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Tag Archives: Mike Pettine
MIKE PETTINE POST PRACTICE PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT FOR 8-15-14
On the fan reaction at training camp so far:
“It’s been tremendous. I came here and the fans had a certain reputation. You kind of sense it from the outside – the passion, the loyalty. They just proved it over the course of training camp. I think we averaged the most fans the Browns have ever had for training camp. You can just sense the enthusiasm. It’s something I think is going to be huge for our guys. We want the Dawg Pound to bring back the days of old when home-field advantage will truly be a home-field advantage. You look at what Seattle has been able to do with the 12th man. If we go out there and are playing good football and give our fans something to cheer about, they’ll be among the loudest in the league.”
On how the ice bath was from participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge:
“I got lucky. I’m sure when you review the tape I was braced for it, and I think the buckets, because they were filled with ice, were a little bit heavy for the guys to lift. I got some down the back which was refreshing. It was good. It’s for a great cause. I do want to go ahead and put the challenge out there to the (ESPN) Monday Night (Football) crew, especially (MNF commentator) Mike Tirico and (MNF analyst) Jon Gruden. I know they’ll appreciate it. I was around (Baltimore Ravens senior advisor to play development) O.J. Brigance, who was afflicted with ALS, in Baltimore. He’s just an amazing person, and I just think it’s for a great cause.”
On how he’s going to use the QBs this week:
“It’s hard to say. I know a report came out about how we’re going to use them series-wise. To me, it’s more we want to make sure we get the reps balanced. I think it’s hard to go every other series, so we’ll just have a pretty good feel. If the first drive is a long one, there’s a chance we can go ahead and make the switch, but I don’t want to back myself into any commitment on it’s going to be this or it’s going to be that. The goal is, as I’ve stated, that at the end of the half, we want to have those reps close to equal.”
On why QB Johnny Manziel isn’t starting if the reps are going to be equal:
“Because that’s the decision we made. We’re making our decisions based on the information we have based on the body of work. That’s what we decided to do.”
On if Manziel hasn’t earned the right to start:
“No, it’s just something where there were a lot of factors involved. Ultimately when we hashed it out, that’s the direction we went.”
On if he’d like to see Manziel against the Washington Redskins’ first team defense:
“Yeah, and I’m expecting, it being the second preseason game, that they’re going to extend their starters into the second quarter if not until the half. I know I don’t have control over when their guys are out there, but I’m confident that he’ll get some work against their ones.”
On if he thinks anything can happen in the quarterback competition despite the fact that QB Brian Hoyer is starting this game:
“All of our options are still on the table. I think a lot of people read into what happened. Every option for us is still on the table.”
On how much leadership ability, maturity and off-the-field behavior will weigh into the decision on quarterbacks:
“I don’t know if I can say, ‘Hey, this is the amount,’ but it does. You’re looking for the whole package – the quarterback who’s best suited to take the field and lead this team to a win against the (Pittsburgh) Steelers. That’s the bottom-line decision that we have to make. There will be a lot of things that go into it.”
On if Manziel can still win the job and what does he have to do:
“Sure he can. Like I said, all of our options are still on the table. He just needs to go out and play. That’s the bottom line. They both do. I’ve met with both of them and discussed the situation. They’re both comfortable with it, and they both know it’s going to be up to them when they’re out there to just go out and do their job. You never want a guy to try and do too much and come out of structure in order to accomplish something. We keep preaching to our guys, ‘Do your job and good things will happen.’”
On if he’s disappointed that Hoyer hasn’t separated himself from Manziel and run away with the competition:
“I don’t think so. I think they both started camp at a certain point and they both made improvement. They’ve both made big strides. When you look at it, and I mentioned it last week, we feel like we’re in a good position. We have two quarterbacks who we feel have NFL starter ability. That’s why it’ll be a difficult decision. I don’t see it as a disappointment that one hasn’t distinguished himself over the other.”
On hoping that someone makes the decision easy based on their play:
“You hope. That might not necessarily be the case, but a decision still has to be made.”
On if he thinks, aside from the quarterbacks, that he knows enough to have his 22 starters in place after the second preseason game:
“We’re hopeful. We are hopeful. I think a lot of them are close. That’s always good when you have that depth, but we’ll lean towards one guy or the other. In the position of (DB Justin) Gilbert and (DB Buster) Skrine, I think that that’s a position where you can kind of job-share a little bit, but we’ll have to decide on a starter; same with (LB Craig) Robertson and (LB Chris) Kirksey. We’ve already talked about how they’re both playing well. That adds to their team value if they’re kind of balancing the reps out there or basically going by package.”
On if he anticipates making a decision on quarterback on Tuesday:
“Yeah, that should be the target date. Something unforeseen could come up, but we’re hopeful. I do want to see if I can cut the quarterback questions down by about 90-percent after next week (laughter). The chemistry and the continuity, I think it’s important to establish that.”
On who will make that decision:
“It’ll be a group of us. It’ll be (quarterbacks coach) Dowell (Loggains), (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan). We might involve (General Manager) Ray (Farmer) just to kind of listen and observe. There might be another guy or two in there.”
On what Owner Jimmy Haslam has said about the quarterbacks:
“We talk about it, but it’s just more of an update. He goes around. He’ll talk to Kyle. He’ll talk to Dowell. He just doesn’t talk to those guys. He kind of gets an assessment at every position. He likes to talk to the coordinators about their side of the ball. Usually, I’m just echoing what the other guys are saying. He’s a big fan. He wants to know. You can tell he’s passionate about his team. He wants to know what’s going on and he asks the right questions.”
On the story about Halsam having something to do with the drafting of Manziel and being the type of guy who would influence this decision:
“That falls into the ‘stories’ category. I think that made for good press on the draft, but even before the draft started, he came in and said ‘Hey, have a great day, and I’ll be behind you whatever pick you make.’ He wanted the information. He wanted to know when we stocked the board, why. He wanted to know about the players, not just the quarterbacks. Then he sat back and let Ray work.”
