June 27, 2025 • 18 mins
On this episode of the Giants Huddle podcast, Shaun O’Hara chats with the Giants Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, Mike Kafka, and with Giants defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, about their units and the upcoming season.
:00 - Mike Kafka
9:35 - Shane Bowen
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time to get inside the Giants.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Hulet's go, Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:03):
Let's go Giants.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Out of the Giants bubble, give me some job.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Part of the Giants podcast network. Let's roll he coach, Kafka,
How we doing, buddy?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
How are we doing? Man? Good to see it.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
We'll shaken. Oh, nothing much? Well, uh man, It's been
an exciting offseason for you. And you know, as an
office coordinator usually you like continuity in the quarterback room.
And for the first time, probably ever in your coach career,
you've got three new quarterbacks. Three out of the four
new quarterbacks. What kind of challenges does that present?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
I think it's a cool opportunity. Number one, having you know,
really three guys in the room with a lot of
great experience, had a great playing experience. You know, Russ
and Jamis both have double digit you know, NFL careers
and double digit of NFL starts games. I mean, de
Vedo coming in playing a lot as a rookie. There's
a lot of really good experiences. So I see this
(00:58):
as a really cool room. It's probably the most it's
the most experienced room I've bet as a player or
a coach. So pretty cool, pretty interesting to hear everyone's
feedback and kind of you know, how they play the game,
how they see the game. It's been great, a great
meeting room so far.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
So when you have a couple veteran guys like Russ
and Jamis, they've probably run some similar schemes. Maybe they
called it something different, right, so it's just a different
yea burbage, different words. Has there been some back and
forth input from them as well already, or do you
kind of let's lay the groundwork here and then as
we progress on then we'll kind of take some feedback.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
I think it's a combination of both. You know, I
know when I was kind of putting together the plan
for the offseason, you watch a lot of their film,
You watch a lot of Russ, a lot of Jamis,
and see what they did really well over the course
of their career, put together you know, a big, huge
cut up, and then you just kind of start pulling
certain things that they're really comfortable with. And so when
they go in and look at the installs and you
(01:53):
know there's plays that they have hundreds and hundreds of
reps on, you know, they know the play right now.
It's just about kind of getting our terminology down. This
is how I've seen this play, how have you seen it?
Getting their feedback and how they used that play, and
a lot of times it's.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Pretty much the same.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
We have a you know, a commonality there in terms
of the concepts. But you know, it is still cool
to kind of hear their perspective and hear their experience
within it because they may have used a certain thing
as an adjustment or here was the intent of this play.
This is how we used it in a year, three,
four and five. You know, now we have feedback. Now
I have a perspective of you know, where and how
they how they like to use it.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And once it been like with Jackson Dart now coming
in and obviously you know, throughout the interview process and
the meetings you kind of gave him, you know, little
nuggets on the offense, but it's new to him. How
do you incorporate the offense and along his growth speed?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yeah, you do the same thing. You know, we watched
a lot of tape on Jackson throughout the process, and
you know, you do it with a lot of different
quarterbacks and all of a sudden, he's you know, he's
on your squad. You got the guy, and now you
know you you go you kind of go back, re
revisit all those things. What he what he did really well,
what he didn't do so well. You try to have
that in mind when you're scripting plays for him. That way,
(03:08):
he has some comfortability within the place he's running and
the offense, the terminology. You're also taking consideration he's a
young guy. This is the first time he's in a huddle,
first time calling the play, is calling the cadence. So
you try to take that all into consideration. And when
just you're you know, you're scripting, you're building it out
so that you know, he he those guys can go
out there and operate. It's not something that's super foreign
(03:29):
where they're not confident in what they're doing, not you know,
they're they're very decisive and how they're going to operate.
So you can build kind of build that muscle memory
and build that positive reinforcement of the plays you're using.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, you know how important that is. I mean, you
did it yourself, you know when you walk in down
huddle like you got to act as if and they
got to trust you and know it's it was interesting
to hear that he really didn't call a cadence a
verbal canes. So what has that been like kind of
teaching him how to use the hard count and now
all of a sudden you got to do a little
more at the line vocally.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
And I think that's where you know, the experienced quarterbacks
in the room have really helped them kind of just
being able to listen to how they're using their cadences.
