TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert Gri

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

Shaky

Guest
TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert Griffin III, 9-12-12


Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan – Conference Call – September 12, 2012

(On how he has handled the hype surrounding QB Robert Griffin III)
“That’s a good question. He’s a very down-to-earth guy and he understands work comes first. Really, it’s been pretty easy because he knows he’s got to do it on the field and he’s got to prepare and that’s his top priority. It comes pretty easy to him.”

(On how he evaluated Griffin’s play on Sunday)
“He played well. I think everybody played well. We had a few penalties and those types of things on both sides of the ball that you want to improve on, but offensively and defensively, especially when you go in that environment, you know it’s going to take everybody playing well to come out with a victory. And I was pleased with that, but there were a number of mistakes that you normally make in the first game and you’re hoping to correct them the next week.”

(On if he looked at how Baylor used Griffin when putting together his playbook)
“I looked at everything. Every year, you look at what colleges do. Obviously, I looked at both Robert (Griffin III) and (Colts’ quarterback) Andrew (Luck), every play that they had in college. I looked from their freshman year all the way through their senior year. We had to make a decision going into it, once we made the trade, that we had to feel good about both players before we made it. And so, yeah, you go through everything.”

(On how they looked at Griffin’s leadership qualities through the draft process)
“I think you have to take a look at somebody - how they handle themselves in school, in the classroom, how they handle themselves on the field. And you go back through high school and college and you can see, he’s a great student, he’s a natural leader, you can see how he relates to players, and he’s been the same thing since he’s been here. He’s got his priorities in line, which gives him a chance to be successful.”

(On what he was looking for when acquiring new skill players in the offseason)
“We felt like we needed some playmakers on offense and I think our last game, we had actually a receiver take the ball into the end zone. The first game, we had two. We felt like we needed more speed, and we addressed that in free agency. We helped ourselves with (WR) Pierre Garcon, we helped ourselves with (WR) Josh Morgan, and a guy like (WR) Aldrick Robinson has come up and once Pierre went down, he made some plays in the game, hadn’t played a lot. So, that’s what you’re hoping for: guys making plays.”

(On what they saw in RB Alfred Morris during the draft process)
“We liked him. We liked the way he ran downhill. He was on a poor football team from a record standpoint, but you could tell how hard he ran and he played very consistently. We liked him. We took him in the sixth round and he’s played well through preseason and the first game.”

(On if he has to make game plan adjustments for Griffin this week)
“I think every week you adjust the game plan depending on who you’re playing. And, yeah, you always come up with a game plan based on what you think you can do best against the opposition and what your players do best.”

(On his relationship with Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher)
“Jeff and I had a chance in San Francisco, when I was there in ’92, ’93, ’94, to coach together. And we came in at the same time, spent a lot of time together at the hotel - like all assistant coaches do when they’re coming into a new place - and we had a chance to get to know each other and become great friends through the years. We’ve spent a lot of time together through the years getting to know each other and following each other’s paths as head coaches, and so he’s considered a very good friend and a guy that’s one heck of a football coach.”

(On if his relationship with Fisher made the trade for the No. 2 overall pick easier)
“I think everybody’s going to do what’s best for their organization. I think, obviously, the communication’s a lot easier, but they’re going to try to get the best deal they can possibly get on any front. It’s a business. But we also knew, knowing Jeff and obviously (Executive V.P. of Football Operations and COO) Kevin (Demoff), that we had a chance at least to be in the hunt and we were happy we were able to make that trade.”

(On what problems the Rams present for them defensively)
“You can see that they’re playing extremely hard. They’ve got a new secondary. Those guys are playing with energy. Anytime your secondary gets three picks like they did and able to turn one into a touchdown. You just can see how hard they’re playing and it’s really a credit to those coaches.”

(On what problems the Rams present for them offensively)
“Same thing. It always hurts to lose a couple of guys like they did during the game, but you could see that they’re playing extremely hard and that’s what you’re looking for in your players, especially in that first game. (Rams QB Sam) Bradford is one of my favorite quarterbacks coming out. I think the world of him. How talented he is, how he handles himself and it’s just a matter of time when they get a supporting cast around him where he feels comfortable with everybody that he’ll just light it up.”

