How quickly can you tell if a young player is a football player if he thinks about it because it seems like at the Combine they’re all saying the right thing and it’s the job. How quickly does it take?
As a coach, it's important to evaluate a player's physical ability and mental toughness during the Combine and in pre-draft meetings. However, true potential can only be determined once they are on the field and facing live competition. It usually takes a few weeks or even months of practice and games to fully gauge a young player's football IQ and ability to perform under pressure.
The defense is getting a lot of criticism lately for their level of play. Are you planning to make any changes?
Yes, we are aware of the criticism and are taking it into consideration. We are constantly evaluating our performance and making adjustments as needed. Our goal is to improve every week and put our players in the best position to succeed. We have a talented defense and believe that with hard work and attention to detail, we can turn things around.
The majority of your team is under the age of 26. Is that a conscious effort to have such a young team?
Yes, it is a conscious effort to have a young team. We believe in building through the draft and developing young talent. Having a young team also allows us to mold them into the type of players and team we want to be. We have a long-term vision for success and believe this is the best way to achieve it.