When they're using their cadences, why they use it. Certain
things might be a shift versus emotion. It may be
a down and distance and maybe you know, just trying
to get a man's own id or alert built into
the play. So I think hearing the feedback and how
(04:20):
number one we're coaching them to use look at the cadences,
but then seeing how the veterans, you know, kind of
manipulate it to use it as a tool and a weapon.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
So throwing the balls one part of it. Now we
got to catch it. Let's talk about maleague neighbors. Right
this time last year, when when we were riding around
talking it was you know, we were excited about what
that season is going to look like for him, What
what is he going to bring to the offense. I mean,
just a phenomenal rookie season. I don't think anybody you know,
thought they would be that electric and that explosive. But
(04:49):
how do you build on that in year two?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
From the league neighbors, Yeah, I think you you know,
you look at all the things he did well, there's
certainly some fundamental parts of it that you know, coach
grow and we all we all see and we all
I need to work on and that's what the springs for.
That's what the off season's for. And in training camp
you put together that plan, you give it to him
so that he can he can work on it, you know,
and then this during the summer break when he's working
(05:12):
with the quarterbacks and those little fine little details.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
So I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
I think he's again he had a really productive rookie year.
We need to continue to, you know, build on those
fundamental things and build on that year. Within the offense,
we have a lot of guys coming back. You know,
we have an explosive skill group in terms of the
receiving room, the running back room, the tight end room.
So there's a lot of guys there that that are
looking for the football and that's a good thing. So
(05:37):
you know, on top of just what Maligue did, you know,
you can't take away what Tyrone Tracy did and what
Motor did and you know THEO in his opportunities that
he had Wandell. So like there's a lot of pieces
in that. In Slaton, I mean being a downfield threat.
So yeah, those guys to me, in my mind, like
there's a whole offense you can you can build around
and really compliment each other with the skill group we have.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, I'm sure that they're all asking, you know, they
all want the ball more. How do they how do
they ask to do more within the offense, not just
catching balls, but like you know, you want to put
in some some different wrinkles, some different things. How do
you handle that?
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Yeah, you know, you just I think there's just a
fine line between you know, having one guy do everything
and really kind of spreading it around, whether it's with motions,
whether it's primaries where using guys as eye candy. I
think it's all going to affect the defense a certain way.
I think when you had a season like Malik had,
I think you put you know, the league unnoticed guys
understand that Malik is a featured type receiver. But that
(06:36):
doesn't mean that they have to, you know, focus everything
on Leak. I think there's other players that, like I said,
could compliment him and you know and really make their
best attributes and their best assets as a player stand out.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yeah, and Nick can open it up for them exactly.
I want to take Bleak out right now.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
You got to do it exactly, and you know, you
got to put you got to put those guys in
the position to be successful. And I think that's complimenting everybody.
And so that's what our job as coaches is to
put them in the best position and not just you know,
tie one or two guys down, but make the defense
defend the whole field.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
So you're talking about defending the whole field, but I
feel like the red zone is always like that's that's
the money zone. Like we got to find a way
to defensively, they're trying to keep you out obviously and
offensively sometimes that's the toughest twenty yards on the whole field.
How do you get better in OTAs and in training
camp at the red zone offense?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, we've emphasized it as a as a team. We
have had you know, certain periods certain installations. We're just
focusing on the low red and so those plays, I mean,
everything happened. Everything happens faster in the red zone and
low red especially lanes are tighter. You know, you get
alert for blood zero. So there's a lot of detail
that goes into it. And like I said, it's you know,
(07:49):
things happen faster, So those windows are going to close faster, right,
the running lanes are going.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
To close faster.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
So everyone's urgency, everyone's level of detail has to ramp up.
