Quarterback Eli Manning
8/6/18
Q: How’s the process of getting on the same page as Jon Halapio going?
A: I think it’s going well. I think it’s always important to get on the same page as the offensive line, especially the center. There is a lot of communication, just making sure we are picking up blitzes. I think it’s been great going against our style of defense, a lot of different looks, a lot of different blitzes. There are some things you have to learn, just making sure we are seeing things the same way so I tell him and he can relay it to the rest of the offensive line. I think it’s going really smooth, and I think after every game we will watch film together and get on the same page.
Q: Now that you have been in pads, how would you evaluate the offensive line?
A: I think they are doing a good job, like you said they are getting on the same page. The most important thing for that group is communication, and understanding what the defense is doing, for them to be able to pass things off. Playing fast and playing as one in a sense but they are all working hard and they are all dialed in.
Q: You have been through the new offense new coach thing in the preseason, do you want to play more so you are more comfortable or about the same as always?
A: Whatever coach thinks we need. I think you want to be out there and playing just to get a feel for him calling the plays and the game plan. I think once you’re playing against a new opponent, looks come up and different defenses that you’ve been seeing in training camp versus your defense where you want to get some reps at those things to make sure everybody is on the same page. I’m excited about getting out there and playing.
Q: How do you balance the potential for injury, compared to how beneficial it could be for guys to be out there?
A: That’s for the coaches to balance that. Our job is to go play, we have a job to do, we have to get better and be on the same page at game time. If coach wants us to play we go play and do our job.
Q: You have a lot of new receivers you are trying to build a rapport with, how is that going?
A: I think it’s going well, it’s still a work in progress trying to figure out who is going to be that third and fourth receiver. We need those guys to step up, get open and be dependable. A lot of guys are fighting for that spot and doing some good things, we just need to figure which guys will be the most dependable in that situation.
Q: What is your relationship with Saquon [Barkley] like and what impresses you most about him?
A: The relationship is going well. He’s asking questions, I’m asking him questions, challenging him and getting him to understand seeing coverages, seeing defenses, and safety rotations and things like that so he understands his protections and what’s going on. I’ve been impressed, he’s a smart kid and he’s learned the offense well and I’ve been impressed with him on the field. The way he sees things, the way he reacts after catching the ball making moves. I’m excited to see him in a full speed situation.
Q: Does he ask a lot of questions, compared to other rookies that have come along?
A: I don’t know if it’s more or less. He’s dialed in and he’s seeing things. He’ll have questions for me based on different concepts. He’s looking at the playbook and maybe has questions to make sure everything is correct and why he has this on this one or that one. He is just trying to understand so he can play fast, and understand exactly what he is doing.
Q: Are you anxious to see these rookies in an actual game?
A: I think there is excitement to see the team out there. I don’t think it’s about a specific person, it’s about this group going out there. Especially this year, with a new offense and new players across the board at different spots. You just want to see how we’re going to work together and how guys are going to do in game situation. To see if their level of play stays the same, elevates, or goes down. You have to be able to do it in practice, but you have to be able to do it on game day as well.
Q: How are you feeling physically at this point in camp?
A: The arm feels good and the body feels good. I’ve felt great all year and hopefully it stays that way for a while.
Q: From a health standpoint how has Odell looked?
A: Yeah, I haven’t seen limitations on him. He’s looked good, running fast and making all his cuts and normal plays.
Q: What do you get out of those little sessions with Odell after practice?
A: We missed a lot of time in the spring, just trying to get work on some routes where you might get to run it one time in routes versus air or run it one time during the course of practice. We are imagining different coverages, different techniques, maybe I didn’t work it to him on that side because of the coverage and you say, “hey lets work now, I didn’t get to throw it to you.” Just trying to get a few extra reps on things that we haven’t gotten the opportunity to throw those routes in the course of that practice.
Q: In this offense the receivers are moving around a lot, does that change your approach when you don’t know whose there?
A: Well, you know who is there. You just have to work the routes with everybody. You’re not just working with Sterling, we have to put him outside, you have to put everybody outside, everybody in the slot. It takes time to get on the same page with everybody running different routes.
Q; Eli, what’s Mike Shula like as a coordinator and a quarterback coach?
A: Obviously coach Shula has been doing this a long time, he’s been a coordinator. He has a great mind for concepts, defenses, and picking things up and blitzes and everything. He’s been great to watch film with, watching our film, and watching plays and understanding concepts and how we want to read things, how to get through progressions quickly. He has good personality so we have fun in there, but we also get a lot of good work.
Q: What have you learned about your football team during training camp up to this point?
A: I think we have some big play potential in our group and that’s good. We have to find opportunities to make those big plays and be consistent also. We can’t be willing to give up those big plays to the defense in that sense. We have to be patient and wait for those opportunities. We have some special athletes that can make some outstanding plays.
Q: Saquon made a lot of wow stuff in college, have you talked to him about maybe trying to temper some of the big moves he attempted back then?
A: We talked a little bit about you can’t try to score a touchdown every play. Sometimes you have to take the three-yard gain and take what the defense is giving you. Understand the expectations are extremely high, don’t worry about that, that’s what you have a team for. You have a job to do and take what they give you, if the opportunity comes and there’s a hole and you get to the safety that’s your opportunity to make a guy miss and make something special happen.
Q: Do you give him a hard time because they seem to be managing his reps and he is about 15 years younger than you?
A: No, I don’t know about how they are managing him. We are just trying to get everybody healthy. The runners are a little different, they have to make sure they are taking care of their legs and coming in healthy.
Q: How much have you enjoyed this camp?
A: I enjoy every camp, I get excited about coming through it every year. I enjoy the work part of it, learning a new offense and going up against a new defense and seeing what they are doing. I enjoy the competition but also hanging out with the quarterbacks in the QB room or being in the locker room with the guys, all of it is a special time that I look forward to every year.
