Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka
Q: With the decision making behind (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito) being the starter, how much input did you have on that? What were those conversations like with Dabs (head coach Brian Daboll)
A: First off, I'm really excited for Tommy. I think it's been fun working with him and continuing to build the game plan with him has been a really good process, so that's really where our focus is at. I think he's doing a good job. We're in a Thursday-type practice today. That's where our focus is.
Q: You've been a player in locker rooms and there's a perception in sports that like the locker room always knows who the best player is. That's how you, I don't know, gain or lose a locker room basically. Are you playing the best players? Do you feel like the locker room backs Tommy as the best player over (quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor)?
A: Yeah, I think so. I sure do. I think when Dabs made the decision, I fully support it, I back it and that's really where our focus is.
Q: Sometimes when you have a bye week that's a lot earlier in the season you guys can go in and really dig in and make changes and say, 'ok, we can do this now and that now,' but being late, maybe not the wholesale changes, but the fact that Tommy is now the quarterback, and you really haven't put together that offense consistently around him. Did the bye week give you opportunities to, I don't want to say cater things to him, but to try to continue to find what works best for him as a quarterback?
A: It really did. It really did. That time during the bye week is invaluable for the staff, for the players to number one to get kind of rejuvenated just with some off time, but also to kind of go back and look at some of the things that we can improve on and we did that with not just the quarterback position but every position in our unit as a group, how we can improve in the run game, the pass game, all those kind of areas. We dug down deep as a staff and looked at a bunch of cutups, whether it was ourselves, around the league, what teams are doing, and how we can improve.
Q: One of the numbers that sticks out when you look at Tommy is, I think he's been sacked like 30 times in whatever. Is that just him holding the ball and trying not to make a mistake?
A: I'd say an offense, it's really never one guy. It's an 11-man operation. We all got to be clicking on the same cylinders and working to improve all those things, whether it's pass protection
upfront, whether it's getting the ball out, whether it's winning down field on a route, whether it's play calling, all those things work together. So, we all got to get on a better page and eliminate those things.
Q: There was a report in one of the Chicago papers that you turned down Northwestern's interest in their coaching job. I was curious why and how much serious consideration did you give that?
A: That was something that wasn't on my landscape at the time right now. Right now, this is what I'm focused on, being here and enjoying the process with the players and the coaches and going through this journey.
Q: At the same time, there's another report that you guys could lose (running back coach Jeff) Nixon in the same kind of thing, interest from a college job. What kind of Plan B or whatever you have to make to have that in order if you do lose him?
A: Whichever decision Nix makes, I fully support on the route he wants to go, and I'd be happy for him. I think as far as the staffing and stuff, you'd have to ask Dabs about that.
Q: Can a game like (wide receiver Jalin) Hyatt had against the Patriots continue to open up his game moving forward? Did he show things that he hadn't been showing that game or is it just a matter of things kind of opened up in that game?
A: I think he's done a nice job as he's building out throughout this season. I think each week is a little bit different in the game plan and how it kind of formulates based on the defenses we're playing, but I think it will continue to grow. I think he's feeling confident with himself, confident with the offense and you can see that as well.
