New Orleans Saints Cornerback Keenan Lewis
Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, August 2, 2013
Are you excited about it being regular football tomorrow?
"Definitely, tomorrow is going to be pads, it's a live scrimmage so that's what you can assimilate to a game and hopefully everybody is ready to go."
Coach Payton has been looking for something out of the scrimmage. As a player, what do you need to see, more specifically position wise?
"Just get the plays running like that and see how people perform when it's a live practice like that also because its assimilates a game, so just seeing guys run out there and doing things right."
There were a lot of pass defenses today in practice, obviously you want interceptions, but can a pass defense be just as important?
"It's very important to be stopping a guy from catching it, but an interception is what you look forward to. Those the turnover plays so the offense doesn't get an opportunity to score so that's the thing we'll be working on."
Asess what you've done in camp so far?
"I don't think I'm where I want to be yet, but that's what camp is for; To get in shape and get the rust out. For all summer, you don't have the opportunity to go one on one with guys so having that opportunity is helping me prepare."
Rod Sweeting mentioned you as a guy he kind of looks up to. What have you seen out of the rookie?
"A guy (who's) like me, long arms who can run, make plays on the ball, very physical…I'm looking forward to big things for him this preseason. Like I tell him all the time, come out and give 100 percent as he's been doing. I'm pretty sure he'll be a special (player). "
*Is this the guy you can take under your wing and mentor a little bit? *
"Definitely, the first day he came in, I told him he could lean on me. (I'm) A guy who's been through four camps already, this is number five so, all of the questions and thoughts he needs to ask, I told him he could come to me. I'll help him through."
New Orleans Saints Quarterback Luke McCown Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, August 2, 2013
Luke how much more comfortable do you feel now in this offense than maybe you did a year ago at this time?
"A lot. Reps make all the difference. I understood the deal last year. Being here with Drew's (Brees) contract situation and the uncertainty. And with Chase Daniel they needed a veteran just in case. So I understood that and you weren't getting a ton of live reps. So, obviously there's a higher comfort level for me now that I'm getting to play more and getting more reps."
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What are you trying to take away from tomorrow's scrimmage?**
"I'm just trying to execute. I think if you ask across the board that's what the players want. We're just trying to execute what we've installed to this point. We're not trying to do too much. It's not like we're getting a scheme up on what our defense is doing. We're running our plays and there's going to be some things that don't mesh up well with what they're doing defensively and vice versa offensively versus what they're doing offensively. It's just a matter of executing within the game plan, within what we've installed and come away with a good scrimmage."
What have you seen from Ryan Griffin so far?
"Ryan's done a great job. Obviously, he's familiar with the system, having run a lot of the same stuff the past couple years in college. He's very smart obviously. He just needs to continue to work. Experience is that main thing for the young guys and it always is. Continue to work, and get better at recognizing defenses, which he already does pretty well anyway. The sky is the limit for him."
Last year you were with Atlanta. Is that the biggest rivalry for both clubs and maybe some insight you can provide?
"That's just the way this league is. There's always a lot of turnover. One guy may bring whatever understanding of whatever previous team he was on to his new team. That's just part of the game. I'm studying a lot right now so I know what I'm doing here. They know that Atlanta is going to change what they do when they come to play us or we go to play them because of that familiarity and that history there. Even if I could tell the defense, hey this is what the defense is going to do; it doesn't really mean it's going to help them."
A handful of guys on this roster have been in the league for 10 years and you're one of them. What does it mean to be in this league for that long?
That kind of like a milestone; that's a goal that guys set when they enter the league. You don't say, hey I want to play two or three years. Ten years is the goal. I think there was a stat that said something like 15,000 players have come into the league since 1980 and only 600 have made it past six years. That's a pretty significant statistic. It's a testament to your work and how much you care about the game. If you don't love the game, you won't be here very long; you'll get exposed quickly. It's how you care about the game and how you work. Also you're ability to adapt to new teams, new situations, new systems, new coaches, new cities and things like that. It's a testament to your will to want to play."
Speaking of that, your draft class is representing real well. You look at Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith who were also drafted that year. Do you guys talk about that at all?
"We talk about our draft class a lot and not just on this team. For my class, quarterback wise, you look at Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Matt Schaub. Eli's got two Super Bowls, Ben's got two Super Bowls, Philip's been an All-Pro and Matt's been an All-Pro. We had a significant draft class back in 2004 and I don't know that we get enough attention for it."
How did playing at Louisiana Tech prepare you for the NFL?
"Well it's throwing the football and this league is a passing league. If you can't decipher things quickly in the passing game in this league then you can't make it in this league. It's just the way this league has gone. The days are long gone when you play good defense and pound the run game all game. Now you have to be able to spread guys out and throw the ball. The caliber of athletes is so much higher than what it used to be."
Do you get back to Tech much?
"I try to make it back maybe once a year. Maybe go catch a basketball game or go see some friends."
What has struck you about Sean Payton's offensive mind?
"He's intuitive. He's got a knack for saying, hey I want to do this right now and being right. Those are rare qualities."
Tomorrow without Seneca Wallace in there gives you more playing time to get your game out there more. How do you feel about about taking advantage?
"Sure I'm looking forward to just being able to play and get in some live situations. After this first week and a half of camp, we'll see what we can translate into live situations."
New Orleans Saints Defensive End Kenyon Coleman
Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, August 2, 2013
Do you think the read option is more of a fad or do you think it's something that is here to stay?
