Head Coach Jim Zorn
On how much the long term relationship between Randy
Thomas and Jon Jansen on the right side of the offensive line helps
the offense:
"What makes a lot of difference for me is that the
five offensive line starters work together, and that those two guys
have been in there for years. They have been around and they know what
the calls are. They know how to communicate, and that is a big deal
for our offense and offensive line."
On the progression of Rocky McIntosh:
"I think he is getting very close, especially in his
drill work. We don’t have any contact during practice, which allows
him to participate even more. I think he is gaining more confidence as
the off-season progresses."
On how much the players’ endurance is being tested as
a result of the intense heat:
"Today there wasn’t as much of a breeze as there was
yesterday. I thought the guys pushed hard, but it affected us a bit
mentally, especially with the younger guys. And playing at the wide
receiver spot is one of the hardest things to do because you have to
get your splits, accelerate, explode, and then come back and do it
again, which is hard to do in this heat. There figuring out what real
pro football is all about, especially in Virginia and with the
Redskins."
On how much he would consider cutting practice short
for safety reasons:
"We have enough behind us with Gatorade and water so
that I’m not worried about cutting practice short. I will tell you
that I did cut one play off because we had just run a deeper route,
and it was another route where both receivers were going to go deep.
You can’t call me merciful, but I had a little mercy."
On whether he expects Clinton Portis to return and the
statuses of Cornelius Griffin and Shawn Springs:
"I’m not really sure. I haven’t talked to Clinton
today, but he is excused. I talked to Cornelius Griffin today, and he
is taking care of an issue with his family, and it is a great
situation. We haven’t talked to Shawn Springs, but one of his
teammates, Fred Smoot, has and he is doing well and working hard."
On the importance of Joe Bugel to the team:
"He is a strong voice with the offensive line. He is a
guy who works around large, 300 pound guys and is not intimidated. In
fact, those guys have tremendous respect for him. They want to do well
for themselves as a group, for Buges, and this franchise. He has
created a great situation and has the respect of veterans. He has
taught the younger players to have that same respect, which is very
valuable."
On whether he has used Joe Bugel as a resource for
information:
"The thing about Joe is that he is willing to tell it
as it is, so I don’t have to try to draw from him how he feels about a
situation. But he is such a professional because he stays within his
realm and does not talk about guys at other positions because he has
enough to be concerned about. He speaks out about his guys and is
vocal in
the meeting room and on the field, so you know where
he stands."
On what John Palermo brings to the defensive line:
"He brings a lot of enthusiasm and a high expectation.
One of the things he has done is make those guys take pride in their
position. I see the defensive lineman running to drills, and if they
are not using the technique he is teaching, he is right on it. One of
the positives about this staff is that they are all good teachers, and
he is very good at teaching technique and instilling the desire it
takes to hit every play and keep coming back."
On the progression of Sam Hollenbach and the other
former University of Maryland players:
"They are both working hard. Sam [Hollenbach] has had to come the
furthest because performing at the quarterback position is such a
difficult task. We all demand a lot, and he is demanding a lot of
himself. And having come from the Maryland program into this program,
the desire to perform and do well is all there, and that is all a part
of a young player trying to achieve success."