TRANSCRIPTS: RAMS Head Coach Sean McVay, OLB Terrell Lewis, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Van Jefferson – 8/23/20 Head Coach Sean McVay

TRANSCRIPTS: RAMS Head Coach Sean McVay, OLB Terrell Lewis, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Van Jefferson – 8/23/20
Head Coach Sean McVay

(Opening Remarks)
"As we get started, you know a lot of people talk about, especially in this area, this would have been Kobe's (Bryant) 42nd birthday and tomorrow being 8/24, being able to recognize him. You talk about the guy that epitomizes the mindset and mentality as a competitor that you want to embody. I know there's so many people that have such a great affinity and appreciation for Kobe in our building players, coaches alike. You know, we've implemented when we do a lot of competitive-type periods, we call those Mamba periods. I just wanted to be able to acknowledge that and just say that he's in our thoughts and our prayers, and so is his family with today being what would have been his 42nd birthday."

(On confirming the NFL report on the hamstring injury of RB Darrell Henderson and what it means for the other RBs)
"Yeah, you know, it's tough. Darrell did get a mild hamstring. Those are interesting injuries that you kind of just take a little bit at a time. It's unfortunate because he's had a really good camp up to this point. He was on a good run where he was really cutting off the heels of the linemen and you could just feel where he got a little twinge in his hamstring. But we will be hopeful that he'll end up being able to get back and it won't affect his availability for the Dallas game. But it does hurt, you know, being able to miss out on some of those reps. But like anything else, it means more reps for cam for (R Malcolm (Brown), for (R (Xavier) Jones and (R John Kelly. And so, (Running Backs Coach) Thomas Brown has done a great job with those guys. They'll get more reps and then we'll be excited when we can get Darrell back on the field, but it is an unfortunate setback for him."

(On what did he like from film on offense and defense)
"What's interesting about those scrimmage settings and especially just the way that it went yesterday, a lot of it is that there was that consistent noise in the background, we're trying to manipulate to make sure we get enough plays, you're not playing tackle, especially with those guys we're counting on on the 13th. So, I thought there was a lot of good situational ball that we were able to get for both sides. I thought offensively, there was some good drives, some good continuity, a couple instances where there was some big plays and guys— you know, I thought the end of the first half where we kind of had a two-minute situation with the first offense did a really nice job there. And then I thought the defense made a lot of plays in the second half. I thought their communication picked up. I thought they were really good in some red-area situations where we kind of were going in some for four down, first, second, third and fourth down situations and kind of manipulating that just to make sure we get some of those got to have it calls. And then they finished up with a two-minute situation doing an excellent job. But (DL) Aaron (Donald) showed up like we talked about yesterday. You know, (C Jalen (Ramsey) continues to make plays. And really, I was pleased with our defensive front as a whole. I thought some of the movement and different things that they were able to get done— it was a real credit to (Defensive Line) Coach (Eric) Henderson in that front."

(On any additional pressure to maintain the bar he has set with the Rams organization in his first two years coaching here)
"Oh, no, I mean, I think those are things you want to embrace. You know, we're never going to run away from those things. And like we've talked about before, we didn't do a good enough last year. If your standards are anything less than the expectation to try to win every game and do things the right way, with crisp, sharp operation and execution in all phases, you know, I don't know what we're spending all this time here for. So, we're never going to run away from that. You know, we have high expectations and those things don't change."

(On why he decided to cancel practice today and if it had anything to do with outbreak of false positives)
"No, it really didn't. It had to do with the fact that we got about 150 plays yesterday and wanted to review all of the film. We felt like the important thing was going to be getting all these meetings— I really extended meeting time and because of the workload that we got in, we got a lot more work than even I had hoped for, which was a good thing. (I) wanted to be able to give these guys— they lifted and then they had an activation flush. And wanted to give them another day tomorrow and then come back and have a really good three-day stretch Tuesday through Thursday, kind of tailor it back a little bit Friday and then hit it hard again on Saturday. So, it didn't have anything to do with the COVID stuff. It was exclusively a result of, you know, getting as many reps as we did, in some instances, because you kind of get excited out on the field, we got a lot more reps than what was originally scheduled. And so because of that, that was what led to just kind of altering the schedule today."

(On any other injuries as a result of so many reps)
"No. Darrell was the only guy that we expect to kind of be limited in practice in the next couple of days. But you know, I will always connect with Reggie a little bit later on. But nothing other than Darrell."

