HEAD COACH BILL O'BRIEN
What did you think of today's practice in the rain?
"It's important to have practices like this because obviously we're going to play outdoor games early in the season. Never know what the weather is going to be like up in the Northeast and the East Coast. I thought the guys handled it well. There were some really good teaching parts of practice that we can get off the film. Good situational practice. Good day today."
Isn't the sliding in the water after practice part of the whole camaraderie aspect of coming to The Greenbrier?
"Yeah, this is a good group of guys. They really, so far, they've focused really well in practice. They have a good sense of humor (and) they know when to get going for practice and when it's time to have fun like there at the end. It was good."
How have the new helmet rules affected the way you instruct practice?
"Look, whatever the rules are, we know that we have to really listen, focus on the videos that they send out and if we have questions, we ask the questions. Then, we go out and we teach the players as best as we can relative to what we believe the rules are and how they'll be officiated. Then when the games start, we'll have a lot of good clips to show – 'Hey, this is what they're calling, this is what they're looking for,' but I think our coaches are doing a good job of explaining the kickoff rule, the helmet rule, all the different things that are going on."
Do you feel this will be a big change from last year? Do you think it will be heavily enforced?
"I don't know. I think – I don't know. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I think every year the NFL does a good job of trying to improve the safety of the game to help the players. So, I think it's just another part of teaching that we have to make sure we're doing a good job of that."
K Ka'imi Fairbairn was out there in some very tough conditions, can you talk about that?
"Yeah, tough conditions. He was in some puddles out there, and you know, look, he made some really good kicks. He made some long kicks, missed a couple. That's part of being a young kicker. Really understanding the elements and how he has to change some of things that he's doing in the elements. But, I thought overall he did a good job."
How important is it that you have a good, young kicker?
"I think he's a very talented guy. He has a good demeanor, good poise, hard worker. Coach (Brad) Seely, Coach (Tracy) Smith doing a good job coaching him. I think he's good."
How much does C/G Zach Fulton jump out to you when you watch him?
"Yeah, good size, good athletic ability, very smart guy, versatile guy, can play center, can play guard, could probably bump out to tackle in a pinch if we needed him to. So, I really – and I like the way he approaches the game. He's been really good since the day he walked in here."
Have you seen OLB Whitney Mercilus improve against the run?
"Whitney's been real good against the run. Whitney's a guy that – like I always tell you guys – I think he's a very, very solid player, a guy that maybe some other guys get a little bit more press than him sometimes but he's been a very consistent guy and he's been very, very good. He's a hard guy to block on the edge of the defense."
Do you feel like you have fewer adjustments to make regarding the rule changes because you and your program have been through this?
"I think going into my fifth year, every year is different, but as a head coach now you can expect certain things. You can expect rule changes. You can expect maybe some different personnel changes that you have to really understand the guy's skillset and where he may fit in. Then maybe that changes as you watch, but there's a lot more that comes with experience, I think. I always say – same thing for the quarterback, same thing for the head coach – there's no substitute for experience. We have to go out every year and teach it and make sure we understand the situation, the type of players we have, the rule changes and all of those things. But, as a head coach, when you've been through it for four years, you have an idea of how to do it."
Is it more important to you that experience teaches you to see what's coming or is it dealing with it?
"I know exactly what you're asking. I think the anticipation of knowing what may happen down the road. The anticipation of a rule change and how you're going to teach that, the anticipation of a personnel change and who that guy might be and where he fits in, the anticipation of teaching the quarterback after you've taught him for a year – 'OK, what are some things we can build on? How is it best that he learns?' You know, I think there's some more anticipation that comes with experience."
Are you happy where you're at with the wide receiving corps and how does that group's versatility help the offense?
"I think it's a good group. It's a diverse group. You've got, obviously, some bigger guys, some outside guys, you have some inside guys and then you have guys that can do a little bit of both, guys that really can help us on special teams like a Sammie Coates (Jr.). So, I think it's a good, diverse group and we have to see how it all plays out. But I like the group so far."
Is WR Braxton Miller competing for time in the slot and also outside?
"Absolutely. He's a versatile guy. He can do some different things. His skillset, his size, his ability to run downfield routes, run underneath routes. I think his hands have improved. I think his knowledge of our offense has improved. So, I think he's definitely a guy that can do a little bit of everything."
How do you test guys on their knowledge of the offense?
