Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (8.12.24)

Opening Statement

“Okay, guys, Rainbow Day out here, which, you know, UH (University Hospitals) is a great partner of ours. They give us great care and what they’re doing here is raising awareness for their Rainbow pediatric division. So, we have some caregivers out here, some patients, some families so we’ll make a special note of them today. But with that, I’ll take any questions.”

 

Having Nick (Harris) back, what does it mean? One, just to have Nick back in the building and obviously, how much does he help there where you guys’ kind of have efficiency? 

“Well, good to see him. There’s guys that come in and play for you and work with you and give you everything they got and Nick was one of those guys. When he leaves, you wish him well, but you don’t love to lose a guy like Nick, just from what he means in the locker room as well. And then with the injury to Luke (Wypler), I know Andrew (Berry) worked pretty quickly on that one and get a guy in here that as coaches we know well, obviously his teammates know him well and we’ll get him up to speed on some of the new things.”

 

Was there anyone you mentioned yesterday, you maybe have some updates on? Was there anyone that got hurt Saturday outside of Luke that concerned about missing some time here? 

“You’d have to help me. Who specifically?”

 

Starting with Ronnie (Hickman). 

“Yeah, I’ll say this for everybody, we’ll work through these. Some will be day-to-day. Ronnie won’t be out there today, but they’ll all kind of rehab appropriately.”

 

What about David Bell? Will he be out there today? 

“Won’t be out there today. Took a good shot there. So, we’ll hold him out probably for a week or two.”

 

Did it happen on that (Cedric) Tillman pass interference play? 

“Maybe it was the one before that. The third down before that, and also maybe that one as well.”

 

With Nick, I know the comfort level being in the building, but you guys changed offensive line coaches have changed the system a little bit. Like, how much learning does he have to do at this point? 

“Some. Obviously, Nick can probably answer that better in about two days. He’s very smart. He’ll pick it up no problem.”

 

With David being out for a week or two, he was having a really nice camp, I know he’s mister reliable for you guys. Do you expect that, I mean, he already made a pretty strong case for himself, and he’ll pick right back up?

“Without a doubt. And this is part of it, Mary Kay (Cabot). You don’t like to see injuries, whether they’re long-term, short-term, whatever they are. But he’ll continue to rehab, and we’ll get him out here sooner than later.”

 

Last week, we asked you about a play that Emerson made on Jerry Jeudy here on the side and you mentioned that you texted him. I remember him telling us that he has a really good memory. He was beaten on that play last year and that’s how he made the right play. So, what have you seen in his aspect of this game? 

“He’s a very cerebral young man. He certainly works at this. He studies, so I’m not surprised at all to know that he felt that route prior. A young player that I think I like to see, I like to watch how he prepares, I like to watch how he works. And that’s just as a young player taking the next step in your game is really studying and understanding your opponent.”

 

You got the joint practices obviously coming up this week. From a coaching standpoint, joint practices versus preseason, do you guys feel like you can get as much if not more done in those than you do in a preseason game? 

“I do and I like that you can have controlled settings. I like that both sides can feel confident that their quarterbacks are going to stay upright. And I like that you can script practice and get a bunch of different situations, whether it be third down, two-minute, what have you. For us, sometimes you go through a game, and you don’t get a two minute, per se, or the third and three doesn’t show up for you, those type of things. So, it allows us to really get intentional work, if you will.”

 

The joint practice thing is becoming more prevalent around the NFL. I know it’s something that you really believe in when you guys have your offseason meetings amongst the head coaches at the league level, do you guys talk about maybe trying to revamp the preseason so it’s more productive for you guys as a team, you know, as individual teams and coaches? 

“Not necessarily to that extent, Daryl (Ruiter). Obviously, you talk a lot about different things that you do and certainly joint practices are one of those things – talk to different coaches which week they like to do them and why. So, you certainly talk about those things. But in terms of how the preseason is structured, that’s not something that I really discuss with the other coaches.”

