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Monday Media Transcript: Head Coach Pat Shurmur

Eric from BBI : Admin : 5/21/2018 2:06 pm
Head Coach Pat Shurmur
May 21, 2018
 
Opening Statement: All right, OTA No. 1 is in the books. It was a pretty good day. I thought they competed well. There were some good and bad plays on both sides of the ball and I think what’s important to see is that they competed, they challenged one another and I think we got one OTA better and now the challenge is anytime that you leave the practice field, their thoughts need to drift toward recovery, so certainly we can come out tomorrow, have OTA No. 2 and get one more OTA better. So, it’s a good day, a nice, sunny day – a good day for football and the guys competed well.
 
Q: You spent a lot of time in Philly. Do you know Sean Chandler’s story? What do you think about all that he has had to overcome?
A: Well, we are impressed by him already. Certainly his background is well known and you’re rooting and pulling for guys that have kind of become self-made in a lot of ways and he made a play out there today. He’s like everybody else, he’s trying to do everything right and do what he can to make our team better and he impressed us some today.
 
Q: How important is it for you to have Odell (Beckham, Jr.) here for this kind of setting?
A: Odell here No. 1 because he gets to – he can’t fully compete yet, but he gets a chance to see it and there is a lot to be learned by watching and it’s good to have him here.
 
Q: What have you learned so far about Nate Solder?
A: Yeah, Nate – well, he’s a true professional. We talk often about leadership and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you don’t have to be anything extraordinary and you certainly don’t have to be the loudest guy in the room. Sometimes the guy that doesn’t say as much leads better than the guy that talks a lot, and Nate is a very steady force. We all know what he’s done as a player. As you get to know him, you get to appreciate what a tremendous person he is and I think all that will help us as we move forward.
 
Q: Is there anything to (Damon) “Snacks” (Harrison) not being here?
A: He’s been here a little bit, but I know he’s not here and I know why he’s not here. I will just leave it at that.
 
Q: Can you talk about Davis Webb’s play today?
A: I thought he did a good job. Everyday he does something a little bit better. He’s becoming more and more comfortable with our scheme and I thought he did some good things.
 
Q: I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about Eli Apple and have gotten to know him. What has been your impression of him?
A: Well, I’m sure glad – yeah, you hear things, but I’m sure glad that I truly believe in a clean slate. He’s been nothing but professional, he’s been out here competing, he’s one of the guys that has been here almost every single day and I haven’t seen anything that somebody might have thought I heard. He’s been great.
 
Q: Do you let him know that? Did you let him know about the clean slate?
A: I did with all the players and I think that’s important. What you’re trying to do is inspire these guys to play at their best and I hear things, but I can’t truly say I know exactly what happened because I wasn’t here. But, I do know this, there are guys out here that are very prideful, they’re very professional and they want to do really good things and Eli is one of them.
 
Q: Just from a pure football standpoint, he is pretty much what you are looking for in a cornerback, right?
A: Yes, in terms of his stature, his skillset – yeah, he is what you’re looking for.
 
Q: How has Odell looked to you with his ankle?
A: He looks good. He’s out here moving around, he’s champing at the bit wanting to get out and do more than we’re allowing him to do at this point. But I think we’re just trying to make sure that everything is healed to the fullest before we put him out there. He looks good.
 
Q: How was your first look at (Ereck) Flowers out on the practice field?
A: Yeah, he did a nice job today. We’ve had him in for a week, as you all know, and he’s kind of just fit right in there with everybody and I wasn’t all that pressured up about it and I’m glad he’s here and I’m getting to know him. I said it with Eli (Apple), clean slate. He’s out here competing and I think that’s what’s most important.
 
Q: Have you gone through your film to look at your first pitch (at Citi Field)?
A: Yeah, well, I was wasting a pitch. That’s what I was doing (laughs). Like some good pitchers might. There are certain things that you try to not redo.
 
Q: Did any of your players say anything to you about it?
A: Oh, yeah.
 
Q: Are they still your players?
A: No, fortunately I have another job. No, what you gain is an appreciation. You warm up and I was warming up in the back and things seemed like they were all right and I remembered back to when I played, but it’s a different perspective when you’re standing on the mound. It gives you a great appreciation. I’ve always had a great appreciation for baseball and the ability to hit a ball and certainly pitch a ball. But it was a fun day.
 
Q: Was it jitters?
A: No, it wasn’t jitters. I have an appreciation for how tough it is for the guys that can do it extremely well and more than anything, it was a great day. The Mets won and I’m a huge baseball fan. I like baseball and it was just a fun day.
 
Q: You have a bunch of young guys at the cornerback position and you also have William Gay. What does he bring to the secondary?
A: Well, he’s a veteran presence, certainly. He’s brought that style of play to our team. You can see him kind of coaching guys on the side. We have outstanding coaches on defense, but when you add a veteran presence to a group of young players, we’re hopeful that it will rub off some.
 
Q: Some young guys are immediately thrown in with the first team and some guys are eased in. How do you determine that?
A: We want to put them in there and get them going. At this point, there is no depth chart. We’re out there playing and we’re trying to get a look at guys doing what they can do and then try to test them in other areas to see if they can do more. That’s where that is at.
 
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