for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

Monday Media Transcript: Head Coach Ben McAdoo

Eric from BBI : Admin : 10/31/2016 3:56 pm
Head Coach Ben McAdoo

October 31, 2016

Q: You guys released Josh Brown on Tuesday, what went into that decision for you?

A: We released a statement afterwards. The statement really said everything about it. I don't have much to add, other than we hope Josh and his family find peace. Anything we can do to support that and help him out, we'll do that.

Q: Have you talked to Josh since the release?

A: Yes. We'll keep that [the conversations] private.

Q: Do you feel that in some ways it's been a burden lifted off of you and your team to no longer have him here?

A: I wouldn't say I feel a burden has been lifted. Obviously, no one wants to go through any situation like that. Anything that happens inside or outside of the locker room, you take that situation, you handle the situation and you move on.

Q: How distracting do you think it has been for your team?

A: I don't think it's been a distraction.

Q: How did the self-scouting project go and what conclusions can you show us?

A: We looked at everything in all three phases. We started out with the personnel; talked about how we're using the players and different ways we can acclimate some players into the schemes in all three phases. Then, we looked at how we're attacking teams in all three phases, the schematics, certain things we can change, certain things that we weren't doing so well that we need to fix, certain things we weren't doing so well where we may need to deep six and throw them out. And then, things that we're doing well and where we need to hang our hat.

Q: Were you mislead by Josh Brown at any point about what was being alleged?

A: Again, we released a statement last week and I'm going to leave it at that.

Q: With the trade deadline looming tomorrow, do you see your team making any moves?

A: Never say never.

Q: You've been sticking to the plan and hoping things fall into place. How comfortable or uncomfortable were you with the possibility of making changes?

A: We're not hoping that things take shape, we're working to make things take shape. Mistakes and things in this league, you don't fix them over night; it takes time. In all three phases, we have things that we need to work on and improve. We feel that we have the players in the building to make that happen, the coaches in the building to make that happen and we're going to make it happen.

Q: What did you see when you looked at the play calling, would there be a move there?

A: Again, when we're not playing as well as we'd like to on offense, you look at everything. The plays coming in, how we plan the week, the personnel that we're using and how we're attacking and you go on from there. Everything is looked at.

Q: Any changes with you calling the plays?

A: Everything, like I said before, you take a look at everything.

Q: How much do you feel that you've been spread thin in that regard? By calling plays and attempting to manage the whole game.

A: I don't feel like I've been spread thin at all. I think it helps me stay down into the locker room, to the offense; dictating the game.

Q: Offensively, do you think the best is still to come from this team?

A: Yes. I think we have a variety of areas we can grow in and improve in. I think we're just scratching the surface. We haven't performed as well as we'd like to perform. Everything is correctable.

Q: How would you characterize the first half of the season until now?

A: As a whole, we're a 4-3 team right now and all of our goals are sitting in front of us.

Q: Does your team have to run the ball better for you to call running plays or do you need to come into it with more play calling to get it going?

A: The first thing we need is more plays. So if we have more plays, we can run the ball more. The better we run the ball, the more runs that we'll call, the more plays we'll get. Everything is tied together. You could use the short passing game as your run game, but that's not how we want to play. We want to be a physical, heavy handed football team, so we need to run the ball better, run the ball more, I need to call more, we need to execute them better.

Q: Why hasn't the running game worked in your estimation?

A: Again, it's not one reason. It's not one player, it's not one position group, it's not just the offensive line, it's not just the backs, it's not just the tight ends, it's a combination of everything.

Q: Going into Sunday, you were last in the league in time of possession, how much of a concern is that for you?

A: We need to possess the ball. We need more plays. When we move the chains, possess the ball, we'll have the ball longer. It's a matter of execution.

Q: Is everybody healthy and ready to go this weekend?

A: We have some guys who are working through some things today. We'll know more Wednesday. But today was a good start to the week.

Q: Marshall Newhouse is one of those guys still working through something?

A: Yeah, he was limited today. We'll know more on Wednesday.

Q: How Odell Beckham Jr.?

A: He got some work today.

Q: Darian Thompson?

A: He got some work today. He was limited but got some work. Good to see a lot of new faces out there on the field. Old faces, new faces.

Q: Do you need an upgrade at the tight end position or are you confident in your guys?

A: I'm confident in the players we have in the tight end room. Confident that they'll be able to get the job done for us.

Q: Why do you think it's been such a struggle at that position?

A: As far as?

Q: Rushing, blocking, in general?

A: Well, I think we have three different guys that we're working in there. We have confidence in the guys in the room. We need to block a little bit better, execute a little bit better. I think we have some room to grow yards-after-the-catch-wise with that group. It's not just the tight end room. You can't just point to one room; you can't just point to one position; it's a combination of things.