 

You’ve never done two of them in the same time frame. Are you against that?

“I like week two just philosophically. We feel like week one you’re still in your installations schedule. Week three we like to treat as a regular season schedule. So, week two is really the kind of perfect time that I think to get some work done.”

 

What do you get out of a preseason game that you don’t get out of a joint practice?

“Well, the games on the schedule, so we got to play the game and then we like to bring the team in here for a couple days and get good work at those drills like we talked about. We’ll be able to do one-on-one drills, we’ll be able to do the kickoff drill. Those type of things that allow you to do it in a controlled setting.”

 

Could you potentially get more out of either subtracting a preseason game and another joint practice or just jiggering that schedule in any way? 

“Good question. I know that’s something that has come up with preseason games. Obviously, I can think back to when it was four games back in the day and we had four last year. So, we’ll adjust to whatever the league puts out.”

 

Do you need the games for the younger players that don’t get the reps?

“I think you do, and I also think it’s important that their resume gets out there. We can’t keep every player, although I would love to. So, the tape is your resume, and a lot of those guys go out there and put great tape out there and it might turn into a job somewhere else if we don’t have a spot for them.”

 

You’re talking about playing the Vikings scheme and it’s different than yours. What are the specific things that will benefit you by having whatever they do?

“Yeah, Coach (Brian) Flores does a great job on their defensive side, so it’ll be very different from our front. And then Coach (Flores) is known for a lot of pressure, which we need a lot of work at that, so that’d be great. And then different personnel, you know, certainly the outside linebackers more standing up than our four down. And then on the offensive side, Coach (Kevin) O’Connell and Wes Phillips do a great job with a bunch of different schemes that are very difficult. We share some DNA in what they do offensively, but they also do some really interesting things in the pass game and the run game.”

 

Deshaun (Watson) hasn’t had this full plethora of receiving targets so far this camp. Do you expect to have everyone out there, I know you said he’s going to get majority of the reps?

“Yeah, I think it’s trending that way. Guys are getting better. It’s all part of it.”

 

Jordan Hicks, I know he played for the Vikings. You expect him back today? This week? 

“I’d say he’s week-to-week.”

 

D’Anthony Bell hasn’t practiced at all yet. Do you have an update on him? 

“No update other than he’s rehabbing and doing well.”

 

What about Tommy Reese makes him a good addition to this coaching staff?

“Yeah, Tommy’s doing a great job. Tommy and I, we really met a few years back through a mutual friend. Tommy came up and visited with us, talked shop, if you will, and then this season, he was a free agent and he was available and we were able to bring him up here. He’s been in the NFL before. He was with the Chargers a while back, back when they were the San Diego Chargers, I believe. But I think it’s good to have him at this level. I think he provides a ton of input to our offensive staff and is doing a nice job with the tight ends.”

 

Is John Kelly somebody that you could see coming back here or did the fumble loom large in this? 

“Oh, no, potentially. The injuries are really tough right now and trying to find spots where we can get some healthy bodies and that’s what it is. But yeah, potentially could come back.”

 

Obviously very familiar with the Vikings organization. Has there been any friendly banter back and forth between you and them? 

“There really hasn’t. I mean, I’m excited to see some of the people that are there and throughout the organization, but I think both sides have been kind of busy.”

 

Any thoughts on game three, on any guys you’ll play yet or not looking that far ahead? 

“II’ll stick with that answer. I like that, Tony (Grossi) [laughing]. Not looking that far ahead.”

 

Would the joint practices play into what you do, or do you know what you’re going to do?

“We have a plan. You know, we’ve been pretty consistent with what we’ve done over the years, give or take a few players, give or take a few reps and those types of things. So, we have a plan. I think it’s important to see how you come out of the practice this week before you really make the final say on what you’re going to do in that last minute.”

 

Can you share if you will play Deshaun in that third and final game? 

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

 

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