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Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett Conference Call

Eric from BBI : Admin : 9/6/2017 4:47 pm
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett

Conference Call

September 6, 2017

Q: What was your reaction last night when you found out that you would have running back Ezekiel Elliott available for Sunday’s game vs. the Giants?

A: Well, really, the approach that we’ve tried to take all along is just to focus on us and don’t worry about all the stuff outside of our football team and for Zeke to prepare like he was playing in the game and get the other guys ready as well. And just go to work and not get too caught up in what people are saying outside of our building and just prepare to play the Giants and that’s what we’ve done. So, really, things haven’t really changed that much.

Q: How has your quarterback room changed from last year going into this year, with more younger players and less veterans?

A: Well obviously, like you said, [former Dallas quarterbacks] Tony [Romo] and Mark [Sanchez] aren’t here. They were such great assets to [quarterback] Dak [Prescott] and his development, but we think it’s a really strong room. [Offensive Coordinator] Scott Linehan does a great job, Wade Wilson, our quarterbacks coach, does a great job. Kellen Moore, one of his great strengths is just the way he fits into that room, his smarts, his understanding of the position and I think he’s been a real asset to Dak up to this point. Obviously, Cooper Rush is the new guy in there and I think he’s benefiting from that environment as well. So, it’s certainly different, but I think a lot of the same elements are in place.

Q: As someone who has played quarterback in the NFL, what is the best piece of advice that you can give to Prescott about avoiding the ‘sophomore slump’?

A: Just do what he’s done. He’s done a great job just handling any situation that he’s come across since he’s been with us. And that was the scouting report, that was the evaluation we got from the people at Mississippi State, just the kind of person he is. And he’s always prepared, he’s always ready, nobody works harder on our football team than he does. He loves it, he’s got an unbelievable way with people, his leadership skills are outstanding and he just has a desire to work and to get better every day. So, that’s how he’s been, right from day one. That’s how he handled last season, that’s how he handled the offseason. Nobody worked harder, he’s one of the award-winners that we’ve got on our team for the offseason program and he’s just a great example for the rest of the guys. So, you don’t really worry about what people outside of our building are saying. You focus on the things that you can control and he does an outstanding job of that.

Q: How are you preparing your defense, not knowing whether or not Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will play on Sunday?

A: Obviously, he’s a great player, he’s one of the best players in the league. So, you prepare for him to play and I know he’s a competitor and he wants to do anything that he can do get out there. So, you prepare for him, but as it works in the NFL every week, if a starting player isn’t available, typically teams put in a backup guy who is ready to go too. So, we’re prepared for the Giants, he’s part of it. They have a lot of weapons on offense. So, if he’s able to go, we understand those challenges, if he’s not able to go, they have a lot of good players there. So, we recognize those challenges as well.

Q: How would you describe how your team is feeling going into the season opener, knowing that they got swept by the Giants last season?

A: Yeah, again, our focus is on ourselves and doing what we need to do each day to play our best football. And that’s really where our attention always is. And I think our team understands why that’s important and why it’s critical for us to keep our focus right there. We obviously have great respect for the Giant organization, for the Giants team. We had some great games against them through the years and again, we recognize the challenges. We’re going to practice as well as we can practice this week and go try and play our best ballgame.

Q: How do you think the Giants were able to contain wide receiver Dez Bryant so much last year and what are going to try to do to free him up this year?

A: Well, they have a lot of really good players on their defense. They have a lot of good defensive linemen, they have good linebackers, they have good guys in the secondary, guys that can cover, make a lot of plays. They have an outstanding scheme. [Giants Defensive Coordinator] Steve Spagnuolo does a fantastic job, the players believe in the system. So, they were obviously one of the best defenses in the league last year, in so many different categories. Again – I keep saying this, but it’s true – we recognize the challenges and we’re going to work hard this week and prepare as best we can to go play our best football.

Q: Do you think that the fact that Bryant only had two catches against the Giants last season drives him this season?

A: Well, Dez is a great competitor and he loves to play football and he loves challenges. Again, we recognize the challenges the Giants present. The biggest thing for Dez and for everybody on our team is just to focus on us and what we need to do to play our best.

Q: Do you feel as though you left something out there last season, even though having won the division you weren’t able to beat the Giants?

A: Yeah, again, we’re focused on this year, we’re focused on our team and that’s really where our attention is. So, the big thing that we try to do is practice well on Wednesday, have good meetings after practice and come back and try to prepare our best on Thursday and continue as the week goes on. So, we’re not real focused on last year or any of that kind of stuff. We’re focused on us, our team right now playing our best football against a really good football team on Sunday night.

Q: What has it been like in Dallas, waiting for the news on Elliott’s suspension to come out?

A: Actually, it hasn’t been crazy at all. I think everyone is just focused on controlling what we can control. Often times, things happen outside of football that we have no control over and I think coaches and players and football teams are conditioned just to focus on the things that are most important and the things that are in their control. And we try to instill that in our football team and that’s really what we try to do each and every day. And that’s where our focus is. A lot of potential distractions on our team last year, I think the best thing we did was just lock in on each day and our preparation to go play our best on Sunday. It’s no different right now.

Q: How has newly signed defensive back Bene’ Benwikere adjusted to his new surroundings?

A: Well, he hasn’t been here long, so we’ll trying to get him up to speed as quickly as we can. He’s been in meetings and walk-throughs and today was his first practice. So, he’s a player that we respect and we got for a reason and hopefully he can pick things up quickly. We absolutely recognize the different weapons that the Giants have all throughout their offense. You mentioned their receivers, but the tight end and obviously, everything starts with their quarterback, who’s an outstanding player. So, again, we recognize the challenges, we’re going to try to get Bene’ up to speed as quickly as we can and try to get everybody else to play our best game.
All Vanilla Questions, How About?  
Trainmaster : 9/6/2017 7:21 pm : link
Q: What is it like working for a raging douche bag like Jerry Jones? How often do you find yourself wishing you coached for a class organization such as the Giants? What would you give to not have to coach a roster full of misfits, psychopaths and future convicted felons?

Garrett obviously didn't  
Biteymax22 : 9/6/2017 7:52 pm : link
Go to the McAdoo school of interviewing. Answers are to be kept to 1 sentence and slightly rude.
RE: All Vanilla Questions, How About?  
nicky43 : 9/7/2017 12:49 pm : link
In comment 13586646 Trainmaster said:
Quote:
Q: What is it like working for a raging douche bag like Jerry Jones? How often do you find yourself wishing you coached for a class organization such as the Giants? What would you give to not have to coach a roster full of misfits, psychopaths and future convicted felons?


What's just as bad are all the vanilla Answers we get from all the coaches and it's the same questions and answers from year to year. Not complaining; just the way it is!
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