(On former Rams and current Redskins LB London Fletcher and DL Adam Carriker)
“They’re doing an excellent job. Carriker fits into our scheme very well. Of course, London is the leader of our football team. He just doesn’t seem like he ever ages, which is quite unusual for a linebacker. And Adam I thought went from a four-man front to a three-man front that really was good for him and good for us.”


Redskins QB Robert Griffin III – Conference Call – September 12, 2012

(On if he could have asked for a better opener)
“No, not at all. You come away with a win, that’s the most important thing. Then from a personal level, to go back home to my real hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, and get go out there and get a victory against the hometown team with my family all there to see it and the way we won the game, that was truly special.”

(On what pregame was like for him and if he gets nervous before games)
“I think everyone gets a little nervous, a little anxious. You want to go out there and play well, but I just tried to clear my mind. Having Southern’s band out there playing while we were warming up and hearing the ‘Who Dat’ chant, all that stuff you would think it would psyche you out. But actually, I think for myself and a lot of the team, all that stuff pumped us up. It’s great to go into someone else’s house and have the showing that we did.”

(On if the early completions helped him get into a groove)
“Yes, every quarterback wants to get off to a nice, smooth start. Get some easy completions so that when you start throwing the ball down the field you feel in sync and in tune with what’s going on, on that day. I think it really helped me. But like I told everyone else, if (Head) Coach (Mike Shanahan) is going to ask me to throw the ball down the field to start off the game or to just throw a few screen passes to get things rolling, whatever we’ve got to do, I’m willing to do it.”

(On if he could have imagined an offense that would be a better fit for him)
“Not at all, actually. The coaches here are doing a good job of putting us all in the best situations to be successful. They’re giving us great game plans to go out and just be successful. Move the ball, stay on the field and rest our defense up. So, the fact that Coach is adding new wrinkles, the whole OTAs and during training camp, for me specifically, shows that they’re willing to adapt to the players that they have.”

(On his comfort level with the playbook compared to when he was college)
“It’s a whole new language when you come to the NFL and you’re having to spell out the plays to the offensive linemen and everyone in the huddle, and go to the huddle and things go from four- or five-word plays to 15- to 20-word plays in the NFL, just because you have to tell everybody what to do. There’s similarities, but it’s by no means the same thing that I did at Baylor. That’d be a little bit too easy.”

(On if he had any challenges becoming a leader of the Redskins)
“The main thing I try to do was make sure I didn’t try to be a leader. I think a lot of guys can get annoyed by that just because you are the quarterback. You’re the natural leader no matter what. Everyone’s going to look to you no matter what’s going on. But if you’re trying to be a leader, then that’s not the true mark of a leader. So, I just came in, made sure I took care of my business. I worked hard. Made sure I was the whole cliché – the first guy in, last guy out – but I didn’t look at it that way. I made sure I was working, doing what I was supposed to do and not just sitting around making sure I was the last guy to leave or the first guy here. I think the guys respected that and then to have the performance that we did as a team against the Saints, it just solidified that. I think guys do look at me as a leader.”

(On if he talked to former Baylor teammate/Rams RB Terrance Ganaway about the game)
“Yes, I had a chance to talk to him. He joked and then told me that they got him playing scout team quarterback this week. I’m sure they’re grilling him about everything about me, but he’s a friend and hopefully he’ll get to play and be active this week, but besides that we both know what the deal is. We’re on separate teams and we’ve got to play against each other.

(On having a 40-time better than Ganaway)
“He’s still a good player, though. A lot of teams would love to have him.”

(On how he’s handling RGIII mania in Washington, D.C.)
“I just try to not really pay too much attention to it. Everywhere you go, you’re going to feel it. You go to the grocery store, people are going to want to talk to you, sign autographs and take pictures with you and all that stuff. But the way that I look at it is you can’t be ungrateful for things like that because it could sure be the other way around where nobody wants to talk to you or take your picture or get an autograph. I don’t feed into it, but I don’t shy away from it. I just make sure if I’m out and about and people want to be around me, have a piece of me, then I give them what I can, then I go about my way.”

