Head Coach John Harbaugh
Opening statement:"Thanks for coming. It was a good practice. The guys did a really good job."
**You've had some hot practices. It feels like this may be the hottest. Would you agree with that? *(Cliff Brown) *"I don't know. We have that stuff on record, so I'm sure [vice president and head certified athletic trainer] Mark Smith could tell us, but it was hot. I really commend the guys for doing it. The numbers were low overall for the practice, and the guys that went through practice just did a phenomenal job. It was a fast practice; it was sharp. It's one of the things that you look for in training camp and you have to test, and guys did a really good job with it."
What about overall the fallout from Thursday night as far as the overall health? (Joe Platania) "It's fine. It's good."
Is K Wil Lutz the most popular guy in the locker room right now? (Garrett Downing) (laughter) "Wil Lutz is definitely the most popular guy. We cut the night meetings out and an afternoon walk-through [after Lutz made pressure kicks during practice]. It was interesting, because we had the kick for the night meetings that he made. Then the guys wanted to double down; they wanted to move it back for the walk-through. I said, 'You have to bet, you have to wager something, then we'll be right back to the night meetings.' A couple of guys had that same look on their face. (laughter) Mike Wallace led the charge for going for it, and my man split the uprights twice. It was great."
*How far were the kicks? *(Jamison Hensley) *"The first one was maybe 42 [yards] and the second one was 50 [yards] – two legit kicks. I have to admit, there wasn't a lot of rush pressure from the defense for some reason." *(laughter)
When you know it is going to be a hotter practice like today, do you change anything you would normally do because of extreme heat? (Jamison Hensley) "We monitor it; that's the main thing. You monitor individuals. The training staff, the recovery and performance coaches, really keep an eye on all of that. The training staff is phenomenal with that. And we give more time between periods – more water breaks. It's not as tough when you have your full numbers, but we were down wide receivers and tight ends today, and those guys do a lot of running. Even corners were down. It was the skill guys doing the running that were down, so we really had to watch those guys. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Everybody is still breathing. (laughter) We had no injuries of any kind, other than … We did have Kaelin Clay with go off with a foot. We'll see how that goes, but that's not related to the heat."
**After looking over the film from Thursday night, do you take that over into practice today and make corrections and adjustments? And your thoughts on the film? *(Jerry Coleman) *"That's the process. That's what you do. There are always going to be things to work on. We looked at the tape, and there were a lot of good things out there, things we really felt good about. Even their first drive that everybody's giving them so much credit for, our defense was in good position. The reverse we played better, but that was something we hadn't spent much time on. That's a great opportunity to clean that up on reverse the first play of preseason, so that's fine. We had tight coverage on the other plays and stood up in the red zone. I was really happy with that. We had a couple of sudden-change stops by the defense, which was excellent. Even the touchdown run, we were in a defense we probably wouldn't play in that situation when they had the long third-down conversion. We put Jerraud Powers in really tough spots, coverage-wise, but you work on those things in preseason that you wouldn't necessarily do in the regular season. I felt good about it. The run defense was there. The run offense was there. [We were] fairly precise in the passing game. We certainly can get a lot better, and we will. We'll keep working on that, but it's a good start. We have to get a lot better from the first preseason game. It's not the end of the story. It's the beginning of the story, and we still have a lot of work to do."
How difficult is it to evaluate when you look at the guys that they're going up against in terms of a "two" going up against a third-stringer? (Jerry Coleman) "You take it into some account, but it's not that big of a deal. These are all NFL football players, right in that neighborhood. The ability to be in a game situation and do things correctly with technique – play hard, run to the ball, overcome an opponent – that's a really good football player. There are no 'gimme' battles out there at this level. There are nuance differences. There's a difference between top-tier, premier players and guys fighting to make the team, obviously. But the top-tier players aren't playing, and none of those guys are really playing too much in this game. So, it's a great opportunity to evaluate."
What did you think of T Ronnie Stanley and G/T Alex Lewis, two rookies who both saw time at LT? (Luke Jones) "They both did well. They graded out well. Like I said, it's not the end, it's the beginning. But to start where they're starting from is really good. They were both in the Top 20 percent of our guys, grade-wise, so they did really well."
Can you talk about the thought process of having defensive coordinator Dean Pees on the field for the game? Is that going to continue in the preseason? (Don Markus) "We'll see. Dean is feeling that out and seeing what he wants to do. With [secondary coach] Leslie [Frazier] here, that gives us some flexibility, so we're just working that out. Of course [linebackers coach] Don [Martindale] does a great job calling the plays – relaying the plays into the defense. He has a lot of experience with that. He was a former defensive coordinator also. We're just trying to find the best way to do it, and it's a good time in the preseason to determine that."
**Was secondary coach Leslie Frazier on the field? *(Garrett Downing) *"Booth."
Was CB Tavon Young OK? I know at the end of the game, they announced they were looking at his knee. (Luke Jones) "It's not a structural knee issue. It's like a tendon, muscle issue – lower hamstring issue. It grabbed up on him. We'll see as we go. That's one you can never tell, time-wise, exactly about."
