Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (11.11.24)
Any update on Jeremiah (Owusu-Koramoah)
“No update.”
Is he practicing?
“Not yet.”
So, he’s on IR?
“Yeah.”
Is there a concern that it might be long-term impact?
“Anytime you’re dealing with injuries with the neck, you’re always making sure that he’s getting every possible amount of care that he can get. But we’ll really deal with that as a day-to-day, week-to-week type thing.”
We haven’t talked yet since Za’Darius (Smith) was traded. So, I would assume that would mean Ogbo (Okoronkwo) gets more time and Isaiah (McGuire)?
“That’s right.”
What do you see out of those two guys, especially Isaiah’s playing more than…
“I think both of those guys have given us some really good moments, really good reps. Ogbo’s done it now as a veteran for us and you’ve seen it, he’s a productive player. Isaiah being a younger player, you haven’t seen it as much, but in those small samples I think he’s done a nice job.”
You broke everything down over the bye week like you always do. What were the conclusions that you drew or what are things that you’re going to change?
“Right, there’s so much Mary Kay (Cabot), obviously that you look at from an offense, defense, special teams lens. You look at it from a personnel lens, from a schematic lens. There’s a lot to take away and then it’s our job to figure out how to digest all that and then have some action items, if you will. I shared with the team things that I feel like what should be goals of ours going into the last eight games from an offense, defense, special team’s perspective. And not to get into specifics, but there’s things that we feel like we can improve upon and that’s really the goal of certainly the next eight games.”
What about interceptions? JOK (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah) is the only one that has one. I mean, is that a point of emphasis?
“Certainly, you want to take the ball away and we want to, and we have. And that’s something that we did last year at a good clip. You also have to play sound defense. Takeaways, fumbles, interceptions come from doing your job and doing your job with great effort and having 11 guys running to the ball, that’s typically where they come. What you don’t want to do is go outside the scheme in order to try to make a play because that’s not beneficial to you either.”
We’ve asked you about explosive plays in the first half. Now that you’ve been able to really take some time to examine, why has it been so challenging for you guys to generate those? You still don’t have a play that’s gone for at least 40 yards and it’s tough to play perfect defense. You’re going to give up big plays, but you’re also not generating any to counteract.
“I think there’s obviously a bunch of different reasons there, Daryl (Ruiter). I think staying on the field, converting on third downs gives you more opportunities, more turns. But it’s never one thing. It’s not just, ‘Hey, our play action shots, we need to hit them,’ or ‘Hey, the run game, we got to come squirting out of there on one of those or the screen game,’ whatever it is. I really think it’s really everything, kind of goes a little bit to what Mary Kay (Cabot) was asking about with takeaways. I think if you do your job and you don’t go searching for them, typically those big plays show up because you’re doing your job.”
Just to make sure, Jameis Winston’s still the starting quarterback?
“Yes.”
The duration or week-to-week?
“Yes, yes. Duration and week-to-week.”
Have you given much thought or any thought at all to turning it over to Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) or not at this point?
“I think with all of our players, Mary Kay (Cabot), we’re going to always look at what we’re doing and see what type of decisions we want to make. But we feel really good about all those guys in there.”
What do you think is important for Dawand (Jones) as you guys kind of still try him on the left side?
“Get better and playing a position he hasn’t played in a long time and hasn’t played at this level, so small improvements over time can be big improvements. That’s really where we are with him at that position. And it’s as simple as footwork and the run game and hand placement and all those types of things.”
You are trying to win games, but considering where you’re at and what’s in front of you, is there a point where you have decided that you’ll go into an evaluation mode where you really want to maybe take a look at some guys to evaluate for the future?
“I understand the question. Goal number one through 100 is to win. There may be times where we have young players that have earned a role and earned the ability to go out there and help us win but does not change the goal.”
When you studied the run game, what stood out to you as wasn’t good and what can be improved?
