays."
(on how consistency at running back opened things up for WR Andre Johnson last year) "I think it was really big. The whole offense, I think, after they came out of Tennessee, they got a lot of confidence in (RB) Steve (Slaton), so they knew he'd do his job. I just think it spread throughout the team, and obviously it showed up in Andre's numbers."
(on WR Andre Johnson being one of the team's leaders) "Yeah, he's the leader by example. He's not a rah-rah guy; y'all know that. He just does his job, works hard; that's the way he goes about his business. But I think we've developed a lot of leaders, and that's a good thing. I think Matt's (Schaub) more of a leader now than he's been since he's been here. I think Chris Myers, Eric Winston, all those guys. This is a young team, a young group of guys, and it seems like it's gotten younger, really, over the course of the last few years, so then those guys are able to blossom and their personalities take over the group and acquire more leadership."
Defensive backs coach David Gibbs
(on the way the secondary has been playing) "We'll see. We go against a good offense every day in practice and it's tough. They know what they're doing and we just took a peek with them as an opportunity to get better every day and hopefully we're doing that."
(on the secondary he's coaching) "Well, you can't trade them out; they're all you have. I like my group. I think they're a bunch of guys who have been beaten up, who've probably not played as well as they should. It's nobody's fault, whether it's coaching or players. Their job is to play good on Sundays and my job is to make them play good on Sundays, and if they're not playing good, then obviously, it goes back to the coach."
(on the interceptions CB Glover Quin is getting) "He took last week off. He had three his first week, he didn't get any last week. I think he slept through all three days and got one today. But the other two rookies are doing good, too—(CB Brice) McCain and…I can't remember my other guy's name right now. But he's doing good, so we'll see what happens."
(on taking the job and working with his dad) "Like I said, I just enjoy coaching. And I think it's a lot easier to take over a group which everybody thinks doesn't have good enough players than it is to take over the defensive line where you have three No. 1 draft picks and all those things so all the media and all the attention are on the guys, the defensive linemen. We know if we're going to be successful, this secondary has to play better than it has, and that's my goal, that's the players' goal. So even though one of our better players isn't here right now, these kids are working their rear ends off every day and getting better."
(on if it's difficult not being able to gauge how good his players are) "I don't think so, because to me, it's just like during the season. A guy gets hurt and the next guy, you hear coaches say it all the time, has got to go in there and play. It's the coaches' job to get them ready to play. So I know what No. 23 (CB Dunta Robinson) is going to do when he comes in here, so it just gives these other guys a chance to show what they can do and what they can't do, show their limitations and then you coach them through their limitations. I think it's a win-win situation for everybody."
(on standing on his own as opposed to in his dad's shadow) "I've coached without my dad most of my life, so it's fun with him off the field; on the field, I don't even know he's out here, to be honest with you. I know he's got a great resume, but he coaches a totally different position than I coach. Coaching offensive line is easy. Come coach the secondary. I'm just kidding."
(on if he's ever told his dad that and the response he gets) "I tell him every day. He doesn't agree. No, it's one of those deals, it really doesn't matter to me. Like I said, come Sunday afternoon, if my guys play good, I look good. If they don't play good, then I'm going to be looking for another job. That's part of life, and when you coach the secondary, you're exposed as much or more than anybody else on the football field, so that's just the way it is."
(on working with his dad) "I enjoy it."
CB Glover Quin
(on the defensive backs) "We're pushing each other, and I think it's good for the group. And I think, definitely, we're getting a lot better."
(on defensive backs coach David Gibbs) "I think he's a good guy. The thing he does, he forces you to learn. I mean, he goes real fast, so you have to learn it or you're going to be out there looking pretty bad. So he forces you to learn, take notes and study so when practice comes, he might tell you in the meeting that he didn't go over that, but it's still no excuse. He still expects you to learn it and try to make plays."
(on Gibbs being a technique guy) "Yeah, that's what he is. Yes sir, and we do a lot of technique work and he'll tell you he's more worried about technique and fundamentals than the scheme right now. So that's what we're trying to make sure we're getting down, all the technique and fundamentals of playing defensive back."
