Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

May 10, 2024

Q. What do you want to accomplish this weekend with the rookies here?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, you know, they're here for a couple days. Kind of them get to know us, us get to know them. We'll be out on the field for about an hour and 15 minutes. We will do some individual drills, there will be a couple 7-on-7s.

But, again, it's just an introductory phase for them to see how we operate, start learning basic terminology, figuring out where everything is. It’ll be a good start.

Q. In your experience of doing this, how quickly have you found the rookies to come in and grasp whatever you throw at them from a playbook standpoint?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we don't really throw a lot at them right now. We’ve got some tryout guys. We have obviously draft picks and some guys we signed after the draft and few of our players.

So, again, we'll just take it slow. They have a lot to learn. A lot learn. Which this my 24th rookie class. It's that same way every year.

Q. Do you find your eye gravitating more towards the draft picks out here, because you're invested in those guys, or the tryout guys trying to find a gem?

BRIAN DABOLL: Sure. Yeah, I would say both. Again, different people will be doing, so when we do the 7-on-7, that will be more for the tryout guys, UDFAs, kind of see where they are at and see if we can find someone we can add to the roster like we did with Ryder (Anderson) a couple years ago.

You're evaluating, looking at everybody. Again, we're not really doing a whole bunch. But you look at everybody.

Q. Can you pick up stuff like attentiveness and work ethic and just a general feel for a player?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, look, you meet with them, so, again, the amount of information we're throwing at them for these two days I wouldn't say is too hard.

But there is enough in there to see how they take notes, they ask questions. We just did a walk-through, so you do some different adjustments.

But I would say you're just -- again, it's such an introductory phase. Really I just want to get to know the guys the best I can.

Q. Will Nathan Rourke participate?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, he won't be out here.

Q. What went into claiming him?

BRIAN DABOLL: Thought it was a good claim. Joe put a claim in, we got him. Have another arm. Did some good stuff in the CFL and watched his stuff at Jacksonville, he was at the Patriots. Thought he was a good player to add.

Q. Does is say anything about Daniel's participation this spring, having another quarterback? Will Daniel participate this spring in OTAs?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's been going through phase two. We'll see where we are at in phase three. We thought Nathan was a good to player to add to the roster.

Q. I know one of the things you liked about Nubin was his leadership, I know he's only been around these guys for a little while, but have you seen that coming through for him?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would say it's too early. We did a lot of research obviously before the draft. I’ve talked to him for a few minutes since he's been here.

You know, all points say yes. The signs lead to yes. Again, he's got a lot to learn, and I would say learning the information and how we do things is the most important right now.

Q. Allen Robinson, what did you see in him and why did you bring him in?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, had a good workout. Has been a productive player for a while. We've had good conversations. Ended up choosing to come here. Happy to have him.

Q. How do you see him fitting in?

BRIAN DABOLL: He hasn't been out here yet. He was here yesterday in phase two. We'll see. We’ll throw him out there and see how he does.

Q. Do you look at that as any part of Darius Slayton’s future?

BRIAN DABOLL: No. Nope.

Q. With a guy like Malik, I’m just using him as an example. He lived down south. Lived in Louisiana most of his life. Came up here.

BRIAN DABOLL: Similar weather today.

Q. Yeah. When they come up here, it's obviously a different way of living. Most guys come up north and say, wow, the speed of this place is a different beast to them. As a coach, do you try to make that transition any easier for them? If so, how would you do that?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, that's a really good question. Ashley Lynn does a great job with our player programs. We try to help them be the best version of themselves in every area. Not just on the field. Obviously we know why he's here is to try to help us on the offensive side of the ball and score points.

There is a lot that goes into it. That's part of this weekend with them meeting some of the people that are here to he help them be the best version of themselves. Not just the coaches but the support staff as well.

Q. You talked at the draft about how competitive Malik is. Do you have to pull him back a little bit these two days as you're trying to ease into the weekend?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would say all these guys have a lot to learn. I think we have a good plan for these couple days, but once we get into the phase two portion with these young players, they're going to see how far they really are behind the veterans in terms of the knowledge, the fast pace of how we do things.

Again, this is a good two days to get them started, but a lot of work that needs to be done.

Q. Malik mentioned all the way back in Indianapolis at the combine that when he met with you and your guys it was fun, the room was fun. He wasn't your player then. What kind of personality has he shown you then and maybe now? And obviously it's not fun anymore. Now it's more work. How is he going to translate there?

BRIAN DABOLL: Sorry, when you said that, you made me think of Remember the Titans. Remember that scene in Remember the Titans?

