Tight Ends Coach Kevin M. Gilbride
November 16, 2015
Q: (Will Tye question)
A: He’s improving, there’s no doubt about it. His consistency needs to improve. That’s something I got after him about a little bit today, but as far as his development and understanding the concepts of the offense and how we are going about trying to get our job done, he definitely understands it and he’s putting it into action.
Q: Has he surprised you at all? I mean, you cut him at the beginning of the season.
A: It wasn’t me (laughs). Really, it hasn’t been a surprise. I always felt like he had it in him to be a good player, but he’s young, he’s green, his development is what still needs to take place and it shows it, it shows it in some of the inconsistencies that he has. But I’ll tell you what, he’s made some big plays for us, too, and I think down the stretch, he’s going to make a lot more.
Q: Inconsistencies? He’s dropped a couple of passes, is that what you’re talking about or blocks?
A: Both. The ones that are glaring are the drops, but he’s also made a couple really good catches. He’s run some really good routes and he’s had some really good run blocks, but the consistency is not there yet, and it’s something that we need him to execute consistently to help our offense.
Q: You had Mark Herzlich at tight end a little bit?
A: Yeah. We got him based on our situation with the guys that have gone down. You need to have a contingency plan. So we had him on the goal line and he ran a really good route. If Eli had some time, he probably would’ve gotten a touchdown.
Q: You haven’t done that in the past?
A: With Mark? No. No, that’s something new with the injuries that have come into play.
Q: He was Gronkowski on scout team, right?
A: Yeah and he’s done a nice job in giving the look as well.
Q: On the play that Herzlich was in there, you threw it to Will and Will was open on that.
A: He was open. Yeah, he was open and that’s one of those plays that I’m talking about. That would’ve been a hell of a catch because it was out in front of him, but he’s got to get to the point where he smells that end zone and when you get those opportunities as a tight end, you don’t get that many. So when you get those opportunities, you’ve got to come down with the play.
Q: I’m sure life would be easier if you had a Tony Gonzalez, but is there a pleasure in getting production out of the Will Tyes and Jerome Cunninghams that a lot of other people never heard of before?
A: Yeah, it is, but it’s not necessarily for that reason as far as like an individual satisfaction. I enjoy coaching those guys. They want to get better, they want to improve, so it’s more being able to coach the individual person and I’ve enjoyed those individual people. I’ve been very fortunate as far as since I’ve taken over the tight ends. It’s a good group. It’s a group that wants to get better, that wants to improve, and they understand their deficiencies and they know how to try and improve on them and capitalize on what they do well.
Q: Probably helps them that there are a lot of examples in this organization of guys who came out of nowhere like Larry Donell, Jake Ballard before him. It’s kind of the way this organization has operated.
A: Yeah, that’s true. There’s no doubt and I think they do understand that, but really, to be honest with you, they’re more interested in ‘what do I need to do to get better’ and I like that approach. That’s what’s made those guys, who nobody’s ever heard of, be productive is the fact that they want to get better, they want to develop and help our team.
