C-Mac
05-23-2007, 01:48 PM
Q&A with HERM EDWARDS - 5/23
May 23, 2007, 2:32:07 PM
OTA - Highlights
Q: How was practice?
HERM EDWARDS: “I thought it was good. I thought we were a lot further ahead this year than we were last year. We ran a little passing camp. The linemen were here and involved in the walk-through and lifted weights early. They do conditioning toward the middle part of practice. We’re just trying to throw the ball and defend the pass. It’s good for our passing game and we’re going to do this for the next three OTAs and really won’t start whole team exercises until the mini-camp. But I think we were a lot further along and it helps when you have your staff back. We’re doing some new things.”
Q: Trent Green met with the media yesterday and he said he felt you were not being honest with him when you’re saying it’s going to be a fair competition.
EDWARDS: “Well, I met with Trent and I’m not going to comment on what Trent told you guys.”
Q: Do you think if he does stay with this team and goes to training camp is it equal competition between Brodie (Croyle), Trent and Damon (Huard)?
EDWARDS: “It’s equal competition at that position, at the wide receiver position, at the defensive line position – a lot of different positions we have to make some decisions on who are going to be our starters, who’s going to be the backup guys.
“You know this team has been together for six years. We can’t lose sight of that. It’s won 53 games; it’s been to two playoff appearances, one at home that it lost to Indianapolis and one on the road that it lost that’s on my watch against Indianapolis. With that being said, there are some things that I have to do that are a little bit different now that I didn’t do last year. That’s my job as the head coach: to make this a competitive environment where guys understand that you have to compete at the professional level and there are certain positions that you have to create competition. That’s just one of them. We’re making a big deal out of this position, but there are a lot of other positions that guys are competing for to see if they’re going to be the starter, the back-up guy.
“I’ve always been fair when I’ve been put in this situation. I came in the league and learned from a guy named Dick Vermeil how to be fair with players. That’s what I’m going to do. I’ve always been that way and every player I’ve coached will tell you that.”
Q: Is this becoming disruptive? Trent says it’s awkward for him, awkward for his teammates?
EDWARDS: “It’s kind of funny because this is New York for me every day. So, no. If players can’t handle distractions you know what? It’s going to be tough for them to be very good in this league. Most veteran guys bring that to the table. They can deal with distractions.
“We’re talking about the off-season. Are you kidding me? This is the off-season and we’ve had one practice and all of a sudden we think it’s a distraction? This is not a distraction in any stretch of the imagination.
“We will have a starting football team when we go to Houston (September 9). 46 guys will dress and they will be the best 46 guys, in my opinion, who will help us win games.”
Q: Are there some players who aren’t here?
EDWARDS: “Ty Law is not here; Chris Terry is not here. I believe that is it.”
Q: In your plans you have Trent Green penciled in the whole way then?
EDWARDS: “From the beginning I have. Let’s not get this thing twisted. When I said we have to get younger that doesn’t mean I don’t like veteran football players. So let’s not get this thing twisted. What I’ve done is open competition at a lot of different positions. Now, quarterback is obviously the main position on your football team and when you do that you get this. I understand that. But at the end of the day it’s about production. It’s about putting the best players on the football field so we can try and win games. I want to win games and whoever those guys are those are the guys who are going to play for the Chiefs. Period. End of story.
“We’re making a big deal of out of nothing. We’re making a big deal out of competition. For me it’s competition. All that other stuff I don’t deal with. I coach the players that are here; I create the environment that we can have a competitive football camp and find out who the best players are. That’s never changed for me.”
Q: Is that what is being misunderstood when you say you want to get younger. Automatically that’s what people think when you say you want to get younger.
EDWARDS: “Let me ask you something. Like I said before, this team has been together for six years for the most part. I wasn’t here but one year. It was together for five years before I got here. They won 53 games, two playoff appearances, lost both of them; I’ve been involved in one of them. Well, I’ve got to do things to make it better. I’ve got to create competition.”
Q: Will there be a point when that other stuff you don’t want to be involved in gets to be too much and you go in and say let’s make a move?
EDWARDS: “My role is to be a head coach. I coach the players. That’s what is great about this. I get to coach the football players. I’m in a good organization. We’ve got good management people here. I’m going to coach the players. I’m going to coach the team. I always tell players know your role. That’s my role.
“You guys want an answer for opening day. I can’t do that. If I told you that this is the guy at certain positions and it didn’t come true you’d say the coach told a story, the coach told a fib. I’ve already been called that by somebody in this group. I’m going to address it with him ‘cause the player told me.