On if Manziel was late for a meeting and if that’s a big deal:
“That’s internal business. Moving forward, I’m not going to discuss matters and stuff that happens that’s team business. We like to keep stuff in the family. It’s unfortunate that that report came out, but I’m not going to confirm or deny it. I’m also not going to be in the habit of discussing anything internal.”
On if he views the quarterback decision as a long term one or more of a short term starter:
“I think quarterback is different from other positions. You do want to make a commitment. I don’t know if you can necessarily make a permanent commitment. So much could change over the course of an NFL season – the circumstances, but I think that’s the one position where you probably have to have a little bit more patience than maybe some others as far as if a guy isn’t performing to the level you think he can and you’re not getting the results, you would go ahead and make a move. I would say it’s somewhere in between. I don’t want whoever the starter is to feel like, ‘Oh, if I make one mistake I’m out.’ I also don’t want him to feel like, ‘Hey, I’ve achieved something. This is my team for the year.’”
On how close Manziel has come to being a model citizen in terms of committing to football:
“I think his play has demonstrated that – during the break, how he studied the IPad. He’d dial up with the right questions, and then he’s come in much more polished in and out of the huddle. That curve that I’ve already talked about, we feel like he’s a little bit ahead of the learning curve as far as being able to call the play, knowing what that play means, what are the reads on the play, who’s primary, what’s the defense, where do I go with the ball. I think he’s ahead of where we expected him to be.”
On if he knows what happened to Skrine:
“I think it was something with his thumb, but I haven’t gotten the final report yet from (head athletic trainer) Joe (Sheehan).
On who have been out of practice this week will be out for the game:
“(DL) ‘Des’ (Desmond Bryant) will definitely be out. (WR) Josh (Gordon) still has a chance. Who’s the last one? (WR) Nate (Burleson)? It’s not looking good for Nate to go.”
On if Desmond Bryant’s injury is serious:
“No, he’s just waiting – it’s more of a procedural thing – he’s waiting to get another opinion.”
On if TE Jordan Cameron will go on Monday:
“He should be able to go and same with (TE) MarQueis Gray.”
BROWNS WITH PLENTY OF QUESTIONS ENTERING LIONS GAME
The most important thing about Saturday night’s game is obviously the play of the quarterbacks. How does Brian Hoyer’s body hold up for the time he is in there? Is he indeed 100% healthy? Can he put points on the board? How does Johnny Manziel handle the speed of the NFL game even if it is against the second team? Can he command the huddle and call the right plays? How much does Johnny run the football and can he take a hit or two from guys that are bigger, stronger, faster than the ones he played against in college?
These are all questions that hopefully the Browns will get answers to one way or another. It doesn’t seem right to think this way, but you almost hope one of the two guys falls flat on his face or bombs, so it will help make the decision easier and clearer. On the other hand, if both guys do well, then you’ve strengthened the QB position and it’s great in this league to have depth.
Other positions I’ll be watching closely:
WR – Who steps up and makes plays besides Josh Gordon? Will it be the veterans Miles Austin or Nate Burleson? Will Andrew Hawkins show why the Browns paid him a decent amount of money in free agency to come to Cleveland? Does somebody come out of know where and make a name for himself and get the coaches attention? Besides quarterback, the receiver position is my biggest concern with this football team.
RB – Ben Tate was a nice free agent pick up in the off season by Ray Farmer, especially for the price, but how does he handle being the feature back now and can he stay healthy? Also rookie Terrance West has been getting rave reviews for what he’s done in training camp, will that translate to the football field against an opponent that isn’t wearing the same colored jersey you do?
LB – Barkevious Mingo has had a great camp, but can he produce the same results on the field in an actual game? How much of an impact will the self-proclaimed best linebacker in the NFL, Karlos Dansby really make? Can Paul Kruger bounce back from being a big name free agent bust from last season and start earning his money and making plays on the field this year?
CB – Not sure of the injury situation with rookie #1 pick Justin Gilbert and whether or not he’ll play, but from the day he was drafted I expected him to be the starter opposite Joe Harden from day 1. He needs to be able to beat out Buster Skrine for this defense to be a better defense.
HC – How will first time ever head coach Mike Pettine do in his first game? Is the game plan good? How does he handle in game situations from time outs, to challenges to halftime adjustments?
These are all things I will be watching closely in the Browns first and all of their pre-season games, as they get ready for their regular season opener on September 7th at Pittsburgh.
BROWNS COACH MIKE PETTINE ON LEBRON, JOHNNY MANZIEL NOT RUNNING WITH THE ONES AND JUSTIN GILBERT’S INJURY
On if he offered Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James a contract as he watched practice from the sideline:
“No, but I do know I’m going to be Father of the Year. I got my daughter a picture with LeBron. She could care less about a picture with me.”
On how he said that GM Ray Farmer is going to bring in a lot of players but bringing James is a little extreme:
“He had reached out. We knew he had been out of town for a while and when he got back he was going to come out to practice. It was something that we had been looking forward to.”
On what he talked about with James:
“He just asked how camp was going. You can tell he’s into it – loves football, big Browns fan. He says he’ll be at the games when it’s warm and when it’s cold he’ll be watching them in his basement.”
On if he believes in synergy in a city where both teams start winning at the same time like what happened in Boston:
“I do. It’s hard to explain when it happens, but I think it kind of gets fed through the fans with the teams. I don’t know how many of them are connecting with each other, but the city gets revved up and I think you can have momentum from season to season.”
On if he’s ready for the first preseason games:
“I think we are. I think the coaches have done a good job towards the end of this week getting the guys ready for what we’re actually going to show. We’ve probably given them a little more to study than they’ll actually run so the ready list and the call sheet are different sizes, but I think we’ve had a good build-up to it. We’re all looking forward to going against somebody else.”
On if he’s given the team any more information regarding play time:
“No. We’ve kept it pretty vague with them. This thing can go a lot of different ways, as you know. I didn’t want to give them exact specifics or exact counts. You never know what can happen early on. I told those guys I’d rather them be prepared to play more than they think they’re going to play than give them a number and then put them over it.”
On if QB Johnny Manziel will get reps with the ones:
“I don’t think he will. I think we’re going to let (QB) Brian (Hoyer) go. The circumstances could change that obviously. For this game, I think pretty much stick to the units as we’ve practiced so Brian with the ones and Johnny with the twos.”