(On the the type of resource Rams Sports Psychologist Carrie Hastings has been for the team)
"Yeah, she's huge. You know, I think that's one of the things that is so important— is to be able to have people that you can talk to. And in a lot of instances, you know, there's one thing that I realized about being in this role these last few years. Everybody has their own set of circumstances and things that they deal with, whether it be in this building or outside of that building. And to be able to have somebody that you can share and confide in and have the strength to really be vulnerable to go and spend some time with her, I think, has been a huge part of us encouraging that and anybody that's met Dr. (Carrie) Hastings, you can see, she's really special at what she does. She has a great way about herself. And I think it's an important resource, especially when you just talk about caring about these players and really, you know, everybody that's a part of our organization. Those are things you definitely want to be mindful of having at your disposal to be able to utilize."

(On was he pleased with the tempo despite frustration with communication issues)
"Yeah, it was really— what I was more frustrated (about) was just what I was hopeful to be able to have for my normal communication on game day. I don't think our players felt it as much. They did a good job with the operation. But typically, you know, during the game, I'm able to say, 'Okay, I can click from the offensive line to the defensive line', especially just getting a comfortable rapport with the flow for (Defensive Coordinator) Brandon (Staley) calling a game, you know, on September 13. And in us being able to kind of just get some experiences in those settings. And that was where some challenges ended up kind of presenting themselves. But I thought our guys did a nice job. And really, the design is to really stress both sides of the ball, you know, because you can kind of pick and choose when you want to be able to press the tempo, especially outside of those two-minute operations. But, you know, you want to look at it like a picture. You know, you don't always want to go fast, you don't always want to be slow, but kind of just changing it up and make sure that, defensively, too, we're doing everything we can to be ready to roll. Because the one advantage that the offense has is they decide within the framework of that 40-second play clock when the ball is snapped, and that's always been a huge emphasis for us."

(On does he sub in plays or have a backup hand signal for communication)
"Yeah. You know, we have the ability to visually communicate that stuff as well and sometimes if we're changing personals you might be able to do that. But for the most part, it would lead to probably visual communication, that's happened a few short amount of times. But that's why you do have some code numbers and code words and different things that you can activate that, you know, one thing means a lot to our guys and in some of those situations, especially where you want to expedite the process."

(On how is (S) Taylor Rapp doing)
"He's doing good. He's making progress. I'm hopeful that, you know, within the next week he'll be able to get back out on the field. So, he's making the progress that we want. Certainly, we would love to have him out there right now. But I don't think that anything is going to be threatened for this Dallas game. And obviously, that's the most important thing is getting ready to go and being as healthy as we possibly can for the 13th."

(On who would fill in for Rapp if he weren't ready)
"Yeah, I think that's to be determined. We've got a lot of guys that are doing really well at the safety position. I mentioned those young players, those rookies, but, you know, we've got a lot of football left, we've got a lot of evaluation, still, to get done, to really identify those guys that are going to carve out roles for the 13th."

(On possibilities of WR Van Jefferson starting this season)
"Yeah, I think you're just looking at how comfortable he gets at moving around in the offense. You know, we've got guys we've got X and Z and F positions, but really we want to be able to have guys that are versatile that can play all over the formation. And I think that's one of the things we liked so much about Van is he can certainly win isolations outside, he can work inside on option routes where he understands how to work leverages and recognize coverage contours. So, he’s a really good football player. He's continuing to do a great job of just learning every single day from Coach 'Yarbs' (Wide Receivers Eric Yarber), (Assistant Wide Receivers Coach) Zac Robinson. And you can see, kind of like what we've talked about ever since we drafted him, he's got a knack for the game. Football just makes sense to him. He's got that pedigree, you know, when you look at the history of the success that his dad had as a player and now he's coaching. And when you're around Van, that's what it feels like. You know, it feels like he came from that football pedigree and he sure is talented."

(On how bright is it on the field at SoFi Stadium)
Yeah, it's bright because of all those lights and the different things. It's definitely bright.

(On does he want crowd noise or he rather it be quiet)
"What you'd like to have is something that closely simulates— there's nothing like having the crowd, I love the crowd noise, but you know that automated crowd noise, if you will, I think trying to get it as consistent as what a home gameday atmosphere or visitor atmosphere would entail. You know, when you look at these great opportunities to go play at some of these other stadiums or what we hope that SoFi will feel like — you know, these fans, they have an understanding of a when offense is at work, you're quieting it down and when the defense goes, you know, they're really sustaining and there's a progressive build up, usually, as that play clock kind of ticks down. That was the only thing that was just not really realistic in my mind, is the constant stream of the noise. And you guys think about when you've been out of game, there's ebbs and flows. And especially when you look at, all right, you have a really good home atmosphere. Usually it's a build up just exclusive to when the defense is on the grass. And so, those are some of the things— I know the league will do a great job of working through whatever it is, and it'll be pretty consistent across all 32 teams. But for me, that was the first experience having that consistent noise."

