Jonathan Gannon Press Conference – 9.17 | AZ Cardinals

Jonathan Gannon Press Conference – 9.17 | AZ Cardinals

Okay. Uh, happy Wednesday. So, um, couple updates that I’m sure you guys are itching at. Um, Garrett Williams and LJ Kier will both go to IR. Um, potential for both of them to come back this year. Um, Max Mountain will be out there today. Will Johnson will not be out there today. And we’ll kind of see how the week goes for those two. So, there’s that. San Francisco really good football team. Uh they’ve they’re two and 0. Um obviously a divisional game. It’s their home opener. It’ll be a really cool environment for our guys. Um good football team. So, we got to have our best stuff ready to go on Sunday. That’s what we’re working on today. You uh you talked a little bit about the job that those guys, the fill in quarterbacks. you you again worked really hard to develop depth in there. I guess this is where it pays off is to be able to lean on that now when when you need it. Yeah, absolutely. You know, I’m I’m very confident whoever we put out there um gives us a chance to win. Coach, what’s your optimism level for Max and Will? day by day, you know, see how they respond, see where it goes. With uh with LJ going down, you feel Mustaper has been doing a nice job in terms of filling in there, does his role just grow a little bit or how do you Yeah, obviously, you know, LJ’s been playing for us, been playing good ball. So, just like with the back end and, you know, it’s week three now, right? Week three roles are changing. So guys got to, you know, assume some of those roles. What do you miss? Garrett’s come so far in his in his time in the league. What do you miss most about him? He’s a good football player. Um, just his ability to to play winning football for us, play a couple different hats for us. So, um, yeah, he’s good. He’s one of our good players. What has to happen to get that running game going on offense? Uh, just the collective effort do a little better. you know, I’m always going to say move the line of scrimmage a little bit better, you know. So, um, big challenge ahead because they got a good front. Is it groin one of those injuries where you don’t want to have a guy come back a second too early because if he reagravates it, it could be a long-term issue. Yeah. Yeah. I don’t I I think about it like this, Josh. I don’t think you want them anybody to come back until they’re really fully healthy to play, you know, whether it be a groin or a knee or a shoulder or a pec. I like I just kind of feel like we always do what’s best for the player first and then what’s best for the team. So, and they’re all different. They really are. For a rookie who he got off to a good start and then kind of has to put a pause for the timing, however long that may be, what does that do for a guy’s growth in his first year? Nothing. You just got to stay locked in. And for for Will, you’re talking about for Will. For Will. Yeah. I mean, I think just stay locked in and do everything that he can, which he will, um, to get back around the field and, um, play how he was playing and play better. When I say play better, keep improving his game. 49ers. Fair share of injured players really on offense, but to still have Christian McCaffrey, uh, what does he bring to that offense kind of regardless of who’s around? Yeah, he’s a game changer. You know, we talked about that uh in the meeting today. Like he’s he’s a really good football player uh both in the run and pass game. He’s hard to tackle. He’s got great vision, great acceleration. He can hit home runs. Um he’s a matchup nightmare. He’s one of the premier guys in the in this league and and I think offensively how they use him is very creative and cutting edge and get you it can cause some problems. There’s no doubt. So, we got to be very aware of um where he is um when they deploy him different ways, who’s on him, where your help is. Um we definitely, you know, have to have a plan for him. You you obviously feel strongly that they have a very good offense and they they deploy those kinds of things in a really good way. How how does that balance out with the fact that you do get to see this team a couple times a year and there is some more familiarity with him than maybe if if it was a team that you were only playing once a little bit, but Kyle’s, you know, he’s always going to change and adapt to who he’s playing and what he thinks is the best way to to go about it. So, um there’ll be some things that we haven’t seen on tape, even playing them for however many years now that we’ve been here. Um plus these last two games, you’re going to get some wrinkles. M Jones stay on the offensive side. I thought he played well last game. You know, he’s he’s obviously smart. He’s got talent. Obviously, where he was drafted and what he’s done his career already. Um quick processor, accurate, more mobile than you think. He’ll stand in there and take shots and deliver the football accurately. He he played well. I know injuries are part of the game, but you know, for