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August 10, 2014 Tom Coughlin Conference Call Transcript

Eric from BBI : Admin : 8/10/2014 6:03 pm
Head Coach Tom Coughlin Conference Call

August 10, 2014

Opening Statement:

The kicking game responded very well last night. We were five-for-five in terms of touchbacks, a 46 yarder, and a 45 yard field goal. Very good “net”, Steve (Weatherford) had a nice game except for the one when he was trying to drive it out of the end zone and it didn’t have the hang time that he wanted. I thought we did a nice job with our double teams, our vice on the outside. I thought our gunners did make some progress with regards to that. Punt protection, all though not really tested certainly did a better job. I think there are some things to look at from a special teams’ standpoint that were very positive.



Both kickers made outstanding contributions. I didn’t like the first drive defensively. I don’t like to see that someone puts the ball on the ground and run it on us. We had those two circumstances right away then the long wide receiver screen which we were well aware of the speed and the ability and why that young man Dri Archer was drafted, he certainly demonstrated that. Although I will add that Prince (Amukamara) had a great angle and his pursuit was outstanding. He chased with the proper angle and actually created an opportunity for us to line up and hold them to a field goal which I thought was a good thing.



Throughout the rest of the game defensively it was a pretty good battle as we went from our first group to our second group, and third group. Our guys played hard and we didn’t get a lot done. There was not a lot of sacks, a lot of turnovers. We got the big one at the end of the game which was huge. We gave up points off of a fumbled punt return, gave up a field goal, and of course we the big error with lateral which should of never happened. We had just run a similar type of bubble screen a couple plays before and we were fine. I was very much disappointed in that they way in which the points were obtained. Especially on the lateral which made no sense at all with the lead, trying to protect the lead as we were.



Offensively we had the long touchdown run; we had the nice drive by Curtis Painter at the end of the game which responded to being down in the game for the second time. It was very nice response and I thought Curtis Painter did a very good job of distributing the ball we got some good runs to start the drive and he finished it off with a touchdown which was very good. Eli didn’t play very many plays, I think it was 12 plays in one of those situations as well backed up. I would like to see more offense with our ones. Perhaps this will be a week we will do a little more, maybe play a little longer, not sure. I haven’t thought of any of that stuff yet. When Ryan Nassib came in there was some good and there was some bad.



We made some plays; we obviously had some issues with the signal system from the quarterback to the receiver. The expectation is on the part of the quarterback and the receivers, in terms of adjustment. On a couple of occasions I would have wished the one with Ryan Nassib, just throw the ball out there. The one opportunity that Rueben had I would of liked to see the ball thrown in the air and put in position to where maybe Rueben could run under it. So I was a little disappointed in that as well. I told the players after the game as you know that I would recognize of course and extend congratulations to our team for winning a game. We felt like there was an awful lot of things we could comment on that were good and there were many things that were not and that is where you are. So now we are analyzing all that stuff this afternoon and put that stage behind us and start to prepare again for this week with our four practices and the opportunity to play against Indianapolis this weekend.



Q: How are you doing health wise coming out of the game? Are there any other injuries than John Conner?

A: I think we got some ‘nicks’ like we usually do but I don’t think there is anything at this point in time that we would need to discuss. We will see how it is tomorrow and I will let you know tomorrow after they had a chance to be in the training room and then get an assessment in terms of practicing.



Q: Did John Conner have a concussion?

A: They are calling that. He is going through the protocol. I think anytime you are dinged and you come to the sideline that is the way it is going to be treated today. His eyes were bright and he was smiling when I left the locker room so I was a little bit surprised. It will be precaution and safety first so he will go through the protocol and who knows if he really is feeling as well as I thought he looked last night. Maybe that can all be accomplished in time for us to see where he will be at this week in terms of practice and play. I don’t know if anything is being ruled out just yet.



Q: How did you feel about JPP’s play yesterday and how did it feel to see him more active?

A: I thought he played well. I thought that he really chased the ball and showed the outstanding speed that he has. You saw it on the reverse, you saw him down the line of scrimmage. I thought for the plays he had in the game that he gave good effort and was in good position. Again the way in which he chased the ball and coming in from behind was very good.



Q: When you talk about hand signals between the QB and WR’s… Is that something that is initiated from the quarterback or can that also be done by the wide receivers? How does the process go?

A: Sometimes it’s not even a signal. Sometimes it’s called in the huddle, and the reaction is what you want and sometimes it’s not based on… There is more than one technique that occurs over the head of the wide receiver and some routes have adjustments based on which defensive technique they are facing. It doesn’t have to necessarily come from a hand signal or a verbal signal; it could come from the huddle.



Q: Is that a problem you expect when you are running a new offense?

A: No, I don’t expect it at all. I am not saying it’s not a big deal. We are not going down the miscommunication road like we did last year with over and over and over. I would like to see this cleared up and I think it will be.



Q: Are you talking about the first play where you were on offense there? Is that one of those examples?

A: No, there was one there and there was one a little bit later in the game as well that a different reaction was anticipated.



Q: Do you have any sense when you can get Beckham practicing?

A: He is going to practice tomorrow on an individual basis, and then they are going to assess where he is. If he can do a little more, then maybe he will do a little bit more, but if he can’t then we will keep it strictly with individual.



