Detroit Lions: Jim Caldwell’s Quotes on Day 2 of Mini-camp

A look at what Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell had to say at the halfway point of the team’s mandatory mini-camp.

On the number of penalties in practice: “That’s why we practice and that’s also why we have NFL officials out here to emphasize some of the rules, and it’s not going to be perfect this time of year. If it’s perfect we don’t have a whole lot of work to do, and that’s certainly not the case. Little bit better in some areas.”

On G Larry Warford’s role on the offensive line: “Larry, he’s making really good progress, just in terms of looking at him physically. He’s moving well. He has a grasp on what we’re doing in terms of learning the new scheme and system. He’ll do a nice job of leading as well.”

On ensuring the team does a better job of running the football: “Block better, run the ball better, I think that obviously will be key, maybe run it a little bit more when they give it to us.”

On how the offensive line has responded to a rebuild: “We’re going to be fairly young in some spots, either a backup role or a starter here or there. Anytime that you have some young guys there it’s going to take a little time to get them where they should be, but this is a willing group. It’s a hard-nosed group. Obviously, they’ve done a lot of really good work, but when we get the pads on I think we’re going to start to crystalize things even a little bit more. But I think that group is coming together.”

On Dominic Raiola’s relationship with C Travis Swanson: “I think overall Dom and the experience that he’s had, obviously his main focus is in the weight room, but in terms of all the things that he’s been through, he’s seen a little bit of everything at that position. I think he can offer some pretty sage advice. So, I know there’s a number of guys that will ask him a question or two about fundamentals and technique.”

On the challenges Tight Ends Coach Al Golden faces going from a head coach position to an assistant coach: “I’m not sure there’s challenges in that regard. He’s been an assistant coach before. In a head coaching position I think it gives you a little bit more of an overall perspective on things. I think it tends to sometimes make you a little bit better when you do become an assistant. I did it on a couple of occasions and I don’t think it was a detriment. I think, matter of fact, he’s a real bonus to our whole unit.”

On if the off-season is the best time of year: “It’s not the best time of the year. The best time of the year is when you’re in it, you’re playing, each and every week’s a challenge. I mean, that’s why we coach. This is getting prepared for that. This is a great time as well. I think we relish in the opportunity to come out on the field and get our guys a little bit better, get them focused during game week, you can’t beat that. You can’t beat game day.”

On QB Jake Rudock’s development: “Young, growing, getting better, but it’s a challenge for him.”

On what areas Rudock can improve in: “Everything. I think you do understand how difficult it is to play that spot. There’s not a phase that he has under control at this point in time, which is what you’d expect. It takes a while. It takes guys that are starting, that get all the reps, that are playing in games sometimes two and three years to get it all right. So, I think it’s quite understandable that right now he’s doing a great job of working extremely hard. He’s smart, he’s diligent and he’s developing. He’s developing physically, which he has to. He’s developing mentally because it’s a little bit different challenge for him, but he certainly has the wherewithal to be very good in that area. But not only that, he’s got great work habits, tremendous work habits. I mean, just look at him walking off the field. He’s a young pup right now, but he’s going to be alright.”

On Swanson’s progression to this point: “There’s some things that you can make a determination on how rapidly he’s picked up on the new schemes, plays that we put in, how much in command he is of the unit because he has to direct traffic in there, which he’s gotten better at. From a technique standpoint that’s a little bit different. I mean, you can see body position, bend the knees, head position, those kinds of things, but there’s no contact. So, it’s tough to judge that part of it, but I do see development. I do see growth in him, but it’s a real competitive situation.”

On how much pain RB Ameer Abdullah was playing through last season: “I think you’d have to ask him about the severity of pain.”

On Abdullah suggesting he’s the one to talk to about injuries: “That means that neither one of us knows, or neither one of us cares to talk about it. He’s a tough guy in a tough position. One of the things about our game is that you can also play with some issues sometimes, and he was able to do that up to a certain point there towards to the end. But I think he’s come back, gained his strength a little bit back. He’s moving well. He’s made a lot of strides just in terms of physically, more mature guy in there. I think he’s doing well right now.”

On what Abdullah can do to be more involved this year: “He hasn’t practiced yet. So we’ll wait and see in the fall, but he only led our team in all-purpose yardage. So, he does quite a bit for us and will continue to do it.”

On how Abdullah can get more touches: “He led our team in all-purpose yardage. He’s probably going to be somewhere close to that again this year, I would hope and think, but he’ll be just as involved as he was a year ago.”

On if he is surprised DT A’Shawn Robinson is a skilled pass catcher: “They’re mostly real good athletes, the guys in the league that play on the line. Those guys can do a number of things. Have you seen Haloti (Ngata) throw the ball and catch the ball? Haloti played some fullback. You’ve probably seen (Riley) Reiff, played some quarterback. So, there are a lot really good athletes that are playing in those lines, and Ziggy (Ansah) obviously with his speed. So it’s not uncommon, not at this level.”

On how injuries affect his assessment of the running back group: “Some things you can’t assess because they’re not practicing, but the guys that are working, George (Winn) is getting a few more touches, Zach Zenner is getting a lot more touches in there, young guy Dwayne Washington came in here the last couple days and we had a chance to look at him. So, what we have to do is coach the guys who show up and when the other guys are ready we’ll see what they can do. Theo (Riddick) didn’t do much the last couple of days or so, but we certainly know what he’s capable of. I think when we can get them all healthy and back, we’ll be alright.”

On quarterbacks around the league saying they would like to go for a two-point conversion all the time: “There’s not a quarterback in the league that doesn’t want to go for two.”

On his personal feelings on going for a two-point conversion each time: “It just depends on the situation I think. We’re certainly prepared to go for it every time. We’re certainly prepared to kick it as well. Sometimes you’re going to have to adjust to teams that decide to go after it. I think we discussed that when the rule first changed, so you have to match it just in terms of point differential.”

On how much players get set back trying to integrate into a new scheme after being injured: “It certainly does indeed temper their growth a little bit, just in terms of knowledge and feel. They can be in it certainly from a mental standpoint, to get mental reps. These guys that are veterans understand how that works. So, they don’t lose any ground there, but actually being out, actually applying what they’ve learned in the media room, it’s a difference because the speed of it happens pretty quickly. You have to adjust on the fly. There’s a number of different things that occur to you out there. So yeah, they’re behind in that regard, but a lot of veterans too you find out they learn systems very well because they’ve been through a couple, so by association I think they’re able to adapt.”

*All quotes provided by the Detroit Lions.