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Press Pass | Liam Coen on Prep for Cardinals in Week 12 · Press Pass

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Thanks.
• 0:01
  Speaker 2: And in terms of Robert Hainsey, how well is he
• 0:04
  Speaker 2: playing and how meaningful has he been to you building
• 0:07
  Speaker 2: this thing in year one? Yeah, you know, I thought
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  Speaker 2: he played really well last week especially. You know, he's
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  Speaker 2: had some games where he's played at a really high
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  Speaker 2: level and they you know, he's played had some games,
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  Speaker 2: but his drop off like it's not He's just so
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  Speaker 2: consistent and then when he is freaking running around, who
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: has the energy and buzzing around like on the pulling
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  Speaker 2: and playing physical and ficy.
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  Speaker 3: He's played really consistent for us all year.
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  Speaker 2: And just the leadership obviously, and the ownership of not
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  Speaker 2: just the run game, but the protections, the continuity and
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  Speaker 2: chemistry and the room. You know, just the way that
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  Speaker 2: those guys have played kind of at a lot of
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: times this year at a high level for us. And
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: you know, everybody, you know, you looked at last night
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  Speaker 2: a pretty pretty darn good team, you know, a zachs
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: and you know, I think our guys are battling their
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: tails off up front and and really doing a nice
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  Speaker 2: job and it's led by him or.
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  Speaker 4: Second defensively and stopping the run. How important is Devon Hamilton's.
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  Speaker 2: Been and unsum here in a lot of way. I mean,
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  Speaker 2: obviously had a huge moment against the Raiders that he got,
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  Speaker 2: you know, the credit that he deserves for. But he's
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  Speaker 2: been again so consistent. But he's a huge reason why
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  Speaker 2: we've been able to stop the run upfront, massive reason
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  Speaker 2: he helps others. Obviously he makes plays on his own,
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: but he helps others in so many ways that when
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  Speaker 2: you really talk about a group effort of stopping the
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  Speaker 2: run and flat wall defense and playing square and using
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  Speaker 2: your hands and shedding blocks and making the plays that
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  Speaker 2: come your way, Devon has been so consistent that way.
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  Speaker 2: And you know he's just a pros pro as well.
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  Speaker 2: The guy just he just goes about his business, does
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  Speaker 2: it at a high level weekend and week out, and
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  Speaker 2: that's his standard and expectation.
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  Speaker 4: Where are you getting out of him?
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  Speaker 2: I saw that leading the interior DL in sacks throughout
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  Speaker 2: the NFL right now, I think it was or whatever.
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  Speaker 2: And I mean Eric Armstead the last I would say
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  Speaker 2: really going back since the buy, I mean has practiced
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  Speaker 2: on obviously the you know the Thursdays when we go
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  Speaker 2: pat it specifically out of his mind, out of his
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  Speaker 2: mind every single rep he's in the backfield in practice
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  Speaker 2: every single time. And you know, getting to know Eric
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  Speaker 2: more and more, we talk a lot about our time
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  Speaker 2: to you know, separate in terms of La san Fran
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  Speaker 2: and what that was like for him coming up and
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  Speaker 2: in that in a new system with new first year
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  Speaker 2: coaches and gms. We've talked a lot about that culturally
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  Speaker 2: and to see him disrupting as much as he has
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  Speaker 2: not it's showing up in practice though. I mean, that's
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  Speaker 2: where he's doing it every single day. It's not like
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  Speaker 2: he's a thirteen year vet that's just kind of hanging
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  Speaker 2: out on the sidelines during practice and then going out
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  Speaker 2: in the games and doing it. He's doing it every
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  Speaker 2: single day in practice. He's trying to set an example
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  Speaker 2: as to what we're looking for from that penetration and
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  Speaker 2: getting vertical. And you know, I've been really pleased with
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  Speaker 2: Eric and the kind of.
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  Speaker 3: Guy that he's been.
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  Speaker 2: He's been so consistent and I've appreciated that from him
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  Speaker 2: as well.
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  Speaker 1: Hell important has the collaboration between coaches in different rooms, namely.