“What happens is when I say things and situations change I can’t help that. Going into certain things when I say something that’s the situation I’m involved in. If a situation changes down the road that doesn’t mean that I didn’t tell the truth. The one thing I do is tell the truth. OK. Let’s get that right. Maybe some people can’t accept that. I’m going to talk to a guy here in a minute because a player told me what he said. I’m going to get that addressed. I’m going to tell the truth, but if the situation changes don’t get it twisted. The situation may have changed. That’s what happens in life. But at the end of the day I look a player in the face and I tell him what’s on my mind and what’s expected of him.”
Q: Will you bring in another kicker to give you rookie kicker some competition?
EDWARDS: “No. He’s the kicker. Period.”
Q: What do you like about him?
EDWARDS: “We like his accuracy. We like his leg. He’s a confident guy. Lawrence was a good kicker. Lawrence has an opportunity to go somewhere. I had a great conversation with Lawrence and he knew exactly what happened, what took place, and that’s all that matters.”
Q: How long does it take (punter/holder) Dustin (Colquitt) and Justin to get in synch?
EDWARDS: “It takes some time and that’s why you don’t want to cloud it up for those guys. You don’t want to have a left footed kicker and a right footed kicker and guy whose trying to hold it both ways. It’s about timing along with the long snapper. All of a sudden the long snapper and the kicker are two different guys (from last year). There are going to be changes. Let’s get that right.
“In life there are always changes and for me it’s called growth. Sometimes people don’t want to accept change because you get comfortable. This team can’t get comfortable. It can not. I’m not going to let it get comfortable. That’s my job. So, when I say changes that doesn’t mean I’m trying to run all the Chiefs players out of here. I’m not trying to do that. There are good players here. But I’ve got to upgrade some things and I’ve got to do some things the way I want to do it.
“When I leave here as the head coach whoever follows me, guess what? He’s going to change too, ‘cause that’s what he’s supposed to do because he’s the head coach. But that’s what we’re trying to do and we’re going to create a competitive environment here where all players have a chance to be successful. At the end of the day that’s all I can do as a head coach.”
Q: From your observation, is Trent the same quarterback he was before his concussion?
EDWARDS: “I can’t tell you. All we’ve done is two days of practice.”
Q: At the end of last year?
EDWARDS: “I don’t know. I think it affected him last year.
“Remember, there was a season last year. We keep forgetting that. We played a whole football season. I evaluated this team on the season – how they played, every player. We lose sight of that right now, but we did have a season. There are a lot of things said about a lot of people in these circles who should be playing. Let’s get that straight, too, now. We get amnesia all of a sudden in the off-season. But we did play a whole football season. You evaluated this team as well as I did. Great thing about it is you’ve got an opinion about it but you can’t make any moves. I can and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to create competition at certain positions and it will be fair at all positions, at all positions. The best players will play. Period.”
Q: You talk about wanting to get this team better, so how important is it to get the offensive line better than last season?
EDWARDS: “Very important. It’s something we addressed at the left tackle position and we’ve got some guys coming back who are veteran players who are good players. We’ve addressed a lot of positions. We put too much pressure on Larry Johnson last year. Michael Bennett gets hurt. We’ve got four running backs right now - pretty good players, in my opinion. That’s what you have to do.
“When I say that you think I want to blow this whole thing up. I’m not trying to blow anything up. I’m trying to create an environment where there is going to be competition. Will there be some anxiety? That’s good. That’s good to have anxiety in your gut ‘cause then you can’t stay comfortable. In life when you get comfortable bad things happen to you. We’re not going to get comfortable in this organization.”
Q: Isn’t there a difference between being fair and doing what’s best for this football team?
EDWARDS: “I’m being fair and doing what is best for this football team. I’m being fair in how I’m evaluating the players and what’s best for the football team is for me to create competition. That’s what I’m doing.”
Q: Did you know going into this week that Chris Terry and Ty Law weren’t going to be here?
EDWARDS: “No. Terry will be here tomorrow. Remember, this is voluntary. There maybe one guy who is not here. It’s voluntary. Let’s not get that thing twisted.”
Q: Does it bring smile to your face to see those linebackers flying around out there?
EDWARDS: “Well, they’re athletic and move around very well. Our defensive line is very athletic all of a sudden. We’ve got some speed over there. We’re trying to do some things to create competition to maybe push some guys. That’s what you want to do on your football team. You want to make guys compete within your team.”
