HC Kevin Stefanski (10.9.23)
Can you give us an update on why Deshaun (Watson) wasn’t outside practice today?
“Yeah, just part of his rehab. Still working through everything. I think with all of our guys, just going to treat all of our injured guys day-to-day and make sure that we’re making smart decisions.”
Is it possible he (Deshaun Watson) will not play Sunday as he continues to rehab?
“Yeah, I’m not going to get into specifics about Sunday. I know it’s a broken record, but really just treat it day-by-day.”
Did he (Deshaun Watson) come back from the bye still suffering from some pain or some lingering issues?
“Not going to get into all the specifics, Mary Kay (Cabot). He’s doing everything in his power, working around the clock with rehab. So, he’s just doing what he’s being told to do in terms of his rehab process.”
Just on that, though, Kevin, if he (Deshaun Watson) was cleared to play in that Ravens game, what is he working on if he’s medically sound?
“Yeah, I think the piece there that’s important is medically cleared versus functionally able to do your job. And I think that’s what with all of our guys, when you’re working through an injury, you need to be able to functionally perform and that’s what Deshaun’s working very hard in his rehab to be able to get back to 100%.”
Has he (Deshaun Watson) been able to throw, better strength?
“Yeah, he’s working through this process and he’s getting better.”
Do you feel like DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) would be your starting quarterback in the event that Deshaun (Watson) couldn’t?
“You know, the guys did a nice job with practice today, but we’re not going towards Sunday just yet. But DTR like we talked about, young player getting better.”
Can you tell us, if you don’t mind, if Deshaun (Watson) underwent further tests when he got back just to make sure there’s still no structural damage?
“Yeah, still feel good about all those types of things. He’s working really hard, doing everything that he’s being asked to do medically so that we can get him back out there, and he’ll be out there as soon as he’s ready and functionally ready.”
Kevin, AB (Andrew Berry) last week told us that ball security was priority one through five on the chart. Other than just reinforcing through drills and such, how do you make that not happen?
“Well, I think it’s the best stat there when it comes to winning and losing because it involves everybody. It’s not just an offensive stat. It’s an offense, defense, special team stat. So, it’s so important as you look at these games and you look, like I was sitting on the couch, watching these games, it’s everything when you’re talking about giving it away or taking it away. So, we need to be better. We’re minus seven right now, which is not going to get it done. We’re minus seven right now. It matters what we are moving forward. So major emphasis for all three sides of the ball. Anybody who touches that rock to do everything in their power to gain yards while maintaining ball security and then getting the ball on defense and special teams, opportunities for us to get the ball. So, major point of emphasis, and then it goes back to just not the point of emphasis, but technique. And that’s what we worked on today, whether center quarterback exchange or a running back running through getting the ball, trying to knock it free, or with our DBs working to knock the ball out. So, it goes back to not just the mentality, not just the emphasis, but also technique.”
Andrew Barry said that Jed Wills isn’t playing like he wants to, but he also said that he’s going to play better going forward. What makes you think he’s going to play better?
“Yeah, I just think you focus on the work and you focus on that practice just now and getting better with your technique. When you’re playing tackle in this league, you’re going to have some moments where the other side gets you. There are some good rushers, as we all know, but he’s going to continue to battle and I think continue to get better.”
Does he (Jed Wills) play to the whistle?
“Yeah, you have to. And I think with our quarterback, with extending plays, you can’t just play to the whistle. You have to really play through the echo of the whistle because you’re trying to keep plays alive as much as possible.”
He does that?
“He’s trying.”
Is Myles Garrett progressing with his foot?
“Yeah. Doing better.”
Do you expect Jordan Kunaszyk to be back this week?
“Yeah, I’m not sure about this week. He’s getting really close. Another guy that’s working very hard, but we’ll see how the rest of this week goes.”
How pleased are you with the development individually of a lot of your guys defensively? It just seems like so many of your players on that side of the ball are playing the best of their careers.
“Yeah, I think that’s a big piece of this, Jake (Trotter), is guys getting better year to year, getting better week to week. I think in a given season you try to evolve offensively, defensively, special teams, if you will, but I do think there are guys that are understanding what we’re doing, schematically and ultimately just applying those techniques. And I think you could go specifically the defensive side of the ball. I think you could go through all three levels of guys that are really applying the techniques and having success doing it.”
