Head Coach Gary KubiakS Eddie Pleasant
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on the team's health) "Physically, same as yesterday, (CB) Alan Ball is the only one that didn't practice. Everybody looks like they're ready to go. (OLB) Brooks (Reed) is ready to go and expect him to start the game so it's good to have him back. That's where we're at physically."
(on CB Alan Ball's status) "Yeah, he's out yes. He's very close. He is very close, did work out this week with the trainers and stuff, so it's encouraging."
(on S Eddie Pleasant) "It's just kind of fun to watch. This guy has shown a lot of signs that he could really help us here down the stretch. We're looking to find ways to get better on special teams and those types of things. He did a lot of good things for us early in the season. Basically, we're rewarding him, bringing him up. I expect him to be active, expect him to be playing for (Special Teams Coordinator) Joe (Marciano) a great deal. Well-deserved for him, there is nothing better in your organization when your practice squad guys get elevated. I think that sends a message to those guys that you've got a great opportunity, looking forward to him stepping in and playing."
(on CB Brandon Harris) "I like (CB) Brandon (Harris) a lot. I like his confidence as a player. He's got to cut down his penalties. That's been a concern, but Brandon got thrown into the fire, so to speak. with some of the situations we had and then some of the people he's had to line up against. It's been a tough deal for him. That's the only way you get better in this league. That's why you make it. Brandon's got the confidence to go out there and do it. I think he's only going to get better. The more we play this year, the better he's going to get."
(on his son playing football at Rice with Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier's son) "Yeah, it is interesting. I've known (Vikings head coach) Leslie (Frazier) for a long time and know his son Cory (Frazier), just watching Rice play. That is pretty interesting, but I've got a lot of respect for Leslie and the job he does. His son does a hell of a job at Rice, too. It's been pretty cool. I've been reminded of that a couple of times this week. You kind of take that for granted, so that's pretty cool."
(on his friendship with Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier) "You know what, I've seen him at a few spring practices when he comes down and obviously we're good friends just through the coaching business and spending time together at the league meetings and stuff. He's been a tremendous coach for years. As players we crossed paths a long, long time ago, both getting a little old. Just got a lot of respect for the job he's done there in Minnesota and the type of football team he's put together. Very physical team and very impressive to me."
S Eddie Pleasant
(on Head Coach Gary Kubiak saying statistics don't always tell the story) "There are some guys on the team, on the practice squad that are still trying to get up there. But by me moving up, it shows that they still have an opportunity to get up here."
(on what his emotions will be like on Sunday) "I'll be ready to go. It can't be too emotional. I still have a job to go do. A lot of the guys on the team are counting on me, so I have to still go out there with a clear head and go out and do what they brought me up to do."
(on what he has improved on since training camp) "Having a better knowledge of the game, knowing more of what I'm doing. When I first got up here I was just running around and playing off of ability and not knowing what I was doing. I felt like the coaches, they told me before they released me, that it's a mind thing. You don't really know what you're doing right now. I guess they feel confident enough in me to go out there and play."
(on if he was surprised when he heard he was moving up off of the practice squad) "In the beginning when they released me, I thought I was going to move up a little earlier than I did. At the end of the day it didn't really bother me as long as I was still here and still had a job. Being on the practice squad wasn't that bad at all but at the end of the day, I'm happy that I moved up now."
(on if he is excited) "I'm very excited to go out there and play with my teammates. I haven't been out there the whole year. My last time playing was at the end of August with the rest of the rookies, so I'm going to be excited to go out there and play."
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