On if he thinks it might help Manziel to have James in town to help him deal with all the attention he draws since James has been through it before:
“Yeah, I’m sure he could. They’ve probably already had discussions. He’s such a big star in the city and knows the city as well as he does and has the fame that he’s earned over the years. I’m sure it could be nothing but a positive for Johnny.”
On if there’s any reason he’s not going to have Manziel play any series with the ones on Saturday:
“No. No solid [reason] other than we just didn’t want to mix the units in this game.”
On DB Justin Gilbert is playing on Saturday:
“Gilbert is a little bit nicked. I don’t know. I think (VP of Communications) Peter (John-Baptiste) is going to send [the media] a list once we get the final evaluation from (Head Athletic Trainer) John Sheehan of who can go and who can’t.”
On what units he’s most looking forward to seeing other than quarterback:
“Running back, the guard spot – I think there’s good competition there. (OL John) Greco, (OL Garrett) Gilkey, I want to see how (OL Joel) Bitonio plays. I’m very interested in that. [I’m looking forward to seeing] the receivers.”
On the linemen’s extra point competition to determine who gets the orange jerseys next practice:
“The linemen do a lot of the chirping back and forth over the orange shirt stuff, so I wanted to find a way for them to settle it. There were some very unique styles of kicking. I think ‘Des’ (DL Desmond Bryant) set a record for hang-time on an extra point.”
On if it makes him hope nothing happens K Billy Cundiff:
“Yeah. I don’t think we’re going to find a replacement in that group.”
On how he picked the guys who kicked the extra points:
“We just said from the O line room and the D line room – they just nominated three guys on their own and sent them up World Cup style.”
On how he thinks these challenge periods have brought players together:
“I think it helps. You’ve got to mix it in. We obviously don’t do something like that every day. It’ll maybe be a once a week thing where it’s kind of an ‘off the beaten path’ competition. I think the guys look forward to it. Having the jerseys means something to them and there’s a little bit of back and forth between the units. It’s been a positive.”
On if he knew the perks of meeting guys like former Browns RB Jim Brown and LeBron James came with this job:
“I did not. When I got hired somebody very quickly brought up to me that I might have both of those opportunities. That’s two things off the bucket list.”
On if he heard a buzz among the players when James walked up:
“I think so and he’s taller in person. You get used to the NBA games where it’s relative. You don’t get a feel for the height unless you actually see them among civilians and you realize how tall they are.”
On if he can envision James as a red-zone target if he had chosen to play football:
“Yeah. He’d be a heck of a target. Let’s just flex him out a little bit and just throw one up for him. That would be very enticing.”
On if quarterbacks Tyler Thigpen and Connor Shaw will play in Saturday’s preseason game:
“I’m not sure how (quarterbacks coach) Dowell (Loggains) has the rotation. The coaches are all handing them into me today. They’re all planning for the game. I’m not sure how he’s going to work Tyler and Connor.”
On if there was any discussion with James about if he was going to run any plays:
“No, we didn’t get to that point. His kids were running around. He had his hands full there.”
TRANSCRIPT MIKE PETTINE PRESS CONFERENCE 8-5-14
On deciding to mix reps with the quarterbacks today:
“Correct. All part of the plan.”
On the offense having a good day:
“They did. I thought there was some good competition out there. I was glad that the guys responded the way they did. I think this is a stretch of camp where you’re tired of going against each other, everybody is sore and everybody has something going on. We’ve been urging our guys to go through it, to press on. We have to get better. We can’t come out and just put days in and coast and just start looking forward to the preseason games. I thought our staff did a good job of getting the guys going, and the players responded. We felt we had a good day.”
On if it’s safe to say that DB Justin Gilbert is really coming on:
“He is. There’s no substitute for reps in pads. I think he’s made a lot of strides. He’s getting better. We’ve gotten to the point where a lot of it is small detail stuff with him. He’s big. He has length. We want him to go ahead and use that – use that physicality. You get up on a guy and a lot of times you’ll just open the gate. We’d rather him try to restrict some at the line of scrimmage without him fouling.”
On the ability to restrict at the line of scrimmage without fouling being a matter of gaining confidence:
“I think it is. The more reps he gets against NFL receivers – you see him, he gets good work and likes going against (WR) Miles (Austin). I think (secondary) Coach (Jeff) Hafley, (assistant defensive backs coach) Aaron Glenn and (assistant defensive backs coach) Bobby Babich are doing a good job with that whole group because there are some things technique-wise that they haven’t done here before and some of these rookies have never done. That is a confidence thing to trust your recovery speed, that I can let a guy above me, knowing that the ball still has to come over me and I can recover. I think a lot of guys come out, they’re used to playing it safe and they have a lot of balls caught underneath. We want to have the best of both worlds. We want to be slightly underneath and trust that our help over the top will get there or that I can recover.”
On how some coaches dread setting up the first depth chart and what his theory is about it:
“I did it because I had to do it. At a lot of positions, we would of just slashed guys. It’s very loose in our minds. I wouldn’t put a lot of credence in that. It will be very fluid and there will likely be changes after every week.”
On if quarterback is a spot where he might of slashed guys:
“Maybe. I might have (laughter). No, we listed (QB) Brian (Hoyer) as the starter.
On having the DBs wear kickboxing gloves at practice to keep them from grabbing at receivers:
“You’ve got to get guys out of that habit. Instead of putting them in the full boxing gloves that I think would really slow their stride down, they’re more like sparring gloves, like you said kickboxing gloves. It’s like a big mitten. The thumb can still come out. I just think it’s more the mentality that they know they have to be able to cover more with an open palm than grabbing and restricting, especially if the rule is going to be called as tightly as we’re told it is.”
On if they’ll wear them every day:
“Yeah, and that’s on Coach Hafley. He has a set of them that he works in. I’m not sure how he’s been doing it, but the guys have been getting some good work with them on.”
On how firm of a grasp he has on his defense without seeing it against another team:
“As much as we can have a grasp now, you’re always curious. You go against each other for so long then you start to get used to each other and understand each other and understand each other’s plays and learn the checks. You kind of get a false sense. We’ll truly know when we get a chance to go out there compete. You’re always looking forward to going against somebody else.”