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  Speaker 4: Like the like the running back room, in the alms,
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  Speaker 4: the line room.
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  Speaker 1: Hell important has that been to sort of meet together
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  Speaker 1: and talk.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, they're they're together a lot, right.
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  Speaker 2: I mean, it starts early in the week with the
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  Speaker 2: initial run game plan with all those guys being in
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  Speaker 2: there together, get back together in the afternoons to kind
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: of re review, and then they're again back together for
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: the protection meetings and being locked in and on the
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  Speaker 2: same page with the calls, the things we're seeing how
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: we can get on the same page as much as possible.
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  Speaker 2: And I think that they've all taken it pretty personally
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: when it comes to the communication, collaboration, understanding of what
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  Speaker 2: we're trying to get accomplished in the run game first
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  Speaker 2: and foremost, what schemes might be best this week against that opponent,
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  Speaker 2: and being on the same page about how we want
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  Speaker 2: to maybe attack those front structures. And then you look
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  Speaker 2: at the past protection. You know, obviously with LeQuinn Allen
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  Speaker 2: so much of the time being in there on third down,
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  Speaker 2: the pride that he takes, the continuity that they have
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  Speaker 2: with those guys.
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  Speaker 3: He's in there, you know.
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  Speaker 2: Passing off stunts with them like he's an offensive lignment.
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  Speaker 2: So you can tell there's a lot of time that
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: goes into it. I mean, so much of our when
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  Speaker 2: when our offense is not on the grass. In practice,
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  Speaker 2: whether it be via defense or special teams, they're doing something.
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  Speaker 2: For the most part, they are, you know, walking through
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  Speaker 2: the runs, walking through the blitz protections as much repetition.
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  Speaker 2: If we can get those guys collaborating together, the better
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  Speaker 2: off your run game and protection is going to be.
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: James Tony mentioned it a little bit last night on
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: the podcast. But with Trayvon status potentially in doubt for Sunday,
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  Speaker 1: j Danny getting more run what's your expectation for kind
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  Speaker 1: of what the availability not just with Trayvon, but of
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  Speaker 1: that edge room and also do want Smooth playing more
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  Speaker 1: inside of late Can you kick him more out to
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  Speaker 1: outside of Trayvon?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah?
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, that would be the the some of the plans
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  Speaker 2: there is. You know, if Trayvon can't go, you know,
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  Speaker 2: we have a lot of confidence in those guys that
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  Speaker 2: are able to continue to play and elevate their play.
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  Speaker 3: And you know.
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  Speaker 2: Smooth spent a huge asset in terms of just the
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  Speaker 2: his versatility to be able to maybe not always show
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  Speaker 2: up in every stat but like how much he can
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  Speaker 2: help us in terms of going inside, going outside, being
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  Speaker 2: able to be involved in either the games, the stunt,
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  Speaker 2: the pressure, the four man and helpings try to stop
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  Speaker 2: the run. I've appreciated that from him, especially because he
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  Speaker 2: isn't a big, huge body that can jump in at
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  Speaker 2: three three technique or four eye. But he does it,
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  Speaker 2: you know, does it and he doesn't you know, say
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  Speaker 2: anything about it, and he goes and does it, and
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  Speaker 2: I've appreciated that from him. And then we obviously saw
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  Speaker 2: bjy and and Danny uh, you know, make some plays
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  Speaker 2: over the last few weeks, but a guy like Smooth
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  Speaker 2: that's been doing it all season, you know, and doesn't
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  Speaker 2: again get a ton of recognition for that. You know,
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  Speaker 2: we're gonna need those guys again this week to continue
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  Speaker 2: to elevate and step up and just go be creative,
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  Speaker 2: go be yourselves and and that because we see it
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  Speaker 2: all the time every day at practice with BJ and
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  Speaker 2: Danny on the show team, we see it every single day,
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  Speaker 2: and so you know, really looking forward to them taking
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  Speaker 2: another step in their development. And obviously with that whole crew,
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  Speaker 2: it's going to be a huge mix. Like last week
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  Speaker 2: when we rushed it and we covered it better, you
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  Speaker 2: know that together it's not ever just one group and
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  Speaker 2: the other. To defend the pass right, they have to
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  Speaker 2: be in coordination. When it's connected who is up there rushing,
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: Usually it's gonna be good for you and Dennis.
