Coach Cable: Okay, quickly, good start in that they're all here. Everybody practiced, no one was out, no one was limited or anything like that and to have our whole team here I think is a real credit to the organization to get all that stuff done and we all certainly appreciate that. We went to work this morning, the plan we laid out yesterday and got done what we needed to. Questions?
Q: Jason Campbell looked like he took the field today with a lot of poise…
Coach Cable: Yeah, well, I think it's like I said yesterday, he's the starter and I think he went out and did what he's supposed to do in that first huddle and showed reasons why he was in that first huddle.
Q: What did you like about Rolando today? First day…
Coach Cable: He's here, you know. I think that that's really a little tall statement from him too…and, you know, he's just going to get better and better as we go and we've got to keep teaching him like we do Lamarr [Houston] and [Jeremy] Ware and [Walter] McFadden and all those rookies in the kind of the same way. Just keep them on schedule, if you will, in terms of getting them ready to play.
Q: Some of the earlier camps, he was talking about how McClain wanted to be that vocal leader that he was in college. Do you encourage that, do you see that being part of him in a natural way?
Coach Cable: Oh yeah, I think when he gets comfortable and kind of settled in to what he is as a player and understanding his role I think those things will certainly come out. He shows that in his own group, his peers of rookies, so, I would expect that to come out very soon.
Q: How tough is it to come in as a quarterback on a new team and command that kind of respect as a new quarterback?
Coach Cable: I think that we're just real hungry and passionate for that kind of leadership there and, you know, I don't know that it's a big of a task as maybe it is at some other times in guys' careers or other places. So I think [Jason Campbell has] been welcomed and he's kind of taken it and running with it.
Q: What's the most important thing you need out of him? Is it consistency?
Coach Cable: Yeah absolutely, take care of the football, you know, manage the football. I think one of the biggest goals for us is to be a better turnover/takeaway team and I think it starts with the quarterback. You know, being able to take care of this football team with good decision making. And then I think the consistency, you know, as good as you get that way, I think that's really what the good ones are about. They do it pretty good all the time.
Q: How valuable do you think it was in that first huddle who knows who's the starter and leading this team?
Coach Cable: Oh, I think it's probably very valuable to him, it's very valuable to the group, you know, particular those offensive lineman. And, you know, I think we're beyond all that now and we just go out and try to get better every day.
Q: What did you find most impressive with the morning's practice?
Coach Cable: Just how much recall we had. I think that jumped out at all of us as we were going through practice, just how much recall and in particular the young kids. Rookies were able to get right into motion and get lined up and make calls. So that was really good to see.
Q: Coach, from your standpoint of being a better football coach, how much difference do you feel this year compared to last year?
Coach Cable: Oh, I think night and day. Personally, you know, I think there are a lot of reasons why, I mentioned them yesterday, good football character we've added to this team, I think good football IQ. I just know whenever I come out of a meeting, you come out of a meeting feeling like there's a group that really wants to do something, and that's a different feeling.
Q: What is your ideal identity for this football team?
Coach Cable: I think we'll decide all that. You know, we've got a lot of work to do. I want us to be tough. I want us to be physical. There's absolutely no question about that in both running the ball and stopping the run. But we've also got to be great defending the pass on defense, on third down and the red zone. And offensively we've got to be 180 degrees different in the red zone than we've been. So, we've got a lot of work to do.
Q: So if the recall is really good with the young players, back from the OTAs or something, then why go through seven more of these if they already seem to have their…if they've already gone through the paces…what's the benefit?
Coach Cable: Well, remember now, each practice changes the situation. So this morning's situation, great recall to it. This afternoon will be a little different, tomorrow will be different. So each of those next seven sessions will have enough difference in them that you've got to stay on course or stay with the plan.
Q: Do these practices help the the draftees and the other rookies learn how to practice at a pro level?
Coach Cable: Well I think so, I think that a lot of them are really getting a feel. They've been around most of these veterans now through OTA and mini-camp and now this is a chance for them to go through camp with them. And there is some tremendous leadership there in that little group.
