Wide Receivers Coach Adam Henry
June 7, 2017
Q: What has Brandon (Marshall) brought to your room?
A: Experience. He is soaking in the offense every day. He is getting more familiar with it and more comfortable. He has been really good and a really good professional. Just helping the guys with little things for us, just pulling them to the side and helping them on different techniques and things like that. He has been really good in the meeting.
Q: What is the challenge, I mean you have some turnover in your room. Are you used to that every year or does it feel more so this year?
A: I coached in college. It’s not a problem. It’s about relationships being a teacher and a coach you know I embrace that.
Q: What does a guy like Odell (Beckham Jr.) miss by not being here?
A: I coach who is here. The thing is that when he is here we have great work. I coach who is here.
Q: How much do you keep in touch with him? When you guys install new stuff do you send it to him?
A: I just coach who is here.
Q: I assume you expect when he does get back he will be in his usual shape and ready to go?
A: He should, he should. I expect him to do that but when he is here we will coach him up and get him going.
Q: How do you feel about the whole social media world?
A: I stay out of it.
Q: Do you kind of stay aware that Odell uses it and that things get out there that way?
A: I don’t even pay attention to it. I have it because of college and I kind of keep it but I don’t even keep up with it.
Q: What kind of things at this stage could Odell improve on? I mean his numbers are kind of crazy as they are.
A: You can always work to get better. There are stages to getting better in the maturation process. When he is here he works and we’re just going to get him better.
Q: What did you think of his season last year?
A: Last year is last year. I’m always positive about you are only as good as your next, I’m not as your last. I’m not that type of guy. Each year is a different adventure and so it’s next and that’s what we work on.
Q: What can he improve on now, this year when we are talking about this year? What can he do to be a better receiver? He already is obviously one of the best receivers in the league.
A: Route techniques, things like that getting better.
Q: Is it worthwhile for you at all sort of motivationally to refer to the playoff game only because he spoke about his frustrations in that, is that something that can fuel him going forward or to just put that away?
A: Put that away. I don’t even talk about that. That’s done.
Q: Yeah, sort of just close the book?
A: Yes.
Q: What are the differences in coaching him in college versus here? Obviously there are a lot of changes in how high profile he is, but how is it different just working with him?
A: It hasn’t changed for me in our relationship, I’ve never had a problem with it. When you say he is a breath of fresh air, that’s it.
Q: The additions you’ve made not only with Brandon in the room but say Evan (Engram) as a first round pick, what kind of effect can that have on Odell’s opportunities do you think when it comes to game planning?
A: Not really. I don’t see it. It is just how teams are going to play you. Strategically it will be different so we will see how they are going to play us and then as a coach we just make adjustments off of that.
Q: But by the end of the year last year was he drawing you know the bulk of coverage…
A: Not by the end of the year, but by the beginning (laughing).
Q: I can’t help but wonder, and I think a lot of people do, the more weapons you have, presumably, the more that should open up for each of those weapons.
A: Right, but you know there is only one ball though. Sometimes you are going to have your day and sometimes you are not. When you are called upon you do not have to be great all the time but just have to be great when you are needed.
Q: And what is your early impression of Engram? I know he is not in your room per say but as a hybrid Tight End?
A: He is, as I see, he works hard and is a hard worker. He finishes everything and I have been pleasantly surprised about him.
Q: What do you think Brandon can bring to this offense?
A: Just the size and just the experience of making plays. The thing is he goes out there and blocks. He does like the dirty work and he is not scared to do that. It’s just him finding a role and he knows he embraces whatever we ask him to do. He’s been good about it.
Q: Because part of that, I think I’m correct in saying any place he’s ever been, he’s been the No. 1 receiver. Obviously that’s different with Odell here. Do you foresee any need for conversation or any adjustment on his part in that regard and if so why not?
A: No because he’s made it clear that he came here to help and do whatever he can in that capacity and he has done that thus far, so he has never shown me any type of wavering on what he needs to do. That’s what’s great about in the room because guys just want to get work and get better.
Q: What are your wishes for Victor (Cruz) who is not here?
A: I wished him well. He has been a great professional, a constant worker, a hard worker, I still keep in contact with him so I wished him well.
Q: Do you think physically he has more to give than what we saw last year?
A: Yes, yes.
Q: Why do you say that?
A: Because I believe he is a good player, he has proved that and sometimes things happen, but you know it’s the business.
Q: You say you’re not big on social media, but I’m sure you’ve heard Odell has been working a little bit with Chris Carter. What can working with a Hall of Fame receiver do for a guy like that?
A: I really don’t have any comment on that.
Q: Is that something you discuss, not even in this situation, with guys before they go out for the offseason about working with their own private coaches?
A: Oh most definitely.
Q: What’s your philosophy about that?
A: My thing is that I don’t know everything and I’ve never been a type of person who thinks he knows everything. So I encourage guys to get life lessons and coaching lessons from other people because the more coaching you get from other people, the better you can use it. The biggest thing is that you don’t have to learn everything, you just need to learn certain things. That’s like reading a book. Sometimes I may not read the (entire) book, I may get what I need out of the book by the fifth chapter and then I just apply what I need.
Q: With the Giants this year is the difference more speed on the outside with the receivers?
A: I wouldn’t say that. A little bit. The biggest thing is just matchups, creating one-on-ones and just capitalizing on that.
Q: At the end of last season, Jerry Reese kind of spoke about Odell needing to mature. What conversations did you two have in this regard or how do you think he responded to what Jerry said?
A: I have no comment about that. I talk to him all the time about the maturation process, but I have no comment on that.
Q: For someone at that age, I mean he is still young and new in the league, I mean what kind of things does the maturation process entail?
A: It’s life. You know, it is different, but you have to go through this process.
Q: Does it make it more difficult for him that Josh Norman is still in this division and still making the noise about coming after the cornerbacks. The challenge for Odell is not going to go away anytime soon, does that make it any more difficult to help that maturation process along?
A: I don’t think so at all. The biggest thing is that you go out and you just try to be at your best and whomever you go against you are out there to compete.
Q: I don’t think we asked you about Sterling (Shepard) yet. What have you seen from him so far and do you think maybe, people talk about him playing outside more and do you think that is something that could be in the cards this year?
A: It just depends. The thing is we just have to create matchups and him playing outside a little bit more could be in the cards. Right now he has been working hard and he has been out there and he looks really good right now.
Q: Did not having a big receiver hurt at times last year? Your receivers were all about the same size I mean now with Brandon there is that a dimension that Eli (Manning) and you guys can use a little more?
A: It will help in the dimension. I like all types of receivers. I like big, small, fast so it is just how you use them in that capacity. The biggest thing is you have to beat the defender with your feet. It doesn’t matter how big you are, you still have to beat them with your feet. It’s about the foot speed and it’s about things like that but, this helps though.
Q: Can’t a bigger receiver sometimes beat him with his upper body and his arms?
A: Yes, it helps. You know big is open it helps in that dimension, but there are some teams in past history who have won Super Bowls with small receivers.
Q: What did you make of Brandon’s resume just when you guys brought him here?
A: He has a good resume. But again, you know I coach him hard now. It has been a new experience for him so it has been good.
Q: What do you think he has discovered about you that has been a little bit of a surprise?
A: He’s embraced it.
Q: What does coaching hard by Adam Henry entail?
A: Because I’m more of a details person. Just getting the little things out of him and coaching him on every play to improve whether good or bad. But, he’s embraced it. He turns around and gives me that look every now and then, but it’s been good.
