New Orleans Saints Running Back C.J. Spiller
2016 Training Camp Presented By Verizon Media Availability Transcript
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
How do you feel at this camp?
"I feel good. The biggest thing is being out there with the team. It felt good to run around and to try to get the playbook down and get some timing down. It was a good thing this year."
Do you notice anything different this year at camp like with the schedule change for example?
"Guys did a pretty good job of keeping off their feet and getting as much rest as possible, but once we hit the practice field, everybody was out there competing and trying to get better. It wasn't always pretty everyday, but we did a good job."
Do you feel more comfortable in this offense in year two?
"I'm always excited. Anytime you can go into a season healthy, it's always a plus. There's still work to be done before the season starts, so I just have to continue to get better and do what I need to do to make sure I'm ready to go."
Do you feel that the offense has been on schedule during training camp?
"I think every guy on both sides of the ball will tell you that we're not where we want to be yet. We still have some things that we have to clean up before the season starts. We're finished here, but once we get back there's still a lot of work that needs to be done."
Can you talk about going up against the Texans in joint practices tomorrow?
"Anytime we go up against another team to compete we're looking forward to it. It's another chance and another steppingstone for our team to see where they are at, especially as an offensive unit to go up against a top five defense, so I'm looking forward to the challenge. I think it will be fun to compete each day."
Can you talk about the competition Daniel Lasco provides?
"It's healthy competition in there. A lot of guys had a great camp. To me Murph (Marcus Murphy) had a wonderful camp. He seemed explosive and quick and Lasco he's picked it up as a rookie. We're all trying to learn and help each other out. At the end of the day it's a competition, but it's all love in our room."
How do you like training camp at The Greenbrier?
"It's nice. It's nice. The weather's great. The people are great. They are first-class. I've enjoyed the last two years here."
New Orleans Saints Tackle Zach Strief
2016 Training Camp Presented By Verizon Media Availability Transcript
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
How do you like training camp at The Greenbrier?
"I can't fathom that anyone is in a better situation. The facilities are incredible. Everything's close, the food is good, the weather is perfect. I couldn't imagine being in a better place. A place that's better for getting a team ready."
The perception is that the team goes 7-9 and the camp is soft. Can you address?
"We had very hard camps when we went 7-9 in Jackson, Mississippi. How do you explain that? But that's the thought. At the end of the day, we have to play better, we have to run the ball, we have to have better turnover ratios. In years we've done that, we win and other years we haven't. I don't know if a hot camp makes you hold onto the football or protect it more or run better. I don't buy that. Everyone wants an easy answer. That's a nice, easy answer. The reality is we weren't good enough the last two years to win more than seven games."
Have you detected a different tone about camp this year?
"I think the team is different. The team has worked hard. I think you wait in camp for the long practice where you go five or six days in a row and you get the practice where no one wants to be there. I didn't necessarily see that practice this year and I think in the warmup, this is the practice where all of a sudden the guys come together. In terms of a tone, the guys worked. Camp's not over. Camp is going to continue certainly in Houston and then in New Orleans. We have a lot left to do. I think was positive in that I think guys came to work."
How much of that is attributed to the young guys on the team as opposed to the structure?
"I think it's a combination of the two. I think when you say young guy, I think we have a lot of third and fourth year players that are becoming leaders. They might not realize it, but there might be a situation where they say they are going to bring guys along and they are working the right way. That's leadership in itself. Do the drill right, work hard, don't give up on any days. Run to the ball. That's what coaches preach. That's leadership and I think we have guys doing it and so in turn it's very hard to not be that way when the majority of the team is doing it the right way, the guys that aren't stick out. I think it's a combination of how the camp was presented to us and it was going to be tough and physical in that we had a lot of guys working the right way"
How is it having a young guy working with you in Andrus Peat as opposed to Jahri Evans?
"Yes (It's an adjustment), absolutely. Me and Ja' and it's like with Dan (Roushar) coming in, the new line coach and it's like what would you and Ja call for this and I'd say 'hey Ja', Ja' would go, yeah, that's what we were literally saying to each other, those were the words. When I said that, he knew what I was talking about. There's a lot more walking up to the ball, communication, in-stance communication, we both have to be comfortable where the other one's at. I can't look and see where he is. I have to know and trust where I think he's going to be. That's takes some time and obviously we didn't get a ton of reps early at that camp. He's a quick learner. Today we felt great together. I don't know why. I don't know if it continues into a game yet. We were working on those things. I think ultimately we're a pretty good fit next to each other right now and I'm excited for Andrus. Andrus is a good player and I think getting him settled in will help a lot."
He says he's the quietest guy in the room and knowing Jahri a little bit do you need him to be maybe not so quiet in that growth process?
"No, I think it's best for guys to be who they are. If you're a quiet guy, be quiet. Terron's (Armstead) not a vocal guy. That's fine. Be yourself. We're not trying to drag guys into being something they're not. Do I get him to communicate in his stance? Yes I do. That's the communication we need to have and he does it fine. Our room in terms of how guys get together and communicate has been really good. Yes, Andrus is quiet. That's totally fine. I talk up for both of us."
Give us an example of what feels more comfortable?
"I think in the run game it's a little bit different, but I need to know how Andrus is going to enter a backside zone play. I need to know where his body is, what he's thinking of how wide he's going , so how flat I need to go and I need to know in the pass game how wide he's going to set this guy, so that I know how far I have to pass. I have to know those things and be comfortable with them because there's no time to see something happen and look where he is. It's just how it has to be. Every rep helps that. Every rep that I have that's consistent and every rep he has that's consistent is another opportunity for us to start hammering down where on one of those plays that's what he's going to be. Obviously playing with Ja' for a long time, that was something where there was no work needed on that. I knew what our job was and what he was thinking and we'll get there. The reality right now is there's just more communication to do what we want to eventually do without talking. There's just more talk right now. We're going to come up and say how wide the three technique is. What set I'm thinking about taking, what I'm expecting from him and what I'm seeing in the defense. That's all verbal right now. That's difficult. We don't want to do that because we also have a quarterback telling us what to do and giving us calls, but as we go, it will get easier and easier. He's getting there."
