keg in kc
08-21-2001, 03:17 PM
Conversation with Dick Vermeil - August 21, 2001 (http://kcchiefs.com/latest/mainnews.asp?storyID=2374&cat=96)
"I walked out of the office at a quarter after 12 o'clock last night. I can't tell you when the coaches left. It might have been three o'clock this morning and they're back at six (AM). They honed an approach for the game Thursday night (vs. Jacksonville). Not like you would detail a preparation for a whole game play, but they have honed an approach and applied it to this morning's practice."
Q: Will that be their hours during the season ?
VERMEIL: "I'll tell you: I know when my curfew is. They kill me, these guys."
Q: How close are you in determining your first cut-down casualties ?
VERMEIL: "I'll tell you exactly where I am. I've got 20 guys I'm sure of on defense who are going to make it and I've got 20 guys I'm 100% sure of on offense who are going to make it and I've got three guys I'm almost 100% sure of who are going to make it in the kicking game. Then there's some very competitive situations going on for the other roster spots."
Q: How competitive are those ?
VERMEIL: "Sometimes it goes down to the final game (based) on their ability to learn, on their ability to stay healthy, on their ability to work, on their ability to fit the Chiefs profile in what we're looking for in an athlete and a person. It can be very competitive."
Q: What are you trying to get done in a practice session like today ?
VERMEIL: "Today we worked on Jacksonville, this afternoon too. We don't normally have double sessions in regular season preparation but we thought we'd take another short one this afternoon too. Right now we just finished the first quarter on September 9th (opening day of the season). We just finished the first quarter against the Raiders about 23 minutes after noon, that's about the end of the first quarter, the way I figure it. You like the heat; you like to work in it because you're going to be playing in it. We think that's our advantage."
Q: Are you kind of looking forward to the test a Jacksonville gives you ?
VERMEIL: "I think it's a test. They've been a playoff team except for the first year every year until last year. They had a rash of injuries. I have tremendous respect for Tom Coughlin. I was recommending Tom Coughlin for head coaching jobs in the NFL when he was the head coach of Boston College. I bet you I told four or five different owners to hire this guy."
Q: Is the competition at right cornerback still intense between Eric Warfield and William Bartee?
VERMEIL: "It is very heated. The nice think is they both can play. They both are starters in my opinion. We've got two starters at right corner. The guy that's been the most pleasing to me other than the obvious guys is (CB) Taje (Allen). Taje is a much better football player today than when I coached in '99. We had him three years but he's just continued to improve his techniques and skills. He's done a tremendous job."
Q: How competitive is the middle linebacker competition ?
VERMEIL: "Competitive. Marvcus Patton might be one of the true stallions I've ever been around in the National Football League. This guy is a man. You love him. But, the other guy (Mike Maslowski) is a young man. It'll come down to be very close. There's pluses and minuses on both sides, I'm sure. We have tremendous respect for both."
Q: What is your most competitive position right now ?
VERMEIL: "I'd say middle linebacker, right corner, and some backup positions, right off the top of my head. Wide receiver, no question, especially for the number three, four and five jobs."
Q: Hoping to get (WR) Chris Thomas back on the field Thursday night ?
VERMEIL: "Hoping too but I'm not as concerned looking at him because he's a better player than he was when I had him (in St. Louis). He really through the whole camp has been the most consistent receiver. First off, he knows the (offensive) scheme. Secondly, he's improved his skills and is an outstanding special teams player. We missed him the other night (vs. Chicago). If we don't see him, we don't see him. I know what he can do."
Q: How about (DT) Dan Williams' physical condition ? When can we expect him back ?
VERMEIL: "I don't know about Dan Williams, I really don't. We find a little more wrong with him every day. I'm not too sure. We're getting first opinions, second opinions, third opinions, fourth opinions, fifth opinions. Maybe we'll find an opinion that will say he can play some."
Q: Is it a medical problem ?
VERMEIL: "He's an older football player; he's got some bumps and bruises. There isn't a guy who has played as long as he has that doesn't have some bumps or bruises, or maybe will never feel 100%."
Q: Are you getting close to the point where you won't consider him in your immediate plans ?
VERMEIL: "He could stay on PUP (physically unable to perform) for a considerable number of weeks into the regular season. We were sort of counting on him September 9th and it (rehabilitation) was accelerating, now we've got something else wrong. He's put a lot of work in since he's got here but none before he got here. He had a lot of other (personal) things that were higher priorities. Now football is a higher priority."
Q: How's (LB) Donnie Edwards' ankle ?
VERMEIL: "We kept him off his foot. He'll be OK."
Q: How is (TE) Mikhael Ricks' hamstring ?
VERMEIL: "Mikhael Ricks has got a chance, he really, really does. The move that (offensive coordinator) Al Saunders and (tight ends coach) Keith Rowen made with him (to tight end) might be real special for his career. Maybe he can play wide receiver in certain schemes, even here, and be just another guy. But (playing) inside like that, you've already seen how he flashes. There are certain things that he does all of a sudden that startles defensive people. He's got a chance."
Q: Will his presence make (TE) Tony Gonzalez ?
