Head Coach John Harbaugh
Opening statement:"It's good to have you guys here. A couple of things: We're really looking forward to tomorrow night, and we really want to invite everyone out. There are a lot of crazy, tough things going on in our country. If you can step back for a minute sometimes and look at it from a big-picture perspective, maybe it's just a part of the process of fulfilling the ideas of our country – the ideals that our country was built on: All men are created equal. That's something that sports has been on the cutting edge and out in front of forever. A locker room in sports … If you look at the history of baseball, football, basketball, all of the other sports, that's really what it's all about. Let's bring everybody out – everybody united in terms of being a Ravens fan from every part of our region here and every neighborhood. Let's come all out and have fun, laugh and eat some hot dogs and drink some Cokes and whatever else we're doing out there.
"[Marshal] Yanda had the day off. [Michael] Campanaro had the day off. That was a trainer's decision on both of those guys; they're not injured. [Chris] Moore has a little tweak. I'm not going to get into describing them, and I'm not going to get into how long they're going to be out. It's not any kind of season-ending thing, but he has something he has to work on. I don't know how long it's going to take. Why am I doing that? Because last year I got asked about [Breshad] Perriman every day, and I was wrong every single day. So what's the point? (laughter) [Maurice] Canady has a little issue that he's going to be out for a little while with. [Kenneth] Dixon, you know about him. [Timmy] Jernigan is fine. You do already know it's a rib. [Crockett] Gillmore, same thing."
Officially, how long was the K Justin Tucker kick? (Jamison Hensley) "It was 70 [yards], wasn't it? Sixty-seven maybe? It was close to 70, but I'm not sure. It was the record."
What are the chances you would allow him to do that in a game? (Jamison Hensley) "That was the situation right there. That was the end of the half or game. We were trying to get in field goal range and either have a clock-it or timeout-type of situation so you would go for it there."
How well did he kick the ball? (Jamison Hensley) "He kicked it great. Balls do sail more out here. It's hotter and more humid. You do get longer kicks in training camp, but it was a great kick."
Coach, is that one of the big points for tomorrow? Is it more about the fans or more about you guys getting something accomplished at the stadium? (Jerry Coleman)"You always ask the comparison question. It's about the fans 100 percent, and it's about becoming the best football team we can be 100 percent."
I didn't ask you to compare. (Jerry Coleman)"That's exactly what you did. It's not a pie chart. You said, 'Is it more about one or the other? What is that? How would you describe it?' It's all about the fans, and it's all about the team. It's all about everything. Just like life is all about everything. Life is not a pie chart. You give everything you have to everything that's important to you."
What are you looking to accomplish with the players? (Jerry Coleman) "We want to get better. That's just a terrible question. Come on, man." (laughter)
Was it that bad? (Jerry Coleman): "You can do better. You can do better!"
I know you've talked in the past about getting the young guys acclimated to the stadium. How much are you looking forward to getting on the grass there? (Luke Jones) "Oh, it's about the surface? OK, I didn't understand that that was the point of the question. Thank you."
And atmosphere? (Jerry Coleman) "It's about both of these things. That's a part of getting better, no doubt. We do want to get on the grass. I can't wait to get on the grass. I can't wait to see it. I'll be looking for crabgrass, so be on the lookout to see if there's any crabgrass out there. (laughter) The atmosphere, that's the thing. If we can get as many people as we can get in there and make it a great atmosphere for the guys – game-like and under the lights – that's exactly right."
**WR Mike Wallace has been out here the past couple of days. What are your impressions of him? *(Jamison Hensley) *"I thought he looked good today. He made a few catches. I don't think we saw any deep ones, so we're still looking for those. Maybe that's a credit to our secondary as well, getting on top of those things. I thought he had a good practice. Jerraud Powers was out there, again, passing the [conditioning] test later, but got it done yesterday morning. It's definitely good to have those guys out there. We're a little low on wide receiver numbers right now, so it's been tough on those guys, but we've been taking the tight ends and playing them at wide receiver also. That's how it goes in training camp."
With LB Kamalei Correa, when you drafted him, did you think of him possibly at inside or did that develop once he got here? (Jamison Hensley) "We thought of him as a … He's played inside there, too. You don't know about guys sometimes. He was a football player, and he's competing for an inside 'backer spot."
Wide Receivers Coach Bobby Engram
You don't have a whole lot of numbers there with some guys down. The wide receiver competition has been one of the most talked about. How have you seen it get off to a start? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Guys have been practicing really hard. I think that they understand there is a lot of talent in the room. I think that the competition for the first week of camp has been great. As far as the numbers go, unfortunately, this happens to different position groups in training camp. We already started a little low, and we just got hit. Guys are being resilient; they are battling. And Dan Brown and Darren Waller have been doing a great job of stepping in and helping pull some reps off of us."
**Talk a little bit about WR Jeremy Butler. It looks like he had a couple great snags out there today. *(Bill West) *"Different guys will step up and make some plays. That is part of what you want to see with the competition. The key is to see who sustains that throughout camp. More importantly, who is going to take it into a game situation? He did make a couple nice grabs today. The one in the end zone was a great throw by Joe [Flacco]; he put it down low to protect him from the backside safety."
