Head Coach Jay Gruden

July 28, 2019 Head Coach Jay Gruden On T Trent Williams: "…" On LT Donald Penn: "No, he’s not here right now. No update." On the day off of training camp tomorrow: "Yeah, it’s been a great four days. We’ve got to both of our installs, both offensively and defensively, and special teams, so having the day off is good. We’ll come back on Tuesday, have a nice review of some of the things we’ve hit on, and be able to add some more on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. I think it’s been a pretty successful start so far as implementing what we want to implement and getting a look at some guys." On the status of LB Reuben Foster's injury: "Yeah, he had a successful surgery. He’s wearing something for his foot a little bit, but he’s walking around great, great energy. He’s helping out in drills here and there, sitting in meetings. He’s still a big part of this football team. He’s just going to have to rehab, and it’s going to be a long road for him, but he’s the type of guy that will put the work in." On the benefit of a satellite training camp in Richmond: "None, really. It’s just practice and meetings no matter where you do it— on a parking lot, on a field, in Richmond, back home, in California— wherever you want to do it. You still have to go through training camp and really hone in on football. The dedication that you have to have to this sport, the meeting time, and the focus you have to have to maintain a focus throughout meetings, practice, walkthroughs. It’s all the same thing. Richmond’s a nice place. It’s a great field for us. At the end of the day, it’s all about getting our players ready in the meeting room and out here on the practice field." On particular position battle you're looking forward to seeing play out in camp: "No, not really. All of them, really. I can go through every position really, and it's fun to watch. It's great competition at every position. So, the most important thing is to really get the work in and get to get these guys enough reps. Some of the guys who haven't gotten a lot of reps can get more and more throughout the camp, so they're ready for the preseason game where they can show us what they have. Special teams is obviously a big part of it, but position battles are fun to watch." On QB play from the entire position group: "I think they're all coming along. They've all made their share of mistakes. Which every quarterback has done in the NFL. They've made their share of good plays. But the most important thing is for them to continue to learn and build upon what they've learned each day and focus in on situations that we're trying to preach upon. Big thing is also making sure they protect themselves in the protections. We've had a couple of protection assignment errors. But the quarterback can fix them. And those are the big things I'm worried about. And obviously getting used to the terminology and the structure of each play." On QB Dwayne Haskins' problems correcting pass protections: "I mean it's happened a little bit. Everything has happened a little bit, both positively and there has been some things that we can coach on. Sometimes there has been a look that we haven't coached on or prepared for, so to speak. It's great to see all these looks. (Defensive Coordinator, Greg Manusky) Coach Manusky is doing a great job of mixing it up. Especially in their sub-packages with all their different fronts, backer-jams, double A's, and all that stuff, so it's really an encampment. We have new linemen coming in here, quarterbacks are getting used to them, and centers. Backs got to get used to seeing it too, so it's just a process, but they're all doing just fine." On QB Alex Smith's presence in the QB meeting room: "Yeah, I think he's just a calming influence for them. He's very supportive for each individual guy. He'll get on them when he needs to get on them a little bit, in a fun-loving kind of way, but he's just a great presence to have in the quarterback room. And we obviously welcome it whenever he wants to come in here. He's been in every quarterback meeting so far." On Smith spending extra time with Haskins: "Right now, we're in the adding the plays. So there is not a whole lot of extra time. We have to install plays. And we have to watch the practice tape. And we have to make the corrections. And then install them. And prepare them for the walkthroughs. And prepare them for practice and all that. There's not a whole lot of individual time that he has. There will be." On teaching veteran QB Case Keenum: "Well, he’s got his own style, that’s for sure. There’s not a lot you can do to change a quarterback’s style this late in his career, but there are some fundamental things that we can work on as far as what we try to do with footwork and timing, anticipation, reads, all that stuff. So, we do have some things we have to clean up for what we do. But for the most part, when it’s all said and done, and the ball’s snapped, there are parts of his game that he’s comfortable with doing, and he probably won’t change, and some of them are very good." On OL Geron Christian’s status and QB Colt McCoy’s day-off yesterday: "Yeah, we try not to get them to go four days in a row, you know, so we’re going to try to get a day off every third day, or what have you, so he’ll go today. Geron won’t go today. We’re trying to get him and (Chase Roullier, C) Chase ready for Tuesday. So, hopefully, that’ll be the case. And, you know, there will be an occasional player here or there that might sit out a day or two just depending on how they’re feeling or if they ran a lot the day before. We may take some reps off of him, so to speak." On CB Fabian Moreau’s improvement in the offseason: "I think it’s confidence in his technique. He’s got great speed, and he knows it, and sometimes these guys with great speed, they tend to play further off then they probably should. But Fabian started challenging receivers a lot more, getting his hands on them. He’s really good with his hands right now, but with all the defensive backs, the way the rules are, we have to really work on getting their hands off after five yards, and that’s been a challenge for everybody. For every DB in the league, I think that’ll be a challenge, so. But, he’s doing great. He’s playing inside, he’s playing outside. Obviously (Quinton Dunbar, CB) Dunbar had a great day yesterday, had three or four picks. So, the secondary is starting to shape up pretty good." On how he scouted LB Cole Holcomb: "We all had Cole Holcomb. He probably had a little bit lower grade than I would have like to have seen, but the guy can run. His pro day, the guy ran a 4.47, and at the end of the day, when you're trying to get linebackers, we’re trying to improve the speed of our football team. He had over 100 tackle three years in a row at North Carolina. And watching him on tape, I thought he ran sideline- to-sideline, he had great instincts, played smart, finished tackles, I thought was a very good player. And he’s proven us right so far. We still have to get in the game and see him tackle. The thing I mentioned with (Jimmy Moreland, DB) Moreland yesterday, they’re doing great in thud periods and all that stuff. But when it comes down to it, it’s all about tackling for these defensive players. We got to make sure he can tackle. He's a great kid, very smart, very diligent, he's up early studying, stays late studying. He's going to be a good player for us." On specificities regarding scouting strategy: "I was watching North Carolina defense at defensive end, outside linebacker, I was watching Holcomb. I ended up watching about eight or nine games on him and was very impressed." On off-field communication with the QB position group: "All of them. We talk to one of them, we talk to them all. We have to speak the same language to all of them. Very, very important, so. (Quarterbacks Coach) Tim Rattay speaking the same language as (Senior Offensive Assistant, Matt Cavanaugh) Coach Cavanaugh, and (Offensive Coordinator, Kevin O'Connell) Coach O’Connell, and myself. So, when they are talking to Tim Rattay in the quarterback room, it’s an extension of what I want. So, as a quarterback position, they all have to hear the same thing. They’re all coached the same.

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