VERMEIL: "They'll make each other better. There's only one Tony Gonzalez. You saw the display he put on here yesterday (at practice). It was unbelievable. I think that he and Trent Green are going to have a wonderful relationship."
"I walked out of the office at a quarter after 12 o'clock last night. I can't tell you when the coaches left. It might have been three o'clock this morning and they're back at six (AM). They honed an approach for the game Thursday night (vs. Jacksonville). Not like you would detail a preparation for a whole game play, but they have honed an approach and applied it to this morning's practice."
Q: Will that be their hours during the season ?
VERMEIL: "I'll tell you: I know when my curfew is. They kill me, these guys."
Q: How close are you in determining your first cut-down casualties ?
VERMEIL: "I'll tell you exactly where I am. I've got 20 guys I'm sure of on defense who are going to make it and I've got 20 guys I'm 100% sure of on offense who are going to make it and I've got three guys I'm almost 100% sure of who are going to make it in the kicking game. Then there's some very competitive situations going on for the other roster spots."
Q: How competitive are those ?
VERMEIL: "Sometimes it goes down to the final game (based) on their ability to learn, on their ability to stay healthy, on their ability to work, on their ability to fit the Chiefs profile in what we're looking for in an athlete and a person. It can be very competitive."
Q: What are you trying to get done in a practice session like today ?
VERMEIL: "Today we worked on Jacksonville, this afternoon too. We don't normally have double sessions in regular season preparation but we thought we'd take another short one this afternoon too. Right now we just finished the first quarter on September 9th (opening day of the season). We just finished the first quarter against the Raiders about 23 minutes after noon, that's about the end of the first quarter, the way I figure it. You like the heat; you like to work in it because you're going to be playing in it. We think that's our advantage."
Q: Are you kind of looking forward to the test a Jacksonville gives you ?
VERMEIL: "I think it's a test. They've been a playoff team except for the first year every year until last year. They had a rash of injuries. I have tremendous respect for Tom Coughlin. I was recommending Tom Coughlin for head coaching jobs in the NFL when he was the head coach of Boston College. I bet you I told four or five different owners to hire this guy."
Q: Is the competition at right cornerback still intense between Eric Warfield and William Bartee?
VERMEIL: "It is very heated. The nice think is they both can play. They both are starters in my opinion. We've got two starters at right corner. The guy that's been the most pleasing to me other than the obvious guys is (CB) Taje (Allen). Taje is a much better football player today than when I coached in '99. We had him three years but he's just continued to improve his techniques and skills. He's done a tremendous job."
Q: How competitive is the middle linebacker competition ?
VERMEIL: "Competitive. Marvcus Patton might be one of the true stallions I've ever been around in the National Football League. This guy is a man. You love him. But, the other guy (Mike Maslowski) is a young man. It'll come down to be very close. There's pluses and minuses on both sides, I'm sure. We have tremendous respect for both."
Q: What is your most competitive position right now ?
VERMEIL: "I'd say middle linebacker, right corner, and some backup positions, right off the top of my head. Wide receiver, no question, especially for the number three, four and five jobs."
Q: Hoping to get (WR) Chris Thomas back on the field Thursday night ?
VERMEIL: "Hoping too but I'm not as concerned looking at him because he's a better player than he was when I had him (in St. Louis). He really through the whole camp has been the most consistent receiver. First off, he knows the (offensive) scheme. Secondly, he's improved his skills and is an outstanding special teams player. We missed him the other night (vs. Chicago). If we don't see him, we don't see him. I know what he can do."
Q: How about (DT) Dan Williams' physical condition ? When can we expect him back ?
VERMEIL: "I don't know about Dan Williams, I really don't. We find a little more wrong with him every day. I'm not too sure. We're getting first opinions, second opinions, third opinions, fourth opinions, fifth opinions. Maybe we'll find an opinion that will say he can play some."
Q: Is it a medical problem ?
VERMEIL: "He's an older football player; he's got some bumps and bruises. There isn't a guy who has played as long as he has that doesn't have some bumps or bruises, or maybe will never feel 100%."
Q: Are you getting close to the point where you won't consider him in your immediate plans ?
VERMEIL: "He could stay on PUP (physically unable to perform) for a considerable number of weeks into the regular season. We were sort of counting on him September 9th and it (rehabilitation) was accelerating, now we've got something else wrong. He's put a lot of work in since he's got here but none before he got here. He had a lot of other (personal) things that were higher priorities. Now football is a higher priority."
Q: How's (LB) Donnie Edwards' ankle ?
VERMEIL: "We kept him off his foot. He'll be OK."
Q: How is (TE) Mikhael Ricks' hamstring ?
VERMEIL: "Mikhael Ricks has got a chance, he really, really does. The move that (offensive coordinator) Al Saunders and (tight ends coach) Keith Rowen made with him (to tight end) might be real special for his career. Maybe he can play wide receiver in certain schemes, even here, and be just another guy. But (playing) inside like that, you've already seen how he flashes. There are certain things that he does all of a sudden that startles defensive people. He's got a chance."
Q: Will his presence make (TE) Tony Gonzalez ?
VERMEIL: "They'll make each other better. There's only one Tony Gonzalez. You saw the display he put on here yesterday (at practice). It was unbelievable. I think that he and Trent Green are going to have a wonderful relationship."