On if he noticed while watching film that Gilbert had never been called for holding and was called for pass interference once in college, as Gilbert shared:
“Yeah, we noticed that he played – you’re always looking for that. How clean is a guy’s slate? Because to me, that means you lack confidence if you’re fouling down the field. We have some guys that sometimes foul and they don’t have to. That’s important. We’re glad that he didn’t have that habit coming out of Oklahoma State.”
On if QB Brian Hoyer will start on Saturday against Detroit:
“We’re going to meet on that with the whole [group]. We’re going to set the reps. I can’t say anything definitive right now.”
On if he keeps statistics during the 11-on-11 periods, specifically for the quarterbacks, and how much credence he puts in them:
“That’s more of an evaluation tool for (quarterbacks coach) Dowell (Loggains) and for (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan). I know they keep them. I don’t look at them, but I know a lot more goes into it than just, ‘Hey, they could have had poor footwork and thrown a bad ball that ended up as a completion or they could have done everything right and thrown a perfect pass and it was dropped.’ It’s part of it. I think more importantly is – this goes to how we evaluate every player – did they get lined up properly and did they do everything we asked them to do over the course of the play.”
On if being quicker in his reads and making throws on time is part of the progress that Manziel has made:
“That comes with it. That’s also understanding the play and then who he’s reading. Am I reading the weak safety? Am I reading the strong safety? Where am I looking to go with this ball? I think that’s true of any rookie quarterback that most of the time, you’re going to see they’re much slower. They have to anticipate. Where you see where (QB Brian) Hoyer’s ahead is his ability to throw a ball before a guy breaks open, but we certainly see Johnny making strides in that direction.”
On if he is getting exciting for his first preseason game as a head coach on Saturday:
“Absolutely. I’m excited for the guys, too. They’ve put in so much work and to finally get to go against somebody else. I know they’re tired of smacking each other around. I think it’ll be a special day, but, to me, it’s more for the staff and the team then it is for me personally.”
On why the Browns don’t have any extra kickers in training camp:
“We did have one early who was injured. We talked to (Browns special teams coordinator) Chris Tabor and he thought that he could get by for a little ,bit and then he would make a decision after a week whether or not he wanted to bring in another leg or not.”
On if he is finding Manziel is high in football acumen:
“He is. We knew that when he was coming out. He understands football, but when you switch offenses and you’re going from just a completely different system, it’s just like learning a foreign language. You know it in your own terms, but then you have to find out, ‘OK, how do I translate? What I know was this is now this.’ That’s just part of the learning curve for everybody, especially rookie quarterbacks.”
On DB Tashaun Gipson being limited at practice today:
“He should get more work tomorrow. I’ll find out from (head athletic trainer) Joe (Sheehan) how he responded today. If things went well, he should be back getting team work tomorrow, and then, we’d expect him to be able to go on Saturday.”
On if he plans to keep the team in pads throughout the duration of camp or if he will have a non-padded practice:
“We’ve talked about it being in pads up through the second game, and then we would evaluate it from there, kind of where we health-wise, kind of where we were – do we need a day off from pads? That’s all stuff that we’ll make that decision as we go, but up until game two, if we’re allowed to be in pads, we’ll be in them.”
On if he has any sense of when the Browns will know the outcome of WR Josh Gordon’s appeal:
“I do not. It’s been reported, I think, it’ll be a chunk of time. We just don’t know when. We don’t have an exact date. As frustrating as it is for Josh, I think he’s handled it well. He’s been practicing hard, giving good effort, finishing plays. Assuming if we don’t hear anything, then he’ll be out there Saturday.”
On if he knows the results on OL Michael Bowie:
“I do not. I think he was getting evaluated this morning.”
On if he notices a difference in the players when Hoyer or Manziel is at quarterback:
“I do not.”
BROWNS OFFICIAL DEPTH CHART 2014
Mike Pettine and the Browns have released their first official depth chart for the 2014 season and Brian Hoyer is listed as your starting quarertback. For a look at the entire depth chart click here – Browns 1st Official Depth Chart 2014
BUCKEYES AND BROWNS NOTES AND QUOTES
OHIO STATE 
Notes:
Quarterback Braxton Miller enters this season ranked in Ohio State’s All-Time Top 10 in 17 different offensive categories.
Second-year defensive lineman Tracy Sprinkle, from Elyria, Ohio, has rejoined the team. Coach Urban Meyer said Sprinkle lost his scholarship for the summer, he will be suspended for the first football game of the season, Aug. 30 vs. Navy, and he will take part in weekly community service projects during the season. Meyer invited Sprinkle, who was involved in a legal altercation in July, back onto the team after charges were reduced and after an independent investigation into the incident. He was at the morning practice today.
True freshman Sam Hubbard, who arrived at Ohio State in June, was projected to play linebacker but was switched to tight end, has been moved back to linebacker. He’ll wear jersey number 49 this season.
Quotes:
Urban Meyer on this year’s recruiting class after Ohio State’s first practice, which kicked off OSU’s 125th football season:
“It’s really early, but I’m really impressed with our freshman class. “It was a good day.”
BROWNS
Notes:
Johnny Manziel took all the first team reps in practice on Monday and according to Pat McManamon from ESPN.com was 6-17 with one interception, zero touchdowns and three dropped passes. Brian Hoyer, working with the two’s, tossed a touchdown pass and led his squad to a field goal in the two minute drill.
The following Browns did not participate in today’s practice due to injury: TE Jordan Cameron (shoulder), LB Tank Carder (foot), DB Tashaun Gipson (knee), OL Randall Harris (knee), Isaiah Trufant (knee), – NFI: OL Nate McDonald (wrist).
OL Reid Fragel left today’s practice with a lower leg injury.
The Browns on Monday signed DB Royce Adams, activated DL Phil Taylor and waived WR Chandler Jones, LB Edgar Jones,TE James Oboh and OL Jason Pinkston. The Browns roster is currently at 87 players.
Quotes:
Head coach Mike Pettine on if today was a scheduled day for QB Johnny Manziel to take reps with the first-team offense:
“Yes, it’s just all part of the plan that we’ve had. It’ll go back and forth.”