(On how much of an advantage is it to play at SoFi stadium early)
"Yeah, it's vital. You know, just getting comfortable with the atmosphere. It's the first time and, you know, especially because we'll be doing it so many times. You know, and there's so many different protocols that they're still working through. But most importantly, you know, you look at players being able to get their uniforms on, get a feel for it, understand, 'Hey, what's the home sideline? Which side will we be able to warm up on? Where's my locker room? When I get into the stadium, where am I going?' Those are things that, as much as you can minimize any distractions or unnecessary stressors on game day for the players, that's our goal. And I think to be able to give them clarity and understand how quickly they can try to establish their rhythm and routine. It's why we want to be able to do it twice. And I think in a lot of instances, it's just as good for the coaches. You know, I know next week scrimmage will be reflective of some things that I think we can make the operation sharper, and more crisp from us just being able to give clarity to our players. That's always the goal and the least amount of distractions and the more that they can just focus on playing football, enjoying it, and having that sense of urgency and focus that we talked about. That's the goal. And that's why these two things are extremely important."

(On balancing the depth of the wide receiver position)
"Yeah, it's a positive problem. I mean, Josh Reynolds has done a really nice job. You got a couple backs that have really demonstrated. So, we've got five eligibles every single play that we can activate. We want to be mixed in our personnel groupings. And we want to be an outfit that spreads the ball around. You know, certain guys in different situations have gotten an opportunity to get a little bit more targets but, I think we're operating at our best when the ball is being spread around. You're getting tight ends, you're getting receivers, you're getting the backs involved in different ways, especially in the pass game. And you know, the offenses that I've been a part of, there's ball distribution because it's about the unit and I think that's what you want to see it reflect, especially with the amount of good players we have that can make plays with the ball in their hands."

OLB Terrell Lewis

(On how it felt to scrimmage at SoFi Stadium)
"It was really fun, just getting back out there and seeing the stadium, seeing kind of the atmosphere it will bring. It felt really fun being back out there and giving you that game feeling with the game uniform going, and stuff like that. It was cool."

(On comments from coaches and teammates about his size and speed as a rookie)
"Yeah, people have been commenting about it a lot – even like my first day out there, back with the guys like special team coaches and stuff like that, they're like, ‘Man, you don't look like a rookie,’ and things like that. It's been fun getting back out here and then me, personally, I don't want to feel like a rookie. So, that's why I kind of prepare myself through the summer and stuff like that, trying to come in and make sure that I fit in with the guy that I want to play next to. Guys like (DL Michael) Brockers and ‘AD’ (DL Aaron Donald), stuff like that. They don't look like rookies, so I'm not trying to look like a rookie either. So, that's kind of been my main focus, but just going back out there and competing, and being next to those guys, you don't want to feel like a rookie. You don't want them to look at you as like a rookie. You want them to look at you as a guy that they can depend on, and just come in and contribute in any way."

(On DL Michael Brockers joking with media that he originally thought Lewis was a nose tackle and if anyone of his other teammates mentioned anything similar when he first stepped onto the field)
"Not really on the field. I know Brock, he's a funny dude. I know when we were in the weight room – I lift with me, him and (OLB Leonard) Floyd, we usually are always lifting together. So, he'll try to pick on me and as if like, ‘Man, y'all must not lift. Y’all must not lift at ’Bama (University of Alabama).’ Just trying to pick on me, acting like I'm not that big, but really trying to kind of say, ‘Yeah, you’re big as hell for the position you play,’ but he's funny."

(On if he has always been a big guy)
"I didn't really start…I was always usually a skinnier guy up until probably my junior year of high school. Then that's when I kind of started to shoot up and really started eating and focusing on my nutrition side while I was working out and that's when I started to put my weight on. Then from that point on, yeah, for the most part I was around this size. But this past summer, I probably put on 10 pounds since the end of my college season. So, I probably went from like 252, 253 (pounds) to about 262, 264 (pounds)."

(On his experience starting training camp on the COVID list and the impact on him physically and mentally)
"Physically, it wasn't too bad for me. I mean, I had little symptoms where I maybe had like a bubbly stomach and things like that. But mentally, it was bumming just being a rookie coming in, and then it's like, okay, you're the only person on the team with COVID. So, I was bored in the house, seeing everybody get back to work and get back active and I'm just in the house and coach is still doing Zoom calls with me and things like that. So mentally, it was more bumming than physically. Physically, it wasn't too bad for me, compared to, you know what I’m saying, other people's takes on it, but mentally even more so. I'm like, ‘Okay, I'm ready to get back to work. We've been waiting all summer for this and then boom, you’ve still got to wait.’"