"There's a lot of different things that go into that. I think a lot of it happens in the beginning in the meeting room, and then in the walkthroughs and then out on the field. It's a progression. It starts in the meeting room and then it progresses to the walkthrough and then see if we can do it full speed in practice. That's kind of how you try to teach it and then see how they are handling that. Then, as a teacher, I think you have to really realize, like I was saying before, what's the best way this guy learns? Does he learn best watching film, going out and doing it or is he a walkthrough guy? Maybe he's a lot of rep guy. Get him a bunch of reps and the next day it'll be better. So, I think you have to know each guy and how they learn."
How do you see WR Braxton Miller's knowledge of the offense?
"Good. He's come a long ways in the years he's been here. Again, he's going to have to go out there and continue to get better and improve, but I do see a lot of improvement with him."
It seems like you really like this team.
"Yeah, I like this team. I think they care about each other. I like the chemistry on the team. Look, no team's perfect. We have things that we need to clean up, get better at coaching-wise, playing-wise, but I like the way they approach every day. I like the way they're focused in meetings. I like the way they compete in practice and I like the way they handled today. So, I do. I like this team."
If I went back and looked at how many times you've said you liked a team at this point in the year…
"I don't want to look back. I really have. I enjoy the players here. I really do. I enjoy the guys on this team. I think they're very coachable, for the most part – there's 90 guys. I think they're very coachable. I think they're eager to learn. They have good questions, knowledgeable questions. They compete on the practice field, even on a day like that, they competed in the right way. They understood the elements and what they needed to do to try to execute the plays on both sides and on special teams. I like that approach."
Have you gotten what you want out of this camp so far?
"I think so. I think we have some things we're a little bit behind on situationally, but I think we can get caught up on that in the next couple of days. I think going back to Houston will be good. Get back into a little bit more of a normal routine in Houston based on being back at home and things like that, but I like what we've accomplished so far up here."
Can you clarify the status of WR Keke Coutee?
"He's dealing with a – I wouldn't say a serious injury – but he's got to take some time to get back from it. He'll be back. He'll be back eventually. Probably won't be back for Kansas City, but hopefully after that."
Is WR Keke Coutee dealing with a soft tissue injury?
"I don't want to go into details. You guys can probably figure it out."
HEAD COACH BILL O'BRIEN
What did you think of today's practice in the rain?
"It's important to have practices like this because obviously we're going to play outdoor games early in the season. Never know what the weather is going to be like up in the Northeast and the East Coast. I thought the guys handled it well. There were some really good teaching parts of practice that we can get off the film. Good situational practice. Good day today."
Isn't the sliding in the water after practice part of the whole camaraderie aspect of coming to The Greenbrier?
"Yeah, this is a good group of guys. They really, so far, they've focused really well in practice. They have a good sense of humor (and) they know when to get going for practice and when it's time to have fun like there at the end. It was good."
How have the new helmet rules affected the way you instruct practice?
"Look, whatever the rules are, we know that we have to really listen, focus on the videos that they send out and if we have questions, we ask the questions. Then, we go out and we teach the players as best as we can relative to what we believe the rules are and how they'll be officiated. Then when the games start, we'll have a lot of good clips to show – 'Hey, this is what they're calling, this is what they're looking for,' but I think our coaches are doing a good job of explaining the kickoff rule, the helmet rule, all the different things that are going on."
Do you feel this will be a big change from last year? Do you think it will be heavily enforced?
"I don't know. I think – I don't know. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I think every year the NFL does a good job of trying to improve the safety of the game to help the players. So, I think it's just another part of teaching that we have to make sure we're doing a good job of that."
K Ka'imi Fairbairn was out there in some very tough conditions, can you talk about that?
"Yeah, tough conditions. He was in some puddles out there, and you know, look, he made some really good kicks. He made some long kicks, missed a couple. That's part of being a young kicker. Really understanding the elements and how he has to change some of things that he's doing in the elements. But, I thought overall he did a good job."
How important is it that you have a good, young kicker?
"I think he's a very talented guy. He has a good demeanor, good poise, hard worker. Coach (Brad) Seely, Coach (Tracy) Smith doing a good job coaching him. I think he's good."
How much does C/G Zach Fulton jump out to you when you watch him?
"Yeah, good size, good athletic ability, very smart guy, versatile guy, can play center, can play guard, could probably bump out to tackle in a pinch if we needed him to. So, I really – and I like the way he approaches the game. He's been really good since the day he walked in here."
