aturnis
08-02-2009, 05:22 PM
Q&A with TODD HALEY - 8/2 (http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2009/08/02/qa_with_todd_haley__82/) (<-- link)
Aug 02, 2009, 6:06:18 PM
Q: Branden Albert said it was nice to have, ‘the two wise men’ back: Waters and Goff. How did they look out there in pads?
TODD HALEY: “I thought they looked very good. I was excited to see them. They’re both potential difference makers for us, I believe.”
Q: Did they have to test their way back, or how did you make a determination they were ready?
HALEY: “Again, I’m going to leave details out. As I’ve said, we’ve had a number of guys that were on the PUP out of the gate and in various different ways they became active again. They were ready to go. As I said, it didn’t appear it was going to be a long term thing for either one of them. We also got Ron Edwards back and Dion Gales, the defensive end.”
Q: Was fatigue a little bit of a factor today? I heard one of the assistant coaches yell, ‘concentrate’ when guys were getting tired as today’s session went a little bit longer.
HALEY: “Yeah, the one-a-days are going to be longer. That was all part of the thought process, two-a-days then we come back to a longer one-a-day. It’s a little bit more of a conditioning deal. That’s why at the end you saw us running those two drills. That’s the name of the game. As you get tired you must be able to focus and concentrate and do your job. It’s something we can’t stress enough as coaches and we educate the players on how important that is that you’re not making mistakes when you’re tired. When you’re tired it’s usually late in games or late in drives after a long drive either way. That’s when stuff like that generally occurs and ends up costing you points or wins.”
Q: Dwayne Bowe has had some problems in the past dropping balls. Is it a concentration issue?
HALEY: “To play receiver in the NFL I think you must catch most of the footballs. If you don’t catch most of them – and there’s always going to be some balls that end up on the ground for one reason or the other – to be an NFL receiver you must be able to catch the football. That’s the top prerequisite for wide receiver. It’s not just Dwayne, it’s any wide receiver who is out there. They must concentrate and catch the football whether they’re going to take a hit, or whether they’re on the sideline and they have to get their feet in, or it’s an easy ball over the middle that they’ve got to concentrate, or it’s a deep ball, that’s the job description.”
Q: Is Tanner Purdum giving you the consistency that you’re looking for out of the deep snapper?
HALEY: “No, not yet. I saw a high one today; I believe it was him. He’s got to continue to hone his skills as are the other guys who are working at it pretty hard to try to compete for the job.”
Q: Last year’s team had trouble getting to the quarterback. How important will it be this year to get pressure and what about this defense makes you think you can get more pressure?
HALEY: “Getting to the quarterback is obviously critical to success on defense. You must be able to create pressure and havoc in the backfield one way or the other whether you’re getting sacks or not. We’ve added some players that should help us, whether it’s a Mike Vrabel or some young guys that should be developing a little bit to become better pass rushers. We’re coaching them hard on technique to improve. Scheme-wise if we can’t get to him with a four man rush then we’re going to have to do some things to create some pressure schematically. We’ll continue to work and see if we’re making progress. They got some pressure today on the offense, I know that.”
Q: Along those lines what kind of progress is a guy like Tamba Hali making and Turk McBride too?
HALEY: “I think they’re making good progress. We’ve got some guys to help them – guys who have been through the same type deal. One of our summer intern coaches is a guy named Anthony Pleasant who has played in a defense similar to this and who was a great technique guy for14 years in the league. These guys are hungry and they want to learn; they’re paying attention.”
Q: Can you give us an update on your number one draft pick?
HALEY: “Talking only about the players that are on the football field actually practicing.”
Q: Can you describe some of the footwork and agility drills you are doing that are specific?
HALEY: “The way we are going to coach is the details, the little things, the fundamental basics. As I’ve said, it’s not rocket science. You can do it a number of different ways but there are some basics that have to be done all the time. One of those is fundamentals and if we feel like there is any slip in fundamentals then it’s our problem and we haven’t done a good job. We have to coach fundamentals and the basics all the time. You cannot assume that these guys have it.”
Q: Is that what you were doing with the wide receivers: body control on routes?
HALEY: “Yeah, we’ve had guys on the ground and a receiver is no good to anyone if he’s on the ground. Whether it’s the right shoes, improper technique, whatever it is, a wide receiver cannot be on the ground and help you win in any way, shape or form. If they’re slipping and falling out there we’ve got to do something about it and that’s why you saw a little attention to that.”
Q: When you were coaching in this game did you pay much attention to Derrick Thomas, who is going into the Hall of Fame this year?
HALEY: “Derrick Thomas is one of the all-time greats. As I was starting my scouting career with the Jets we had to play the Chiefs a couple of times. I was actually at the Hula Bowl, the college all-star game, when Derrick was out there. Saw him around the whole week. I was in college at that time but I obviously paid attention to those guys.
“The great story about Derrick Thomas to me is I was out there with my father who was actually scouting the game. But I went to the practices and the game and Derrick Thomas had a passport issue and they told him he was not going to be able to play. So, the night before the game he didn’t prepare as if he was going to play and I think he went out and had a good time. At 6 AM they came in and said, ‘you’re playing,’ and I think it was seven sacks later. That’s all you needed to see. One or the greats of all time rushing the passer, playing defense.”