Pettine on if it seemed Manziel took steps forward after watching film from the Family Day scrimmage:
“Yeah, I think both quarterbacks took steps. I thought they both played to their skill set. I thought Johnny did a good job making some plays with his feet, keeping plays alive. (QB) Brian (Hoyer), I thought, showed some poise in the pocket and stepped into some throws. Let’s not forget that he’s a guy coming off of a knee [injury] and that was really the first true live work that he had gotten. I thought that was good work for him, as well.”
Pettine on saying early in camp that barring something unforeseen, Hoyer would start the first preseason game:
“Yeah, I would still say that’s true, but I can’t say it’s 100 percent at this point. I would still say there’s more than reasonable chance that he’ll be the starter against Detroit. That had been the plan. I just want to confirm with (quarterbacks coach) Dowell (Loggains) and (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) and see where they are with it.”
Pettine on if TE Jordan Cameron not practicing is still simply a precaution:
“It’s an AC issue with the shoulder, but it’s not anything. If this were a game week, more than likely he would’ve gone. I’m still not sure – we haven’t made a decision yet for Detroit – but more than likely, we will air on the side of caution.”
TRANSCRIPT OF MIKE PETTINE’S PRESS CONFERENCE 8-4-14
On if today was a scheduled day for QB Johnny Manziel to take reps with the first-team offense:
“Yes, it’s just all part of the plan that we’ve had. It’ll go back and forth.”
On how Manziel did today:
“I said this a couple other days: I don’t want to evaluate guys coming right off the field. Until I talk to the offensive coaches, see the tape, I’ll have a better feel then.”
On Manziel taking first-team reps causing a lot of talk:
“That’s great. That comes with the territory.”
On if Manziel practicing with the first team today was part of the plan from the beginning of camp or if it was decided after looking at the first week of practices and the Family Day scrimmage:
“No, we had talked about it beforehand but didn’t really put it in stone. It was not a result of anything that happened in the scrimmage.”
On if it seemed Manziel took steps forward after watching film from the Family Day scrimmage:
“Yeah, I think both quarterbacks took steps. I thought they both played to their skill set. I thought Johnny did a good job making some plays with his feet, keeping plays alive. (QB) Brian (Hoyer), I thought, showed some poise in the pocket and stepped into some throws. Let’s not forget that he’s a guy coming off of a knee [injury] and that was really the first true live work that he had gotten. I thought that was good work for him, as well.”
On if the first-team reps for Hoyer and Manziel will change each day or week:
“Probably more day-to-day at this point. I don’t think we’ll do this for the entire week. Then, we’ll meet at some point mid-week to discuss how we want to handle the reps in the Detroit game.”
On if it is a concern that none of the quarterbacks were able to find the end zone during the Family Day scrimmage:
“Actually, [Manziel] did. We would have thrown the flag on the one (TE Gary) Barnidge catch. I think somebody had video from the stands that confirmed that he had two feet in and caught the ball. That was pointed out to me by our offensive guys yesterday. It wasn’t a concern. It’s really just the first time getting out there. It was just inconsistent play. It’s tough on those guys when the whole playbook is available. It’s not a game plan situation. Defensively, I’ve already spoken to it that I think we present more looks and sometimes I’ve seen it retard the growth of an offense during camp. It takes them a little bit of time because of all the looks they’re seeing. It wasn’t a concern.”
On if WR Josh Gordon being back at practice today was an encouraging sign:
“It’s still part of the process. He left practice a little bit early to go in. That’s part of the process, as well, that he’s involved with something with the league today. We’ve been patient so far, and it’s waited this long. Hopefully, a resolution is coming soon.”
On the running game during Saturday’s scrimmage:
“I thought they’re still finding their way with it. For a lot of guys, it’s a very different transition. I thought, defensively, our guys played well, played the run game well. I thought our pad level was good. They got off blocks. They tackled well. A few runs got out, but overall, the run defense was encouraging. I think the offensive guys came out of it knowing that they need to get better.”
On if he knows who will start at quarterback against Detroit on Saturday:
“I do not.”
On if Manziel taking first-team reps is a reflection of Hoyer’s first week of practice or the scrimmage:
“No, not at all. It’s just something we wanted to work them both in, and it’s part of our process.”
On if WR Willie Snead has made a good impression:
“He has. He stepped up in the scrimmage, made a big catch on fourth down to keep a drive going, made a big play here today. We talk about the Play like a Brown attributes, he hits a lot of those spots. Guys on defense don’t like him very much, which is usually a compliment because he mixes it up with them. I think there was a fight early in camp, but he’s not afraid to go in and get a little bit dirty blocking. I think he runs good routes and has good ball skills.”
On what it means for Manziel to take reps with the first team:
“It’s just part of our plan. We say we’re going to allow the quarterbacks to compete. At some point, you’ve got to mix up the supporting cast a little bit. It’s all part of it.”
On saying early in camp that barring something unforeseen, Hoyer would start the first preseason game:
“Yeah, I would still say that’s true, but I can’t say it’s 100 percent at this point. I would still say there’s more than reasonable chance that he’ll be the starter against Detroit. That had been the plan. I just want to confirm with (quarterbacks coach) Dowell (Loggains) and (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) and see where they are with it.”
On whether he will defer to Loggains and Shanahan about which QB will begin the season as a starter:
“Yeah, absolutely. That will be a committee decision. We’ll meet together. I’m not an expert, but I also feel like I’m in charge of the big picture. We’ll formulate a plan, not just with quarterback but with all positions, that we feel gives us the best chance to win.”
On if using radio communication between the QBs is something new:
“No, that’s been (in) every practice so far and all of the spring.”
On DB Pierre Desir’s practice today:
“Pierre stepped up. He had a rough veteran camp and responded a little bit. The coaches challenged him before he went away on break, and he came back and really made some strides. We’ve been very pleased with Pierre. I think he’s one of the more difficult guys of the corners to get off (of) when he presses a guy just with his length. He’s gotten more patient. If you ask the receivers who the hardest guy is to get off press, they’ll probably say him.”