Have you seen OLB Whitney Mercilus improve against the run?
"Whitney's been real good against the run. Whitney's a guy that – like I always tell you guys – I think he's a very, very solid player, a guy that maybe some other guys get a little bit more press than him sometimes but he's been a very consistent guy and he's been very, very good. He's a hard guy to block on the edge of the defense."
Do you feel like you have fewer adjustments to make regarding the rule changes because you and your program have been through this?
"I think going into my fifth year, every year is different, but as a head coach now you can expect certain things. You can expect rule changes. You can expect maybe some different personnel changes that you have to really understand the guy's skillset and where he may fit in. Then maybe that changes as you watch, but there's a lot more that comes with experience, I think. I always say – same thing for the quarterback, same thing for the head coach – there's no substitute for experience. We have to go out every year and teach it and make sure we understand the situation, the type of players we have, the rule changes and all of those things. But, as a head coach, when you've been through it for four years, you have an idea of how to do it."
Is it more important to you that experience teaches you to see what's coming or is it dealing with it?
"I know exactly what you're asking. I think the anticipation of knowing what may happen down the road. The anticipation of a rule change and how you're going to teach that, the anticipation of a personnel change and who that guy might be and where he fits in, the anticipation of teaching the quarterback after you've taught him for a year – 'OK, what are some things we can build on? How is it best that he learns?' You know, I think there's some more anticipation that comes with experience."
Are you happy where you're at with the wide receiving corps and how does that group's versatility help the offense?
"I think it's a good group. It's a diverse group. You've got, obviously, some bigger guys, some outside guys, you have some inside guys and then you have guys that can do a little bit of both, guys that really can help us on special teams like a Sammie Coates (Jr.). So, I think it's a good, diverse group and we have to see how it all plays out. But I like the group so far."
Is WR Braxton Miller competing for time in the slot and also outside?
"Absolutely. He's a versatile guy. He can do some different things. His skillset, his size, his ability to run downfield routes, run underneath routes. I think his hands have improved. I think his knowledge of our offense has improved. So, I think he's definitely a guy that can do a little bit of everything."
How do you test guys on their knowledge of the offense?
"There's a lot of different things that go into that. I think a lot of it happens in the beginning in the meeting room, and then in the walkthroughs and then out on the field. It's a progression. It starts in the meeting room and then it progresses to the walkthrough and then see if we can do it full speed in practice. That's kind of how you try to teach it and then see how they are handling that. Then, as a teacher, I think you have to really realize, like I was saying before, what's the best way this guy learns? Does he learn best watching film, going out and doing it or is he a walkthrough guy? Maybe he's a lot of rep guy. Get him a bunch of reps and the next day it'll be better. So, I think you have to know each guy and how they learn."
How do you see WR Braxton Miller's knowledge of the offense?
"Good. He's come a long ways in the years he's been here. Again, he's going to have to go out there and continue to get better and improve, but I do see a lot of improvement with him."
It seems like you really like this team.
"Yeah, I like this team. I think they care about each other. I like the chemistry on the team. Look, no team's perfect. We have things that we need to clean up, get better at coaching-wise, playing-wise, but I like the way they approach every day. I like the way they're focused in meetings. I like the way they compete in practice and I like the way they handled today. So, I do. I like this team."
If I went back and looked at how many times you've said you liked a team at this point in the year…
"I don't want to look back. I really have. I enjoy the players here. I really do. I enjoy the guys on this team. I think they're very coachable, for the most part – there's 90 guys. I think they're very coachable. I think they're eager to learn. They have good questions, knowledgeable questions. They compete on the practice field, even on a day like that, they competed in the right way. They understood the elements and what they needed to do to try to execute the plays on both sides and on special teams. I like that approach."
Have you gotten what you want out of this camp so far?
"I think so. I think we have some things we're a little bit behind on situationally, but I think we can get caught up on that in the next couple of days. I think going back to Houston will be good. Get back into a little bit more of a normal routine in Houston based on being back at home and things like that, but I like what we've accomplished so far up here."
Can you clarify the status of WR Keke Coutee?
"He's dealing with a – I wouldn't say a serious injury – but he's got to take some time to get back from it. He'll be back. He'll be back eventually. Probably won't be back for Kansas City, but hopefully after that."
Is WR Keke Coutee dealing with a soft tissue injury?
"I don't want to go into details. You guys can probably figure it out."