He's a good young man. I like to think we have fun in the meeting rooms. But we’ve got a job to do and he has to pick up our system as quick as we can. We’re going to do everything we can to help him.

Mature young guy. We've had some good conversations between when he was drafted and now, and some good Zooms and introduction to how we do things and some of our terminology. Happy to have him. Competitive guy. Look forward to working with him.

Q. Which scene were you talking about? So many good scenes in that movie.

BRIAN DABOLL: When you said fun. You remember that scene?

Q. Yeah.

BRIAN DABOLL: In the gymnasium.

Q. Are you going to have to pull him aside and give him your best Denzel Washington impression now that you have heard him describe it as fun?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, I'm not going to do that. I’m not much of an actor.

Q. You mentioned not just on the field that you're focused on these guys here. What do you tell them about the work-life balance at this level?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, really we're just trying to get ready for this practice here. We had a quick meeting last night and described some of the things I talked to you guys about about certain expectations.

Then a quick meeting this morning just to go over the schedule. Really they’ve been with your position coaches and the coordinators.

Again, we’re not installing a ton of plays, but for them to go out there and practice with energy and enthusiasm. Don't give them too much where their heads are cloudy so some of the guys we can evaluate and see what they can do.

Q. Why don't do you that anymore? Used to be you would throw everything at them, right?

BRIAN DABOLL: I wouldn't say everything. No. I think it's just as -- go back to 2000 to now, I think you have to adjust as a staff as well. Most of these guys have been practicing for vertical jumps and broad jumps and three cones and all those things, and we want to make sure we do it right for those guys so they can get in and practice a few things.

And then once they get in with the veterans, we'll have a specific plan for them as well to try to catch them up to speed the best we can physically and mentally.

Q. When does that happen? When do they catch up, phase three?

BRIAN DABOLL: When do they catch up?

Q. November, January?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think every rookie is different. I’ve had some that have been -- I would say fewer that have been getting it right away. Usually it takes a while.

Q. How do you balance keeping them level headed where they're not so nervous because they want to make an impression?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, that was one of the first things I talked to them about last night. Take a deep breath, relax, enjoy the moment. You’ve worked really hard to get into this seat. Don't make more of it than it is right now.

We're not going to give you too much so your head is a swimming. We're going to let you go out there and run around and compete the best you can. Particularly the tryout guys. Our coaches have been FaceTiming or Zooming and meeting with the draft picks and trying to catch them up the best we can.

It's tough for those guys when they come in. The veterans have been doing it for a while, whether it's a year or two or the past few months as we’ve been working.

So it it's a day by day deal. You try to develop them the best you can.

Q. Malik said at the draft you and he had a back and forth about you getting out on the grass and covering him.

BRIAN DABOLL: I'm trying to get in shape to do that.

Q. Is that realistic with your competitive nature as well?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, it's not realistic.

Q. Nabers comes off very confident in his own abilities. When you're coaching rookies, especially a high draft pick like that, do you want to create humility by showing them how much they need to learn or do you want to let that confidence breathe and go?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would say the biggest thing is just to teach them how we do things, to teach them the system, to let him feel confident when we goes out there.

Again, we’ve put in just a few plays. We’ve been going through phase two, and we’ve probably put in over 200, 300 plays from the start of the phase one all the way to phase three.

What you don't want is you don't want players to give them so much where kind of they're not able to use their full athletic ability.

I don't mind players that are humble, confident, as long as they're putting in the work to learn. That's our job, is to help them learn. Ultimately, it’s their job to go ahead and learn it. The faster he can learn it, the more he can use his athletic ability to help us.

Q. What is your confidence level in Nubin that he will be able to adjust to the pace right away?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think it's early. Look, the guys that we drafted we obviously did a lot of the work on them. Happy they're here. Now, whether you're a UDFA, a tryout guy, you have to go out there and earn it.

Again, there is a long ways to go for all those guys as we all know. He's a good young man. I know he's going to put the work in.

Try to get him as ready as soon as we can.

Q. How has your teaching style changed from when you started to where we are now, or has it changed?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it’s changed. It changes every year. I think you need to. The players that are out here working out live in a different time era than in 2000 when I first started. You try to grow as a coach, your teaching methods, whether it's more walk-through -- when we first started you're always in the classroom and then throw them out there.

Now it's a lot more interactive. We try to develop that each and every year.

Q. What are you doing to look so good?

BRIAN DABOLL: I don't know about that one. It's like throwing a chair off a yacht. That's where I'm at.

Q. Two chairs?

BRIAN DABOLL: Two chairs.