Q: Is the [flux of penalties being called] because it is early in the preseason or do you think the officials are making an effort to call each and everything?

A: Well we knew coming in. We were told by the officials last year when we had our meetings and when we voted on new rule proposals and on the matters of emphasis. The officials visited us in the spring and then when they returned to camp and talked about what is going on. We were told full well that the letter of the law would be introduced in terms of legal contact. Any contact beyond the five-yard area would be called. The pass interference is being called very close and there’s not a whole lot of room for error with regard to a defender in any type of contact with an opposing receiver or tight end or whatever. We knew full well that we could expect that the enforcement of the emphasis would be full-fledged. The issue that comes up is that if that is the case do we have a really good interpretation of what is and what isn’t. I think some of this has to be settled and I am confident it will be talked out as we go forward in these preseason games, but the fact that they are being called close is not a surprise. That has been well explained to us. The idea that the strict enforcement of any type of violation; if you notice even in the fine print where anyone who grabs a shirt is going to be called for pass interference, either offense or defense, so we had one of those yesterday where it was very hard to find the reason for the call but then all of sudden you saw the shirt get grabbed, very minute, but it was obviously seen by the officials and called. It didn’t really have that much to do with the effect on the person running the route. [The official] saw it and it happened and boom it is called. Even down to that extent it has all been spelled out and it is going to be our job to come to some kind of an understanding of what is and what isn’t. To a certain extent you can’t take all the physical aspect of the game out of it in terms of whether you say five yards down the field or whatever you say. We have to do a better job. Some of the fouls you see it wouldn’t matter under what date and time there was an emphasis. You do need to be able to recognize and play the ball in the air. When you have violations where the defender doesn’t even know where the ball is, and he is just playing through the receiver that is an obvious call. Perhaps not that obvious because we had one ourselves and it wasn’t called. That is what I mean by we are trying to and I think the officials are trying to recognize as are we what is and what isn’t.



Q: How important is it to you to you see the first string offense sustain something when you do face Indianapolis?

A: It is always important. It is important to see it anytime. That is what we are out there for. We practiced all week and it’s time to do something about it when you get your opportunity to play on the weekend. We let a couple of our offensive lineman play a little longer. We thought that was important and we wanted to get a few more snaps out of those guys because they do have to play together and communicate together. The 73-yard [touchdown] run was with the first offense in there too. I wouldn’t forget about that either. Yeah it is important. We are trying to put consistency together. You struggle some and you have to work your way through it. It is always important. That is why you play the preseason games in addition to trying to discover other people who can help [the team].



Q: Are you seeing small gains with the offense at this point?

A: I saw a long one yesterday. I saw a finish of a seven-for-seven quarterback that got us in the end zone to win the game. I am seeing that. I am seeing some individual development. I am seeing some of the offensive lineman who are starting to play a little better. We certainly think that Rashad Jennings and even in this point and time Andre Williams are improving and getting better. From time to time you’ll see a play by certain individuals. It would have been great to see Larry Donnell get that one contested ball over the middle, but he was in pretty good shape in a pretty good spot and the ball was thrown pretty well. There are some things out there are definitely improvements. It is not all where it is obviously. There is some good and some bad and that goes with everything. Hopefully we are moving in the right direction towards putting together more good.



Q: Are the more vertical plays the next installation into the offense?

A: I think some of the vertical is in. You haven’t seen it. You haven’t seen the ball down the field very well. I certainly think that is coming.
Not sure I'm close to interpreting this correctly, so  
Big Blue '56 : 8/10/2014 7:13 pm : link
any input would be appreciated.

Quote:
..... I was very much disappointed in that they way in which the points were obtained. Especially on the lateral which made no sense at all with the lead, trying to protect the lead as we were....


Might he have been referring to the McAdoo play call or QB choice?
Or possibly  
Big Blue '56 : 8/10/2014 7:15 pm : link
not playing to the whistle?

Clarification?
BB56  
Reale01 : 8/10/2014 7:30 pm : link
IMO He means that the ball should never have been thrown. The play was blown up. The defender was there before the ball. QB has to see that. The fact that it was a lateral and we did not play through the whistle made matters even worse.

The other points were obtained on a muffed punt. 10 out of 16 points were gift wrapped.
That makes sense, thanks  
Big Blue '56 : 8/10/2014 7:33 pm : link
.
Reale01  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 8/10/2014 8:08 pm : link
I don't see how Nassib can make that decision in the time that plays allows.

It was snap, turn, throw. The Pittsburgh defender did a great job of shooting in there, but I don't see how Nassib can react to that.
I took that as the actual decision to throw the ball.  
robbieballs2003 : 8/10/2014 8:09 pm : link
Sometimes a sack is not a bad thing. If you take the sack then you punt the ball and make them drive the field.
robbie,  
Big Blue '56 : 8/10/2014 8:15 pm : link
how's your coaching coming along?
I think this is the first year in forever that i will not coach  
robbieballs2003 : 8/10/2014 8:37 pm : link
due to my job situation. However, we won it all last year which was awesome.
I think he was talking about the way in which  
nicky43 : 8/11/2014 9:40 am : link
we let Pittsburgh obtain the points they did.

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