Head Coach Mike McDaniel met with the media during this week's minicamp. Check out the top quotes from his media availabilities.
(On how minicamp differs from OTAs)
"From an operational standpoint, we adjusted a little bit to kind of coincide with training camp. They are getting a taste of what the training camp day is like minus the pads obviously, so it's a little different. This particular minicamp, we're doing a collection of all the stuff we've installed as an offense, defense and special teams, and doing that in the minicamp and just using the meeting time to watch tape as opposed to traditionally in training camp or OTAs, you are installing plays in the morning and at night. It's a continuation of, but they had their first non-scripted period today. That was different, which was typical of something you work into Week 3 of training camp, or Week 2, and then their schedule will be the same as training camp."
(On how excited he gets when he steps on the practice field)
"You talk about a professional dream. One of the things that is a competitive advantage just in life is perspective. I made a lot longer walk to go watch the Denver Broncos training camp and wrote on the inside of helmets. So yeah, it's enjoyable. The responsibility is real and great. I have to be deliberate in reminding myself that because you can get swallowed up in all the things that you have to do. It's a lot of fun and it's a credit to the organization, the coaches, the players. It's a fun place to go to work."
(On how QB Tua Tagovailoa is practicing and his downfield passing) – "I'm really excited about the reps that Tua (Tagovailoa) is getting in this offense. I'm excited about where he's at. Today was – I talked to the team and I talked to him today specifically about – I've just been waiting for those moments where you have a slight obstacle. Tua is very, very critical on his ball placement and he's a very accurate quarterback as a result. Yesterday, he had some throws that he demands better of himself. Like I told everybody else, today was the first day I got to really evaluate Tua because that is a professional quarterback in the National Football League. You're going to have things that you don't execute to perfection. You're going to have people talking about how you're not performing and guess what? No one cares. It's about leading. He had a ton of energy and I was very, very happy with his effort today because it was one of the million reps you need at that position to handle the scrutiny, the pressure and all that stuff. I think his teammates have really noticed a difference in him. He's opening up. He's coming into his own in that regard and he's been unbelievably coachable. He's let his guard down and we've been able to keep his confidence high, which it should be right now for sure, while correcting and getting his game better, which is the ultimate goal for everyone."
(On how he pushes himself from a creativity standpoint in terms of coming up with new plays)
"Because of my specific background and the coaches that I was fortunate enough to be around, being creative and innovative is something that I think is part of the job. It's natural for my brain to look at things that way to the point that I actually have to be mindful of pulling back that I don't get bored. It's something that my previous boss always gave me a hard time with because I'd always be trying to do the next and I haven't mastered that yet. When you're trying to install a new system to a group of guys, the bottom line is – you could have the coolest plays that ever existed but if the players don't execute them, your plays are not cool. Systematically, I've been trying to really push forward having a core basis – to make sure all that stuff is, you have a working basis from which you can grow. Outside of that, I'm not really looking to innovate any time until you're getting through your core portion of the training camp. It doesn't ever leave. My iPhone note app is my go-to. I'll write down whatever play I'm referring to and if it's that abstract and there's no word for it, I usually just put some symbols. That's my note taking. Maybe one or two in the morning in bed when my wife is being annoyed that my screen is too bright. (laughter)"
(On how G/T Austin Jackson is performing this offseason)
"I've been pretty pumped about how all the guys have really gone after the techniques. We're really focusing on some position versatility right now. When Austin Jackson is playing right tackle, I've been very pleased because he's approaching it the only way he can get better as a player, and that is complete commitment to it. There's some things that, we're asking people to do hard things at an elite level, so you try to do it over and over and over, and he's diligently attacking that. The more live bullets that we get for him at every position that he will play, the better."