On if TE Jordan Cameron not practicing is still simply a precaution:
“It’s an AC issue with the shoulder, but it’s not anything. If this were a game week, more than likely he would’ve gone. I’m still not sure – we haven’t made a decision yet for Detroit – but more than likely, we will air on the side of caution.”
On who will get first-team reps at quarterback for tomorrow’s practice:
“I’m not sure. They wrote it out on the board. I’m not sure how they plan on doing it, but it will be a mix this week.”
On undrafted WRs on the team with Arena Football League and Canadian Football League experience:
“I think that it’s a testament to those guys, their perseverance, their dedication. You see a lot of guys that are very successful in this league that weren’t high draft picks, especially at that position. You can look at (WR) Miles Austin as a perfect example. There are a lot of ways to make it, and those are the guys that you know that aren’t going to give up because nothing has been handed to them.”
On if there’s an update OL Jason Pinkston’s status and if he’s closer to returning:
“No, at some point, I think that we’ll formally release something about it, but I don’t see him coming back in the foreseeable future.”
On what Manziel has improved on the most since the start of camp:
“I think the playbook stuff, the repetitions, calling the plays in the huddle and not just being able to call the play but then understanding what his reads are and where to go with the ball.”
On if the Browns acquired OL Michael Bowie believing he won’t be available all season:
“We’re not sure yet. He doesn’t get here until late today so after the physical, we’ll have a little more information on that.”
On if he’s disappointed that someone hasn’t run away with the starting QB position:
“No because they’re both competing and they’re both doing what they’re supposed to be doing. It would be hard for there to be a clear-cut guy anyway when they’re both being efficient in their play when they’re in there.”
BROWNS COACH MIKE PETTINE POST-PRACTICE TRANSCRIPT 8-1-14
On if there are any updates on DB Tashaun Gipson:
“No, he’s being evaluated. (Head athletic trainer) Joe (Sheehan) just grabbed me off the field. They took him in. He’s being evaluated.”
On if WR Josh Gordon will join them for the scrimmage tomorrow if no decision on his appeal has been made by then:
“I’m not sure of his exact itinerary there – who all he’s meeting with, when he’s coming back, the travel plans, all that stuff. At this point, I’ll probably get updated on it later on tonight.”
On if he’s disappointed that they waited this long to start the processes of appealing with Gordon:
“Those were the circumstances. I’m not going to look back on it now with regret. It is what it is.”
On the offensive players seeming very fired up and demonstrative after touchdowns today:
“I think they were a little frustrated over time with the defensive backs. They’ve been very physical with them and they won a lot of the battles. I think that just spilled over. Any time they got a chance to get in the end zone, they wanted to make sure everybody knew it.”
On the coaches’ punt catching contest at the end of practice:
“The defensive coaches decided to take the jersey thing a step further and they wore orange shirts too. I thought we had doubled our amount of ball boys out here at practice. I wanted to put it in their hands. I would of lost a lot of money if you would have said we’d put eight coaches out there catching knuckle-ball punts and seven of them would catch it. Those guys stepped up. It was impressive. We’ll just be in white and brown jerseys tomorrow, but then the offense will wear the offense one and wear the orange jerseys on Monday.”
On which offensive coach caught the pass to clinch the win:
“He was a coaching intern. His name is Mike LaFleur.”
On the celebration dance offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan did:
“It was interesting. Combination of Michael Jackson – he spun around and spiked it [laughter].”
On if there is a difference between that and QB Johnny Manziel flipping the ball over the goal post even though he got a flag for it:
“The rule – and I needed to do a better job explaining it to them – is the goal post is now considered a prop. I think the obvious thing is you just can’t spike it anymore after some of the incidents last year with the goal post being bent and the game being delayed. For obvious reasons they decided to outlaw that. Even now, whether it’s a finger roll, a fade away jumper, anything, it’s considered you’re using it as a prop and it’ll be a flag. I’d rather learn that lesson in practice and use it as a coaching moment than in the middle of a game.”
On if he was just testing the referees to see if they were looking:
“No.”
On what he’s specifically looking for in the scrimmage tomorrow:
“Who can step up and make plays in a live situation – Everything so far has been scripted. This is now a true unscripted period. Early on in the week we kind of wean our guys off a little bit. We’ll show them the script. They’ll know what reps they’re in there. They’ll know what they’re responsible for. They get a chance to study a little bit. It’s really the first opportunity, other than a few move-the-ball periods, where we’re essentially taking the training wheels off. Some guys can handle the transition easily. Some guys you’ll see step up and maybe some guys fade away.”
On if coaches will be in the coaches’ booth for the scrimmage:
“No, we won’t do that. The first time we do the booth will be (at) Detroit. We’ll still be on the sidelines. We won’t have headsets on. We’ll still communicate as we have been, just with a walkie talkie.”
On if Coach Shanahan is going to be upstairs during games:
“No, I believe he’s going to be on the field.”
On if he’s been told when the ruling on Gordon will be:
“No, I have not been.”
On if ‘receiver by committee’ is a scary proposition:
“I wouldn’t say so. You have a lot of guys competing. You’re hoping that you have some guys rise to the top. I think (WR) Miles Austin is proving that he can very quickly get back to his old form. We’re very pleased with (WR Andrew) Hawkins in the slot. Then you have a bunch of those other jobs where you’ve got some young guys, some veteran guys that are competing.”
On his feelings on the new emphasis on illegal holding and defensive contact and if he thinks it will have an effect on the games:
“It depends on how it’s officiated. It’s been a rule on the books, and it’s something that we teach our guys. We want to take advantage of the rule and make contact early, but you can’t grab. Cover with your feet. I know it’s being coached the right way, but sometimes it gets a little bit gray because at the top of the play there’s some collision, a question of a defender protecting his own space, an offensive guy pushing off. I think that’s probably one of the hardest things for the officials to officiate.”
On if he thinks that’s a result of the Super Bowl:
“That’s been put out there. I don’t really get involved with that. We go to the owners meetings. We had the committee meeting and then came back here and met with the officials. They come up with what they’re going to emphasize. I’m not sure where exactly it came from. That seems to be everybody’s popular explanation for it.”