(On how he feels about his performance so far)
"I'm doing okay. I think, my standard-wise, I want to be way better than where I'm at, but I understand that I came in a little bit behind other guys. I'm still getting acclimated and then still trying to get the feel for the NFL speed of the game, the mental side of it, the plays that are coming my way. At this level, everybody's good. So that is another thing that you’ve got to get used to coming out of college, and not really getting as much preparation as a normal rookie would get with OTA's and things of that nature. So, for me, I'm okay with where I'm at, but at the same time, I'm not okay where am I at because I know my standards. I want to be as good as possible."

(On if there are drawbacks to being an outside linebacker at his size)
"Well, I know a lot of guys aren't that big just because they want to focus on the speed of the game, playing fast and being as fast. The NFL is a fast game, but if you can play fast at this size, I don't think it's about (inaudible)…Think about (Chicago Bears OL Khalil Mack too much."

(On if there any parts of him that wants to prove to people that he should have been considered a first-round talent)
"I've got a lot to prove. But to me, I take it as a chip on my shoulder, but at the same time, I don't want to prove it to nobody but myself. So, I go in every day with the mindset, compete with yourself. I don't have nothing to prove to anybody but myself, and basically just prove to myself. I know where I should have been taken at. I know my value, I know my worth and eventually it'll come out and it'll be exposed. But mentally, obviously things like that, when you grow up as a kid and have a dream of knowing where you want to be and it (doesn’t) go as planned, it (doesn’t) do (anything) but motivates you. My background on my phone screen, things like that, it's all things that fuel me to go harder or remember my why, remember why I'm going so hard, remember why I'm here."

(On playing for Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley considering his history coaching outside linebackers)
"Man, I love Coach Staley. Coach Staley, I could tell, me and him gravitated towards each other since I've been drafted to this organization. He'd always shoot me a text and always is trying to coach me up, always trying to give me any knowledge that he possibly can and I'm always receptive to anything he says just because I know the guys that he's coach, like Khalil Mack and Von Miller and I know the defenses he's coached. So I'm always ready to ask him questions, ready to get his insight on things and things like that, so that I can learn and potentially be one of those guys that he can say he's just like one of those top-tier edge rushers that he's coached in the past. I love our relationship. He's a high energy guy and he's one of those guys you can always talk to."

(On what's been the toughest part of the transition on the field going from college to the NFL and what he has had to work on in preparation for facing better competition)
"Basically, exactly what you said, just better competition. Everybody at this level is good. Guys, the O-lineman you go against, they're much more athletic, they're much smarter, so you've got to come with your A-game every snap and you can't pick and choose when you want to flip the switch on or off. So that's been probably the main thing, trying to understand. Then obviously just going against this offense that we have. We will have such a complex offense and it teaches you to train your eyes and study your keys and basically focus on who you need to focus on, like when you're playing blocks and things of that nature. It's eye candy and stuff like that. So, it trains you to be disciplined, more than if you're just going against a normal-like situation on offense."

(On if there are any players that he tried to emulate in college and in terms of the technical aspect of being a pass rusher)
"I look at a lot of guys that I feel like my body resembles, so I try to watch guys like (Minnesota Vikings DE) Danielle Hunter, even older guys like (former L DeMarcus Ware, or (Arizona Cardinals OL Chandler Jones, (Green Bay Packers OL Za'Darius Smith. All those guys that I know they have the same kind of lift as me, the speed. Then a lot of times I even look at guys like – obviously Khalil Mack is a person that anybody's going to watch just because it's Khalil Mack – but just for me knowing his size and his measurables, as far as like, his weight and how he carries and how he can translate his speed to power and things like that. I try to watch any and everybody really."

(On if he can play other positions on defense due to his size and if he’s done so in the past)
"At Alabama, they used me everywhere along the front seven and I was 10 pounds lighter. So even me putting on this weight, my mindset was, I want to be able to be a guy where a coach can say, ‘I can put him at stacked linebacker, I could put him at a three-tech, I could put him anywhere across the front seven, because he's athletic enough to drop in space and move around and play in space, but then he's also athletic enough and strong enough and powerful enough to play anywhere along the front line.’"

