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Thursday Media Transcript: Head Coach Tom Coughlin

Eric from BBI : Admin : 12/31/2015 12:54 pm
Head Coach Tom Coughlin

December 31, 2015

Q: Jason Pierre-Paul and J.T. Thomas going today?

A: No. Jason Pierre-Paul? We’re going to try. He’s going to go. J.T. is not going to make it.

Q: Is there any chance you get one of those safeties back?

A: We’ve been hoping. At this point in time, it doesn’t look good, but there’s still hope.

Q: G.J. Kinne is your other option there at this point?

A: He would be, yeah.

Q: How would you assess Landon Collins? I know you guys put a lot on his plate this year, but in terms of what he was able to show you?

A: He’s definitely improved over the course of the season, without a doubt. He’s become more aggressive. He’s done a nice job down in the box. He’s learned to time up his pressures better. He’s gotten himself in position in the secondary better. So he’s learning as he goes. I think he’s going to be an outstanding player going forward.

Q: Was that one of those things you knew going in, even before he took the field, that there were going to be those growing pains?

A: No question. No question. For any young player all of a sudden put in that position. He was very good in college, very good down in the box. Good tackler, did all those kinds of things. The other responsibilities here at this level, the coverage ideas, he had to learn all of that stuff. He’s going to be a real good player.

Q: Did you maybe have to ask him to do more than you would have liked?

A: If you’re going to start and play, you’re going to have to do a lot of things. I don’t think we did more.

Q: Would he ideally be a strong safety, though?

A: Today, call them what you want. People hardly even identify anymore because however you’re going to play it, they’ve got to be down, they’ve got to be back.

Q: We’ve asked you a lot of questions about how you feel heading into this weekend. One thing I don’t think we’ve asked you is do you want to come back?

A: Do I want to come back? I don’t know if that’s a great question right now. What I want to do is win a game on Sunday, that’s the bottom line for this group right now. I always have the competitive spirit. Sometimes it takes me a day or two to figure it all out when it’s over. Right now, let’s stick with the game and let’s go win a football game.

Q: What did this year teach you from a coaching standpoint? You’re always learning and evolving as a coach, what did you learn most of all from this season?

A: Win the close games. Find a way to win the close ones.

Q: I know you want to stick to the game…has it been a distraction for you at all? People have been bringing it up to you. Is it something you’re able to avoid?

A: Just you. Just you. Just you and all my other friends right here.

Q: I’m sure it wasn’t our badgering that led to the decision, but you’ve gone with kind a primary running back now with Rashad Jennings and sort of complementary players.

A: And what has he done? He’s exerted himself and that’s what we were looking for and that’s what he’s done.

Q: What led to that initial decision?

A: He’s been successful. He’s gained yardage consistently and he’s been the kind of guy that we felt like if we gave him more opportunities, he would continue to do that and he has.

Q: On the flip side, Andre Williams looks like he’s struggled a little bit. Has he taken a step back or what’s going on with him?

A: I don’t know if he’s taken a step back, but he obviously hasn’t had as many opportunities.

Q: This is philosophical and I’ll confess it’s partly because of what just happened in Philadelphia…I’m curious, over your career and perhaps especially now, how important do you think relationships with players are? Do you feel like you have an open-door policy, they can talk to you about something if they want to and they’ll be heard, that kind of thing?

A: I think it’s very important. I think the way in which that we’ve operated here, probably since the ’08 season, has been a good example of that. And we do have it, they can come and talk to me anytime, anybody. They don’t like to come upstairs, you know that. They don’t like it when you go looking for them. I sometimes have to go look for them.

Q: How do you see the players doing so far this week? Just in general with their mindset, you want them to stay focused on the game.

A: That’s the whole key.

Q: But how do you think they’re doing with that?

A: I thought that yesterday they did a pretty good job of that. I’m not sure how it all went with you guys. They did a good job in here practicing yesterday. Hopefully they’ll be able to maintain.

Q: You had mentioned yesterday that you were going to talk to Odell.

A: I did.

Q: What was that like?