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  Speaker 1: I know this past weekend got a little bit more creative.
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  Speaker 1: I know you guys have talked about potentially bringing him
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  Speaker 1: in over shading him over a guard, which is what
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  Speaker 1: you were able to do. How does that, maybe I
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: don't want to say, makes you feel more encouraged if
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  Speaker 1: Trayvon doesn't go Sunday.
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  Speaker 4: But having that weapon as well.
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  Speaker 2: Another piece, you know, pivotal piece to where in base defense,
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  Speaker 2: right he's on the edge, you know, being able to
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  Speaker 2: do what he does against tight ends or in the
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  Speaker 2: run game, shedding blocks.
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  Speaker 3: And then Dennis is.
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  Speaker 2: A very smart football player, and you can put him
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  Speaker 2: in multiple different spots, whether it be on the edge
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  Speaker 2: to rush in sub defenses or in obviously stand up inside.
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  Speaker 2: Being able to work the games and work some of
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  Speaker 2: the straight rushes on whomever they deem is a good
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  Speaker 2: matchup for these guys, right, And so Dennis and I
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  Speaker 2: have talked obviously a lot this week, knowing that you
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  Speaker 2: know him being in that defensive structure for a few years,
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  Speaker 2: and you know, I know he wants this one pretty bad.
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  Speaker 4: Watch when last week earlier in the year.
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  Speaker 3: Why is that so successful for you guys this year?
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  Speaker 3: Which one?
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  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, man, I don't know. It's it's uh split
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  Speaker 2: zone in itself, I think always causes a defense a
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  Speaker 2: little bit of a problem because you're just violating a
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  Speaker 2: their eyes be their gap responsibilities by creating a new
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  Speaker 2: gap that they have to fall back into.
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  Speaker 3: And so you know, I think.
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  Speaker 2: And also with the ball being able to hit either
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  Speaker 2: front side or the ability to kind of bend and
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  Speaker 2: cut up if you will, off of that split zone
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  Speaker 2: kickout block, and our tight ends are athletic enough to
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  Speaker 2: be able to adjust. I think on that block a lot,
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  Speaker 2: because yeah, oftentimes the defensive end is there and you're,
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  Speaker 2: you know, trying to go kick him out, but then
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  Speaker 2: if he moves or squeezes down, you have to be
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  Speaker 2: able to adjust and react accordingly. And I think our
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  Speaker 2: guys have done a nice job of understanding the play
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  Speaker 2: and what goes into it, what are the issues with it?
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  Speaker 3: And I think the backs have.
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  Speaker 2: A good feel for the ability to hit it either
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  Speaker 2: front side or what we call backside Slicioness, you guys have.
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  Speaker 3: Always known what he can do on the ground. How
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  Speaker 3: was he kind of grown in the past. Game protect
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  Speaker 3: the day is man.
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  Speaker 2: He had a great step up the other day. You know,
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  Speaker 2: he's taking it very seriously. I think, like I've mentioned
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  Speaker 2: about Chad, I think, you know, he's one of the
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  Speaker 2: best I've ever been around, and if not, the and
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  Speaker 2: the way that he can break down past protection for
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  Speaker 2: guys to really put it in buckets and try to
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  Speaker 2: simplify as much as possible the calls, because there are
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  Speaker 2: a lot of calls that go into it based on
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  Speaker 2: what the front structure is and the look. So it's
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  Speaker 2: easily the most challenging thing for any rookie running back
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  Speaker 2: to get down. But too has done a phenomenal job
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  Speaker 2: of being up here every Tuesday with Chad and being
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  Speaker 2: up here and getting extra work and uh, he's taken
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  Speaker 2: pride and getting better at it and proven because I
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  Speaker 2: think every back wants to be in as much as
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: they can and to be able to not have to
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: move pieces around, if you know, to not make a tell, especially,
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  Speaker 2: so been pleased with the way he's been able to
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  Speaker 2: run and I think he's close to breaking some of
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  Speaker 2: those to create more explosives there. I think I'd be
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: I want to see him in the open field like
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  Speaker 2: that and see what that could look like. But been
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  Speaker 2: proud of the way he's been able to pick up
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: the pass protection.