"I just think it's just one extra runner that the defenses have to worry about. I remember when Michael Vick was a one of a kind and he gave coordinators nightmares. You just have to account for another runner and offenses can keep defenses more honest with the blitzes and personnel."
From a 3-4 defensive end standpoint what do you have to make sure you do to defend the read option?
"Honestly it's just doing your job. The thing about the read option is that it was so new so we didn't see a lot of reps. Now it's more popular. Not just from the defensive end perspective but the whole defense is to repping it and getting used to it."
What do you think about the talent of that this team has?
"We have outstanding talent. The ceiling is so high. We're already seeing improvement. This could be a special group but it doesn't just happen overnight, you got to put the work in."
Do you see any of yourself in Keenan Lewis?
"Honestly I wish I had what he has. He's going to be a Pro Bowler. He's going to be the guy. It could be this year. I don't want to put any pressure on him but it's going to happen."
New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver Andy Tanner
Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, August 2, 2013
What do you think it's going to take this year for you to stick on this active roster?
"There's great talent at receiver and you just go to make plays in the passing game, running game and on special teams."
How valuable have the reps been with guys like Marques Colston out and you're getting reps with the ones?
"They've been very valuable to me. Just to get on the same page with Drew Brees and getting in his head and to see what he sees on the field has helped me a lot."
New Orleans Saints Outside Linebacker Junior Galette
Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, August 2, 2013
When you hear the term zone-read or read option, what goes through your mind?
"RGIII, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, those guys we kind of just want to focus on basically everybody on the same page because it can get real dangerous with guys that can run the ball and pass at the same time. So everybody has to be on the same page or it could be a headache."
I know it's just a scrimmage but how much eagerness is there to get into live football situations tomorrow?
"It's a lot of eagerness your definitely a little anxious. I'm not even worried about the day off I'm worried about the scrimmage. I'm just so focused on this and making sure that with everything I'm detailed with all my assignments and seeing how I am actually feel through a series of plays and not just three or four plays at a time."
How are you feeling with some injuries at that outside linebacker spot you're seeing just about all of the reps with the first week. Do you feel like it's going to help you kind of get up to speed with all those reps?
"Yes, it is definitely going to help me. I don't think it's going to hurt me with all those reps. I am trying to learn both positions at the same time, it's quite an adjustment; but I don't think it is hurting me at all. If anything it's just going to help me the more that I am on the field."
Is this your year to kind of become an established starter?
"I am starting right now but It is the year that I guess they put me out there. So it's my job to keep it"
What was your first impression of Coach Ryan and now?
"Aggressive. He is a down-to-earth guy. He does not like to be in a tight situation or having tension in the room. He likes to keep it alive, a live wire environment. I really like Rob, I like how much he expects of me. Everything has been going good with him."
How much different is your responsibility in position in the new defense as opposed to last season when you played defensive end?
"It's not too different, the primary thing they are doing to me right now is (emphasizing for me) to focus on the job. I don't think they know that I can rush the pass. I can always get better but I think the primary concern right now is option coverage and just everything else besides rushing the passer."
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New Orleans Saints S Malcolm Jenkins**
Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, August 2, 2013
Will tomorrow feel like a scrimmage or will it just feel like regular practice?
"We are doing it at the same time, but it is definitely a scrimmage. We will be moving the ball. Instead of doing one situation, like we have been doing it practice; we will break it off in first and ten or third down. This will be one continuous roll for the players. It will be more game-like, we are approaching it as a scrimmage, and we are trying to keep it normal as far as our bodies and going in at the same time our practice is."
When teams go into scrimmages, the coaches are looking to see physical play and take advantage of the opportunity to evaluate in game-like conditions. As a player, what do you need to see out of this scrimmage?
"I think the scrimmages are a chance for coaches and players to evaluate themselves. You get put into situations where the game plan is pretty simple and you got to go out and execute. Just like you get evaluated in every practice and every game, this is just one situation where you get to test yourself, do you know what you are doing and can you get the job done."
You have a week in the books, how would you rate this first week?
"I think it was pretty good for us. I think we have had some challenges and we have got through a lot of install in a short period of time. I think guys are competing, fighting through some of the soreness and fatigue. As long as we get to stock up on good practices I think we will be alright."
Jim Leonhard said a couple days ago said he did not quite know what his role was going to be on this team. I know you don't watch him all the time but what do you see his role with the team being? How does he fit here?
"I think that's the whole purpose of training camp. I don't think anybody, especially on the defensive, side knows what their role is yet. I think that is development as we see what guys we want to keep and trying to fit into the roster. So that is still being developed, that is still early to see. I'm still trying to figure out what my role is on this team and we are trying to evaluate who the best players are and how can you fit them all together on the team."
Speaking of roles, what it's like with all those different packages where you have as many as three or four safeties sometimes.?
"It's fun, everybody has a chance to get involved, using the abilities that the players have to their advantage. If a guy can blitz, we will use him in a blitz. If a guy can cover and is smart and knows what he is doing, then we put him back there and let him control things. Whenever you can move guys around and make your defense more multiple, it's harder for the offense to figure out the screen."
Are you comfortable like your rookie year to play some nickel corner.
"I am very comfortable playing that corner position. I still have confidence that I can cover and it's something I want to do. That is something that Rob Ryan and I talked about earlier this offseason just trying to work me in that nickel position. I have been getting reps this training camp and it's been going well."