But that's what you know, that's what we work practice
on in in fase, in phase three and going into
training camp, like just those details about it, and we
know that it might not be exactly the way it
is because defense has changed so much and they're so
there's so multiple when you get to the low red,
(08:15):
whether it's all out zone, all out blitz, you know,
there's all different kinds of defensive structures they can put
out there. We just got to be tuned into the
details and let the offense work for us.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
And this year you got all five offensive lineman coming back.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
That's big, right, Yeah, absolutely, you know, not just for
that that room specifically, but for the whole offense, you know,
where you can look the same guys in the huddle
each and every year. And again, I'm proud of how
our guys have responded that when someone went down, guys
stepped up, they played their butt off. I'm really proud
of our ability to adapt and to continue to have
(08:52):
like a next man uptep mentality. But yeah, it's all
we certainly you know, don't wish injury on anybody. And
we'd love to have five role for the whole season.
Yeah sounds good, sounds like a plan.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
I would love that.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
W'd be great.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yeah, well, thanks Mike, Thank you, sair Man, thank you
so much. Good love to see them.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Thank you very much. Johns.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
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Speaker 1 (09:20):
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Speaker 3 (09:27):
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Speaker 1 (09:31):
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Speaker 3 (09:36):
How are we doing round too?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Doing right?
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, we had so much fun last year. Where figure
let's do it again? Huh I hear you, well listen,
welcome back. Hear two?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Right?
Speaker 1 (09:47):
How is how's the second year different than last year?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (09:52):
In this phase, I.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Think just the familiarity, right, Like the guys kind of
know me. I know them a little bit better obviously
being with them a year now, terminology, all those little
things in year one you got to go through and
and really translate for him not having to spend as
much time with that, so we're moved able to move
(10:15):
forward a little bit quicker in regards to that type
of stuff. And again we got new pieces, so you
always start at ground ground zero and work your way up.
But at the same time, like I think, just all
of us knowing each other in the relationships having already
been established, just makes things go a little bit smoother.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Yeah, you probably feel like you hit the ground running
a little bit more from a scheme standpoint. But you
mentioned some of those new pieces kind of kind of
like new toys for you, right, Yeah, Javon Holland obviously
he's a new guy for you in the secondary and
and a debo, what what have you seen from those
guys and what do you like from them so far?
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Yeah, first and foremost, they're pros, right, they've done it
at a high level, they've seen it all their their
experienced players. I think just what they bring to that
room our unit from my experience standpoint, a leadership standpoint,
that's been evident really since they won with both those guys,
and they understood that coming in, like that was the
(11:17):
expectation when they got here. But then you go out
and we've been able to practice and and just their
ability to make plays on football, like both of them
have done it. They've been interceptions by both, there's been
pass breakups by both. The communication has been great from
the entire back end throughout the spring thus thus far.
(11:38):
So really encouraged by where we're at with them right now. Again,
they're they're two of the new pieces that are trying
to build those relationships with their teammates, with their coaches,
and it takes time, but I think we're on the
right track right now.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yeah, that relationship to with with the younger guys that
are coming up back for year two as well, new
Ben and Phillips, And you know, how have you seen
that mentorship aspect from those veteran.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Guys really good?
Speaker 5 (12:04):
And I would say I think Newban's both those guys
have taken dramatic steps. I always say between year and
year one and year two there should be as significant
of growth as you have in your career. Again, as
a rookie, you're trying to feel it out, you're not
really sure, and then those two got it even more
so because they were thrown in the fire. So now
(12:26):
coming back yere to just their comfort level. I think
their understanding of the game, how it changes from college
to the NFL. Newban's been really good, taking on a
little bit more of a vocal leadership role as well
with Holland back there. But you need from your safeties,
and I do I see a lot of growth from
Drew just from all the things, even before the balls
(12:48):
even snapped, the communication, that urgency, the understanding of how
teams are trying to attack you, like, you see him
gradually learning and improving his recognition with the those types
of things.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
All right, So we talked about the back end a
little bit. Let's go to the front. You've got a
really shiny new toy and Addual Carter. How excited are
you to have a guy like that with that kind
of talent.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Yeah, it's been fun.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Again, we got two really good edge guys with Burns
and KT, and then you add him to the mix.
It opens up some things for you as a defense coordinator.
