ST Coordinator Thomas McGaughey -- November 9, 2018
Q: What are you doing at returner if (Quadree) Henderson is not called back up?
A: Next guy up, whoever that guy is. Next guy up. Whoever’s back there, we’re going to coach them up and keep it rolling.
Q: Why did you take Odell (Beckham Jr.) off?
A: Odell is always an option. He’s never off of anything.
Q: He’s never off your list, but is he on the master list?
A: Yes, he’s always an option. He’s here, he’s got a jersey, and he plays on game day. He’s always an option.
Q: Was that always going to be a delicate balance with him? Because you wanted to save him when you needed the home run, but then when you put him out there, there were times where you wanted him to be safe and do the safe thing, but maybe he’s not the kind of guy in that situation who wants to do the safe thing, he wants to make a play. Is that a balance for you guys as coaches?
A: Absolutely. I’ve been around this kid since he was 18 years old, I know him pretty well. His natural instinct is to make a play. It’s always going to be one of those deals where you have to see the situation for what it is during the game and you’ve just got to manage it accordingly.
Q: This is a team that has struggled to move the ball forward. When you have a punt returner come in at a position where guys have fumbled the ball or not returned well, then (Quadree Henderson) has a 19 yarder or a 21 yarder, and then you risk losing him – why would you do that?
A: I can’t answer that question because I don’t make those decisions.
Q: Do you fight them?
A: I fight for everything, that’s just a special teams coach. We fight for every inch, you always fight to try and get certain guys up, try and go get guys, you’re always trying to look for ways to get better. It’s just one of those deals where you line up and play with who you’ve got. It is what it is, I’m the special teams coach. I completely understand your question, it’s just I don’t make those decisions. Whoever shows up in my meeting room, that’s who I coach. Whoever they are, that’s who gets coached.
Q: Did you feel he was giving you some production and stability there?
A: I like what he was doing, definitely. Obviously when you get a chance to make an explosive play and he makes one, makes a couple, you always like that. That’s something that he has, that’s what he is, he’s shown that in college and we look forward to getting him back.
Q: Does it put a strain on the whole operation when it’s a new guy back there every time? You have to work in unison.
A: It’s like anything else – it’s like the offensive line play, it’s like defensive line play, secondary, it’s chemistry. Any time you put a new guy back there, it takes a little bit for the return guys to get a feel for his speed and how he gets through the hole, and how he sets it, and all those different things. It’s always a process when you’re changing guys.
Q: Jawill Davis had some success as a kick returner. Is he an option as a punt returner or is that not the same?
A: Yeah, he’s always an option. We’ve got a lot of options on the roster, and we’ve got a lot of guys that have done it so far this year. Jawill, Corey (Coleman), (Quadree), Odell, (Sterling Shepard) – we’ve got guys that have done it before that can catch a punt, so those guys are always options.
Q: (Riley) Dixon and Antonio (Hamilton) have seemed to combine to pin opposing offenses a couple times now. What do you like about what they’re doing? Is Riley kicking to a guy that he now knows he can rely on?
A: That’s one thing we practice a lot. Riley is getting better as the year goes on, Antonio is definitely getting better, being able to see the ball, track it, make those plays inside the 10, which helps us field position wise. There’s a comfort level between those two guys, and the longer you do things, like I said, it’s a chemistry deal. It’s learning what the other guy can do, it’s being able to track the ball and see where the ball is and being able to feel comfortable making that style of play.
