Jim Harbaugh On Camp In San Diego | LA Chargers

Jim Harbaugh On Camp In San Diego | LA Chargers

Hello. Thanks for coming. This is awesome. How does it feel to be back? How does it feel to be back? Uh, incredible. I uh as the as the buses came through um I had the the little heart little hairs on my arm were standing up the uh exactly the the way I felt when uh manior dillo uh he he’d bring me over to USD when I was playing for the Chargers um for basketball game came once for a baseball game uh and one basketball game we came to uh I asked if we could just go look at the football field and uh went over there and I stood up on top there. I’ll never forget it and I I uh I said to him, “Oh, this is incredible.” Uh you know, someday when I get done playing, I am going into coaching and uh there would be uh incredible to have this be uh where I coach. And um so fast forward to uh 2002 uh I was coaching at the Raiders and um saw that they had an opening here for head football coach at USD. So, I called on senior Dilabau and uh I said uh remember what I said uh about five years ago and uh and he was he said I was hoping you were going to call and uh yeah I would I would love to uh to have a chance to interview for uh the head coaching job at USD and and uh and that uh that came to be uh that was brought to life and this was my first head coaching opportunity, first uh head coaching job and Uh, and the thing I I just always I I got to ask I’ I’ve asked Bonsenior before. I mean, what did you see? What did you see in me uh to um you make make you think I would be a a good head football coach? Because I I’d still like to know. Um, he hasn’t told me yet, but uh and then uh you know just incredible things happened uh you know from there once uh once I got the uh the job and and started coaching the team. Um uh my dad coached with me with us that first year he coached the running backs and uh Dave Adolf um was coaching the linebackers and and I’ll never forget asking Dave because I’m I’m trying to figure it out. Um, and I said, “Dave, how how do we get better? How do we win?” And uh, he said, “You get better players, and there’s only two ways to do that. Either coach them better or recruit them better.” And, um, and I took that and ran with it. and uh coaches like Tim Drevano, Jason Djarlay, uh all the the guys that were here um you know did a did a tremendous job coaching and I learned how to learned how to coach and and uh and learned how to coach players and learned how to uh you know bring in better players and but not trying to coach the guys to be so good that you can’t bring anybody else in that would be better to them but still trying to bring in better players And uh the um and it was all it all he was right. I mean it was all about the it was all about the players. um West Doyle, Josh Johnson, Eric Baktiari, Nick Garton, JT Rogan, uh Coronado Zone, uh and and just an incredible um you know, group of group of guys that uh that we coached and and uh were tremendous football players. Um but also just just showing me the thrill of um of uh just helping myself and helping them be the best version of themsel on and off the field. Uh so yeah, the memories are are thick uh as I come driving through and and walking in here where I had my first team meeting uh with my 2004 club. Uh never forget that. Uh I couldn’t even talk. was I was I had already I already lost my voice uh you know um coaching at uh coaching him in workouts and um had couldn’t even speak hardly it was a whisper uh but uh yeah the memories are the nostalgia the memories are thick I mean it’s like you gota you know so thick you gota almost brush them brush them but I’m thrilled to be here this is uh this is this is phenomenal and I our whole organization for for bringing this to life is nowhere I’d rather be. This is awesome. It’s been a while since we talked to you. Whose idea was it to come down and bring charge of training camp to USD? How did that idea come about? Um that was uh it came from the organization. Um and you know I heard the idea and said heck yeah. Uh let’s do it. And uh and a suggestion if I might uh let’s do it at at USD uh which is you can see I mean this is about as good as it gets. I mean I sound the same same as for a campus. I mean, you know, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Palo Alto, California, USD, Michigan, Stanford, USD, they’re, you know, they’re just they’re just right there for me. And, um, you know, hoping uh got uh still got four more kids to go to college. So, might be calling you again on senior. Uh, but yeah, if they could if they could go to USD, Stanford, or Michigan, uh, I’d be thrilled. It’s been a few days since we uh talked to you. Mike Williams retired not long after we talked to you on on Thursday. Just what was your reaction to the news and how do you guys sort of move on from losing Mike? Yeah. So, it um well, you never lose somebody. I