**A point of emphasis in the offseason was to develop a downfield threat at receiver. Do you see the potential there? *(Todd Karpovich) *"I love it. Obviously, we've got to get some guys back, but Mike [Wallace], he is practicing hard. Breshad's [Perriman] speed, Steve Smith can still go down there and take it from anybody in the league. We just have to keep developing the offense. Marc [Trestman] does a good job of putting guys in the right position to make plays. Obviously, Joe [Flacco] has a big arm, and he has proven over the years he can get that ball down there. We just have to stay working, understand within each concept what our job is, just to help the team be successful. If that is making plays, if that is blocking or cracking … Whatever we need to do. We want to help this team win games."
I know he hasn't been out there the last couple days, but what have been your early impressions of WR Chris Moore? (Luke Jones)"He's working. He's studying, but we have so much time to go. He is a worker, and if you are a hard worker in this league, that gives you a chance. He is a smart player, but you still have to continue to improve."
A lot was made when WR Mike Wallace wasn't out here the first day. What have been your impressions of him as a worker and how he has gone about it? Not just these last couple days, but also dating back to the minicamp. (Jeff Zrebiec)"I have no problems with his work ethic. I think he was a little frustrated by not making the [conditioning] test. It is a tough test, but I think he learned a lesson. Having this many years under his belt, you can still learn as a player of things you can do better. I'm excited to have him here."
Your impressions of WR Michael Campanaro? I know he wasn't out there today, but he has had a pretty good couple days here. (Bill West)"'Camp' is a good football player, and he is continuing to improve. That is what you want to see. He's working. He's making some plays on the outside. He made some really nice plays down the field, adjusting to the ball well. He is playing strong. I'm excited. I'm excited to see where it goes with him and how he continues to improve his game."
There is a lot of attention on WR Keenan Reynolds. How have you seen him look? (Jeff Zrebiec)"When you have never played the position, there is so much to learn. But A) he has good hands, and B) he is a smart guy. He is a natural athlete. He is a little nicked up, but we've just got to keep him coming and keep him progressing in terms of learning the offense. Not only that, just the nuances of the offense. I told him to sit behind Steve Smith and pick his brain, watch everything he does, and learn everything you can from that guy who is probably a future Hall of Famer."
LB Kamalei Correa
On how he enjoys playing inside linebacker: "It feels fun. It is football; you still have to go get the ball. I do want to give a lot of credit to [linebackers] coach Don Martindale and [staff assistant] John Egorugwu. They have been very patient with me, and they have been working with me. I'm out here trying to do what I can just to help the team."
On the hardest transition to the NFL:"The first thing I would say is: Nobody is junk. Everybody is good. So, you've got to be on your game every day, and you've got to come to work. If you don't come to work, somebody is going to hit you upside your head, and it is not going to feel good. You've just got to come to work every day."
On how he is adapting to the speed of the NFL and if that has been a huge transition:"It is huge. You've got Mike Wallace out there running routes. You've got Dennis Pitta; he's big, he's quick. I'm just trying to learn how to cover people more than actually rushing the passer. Once again, I give a lot of credit to my coaches, because they have been working with me. I'm just trying to do what I can."
On the difficulty of not thinking too much while playing:"It is still football at the end of the day. You've still got to go get the ball. You are rushing, you are dropping. But at the end of the day, you have to go find the ball. Again, I'm just doing what my coaches say and getting after the ball."
On the interception that he made in practice on Saturday:"I was playing a hook drop. I've been listening to coach Don Martindale, and he said I need to work on my depth. Once I pushed out of my drop, I just started sinking a little bit more, and I got lucky; I got a pick. I'm just out there doing what I can to help this team win."
On how much the coaching staff has stressed learning multiple positions:"We do have a lot of packages on defense. In college, it was a lot easier. Up here, the game speed is going [fast]. You have think fast. There are a lot of packages, and I'm just trying to take what these coaches tell me. I'm playing multiple positions, and I'm just trying to do what I can at every position and just soak in my information."
On if the coaching staff has made a point of him rushing the passer:"I'm still going to rush the passer, and I'm still going to drop. In my eyes, I'm going to do whatever they say. That is my job, and I'm trying to keep my job. It is simple."
On if there is a specific inside linebacker on the Ravens he has paid close attention to:"I would say C.J. Mosley. I used to watch him in college, and I was like, 'That guy is good!' Then he gets drafted to the Ravens. Then I get drafted to the Ravens. I had a lot of flashbacks. I'm like, 'Man, this guy has been good since college!' He obviously knows what he is doing. He's actually been a great teammate to me; he's been very patient with me. He is trying to work with me, because I'm running with the 'ones' right now. He is just all-around a good dude, and he is a damn good football player. I'm trying to model my game after him."
On the best advice ILB C.J. Mosley has given him:"Just don't think. Just get to the ball. It's plain and simple. It's football, you have to get to the ball at the end of the day. I'm just trying to do that."
On if he is surprised to be running with the first team this early in training camp:"Yes, I am. As a rookie, with my mindset, I'm coming in here, and I'm not trying to overstep any veteran. I'm just trying to do my job as best as I can. If these coaches feel like I am able to run with the 'ones,' then I am going to do what they say. I'm trying to keep a job."