Obviously with our staff working to find ways to be
able to get those guys on the field where they
can impact the game. But just his ability just so explosive,
and then he's got the athletics in the match. Usually
(13:35):
it's one or the other with these guys, and he's
got both.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
So it's been fun to watch.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
And again, just continuing to get him comfortable as we
go with what we're asking him to do and understand
that we're not putting too much. Hopefully we're not putting
too much on them right as it goes, but we
got to find ways to get him on the field
where he can impact.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I mean, look, he was handing the dirt guy for
last year, but before that he was more stand up linebackers.
So do you try him at both or do you
want him to kind of master one?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (14:04):
The versatility helps for sure. I think we've got to
make sure that he he zeros in on what what
is he going to do? More right like, what's his
role going to be? And we're working through that right
now just as a staff where that where that fits
with who we have here, ways to get our best
leven on the field and all situations. But I do
(14:28):
think he needs to make sure that he's locked and
loaded to be able to play on the edge at
a consistent level at at this level, playing and play
out first, second, and third down, and then obviously with
his experience off the ball, it just adds another element.
It's not like it's completely foreign to him. He's he's
seen it from that point of view. So there is
(14:48):
some things that we can we can utilize there.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
So now you put him on the field with Thibodeau,
with Burns, with Dexter, like, how are you get excited
when you're thinking about like these third down packages and
how we can find a way to get mismatches with
all these guys on the field at the same.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Time, I do I think I think it's gonna be
hard to single out one guy and say we're getting
four hands on him every down. I think they're gonna
have to be mindful of that. We're gonna have to
be good throughout the games figuring out what they're doing,
how they're trying to protect things so we can maximize it.
But again, you got four guys out there now that
(15:26):
you feel really competent in if they're soloed up, they
can find a way to get to the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
So in the middle, right, we got bo Bobby Oh
And we talked about him a little bit last year,
and you know you were looking forward to working with him.
And it's funny because, like the one thing I feel
like that everybody talks about, you know, on defense's length, right,
you go, you want length of defensive line, but Bobby's
got long arms, he's got great range, you know. And
then him with Michael McFadden, you know, they both did
(15:51):
a great job last year. What are you looking for
in this year from building off of last year?
Speaker 5 (15:57):
Yeah, I think you said it. The length is a
is a an asset for sure, and just being able
to utilize that playing and play out, whether it's getting
off blocks, whether it's being in his own coverage and
being able to cover a lot of space, which he's
able to do. I think towards the end there before
he got hurt, you started to see a lot more
of that ball production from him. So continuing to get that,
(16:21):
that's another benefit of the length the leadership has always
been there with him.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
He's a total pro.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
The guys look to him, they listen to him, the
way he works, stay in and day out, unselfish, Like
he's what you want to coach. Yeah, Like, he is
the prototype of what you want want to coach, especially
in that position.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
So it's been good.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
It's been good seeing out here running around healthy, right,
getting them back, like you miss significant time for us,
and obviously they're like when you when you lose a
cog like that in in the unit, like it's tough
to replace.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Yeah, he does a lot. You know, you mentioned kind
of punching the ball out and it was something he
did a lot of last year. How do you create
how do you work on creating more takeaways in practice?
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Yeah, I mean we're emphasizing the crap out of it
right now. We got to be better. That's one area
we were not good at last year. We got to
find ways that said the offense up in some favorable
positions take some series away from the opponents.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
But I think the emphasis.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
From day one, the meeting room, whatever that is making
sure we show them when there's opportunities that we missed,
opportunities that were there that we were able to make
because all these guys find themselves in different situations. When
when we're in that situation, we got to nail it,
like we can't miss it. So being able to go
out there on the practice field obviously work the different
(17:48):
techniques that show up on a drill level, but at
the same time, hopefully you're seeing that stuff show up
when we get to the seven and seven, when we
get to the team periods, and again when we go
back to watch the film the next day, like we
have to show them this is we missed an opportunity
to punch at the ball here, we missed the opportunity
to get our hand up and tip a pass. Uh
(18:08):
So the main thing is maximizing our opportunities.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
I like it well, coach, appreciate the time. Always fun
riding around with you and enjoyed it. Man forward to
watching all the turnovers, all those sacks and a lot
of celebration.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
I appreciate it. Thanks Shane, Thank you,
It's time to get inside the Giants.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Hulet's go, Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:03):
Let's go Giants.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Out of the Giants bubble, give me some job.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Part of the Giants podcast network. Let's roll he coach, Kafka,
How we doing, buddy?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
How are we doing? Man? Good to see it.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
We'll shaken. Oh, nothing much? Well, uh man, It's been
an exciting offseason for you. And you know, as an
office coordinator usually you like continuity in the quarterback room.
