Head Coach Mike Smith, Aug. 6
Q: How did things go for you today at practice?
A: “I thought the guys worked hard. This is a tough time for them getting into day 10 or 11. Everyone is a little sore and agitated. They did some things well early on so they were able to take the pads off at the end of practice. Our seven-on-seven and team period was a non-padded situation. We were able to get some pounding and banging done early and we finished with a spirited team session.”
Q: What were some of the things that you would like to see in this preseason opener?
A: “Well, the first thing we want to see is our execution. We have got to go out and be able to execute both offensively, defensively and in special teams. We want to make sure we are good on our substitutions. When you have 80 guys who could potentially play in the game, substitution patterns can sometimes get a bit sloppy. The other thing we want to look at are the key places where there are position battles. When we move toward the regular season, we are going to be evaluating those guys.”
Q: How emotional if at all do you expect your return to Jacksonville to be?
A: “I don’t think it will be very emotional. It is going to be nice to see some old friends because I have not had an opportunity to get back to Jacksonville since I took the job here. It will be nice to see some familiar faces I spent five years with. I don’t expect it to be emotional because my focus is for us to go out and do the things we have to do as a football team.”
Q: After last week’s mock game at the Dome, do you think the team is at the right level to compete?
A: “Last week’s dry run was good for us. Of course, we have some things that we know we have to get better at and we know we will do better this week. The big thing for us is that we want to go out and compete. We are going down there to win that football game. When we go out and play, the ultimate goal is to win. The thing we want to make sure we do is that we get a good evaluation of the guys as we try to win the game.”
Q: What are some of the most competitive spots on the roster?
A: “I think on the offensive line there are a couple of guys that are going to have an opportunity to show what they can do. Of course, the quarterback position is the one that everyone seems to be most interested in and we have a plan on how we are going to do that rotation. The wide receivers spot is a very competitive position as well. There are a number of guys who have played extremely well. Like I said before, that is the area I have been most pleased with. The third running back position is very competitive as well. The linebacker position is competitive (laughing). I really think you could just keep going. Overall, I think it will be nice to see the young guys. For the rookies, it will be an exciting time playing against guys who are wearing a different color uniform. We really want to evaluate and see how those guys act in the different situations they will be put in. We have tried to prepare them for as many situations as we could in practice, but there is nothing like going out there and playing in a game.”
RELATED LINKS:
- COVERAGE: Click here for complete coverage of 2008 Russell Falcons Training Camp
- NOTEBOOK: Versatile Jenkins showing moves with first team
- TRANSCRIPT: Head Coach Mike Smith
- RELEASE: Falcons place James on injured reserve, sign linebacker
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith
- BIRDSEED: J. Mike reviews and comments on Falcons news
- J. MIKE'S BLOG: Safety Net
- FALCON AL'S BLOG: An ESPN Shoot