(On Alabama’s legacy of linemen and if he regularly talks to any of them that are in the league)
"It's definitely a motivation. I talk to everybody that's come through Bama. I've talked to all those guys. Me and (DL) A'Shawn (Robinson), since he's been here and I've been here, we've been clicking like this. We've been sticking together like glue really and he always, anytime I come to the sideline, he'll coach me up. It's just a brotherhood that we have, that we always keep in contact with each other. We're always going to give each other as much knowledge as we possibly can, to help each other out and keep each other constantly progressing and getting better as we keep playing this game."

(On how life is going off the field and in the locker room)
"It's been going well. I'm just now starting to get back active and doing stuff. Camp is keeping me pretty much tied up and then outside of that, I mean, I was quarantined for 10 days. So, we’re really locked down and didn't really have no personal or social life. Obviously, my outside linebacker group, they've been taking me in, and I've been getting real comfortable with guys like (OL Natrez (Patrick) and (OL Leonard (Floyd) and (OL Jachai (Polite), all those guys. Just being around those guys, they make you feel like you're not just a rookie, you fit in with one of us, we’re going to all do this together."

(On enjoying the transition to professional football and not having to worry about classes)
"Man, I love that (laughing). I just don't have to focus on anything but football and my body. So that's another thing where it's like it’s a blessing to get a degree, but at the same time, when you don't have to worry about school anymore. This (doesn’t) feel like a job to me because I don't really have anything to do but focus on football and go home. If I want to, I usually play football games, watch football on YouTube, things like that. So, this is the best feeling in the world to focus on my body and football, I love it.

(On if he has a preference on playing strongside or weakside)
"I don't really have a preference in sides. I think I know my strengths and weaknesses on each side, so whatever side I’m on, I know what I'm best at on that side and I know how I need to attack a guy depending on what side I'm on. But as far as preference to each side, I don't really have a preference. I would like to try to be as versatile as possible so that I'm comfortable wherever I'm at on the field."

(On being how he felt he did in the scrimmage, specifically against the first-team offensive line, against the run and pass)
"I think I did alright, but me personally, like I said, I know I have so much more I can do. I know I have a lot of things that I need to correct and adjust to as I continue to get acclimated to playing in this league and playing against these guys and playing against guys that are much smarter, much faster. But I think it was a good start, as far as me just being a rookie. Then obviously, just starting to get back in pads and things like that. I think, I'm not where I want to be, but at the same time, I'm not way far off. I have a lot of room for improvement, but I think the scrimmage, for me, it was a good learning experience just to see where I'm at and see, ‘Okay, that's where I need to elevate my game to.’"

WR Cooper Kupp

(On the SoFi Stadium and playing with artificial crowd noise)
"Yeah, well the stadium is incredible. That's my first time being there I think in a couple years. Being able to see the whole thing, built all the way up…It seems all the fans would be really just like all on top of you, probably not a bad seat in the house. The oculus is unreal. So, just walking into that stadium was an unbelievable, unbelievable thing. Very lucky to be able to play our home games there. In terms of the crowd noise, it was extremely irritating, but I didn’t notice it until, it was kind of like white noise until I realized that it was crowd noise. Then I couldn't stop hearing it. It was like, you want to talk to someone, but you couldn't because you realize there's this white noise just drowning out anything you wanted to say. It was fine until unfortunately I noticed that it was the crowd noise. It was very irritating."

(On WR Van Jefferson)
"He's done some incredible things. Everyone knows he's an incredible route runner by this point. The other side of things, is just his understanding of the game, the questions he asked. You're going to have questions. If you're coming in from college, you're going to have some. No one comes straight out of college and knows the NFL game. It is a different game. But, the questions he's asking really lends itself to show how much he is grasping on to this thing. He's not asking the 101 questions, he's asking the 301 questions. Just early on to be able to be at that point is pretty impressive. I think he's going to be an incredible football player and be able to play in this league. As long he keeps progressing the way that he has been, he's going to be able to play in this league for a long time."

(On the offense clicking in the scrimmage)
“I think over the last few years you’ve seen the way we’ve been able to implement this. When it comes to game time, you know, it’s so different when we’re practicing versus on Sunday, we want to emulate that in our practices as well. Keep that tempo up high and being able to go slow, go fast. As a receiver, it’s like playing a game like a point guard. You don’t want to be going 100 miles an hour all times. You want to a little bit of feel to routes, a little bit of a feel of how to set guys up. Being able to go 75 (percent), be able to leave a little in the tank to burst guys off their spot. I think (Head) Coach (Sean) McVay, he was a receiver in college I know, so he’s trying to pull that out as a play-caller and trying to be a little ebb-and-flow, a little point guard to him. Being able to do these speed break quicks, being able to do these slow quicks, being able to do some stuff that as a play-caller that helps set us up an offense better to be able to keep the defense on their toes.”

