Live Press Conference: 11:00 AM CT: HC Brian Callahan

Live Press Conference: 11:00 AM CT: HC Brian Callahan

Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. down. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] All right. Well, I’ll just give it just a brief, you know, bonus Monday here in week one. So, a little bit about Denver. Really good football team. Their their expectations for their team are high, rightfully so. They got good players in all three phases. Um, particularly starts up front on both sides. Their defensive line is incredibly productive. They obviously led the league in sacks last year. Nick Bonito and Zack All Zack Allen and Jonathan Cooper all really, really productive players. Um, their front kind of sets the tone which allows them to cover really well. They obviously have defensive player of the year playing corner for them and passer Tain. So really stiff challenge uh from a personnel standpoint and then on top of that I think they’re they’re they’re well coordinated. Vance Joseph is is a longtime coordinator in this league and does a really good job with that group. Uh you can see their continuity show up too. They they play well together. Offensively the same thing. It starts up front for them and they got a good offensive line. Uh they got two really good backs, a veteran one and a young one that both uh can can carry the rock. And then Bo Nicks, obviously his growth over the course of the season, um was really what led to a lot of their success. He’s he’s grown every week, I think another offseason in the same system, um with coach Peyton, who obviously is one of the premier head coaches and co and and play callers in this league. They do a really good job. And then Darren Rzzy and his special teams unit, really, really well coached, disciplined group. Uh so we got a work cut out for us. Uh it’s to be a stiff test. It’ll be a a hell of an opening environment. Um spent a lot of years in Denver. I know exactly what that feels like and uh it will be it will be all that. You know, they’re excited about their football team and they should be. Uh so, we’re walking into a pretty uh pretty adverse environment for week one. So, looking forward to it. Looking forward to the challenge. Um I think our team is up to the task and and we’ll be ready to roll. What can you do to get Cam prepared for such an environment because it’s maybe unlike anything he’s ever seen playing in college football. Yeah, turn the music up as loud as you can at practice. Um you just got to work through it. I mean, he’s he’s played in in loud environments. It’s just not new. Uh, and generally speaking, it’s it’s not every single play, you know, it’s usually the third downs and in the low red zone we’re really amps up. But, um, got to be on top of the silent cadence, got to be on top of our operation. Um, make sure we’re not we’re not putting ourselves in down in distances because of of some false starts or miscommunications. So, we got to be on top of those things and really you you just emphasize it, you know, and and he’s and he’s going to figure it out as he goes. Do you do anything special to get guys ready for the altitude, particularly guys who who’ve not experienced it? Um, no. I mean, with with the short amount of time that we that we travel in and out of a city, it’s it’s it’s there. It’s a factor. It’s part of it’s part of playing up there. Um, but you just you got to play through it, you know, and one of the things with with our training camp is that, you know, it’s been hot and humid and and we’ve conditioned every day working towards this week one and with the idea that that we got to be in better condition um than we’ve been. And I think that we’re in a pretty good spot when it comes to that. Besides the environment, what are some of the things you do to get Cam ready just systematically and just offensively just operation and all of those types of things? Well, just like any young quarterback, you want to do things that they’re comfortable with and you want to play fast. Uh so we don’t have a you try not to reinvent the wheel getting ready for for week one um or any game for that matter, but certainly in week one, you try to do all the things you’ve banked reps on um in practices, in meetings. Uh so there’s not a lot of newness. uh so we can go play confident and play fast. That’s the idea. Uh especially when you got a young quarterback. Um you know, there’s going to be plenty of things that he’s going to see that uh maybe he hasn’t seen and he’s got to manage those things, but uh from a defensive structure perspective, but at the end of the day, try to put him in position to to play as fast as possible and as confident as possible on the road. From day one or like at what point did it kind of ramp up towards, hey, this is preparation for Denver? Um, you know, I think really every day probably in training camp is part of that process. Um, but you start getting a little more into the into the game plan the last week or so. Um, some things that are a little more specific to what we’re going to do in this game, but um, you know, a lot of it’s still going to be the the the core of your offense and what you’re good at. Every every team’s got a core. Every team’s got things they execute well and we’re going to lean into those things uh, as much as we can against a against a good defense on the road. You spent the entire offseason and I think it continued through training camp tracking the pre- snap penalties and the the self-inflicted negatives. Can you quantify us for us how that I’d be happy to? Yeah, I’d love to. Um, yeah, we I mean I think again this is we’re talking preseason, so certainly not predictive. um not not trying to um jump ahead of anything and say that this because we did this, we’re going to continue that process, but it does give us some some game analysis and and quantitative data from actual football games. Um I think we were the least penalized offense in the preseason. Um I think we were in the top top 10 least penalized defenses in the preseason. Uh our biggest issue I think numbers wise was we had a little more on special teams than we would have liked, but we got to get that improved. But I think we’re we’re one of the top 10 least penalized teams in the three preseason games. Um we had zero fumbles offensively. We held on