Head Coach Brian Daboll
September 3, 2024
Q: I know you tend to cater plays and schemes to the players’ abilities. So, what does (running back Devin) Singletary do that's going to be different in this offense?
BRIAN DABOLL: He's just a good running back. You can use him on all three downs. So, whether that's running inside, outside, pass protection, routes, you don't have to sub him a bunch, in terms of this person has this specific plays, this other running back has this specific plays. So, I'd say he's an all-purpose back for us.
Q: You knew him before he got here. Did you learn anything about him in the last couple of months?
BRIAN DABOLL: No. I've known him quite some time in this league and he's consistent.
Q: (Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator) Brian Flores did such a hell of a job with that defense last year. Talk about some of the challenges going against his defense?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say it's a completely different defense with Brian there and with a lot of new players that they've added. It's a pressure defense. He pressures often. Sometimes the entire game. I mean you go back, we've competed against one another when I was at Buffalo, him in Miami, and you go back and look at the game they played against the Rams when they had (Detroit Lions quarterback Jared) Goff and (Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean) McVay and they blitz zeroed it every single snap. He presents a variety of challenges with the fronts and then you add the players. (Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon) Gilmore, a veteran now that came over there, (safety) Harrison Smith, (defensive lineman) Harrison Phillips. They've got completely different edge guys with (outside linebacker Andrew) Van Ginkel, (outside linebacker Dallas) Turner, (outside linebacker Jonathan) Greenard from Houston. So it’ll be a challenge, it's a challenge mentally. Make sure that you're on point with everything you need to be on point with to make sure a play works against 11 people that pressure, I'd say, quite often.
Q: I know you said you do a lot of prep work on the early opponents in the offseason. They didn't play man very much at all last year. That seemed totally against his DNA. So how do you rectify that? They got new corners. You kind of know what he wants to do.
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would say the one constant theme is there is pressure. Some of the coverages you've seen in college, call it hot coverage where they play two under, three deep. There's a principle behind it like cover zero where it's like that but they're protected a little bit more. One under, four deep. But usually there's always more rushers than four coming at you from different areas. But I think BF-Flo has done a really good job there. Again, it's a completely different defensive scheme and structure than we saw two years ago. Couldn't be any more different. And then you add the pieces that they've added, they’re a good defense.
Q: You've talked going back to when they get here in the spring, the idea of the rookies and how much there's so much to learn and just introducing themselves to NFL life. You get into a game week, and you have rookies that you're likely going to count on game day. How much does game week change perspective for them knowing that where they've been the last couple months but now your veterans know what this is all about, but the rookies are really getting their first taste?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I think that's why you have veteran leadership to help those guys, show them their routines. I think the assistant coaches do a good job with them. Again, they've played a lot of football so it's more about creating a routine for yourself in this environment for the NFL and making sure you're doing what you need to do on a consistent basis. Have the discipline to do it right, day in and day out. Whether that's meetings, whether that's getting proper rest, whether it's prehab, rehab, whatever it may be. You're constantly trying to educate them on creating a routine that works best for them.
Q: How important is (cornerback Deonte) Banks to this team? There's so many great receivers in this league. You're obviously going to see one this week. How important is he?
BRIAN DABOLL: I think everybody's important. I think that’s why it's the greatest team game. You need 11 people operating as one, so everyone has to do their 1/11th and make sure that they're operating at a high level with the responsibilities and the job requirements that they have. Whether it's Banks, (outside linebacker Brian) Burns, whether it's outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux), (inside linebacker) Bobby Okereke, it takes all 11 people, whether it's on offense, defense, or in a kicking game, to have success usually.
Q: How much are you embracing the whole 100th season aspect of this? There's a lot going on outside, obviously celebrations. I think you guys are going to be wearing the helmets this week in practice. Do you let that come into the locker room?
BRIAN DABOLL: We have tremendous respect for the organization and for the people that have come before us. Guys like (Former Head) Coach (Bill) Parcells, (Former Head) Coach (Tom) Coughlin, (Former Giants linebacker) Carl Banks, (Former Giants linebacker) Lawrence Taylor, (Former Giants quarterback) Phil Simms, (Former Giants quarterback) Eli Manning, the list goes on and on. Our focus has to be singular on getting ready for the Minnesota Vikings and doing everything we can do. That's all you ask of everybody in the organization, the coaching staff, players, is to put your head down and go to work and leave no stone unturned so that you're as prepared as you can be to go out there on opening day.
Q: How'd they look in their helmets? I think they were out there yesterday. Did they have the new ones?
BRIAN DABOLL: We did our walkthroughs. Our focus is on the Vikings with all respect to the people that have come before us.
Q: What have you seen from the O-line that tells you they're up for the challenge?