(On the importance of becoming familiar with the new stadium ahead of the first game)
“I think it’s very important to be able to get your routines set up. I think football players are pretty superstitious. So, for guys to be able to get into their routines, do what they do on a gameday and be able to make that feel as real as possible. I think we did a good job of that yesterday in terms of just our rhythm to the day. I know Coach (McVay) has plans for that coming up. Being able to be in our stadium for the first time, being able to be able to go through that stuff, I think it’s very important. Just being in the stadium, feeling the turf, being able to run routes out there and being able to just get a feel for what the atmosphere is like is very important so there is no surprises when we step out on the field against Dallas on the (September) 13th.”

(On his impressions on QB Jared Goff from the scrimmage)
“I think he made some really great throws off-balance to me, not just talking about on the run, but just being able to move in the pocket. There were a few times, I know there were throws that he wants back and I’m sure he’s going to be the first to own that. There’s also some great instances where he’s moving in the pocket and really being deliberate with movements and being able to get the ball out. Being able to get the ball off a base that’s not always there. When you go against (DL) Aaron Donald, that’s the nature of going against him every single day. I think it’s great work for him. We love that being able to create stress in practice is a great thing. I thought he made some incredible throws, but just like we said in our room as we watch the film, there’s a lot of stuff we want to improve on. That goes for everyone across the board. Every position wants to do better and I’m looking forward to being able to back get out there this week and improve on those things.”

(On if he is superstitions on gameday)
“I’m not too superstitious, I am a little ‘stitious’ though. I want my socks to look good. I make sure I take care of making sure my socks are in order, but that’s really the only thing I’ve got.”

(On Goff’s comments about WR Van Jefferson being ahead of his time being similar to Kupp during his rookie year)
“First of all, it’s really nice of (Q Jared (Goff) to compliment me that way, I’ll take what I can get. But yeah, I pride myself about knowing everything about an offense. I think early on, contrary to what (WR) Van (Jefferson) has, Van doesn’t get OTA’s, he doesn’t get those practices. He came in here and has adapt quickly through training camp here. Being able to do what he has been doing during training camp like this, where things are accelerated, I think that speaks to just the player he is to be able to handle that load. He thinks along the same ways where I think it’s stressful for me when I step on the field and I don’t know what everyone is doing. I hear a call, and I know we’ve got some ‘scat’ protection or anything like that, if I don’t know what the running back has, that bothers me. I want to know what the running back is doing so I know how the defense is going to react to that. I think he thinks along those same lines. He wants to understand everything. I think that lends itself to not force that stress on top the acceleration of learning the offense. It forces you to widen your scope and see that it’s not just about learning one position, it’s about learning about what we’re doing as an offense. What’s the ‘why’ behind what we’re doing. That’s really the way my thinking has been, that’s what helped me kind of move through this. I think Van thinks along those same lines.”

(On if the lighting on the field was dim and on heat at SoFi Stadium)
“I mean, you might have had your sunglasses on. Everything was good from our standpoint. Things looked solid. There was a nice little breeze coming through the stadium. It was definitely a little warm, but nothing like it was outside. I mean, it was scorching outside. It’s a somewhat outdoor stadium, it’s going to be somewhat warm. Honestly, it felt great once we got into our scrimmage and when the sun went down, it felt incredible in there. But, nothing with the lighting or anything like that. It seemed good.”

(On if the team felt the breeze from the field)
“Yeah, we felt it. It was good.”

(On the last time before this year he heard the word ‘ecosystem’)
‘Ecosystem (laughs). You know, I’m trying to think of the last time I took a biology class, which is probably the last time I would have. Actually, I took a geography class my senior year and it was not as much geography as it was like specific weather patterns in certain areas. So, that’s probably the last time. I’m sure I heard it there, but I can’t promise you.”

(On what he’s learned about the Rams ‘ecosystem’)
“I’ve learned that it’s supposed to be clean and that it’s our responsibility to keep it clean. So, I’ll keep it at that.”

(On what cleats he wore at SoFi Stadium)
“I just wore the ones I usually wear, just the Nike Vapor Elites. They’re coming out this year. They felt great. The turf felt awesome. Some of the guys have been wearing their Jordans and the Jordans, they said those were great as well. I had a pre-scrimmage decision to make, I had both of them on my feet – I had the Jordan 11’s, I had the Vapor Elites – and I ended up going with the Elites simply because I thought it looked better. It was good, though.”