And for the first time, probably ever in your coach career,
you've got three new quarterbacks. Three out of the four
new quarterbacks. What kind of challenges does that present?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
I think it's a cool opportunity. Number one, having you know,
really three guys in the room with a lot of
great experience, had a great playing experience. You know, Russ
and Jamis both have double digit you know, NFL careers
and double digit of NFL starts games. I mean, de
Vedo coming in playing a lot as a rookie. There's
a lot of really good experiences. So I see this
(00:58):
as a really cool room. It's probably the most it's
the most experienced room I've bet as a player or
a coach. So pretty cool, pretty interesting to hear everyone's
feedback and kind of you know, how they play the game,
how they see the game. It's been great, a great
meeting room so far.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
So when you have a couple veteran guys like Russ
and Jamis, they've probably run some similar schemes. Maybe they
called it something different, right, so it's just a different
yea burbage, different words. Has there been some back and
forth input from them as well already, or do you
kind of let's lay the groundwork here and then as
we progress on then we'll kind of take some feedback.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
I think it's a combination of both. You know, I
know when I was kind of putting together the plan
for the offseason, you watch a lot of their film,
You watch a lot of Russ, a lot of Jamis,
and see what they did really well over the course
of their career, put together you know, a big, huge
cut up, and then you just kind of start pulling
certain things that they're really comfortable with. And so when
they go in and look at the installs and you
(01:53):
know there's plays that they have hundreds and hundreds of
reps on, you know, they know the play right now.
It's just about kind of getting our terminology down. This
is how I've seen this play, how have you seen it?
Getting their feedback and how they used that play, and
a lot of times it's.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Pretty much the same.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
We have a you know, a commonality there in terms
of the concepts. But you know, it is still cool
to kind of hear their perspective and hear their experience
within it because they may have used a certain thing
as an adjustment or here was the intent of this play.
This is how we used it in a year, three,
four and five. You know, now we have feedback. Now
I have a perspective of you know, where and how
they how they like to use it.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And once it been like with Jackson Dart now coming
in and obviously you know, throughout the interview process and
the meetings you kind of gave him, you know, little
nuggets on the offense, but it's new to him. How
do you incorporate the offense and along his growth speed?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yeah, you do the same thing. You know, we watched
a lot of tape on Jackson throughout the process, and
you know, you do it with a lot of different
quarterbacks and all of a sudden, he's you know, he's
on your squad. You got the guy, and now you
know you you go you kind of go back, re
revisit all those things. What he what he did really well,
what he didn't do so well. You try to have
that in mind when you're scripting plays for him. That way,
(03:08):
he has some comfortability within the place he's running and
the offense, the terminology. You're also taking consideration he's a
young guy. This is the first time he's in a huddle,
first time calling the play, is calling the cadence. So
you try to take that all into consideration. And when
just you're you know, you're scripting, you're building it out
so that you know, he he those guys can go
out there and operate. It's not something that's super foreign
(03:29):
where they're not confident in what they're doing, not you know,
they're they're very decisive and how they're going to operate.
So you can build kind of build that muscle memory
and build that positive reinforcement of the plays you're using.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, you know how important that is. I mean, you
did it yourself, you know when you walk in down
huddle like you got to act as if and they
got to trust you and know it's it was interesting
to hear that he really didn't call a cadence a
verbal canes. So what has that been like kind of
teaching him how to use the hard count and now
all of a sudden you got to do a little
more at the line vocally.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
And I think that's where you know, the experienced quarterbacks
in the room have really helped them kind of just
being able to listen to how they're using their cadences.
