QB Eli Manning -- July 30, 2019
Q: first week of camp…
A: I thought the first week went well. A few of those guys are so much more advanced than last year at this point in all areas and more settled on protections, routes and concepts. Everybody has a better idea of what’s going on. There’s been some days that are better than others, that happens with training camp. I think guys are competing hard and doing the right thing. We are on the right path to improving every day.
Q: Pat said earlier he thinks the biggest difference in the offensive line is how much more settled you are on the right side, do you see that as well, and what is your assessment of where the guys are now?
A: I think they are better off now just in a sense of a couple things. There is a year under everybody’s belt, last year a lot of new guys. Nate’s new, Will’s new, we have new guys on the right side, but also a new offense, new calls, new terminology. There’s a lot going on, we had to figure out a lot things and work through and make the mistakes and try to fix them. This year, there’s a combination of guys that have been in this offense and bringing in as guy like Zeitler and Remmers, who has been in this style of offense before, the calls are very similar so he picks up right on it. I think all those things help them play that much faster, not having the mistakes, picking up things quicker like some of the twists that the defensive line does. I think it has been a lot smoother in that sense.
Q: Any thoughts on the injuries to the receivers?
A: I think it’s unfortunate, I feel bad for Corey Coleman with the ACL. Hopefully we can get Slayton back, Shep will hopefully be back soon. He’s at least able to run routes and be able throw some routes. We don’t want him to get in bad habits, he has to catch everything with one hand. Not throwing him the ball but we can have him run the route full speed. I can look at him, I can see his body language and still kind of get some timing stuff. When he comes back from the thumb he won’t be a step behind. I think it’s a great opportunity to get Cody going and get some of these young receivers going. Getting Bennie Fowler and Evan Engram moving around. I think its an opportunity for other guys to step up and see what they do. It hasn’t affected our offense in the sense that we are not able to go out there and execute the against the defense.
Q: What kind of progress has Cody made specifically?
A: I thought Cody had a great offseason last year. Coming into the season, he was going to play well. Unfortunately, he had the injury and missed a lot of time, but came back that last game and played really well versus Dallas. I think he’s come on strong, he can really run, he knows all of his assignments, he’s dialed into what we are doing and he’s made some nice plays for us. He’s a big target who can also stretch the field and he’s having a great camp so far.
Q: Coach Shurmur said you were doing a couple different things in off-season, was that your decision or his suggestion, how do you guys talk about your off-season workouts?
A: I just mixed up where I was working out and what I was doing. The year before I was here a bunch, I got my own trainer this year. I went to the baseball world, I’ve done that in the past. We’ve gone into that field a little bit more, relative to throwers and quarterbacks. Just working hard on the weight training parts of it and keeping my legs strong and feeling healthy and making sure things are working properly. A lot of arm care, just keeping my arm strong or improve my arm strength at this level. I feel like it has paid off, I’m throwing the ball well. The arm is staying strong, (Staying after practice) three or four days after practice to not lose it which is what happens in training camp sometimes. You have four practices in a row, if you are not used to it, you can see your arm getting tired and it’s still feeling strong and coming out good.
Q: Is that Tom House or someone else?
A: No, a local guy here in New Jersey.
Q: What’s his name?
A: Mickey Brueckner is his name.
Q: What do you do to prepare for the heat during training camp?
A: Hydration is huge. Just make sure you are mentally prepared for it and not cramping up. It’s good, it’s good to get hot and have these practices to test guys mentally. When it gets hot and you are changing plays, cadences and receivers, they have to be dialed in. It always becomes a wet ball drill with these snaps on a hot day and the centers and what’s going on with them. Its good, you aren’t always going to get a dry ball, conditions aren’t going to be perfect. It tests everybody’s mentality, you want to make it hard on them and test them mentally because that will prepare us for that game. We only get 25 plays with the ones in a practice, in a game you are going to have 60 plays, we have to get ready for that.
Q: What about Golden Tate? You won’t have him for the first four games, but you have to create chemistry is there a balance there?
A: Right now, you go as planned. He’s working different spots, a lot in the slot. Just getting on the same page with concepts and routes and getting a feel for his body language coming out of breaks. I think he has done a good job, he’s a professional, he has been at this a long time. He’s done a good job just learning the offense, knowing the concepts and having a good feel for things. I think we keep going as everything is normal for him.
Q: How much have the injuries and other things impacted the healthy receivers?
A: I think like you said you get a lot of reps with other guys that are going to play for us. Over the course of the season, guys are going to get banged up, we are going to have guys missing games. Guys are going to be moving around in different spots. I think the more live reps you get with a number a guys (the better), obviously now we’ve had some injuries, so Cody is going to have a bigger role. Getting on the same page with him is going to help us out.
Q: Everyone has a different motivation, and some guys’ motivation changes up year to year. How much do you use your current situation, in the last year of your contract, for yourself and your motivation?
A: I think my motivation is more it’s a desire to win, it’s the desire to chase that feeling of winning games. What that feels like in the locker room, what it feels like to get on a hot streak and win four or five in a row. The excitement, the attitude, winning a playoff game, and getting that feeling of winning a championship, and the things you get to experience when you go through those scenarios and try to prove someone else wrong, so I think that’s my personal motivation.
Q: Are there exercises that you perhaps learned in baseball that can help strengthen your arm?
A: In football training, not everybody is doing as much shoulder rotator cuff or core as a quarterback needs. In the offseason, some of those lower body lifts are similar or the same, but I think just taking the time, you have to start early, get your movements right, get your functionality right, and get stronger in your legs, because that helps your arm strength. It all generates from your lower half, your core, and your agility. I think that’s good, and obviously there is a whole other element to the arm, and how much requires to stay on top of it. You kind of get a plan that takes you into the offseason and into the season, so stay on that and get a plan of how much to keep doing that because as a quarterback you are throwing a lot more. You probably have to break down some of the arm care but still do enough where you’re staying strong.
Q: Do you feel better or are you trying to maintain?
A: I feel better, I feel stronger, I feel a bit stronger in a lot of the lifts that we’re doing. I had a good offseason, and right now, once you get to the season, you’re not trying to get stronger at this point, you’re just trying to keep your strength.
Hopefully this guys methods work.