BRIAN DABOLL: Again, I've said this before, there's a lot of veterans on that group that have played a lot of football. Whether you evaluate (guard Jon) Runyan (Jr.) at Green Bay or (tackle Jermaine) Eluemunor, (guard Greg Van Roten) GVR at Las Vegas, (tackle Andrew Thomas) AT, these guys have played a lot of football. They'll be ready to play. They're preparing. They communicate well and doing everything they can do to get ready.
Q: How's Runyan doing?
BRIAN DABOLL: He’s doing good.
Q: Why is he wearing a red jersey?
BRIAN DABOLL: All the offensive players will be wearing a red jersey today.
Q: Daniel doesn’t look like he’s in a red jersey.
BRIAN DABOLL: He's a quarterback so we had to switch it. Usually, the quarterbacks wear a red one to stay away from, but we had to switch it because of the jerseys that we're wearing. He's in blue, the defense is in white, and the offense is in red today.
Q: Do you expect a defensive player to kind of forget that the quarterback can't be hit if they're wearing blue?
BRIAN DABOLL: No. We put them in different colors. With the new jerseys this week…you can see another guy in red over there.
Q: Why did you decide to take over play calling this year? What went into that decision?
BRIAN DABOLL: We work well together offensively. Getting ready to play week one. We've talked enough about that. Doing everything we do to get ready.
Q: Do you see this as a game between two teams very similarly? You both made the playoffs in ‘22. You both fell last year and now trying to get back.
BRIAN DABOLL: Like I’ve said before, 24 years of doing this. Twenty fourth opening game. Every year is different. We've played on Thursday nights, played on Sundays at one. It really doesn't matter what you did the year before or two years ago, whatever that is. What matters is doing everything you can do for this week to get ready to play a football game. That's all of us, what we're all going to do.
Q: The perception of play calling is that if you're going to do it, you say ‘I'm going to put it in my own hands. This is what I did to get myself here. I want to be in charge of that’. What do you make of that?
BRIAN DABOLL: Like I said before, we're getting ready to play the Vikings. We've talked about that. Doing everything we do to get ready to play.
Q: You never really talked about it. You never said if you're definitely doing it or not.
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I'm doing it.
Q: Two years ago in Tennessee, the way you coached that game, gave your team a distinct advantage to open the year, set a tone. When you think about what you did well that day, what is the important tone you set as a head coach in a week one season opener?
BRIAN DABOLL: Again, every game is different. This game will certainly be different. You just do everything you can do leading up to this, OTAs, training camp, all the things that you teach, the fundamentals, the situational awareness, and then every game has its own identity. I can't tell you how this game is going to go, whether you're going to be down, whether you're going to be up, whether it's going to be close at the end. Those are all decisions that you talk through throughout the week of decisions that you need to make, why you would make them. That's what we'll do here with Minnesota. Again, what happened two years ago, with all due respect to the question, I'm not sure really matters in this game. Our focus is on making sure we study tape, study their new personnel in all three phases, and then try to hit our keys, which will be important for us against a good team.
Q: With the play calling, there does seem to be nowhere else to go now. Is it sort of an all or nothing proposition? I know it's not nothing, but it's on you now, and that's your responsibility.
BRIAN DABOLL: I'm the head coach, so I'm responsible for everything, whether it's the defense, the special teams, the offense.
Q: You know what I mean when I say you've taken over a significant extra role?
BRIAN DABOLL: Again, we've talked about this before. Almost everybody in the league does it that’s an offensive head coach.
Q: Was there anything that made you feel like that change was needed or necessary?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, again, we're just getting ready for the Vikings here.
Q: What offensive challenges do you expect the Vikings to present?
BRIAN DABOLL: Significant ones. Start with (Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin) Jefferson. You better know where he's lined up. He can hurt you in all three areas of the field. Catch and run, intermediate, vertical, double moves. They'll use him in a variety of spots, and then you look on the opposite side of it with (wide receiver Jordan) Addison, who we did a lot of work on when he was coming out last year, who's an exceptional route runner, very gifted receiver, was excellent at Pitt, and you can see. Then they acquire a veteran in (running back Aaron) Jones (Sr.), who's a very good runner, can run inside, run outside, solid offensive line, and (quarterback) Sam (Darnold). You go back and watch Sam. I've watched Sam for a long time at all the spots he's been, whether it's San Francisco, the Jets, Carolina. He'll be ready to play. He's a pro. Got a lot of respect for him.
Q: Adoree’ Jackson today, how much will he work?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we'll give him plenty of work today. We'll see where he's at. We'll evaluate him in individuals, then we'll continue to evaluate him throughout the practice. He'll get good work.
Q: (Inside linebacker) Micah (McFadden) will practice today?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, everybody's practicing today. He is. Everybody's practicing.