(On if he has to disguise himself when he goes out in public)
“If I go to dinner or just something real quick, I usually don’t. But for a professional athlete to go to a mall or anything like that, it’s pretty chaotic. You’ve got a lot of people in one area. So maybe if I go to a mall or something, I’ll try to wear some shades or a hat or tie my hair back. But other than that, I kind of just go out and about and just be myself. People want to see you around and about. They don’t want you to be a ghost.”

(On if he has a sense of Washington being crazy about the Redskins)
“I’ve gotten a huge sense of that since the day I was drafted and I showed up at FedEx (Field) and we had the pep rally there. They introduced me as their quarterback. It was pretty crazy since then. So, I definitely get it. We’re not looking forward to it dying down at all. We want them to continue to be crazy fans for us.”

(On if the mania in Washington played a role in him asking his parents to move to Washington)
“Not necessarily. My parents, we always said that wherever I went if I made it to the professional level, that I would want them to come with me. I’m the baby in the family, so they don’t have any kids to sit back and look after anymore. It was time. Sometimes it’s time for change. They wanted a little bit of change in their life, a change of scenery. So they came up here and my dad got a really good, well-paying job. That’s the great thing. They’re still getting to live their lives while also being able to support me.”

(On what he saw out of the Rams defense last week against Detroit)
“They made plays when they had to. They were very opportunistic. They’ve got good personnel from their corners to the safeties to the linebackers to the D-line. They’ve got talent on that team. That’s all I’ve really been focused on. I couldn’t talk to you about their offense at all, but I know they’ve got some weapons on that side as well. (CB) Cortland Finnegan and (CB) Janoris Jenkins, who I trained with during the combine process, those are two really good corners who like to break on a lot of things and get interceptions and break up passes. So, we definitely got to go out there, be on our, like I said, be on our Ps and Qs and make sure we’re dotting our Is and crossing our Ts.”

(On where he trained with Jenkins)
“We trained at API in Phoenix, Arizona.”

(On if he has a sense for Jenkins’ skills)
“He’s a talented guy. He’s got the speed. He’s got the agility to break on whatever he needs to break on and he’s definitely got the confidence. You’re not going to find a shortage of talent in this league and Janoris is definitely a talented guy.”

(On WR Pierre Garcon being a deep threat)
“He’s a physical receiver. He’s a 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2 receiver that can run a 4.4, maybe 4.3. You ask him, he probably runs a 3.9. Pierre’s definitely a confident guy. He feels like he should get the ball every down, every play and that’s how you want him.”

(On if he knew he was going to Washington after their trade with the Rams)
“We kind of figured that. You never concede anything, so that’s why I told people you never know what can happen in the draft. But once the Redskins traded up, they basically told me and the rest of the nation that they wanted me as their quarterback and it happened to fall that way and I’m proud that it did.”

(On his impressions and familiarity with Rams QB Sam Bradford since his college days)
“I watched him when they played us. I got to play him once. In the second year, I didn’t play because I was injured. He’s a great quarterback, very accurate, has a good command out there on the field. It’s our job to go out there and make sure that we can disrupt things for him as far as our defense goes. I’ve always said that you don’t play quarterbacks in this league as a quarterback, you play defenses. So, it’s not my job to kind of analyze what he’s doing.”
 

DR RAM

Rams Lifer
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
12,111
Name
Rambeau
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

[hil]Bradford is one of my favorite quarterbacks coming out. I think the world of him. How talented he is, how he handles himself and it’s just a matter of time when they get a supporting cast around him where he feels comfortable with everybody that he’ll just light it up[/hil]

Very nice compliment.
 

-X-

Medium-sized Lebowski
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
35,576
Name
The Dude
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

DR RAM said:
[hil]Bradford is one of my favorite quarterbacks coming out. I think the world of him. How talented he is, how he handles himself and it’s just a matter of time when they get a supporting cast around him where he feels comfortable with everybody that he’ll just light it up[/hil]

Very nice compliment.
Bah. What does Shanahan know? He's <insert disparaging remark about some isolated mistake he made about 15 years ago and now because of it he has the reputation of a banana slug>, and he knows nothing.
 

