Q&A: Todd Haley On Final OTA Session
Following today’s OTA session — which was announced would be the last — Todd Haley met with the media. Here are the highlights:
If cutting practices short means the team is ahead of the curve:
“Yeah, I believe we all feel that way. Now, we’ve got a long way to go but from where we started to where we’re at right now I think the guys really worked hard every day and we had such a good attendance – so many guys here – that it was worth throwing them a bone.”
The message he will send to the team as they leave:
“One of the big things for a bunch of these guys is what I said yesterday: that we don’t give back how much progress we made. I don’t want to go into training camp to get into shape. I want to go into training camp in shape. I think that gives us the best chance to succeed since that’s one less thing to be worrying about. We’ll have more focus on the football aspect of it; we’ll have less injury and all the things that have to go along with being a well-conditioned team.”
On the defense:
“I think we’ve made great progress. Until the pads are on and we’re really playing we won’t know for sure. But as far as understanding what they need to do, I think we’re night and day. As I said yesterday, technique-wise, fundamentals, alignments, all the things that go with making a big change like we did, I think we’re a lot further ahead. We put in a bunch of our pressures, really all of them, and I think that those are the tough things for guys – getting lined up correctly, understanding what gap they have to take care of and I think overall I feel encouraged by what I’ve seen.”
On the final conditioning test (3 sets of 150 yard sprints):
“Everybody did not pass and the conditioning test will generally be part of the physical they have to pass (going into camp). So, they did not all pass but there were some guys who had some circumstances, whether it was injury or they couldn’t condition the way they need to, but everybody stepped up from where they were the first time they ran these tests. The rookies I was very encouraged with – all the rookies made it, even Donald Washington who has been on his own. I was very encouraged.”
On his first training camp as head coach:
“I’m looking forward to it. I’m a little nervous but we’ve got some time to get over that. I’ll just try to get my butterflies flying in formation.”
On the temp of training camp:
“I’ll be fair to the guys, but at the same time it’ll be kind of what I told you guys here. We’re going to practice efficiently; we’re going to practice fast. Everything we do is going to be fast and up-tempo and we’ll see how much we can get out of that without doing too much. There is give and take. If you’re going to have a long practice you can’t be running from drill to drill. You have to balance it out. My goal is to practice fast and efficiently and get on and off the field and get ready to do it again.”
If the assistant coaches will get time off:
“I was taught that way. Coaches to be effective coaches have to have energy every day whether it’s talking to the team out on the field, coaching them on the practice field, or game planning among themselves getting ready for each day of practice. So, there needs to be a recharged time and some great coaches believe strongly in that. That’s the way I was brought up. I believe last year I used every bit of energy and enthusiasm I had to get done the job we got done. You’ve got to recharge and you’ve got to be able to bring it each and every day. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel once it starts.”
I have every intention of finding a football field and seeing how fast I can do the conditioning test. Apparently there are three levels: 55, 58 and 62 seconds. So my goal will be to run the total of 450 yards in 62 seconds (I’m not crazy enough to think I have any shot at the first two levels). If I survive it, I’ll let you know. I really like the idea of giving not only the players some time off, but also the entire coaching staff. Have to make sure the entire franchise is in the right frame of mind when things kick off up in River Falls.
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