(On what specifically he focuses on surrounding his socks)
“That’s really the only space you have to really do something maybe a little bit different. You definitely have to work within the parameters. But, it’s creating a little break up. It’s understanding what color my cleats are going to be, what color our socks are going to be and figuring out how to break those up a little bit if you need to break them up. You can look back on the film, I would put my sock game up there just about with anyone. Some guys that have it down, some guys don’t. I’d like to say my sock game’s up there.”

(On if the team has mixed in any game-planning during camp to help with preparations for the regular season opener)
“I mean, I’m sure we’ll get to that point. That’s not something we’ve done yet with all the stuff that we’re doing, it’s just being able to master our systems, being able to get down our football philosophy and be able to compete day in and day out. Within the scheme of what our defense does, we were running our plays to get open and you still as a receiver, our defense presents some great challenges. But, you know just like any other week during the season, you might not see the same thing one week to another, but you might have some of the same play calls. So, you have to find ways to win within that. Those things will change up, but I’m sure (Head) Coach (Sean McVay) has a great plan to get us adapted for Week 1 and we’ll be ready to go when we step on the field on the (September) 13th.

WR Van Jefferson

(On how it feels to be around his teammates in training camp so far)
“It’s been good so far. Just enjoying the process. Just learning every day, trying to get better every day, learn from these guys and like I said, just be great every day and be one percent better.”

(On what he has learned from WR’s Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp and what pointers have they given him to help his development)
“It’s helped me out a lot. Those guys have been great. (WR) Cooper (Kupp), (WR) Robert (Woods), (WR) Josh (Reynolds), they’ve all been helpful. They all been helping me out with the playbook and just understanding the game, understanding the offense. So, those guys have been very helpful. We met up before training camp and got some throws in with (Q Jared (Goff) during the offseason, so they been really helpful.”

(On how it felt to finally play in SoFi Stadium for the first time)
“Oh it felt great man. Just being in there and being there with my teammates, it was some people’s first time in there, so it was a great feeling.”

(On what it was like to compete with the starters in the scrimmage game and how he felt he did)
“I feel like for the most part I did ok. It was some things I can correct, some things I can do better on. I’m still learning, still doing what I can to be better. Whenever they throw me in there, I go in. So, I just try to be better every day, just try to learn every day and study a lot more and just be a good football player.”

(On if playing with the starters give him more confidence within his game or if it creates more pressure)
“I’m always confident in myself whether that’s any rotation I’m going with. I just focus on my fundamentals, focus on my assignments and focus on what I need to do. I just feel like I just go out there and just play my game. Mistakes are going to happen, so just as long as you correct them and come back from them, you’ll be fine.”

(Clarification on if he ever looked toward being a meteorologist as a career before playing football)
“Yes ma’am, I did.”

(On what inspired him to pursue being a meteorologist)
“I think my mom would always have the news channel on when we were growing up. I would always see the weatherman on television, so I just said one day to my mom, mom I want to do that. I always had an interest in that.”

(Clarification on if him and CB Jalen Ramsey are from the same area)
“Yes ma’am.”

(On if him and Ramsey ever had any knowledge of each other and if he ever worked with him and his dad)
“No ma’am. I really didn’t know (C Jalen Ramsey until, I think when I was in high school, he was probably already at Florida State, but I knew him when he was at Brentwood Academy. I heard about him, so when I got drafted, he reached out to me and we talked. We’ve been talking since I’ve been here. He’s been helping me out. So, he’s a great teammate, man. I’m just trying to learn from him. He’s one of the best, so I know if I go up against him every day, I’ll get better.”

(On if he noticed the difference in speed on the pro level versus the college level)
“Well I feel like, yeah the speed is kind of different. Of course, it’s better players in the NFL than it was in college, so that’s just some adjusting that you got to get used to. You just learn as you go and like I said, I just been trying to go out here in camp just trying to learn and do my best.”

(On his reaction to playing inside the stadium on the turf)
“It was great, man. It felt like we were moving out there. We went fast on the turf. So, it was a good feeling to be out there on the field. It’s a great stadium and it was fun being in SoFi yesterday.”

(On how he would describe the weather in Southern California at the moment)
“Well, today it’s like sunny out there today. So, I mean it’s always sunny in Southern California, so what else can you say, you know.”

(On what was going through his head when catching a touchdown pass in the endzone of the scrimmage game and how did it unfold)
“Yeah. I mean, it was just a good route in the back of the end zone. (Q John (Wolford) did a great job putting the ball there. I just ran a route, and he did the great work of putting the ball there. I just caught it and tried to drag my feet. It was a great effort by everybody on the team – the offensive line, the running backs, to the receivers. So, it was an all-around effort, but it was a good pass by John, and it was a good touchdown.”

