Thursday Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

May 19, 2022

BRIAN DABOLL: We’re on really our third practice day today. We'll be inside. A little slick outside. Working on some 1st and 2nd down stuff. We've had two good days. I'd say we've improved a little bit each day, worked on some different situations. Still a long way to go, but it's been a good start.

Q. How is attendance since it's voluntary?

BRIAN DABOLL: We've had everybody here. Today Wan'Dale won't be here today because he's got a mandatory NFL rookie symposium. But we've had, I'd say, exceptional attendance.

Q. Joint practices, are you planning any this summer?

BRIAN DABOLL: Talking about it right now. I'd say that the training camp schedule, whether or not we practice with another team, we're still working through that. Probably have an answer for you by next week, but we're still going through that, myself, Laura Young, the strength staff, sports science. Just need a little bit more time on that. But definitely talking about it.

Q. Have Kenny and Kadarius been practicing the first two days?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, so we'll have some guys in red jerseys today. Some can do a little bit more than others. Some are rehabbing. There will be I'd say a number of guys right now in red jerseys. I'm not going to get into the specifics of it right now at this point in time, but you guys will end up seeing them.

Q. Were those two guys on the field Monday and Tuesday?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, they're on the field. They'll be two of the guys that are in red jerseys, but they've been in all the meetings. They're doing a good job. It's just good to have all the guys here so we can implement our stuff.

Q. Is there anyone you don't expect to be ready for the summer training camp?

BRIAN DABOLL: Probably give me a few more weeks on that. I think everybody is moving in the right direction. They've done a good job. The training staff has really done a good job. We'll end up talking about that before we leave, but I'm not ready to give you an answer on that one yet.

Q. How about Nick Gates, how has he been progressing?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, same as the other guys. He had a tough injury, but he's done a good job with his rehab. Probably still a little bit a ways away. I'd say him and Matt Peart, they're rehabbing every single day, getting better each day, so we'll see where they're at.

Q. I know it's the Giants' offensive playbook, but if you would circle things that maybe Mike Kafka has brought, would there be a lot of circles?

BRIAN DABOLL: We're working through that right now. I'd say Mike has contributed very positive in terms of additions and plays. So have the other coaches. Mike Groh has been around some different spots, and DeAndre (Smith) is coming from college and has some unique things, and Bisch (Andy Bischoff) was at Baltimore. We're trying to put together a package that we think our players do best. That's what we're trying to find out out here. Obviously there's no pads, so we're still a work in progress. But I said it last week, Mike is a really smart guy. He's done a really good job of leading that room as the offensive coordinator and in the meetings and out here on the practice field, and we're lucky to have him.

Q. A lot of coaches especially when they get this for the first time, you always hire some people you know or you sort of know, and you didn't really sort of know him at all, right?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, he was at New England for a quick second when I was there. I wasn’t the quarterback coach. But just knowing him throughout the years, I would say that we never worked together or had a close relationship but had a lot of respect for what he did with Patrick (Mahomes) and obviously the system they used at Kansas City was an explosive system, spread the field, get your playmakers in space, and that's the type of offense that I subscribe to. He's had a lot of success where he's come from. We've done some stuff there where I came from. But at the end of the day none of that really matters. We've got to figure out who our guys do best, and if that's a change in philosophy based on what we have or don't have, that's what we've got to do as a staff.

Q. The natural assumption is that your offense is going to look like it did in Buffalo, that was your offense there. What do you say to that thought?

BRIAN DABOLL: I say we've got a lot of work to do to still figure it out. The guys have done a great job. Look, we've installed a lot of plays. I tell the players, the train is not slowing down, we're just speeding up. The more we can install and the more they can learn, the more we can figure out what they do better. We were just doing a little install right there today, and I told KT, I said, look, if you feel comfortable with this route, we can call it this way versus Kenny, if you feel more comfortable with this route, we can call it that way. I think that's the job of the coach, too, you just don't take the system that you ran. You've got to figure out the plays you have, their strengths, their weaknesses. Some are quick, some are more physical and implement them in that regard in terms of the passing game and the running game.