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Copyright ©2007 Kansas City Chiefs
May 23, 2007, 2:32:07 PM
OTA - Highlights
Q: How was practice?
HERM EDWARDS: “I thought it was good. I thought we were a lot further ahead this year than we were last year. We ran a little passing camp. The linemen were here and involved in the walk-through and lifted weights early. They do conditioning toward the middle part of practice. We’re just trying to throw the ball and defend the pass. It’s good for our passing game and we’re going to do this for the next three OTAs and really won’t start whole team exercises until the mini-camp. But I think we were a lot further along and it helps when you have your staff back. We’re doing some new things.”
Q: Trent Green met with the media yesterday and he said he felt you were not being honest with him when you’re saying it’s going to be a fair competition.
EDWARDS: “Well, I met with Trent and I’m not going to comment on what Trent told you guys.”
Q: Do you think if he does stay with this team and goes to training camp is it equal competition between Brodie (Croyle), Trent and Damon (Huard)?
EDWARDS: “It’s equal competition at that position, at the wide receiver position, at the defensive line position – a lot of different positions we have to make some decisions on who are going to be our starters, who’s going to be the backup guys.
“You know this team has been together for six years. We can’t lose sight of that. It’s won 53 games; it’s been to two playoff appearances, one at home that it lost to Indianapolis and one on the road that it lost that’s on my watch against Indianapolis. With that being said, there are some things that I have to do that are a little bit different now that I didn’t do last year. That’s my job as the head coach: to make this a competitive environment where guys understand that you have to compete at the professional level and there are certain positions that you have to create competition. That’s just one of them. We’re making a big deal out of this position, but there are a lot of other positions that guys are competing for to see if they’re going to be the starter, the back-up guy.
“I’ve always been fair when I’ve been put in this situation. I came in the league and learned from a guy named Dick Vermeil how to be fair with players. That’s what I’m going to do. I’ve always been that way and every player I’ve coached will tell you that.”
Q: Is this becoming disruptive? Trent says it’s awkward for him, awkward for his teammates?
EDWARDS: “It’s kind of funny because this is New York for me every day. So, no. If players can’t handle distractions you know what? It’s going to be tough for them to be very good in this league. Most veteran guys bring that to the table. They can deal with distractions.
“We’re talking about the off-season. Are you kidding me? This is the off-season and we’ve had one practice and all of a sudden we think it’s a distraction? This is not a distraction in any stretch of the imagination.
“We will have a starting football team when we go to Houston (September 9). 46 guys will dress and they will be the best 46 guys, in my opinion, who will help us win games.”
Q: Are there some players who aren’t here?
EDWARDS: “Ty Law is not here; Chris Terry is not here. I believe that is it.”
Q: In your plans you have Trent Green penciled in the whole way then?
EDWARDS: “From the beginning I have. Let’s not get this thing twisted. When I said we have to get younger that doesn’t mean I don’t like veteran football players. So let’s not get this thing twisted. What I’ve done is open competition at a lot of different positions. Now, quarterback is obviously the main position on your football team and when you do that you get this. I understand that. But at the end of the day it’s about production. It’s about putting the best players on the football field so we can try and win games. I want to win games and whoever those guys are those are the guys who are going to play for the Chiefs. Period. End of story.
“We’re making a big deal of out of nothing. We’re making a big deal out of competition. For me it’s competition. All that other stuff I don’t deal with. I coach the players that are here; I create the environment that we can have a competitive football camp and find out who the best players are. That’s never changed for me.”
Q: Is that what is being misunderstood when you say you want to get younger. Automatically that’s what people think when you say you want to get younger.
EDWARDS: “Let me ask you something. Like I said before, this team has been together for six years for the most part. I wasn’t here but one year. It was together for five years before I got here. They won 53 games, two playoff appearances, lost both of them; I’ve been involved in one of them. Well, I’ve got to do things to make it better. I’ve got to create competition.”
Q: Will there be a point when that other stuff you don’t want to be involved in gets to be too much and you go in and say let’s make a move?
EDWARDS: “My role is to be a head coach. I coach the players. That’s what is great about this. I get to coach the football players. I’m in a good organization. We’ve got good management people here. I’m going to coach the players. I’m going to coach the team. I always tell players know your role. That’s my role.
“You guys want an answer for opening day. I can’t do that. If I told you that this is the guy at certain positions and it didn’t come true you’d say the coach told a story, the coach told a fib. I’ve already been called that by somebody in this group. I’m going to address it with him ‘cause the player told me.
