Head Coach Bill O'Brien
(on the new technology the team is using on helmets) "That's something that we just kind of discovered over the summer. I think myself, George Godsey- Godsey said they were using them down at Central Florida, when he was home there for vacation and stopped by and they were using them. It seems to be a pretty good tool. What it is it's a camera, so you're able to see what the guy's looking at. I think we've put them on Tom Savage. I don't think we've put them on (Ryan) Mallett or (Brian) Hoyer yet. But we watch the tape with them and coach their eyes because that's so important at quarterback, whether you're making a MIKE (linebacker) point or you're reading coverage or whatever it is. It's been a good tool so far. I don't know if I would label that virtual. That is reality, you know what I mean? Because that's exactly what they're looking at."
(on if it's like a live camera) "Yeah, it's like a tiny one."
(on if they were using the camera's yesterday) "I think so, I don't know. (George) Godsey puts- yeah, those yellow shades. (Brian) Cushing's busting his chops about them. He thinks they should be silver rims."
(on how it helps to look at what the quarterback is looking at) "That's right, right. A lot of times, like with young quarterbacks especially, like right before the snap for example, they may look down at the ground just to make sure they're getting the snap. When you take your eyes off the defense, that's a tough thing because then you have to relocate the safety or the linebacker or whatever you're read is on that play. It looks thus far to be a decent coaching tool."
(on WR Nate Washington) "Yeah, this guy came into the league in '05, I believe. He's in great shape. He brings a positive attitude to our team, our locker room every day. He's a pro's pro. He practices every day. He's out there. He's a good route runner. He's got good hands. He's learned our offense really well. So, we've really enjoyed having him here."
(on TE Mike McFarland) "Yeah, there's a lot of impressive physical specimens in the NFL, so it comes down to execution, getting better every day. He's a good kid. He wants to be good. He's learning the game at this level. It's not easy. He shows flashes in the passing game of being a guy that can catch the ball. He's got good, long arms, things like that. But he's got a long ways to go."
(on the night practice atmosphere) "I thought it was good, yeah. I thought it was good. The players came out ready to go. The first day in pads, long practice. These guys were grinding it out, so I thought it was a good atmosphere. The fans here are awesome. The Hard Knocks guys told me that this is the best fan support that they've seen at all the training camps that they've covered."
(on if he will continue the tradition of night practices) "I think we'll mix in some. We play at different times during the year, most of the time we play at noon. But a lot of times we have night games and sometimes we have night games, sometimes afternoon games, so I like to mix it up a little bit."
(on if it helps to change the practice schedule) "Yeah, a little bit out of the routine. Change it up a little bit, yeah."
(on Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel) "Well right from day one he's been the guy that I thought he would be. He's a very bright guy. He's been around the league a long time. He's got lot of experience coaching different positions, been a coordinator at different places, been a head coach, so I can bounce things off him in that regard sometimes. As far as working with our defense, the players really respect him. He puts them in good positions to make plays. He does a lot, he demands a lot of those guys, and those guys respond to him. That's what you're looking for from a defensive coordinator."
(on where OL Xavier Su'a-Filo stands right now) "You know we're mixing and matching. I say he's in there competing at the guard spot with (Jeff) Adams, and (Brandon) Brooks, all those guys, (Greg) Mancz, we throw Mancz in there at guard. Xavier is competing. We'll see how he did tonight. He's a good kid. I believe in Xavier. I just want him to keep improving."
(on how the first day of full pads went) "I think it was a typical first day. I thought the guys worked really hard. I think it was a very grind-it-out type of practice, and the guys came ready to go, but it was typical. They haven't been in pads in a long time. There's no pads in the spring, obviously we're not around these guys for five weeks in the summertime. I think, especially with the younger players, you wish you had a little bit more time to work with the younger players, but you don't, that's the rules of the CBA. For the first day in full pads having not been in full pads in a long time, I was pleased with the effort."
(on TE Mike McFarland not having as many drops in training camp as he did in the offseason) "I don't know, I'd say this, I think the guy's got good hands. I think there's a lot of areas he can improve in, I think he's working hard to get better."
(on RB Arian Foster's health) "We've got to monitor Arian, like I told you guys that in the offseason and I think that's what that's all about today."
(on announcing the starting quarterback) "Eventually I will tell you who it is. I am not going to keep it a secret. When we are ready to make a decision, I will tell you who it is."
(on having SEAL Mark Owen speak to the team today) "It was great. He came in and I think there are so many parallels. If you read his books, there are so many parallels between football and being a SEAL and a member of that elite team, that SEAL team six. That is like the ultimate pro bowl of the seal team. He came in here and spoke to us for a while and did a great job with the team. I believe that it really resonated with the team and I think that's a good thing."
(on former NFL player Willie McGinest speaking to the team) "He spoke to us a little bit this afternoon. It is always great to see Willie. You know Willie is getting inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Wednesday and that's a big honor. That is a big time honor for him and he deserves all of those accolades. He is a great guy and has become a good friend of mine since I have been a head coach in this league. When I was in New England, obviously he wasn't there when I was there, but they spoke so highly of him when I was there that we all knew how much respect everyone had for him. It is always good to see him down here."
(on Willie McGinest's influence on LB Jadeveon Clowney) "I think you would have to ask them. Willie comes down and he played that position like you said, and he talks to him. He goes over there and gets on a knee and talks to him. I think that is a good thing. I don't know really what they talk about, but I am sure JD is listening. There is a guy who has played 15 years, all-time leading playoff sack leader, he is a winner, a champion. I am sure he has some good words of wisdom for JD. You would have to ask them though."
(on LB Benardrick McKinney and LB Mike Mohamed) "Yes, certainly. You know those guys, you know, (Benardrick) McKinney is a mike linebacker and a true mike linebacker and Mike Mohamed is what we would call basically a will linebacker and so they're different skill sets and Michael is such a steady player for us. It's always good to see him in there and I think McKinney is getting better every day."
(on working with LB Coach Mike Vrabel) "Yeah, he's a hell of a coach. He's a really good coach and he is hands on. He does the drills right with them. He played the position, the outside position and he also played some on the inside when he was in New England because he was a versatile guy, so he knows the defense very well, he's got a great way of communicating with his players and his players have a ton of respect for him, and he is, he's very hands on which is good to see."
(on LB Reshard Cliett) "No, no update yet, no."
(on WR Alan Bonner) "Yeah, Alan (Bonner). Alan can run. The big thing with Alan is staying healthy. If Alan can stay healthy and be out there a lot, that's good. That's good for him. He's got speed, he's got quickness, he's got good hands. It's a very, very competitive spot there, that position, that wide receiver position, so the guys that are competing, they need to stay out there, stay healthy, and that's what Alan is trying to do."
(on the wide receiver spot) "I would say right now, if we were to line up right now, we would probably go with obviously (DeAndre) Hopkins and then probably (Nate) Washington right now, but we mix and match a lot. (Cecil) Shorts has had a really good training camp. I think some of these younger guys have come on strong. Jaelen Strong has had a good training camp so far. He's done some nice things. He keeps improving. He'll be in decent shape for a rookie so that's good, so I think there's a lot of guys that are doing a good job out there. That's a competitive position."