ILB Zach Orr is a guy who has progressed from being undrafted to a potential starter. What do you think is the key with him? He seems like he keeps getting better every year. (Cliff Brown) "That's probably the key right there. As you said, just keep getting better every year. He gets better every practice. The wisdom is in the results, and the results are how he played. He sure played [well]. Everybody saw it. He played really well."
Linebackers Coach Don "Wink" Martindale
Opening statement:"Nice, cool day today. *(laughter) *I have the linebackers this year, and they are a bunch of guys who are working hard; it is a competitive group. We are still going through the process to see who is going to play where, and they are starting to lock into those positions. I was really pleased after the Carolina game with our effort and how we got to the football. I thought there were a lot of them that stood out. I thought Arthur Brown stood out the most, as far as how he was getting downhill and attacking the line of scrimmage. It is an exciting time, because we are younger. I think you can all see that we are faster. This has been a great training camp so far, and we are looking forward to more competition within the group."
One of the biggest talking points with us and the fans is the WILL position next to LB C.J. Mosley. How is that coming along? (Joe Platania)"We started with Zach [Orr]. Zach has had a really good camp, and you can see that. He has been all over the place. He and Kamalei [Correa] have both been working at WILL. We have been cross-training a lot of guys. It is one of those things that I'm not ready to say yet, and obviously 'Harbs' [John Harbaugh] has the final say on it. Right now, I guess, in the competition, [Orr] is in the lead. I was really proud of the way Zach played against Carolina."
How have you seen LB Zachary Orr grow as a player? He came in as a rookie free agent a couple years ago and played on special teams. How have you seen him develop as a player, where now he is in that WILL linebacker competition as the favorite? (Luke Jones)"That is the greatest thing about coaching – seeing an individual do what he has done and fight the battles. We always talk about, 'Be a warrior.' The warriors are the ones – I don't want to go 'Game of Thrones' on you – but the warriors are the ones who get out of the pit. I think that is the process that he is going through right now. He is just on a long list of free agent linebackers that Ozzie [Newsome] and Eric [DeCosta] and that group have brought in here. It is really fun to see, and it is fun to see his confidence and how that has grown as well. He has grown as individual, grown as a person off the field, and he has grown as a linebacker in the room."
Just mentally, how have you seen LB Zachary Orr seize that opportunity? He is one of the guys that is trying to earn it every single day. How have you seen that? (Garrett Downing)"There is a saying in our room: Someone says, 'They are hungry.' He is starving. The mental part of it is one of his strongest assets. The game is in slow motion to him; he is instinctive. He knows a lot of plays before the offense even knows that they are going to run it. You can see that reaction that he is playing faster than everybody else. It has been fun to watch that way as well."
What you have liked from LB Kamalei Correa, and where do you need to see him grow, beyond him being a rookie? (Luke Jones)"I think he is just going through the rookie process right now. What I like about him is once again, that we have cross-trained him. I'm not just talking about SAM linebacker or WILL; he has been the end in sub [formation]. We have played him everywhere, and he doesn't have a full grasp of it yet, nor do I expect him to have a full grasp of it. I think he will tell you himself that he is not reacting 100 percent to everything or processing everything yet. But he is really making positive strides every day. That is one of the things that we have to do – get him up here in the next three weeks and get him up to speed on that."
What kind of camp have you seen from LB Arthur Brown? (Garrett Downing)"I think 'A.B.' has had a great camp. He has been physical; he's been strong. Like I said, in the Carolina game, I was really happy with how physical he played and how downhill he played. He has really grasped the defense, and I think he has had a great camp."
With a guy like LB Zach Orr, what do you think people overlooked in the draft? It seems he is a better NFL player than maybe some people thought he would be. (Cliff Brown)"That is a great question. I think initially, it was just the size of him. I think that was the initial thing of maybe why he didn't get drafted. I'm glad he didn't [get drafted]. I'm glad we got him."
The second level of the defense is so unique, because you have guys playing behind them and in front of them. How tough is it that for a young player to adjust, especially with the speed of the pro game? (Joe Platania)"I think for a young player, it is hard, especially one like Albert McClellan, [who] is a converted defensive end to linebacker. Kamalei [Correa], same thing. I think that is all a process, what they are going through right now. I talked to all the rookies after the Carolina game. That part, just being an old coach, watching them … It is faster. It is faster than the OTAs; it is faster than the practices. I said, 'Just wait until the regular season, it gets faster.' That part [is tough] – just how fast you have to process mentally what is happening in front of you."
LB Albert McClellan
On the heat during practice:"Today was a good one; today was a tough one. This day here showed a lot of people's character – who is willing to work and who is not willing to work. Today, we really found out who got it and who needs to continue to work. Right now, we all pretty much fought for that last couple of plays. It was a good workout today."