Q. With that being the case, there is never a definitive end time of installation. Is that something that happens all throughout the time you're going to be here?

BRIAN DABOLL: You're talking about end time? No, we're always adding. Again, and I think you have to know when to pull back, too. There's a lot of things that run together, but I believe in putting as much pressure as we can on the players during this time. If they go out there and mess up a play or here, it's May right now. It's May. May 19th. Like we learn from it, and we keep growing and getting better. A lot different than when you're getting ready to play in September. Now is a good time to see. It's the same thing with Daniel. I tell him to try to fit tight throws in there. You go out there and throw a few picks at practice, no sweat. That's why we do this, to see what we can do and what we can't do. I think that's the mindset we all have to have is just figure out what we do best and then let them go out there and do it, and there's going to be mistakes along the way from all of us, starting with me.

Q. How vocal is Daniel being, telling you, I don't like this, I like that, because I know you solicit that feedback from the quarterback.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think it's improved really since the day we got here. It takes a lot of trust to do that. You're a player and you're trying to learn the system that the new coaching staff is bringing in, so usually everything, I can do that, I can do that, but as you build a relationship with the player, I think it's a lot easier for him to say, hey, give me that one again tomorrow or give me that next week, let me get another rep of that or I'm just not really feeling comfortable with this play, and then we just throw it out.

Again, everybody has a ton of plays in their playbook. It's not anything new. But I do think it's important for that position in particular to have a say in what he likes or what he doesn't like. I want all the players to be able to do that.

Again, that route I was talking about as an example in there between Kenny and KT. If one guy feels a little bit more comfortable with this type of stem or this type of double move, let's go ahead and do that versus the other guy just likes to just bang a body on you and get open, I'm okay with that, too.

Q. You were talking about how you're okay with Daniel throwing interceptions out here in practice. I think on the radio you were saying you want him not to be afraid of consequences. Once the season comes, is there a line where you're okay with the quarterback throwing interceptions? Obviously you don't want them, but you just want him to be free?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, look, we want to make sure we protect the ball. But again, you can't go out there and play afraid. Be smart, not reckless, if you will. If he's got a shot on the right read, let it go.

There's going to be things that happen in every game. The defense is going to make a good play, there might be a tipped ball. We're going to have to do a good job of taking care of the football, but I want him to turn it loose.

Q. Is that an adjustment for him mentally? His rookie year everyone harped on turnovers, and it seemed like he did go the other way the last two years. Is that something you've had to work on with him?

BRIAN DABOLL: I don't know, he's been good. The meetings that we've had, again, it's not like we want to go out there and throw three or four picks in a game. If we do that, these press conferences won't be too fun.

Q. It seems in recent coaching tenures here, when you guys come in, they tend to bring in players who they've had a history with. Is there a reason for that?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think that happens around the league. I don't want to speak for a lot of other teams, but you usually see that. Might be three, four, five. But I think when there's familiarity with a player, that person understands the system that you're running and the expectations in terms of the culture that you want to build, I think those guys add value in the rooms. I'd say we have a few of them here. Look, we're always going to try to improve the team any way we can, starting with Joe (Schoen) and myself and the scouts and the coaches. I know there's been some turnover here the last few days. Hopefully you don't have a ton of turnover, but I think you have to continue to work guys out on off days and if you think they can improve you or at least take a look at them, then you do that.

Q. Some new guys yesterday, you just sort of referenced it. Three of those guys are defensive backs. I'm curious your thoughts on those guys, particularly on Canady.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I don't know, I don't want to give you too many thoughts right now. We've got to get them in our system, get them in our culture, let them do things. Some of them have some familiarity with some of the coaches. We needed some numbers there at corner relative to where we were at, so I think we've added, what, three, four secondary guys, a defensive linemen that Dre (Andre Patterson) had at Minnesota, just get them in the system, see how they do here the next couple weeks.

Q. Can you talk about Darius Slayton, what you've seen from him so far in these OTAs?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's been out there, he's been dependable, he's known what to do. He doesn't talk a whole lot. Pretty quiet guy but a pro. I've got a lot of respect for him, how he handles his business both on and off the field. He's done a good job.