When they're using their cadences, why they use it. Certain
things might be a shift versus emotion. It may be
a down and distance and maybe you know, just trying
to get a man's own id or alert built into
the play. So I think hearing the feedback and how
(04:20):
number one we're coaching them to use look at the cadences,
but then seeing how the veterans, you know, kind of
manipulate it to use it as a tool and a weapon.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
So throwing the balls one part of it. Now we
got to catch it. Let's talk about maleague neighbors. Right
this time last year, when when we were riding around
talking it was you know, we were excited about what
that season is going to look like for him, What
what is he going to bring to the offense. I mean,
just a phenomenal rookie season. I don't think anybody you know,
thought they would be that electric and that explosive. But
(04:49):
how do you build on that in year two?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
From the league neighbors, Yeah, I think you you know,
you look at all the things he did well, there's
certainly some fundamental parts of it that you know, coach
grow and we all we all see and we all
I need to work on and that's what the springs for.
That's what the off season's for. And in training camp
you put together that plan, you give it to him
so that he can he can work on it, you know,
and then this during the summer break when he's working
(05:12):
with the quarterbacks and those little fine little details.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
So I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
I think he's again he had a really productive rookie year.
We need to continue to, you know, build on those
fundamental things and build on that year. Within the offense,
we have a lot of guys coming back. You know,
we have an explosive skill group in terms of the
receiving room, the running back room, the tight end room.
So there's a lot of guys there that that are
looking for the football and that's a good thing. So
(05:37):
you know, on top of just what Maligue did, you know,
you can't take away what Tyrone Tracy did and what
Motor did and you know THEO in his opportunities that
he had Wandell. So like there's a lot of pieces
in that. In Slaton, I mean being a downfield threat.
So yeah, those guys to me, in my mind, like
there's a whole offense you can you can build around
and really compliment each other with the skill group we have.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, I'm sure that they're all asking, you know, they
all want the ball more. How do they how do
they ask to do more within the offense, not just
catching balls, but like you know, you want to put
in some some different wrinkles, some different things. How do
you handle that?
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Yeah, you know, you just I think there's just a
fine line between you know, having one guy do everything
and really kind of spreading it around, whether it's with motions,
whether it's primaries where using guys as eye candy. I
think it's all going to affect the defense a certain way.
I think when you had a season like Malik had,
I think you put you know, the league unnoticed guys
understand that Malik is a featured type receiver. But that
(06:36):
doesn't mean that they have to, you know, focus everything
on Leak. I think there's other players that, like I said,
could compliment him and you know and really make their
best attributes and their best assets as a player stand out.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yeah, and Nick can open it up for them exactly.
I want to take Bleak out right now.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
You got to do it exactly, and you know, you
got to put you got to put those guys in
the position to be successful. And I think that's complimenting everybody.
And so that's what our job as coaches is to
put them in the best position and not just you know,
tie one or two guys down, but make the defense
defend the whole field.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
So you're talking about defending the whole field, but I
feel like the red zone is always like that's that's
the money zone. Like we got to find a way
to defensively, they're trying to keep you out obviously and
offensively sometimes that's the toughest twenty yards on the whole field.
How do you get better in OTAs and in training
camp at the red zone offense?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, we've emphasized it as a as a team. We
have had you know, certain periods certain installations. We're just
focusing on the low red and so those plays, I mean,
everything happened. Everything happens faster in the red zone and
low red especially lanes are tighter. You know, you get
alert for blood zero. So there's a lot of detail
that goes into it. And like I said, it's you know,
(07:49):
things happen faster, So those windows are going to close faster, right,
the running lanes are going.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
To close faster.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
So everyone's urgency, everyone's level of detail has to ramp up.
But that's what you know, that's what we work practice
on in in fase, in phase three and going into
training camp, like just those details about it, and we
know that it might not be exactly the way it
is because defense has changed so much and they're so
there's so multiple when you get to the low red,
(08:15):
whether it's all out zone, all out blitz, you know,
there's all different kinds of defensive structures they can put
out there. We just got to be tuned into the
details and let the offense work for us.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
And this year you got all five offensive lineman coming back.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
That's big, right, Yeah, absolutely, you know, not just for
that that room specifically, but for the whole offense, you know,
where you can look the same guys in the huddle
each and every year. And again, I'm proud of how
our guys have responded that when someone went down, guys
stepped up, they played their butt off. I'm really proud
of our ability to adapt and to continue to have
(08:52):
like a next man uptep mentality. But yeah, it's all
we certainly you know, don't wish injury on anybody. And
we'd love to have five role for the whole season.