(On if he adopts the mindset of knowing every position on the field)
“Yeah. I try to learn every position. I’m taking it day by day. I’m taking it by one position at a time. I think when I came in, all those guys just told me, learn all the positions so that they can just throw you in at any position when they need you. So, just paying attention to those guys and learning from those guys, man they been very helpful towards me. So, I’m just trying to learn everything and when they call my name I just go in there and do what I got to do.”

(On how he dealt with the dynamic of being a coach’s son growing up)
“Yeah, well my dad was very hard on me as a young age. He always pushed me man to be the best. Always pushed me to be the best person, be a good football player, be a good role model. So, my dad was always on me man. He was always harping, ‘stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.’ So, of course it was times where I was like ‘man I don’t feel like going back to the facility. I don’t feel like going out and running routes,’ but now that I’m here, I look back on those things man. My dad was a pivotal piece. Part of my success. He’s a great dad, a great person, a great human-being, man he’s hard working. So, a big piece of why I’m here is because of him. Of course, we had those days where you know, we’ll go back and forth with each other, but man that’s my dad, man. I love him and he did a great job, so he’s like my role model.”

(On if he ever told his dad he wanted to be a meteorologist)
“I told him, but he was like ‘nah, you’re going to be a football player.’”

(On how his knowledge at three positions will help him later down the road)
“You know, I think first I just need to pay attention to those guys that go in front of me. Pay attention to what they do, and just mimic what they do. Of course, that comes with studying and just being a nerd and just studying my playbook man, being in course with that. So, I think just me doing that and me running behind those guys, and I have three guys that are great role models that I can look up to see there. So, I think that where it starts.”

(On the last time he played on special teams)
“I have never played on that before, but (Special teams coordinator) Coach Bonamego wants me doing it, so I’m going to do my best job at it. I’m going to go 100 percent and give it all I got.”

(On if he feels he is ahead of the learning curve for a rookie)
“Nah, I just came in and really just, came in and put my head down and came to work. I just studied my tail off during this whole virtual meeting thing from the time I got drafted to now. I just was studying. Studying with (Assistant Wide Receivers) Coach (Zac) Robinson. So, I just think it’s a time and effort that you put into it depending on how much you want to do and how great you want to be at it. So, I just decided to take it upon myself to really learn as much as I can until I got here. So, I think I’ve done a good job of it, but of course there’s stuff I need to learn, stuff I still need to get better at and I’m trying to get better every day.”

(On what playing alongside D.K. Metcalf, A.J. Brown and Evan Engram did for him)
“Yeah, (WR) D.K. (Metcalf) and (WR) A.J. (Brown) and (TE) Evan (Engram), they are three good players, especially D.K. and A.J. All those guys are great players. So, just being around them and learning from them and compete with them every day, you just see we all push each other to be better. So, those guys are having successful careers right now, so just being around them, it was good and now just try to focus on me and focus on being a better football player.”

(On who he looks up to and tries to imitate on the pro level)
“I don’t think I ever grew up saying I wanted to be like somebody. I think there’s guys that I take different pieces from their games. I think (Miami Dolphins Receiver) Keenan Allen is a great receiver. I think (Atlanta Falcons Receiver) Calvin Ridley is a great receiver, (Bengals Wide Receiver) A.J. Green. Those guys that I look at and try to implement. In high school man, I use to look at (WR) Robert woods all the time, so he was the reason I wore No. 2 in high school. He was a guy I always looked at, but I think, it wasn’t a certain guy I tried to be like. I just try to be myself. Just be Van and add my own little flavor to it. So, I think I take a lot of different things from different people’s game, but at the same time man, I just want to be me.”

(On if he told WR Robert Woods that he watched him throughout his career)
“Yeah he knew. We were just talking about it yesterday at SoFi, when I told him that I wore No. 2, and he was just like that’s his swag number. I was like, I wore that number because of you in high school, man. So, it was a good convo, man. He’s somebody that I always looked up to since I was iin high school, so it’s good to be on the same team as him.”

(How was it watching WR Robert Woods in college)
“I remember him and (New England Patriots WR) Marqise Lee were on the same team. So I always had a…and then he was with, I think Matt Barkley was his quarterback. So I know they were like the No. 1 ranked team at one point, so everybody’s going to watch the No. 1 ranked team. So, I just remember throughout that whole season, I just kept watching Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. I was looking at routes, and was like dang, his routes are crispy. So, I always use to look at him and you know, try to mimic what he does.”

(On if Woods felt old once Jefferson told him he watched him growing up)
“Nah, he didn’t mention that.”



--RAMS--