Marinelli press conference notes
by Philip Zaroo | MLive.comWednesday July 25, 2007, 10:39 PM
Rod Marinelli: Cory Redding switched to a '3' technique during a contract year. That's an unselfish player. We think his best years are ahead of him.
It's extremely important for us to get our depth development; the younger players on second and third team. That's one way you counteract injuries. Instead of complaining about them, you accept that they're just a part of the game. Guys need to have position flexibility, and we have to develop that talent.
Two other areas: stamina. We lost a lot of close games last year in the fourth quarter, and it comes down to stamina. That comes from mental toughness. The second thing is the turnover ratio. We're focusing on it, and we need to get that on the "plus" side.
Q: Have you signed Ikaika Alama-Francis?
RM: Yes. The only two that didn't show up is Calvin Johnson and Gerald Alexander
Q: Johnson's the only one who has not at least agreed to terms?
RM: Yes, I don't want to say it's a sure thing, but from what I understand, Gerald will be signed, and he'll report to camp tomorrow.
Q: Are those three-year deals?
RM: I don't know.
Q: What's Damien Woody's status? Is there any contract issue that has to be worked out?
RM: He's ready to come in work. Everything is ready to go, as far as I know.
Q: As far as Kitna's prediction of 10+ wins, and other players supporting him, that doesn't bother you at all?
RM: No, these guys are in the huddle; they've seen what we've brought in. They have to believe in themselves. You have to be secure in that mindset.
Q: Shaun Rogers stayed more than three hours on a report day. Any reason for that?
RM: No, he just came in and visited with everyone. Some guys came in and had a workout.
Q: With a year under your belt, are you going to make any changes to the way you do things this year?
RM: No, I just want to do them better.
Q: Fans are going to be there tomorrow. Does that do anything to you?
RM: No, I love it. I want them to be here. These fans are the best fans in the world. I just hope the weather holds up. But I love that. That's the way you build a relationship with the fans.
Q: How important is it tomorrow to set the tone for the entire season?
RM: It's really important tonight, not tomorrow. Because this is the first chance we've gotten to sit down for this season.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the AFC West schedule and how you deal with it?
RM: They're good football teams; you deal with it by worrying about what we do. How we execute, how we block. You start focusing on what the other team is doing and you're done. We have to make sure we get what we're doing right.
Q: Do you think that Calvin Johnson will get signed soon, or could this be an extended holdout?
RM: I talked with (Chief Operating Officer) Tom Lewand today and he said he thinks this thing's got a chance to get done in the next two, three days. I hate to give it a number because you never know.
Q: Does it hurt that he's not there each day?
RM: It always hurts; you want him here. But he picked up things very well during the mini camps this summer. You want him here but the plus side is this guy picks things up fast.
Q: Cory Redding said at the end of last season, he thought the team was starting to turn the corner. Did you feel that?
RM: The key was how we prepared. Sometimes a team just puts it in cruise control when things aren't going well. And I didn't want to do that. I wanted to see who would finish. But I'm not going to do it. We stuck to the same schedule, and kept pushing. We lost some people, but that's OK. We didn't finish some games at the end, but we kept going, and we got a win (against Dallas) at the end. So I could see how he could feel that.
Q: There seems to be some optimism from some people, including from you. What things have you done to improve this team?
RM: I'm from the school of thought that if you can't learn how to practice correctly, to study correctly, to prepare correctly, you're not going to win. We learned that kind of stuff last year. And we could see it at the end of the season. In the off-season, we were able to make some big strides in picking up free agents and draft picks, guys who aren't just about talent, but are big character guys.
But it's not just about talent. The most talented team doesn't win. The best "team" wins. It's about getting players who want to do what's best for the team.
Q: In what ways do you think you're a better head coach than last year?
RM: Consistency is a big strength of mine, and that's what I have to do. The same things I did last year, but just be better at them. Nothing new and genius coming up here.
Q: Is there one area on this team that you think has more of a ways to go than other parts?
RM: Yeah, the secondary. There are questions about how they'll do. But I really have to say I've liked what I've seen in the off-season. And when this system (Tampa 2) is working, those guys aren't left out there on islands. They're re-routing, tackling. Then the offensive line, we think we've really improved with George Foster, Manny Ramirez, and we've had Frank Davis.
Q: What areas do you really like?
RM: Receivers and quarterbacks, I think, have a chance to be special. And our defensive front. Their motors are developing. Not where I want. But they're getting there. They've got a chance, as a unit, to be pretty good.
Q: Are you confident in the backup quarterbacks?
RM: One of Mike Martz's many strengths is doing wonders with quarterbacks that nobody's ever heard of. He's going to have the opportunity to do that, and I'm confident in his ability to develop a number two and number three quarterback that we'll like.
Q: How significant will it be if the defensive tackles you have live up to expectations that you have?
RM: They system is dictated by the pressure you generate with that four-man rush. When this system is working, the worst thing you want to do is blitz because you have to blitz. The Tampa 2 starts with creating havoc up front, starting with the inside guys. We're very fortunate to have a third tackle like Shaun Cody.
Once you have the pressure up front, then the ends have to come alive. The slides come, the chips come. Now all of a sudden, the running backs, instead of helping on the outside, have to help on the inside, and which will single up those ends. And they have to win.
Q: so, theoretically, the ends should rarely see more than one guy?
RM: They should.
Q: There are some high expectations for DeWayne White. Do you think Kalimba Edwards is ready to step up?
RM: He's got to. I'm riding him, and the pressure's on. So he needs to get it done. We need guys that can rush the quarterback. That might mean you get a group of guys who can just rush. But we need pressure on the quarterback on first and second downs. I want the challenge; let's go.
Q: Bottom line is you're done waiting for a lot of guys?
RM: Oh I'm pushing. And it's all on the coaches. We have to get these guys ready to be motivated. We've got to stimulate these men. You've got to go in there and teach'em and simplify things and get through to these men.
Q: What do you think happened to Jon Kitna in the fourth quarters of games? He made some big mistakes.
RM: There're a lot of other things that go into making mistakes besides just the quarterback's decisions. That's why I always want to watch the tape after the game before I comment. I've got to see everything that happens. It all falls back on him, as the quarterback, but he's got to have thick skin, and he's got to improve himself too. He knows that.
Q: It's kind of strange that Redding got such a big contract with such little time spent at defensive tackle. Is it fair to say that he got rewarded for buying into your system and passing it on?
RM: No. He started nine games inside and was extremely productive. He was in the top five in the league for tackles with losses. This is my area of expertise. You could see he knows how to play the position. The worst scenario is being in camp with him not being here. That's the worst thing that could've happened. There are a lot of things that go into the position, but the most important thing is a nonstop motor. And coaches around the league noticed it and would say something to me.
Q: Talk about the help that T.J. Duckett brings to your backfield this year.
RM: Yeah, you got him and Tatum Bell, Kevin Jones ... a good group of runners. It's great. We're in good shape there.
Q: Are you going to be a little less physical this year in camp to get your team into the season healthier than last year?
RM: I hate saying it that way. The number one thing is developing the skill. There's no reward unless earned. And if they earn it, I'll take the helmets off them for a day. Having helmets with no shoulder pads is worse, to me, than vice versa. A veteran team knows how to practice that way - that a day out of helmets is still all business, not a day of rest. That's what we're aiming for.
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