to the football. We only threw four interceptions. Um so we protected the ball the way we want to. Um and we extracted it. We we had two forced fumbles. This that put us I think six in the league um in the preseason. Um had a couple had what two interceptions. So we were at about middle of the pack in the turnover and the extraction portion of uh of the ball security. So those things showed up. Um didn’t have a lot of pre- snap issues. So all the things that we emphasized, it felt like that we got over the course of the preseason games. And again, um, so it doesn’t get taken out of context. I’m not saying that that’s going to carry over to the regular season, but it’s good to see that what we emphasize showed up in real game action. So uh, happy about those things and good to see those uh, actual data points get get verified for us. So that was good. After all, after all the emphasis on offensive line since you’ve gotten here, how confident are you that you guys have kind of solved these issues and what gives you the confidence that it’s been solved? Well, we’ve played well over the course of training camp and preseason. Um, that’s the first thing. It’s an earned confidence is always earned. Um, I think we’ve earned some confidence there, but again, we’re going to go face probably the probably one of the premier fronts in football. Um, and we’re going to we’re going to find out. Um, these guys are these guys are really really good. They’re good against the run. They rush the passer as good as anybody. Um, so yeah, we got a we got a real stiff test and we’re going to find out. Um, but I feel good about where we’re at. I think a lot of it’s due to the work put in. Um, you see that we we’re we’re a more talented group up front, I think, from from positions one through five. Uh, so looking forward to the test. I think, uh, it’s going to be exciting. You’ve talked about leadership and players have talked about how they feel like leadership is better this year compared to last. How does that help you when you go on the road and you face maybe adversity, uh, in a week one game? Well, just like just like anything, it’s it’s really easy to lead when things go well. Um the leadership shows up when when you face those adverse spots when maybe you have a series or two that doesn’t go your way in one particular phase or the other. Maybe it’s a couple of games a month during a season. Um that’s where your leadership shows up and and can you stay the course? Um can you can you continue to do the things that you have to do to put yourself in position to win and not you know ride that roller coaster in the up and down. So um we’re a much more connected team. Um, our leadership in terms of the accountability portion to each other uh has really grown. Um, our ability to communicate with each other has shown up, I think, a lot more. Um, on the field just in the normal communication part, that’s part of leadership. Um, so I feel really good about where we’re at in that regard. Guys have worked hard at it. It’s been a point of emphasis just like all those other things I mentioned before. Um, leadership’s a little bit less quantifiable than some of the data points, but um, I just it’s one of those things you kind of know it when you see it and and I think we’re in a much better place. You stopped counting, but was there a ultimate victorious team in your in your points deal? And Yep. The last the last point the last uh chance to earn points was the last preseason game. So, we did have a um we did have a training camp winner. Um it was our it was team Cushenberry. They won the it was a it was a tight battle. It was about three teams within each other about 10 points of each other. So, it was really good competition and and those guys really rose to the occasion, I think, over the buyin from what we were asking for. So, yeah, the Cushenber’s team, I think, took the they took the training camp winner and um it was good, strong competition from the others around him. Who were some of the guys on that team? Uh, I’d have to I’ll get it to you. I’ll let you know. What can you learn about a team in week one? And then also for you as a head coach, what’s the anticipation like leading up to that first game when you think you know and you’ve done everything prepar preparationwise. Now it’s just they have to go. That’s really what it is. It’s you just you’re ready to you’re ready to see it all put on display. Um and sometimes it goes exactly like you think and sometimes it goes entirely the opposite. Um and that’s just that’s just the nature of of week one I think in general. Um, I’m also very hesitant that I don’t think week one, as we all know, there’s, you know, whether you succeed or don’t succeed in week one, it certainly doesn’t have anything to do with the rest of your season. You know, it’s one week out of 17. I think you have to maintain that perspective. Um, but I’m excited about it. You get an extra two weeks to think about it and um and but we ready to roll. It’s going to be it’s going to be a really tough test and I’m I’m looking forward to seeing how we respond. Where do you feel like Sneeed, Cushionberry, and Sweat are in terms of their conditioning because they didn’t get a lot of work in camp and preseason? I think the last really, you know, two, let’s call it week and a half, two weeks. Um, they’ve gotten a good amount of work in. So, I feel good about where we’re at at the moment. Uh, we’ll see as this week goes on, uh, and how we list them on the injury report and all that stuff. But, um, feel good about where those guys are at at the moment. Sorry, Leam too. Yeah. Has Lloyd gotten enough time in this span since his return working with Cam on the the snap exchange? Yeah, it’s been there’s been plenty of work there. You know, there’s even before um you know, it’s it’s it’s hard cuz yeah, like would you like more? Certainly. I mean, he missed the entire off season from that perspective. Um so, yeah, there there we we would like more, but I think they’ve they’ve made up for lost time pretty quickly here. And Lloyd’s a Lloyd’s a real pro. He’s a vet. He knows how to how to get ready. So, um, this week will be big for him, obviously, for both those guys to operate in the noise and the environment we’re going to go into. Um, but feel good about where they’re at. Was there a point