A: That’s between he and I, but you can imagine what it is. You’ve read all his material and you heard him and spoke to him yesterday and you know exactly how he feels, and the fact that he’s taken full responsibility. I think that’s what he expressed to me, even to the extent that we began to talk a little bit more about the future.

Q: What have you seen from Prince Amukamara since he got back from his injury?

A: A little bit up and down. To be honest, last week I thought there was more on the up side.

Q: He’s very honest and forthcoming when he talks to us. It’s clear that he thinks about free agency and his contract. Do you, in general, have advice for players to deal with those kinds of situations?

A: Play as hard as you can. Do as well as you can. That’s your resume. I don’t normally get into those kinds of discussions with them, unless I feel it’s something that would help the player to be—maybe the player is missing the point about some of that stuff and not doing the things he should do, remembering that everything that he can do is going to take place out on the field. Normally, a free agent, my discussions with everybody is normally about team. I don’t like to go that way.

Q: Prince doesn’t want to use it as an excuse, but you talk about his ups and downs. Does the pec injury contribute to that?

A: Sure, it does. Yeah, sure it does. But I mean, when you come back, you’ve got to deal with it yourself, too. You’ve got to make a decision about it. If you’re ready to go, you’re ready to go.

Q: But you can see times when he’s sort of limited with that arm? Is that fair?

A: I think before coming up, I’ve seen it much better, yeah.

Q: Did you make a decision with Owa Odighizuwa?

A: No. Not yet, no.

Q: When you process this season, how do you look at the injury situation? Victor Cruz was expected back a couple times, you get JPP back, you lose Johnathan Hankins within a game or so of his return.

A: You lose (Markus) Kuhn, you lose those guys up front.

Q: Is it all bad luck?

A: I refuse to go that way, to be honest with you. We’ve done, and you guys can verify everything, we’ve changed pretty much everything in the whole program designed to become more scientific and to have more information and more knowledge and to do a better job of adjusting our practices, if that’s the way we need to do it. I think at the end of the year when this is all evaluated, we probably have as many injuries as we’ve ever had. It is football and that’s where it goes. Do you sometimes need to have that issue (luck) that you just talked about going for you? Sure you do. But I understand New England’s had a ton of injuries this year. Teams have to deal with this. It is no excuse, but it happens.

Q: I know you’re focused on the game now, but when you walk off the field on Sunday, do you have any idea what emotions you’ll be feeling or thoughts?

A: I’m focused on the game, I don’t go that way. I’m not thinking about any of that stuff.

Q: The fans are probably going to recognize you in some capacity on Sunday. What would your message to them be?

A: There’s a guy that sits about right here that lets me know every time I come off the field, and I can’t use the language because there are ladies around right now. Yeah, he hasn’t got my name yet. He’s got a lot of those nicknames he calls me.
One of TC's better pressers this season.  
RDJR : 12/31/2015 1:38 pm : link
He let his guard down a bit which is always refreshing.
He knows he is done  
jvm52106 : 12/31/2015 1:47 pm : link
and I am beginning to think he will be the one to step aside and not be fired.
RE: He knows he is done  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 12/31/2015 1:54 pm : link
In comment 12726228 jvm52106 said:
Quote:
and I am beginning to think he will be the one to step aside and not be fired.


Maybe I'm reading too much into this but I think he knows it's over...he wouldn't really answer the question on whether he wants to be back.
This was telling...  
SanFranNowNCGiantsFan : 12/31/2015 1:56 pm : link
A: Do I want to come back? I don’t know if that’s a great question right now.

& I have no idea what he was talking about it that last question. I'd like to see video or something.
IMHO, You are all reading too much into it.  
xwreckingxcrewx : 12/31/2015 1:57 pm : link
I think he would have been fired last year. I think he is good this year. He finishes his contract. The next Giant coach is already on staff but needs more grooming. $ to spend, the organization will focus on that, not getting new coaches.
What he was saying with that comment was,  
xwreckingxcrewx : 12/31/2015 1:58 pm : link
This is not a good time to talk about that...after the season he takes a few days and processes the season...as he does after every season. Right now, he is focused on playing the Eagles.
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