Q: What would say about Larry Donnell's performance so far?

A: Larry is coming off of an injury. He's a guy that gets better at the things he works on in practice. He improved with the ball in his hands after the catch last week, he just needs to maintain it to the ground when he gets tackled. But he got north and south after the catch and he's working to improve and get better.

Q: Is it fair to say the biggest thing you want to see moving forward is better execution?

A: That's why we're here, that's why we spend our time. We put a plan together with the players in mind and we want to go out and focus on the execution and play the play.

Q: What do you think is most holding the offense back?

A: Again, execution. When we talked about it before, we need to run the ball a little bit better but we need to execute.

Q: Your two draft picks, Paul Perkins and Jerell Adams, have gotten increased play time. What can you say about their development?

A: They're young, conscientious players who've been working at it. They were thrown into the mix early in special teams. Like I said before, we're not going to shy away from playing young players, especially guys who are working hard to do it the way we ask them to do it.

Q: Did you watch football this weekend?

A: A little bit.

Q: When you take a step back and watch that way, do you make any observations about the league, trends, things like that?

A: Yeah. When you look at it, you get a lot of ideas on things and you try not to incorporate them all. I tried to teach my son to throw with his fingers on the laces. That's what I spent a lot of time doing yesterday. We got his left hand (he's a left hander), so we’ve got his fingers on the laces. You digest the football. This league is just amazing to me how every game comes down to, you used to say five, six plays. Now, it's even less than that. Every game comes down to the wire and you need to be able to have poise and discipline and be able to focus the whole way to the end of the game because that's when they, and even the overtime now, come down to the very end.

Q: How do you asses Eli Manning's play in the first seven games?

A: Just like the other players, we need to make sure we dial in on the fundamentals this week. Come out and execute the way we're capable. As far as the offense goes, we need to make the plays that are there. Once you start making the plays that are there, then you can start moving the chains a little bit more and executing and putting some more points on the board.
That was rather painful to read. Why did I do so?  
Big Blue '56 : 10/31/2016 4:01 pm : link
Masochist for certain
Q. "What would you say about Larry Donnell so far?"  
Jimmy Googs : 10/31/2016 4:02 pm : link
A. "Well, I think he has shown some grit and fortitude. Just last week, we purposely told him the wrong the flight time out of London but the son-of-a-gun figured it out and still made it back to the U.S. anyway".

He acknowledges that our drives  
CT Charlie : 10/31/2016 4:05 pm : link
are over too soon, yet he insists that we need to run the ball more. Running the ball hasn't moved the chains regularly since mid-September, has it?

Please: make the scheme fit the players, not vice versa.
Q: How do you asses Eli Manning's play in the first seven games?  
shelovesnycsports : 10/31/2016 4:12 pm : link
Asses??
RE: That was rather painful to read. Why did I do so?  
Cruzin : 10/31/2016 4:34 pm : link
In comment 13198247 Big Blue '56 said:
Quote:
Masochist for certain


It was less painful than Reese's.

So, he won't relinquish play calling, he's not looking for a new TE or OL but he's going to run the ball more often. This should work out well next week.
He handled the questions well ..  
Bluesbreaker : 10/31/2016 4:38 pm : link
He showed confidence !
I putting my chips to the center of the Table.
This Team is Going to the Playoffs !
I did like how he brought up executing  
Jimmy Googs : 10/31/2016 4:41 pm : link
the Offense...

Q - what is your opinion of the guy calling the plays?  
GiantsUA : 10/31/2016 4:42 pm : link
A - well, he is good looking in a rakish sort of way, could stand to lose five pounds or so.

Some of this criticism is unfair  
BillT : 10/31/2016 5:07 pm : link
He's not going to say they're looking to acquire new players and he's not going to throw anyone under the bus. If he did that really would be something to criticize him for.
I don't expect him to say much - so not disappointed  
Reale01 : 10/31/2016 5:25 pm : link
However, if we think the answer is to run the ball more and execute better then the season is essentially over. That will not get things done for us. Our oline is decent at pass blocking. When he talks personnel I hope he is not thinking more two TE sets, but suspect he is thinking exactly that.

What I would like to see?
More of Adams
More from Perkins
Lean on Odell
Better route combinations
Pass to set up runs
Get away from the dink and dunk
Attack on offense and on defense

What I think we WILL see?
More two TE
More running plays
More balls to TEs and RBs

Not optimistic

Maybe  
NikkiMac : 10/31/2016 8:01 pm : link
It's the coaching staff when asked by the front office if they need anybody at TE or OL these coaches them tell them to stand pat and they like and would rather stay with the guys they have idk just a thought !
Back to the Corner