mean, excited for to see what Mike is is going to do um you know, with the next chapter of his life. But, yeah, wasn’t expected. But, uh, you know, Mike’s just just a, you know, great, uh, great guy, great player, and, um, you know, he’s given a lot to the game and, um, you just support him. Um, support somebody and what they think is personally and professionally, you know, best for for them. And, uh, like I said, I can’t wait to see what Mike’s going to do with the next chapter. What does this uh, mean for the rest of the receivers? What kind of opportunity is it for a number of the young guys that you have in that room? Yeah, as as we’ve been saying, uh we’re uh we’re really fired up with our receiver group. Uh we think we are better. Uh Sanjay has Sanjay Lao doing an incredible job uh coaching them up and we brought in some some uh some players too that uh are really are quitting themselves well. So, um I I think you’ve probably seen seen it in practice. Um, you know, uh, Quinton and Lad are, uh, I mean, they’re they’re playing at a elite level. Um, Quinton is doing a, uh, um, just every part of his game is is elite. And, uh, lads, he’s even better than he was last year. Um, it’s going to sound like hyperbole, but it’s it’s not. I mean, he’s he’s uncoverable right now uh, by one guy. Uh that’s awesome. And uh uh going down the uh uh you know really really Jaylen Ragers uh doing good. Uh Trey Harris popping every single day. Uh KLS is now on the scene and uh and doing great things. So uh it’s a it’s a really really competitive room. Really great room and uh just uh we just keep chipping away at it. But uh we’re going in the right direction. Jim, are you guys looking at all I know you guys have Willie Sneed in here during OTAAS. Are you guys still looking at other options at receiver? Yeah, you know, Joe, I mean, it’s um it’s uh we’re always competitors welcome. It’s uh it’s um it’s a it’s it’s a Charger way and um really uh really excited about uh uh Nahheem Hines who uh we signed and uh should be should be out there practicing today. Um a a great competitor. he’s shown that um you know felt like um with four running backs u practicing right now uh competitor welcome there and also on the level of what he’s done in the game um been pretty pretty darn good and then to have to be out of the game for two years. Uh just think about the grueling rehab that’s gone in to getting him to the place that he is now and watching him in his workout. Uh uh just really neat to be be a part of that and and I know there’s challenges uh and great days ahead for him and our team and uh excited to be going through it with him. Do you expect uh Rashawn to practice today? Um he’s working through something. Yeah, I would call it minor physically just it’s like an an Do you expect him back this week or sometime soon or you know I’m going to give you that give you that dumb stare that’s and that’s honest that’s guilty is charged. Uh we will we’ll see. Yeah, that’s how it’s been categorized categorized. And Iraim is that a similar uh rocket. Yeah. Um yeah, hopeful. He’s working through something too, but uh you know, maybe uh you know, guys will predict um we’ll just see where it goes, but maybe uh a week was was kind of the time time frame thrown out. Coach, uh played down in this area for a couple years, coached down here, now you’re here honoring the military where there’s obviously a huge connection here to the military. like what gets you fired up about like something like this today? Oh, I mean it’s uh fulfilling a promise. We had such a tremendous experience when we went and practiced at Camp Pendleton last year during uh during many camps and uh told them we were coming back and uh and we’re coming back. Uh organization promised that and now we’re back uh in uh in a way of of gratitude. um you know military uh service men and women uh you can’t thank them enough can’t thank them enough for their service and and uh what they do for all of us and um so showing gratitude to them and uh hopefully uh and I know there’ll be uh they’re just great Americans and uh and and and their kids uh I want to want to meet as many as possible and uh and make it special for them. Um What do you expect the atmosphere to be like on the aircraft carrier for the walkthrough? Um, yeah, it’ll be one of those uh goosebumps, I’m sure. Um, I’ve been on an aircraft carrier once or twice. Uh and every single time I mean it’s uh it does get the uh you know get the old blood pumping and uh warms the cockals of the heart knowing that uh you know how good we have it you know how good our security is and uh how uh how elite the uh the servicemen and women are and and how they’re supported. But uh yeah, plus I mean who gets to do that, you know? nobody. Um we’re gonna be out there pretty near sunset the way we got it uh timed up and that’s going to be uh that’s going to be quite the quite the thing. So