Shaky

Guest
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
Rams – Washington Injury Report Wednesday-Friday, September

Rams – Washington Injury Report Wednesday-Friday, September 12-14, 2012

ST. LOUIS RAMS
Player Pos Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Status
Michael Brockers DT Ankle DNP
Matt Conrath DT Knee DNP
Rokevious Watkins G Ankle DNP
Rodger Saffold T Neck Limited
Darell Scott DT Knee Limited


WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Player Pos Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Status
Pierre Garcon WR Foot DNP
Brandon Merriweather S Knee DNP
Chris Baker NT Ankle Full Participation
 

DR RAM

Rams Lifer
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
12,111
Name
Rambeau
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

X said:
DR RAM said:
[hil]Bradford is one of my favorite quarterbacks coming out. I think the world of him. How talented he is, how he handles himself and it’s just a matter of time when they get a supporting cast around him where he feels comfortable with everybody that he’ll just light it up[/hil]

Very nice compliment.
Bah. What does Shanahan know? He's <insert disparaging remark about some isolated mistake he made about 15 years ago and now because of it he has the reputation of a banana slug>, and he knows nothing.
I really don't like him, but I have great respect for how he can alter an offense for a particular skill set of players. He has always done that. He is a very flexible offensive scheme coach. he's a offensive genius in my book.

Oh shit, Rok has a bad ankle too.

Dear Lord, please bless our players this year, and shield them from the injuries that they incurred last season. Please forgive the Rams for whatever sins they committed. Amen.
 

-X-

Medium-sized Lebowski
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
35,576
Name
The Dude
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

DR RAM said:
X said:
DR RAM said:
[hil]Bradford is one of my favorite quarterbacks coming out. I think the world of him. How talented he is, how he handles himself and it’s just a matter of time when they get a supporting cast around him where he feels comfortable with everybody that he’ll just light it up[/hil]

Very nice compliment.
Bah. What does Shanahan know? He's <insert disparaging remark about some isolated mistake he made about 15 years ago and now because of it he has the reputation of a banana slug>, and he knows nothing.
I really don't like him, but I have great respect for how he can alter an offense for a particular skill set of players. He has always done that. He is a very flexible offensive scheme coach. he's a offensive genius in my book.

Oh shit, Rok has a bad ankle too.

Dear Lord, please bless our players this year, and shield them from the injuries that they incurred last season. Please forgive the Rams for whatever sins they committed. Amen.
I don't know why you don't believe me, but I already told you why this is happening.

It's the curse of Chris Massey.

5050fe5c2f7cc668e600000.jpg
 

DR RAM

Rams Lifer
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
12,111
Name
Rambeau
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

X said:
DR RAM said:
X said:
DR RAM said:
[hil]Bradford is one of my favorite quarterbacks coming out. I think the world of him. How talented he is, how he handles himself and it’s just a matter of time when they get a supporting cast around him where he feels comfortable with everybody that he’ll just light it up[/hil]

Very nice compliment.
Bah. What does Shanahan know? He's <insert disparaging remark about some isolated mistake he made about 15 years ago and now because of it he has the reputation of a banana slug>, and he knows nothing.
I really don't like him, but I have great respect for how he can alter an offense for a particular skill set of players. He has always done that. He is a very flexible offensive scheme coach. he's a offensive genius in my book.

Oh shit, Rok has a bad ankle too.

Dear Lord, please bless our players this year, and shield them from the injuries that they incurred last season. Please forgive the Rams for whatever sins they committed. Amen.
I don't know why you don't believe me, but I already told you why this is happening.

It's the curse of Chris Massey.

5050fe5c2f7cc668e600000.jpg
So, it was Spags fault.

Did you see the debacle on Monday Night football once the Raiders long snapper went out injured?
 

-X-

Medium-sized Lebowski
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
35,576
Name
The Dude
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

Told you. LS is Center of the Universe.
 

DR RAM

Rams Lifer
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
12,111
Name
Rambeau
Re: TRANSCRIPT: Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Robert

X said:
Told you. LS is Center of the Universe.
My cousin was a long snapper, probably could have went pro.