On how much he’s looking forward to seeing Manziel play in a more unscripted setting since that seems to be something he excels at:
“I am. I’m looking for all our guys to compete, especially the quarterbacks. He still won’t be live on it, so some of the things that maybe he was able to escape from in college will be whistle-dead in tomorrow’s scrimmage. You always want to protect our guys when we’re going against each other. The first true live contact for the quarterbacks will be in Detroit.”
On what he thought of LB Paul Kruger’s season last year:
“There were just times he played well. He had some plays I’m sure he’d rather take back. I don’t know the scheme. I don’t know the calls. I’m not exactly sure what his responsibility was. It’s hard for us to evaluate, but were thrilled to have him here and have him on the roster. He’s a guy we think can be one of the elite edge linebackers in this league and can set the edge in the run games. He’s very aggressive, very violent with his hands. He can release off of blocks and he has a knack for getting to the quarterback.”
On if Manziel will get some first team reps tomorrow during the scrimmage:
“We’re going to do the format. We’re going to meet as a staff and we’ll figure out how we’re going to mix it.”
On how DB Justin Gilbert has progressed since mini-camp:
“I think he’s progressed well. He’s gambling on some play, but this is when you do it. It’s easy with his speed to stay on top every time and just give up throws underneath, but we don’t want to do that. He has to learn that he can press and get his hands on the guy and really allow the guy to get maybe half a step ahead of him. With his length and his make-up speed, in our minds, he’s still covered even if he doesn’t have top help. That’s something he’s go to understand. A lot of times they get too high. They get on the top shoulder. Now you’re getting back shoulder throws. You’re getting cut-backs. You’re getting in-breaking routes that are much harder to defend.”
On his assessment of LB Barkevious Mingo and LB Jabaal Sheard:
“I think both of them are having good camps. Mingo has jumped out at us. It’s evidence by how he came back – he’s put some weight on – that he’s done a real good job in camp as far as just paying attention to detail and taking coaching. You can see that he’s made some big strides technique-wise since the spring. I think Sheard has been good as well. He’s what we thought. He’s strong with his hands. He’s tougher for tackles in the run game and similar to Kruger. We see those guys as very similar.”
On if he thinks in his system if he can get more production out of those guys this year:
“I don’t want to compare it to last year. If the play is available for them they make it. We don’t want to get into numbers like, ‘We have to get so-and-so more sacks.’ To me, we just want to play great defense. Wherever the wealth ends up, that’s how it is. Usually, when we’re playing great defense it’s spread around.”
On Mingo, Sheard and Kruger being on the field at the same time:
“We have some things where we have some guys walking around. It’s kind of an off-the-ball linebacker, a blitzer. When you have good players you don’t want to be limited by conventional scheme where, ‘We’re going to be cookie cutter. We have three pass rushers, but you’re only allowed to have two ends out there at a time.’ We can get creative and they can rush against guards or rush two ends of off one side and get a mismatch on a back, force the protection to slide that way and maybe it frees up a guy on the other side. We’ll only be limited by our own creativity with how we use those guys.”
On if he’ll have all three of them in as much as possible:
“I wouldn’t say as much as possible. I think there’s a change-up. If you can get to the fourth quarter of a game and have fresh pass rushers, that would be to your advantage. You see a lot of teams that play well for a while and then it comes down to a play where they drive and it just looks like they’re running in mud. If you have guys with fresh legs and you can roll them in, they don’t necessarily like it, but it’s what’s best for them.”
JOHNNY MANZIEL PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT 7-31-14
On how he’s progressed this week:
“Some ups and downs. I don’t think that I have it figured out by any means, but it’s training camp; some of the things we’re going over for the first time or we briefly went over through OTAs. Getting the reps on the field, seeing it and really just learning as I go on. It’s a progress. It’s really reverse the playbook right now, just getting reps and getting comfortable with it. That’s what you have to do. You know it, but until you really get comfortable with all of the stuff, it’s’ still a struggle.”
On if it will be more natural for him in game situations:
“For me, I’ve been better in game situations than I feel that I have in practice, but I have to come out here and get better at the plays and get better at the reps that I’m getting. That’s my main thing, just keep getting better, and when it’s time to go out and play football, then it’s time to play football.”
On being upset that he hasn’t gotten reps with the first team:
“No, not at all.”
On his competitive nature and today’s goal-line session for the orange jerseys:
“It’s a competition that Coach Pett (Head Coach Mike Pettine) obviously threw in to get spirits live at the end of practice and to get people energized and bring a competition factor to it because we sit out there and go against each other all day, and then when it’s time to go, there’s another level that it gets to. Right now, we’re 0-2, but we’re striving to change that. Offensively, we have to execute, run our plays and do what we need to do get the ball in the end zone or get the ball where we need to win the competition.”
On if practices are difficult due to his competitive nature and not being able to let loose:
“No, practice is time to get better and hone in on your craft. There will be times in games and situations in games where things break down, and obviously it’s not practice so there aren’t coaches on the field. It’ll be a lot different, but practice is what it is, and we have to get better.”
On if offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s comments that neither QB is in the lead are encouraging:
“He’s the coach so what coach Shanahan (says) goes. I don’t know if it’s necessarily encouraging, but I’m not worried about one or the other being ahead or anything. Right now, it’s me making sure I know what I need to know to get out here, execute and run the offense and not have any mistakes. Once I go through a couple of days with no mental errors or getting to where I need to be every single time, then I’ll feel a lot better. Nothing that really one ahead of the other, who’s here, who’s there, that’s not really on my mind at all right now. It’s me versus the playbook, and there’s nothing else. Got to know the stuff to even be able to come out here and execute everything.”
On why the offense has seemed to struggle during practice, and if learning the playbook contributes to it:
“Specifically with my group? I’m a rookie. I don’t have all of this stuff figured out. I don’t know the ins and outs and every little nook and cranny. Sometimes there’s a little twist on a play, and you can go in and forget to say it in the huddle, and from that, it changes the whole dynamic. Some of those times, some of the plays I’ve ran for the first time and really gone back into it. We run them again and just make sure not to make the same mistakes twice. It’s a process for me. It’s not something that I should just come in here and naturally because I played well in college just know how to run this offense. It’s a complete 180 [degrees] from everything that I’ve been used to, and it’s going to take time. It’s a process coming from a spread air-raid system in college to a pro style system that’s very unfamiliar with me in terms of terminology, routes and being under center a lot more. It’s not something that I can’t handle; it’s not something that I’m not going to continue to strive and work for to try and get better at.”