On if being undrafted in 2010 still motivates him:"Yes. The mindset of the majority of the undrafted guys is, 'You are the first one in; you are the last one out.' You should always carry a chip on your shoulder. You should always walk around like you can be replaced, so you need to show your true versatility and your true value to the team – show your character and give them a reason to want you here."
On working with the defense and beating the reputation of being just a special teams player: "I'm a versatile guy. [Defensive coordinator] coach Pees, [linebackers] coach 'Wink' [Don Martindale], coach 'Harbs' [John Harbaugh], and especially [special teams coordinator/associate head coach] Jerry [Rosburg], can see that our linebacker corps – our specialists – are versatile. We all can play inside and outside, and that plays in a huge role with our whole defensive scheme."
On if the summer has been different without OLB Terrell Suggs and OLB Elvis Dumervil:"It is different, especially without 'Sizz' keeping everybody with a smile on their face with his sayings and his character coming through. It is a little different. We haven't found anybody to act like that. It is a little different."
On how much he is looking forward to seeing OLB Terrell Suggs and OLB Elvis Dumervil back on the field:"We all miss them. 'Doom' is a great student of the game, a great teacher of the game. I heard Zach [Orr] saying something about it. [Dumervil] pretty much helps us study film. He is like another set of eyes that the coaches really aren't seeing, as far as the players in the cleats seeing. Suggs is a great motivator, a great guy that is keeping us in tune to what is going on – keeping us in the game, keeping our heads straight while we are on the field. Those two guys coming back … Once they get back, I'm pretty sure tempo and everything may amp up. That is what we are hoping."
On how much he tries to help the younger guys with special teams:"You have to help everybody. You can't sit back here and be selfish. This is an organization where we don't allow that – especially our special teams corps. We try to teach everybody everything and give everybody the best shot. That is what coach Jerry [Rosburg] wants. That is why we have a good history of a lot of undrafted guys coming through here and then going elsewhere. We all teach one another and critique one another. With those things being said … Right now, our core guys – [Anthony] Levine, Zach [Orr], myself and 'Juice' [Kyle Juszczyk] – we all try to encourage everybody like, 'Hey, look, Jerry is on top of this.' We set the standard for the league, and we will continue to do that. It is no fall-off here."
ILB Zachary Orr
On how he handled the heat today: "We were just talking to the guys in the locker room, and in my three years here, that probably was the toughest practice that we've had, just because it was so hot and so humid today. We knew it was going to be a tough practice. Coach [John Harbaugh] talked to us about it yesterday, and we were really proud of how the team came out and went after it and felt like we got better. It's easy to get better when you first come out here for camp, but these are the days when you really build your football team. You build those calluses, and I felt we got better today."
On how he approaches the competition at his position:"I approach it how I approach every day. I just try to come out and get better. We have a great group of guys, and that's our goal, is to become the best football player we can become. And with that, we can all help the team out. We always push each other – me, Kamalei [Correa], 'Bert' [Albert McClellan], C.J. [Mosley], Arthur Brown – everybody in the room … 'Peanut' [Patrick Onwuasor]. Everybody, we push each other to be the best player that we can all be and help the team the best way we can."
On how last year's work in the sub packages helped him in the second half of the season: "It helped a lot. When they told me they were going to put me in some packages, it showed that they had confidence in me. It showed that [linebackers] coach 'Wink' [Don Martindale] believed in me, and it gave me that confidence. Just being out there helped me adjust to the game speed. Now when I go out there, I'm pretty much up to speed now. It was great to get out there. It wasn't anything new."
On if coming in as an undrafted player gave him an edge: "Oh yeah, it definitely gave me an edge. When I got, here I couldn't have come into a better situation with so many undrafted guys on the team. Just hearing from those guys, those guys are motivated. You have a guy like Albert McClellan who is going into Year Seven. He is as motivated as ever, and he's been in the league for seven years. One thing he always told me, 'You'll always be undrafted.' No matter what you do in this league, that will always follow you. You never get away from it. It's definitely something that has motivated me and that will continue to motivate me no matter what."
On what it would mean to earn a starting spot: "It would mean a lot. First, it would show that the coaches and organization have faith in me. That's the utmost respect you can have is getting respect from your coaches and your teammates. It would mean a lot. It's something I've worked for these past three years. It would be great."
On what earning a starting job would mean for his place in the history of undrafted Ravens at his position: "It would mean a lot. One of the first things, when I first met coach 'Wink,' he said, 'Know the history here.' We have a history in this room as linebackers with undrafted guys. He pretty much asked me, 'What are you going to do about it?' He's challenged me every day since I've been here. He's challenged me every day with what I am going to do. Am I going to be the next one? I'm striving for it each and every day."
On what areas he has improved the most: "I would probably say being a student of the game, because everybody out here is a great player. Nobody in the NFL is a slouch at all. Everybody can play. It's the cream of the crop. What separates people, learning from older guys, is studying film. I have the opportunity in meetings now to sit by Elvis Dumervil, and he just shows me how to read certain things, certain stances, certain looks by the offenses and certain looks by certain players. Just becoming a real student of the game will give you those tips to help you succeed on the field."
