Transcript: Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - Friday, October 13, 2023

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach
Sean McVay - Friday, October 13, 2023

Head Coach Sean McVay

(Opening remarks)

“Injury wise, the only guys that will be listed as questionable for the game will
be (L Ernest Jones, (DT) Larrell Murchison, and (OL) Joe Noteboom. Ernest,
we’ll be careful with him today. He'll go through walkthrough and different
things like that but he's feeling good. He's making good progress and it'll be
good to see what Joe and Larrell and how they do today. That'll indicate exactly
how we're feeling about their game status. That’s what it'll look like for them.”

(On if he expects Jones to play Sunday)

“I do, yes.”

(On the plan if Jones does not play)

“(L Troy Reeder has done an excellent job. (L Jake Hummel provides
depth. (L Christian Rozeboom has played really well. Some of it depends
upon the personnel groupings that we're in but those guys, both Troy and Jake,
got some more reps in some of our practice settings when Ernest was just out
there and kind of just staying mentally locked in, so they would be ready to step
up if need be.”

(On the status of Jones’ knee)

“No, it's been good. This has been par for the course, so this is kind of what we
anticipated. So just want to be smart with him. He's going to do the
walkthrough. He's getting himself in a position so this was kind of our thought
process all along.”

(On why he thinks he’s had so much success against the Arizona
Cardinals in previous seasons)

“Yeah, I think it's all a game-by-game situation and scenario so I don't
necessarily look at it that way. We didn't have success in one of the games
against them last year. What I do know is this, when you flip the tape on, kind of
talked about this a little bit earlier in the week, you see some familiar faces. I'm
seeing a really impressive operation in all three phases. I think (Cardinals Head
Coach) Jonathan Gannon has done an excellent job. You can just see they’re
really sound schematically. They put a lot of pressure on you in some of the
different situational things that come up throughout the course of the game. I
think they do a really good job of being able to mix personnel groupings on both
sides of the football that creates different dialogue and conversations that you
have to be able to work through. I've been really impressed with their ability to
identify their players' skill sets and consistently try to get them in situations
where they can replicate that. I've been really impressed when you look at the
tape. I don't get too caught up in some of the numbers. I think the tape is where
the real truth is and seeing a lot of really good football in all three phases and
we got to be ready to go and we're looking forward to it.”

(On the emphasis of tackling this week and what that looks like in
practice)

“Well, I think it really is about some of the drills where you can try to simulate
that, even more of a premium, more of an emphasis on it. You always
emphasize those things. Then when things do break down, alright, what is the
tackling plan relative to, alright, where is your help coming from? What type of
position are you? What's the best way to be able to get that player on the
ground? Those are big points of emphasis that we make every single week. I
think when you look at last week and really, you're going three weeks in a row
with quarterbacks that can put pressure on you with their athleticism, their
ability to be able to buy time. It's about playing 11 as one, making sure that we
rush with integrity. We try to do a good job of keeping (Cardinals QB Joshua)
Dobbs bottled up, but because of some of the things that unfolded last week,
you say, ‘Hey, how do we fix things?’ When you identify the problems, you try
to provide solutions and then you put the work in to try to be able to get those
things. That's what we've done. There are some challenges as you alluded to,
just because you don't always go to the ground, but you try to make even more
of an emphasis on it, allow the guys to have an ownership of the intent, and
then make it come to life during the game.”

(On the type of impact DT Aaron Donald has on his teammates when he
sends a message through press conferences)

“Oh yeah. When he speaks, people listen, myself included. I think there's a
powerful way about the way that he goes about his business. That means when
he does speak, there's an added emphasis on that. He's a great listener. He
takes a lot of things in. You've heard me mention just modeling the way is one
of the most powerful ways, but there are times when I think especially a player
like him, you end up speaking up and it just resonates differently than when
you're hearing it whether it be from yourself or (Defensive Coordinator)
Raheem (Morris) or (Defensive Line Coach Eric Henderson) Coach Henny.
That's when I think he's been at his best. I think when you look through the
course of his career, he does a great job of having a feel for when to be able to
use that. I think the best thing you can say about him, like you've heard me say
before, is he's an igniter. He elevates people around him. When he's adamant
about something, usually that means guys don't want to let him down and I
think it's really powerful.”

(On if he expects OL Kevin Dotson to play Sunday)

“I do, yeah. He was able to participate in a limited fashion yesterday. He's
feeling good. He's ready to go. We feel good about that.”