um yeah, again and then you know uh show our gratitude for for uh for what they do for us. U those are all the all the big ones. Can’t wait to get that picture. I mean that picture I got the Pendleton picture. uh you know with uh you know us out there walking through and you know ringed the field ringed uh now we’re going to have the aircraft carrier ringed um you know that’s that’s going up that’s going up uh saving a prominent place in the office for the for this one you categorize the first day of training camp as a homecoming what do you categorize the first day of pads what’s that like for you yeah okay um yeah it’s uh we’re still, you know, I I gave you the analogy of a plane taking off. You know, we’re going down the runway and uh starts at a dead stop and then, you know, you get it moving and um we’re rolling down pretty. We’re still on the runway, though. Um what I want today is uh uh same tempo that we’ve had for uh practice four and three, which has been amped up, but um we haven’t quite left the left the ground yet. Um so uh using the pads as protection today. Um and and the fine line is that when when you put you know you give these uh these uh fighters uh you know armor you know they want to they want to go hit somebody uh hit somebody. It’s a it’s a tremendous feeling. But we’re going to try to turn that down a notch today and uh just uh go at the same tempo as we’ve been going at uh which isn’t scrimmage tempo. uh and um use the pads as protection. Time down here. What’s the city of San Diego mean to you professionally and personally? I love San Diego. Um I have a home here. Uh love uh love it. Uh family loves it. Um been uh been very very good. A daughter born here in San Diego. Um you know, so many so many things. So, uh, yeah, I love San Diego. How is Naji doing? Naji doing good. Um, progressing. I, you know, it’s, uh, it’s better today than yesterday and, uh, hopefully better tomorrow than today. But, uh, been in meetings, been been, uh, doing all that he can. He’s doing everything everything that he can. So, uh, just, uh, you know, praying for healing. Is he going to be in training camp at some point? Uh, I don’t know. Can’t certainly uh not an expert as you know. So uh just uh approaching it the better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today. Did you get a chance healing? He’s healing and doing everything that he can. Did you get a chance to see Phil River’s retirement video? And if so, what did you think about it? Uh he’s just uh just great. Um you know, nothing uh but the highest respect for uh for Philip Rivers. um especially when you play a position and you know what uh he’s just so much so good. Um and I just appreciate him in every way. Um the thing that always stands out to me uh is coaching against uh Phillip when the 49ers played the Chargers and uh his enthusiasm for the game. I mean, it’s it’s uh it’s right there with with Derwin James and uh his ability to talk, you know, like during the play like and sometimes direct he’s directing it at players. One time even directed it over me, you know. Uh I mean this guy can really really uh I guess talk smack is the way the young people say it. Uh and to do it without swearing uh is a is a is just another level of eliteness. So, uh, yeah, tremendous competitor and, uh, yeah, we’re, uh, everybody in the organization has deep, you know, uh, love and appreciation for, uh, Philip Rivers. So, we’re we’re we’re excited. We’re excited that he’s going to retire a Charger. This is probably How you doing, buddy? Hey, this is probably the biggest event the Chargers have had since they moved north. Can we view this as a bit of an olive branch to to get some maybe Charger fans that were jilted to to jump on or or what’s your feeling about that? And are you far are you uh surprised the animosity is still at such a level all these years later? Uh I don’t know anything about that. Um never once heard Olive Branch uh you know analogy used. Um you know we uh we love our fans. We got them. Um we love our LA fans. We love uh our San Diego fans uh Santa Barbara uh Fresno uh and and this is um that’s just really cool that we are going we just want to go to them, you know, to our fans wherever they might be. Uh shoot uh Stockton. I want to go to Stockton. Uh if that’s is that 75 miles from San Francisco? We have to we’ll have to check that out. But um just all those that come to see us, you know, uh we wanna we want to go to them whenever we can. First full time practice. Any concerns about doing something that physical on a playing service you’re not sure familiar with? Uh I I know this I know this playing service. This is this is it’s a good one. It’s as it’s as good as they get. Um so it’s going to be it’s going to be really good. Um and as I said, we’re uh yeah, we’re we’re not scrimmaging today. Pads are on, but they’re on. They’re out for protection. Can you talk about your guys? The