On if the game is slowing down faster than he thought it would:"It is still up-tempo. It is still football. In college, it is: 'This guy is average; this guy is really good; this guy is OK.' At this level, everybody is good. Like I said earlier, you have to be on your game every single play. If not, you are going to get hit upside your head. You just have to be ready to play ball."
WR Mike Wallace
On how training camp has been so far:"It's a process. It's training camp. I'm just trying to get better every day. Obviously, I'm on a new team, so I'm just trying to get comfortable with my quarterbacks – all of them, especially Joe [Flacco]. It's just great to be out there with a guy who has been around for so long and just knows the game."
On how he has been adjusting to QB Joe Flacco: "It's been great so far. Joe is a really good guy, calm guy, easy to talk to and understand. He's just a vet guy. He has a big arm and, I see it every day in practice. I'm excited about it."
On how intense Ravens practice is compared to other teams: "It's very intense. Every coach has their different thing that they do. Coach [John] Harbaugh is definitely one of the most intense coaches in the league, so our practices are going to be the same way. He's not letting up. I don't even put that in my mind of any day being easy. It's going to be hard. It's a grind, but we wouldn't have it any other way. I don't think you can have easy training camp and be a good football team. It has to be tough. It's hot. I don't care where you are, it's going to find a way to get hot for training camp. It even did that last year in Minnesota, and I thought that was the coldest place in America, and it still found a way to get hot for training camp. That's just the way it is, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
On if it was frustrating missing the first day of practice: "Most definitely. Anytime you have to watch somebody else play, and I have to exercise inside like a little kid, that's no fun. The older kids are outside playing, and I have to stay inside. That's no fun. That's in the past. I passed. It's a tough test. Anybody who comes here, I advise them that they better be ready for that test. (laughter) That's got to be the toughest conditioning test in the league. We passed it. That's in the past; we're just ready to move forward."
On if the nature of the conditioning test surprised him: "Honestly, the test didn't really surprise me. It kind of surprised me how hard it was. You think about it and you think, 'Alright, I've been working out four or five days a week. I'm going to breeze this test.' You get out there, and it's a lot tougher on the legs. It's not so much the endurance, it's more so your legs that get tired with all of the turns in the test. It's a mental test. That's why I wouldn't come out even if coach was like, 'OK, you can go out.' No, I want to pass this test, because I'm not going to let a conditioning test defeat me. I went out the next day, passed and was able to come back out the second day of practice."
On missing WR Steve Smith Sr. and WR Breshad Perriman from the wide receivers group: "That's two big pieces of our team. Obviously, it's going to hurt us, but we have guys who are going to step up. We have veteran guys. This is my eighth year in the league. Kamar [Aiken] has been in the league for six years. We have guys who have been there before. We're going to pick up the slack for those guys. We would love to have them out there. I can't wait until they get back, because I just want to see our group in full, because I think we can be dangerous. At the same time, I believe in all of the guys that we have out there. I think anybody can make a play that you put in."
On how excited he is for the first practice at M&T Bank Stadium tomorrow night: "I've been in there four or five times. I'm excited though. I always hated that stadium, but I have to switch my mindset and love it now. (laughter) It was always a tough place to play. I'm on this side now, so I'm excited about it."
On if training camp has strengthened his belief that he made the right decision to come to the Ravens: "Oh yeah, most definitely. Just seeing Joe [Flacco] is like, 'This guy is really good.' The play-calling is just aggressive, and that's what I was looking for. I've been on some great teams. My quarterbacks before were really good quarterbacks. I have no problems with those guys. It's just this style of offense fits what I want to do. I loved my quarterbacks before. I love all of my teammates and never had a problem with anybody ever, but sometimes in football, you get in situations that you can't control. Sometimes it works to your strengths, and sometimes it doesn't. I just look at this offense as one that allows me to maximize my strengths."
On how he is picking up on the playbook in a new offensive scheme: "I've never had a problem with that. Honestly, this is my sixth offense in six years. My last two years in Pittsburgh, we switched offensive coordinators. My two years in Miami, we switched offensive coordinators. Last year in Minnesota, I had a different offensive coordinator, and this year I have one. Schemes can only change so much. Names change, but at the end of the day, there's only so many plays you can run in football. I just have to get the terminology down, but as far as the scheme and the routes to run, I've been doing this for eight years. It's not really that tough, but at the same time you have to lock in, because we have a lot of different hand signals and calls and things like that that you can get caught up in. Especially being in all of those different offenses, some plays have the same name, but it's a totally different concept. You have to lock in and just know exactly what you're doing."
On head coach John Harbaugh running over to encourage him after a dropped pass: "He's got my back. The ball just got on me fast. I turned around and the ball was already on me. I'm going to catch the ball. Coach Harbaugh is intense. He's a guy who just wants the best for his team. It wasn't to fuss, it was just like, 'Let's go, baby!' We were good. I came back and made some plays. That's the type of player I am. One play, you forget about that. I go on to the next one. I've been around for a long time now."