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  Speaker 4: I ever said the other day with Jacoby when you
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  Speaker 4: want he's watched and run from a quarterback perspective, it's
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  Speaker 4: really very clear what he's going to do and where
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  Speaker 4: he's going to be. Can you explain that a little
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  Speaker 4: better than maybe he did?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: I think like if you're a receiver and you understand
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  Speaker 2: leverage and zones and where people may be, then you
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: can set up your out accordingly. And I think he
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  Speaker 2: just Jacoby does a nice job of giving the quarterback
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: indicators as to where he may go based on his
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: body language and also just his soft field like he
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: has a just yesterday we had a and Mamba third down.
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: Another great example of him kind of hooking up in
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  Speaker 2: the middle of the field, just finding a soft zone
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  Speaker 2: behind Foyer. Foy is like pretty close to him and
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: Trevor just rips in the middle and his bank bank
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  Speaker 2: first down. Just has a feel for the game and
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: his body language as a receiver. I think he's very
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: quarterback friendly, you know, like you just have you just
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: know when he's going to be breaking in or out
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  Speaker 2: or sitting down. He doesn't make these quick, hurky jerk
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: movements that can spook a quarterback. It's all pretty fluid
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  Speaker 2: and uh deliberate, is I guess what I would say?
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  Speaker 2: And so you know, he has good hands, so that
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: allows the quarterback to even if he's maybe off a
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  Speaker 2: little bit, know that he will still you know, be
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: able to adjust and make some of those plays. So yeah,
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: you've seen some chemistry from them early on, which is nice.
• 11:58
  Speaker 4: You got to develop over years and years in the league.
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: You know, you show up and a lot of feel, man,
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  Speaker 2: you know what I mean. It's the definition of you know,
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  Speaker 2: he was a quarterback too, which I think helps some
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: of his savviness and feel for the game. You know,
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  Speaker 2: definitely can see where that can come into play. And
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  Speaker 2: he's seen a lot of ball he's done. He's had
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: a lot of snaps, he's run a lot of routes,
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: seen a lot of coverages. And when you accumulate those
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: and also have some general natural football IQ and feel,
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  Speaker 2: I think that's kind of what you're seeing from.
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  Speaker 1: A perspective in your opinion and your estimation. Having coach
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: in the NFL, does a player have to practice during
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: the week to be.
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: Available on some you know, it's it's definitely a challenge
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: for sure. Jargon a couple of guys we're talking about
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  Speaker 2: it yesterday, is just the nature of the National Football
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: League at this time is very difficult to get a
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: ton of meaningful ops in reps. In practice. I'm talking
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: about full speed right like we can. You can do
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: as much jog through as possible, and that's kind of
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: where you have to go a little bit towards the
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: end of the season with the bodies and the injuries
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: being what they are.
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: The goal is to get them to Sunday.
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  Speaker 2: But there is a different challenge of preparing as a
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: pro with very limited full speed snaps in a game,
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: especially as a younger player. So that's a great that's
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: just part of this though, like so many guys have
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: had to do it, I do believe you can do
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: it because of the job through, because of the walkthrough.
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: I mean, we didn't do any full speed on Wednesday anyway,
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: So you're talking about a couple periods on Thursday, a
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: couple periods on Friday. The jog through walkthrough reps are
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: so valuable that you have to take advantage of everyone
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: and the amount that you have to be locked into
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: the plan and taking reps when others are like, taking
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: mental reps has got to be key to our players
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: that are having to take some limited opportunities this week
• 14:04
  Speaker 2: and are expected to go play on Sunday. We can't
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: miss those ups, so it's doable.
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: It's just definitely harder.