for you, what’s it like for the human side to see a guy like Garrett Del work so hard to get to the positions that they’re at? It’s horrible, but that’s a kind of a known known, you know, a known unknown. Um, so, um, you obviously feel bad for the players because there can’t be out there, but got to solve problems. It happens to everybody, you know, it it just does. Um, so we got to design a plan, get the right people in there, and play good football. How different is it for corners to play outside to compared to slot in ter I guess what goes into going playing outside that doesn’t go into playing slot and vice versa. That’s a long- winded answer. Probably um probably what they’re asked to do the most. Um from inside to outside, you know, um skill set, you know, what they’re what they’re, you know, seeing and reacting to and the different communication is a big one. You know, nickels communicate more than corners depending on your system. So, probably just depends, you know, scheme by scheme and you know, what you’re doing. But it’s a it’s a different position. Not just looking at sacks, but your defense is generating some high pressure from around the league. How are they getting that done? What have you liked about the pressure your defense is creating? I think the players are doing a good job winning some one-on- ones, rushing collectively. Um, I always think we can put them in better spots. You know, that’s the coaching head of me, but I think we’re doing a good job with deploying our guys in the right spots. Um, that can always be better. Um, and they’re taking the coaching. I think, you know, Matt and and Debo are doing a good job with um really honing in with our guys technique and what they’re good at and and how to attack people. Um, so I like where it’s at, but it can always be better. It’s your third year in the division preparing for a Kyle Shanahan offense, at least with the uh the 49ers. How would you describe preparing and game planning for a Kyle Shanahan offense? Hard, difficult. Yeah. Yeah. He’s he’s there’s a there’s a reason who he is who he is, you know. Um he’s brilliant. Um I think he adapts really well during a game what he sees going on how defenses are trying to take negate some of the things that he likes to do and he has multiple compliments to if you’re going to live like that, he’s going to stress you out a little bit. So, um he’s he’s fantastic. You know, it’s it’s hard. It’s hard. Nick said uh yesterday he had um a conversation with Elijah last week, Elijah Jones, and just said how he appreciated kind of what he was doing and how he’s growing. How ready is he to kind of step into a playing role if he he’s ready. What makes him ready after not He’s improved his game. He’s improved his game since he’s been here. San Francisco on that stadium. Loud. Loud outside obviously, so we’ll have to deal with some elements. should be hot, but uh we won’t flinch at that because it’s hot today. Um every day we practice is hot. So uh you’re they just got to understand their environment. You know, it’s their home opener and it’s on the road and it’s outside. So they got good fans. Type of response have you seen from your players coming off wins that maybe had some frustration points? uh the right response, you know, uh no no pointing fingers, taking arrow in the forehead and getting better individually and collectively. We got good guys in there. So that’s what they’re trained to do and that’s what they do. As a coach, is that an ideal situation where you can kind of have a teaching moment, you know, learning experience after a win instead of saying, “Look, this is why we lost.” It’s better to be two and0 than 0 and two. I know that. But um yeah, it it’s kind of our process, you know, that’s what we do on Mondays. you know, whether you win or lose, it’s all about getting better and and our guys have responded in, in my opinion, the correct way, um what needs to be fixed, how do they fix it, and go work, you know, put the work in to do it. On the other side of the ball for the 49ers, is Robert Solz considered one of the top defensive minds in the NFL and for a good reason. What have you seen from him the first couple weeks? He’s changed a little bit. He’s changed a little bit. um you know what he’s done in the past. I think he’s got some new creative wrinkles, but you know, defensively um from a you know, from a how they play stands out on the tape. Um how physical, athletic, how fast they play. Um fundamentals stands out on the tape. Um how they, you know, put their hands on blocks, how they defeat blocks, how they tackle, how they cover, how they hunt the ball. Um, and then he’s got some he’s got he he’s of brilliant mind as well. He he knows what can give you issues um in the in the the run and pass game to make it hard. Um, so with what I just said, that’s good coaching. You know, he’s got some good coaches over there. He’s really He’s really good.

HC Jonathan Gannon addresses the media ahead of week 3 vs SF

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