Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - Friday, December 8, 2023

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach
Sean McVay - Friday, December 8, 2023

Head Coach Sean McVay

(Opening remarks)

“Okay, injury wise (OLB Michael) Hoecht, (OL) Byron Young and (D Quentin
Lake will all be questionable. They will be limited participants in practice today
and then (TE) Tyler Higbee will be doubtful for the game. If that's the case and
he's not able to go, then those other guys will be ready to step up.”

(On if WR Puka Nacua will be a full participant in practice today)

“He will be, yes. Puka will be good.”

(On how Higbee's absence could change things if he can't play)

“It changes the fact that you don't have one of your leaders and captains out
there and the production that he's brought. It doesn't change much for us in
terms of the things that we would do and the way that we would want to
operate. I think it's been good to be able to see whether it's (TE) Brycen
Hopkins, (TE) David Allen, (TE) Hunter Long, all those guys have played
meaningful snaps for us this year. (Tight Ends Coach) Nick Caley does such a
great job with that unit. They've had a really good week of practice. If Higbee is
able to go, I know that there's nobody that's going to work harder over these
next 48 hours to put himself in position to be ready. If he can go, great and if
not then he'll be leading on the sideline and controlling what he can control. It
doesn't change too much other than missing a great player if we don't have
him.”

(On if any of the players listed as questionable might still be able to play)

“Yeah, I think all of those guys. Quentin is the only one that we've really got to
still be smart with, with the soft tissue. With Hoecht and Byron Young we don't
expect that's their game status but unless there is a setback, I think those guys
will be good to go.”

(On if the team flies out today or tomorrow)

“Tomorrow.”

(On what goes into the decision to leave Saturday instead of Friday for
east coast games)

“When I first got here any time that we were going a few time zones, and
especially if it was a 10:00 a.m. kickoff in our head, we would always leave on
Fridays. Then what we learned by mandate during the COVID season was
keeping guys in their beds, trying to just keep a consistent rhythm and routine
has served us well in that season and then that's kind of what we've followed
since then. I always value the player's feedback. That's the most important
thing to me. When they say, I’d like to be able to kind of go through my normal
routine on a Friday, whether it's guys getting body work done, having another
night in their bed, and then being able to get up and be ready to go…because it
doesn't change your circadian rhythm or anything like that. You have to be in
certain places for a lot longer period of time so that was what ultimately led to it.
I'll always defer to what the players feel is best and if we feel like those two
things align and its performance-driven, we're checking both boxes.”

(On his evaluation of OL Alaric Jackson’s ‘quietly productive season’)

“Yeah, not necessarily quiet for us. He's done a great job and I've been really
pleased with the way he's played, especially since the bye in the last three
games. I think there's been a focus. There's been a concentration. There's
been a consistency snap in and snap out. I thought he had arguably one of his
best games that he's had last week against what we all know as a phenomenal
player, a great defense. But I think he deserves a ton of credit for the work that
he's putting in, and how he approaches every single day. And then you look at
how receptive he is, how coachable he is, certainly has the ability, but I think it's
most importantly the work that he's put in and the way that he is just continuing
to push himself and the consistency at which he's played at that left tackle
position has been really important to us. And (Offensive Line Coach) Ryan
Wendell and (Asst. Offensive Line Coach) Zak Kromer and (Offensive Asst.)
Nick Jones and (Former NFL Head Coach) Mike Munchak, those guys have
been great leaders and mentors for him but I'm really proud of him and we want
to continue to play the way he's done.”

(On having RB Kyren Williams available for a rainy game in December)

“Well, I think having him in general… we're very different in a positive way
when he's out there. If you just look at it, the energy, the production, the
leadership that he provides. I think it enables (R Royce (Freeman) to be in a
great situation where there are good compliments off of one another, but I don't
think it's by mistake that we're at our best when he's a part of this offense and
when he's playing. It's apparent. You can just look at all the games when he's
been there and when he hasn't and it's very different. I'm very grateful for him. I
love the approach that he has every single day and this guy is exactly what we
want in Rams.”

(On if players like DB Ahkello Witherspoon, WR DeMarcus Robinson and
DB John Johnson III have worked out as well as anticipated)

“I think so, yeah. I think (Director of Pro Scouting) John McKay and then really
our coaches and obviously (General Manager) Les (Snead), they've done a
great job of being able to identify…And we knew a little bit about Ahkello when
you just look at the situations that he was a part of in terms of whether he was
in Pittsburgh or going against him in San Francisco and him being out there
and being available, we felt like he had a skillset and I think he's done a great
job. And there was some recruitment in terms of getting him to come that
(Defensive Backs/Pass Rush Coordinator) Aubrey (Pleasant) and (Defensive
Coordinator) Raheem (Morris) did a great job with and then I think he
immediately asserted himself and he's done phenomenal. But John McKay
deserves a ton of credit for that. DeMarcus Robinson, same thing. John always
stays abreast to the landscape of the league. He was a guy that we knew
offensively. We had respect for what he did. He did a great job. There's a lot of
production that he had for the Ravens last year and really over the course of his
career. To get him was big and then the familiarity with (DB John) ‘JJ’ (Johnson
III). He comes out for a practice. He liked the vibe that was very similar. And
you can see, I thought what's been really cool about JJ's situation is that he's
gotten himself to where he's feeling good. He was in shape but getting yourself
into the shape that you're able to play at consistently, he earned the right to be
able to get out on the field. He and (D Jordan (Fuller) have done a really
good job manning those safety positions. I think (D Russ Yeast has thrived at
safety, but also playing some other spots. But those three guys that you pointed
out, ton of credit to Les and his group, but John McKay, I give him a lot of credit
and then the coaches ultimately being able to say, ‘Yep, let's do that. Let's have
some dialogue before.’ And then those guys come in and continue to be big
parts of what we're trying to do right now.”

(On if K Mason Crosby will be elevated for Sunday)

“You know what, we haven't decided that yet. More than likely we probably will
not go that direction, but we'll see.”

(On if it’s satisfying having stayed the course and are now seeing results
despite a tough start to the season)

“I think we’ve got a long way to go. What's satisfying is watching the
improvement that this group has made and the way that they're consistent. And
I think in a lot of instances too, it was before we've had some of the good things
that have occurred over the last three weeks. There was a consistency. I think
you guys could feel that. We know that it's a production-based business and we
want to be able to perform in those windows of time that we're allotted each
week, but the way that these guys work day in and day out has been what's
been rewarding and the growth. I think you've seen these guys get better and
we want to be able to continue to go in that right direction. I think it's really
important that we're playing good football towards the latter part of November
and then we want to be able to continue that on into December. And what a
great challenge against an excellent football team this week.”

--RAMS--

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#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