Yeah sounds good, sounds like a plan.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
I would love that.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
W'd be great.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yeah, well, thanks Mike, Thank you, sair Man, thank you
so much. Good love to see them.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Thank you very much. Johns.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
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Speaker 1 (09:20):
If you want to know how to manage two minutes
of crunch time football, I'm your man. But if you're
wondering about a long term financial plan, you should talk
to Citizens.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Hey, I can also talk long care. I'd like to
learn about Amilia routine.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yes, I knew I could help make sense of your
money with citizens.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
How are we doing round too?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Doing right?
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, we had so much fun last year. Where figure
let's do it again? Huh I hear you, well listen,
welcome back. Hear two?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Right?
Speaker 1 (09:47):
How is how's the second year different than last year?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (09:52):
In this phase, I.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Think just the familiarity, right, Like the guys kind of
know me. I know them a little bit better obviously
being with them a year now, terminology, all those little
things in year one you got to go through and
and really translate for him not having to spend as
much time with that, so we're moved able to move
(10:15):
forward a little bit quicker in regards to that type
of stuff. And again we got new pieces, so you
always start at ground ground zero and work your way up.
But at the same time, like I think, just all
of us knowing each other in the relationships having already
been established, just makes things go a little bit smoother.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Yeah, you probably feel like you hit the ground running
a little bit more from a scheme standpoint. But you
mentioned some of those new pieces kind of kind of
like new toys for you, right, Yeah, Javon Holland obviously
he's a new guy for you in the secondary and
and a debo, what what have you seen from those
guys and what do you like from them so far?
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Yeah, first and foremost, they're pros, right, they've done it
at a high level, they've seen it all their their
experienced players. I think just what they bring to that
room our unit from my experience standpoint, a leadership standpoint,
that's been evident really since they won with both those guys,
and they understood that coming in, like that was the
(11:17):
expectation when they got here. But then you go out
and we've been able to practice and and just their
ability to make plays on football, like both of them
have done it. They've been interceptions by both, there's been
pass breakups by both. The communication has been great from
the entire back end throughout the spring thus thus far.
(11:38):
So really encouraged by where we're at with them right now. Again,
they're they're two of the new pieces that are trying
to build those relationships with their teammates, with their coaches,
and it takes time, but I think we're on the
right track right now.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yeah, that relationship to with with the younger guys that
are coming up back for year two as well, new
Ben and Phillips, And you know, how have you seen
that mentorship aspect from those veteran.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Guys really good?
Speaker 5 (12:04):
And I would say I think Newban's both those guys
have taken dramatic steps. I always say between year and
year one and year two there should be as significant
of growth as you have in your career. Again, as
a rookie, you're trying to feel it out, you're not
really sure, and then those two got it even more
so because they were thrown in the fire. So now
(12:26):
coming back yere to just their comfort level. I think
their understanding of the game, how it changes from college
to the NFL. Newban's been really good, taking on a
little bit more of a vocal leadership role as well
with Holland back there. But you need from your safeties,
and I do I see a lot of growth from
Drew just from all the things, even before the balls
(12:48):
even snapped, the communication, that urgency, the understanding of how
teams are trying to attack you, like, you see him
gradually learning and improving his recognition with the those types
of things.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
All right, So we talked about the back end a
little bit. Let's go to the front. You've got a
really shiny new toy and Addual Carter. How excited are
you to have a guy like that with that kind
of talent.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Yeah, it's been fun.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
Again, we got two really good edge guys with Burns
and KT, and then you add him to the mix.
It opens up some things for you as a defense coordinator.