On types of plays that he excels and struggles with:
“I can tell that I’m a lot more comfortable and familiar with Day 1 and Day 2 install stuff just based off of we’ve done that a couple more times than we’ve done stuff toward the back end of the install. The things that we’ve put in first and got to come around three or four times of doing it, obviously, I’m going to be a lot more comfortable with that. The things in the early stages, I’m obviously more comfortable. Getting in shotgun on third down obviously is just a comfort zone for me, but I’m not saying that I’m not comfortable under center or anything like that. Obviously, it’s what I‘ve been used to for the couple years, and really, that’s where I’m at right now.”
On if it’s true that the Aggies didn’t really have a ‘true playbook’ at Texas A&M and how it affects his adjustment:
“It’s definitely a bigger playbook. We had installs and the same stuff at A&M that we do now. It’s just one play can be this big [holds hands up measuring distance] and then be this big [holds hands further apart] in our playbook now with tags. One little tag can change the whole dynamic. It’s just different. That’s really all it is. It’s just different – different wordage and different verbiage than what I’m used to.”
On if he can win the starting QB job:
“Right now, I’m not really even concerned with that. I’m just concerned with making sure I lead my group, try to get in there and get more comfortable with these guys. Everything else will take care of itself. Whatever the case may be, I want to be a team player and a guy that can help this team get better, whether it’s not playing this year or playing this year. Whatever the situation may be, I’m about this team and I want what’s best for this team.”
On his relationship with QB Brian Hoyer:
“It’s good. We have a very friendly, very fun quarterback room. Brian, I’m obviously learning from him. He’s a guy who was in a system that demands a lot in New England. He’s a very intelligent guy. He knows his stuff really well. You can tell that he’s a professional and he’s been doing this for a while. For me, it’s encouraging to have a guy like that in the room, him and (QB) Tyler (Thigpen). Both have been in different systems and know how to adapt and how to go through training camp. This is my first time, obviously. I’m not used to this amount of length during the day of being up here, all the film, all the stuff so it’s different. To have Brian and Tyler in there has been really nice. My and Brian’s relationship has been just as normal as everybody else’s in the room. I don’t feel any tension or anything like that. He’s helped me in situations, and I’m trying to learn from him.”
On if he’s picked Hoyer’s brain and how receptive Hoyer to that:
“I think I pick his brain more by just seeing him get on the board. When he asks questions, it’s always better for me to take reps even when I’m not in. Whenever he’s asking a question – why he saw this, this and this – I can learn just from being in the room and just hearing what he says and the type of questions he’s asking.”
On if it’s asking too much for him to be ready to play Week 1:
“I think I’ll play whenever these coaches decide that I’m ready. I don’t think there’s any rush. For me, it’s whenever Coach (Mike) Pettine, (offensive coordinator) Coach (Kyle) Shanahan decide that. I don’t think they ever want to throw me into a situation that I’m not ready for or something that I can’t handle. I don’t know if they drafted me necessarily thinking that I should come in and start week one. I think they wanted to see where I’m at and see how I progress, and hopefully, they’re happy with how I’m progressing. If not, then obviously I need to take it upon myself to step my game up and continue to learn the stuff at a more rapid pace.”
On how much freedom he’ll have to run and do what he wants in scrimmages and games:
“I think I’m going to go through and I’m not going to have a lot of freedom. I think that I’m going to go through, go run the plays that I’m called and checks that we can do that are allowed within our offense, and then, if something’s not there, if something breaks down, then I think I’ll be able to do what I did in college a little bit and be smart about it. Obviously, in preseason games the goal is to move the ball down the field at all costs, and obviously, try to play within the offense, and then when things break down, that’s obviously where I’ve been good in the past. I think it will just come natural. It’s just go out and play football and try to execute the offense.”
On if he’s learned anything about Hoyer that’s surprised him:
“Coming in, I didn’t know much about him at all. I just kind of knew who he was. I got to watch him play pretty well in the games that he played last year, just briefly. I didn’t really know a lot about him. I knew he’d been in the league for a little while and he was a veteran. I didn’t have any preconceived thought or anything about Brian. When I got a chance to come in and meet him, he’s been great towards me, he’s been a great teammate and I’m just continuing to learn from him.”
PETTINE EMPHASIZING TURNOVERS AND FINISHING STRONG
In reading Mike Pettine’s comments post-practice today, the two responses below caught my attention in a good way. It’s something the Browns have not been good at since they’ve returned to the NFL in 1999 and kudos to the first-year head coach for emphasizing it early in camp and I’m guessing he will continue to pound home the importance of winning the turnover battle and finishing games strong.
Question – On every running play ending with two or three defenders trying to pry the ball loose and if that’s planned?
Coach Pettine – “Absolutely. To me, you look at the statistics in the league – what’s the biggest indicator of wins and losses? It’s the turnover ratio. We want to be one of those teams that takes the ball away and doesn’t allow teams to take it away from us. I think as frustrating as it is for our running backs, it’s great practice for them having guys pulling at it and hacking at it, and it’s good for our guys defensively. It’s a habit like anything else. Hopefully, it will carry over to Sunday.”
Question – On if he feels like the defense really dominated today?
Coach Pettine – “To me, it’s just knee-jerk reaction, and then certainly, at the end, it was upper hand to the defense. I reminded them in the meetings that we’re going to do those competitions at the end, and this could have been the day where the offense dominated all day and the defense wins it at the end where it counted. We want to train our guys to know it doesn’t matter what happens over the course of a game, we’ve got to make sure we can finish, whether it’s in practice finishing a drill at the end when we start doing our two-minute stuff, our red zone stuff. I think that’s important to realize. If I’m with a group who’s played well throughout the game, it still comes down to playing well at the end in virtually every NFL game.”