NYG Postgame (vs. Jets) Transcripts: LB Carter Coughlin
August 14, 2021
Q: We’ve talked a lot about you learning this new position and all the challenges. How’d it feel to actually get out there?
A: Oh, it was a blast. It was a blast, you know, putting everything that I've been working on in practice, everything that I've been taught from the coaches and getting a chance to really go out there and do it for real.
Q: Without watching the film yet, how'd you feel it went?
A: You know, to be honest with you, there's a lot of stuff that I’ve got to get better at. There's a couple of plays that stick out in my mind that I should have made. So this week I’m gonna dig into the film and take the constructive criticism and be better next week.
Q: You came here as an edge rusher, but they're giving you a lot of opportunities on the inside. What does that tell you? How does that make you feel?
A: It's awesome that they're moving me around and allowing me to try out different things. It's been, like I said at the beginning, it was a challenge moving from outside to inside. But the coaches and the other inside linebackers have been helping me a lot and that allows me to play fast and pick up on different things. Guys like (Linebacker) Blake (Martinez) have been really helping me out and it's been a blast.
Q: What’s the biggest thing playing on the outside going into the inside that you’ve used, kind of like cross-training, like, ‘OK, this worked on the outside, I think it can work on the inside?’
A: (Linebackers) Coach (Kevin) Sherrer talks a lot about using our hands when we get to offensive linemen and especially when we have offensive linemen in space and stuff like that. So, when you're playing outside linebacker, it's all about hands. When you pass rush, it's all about hands. So, I think that's one of those tools that helps out with inside linebacker. When an offensive line comes to me, being able to use my hands, just like I would at outside linebacker.
Q: How quickly were you able to adjust your eyes from playing on the outside to playing on the inside?
A: To be honest with you, it's a continuous process. I'm still working on it. When you're playing outside linebacker, your key is right in front of you. When you take a step back, you've got a couple of different keys and you're able to see the big picture and get the safety calls and all that kind of stuff. That's stuff that I'm still working on and will continue to work on every single day in practice, all that kind of stuff.
Q: do you enjoy the freedom? It's almost like they're not giving you a position and saying, this is where you're going to be. It's almost what you make of it. Is that fair to say? Does that give you more leeway to kind of grow into this role?
A: I really, really like being off the ball. It's been really, really fun to work on. It was fun to do that on the scout team last year and get kind of a feel for it and then really dig into it during camp and get those off-the-ball reps. But it's just like anything, whatever my role is, whether it's special teams, whatever, I want to make the most out of it. I'm continuing to work on my skills every single day and (Head) Coach (Joe) Judge preaches on the fundamentals, so just making sure that I continue to attack my fundamentals.