“What happens is when I say things and situations change I can’t help that. Going into certain things when I say something that’s the situation I’m involved in. If a situation changes down the road that doesn’t mean that I didn’t tell the truth. The one thing I do is tell the truth. OK. Let’s get that right. Maybe some people can’t accept that. I’m going to talk to a guy here in a minute because a player told me what he said. I’m going to get that addressed. I’m going to tell the truth, but if the situation changes don’t get it twisted. The situation may have changed. That’s what happens in life. But at the end of the day I look a player in the face and I tell him what’s on my mind and what’s expected of him.”
Q: Will you bring in another kicker to give you rookie kicker some competition?
EDWARDS: “No. He’s the kicker. Period.”
Q: What do you like about him?
EDWARDS: “We like his accuracy. We like his leg. He’s a confident guy. Lawrence was a good kicker. Lawrence has an opportunity to go somewhere. I had a great conversation with Lawrence and he knew exactly what happened, what took place, and that’s all that matters.”
Q: How long does it take (punter/holder) Dustin (Colquitt) and Justin to get in synch?
EDWARDS: “It takes some time and that’s why you don’t want to cloud it up for those guys. You don’t want to have a left footed kicker and a right footed kicker and guy whose trying to hold it both ways. It’s about timing along with the long snapper. All of a sudden the long snapper and the kicker are two different guys (from last year). There are going to be changes. Let’s get that right.
“In life there are always changes and for me it’s called growth. Sometimes people don’t want to accept change because you get comfortable. This team can’t get comfortable. It can not. I’m not going to let it get comfortable. That’s my job. So, when I say changes that doesn’t mean I’m trying to run all the Chiefs players out of here. I’m not trying to do that. There are good players here. But I’ve got to upgrade some things and I’ve got to do some things the way I want to do it.
“When I leave here as the head coach whoever follows me, guess what? He’s going to change too, ‘cause that’s what he’s supposed to do because he’s the head coach. But that’s what we’re trying to do and we’re going to create a competitive environment here where all players have a chance to be successful. At the end of the day that’s all I can do as a head coach.”
Q: From your observation, is Trent the same quarterback he was before his concussion?
EDWARDS: “I can’t tell you. All we’ve done is two days of practice.”
Q: At the end of last year?
EDWARDS: “I don’t know. I think it affected him last year.
“Remember, there was a season last year. We keep forgetting that. We played a whole football season. I evaluated this team on the season – how they played, every player. We lose sight of that right now, but we did have a season. There are a lot of things said about a lot of people in these circles who should be playing. Let’s get that straight, too, now. We get amnesia all of a sudden in the off-season. But we did play a whole football season. You evaluated this team as well as I did. Great thing about it is you’ve got an opinion about it but you can’t make any moves. I can and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to create competition at certain positions and it will be fair at all positions, at all positions. The best players will play. Period.”
Q: You talk about wanting to get this team better, so how important is it to get the offensive line better than last season?
EDWARDS: “Very important. It’s something we addressed at the left tackle position and we’ve got some guys coming back who are veteran players who are good players. We’ve addressed a lot of positions. We put too much pressure on Larry Johnson last year. Michael Bennett gets hurt. We’ve got four running backs right now - pretty good players, in my opinion. That’s what you have to do.
“When I say that you think I want to blow this whole thing up. I’m not trying to blow anything up. I’m trying to create an environment where there is going to be competition. Will there be some anxiety? That’s good. That’s good to have anxiety in your gut ‘cause then you can’t stay comfortable. In life when you get comfortable bad things happen to you. We’re not going to get comfortable in this organization.”
Q: Isn’t there a difference between being fair and doing what’s best for this football team?
EDWARDS: “I’m being fair and doing what is best for this football team. I’m being fair in how I’m evaluating the players and what’s best for the football team is for me to create competition. That’s what I’m doing.”
Q: Did you know going into this week that Chris Terry and Ty Law weren’t going to be here?
EDWARDS: “No. Terry will be here tomorrow. Remember, this is voluntary. There maybe one guy who is not here. It’s voluntary. Let’s not get that thing twisted.”
Q: Does it bring smile to your face to see those linebackers flying around out there?
EDWARDS: “Well, they’re athletic and move around very well. Our defensive line is very athletic all of a sudden. We’ve got some speed over there. We’re trying to do some things to create competition to maybe push some guys. That’s what you want to do on your football team. You want to make guys compete within your team.”
Send this page to a friend!
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Copyright ©2007 Kansas City Chiefs