where you went back and you looked at the tapes from uploading uh Burrow into the offense as you get ready to do the same with with Cam, you know, before this week, was there a point where you go back to look at that? And what are some of the things that you may have miscalculated before that you learned for this goound? M I I don’t know there’s much we miscalculated to be honest and I don’t mean that in a in an in an arrogant way. I just I think we had a pretty good plan for for Joe there in Cincinnati. Um but I think that what I said earlier I think is really where it comes down to finding the things that that the quarterback’s confident running and we can play fast and play with confidence. Um and most of that has to do with just the bank reps over the course of the offseason and training camp. Um that’s really the biggest biggest thing is you’re just trying to put him in a position to be as successful as possible in his first week. Uh, and a lot of that’s going to have to do with just doing the things he does knows and knows well. Uh, and operating and operating a system, try to keep it, um, you know, as far as a volume perspective goes, something manageable, um, where he feels confident and we have enough, you know, um, enough ammunition, you know, for for lack of a better term, but but still be able to to have a grasp of all of it and be able to execute when he needs to. So that that’s the biggest key I think for a young quarterback is is that particular process whether it was Joe in 2020 or or Cam here to open the season in 25. I think that process remained pretty similar. Special teams was an Achilles heel last year showed up in week one. How confident with the changes are you that it’ll be good this year? Yeah, again same thing. We’re gonna just like the offensive line. We’re gonna see. We’re gonna find out. Um excited about it though. I think Bones has done a great job um setting a special teams culture. Um, I think we’ve improved our our talent level too on special teams as well. I think we’re deeper. I think we’re we’re younger and faster and all those things than we were a year ago. Um, we’re expecting some guys to play some some pretty significant roles for us um that are young players, which is which is good. Um, that’s what your special team should be built on. Feel good about where those guys are at. I’ve liked our execution so far in the course of training camp and and in the offseason. Um, but it’s just like anything else, you know, we got to go prove it. Uh, until we until we do it, um, we haven’t. So, I’m looking forward to doing it. You talked about your offensive and then Paul, you talked about your offensive line earlier. I’m curious like with the offensive unit as a whole, just from what you’ve seen training camp, preseason, what gives you confidence that you have kind of what you need around Cam to help give him the best chance to be successful. Yeah, I I still think it’s in the same vein as as those other questions that, you know, we we got to go prove it. We got we’re going to find out. Um, but that being said, the work these guys have put in, um, the way that we’ve practiced, uh, their attention to detail, their execution, um, over the course of this time, um, makes me feel really good about about what’s around them. And, you know, we’re going to use all the players on our roster on game day. I mean, they’re all going to they’re up on game day. They’re we’re going to use them and find a role for them. So, um, I’m excited about the process. I’m excited about what these guys have put in. Um, and then now all that’s left to go is to to go do it and prove it. And, um, I’m looking forward to that. Seems like Cam to Calvin might be your best thing certainly or your most explosive thing. If if a defense is is looking at that defense as good as the Broncos certainly and is hellbent on taking that away that leaves you with but what what’s next? How confident? Not confident’s not the right word, but you you envisioning that that’s a poperie as is the alternative to that or does somebody have to emerge as the next guy? has that one. Yeah, I think someone has I mean to to sit here and say that we have the the they have to emerge. Someone’s got to step up and and make the plays. Um I feel good about the group of guys we have going in going into Denver. I like the work that we put in, but certainly we got some unproven players and we got some young players um that have done it that haven’t done it yet. Um but but I like where those guys are at and and we’re going to use anybody that’s up on game day we’re using. They’re all going to have roles. We’re going to make sure that they’re in the right spots to have success. Um, and again, we’re we’re we’re a team that’s that’s in proven mode right now. And all the things that that we feel good about, we’re going to have to go do and and show it on game day. Um, regardless of how good I feel about the process leading up to it. Um, but I’m confident in the group we have. And I’m excited to go do it and and we just got to go do it. Calvin said he sure hopes that’s not the case. A guy of that level, you expect to find ways, no matter what they’re doing, to take Yeah, that’s that’s my job. my job is to find uh find find opportunities for those guys and find find ways to get them the ball. Um and that’s certainly what we’ll be hellbent on doing is is finding ways to get our best players the ball like every team in the league does. And um you know it’ll be a cat and mouse game of them trying to make sure they take away what we think we’re doing well and and and us finding ways to to take advantage of what we perceive as weaknesses. So that’s pretty I think standard process for us. But yeah, you know, my job is to find ways to get the ball to the guys that can help us win. Thanks coach. Thanks. Thank you. Anybody else? [Music] [Music]

Titans Head Coach Brian Callahan addresses reporters on Monday at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park

YT Channel: https://bit.ly/2M1n3Kd
For More Titans NFL Action: https://bit.ly/2LWlmxy

#TennesseeTitans #Titans #NFL #TitanUp

For more Titans action: https://www.tennesseetitans.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/titans
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/titans
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/titans