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Thursday Media Transcript: Head Coach Ben McAdoo

Eric from BBI : Admin : 8/25/2016 3:49 pm
Head Coach Ben McAdoo

August 25, 2016

Q: How optimistic are you that Victor Cruz will play on Saturday night?

A: Very optimistic.

Q: What has given you optimism this week from what you have seen?

A: He got through a good practice on our Wednesday practice on Tuesday. Yesterday he got through a three-hour practice in good shape.

Q: What do you see from him, do you see flashes? More than flashes? Do you want to see more? What do you see?

A: Yeah, when he first got out here this week, he showed a burst and showed some acceleration, he can put his foot in the ground. He had a really nice release on a slant, which reminded me of the Houston game a few of years ago, so it is encouraging.

Q: Do you think he looked better the last couple of days than he did earlier in camp?

A: He had flashes early in the camp, too. I wouldn’t say he looked better, I just think he looked good.

Q: Will he play with the first group for the same length of time as they play or do you have a different plan for him?

A: We will put him out there early in the game.

Q: What are you hoping to see from him? What is important for you to see in the preseason from him?

A: I would love to see him get his hands on a football and make some plays for us

Q: Ben, have you gone back to 2011 or any of the earlier days when you weren’t here to see the best of him or would that not be something that you would be interested in?

A: No, I saw enough of him in 2011, especially in that divisional playoff round.

Q: Are the starters going to play through the first half and into the third quarter?

A: As a general proposition, we would like to take our starters into early in the third quarter. We will evaluate it at halftime and see how it goes and then different guys based off of where they are physically. We may give a little bit more or give a little bit less, too.

Q: Is Cruz a guy who fits into that less category?

A: We will evaluate it

Q: How have you challenged your group this week?

A: We talked a little bit after the game and some emotions were flying around and we put it in perspective earlier in the week. We challenged them with the workload yesterday and coming out with the pads on and being in the pads for three hours with some conditioning and throwing a lot of situations at them. They responded in practice.

Q: Ben, we know how generally the unofficial rule is the starters play the most in the third preseason game and then in the fourth, a lot of times people don't even put their starters in at all. Are you even looking ahead to how you are going to break it up over two weeks or have you even figured that out yet?

A: Yeah, we have a plan in place for the third and fourth preseason games, but you have to be able to adjust and improvise with the way things go.

Q: What is your Friday practice? What do you look to get out of the guys?

A: Fresh Friday. We try and challenge them in as many ways as we can between the ears and keep it simple from the waist down.

Q: Do you get on the field though?

A: Yes.

Q: For how long usually? Or is there a set amount of time?

A: We get out there and go through, we play the game before we play the game on Fridays.

Q: How about tomorrow?

A: Yeah, tomorrow is launch day for us. We try to launch and rev them up and get the speed going 80 percent or so and get everything functioning again and get it firing and get ready for the game day.

Q: Ben, do you expect Eli Apple to play Saturday?

A: Yes.

Q: What about Justin Pugh?

A: We will see.

Q: Has Apple shown you everything that you guys knew about him when you took him in the first round?

A: He is just getting back out there right now. He has had a little bit of a layoff there, he has been nicked so I have not seen much of him recently. It looks like he is chomping at the bit to get back out there.

Q: When could Darian Thompson get back on the practice field?

A: We are evaluating him. We say week-to-week, but to me it's hour-to-hour. I know the game is very important to the young man and he wants to be out there and help his teammates and contribute. He is getting as many mental reps as he can right now. That part of it is important to him, but we will take a look at him next week, too.

Q: Is he doing better? Is he improving this week?

A: Yes.

Q: How would you describe your dynamic with Eli Manning and why it facilitates a successful offense that can move the ball?

A: My dynamic?

Q: Yeah, I guess what is unique about him, working with him as a quarterback and as a leader of the offence

A: Eli is very steady. He is a great guy to work with in the room. He gives you honest feedback and enjoys being a part of the process and part of the plan. He is just Steady Eddie.

Q: Do you work with him less now that your role has changed?

A: My role has changed, but I am in the quarterback meetings

Q: How are you going to handle the kickers on Saturday and the next two preseason games now that it is a competition?

A: They will both get work

Q: Is Geremy Davis going to suit up Saturday?

A: He is working to get out there.

Q: Do you sense that the offensive line thinks it is important to put a better product on the field Saturday night?

A: I think the offence as a whole feels that it is important to put a better product on the field.
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