Aug 02, 2009, 6:06:18 PM
Q: Branden Albert said it was nice to have, ‘the two wise men’ back: Waters and Goff. How did they look out there in pads?
TODD HALEY: “I thought they looked very good. I was excited to see them. They’re both potential difference makers for us, I believe.”
Q: Did they have to test their way back, or how did you make a determination they were ready?
HALEY: “Again, I’m going to leave details out. As I’ve said, we’ve had a number of guys that were on the PUP out of the gate and in various different ways they became active again. They were ready to go. As I said, it didn’t appear it was going to be a long term thing for either one of them. We also got Ron Edwards back and Dion Gales, the defensive end.”
Q: Was fatigue a little bit of a factor today? I heard one of the assistant coaches yell, ‘concentrate’ when guys were getting tired as today’s session went a little bit longer.
HALEY: “Yeah, the one-a-days are going to be longer. That was all part of the thought process, two-a-days then we come back to a longer one-a-day. It’s a little bit more of a conditioning deal. That’s why at the end you saw us running those two drills. That’s the name of the game. As you get tired you must be able to focus and concentrate and do your job. It’s something we can’t stress enough as coaches and we educate the players on how important that is that you’re not making mistakes when you’re tired. When you’re tired it’s usually late in games or late in drives after a long drive either way. That’s when stuff like that generally occurs and ends up costing you points or wins.”
Q: Dwayne Bowe has had some problems in the past dropping balls. Is it a concentration issue?
HALEY: “To play receiver in the NFL I think you must catch most of the footballs. If you don’t catch most of them – and there’s always going to be some balls that end up on the ground for one reason or the other – to be an NFL receiver you must be able to catch the football. That’s the top prerequisite for wide receiver. It’s not just Dwayne, it’s any wide receiver who is out there. They must concentrate and catch the football whether they’re going to take a hit, or whether they’re on the sideline and they have to get their feet in, or it’s an easy ball over the middle that they’ve got to concentrate, or it’s a deep ball, that’s the job description.”
Q: Is Tanner Purdum giving you the consistency that you’re looking for out of the deep snapper?
HALEY: “No, not yet. I saw a high one today; I believe it was him. He’s got to continue to hone his skills as are the other guys who are working at it pretty hard to try to compete for the job.”
Q: Last year’s team had trouble getting to the quarterback. How important will it be this year to get pressure and what about this defense makes you think you can get more pressure?
HALEY: “Getting to the quarterback is obviously critical to success on defense. You must be able to create pressure and havoc in the backfield one way or the other whether you’re getting sacks or not. We’ve added some players that should help us, whether it’s a Mike Vrabel or some young guys that should be developing a little bit to become better pass rushers. We’re coaching them hard on technique to improve. Scheme-wise if we can’t get to him with a four man rush then we’re going to have to do some things to create some pressure schematically. We’ll continue to work and see if we’re making progress. They got some pressure today on the offense, I know that.”
Q: Along those lines what kind of progress is a guy like Tamba Hali making and Turk McBride too?
HALEY: “I think they’re making good progress. We’ve got some guys to help them – guys who have been through the same type deal. One of our summer intern coaches is a guy named Anthony Pleasant who has played in a defense similar to this and who was a great technique guy for14 years in the league. These guys are hungry and they want to learn; they’re paying attention.”
Q: Can you give us an update on your number one draft pick?
HALEY: “Talking only about the players that are on the football field actually practicing.”
Q: Can you describe some of the footwork and agility drills you are doing that are specific?
HALEY: “The way we are going to coach is the details, the little things, the fundamental basics. As I’ve said, it’s not rocket science. You can do it a number of different ways but there are some basics that have to be done all the time. One of those is fundamentals and if we feel like there is any slip in fundamentals then it’s our problem and we haven’t done a good job. We have to coach fundamentals and the basics all the time. You cannot assume that these guys have it.”
Q: Is that what you were doing with the wide receivers: body control on routes?
HALEY: “Yeah, we’ve had guys on the ground and a receiver is no good to anyone if he’s on the ground. Whether it’s the right shoes, improper technique, whatever it is, a wide receiver cannot be on the ground and help you win in any way, shape or form. If they’re slipping and falling out there we’ve got to do something about it and that’s why you saw a little attention to that.”
Q: When you were coaching in this game did you pay much attention to Derrick Thomas, who is going into the Hall of Fame this year?
HALEY: “Derrick Thomas is one of the all-time greats. As I was starting my scouting career with the Jets we had to play the Chiefs a couple of times. I was actually at the Hula Bowl, the college all-star game, when Derrick was out there. Saw him around the whole week. I was in college at that time but I obviously paid attention to those guys.
“The great story about Derrick Thomas to me is I was out there with my father who was actually scouting the game. But I went to the practices and the game and Derrick Thomas had a passport issue and they told him he was not going to be able to play. So, the night before the game he didn’t prepare as if he was going to play and I think he went out and had a good time. At 6 AM they came in and said, ‘you’re playing,’ and I think it was seven sacks later. That’s all you needed to see. One or the greats of all time rushing the passer, playing defense.”