Q: How is Da'Rel Scott doing?A: Da'Rel Scott is doing a good job showing his speed out there on the field. I am happy about some of the things he is doing. I am looking forward to the first game to see how he is physically. That will be the question on him and how well he develops in our offense and learns the pass game, how he protects the quarterback. He catches the ball really well. He is a very fluid athlete. Based on what we have seen, we like him playing in space. Can he bring the physical game that we try to bring to people? We have a strong tradition about being tough in the backfield so I'm looking forward to seeing how he does starting Saturday.
Q: Is he really competing for the third spot on the depth chart?A: I think they all are. How fast he progresses will be the issue because it is hard for a young running back to come in and prove himself, it really is. There is so many things that a running back is asked to do here and learn. It is a complicated position once you get involved in first and second down pass game as well as third down pass game. Can he handle the reads and hits at this level? He has a lot to work on. He has some raw talent and we want to see what we can use and we will go from there.
Q: How good is his straight ahead speed?A: He has great straight ahead speed. He is a good space player right now. I haven't seen a lot of wiggle out there but he may have some but we know, in this profession, at this level of ball, those kinds of runs don't happen all the time. You play in a box at this level as a runner. You don't get the big holes so can he handle running in traffic will be the key.
Q: How did you address ball security with Ahmad Bradshaw?A: Every player in the NFL has a goal that they have to work on, just like when Tiki was here. You try to become a playmaker and you start and forget about the ball sometimes. A lot of his fumbles were trying to make things out of the box and that is something he has to work on this year. Having closure on the ball and playing attention to taking care of the ball. His style of running is kind of similar to Adrian Peterson the year before. That became his goal and he was able to lessen that. We all have something that we have to work on and improve and that is something that he has to work on this year that he can take care of the team as well as the ball.
Q: How much did Andre Brown change since the first time he was with the team?A: He looks quicker. He looks a little slimmer. He has great focus and things like that. We drafted him and he was able to show us talent that first year and then he had that Achilles injury. When a running back has an injury it takes time for the legs to heal. A lot of it was just the transition of college knowledge to pro knowledge. Some players adapt a little faster than others. He has taken the whole world tour and he has learned a lot of different offenses out there so he has grown up a little bit. Now I think he is going out there with a lot more confidence in himself where as he kind of questioned himself on everything a year ago. I'm pretty excited about him.
Q: How do you plan on distributing the ball?A: Obviously, you would love to have an even distribution or as much as you can. You know how it goes in the game, you are not keeping tabs and that's how it was when we had the three backs, earth, wind and fire. Whoever has the hot hand out of the first two, that is how it went to a certain degree and the certain plays that we had. Then you tried to fill it in and say hey, in this situation this is what were are doing. If we were throwing the ball an awful lot then it is going to be this guy because if you are not running the ball a lot and we are in three wides, we would want a little more scatter kind of guy. That is what you do but when you are in a power, pound it kind of situation, then you bring Brandon in. Then if you switch it up, the defense and the linebackers can't really gauge who is in the game. Then Brandon comes in and he pops one and for a big guy, he has speed and actually turns the corner sometime. You are always trying to bang against the defense in a lot of different ways and certain plays but we do want more of an even distribution.