new jerseys you guys got and what you guys are gonna be rocking this year. Yeah. Um not the not the best guy for style. Uh if my zipper’s up, I I feel like I’m in I’m I’m I’m in style, but uh the uh but everybody I mean it’s been unanimous. Players love them. You know, fans love them. You know, I certainly love them. Uh, so every single one of them, every iteration of of the uniform, it’s just uh it’s just A++, as Dave Adolf would say. A++. Hey Jim, are you going to get a chance to check out your old trailer? Do you think they’ve upgraded since you were here? Uh, yeah, I know they have. I uh um you know, everything is uh in the locker room. Uh you know, uh the um you know, been back been back. This is my first time back uh since I coached. Not my first time back. Um and uh definitely going to try to I gota I got to walk down for memory sake. I got I got to go down the got to go down the hill to the uh to the practice field. It was um it was that was something. I mean, you’d have a hard practice down there and then you’d walk back up that hill and uh that was uh that was you know that was a finisher. that was like a fourth quarter finisher just going back up that uh up that hill after after practice which I loved and then uh then kind of adopted my own fourth quarter finishers uh after that just because we didn’t have that finisher anymore at the other places I would I would be and uh and uh the the workout hill want to want to get down there too and um yeah just uh right now going to get to all the focus is on practice but I’m definitely going to spend some time after after practice and getting around. People in the NFL think you’re a bit crazy when you took the job down here instead of, you know, staying with the Raiders and climbing to the ladder inside the NFL? Um, I don’t know about that. Um, you know, my my uh my favorite memory is uh when I told Mr. Davis that I was uh going to um I wanted to wanted to get his blessing. wanted to uh wanted to come to USD and be the head coach. And um he told me, “Why would I do that?” You know, I thought I brought you here to be a pro coach. And and um I said, “Mr. Davis, I uh I just really wanted to uh emulate your career. I know you started as a as a college coach and and uh I wanted to take the same path.” And he said, “Yeah, but that was USC, not USD.” And uh it was just a I mean that’s a fond that’s a a fond memory uh for me and um you know nothing but but gratitude to uh to Mr. Davis taught me a lot and uh just been blessed everywhere I’ve gone uh to u whether it was the coaches I coached with um or played for um you know that was and now being a coach working for for Mr. Al Davis, it just doesn’t get any better than that. And and I say the same thing about uh Manior Dillo, Kai Snider, Joanne Nester. They were uh uh our athletic directors when I was here and then uh you know, every every stop since been uh just lucky. So, um as I said at the beginning, I mean maybe maybe Mons will tell me one of these days what he what do he see? What’d you see? because uh still trying to figure that one out. Do you plan on uh running? Are you guys gonna run that hill? Uh the the one you’re talking about team? Yeah. No. No. Uh no. No. There was a time. There was a time um when uh when I would do that when I would run. Do you remember uh throwing up Mitch? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like it was yesterday. I remember that. Um that was um that was a it was a 6 a.m. workout we were having and uh have him go out. It was a good half mile out to that hill and I’d be at the practice field, corner of the practice field and I’d send them and uh we had some people checking them along the way to make sure nobody uh hit or took a shortcut and they would go up the hill around the hill and then back around the other side of the hill and then back. And I I was waiting at the the practice field and uh it kept being Nick Garton, Nick Gart, Nick Garton, Nick Garton. he’d win every single one of them. And uh said, “By golly, can’t anybody beat Nick Garton?” You know, no, nobody’s even there’s not even a close second here. If you guys can’t do it, I’ll do it. I’ll show you how to do it. And uh so I uh I strapped down the cleats and ran that hill and got to the top. And as I was coming around the other side, I was in second place to Nick Garton. And uh there’s a point where this side’s coming around and this side’s still coming up. And uh that’s about the point where hurled into the uh uh and then kept running. Kept running and finished second to Nick Carton. I said, “Well, it’s not possible. It’s not possible to beat this guy. This guy he’s like one of those prairie prairie rabbits or something when he when he runs.” Uh I understand. And uh you know from here on all we can do is just uh tip the tip the hat to Nick Garton. But that time has passed for me. Sorry coach. Uh since day one you said it’s been emotional to get