Did you change anything about how you handle the bye week coming out last year?
“Not material. Well, I mean, you look at everything. Yes, you look at different meetings that you have, different things that you do with the players. But I think every year is so different when the bye is so different, also. So, yes, we changed things here and there, but not to say that it’s wholesale.”
What did you think of the 49ers?
“Yeah, obviously played really well last night. They’ve been playing very good football on all three sides of the ball. We had really one eye on them last week in our work, in our bye week work, and then we’ll really dive into them starting today.”
What has impressed you the most about Maurice Hurst this point in the season in the pass rush?
“Mo has done a great job since he got here, just understanding the technique. And he’s played in similar systems, so he understands how to – his get off and attacking blocks and those type of things. So, I think it goes back to the question, really, that Jake (Trotter) asked, just about applying techniques, and he’s really done a nice job.”
We didn’t see David (Njoku) out there today. How is he recovering from the burn?
“Progressing. Progressing, as anybody can imagine, that’s a tough one. So, he’s progressing.”
How about Joel (Bitonio)? We didn’t see Joel.
“Yeah, working through something right now with Joel, but he’s doing a good job.”
I know the sample size isn’t that big to do a self-scout, but aside from the turnover issue there, what are maybe one or two things that you took away from that? As you went through your bye week self-scout.
“Yeah, I think you’re right. Four game sample size and then some circumstances with a weather game and those types of things. So, you’re trying to look at all of it and parse out some individual things that we can do better with players, some schematic things. But there’s so much football left to play, so you really have to be careful not to overlook and spend too much time looking at four games. As we know, every week is a challenge. Every week is a different challenge. Certainly this week, a very, very good football team coming to our place. So, try and focus on the things that we do well and that you have to do well in terms of trying to beat a good team.”
Is that going to be a little bit of a disadvantage because the bye came, so I know you can’t control, but the bye comes so early that now the typical midseason self-scout that you might do, you’re not going to be able to do that?
“I still think you do it. I still think when you get to that midseason time, you just don’t press pause for a week to do it, but you still absolutely look at those things. I mean, four games, every team typically breaks it into four games. They screwed it up when they made it 17, it’s not divisible anymore, Jeff. But those four games are important to understand because typically that’s what your opponent is looking at. They’re looking at your last four. So, we still look at all those things every four games, sometimes every week. Where the bye was and where you’re taking a break, maybe with your players is a little bit different.”
Do you have an update on Ethan Pocic and is he still day-to-day?
“With all those guys, they’re day-to-day. We’ll update everybody when we get to Wednesday with the official injury report, but everybody’s progressing. They’re all doing a nice job. They’re all doing what we’re asking them to do.”
Nick (Harris) stepped in for him. I mean, how has he just come along and rehabbed from that injury and being able to step in?
“Yeah, Nick did a good job, as you can imagine. He’s a very trustworthy player, can play multiple positions for us. So really stepped in there and did a nice job.”
Are you optimistic that Deshaun Watson will face the 49ers on Sunday?
“Yeah, I’m going to just stay the day-to-day, Mary Kay (Cabot). I don’t want to get too far into the week. I would tell you he’s working very, very hard. He’s doing everything that he’s asked to do and getting better.”
P.J. Walker has been here for six weeks now. Has he caught up to what you do offensively?
“Yeah, I think he’s caught up. He’s a veteran. He’s been in multiple systems, so he’s caught up like you mentioned, six weeks. Obviously, it’s not the same as when you’re here all spring and all summer, but he’s a vet, so he’s doing a nice job.”
Last week he (Andrew Berry) talked about Jerome (Ford) and just the big playability that he sees in him. I know against the Ravens he had that 26-yard run that got called back. But just when you watch him on film, how excited are you about what Andrew talks about, that explosive ability?
“He’s had some really good moments thus far in the season. Obviously, we want to get back to being more efficient and explosive in our run game, so he’s a big part of that. He has breakaway speed; I think is one of the things that we’ve seen from him. He’s a guy that has the ability to run in between the tackles, but he does have a legit breakaway speed. So, he’s a guy that continues to work hard.”
When you looked at the run game, especially last week how can you improve in those areas?
“Yeah, it’s multifaceted. I mean, it’s play design, play call. Sometimes it’s execution. It’s all of it. We have to get back to being way, way, way more efficient.”
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