“Again, I think it’s such a multifaceted answer, Scott (Petrak). I think bottom line is we need to get better. We have to run the ball way more efficiently than we are and find those explosives in the run game. We look at it from scheme, certainly. What are the schemes that we are having some success in that we can lean into, that we can protect with different other schemes, if you will. There are certain things that you do and you do it well, then you want to also do this because it’s going to protect that, whether it’s a play action or those type of things. So, we need to lean into the things that we feel our guys do best. But that is a major point of emphasis for us.”
With a week of self-evaluation, for you personally, especially it being the first where you’re not calling plays, what’s maybe something that you want to focus on over these next eight games or so?
“I think for us as coaches and players it’s we have to do our job a little bit better and have those small improvements that can, like we were talking about with Dawand (Jones), that can show up into bigger things over the course of these games. But just want all of our coaches — the mindset to be coach and player to just get better. And this last week gives you an opportunity to look at everything you’re doing and talk through it with the coaches and see if there’s things that we can do better.”
You said there won’t be any major changes, but maybe any slight tweaks throughout the week that you’re looking forward to?
“Nothing specific to discuss.”
As far as that left end position goes, do you guys see Ogbo (Okoronkwo) as an every down left end or would Isaiah McGuire start?
“I think both those guys are perfectly capable. We’ll work through those type of things. But Ogbo has played for us, has started for us, has played well in his role. Isaiah McGuire, a young player that we think highly of as well. So, both guys we think can fill that role.”
We watched a quarterback throw five interceptions last night and still win a football game. In terms of Jameis (Winston) and his interceptions and the dropped ones and all of that, what’s the philosophy or the vibe going forward? Is he going to be on a short leash if he continues to do that or how’s that going to play out?
“I think Jameis understands that turnover margin is so important when you’re talking about winning and losing these games. So that’s definitely an area that he wants to be great at and not giving the other team even the opportunity to be in position to make a play like that. So, it’ll just be a constant point of emphasis with all of our quarterbacks, Mary Kay (Cabot).”
Do you expect Jordan Hicks back this week?
“I do.”
And the plan for (Nick) Chubb is just continue as is?
“Yes.”
Just keep playing himself? How far away do you think he is from his former form?
“For me, Tony (Grossi), I think Nick is getting better and better as he gets more comfortable. Again, had that extended absence, but I feel really confident in where we are. We talked about doing a better job in the run game. It’s really all of us. It’s from the coaches to the runners to the offensive line, but really confident with where Nick is.”
I know you changed a bunch of stuff offensively from last year to this year. Do you feel like you guys got away from some of the stuff you did well, for whatever reason, and going back to that or…?
“We’re not doing enough well right now. So bottom line is we have to get it fixed. Whether it’s run game in this instance or whatever it is, we just have to do everything we’re doing, we have to do it better.”
Ced (Cedric) Tillman, the last three weeks, he really hit the bye on an uptick. Just how much, just confidence wise, how much have you noticed a difference in him day to day because of the success he’s having on Sundays?
“Yeah, I think confidence with young players is huge, but it only comes from the opportunity to be out there and doing it. So, I don’t think Ced has ever lacked for confidence as you see with his role growing and the volume of targets coming his way. Naturally, and you make a few plays, naturally, your confidence is going to increase. But that’s not something — I don’t ever get the sense that he lacked confidence.”
I haven’t asked you this since last year, might there be a package of plays or anything that you could find for Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) to do to kind of get him involved?
“Those are all things that we’ve talked about in the bye week. So, we’ll see. It would have to be dependent on what we think the defense is going to do and if we feel like it’s something that we need, we could.”
Do you have any observations yet about the (New Orleans) Saints?
“Not — I mean I’ve watched them, but I’ll really dive into them and talk about them on Wednesday.”
Going back to Ced for a second. How have you seen Jameis help him though in these first few games since he took over at quarterback and then having Cedric get more reps and everything?
“I think Jameis does a nice job out there with… like a lot of the quarterbacks do, with the young players and pulling them to the side and during a special teams period, ‘Hey, let’s run through that route one more time’. So, Ced is very responsive to that type of coaching, whether it comes from Coach (Chad) O’Shea or Jameis in this case
So, after two games with the new play calling apparatus, are you pleased?
“We’re 1-1. So, I’m right down the middle.”