back to it with your guys. Uh but coming here San Diego with so many memories experience here. Um where are the emotions at right now? Oh the little little hairs on the arm are uh are standing up. Yeah. And what’s one thing you’d tell Jim Harbaugh back then with what you know now? Um, I don’t know. I don’t know. That’s That’s a good one. Just uh if I had to uh first thing that pops in my mind is just keep attacking each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. Jim, we’ve seen you bring that big curtain out for attractive quarterback and fever. What What’s the purpose of that? Um did you see that like new meme they got? Uh what’s going on there? What were you doing? That’s so funny, right? Uh that’s good. Um yeah, that’s our that’s our curtain. That’s our uh it’s a anticipation drill. Uh when we we have the receivers and tight ends and backs run behind it. U you know, it’s going behind the defender and the quarterback is uh anticipating when they’re going to be open and uh and then hitting the receiver on the move without, you know, watching being able to see every every step. Uh and then then I jump into it. I go behind the curtain um for the next drill, which is they pop out from one side of the one side to the other and I’m the person directing who’s going to who’s going to pop out. And uh I try to try to get it to where the quarterback can’t see which way it’s going to go. So, I kind of position myself behind the tarp where they can’t see it. But it’s just a peripheral vision for the quarterback. Uh and then quick release drill. Um, and then it’s a catch drill back to the defense for the receiver and then for them to catch and and make the appropriate drop step to get get up field. So, uh, there’s a there’s a lot going on. It’s, uh, one of my one of my favorite drills, um, when I learned from, uh, Lindy and Fonte when I was playing with the, uh, with the Indianapolis Colts. Is Taylor working through anything? just need to get the p they just need to get the whole perspective of the uh of the drill and then I think it’d be it’d be easy to know what’s going on. Taylor Hineki, is he is he working through anything physically? He wasn’t out there for the first practice limited. Yeah. Uh no, he uh yeah, he had a personal matter going on um uh family related. Uh and he is he had missed a step. He looks uh he looks much, you know, he’s in a great place. Uh he’s uh he’s really kind of been on fire uh through the first uh three practices of training camp. Doing really good. What do you think? Herbert is uh projected to pass or you know, enter the NFL top 100 career passing yards this season. Just how good is this guy? Yeah, I think you know what the stat that uh he’s nobody’s thrown for more yards uh in their first five years of their career than uh Justin Herbert. Um you know that uh no one has thrown for more in the first five years of their career than than Justin Herbert. So those those statistics do not surprise me. He’s going to about to enter the the top 100. What have you noticed different about him in year two together that uh maybe he pick up year one that uh this early on? Pardon me. What’ you notice about him just appearing year two than year one with you and uh in your system? Uh this is just an he’s in a great place and in every part of his game. Uh you know there’s there’s really nothing he can’t do. um you know, protections. He’s uh you know, he’s got the keys to the car. I just uh and he understood it really well last year. I mean, him and Greg Roman uh are you know, the the two most knowledgeable people of the uh of the system. Um he’s just that smart. And uh yeah, every everything that u everything about his game is is uh you know, you wouldn’t change a thing. And yet, you know, he’s still um going about every single day trying to be better today than he was yesterday, better tomorrow than he is today. Uh you know, it’s a perfectionist in a in a in the best possible way because you know, it’s not self glorification that he’s that he’s after. It’s for um you know, winning this winning our team a Super Bowl. And then defensively, Deion Henley, just the leap he’s making in year three. Good eye. Good eye. He’s uh he was uh playing at shining star status uh last year and uh no doubt he’s he’s headed for superstar. Uh he’s right on track for that. But uh he’s uh he’s doing great. Um five tool linebacker, you know, can cover, can can blitz, can uh you know, fill the fill a gap, he can run sideline to sideline. Um you know, he can call the defense. He can do it all.

LA Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh speaks with the media on Day 5 of 2025 Training Camp. Harbaugh discusses Philip Rivers retiring as a Charger, the viral clip of him watching quarterback Justin Herbert through a curtain during a drill, and competition ramping up ahead of training camp in San Diego.

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