(On the right guard position if OL Kevin Dotson is healthy with OL Joe
Noteboom)

“I think the first thing is let's figure out how Joe feels today. But I think it's a
positive thing that you've got guys that have both started at right guard and
performed at a high level for you. Obviously, Joe ended up having to start at the
left tackle position against Indianapolis. And so having versatile players like
that, you can't have enough guys that are capable of starting and playing
winning football for you. So if Joe's able to go, those will be something that'll be
things that we'll work through and talk through once we see exactly what he's
feeling like after today.”

(On how he learned how DT Aaron Donald could affect practice when he
first arrived as the head coach)

“That was the benefit of him holding out my first two years. I remember, I got a
chance to meet him when I was interviewing, he and (Former Rams Q Jared
(Goff) were the two players that I actually met with beforehand and I think that
shows the respect that both those guys had from the organization and knowing
what you wanted them to be. But he'll ruin people for sure. And if you don't
have specific plans for him, because every single team goes into it and that's
the first thing that they're talking about. And if you just say, all right, we're just
going to play rules ball, it can really be bad for some of the development of
some of your younger offensive linemen and things like that. The first voluntary
mini-camp, I remember that you get when you're a new staff, you're obviously
in helmets and it's more of an OTA setting, but you're making kind of a cut up to
really just identify some of the really good stuff and then some things that we
can improve upon. And every single clip ended up being, here's 99 just ruining
a play again. And then it was a little bit of time until I saw him when we were
getting ready for Washington after that because he had to work through, ended
up going through that year about getting it done and then we waited. And so I
told him, I jokingly said, ‘It's a lot better when we don't see you during training
camp and then you just come in so you don't have to upset me when I put my
offensive hat on.’ But you don't ever get bored with it. You don't ever take it for
granted and he certainly never lets the complacency set in and I think that's
why it's not out of the question to say he is a one-of-one type of player.”

(On how he sees Donald growing and innovating his game)

“I think it's cool when you really talk to him because again, you mentioned that
when he speaks everybody really listens and their ears kind of perk up, but his
nuanced understanding of the game and being able to echo and articulate
exactly what's going on is something that I think the best have and he
understands that. He knows based on where he's located, he's able to get keys
and tells and tips and reads pre-snap on offensive linemen. If you ever just talk
to him about personnel and hey, how do you evaluate this offensive line or
even some of our own guys? The amount of depth that he can provide. Some
of the best learning that I've had is from these great players and he certainly
checks those boxes. He loves this game. He loves competing and I think when
you love something and you're passionate about it, you're always trying to
continuously take your game in a direction that's positive and moving forward.
That's not exclusive to physically, that's mentally for him and I think he
understands and appreciates that at a level that is one of the many things that
makes him super rare.”

(On whether he will activate WR Tyler Johnson to the roster)

“We haven't talked about that yet, that's a possibility, but haven't gone down
that road yet.”

(On if he feels as if he can run certain plays with WR Puka Nacua as he
did with Former Rams WR Robert Woods)

“Well, I think Robert brought a toughness, a versatility to our offense that was
incredibly valuable and I think Puka does some of those similar things. Robert
Woods is one of my all-time favorites, one of the best competitors I've ever
been around, did so many different things for us. And you start putting guys in
that kind of category and that's a big mantle to be able to put on, but he is a guy
that can fulfill a lot of the roles. Want to continue to see him take steps in the
right direction, which I've loved what he's done and he's all about the right stuff.
But he and Robert are special types of players and they're few and far
between.”

(On his contingency plan for the arrival of his newborn child)

“It’s coming up here in the next couple weeks, so could be any day now. Really
feel fortunate that it's been a smooth pregnancy. My wife has been incredible
and so it hasn't quite hit me yet. I know he's active right now and it seems like
he's ready to come at any moment. What a blessing that'll be and what an
amazing job my wife Veronika has done in terms of just handling the
pregnancy. She's a stud and so this gives me a total gratitude and appreciation
and newfound respect just kind of watching it unfold in real time and when the
little guy comes here, it'll be such a blessing for us, but it could be any day
now.”

--RAMS--

---

#HelmetHornsMatter

“Well, the color is good, I like the metallic blue,” Youngblood recently said while laughing, via NFL Journal. “The horn is terrible. It looks like a ‘C.’ When I first saw it on the logo I honestly thought it was a Charger logo.

“Now when I see it on the helmet, it just isn’t a ram horn. There is no distinct curl like a mature ram horn. I don’t know how the Rams could get that wrong. That is your symbol and it has been for what? Seventy years or more? Longer than I have been alive? It’s just not us, it’s not the Rams.”---Mr. Ram Jack Youngblood





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/2023 12:28PM by Ramsdude.