Monday Media Transcript: Running Back Saquon Barkley

Running Back Saquon Barkley

August 6, 2018

Q: Will Hernandez complimented you on going out of your way to have a great personal relationship with each member of the offensive line. Can you elaborate on that a bit more?

A: Yeah, definitely been going out of my way to develop friendships and relationships with each and every guy on the team. Obviously, there’s so many right now – especially with the offensive line. The offensive line are the guys who pave the way for you. Definitely getting a relationship with them, and when the season starts, I’ve been talking to Nate (Solder) about doing dinners with them. Just getting everyone in the room and talking, going out with each other. That’s something that I have been doing, and I’m glad that they’ve noticed it.

Q: How’s your relationship been with Eli (Manning)?

A: Still asking him a lot of questions. Every time a question gets brought up that I’m not sure about and he’s there on the field, I ask him. I try to prepare myself as much as I can, whether it’s in the ‘pass-pro’ (pass protection), or it’s in the run game, or in the pass game, so I can be as prepared as possible to help the team as much as I can.

Q: Did you ever get this much down time in training camp at Penn State?

A: No, not really. I would say the big difference is the time. The time that you have, you can take care of your body, you can get in the cold tubs, you can get treatment. In college, your first week – at least at Penn State – we’re worrying about finals. We still have two finals to worry about. Last year, I was in an attentive Spanish course, and just finishing up Spanish 3 for the first week of camp. So, definitely a big difference.

Q: Are you looking forward to the first hit in the game?

A: Yeah, definitely looking forward to the first hit. The first hit in the game is the thing that knocks everything out – whether you’re nervous, you’re overthinking stuff. So, it definitely helps. Like I was saying out there, I haven’t really got the time to really sit down and think about playing in my first NFL game. But, I’m definitely looking forward to the opportunity.

Q: What are you looking to accomplish in the preseason?

A: What I’m looking to accomplish in the preseason – take every rep that I get and try to maximize it to the best that I can. I’m not looking for this amount of yards or this amount of touchdowns. Just try to be at the right spot where I need to be. Definitely I think as a rookie, probably a lot of rookies make some mistakes in their first game. But, I’m going to try to stay away from that. Just continue to get better throughout the game.

Q: Is it hard when you’re not practicing because the coaches are managing your reps?

A: It’s not really hard for me. Obviously, you know, I want to be out there every single rep and every single play. The times I’m not out there, that’s the time you have to take mental reps. Be locked in and focused, and watch the rep, and ask that question to the Jonathan Stewart’s or the Wayne Gallman’s of the world and see what you see in that player – why you did this on that play. When you get in, you maximize your reps to your best effort.

Q: Is your body feeling tired where the coaching staff feels as if they need to manage your reps?

A: No, physically I feel fine. Coaches, they have a game plan. They have an idea of what they want to do, and I’m just here just trying to follow that idea, and whatever reps they want me to take, I get in. Whatever reps they want me to take. You got to understand, we’re in a room with five or six running backs. You definitely want to see everyone and get to rotate everyone, and everyone get a chance. I’m just following and doing my job, seeing whatever coach wants me to do. While my reps are there, just try to maximize it.

Q: Are you hoping to play on Thursday night?

A: I plan to play, I think. I don’t know. I know I haven’t experienced an NFL preseason game yet, but hopefully I’m good to go for that game. I’m more than capable of playing right now. I’m just happy and excited that I’ll be able to play in my first NFL game, and hopefully I can maximize every rep.

Q: Can you talk about Coach Bettcher and how his defense is preparing you for this season?

A: Definitely, I think they’re very aggressive on the defensive side of the ball. I think that’s definitely helped me as a rookie. But not only myself, the offense. Preparing for teams like that. They disguise their schemes and their blitzes so well. Obviously, you got a talented, talented defensive core over there. Being able to watch them and practice against him and learn from them every day is not only helping them, but it’s shaping me into a better player.

Q: Defensive players have seemed to gravitate towards you and are willing to learn from you. How has that helped your progression so far?

A: I think that’s what’s needed on a team. When you have the chemistry, the willingness to go up to your teammates and say hey, what do you see on this play? For instance, if Landon (Collins) beats me on a blitz, and say he knocks my hand down, he would tell me, “Come here, you would lean and you were doing this or doing that.” Or say if I beat (Alec) Ogletree on a route, I would tell him what you were doing wrong there. It’s about helping each other, because at the end of the day, we’re competing against each other right now, but the main goal as a team is to win every game that we can possibly win. Feedback from each other is only going to help us get better as a team. That’s something I feel that’s important. I think the fact that we have that right now as a team definitely is going to help us in the future.

Q: From leaving Penn State, to different workouts, to the Combine, to the Draft, to signing your contract – do you feel happy to be in sort of a scheduled routine now?

A: Yeah, definitely happy to be in a routine. But still trying to find that right routine. In camp, I kind of got a routine down right now. But then after the switch from camp, we’re going to a preseason mindset. Then, we go into a regular season mindset. Then playoffs, and etc, etc. Now, I’m just trying to continue to find the right routine – whether if its little things like take a nap here for 15 minutes. Get in the cold tub here for 15 minutes, hot tub here for 15 minutes. Just trying to figure out all what to do. On an off day, how much time I want to come in and do that. Then, spend time with your family. It’s hard, as an NFL player you got to balance. Especially me being a young father. Definitely want to spend as much time as you can with your family. But, you also have to spend as much time as you can inside the facility so you can be the best player you can be.

Q: What have you learned from the beginning of camp to right now?

A: The biggest thing I’ve learned – if you’re asking the biggest thing I’ve learned since college – just the answers you have for blitzes. In college, you may or may not have one or two. But in the NFL, you can have six or seven and blocking them six or seven different ways. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned. Also, disguising blitzes. Our defense does a really good job of disguising blitzes. In college, they may not have done that in college. But in the NFL, they do that at an extreme level. Just seeing the field and seeing the whole thing. Once you can get an understanding of the scheme, every single day gets better, and better – whether it’s in the run game or the pass game. Also, developing a relationship with the offensive line. Continue to get reps with those five guys or whoever is rotating in or out. Continue to get reps because, for me, I came from a shotgun offense. The only time I was ever in “I” (formation) was freshmen year. And now having a fullback in front of me, obviously is a little bit different. But the reps, I continue to take, just continue to help me and get better.

Q: Do you ever blink in a situation when you are lined up outside against a pressing corner?

A: No, I really don’t blink about it. Offseason, that’s what I trained on. I kind of started working on that in college. When we had our team stuff, we’ll do one-on-ones and I would go against the DBs. I feel very comfortable with running routes against anybody. I think that’s where I can also help this offense by being able to be an all-around, every single-down back. That’s obviously something that I have to improve on too. I hope throughout camp and throughout the years here, just continue to get better at that.