Obviously with our staff working to find ways to be
able to get those guys on the field where they
can impact the game. But just his ability just so explosive,
and then he's got the athletics in the match. Usually
(13:35):
it's one or the other with these guys, and he's
got both.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
So it's been fun to watch.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
And again, just continuing to get him comfortable as we
go with what we're asking him to do and understand
that we're not putting too much. Hopefully we're not putting
too much on them right as it goes, but we
got to find ways to get him on the field
where he can impact.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I mean, look, he was handing the dirt guy for
last year, but before that he was more stand up linebackers.
So do you try him at both or do you
want him to kind of master one?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (14:04):
The versatility helps for sure. I think we've got to
make sure that he he zeros in on what what
is he going to do? More right like, what's his
role going to be? And we're working through that right
now just as a staff where that where that fits
with who we have here, ways to get our best
leven on the field and all situations. But I do
(14:28):
think he needs to make sure that he's locked and
loaded to be able to play on the edge at
a consistent level at at this level, playing and play
out first, second, and third down, and then obviously with
his experience off the ball, it just adds another element.
It's not like it's completely foreign to him. He's he's
seen it from that point of view. So there is
(14:48):
some things that we can we can utilize there.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
So now you put him on the field with Thibodeau,
with Burns, with Dexter, like, how are you get excited
when you're thinking about like these third down packages and
how we can find a way to get mismatches with
all these guys on the field at the same.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Time, I do I think I think it's gonna be
hard to single out one guy and say we're getting
four hands on him every down. I think they're gonna
have to be mindful of that. We're gonna have to
be good throughout the games figuring out what they're doing,
how they're trying to protect things so we can maximize it.
But again, you got four guys out there now that
(15:26):
you feel really competent in if they're soloed up, they
can find a way to get to the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
So in the middle, right, we got bo Bobby Oh
And we talked about him a little bit last year,
and you know you were looking forward to working with him.
And it's funny because, like the one thing I feel
like that everybody talks about, you know, on defense's length, right,
you go, you want length of defensive line, but Bobby's
got long arms, he's got great range, you know. And
then him with Michael McFadden, you know, they both did
(15:51):
a great job last year. What are you looking for
in this year from building off of last year?
Speaker 5 (15:57):
Yeah, I think you said it. The length is a
is a an asset for sure, and just being able
to utilize that playing and play out, whether it's getting
off blocks, whether it's being in his own coverage and
being able to cover a lot of space, which he's
able to do. I think towards the end there before
he got hurt, you started to see a lot more
of that ball production from him. So continuing to get that,
(16:21):
that's another benefit of the length the leadership has always
been there with him.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
He's a total pro.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
The guys look to him, they listen to him, the
way he works, stay in and day out, unselfish, Like
he's what you want to coach. Yeah, Like, he is
the prototype of what you want want to coach, especially
in that position.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
So it's been good.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
It's been good seeing out here running around healthy, right,
getting them back, like you miss significant time for us,
and obviously they're like when you when you lose a
cog like that in in the unit, like it's tough
to replace.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Yeah, he does a lot. You know, you mentioned kind
of punching the ball out and it was something he
did a lot of last year. How do you create
how do you work on creating more takeaways in practice?
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Yeah, I mean we're emphasizing the crap out of it
right now. We got to be better. That's one area
we were not good at last year. We got to
find ways that said the offense up in some favorable
positions take some series away from the opponents.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
But I think the emphasis.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
From day one, the meeting room, whatever that is making
sure we show them when there's opportunities that we missed,
opportunities that were there that we were able to make
because all these guys find themselves in different situations. When
when we're in that situation, we got to nail it,
like we can't miss it. So being able to go
out there on the practice field obviously work the different
(17:48):
techniques that show up on a drill level, but at
the same time, hopefully you're seeing that stuff show up
when we get to the seven and seven, when we
get to the team periods, and again when we go
back to watch the film the next day, like we
have to show them this is we missed an opportunity
to punch at the ball here, we missed the opportunity
to get our hand up and tip a pass. Uh
(18:08):
So the main thing is maximizing our opportunities.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
I like it well, coach, appreciate the time. Always fun
riding around with you and enjoyed it. Man forward to
watching all the turnovers, all those sacks and a lot
of celebration.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
I appreciate it. Thanks Shane, Thank you,
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