Head Coach Hue Jackson. Photo by Tony Gonzales
Q: What are [Louis] Murphy's chances of being active?
Coach Jackson: Very good. We'll see. Again, I want to get him off the field, see where he is and see how his body feels. But I think it's been two good days, so I think we're close to getting him back up and running.
Q: Is he probable? You did list him as it…
Coach Jackson: Murphy was probable, yes.
Q: [Rolando] McClain and [Michael] Huff…
Coach Jackson: They'll be fine.
Q: Is Satele probable? The first two guys you didn't say…
Coach Jackson: I didn't? Oh shoot, I'm sorry. I thought I had been doing it right; oh man, I'm sorry. Ribs – limited – probable.
Q: Now that [Aaron] Curry is here, what can you tell us about him and how he's going to be used.
Coach Jackson: That I like him. I'm glad he's here. He's going to play "will" linebacker for us and I'm very excited to have him. As I said yesterday, I don't get into what all happened wherever he was. I just know what I know, what I see and that's how I go about it. I mean he's on our team, I brought him here for a reason and he's going to play.
Q: He played "sam" up in Seattle…
Coach Jackson: He's going to play "will" here.
Q: Is it because you have Kam [Wimbley] already there or because you see something?
Coach Jackson: Absolutely. He played "sam" there, but he also played "will" there too. He's played both, so I think he'll come in and help our football team.
Q: You've talked about whenever you bring guys here about putting them in a position to do what they do best. Do you see that for him here? What does he do best?
Coach Jackson: Yes. I think he tackles really well. I think he takes on stuff at the point of attack. I think he rushes the quarterback extremely well. I don't there's – I know a lot of people say there's weaknesses here and there based on what you hear. That's not what I saw. Obviously, we want to make sure that we show off his strengths and not his weaknesses but from what I've seen today in practice and what I've seen on videotape, he's exactly what I'm getting and I'm looking forward to it.
Q: When do you think we'll see him on the field for a game?
Coach Jackson: He's starting.
Q: He's starting this week?
Coach Jackson: Yes he is. He's the starting "will" on this football team.
Q: Right now?
Coach Jackson: Right now. I didn't bring him in to look at him, to figure it out or anything like that. He's the starting "will" on this football team, period.
Q: How tough is that to come here and start the first week?
Coach Jackson: I think it's easy. There's some terminology stuff that we work through, but we'll work from sun up to sun down to get him ready. In my mind, I'm not making a trade to ease a guy into anything. We made the trade because I feel like this guy can help our football team and he's going to be the starting "will."
Q: In terms of how you're going into this weekend, will it be different not having Mr. Davis going into the weekend and talking to him? Does anything change as far as your preparation and laying everything out?
Coach Jackson: For me, no. I'm still going to go home and sit and have Irish coffee or tea or something and come up with this game plan. It's not going to change. As I told you guys before, I miss Coach [Davis]. I mean I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you guys that. Do I? Yes I do. Do I think about him all the time? Yes I do. But as I keep telling you, I know what my relationship was with him and what I remember. What I will always remember is, 'Hue, get ready to play. Get ready to call the game and get ready to lead the team.' That's what he always told me, so that's what's on my heart and that's what I'm going to do. Yeah, it'll be different but at the same time, I know exactly what he would want us to do which is prepare to win a football game and that's all we can do. There's nothing I can do that's going to bring him back or allow me to talk to him or anything. What I've got to do is make sure I do the other part that he taught me, which is get this team to win and prepare this to win.
Q: This Curry move is kind of an Al Davis type move…
Coach Jackson: He taught me well, yes he did. I mean he taught me well. Look to improve the football team, by any means necessary, and do it in a way that we feel comfortable doing it. That's what I did so I'm excited for the young man, he's excited for his opportunity. We have great respect for the young man that we had to let go, Bruce Davis. That was tough for me; Bruce did a great job here but that's the nature of this business – that's the way it goes. I had a great conversation with Quentin Groves and he understands the situation. I don't pull any punches guys – I tell guys what I see, how it is, and that's just the way I go about it. There's no water cooler talk; the whole team understands why I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm going to continue to get this team as good as I can get this team and that's the nature of the business.
Q: Does it sound like he was just happy to get a fresh start, as far as Curry?
Coach Jackson: Yeah, I think so. I mean he's wanted here, I want him and like I said – he's our starting "will" backer and I think he's excited to go play.
Q: Where does Groves go from here?
Coach Jackson: He still plays "will." I mean Groves is a very talented man and he's done a lot of good things for us. He'll continue to do so. He'll backup at "will" and contribute on special teams. Look, it's competition in football. Guys have got to rally and keep working to get another opportunity and he will on this football team. He's still here and I'm proud of Quentin Groves. I'm proud of what he's done, but I think our players understand that.
Q: You guys have injuries to your secondary. Are you done dealing?
Coach Jackson: I didn't say that [laughs]. I'm not going to tell you I'm done. I've told you guys that before – I've been taught to do everything you can to improve the team, to uncover any opportunity that you can to make the team better, and here in this organization, we're going to continue to do so and that's what we're going to do. We're going to do it the right way in respect of how we've done things, but I'm not going to back off of that. We want to be as good as we can be as we continue this season and go through.
Q: I know you talked about how Al trained you to make these personnel decisions, but you've always had him to either bounce decisions off of or give his stamp of approval. Having it just kind of thrust on you, how has that been for you? Is it just a challenge you look forward to?
Coach Jackson: Yeah, I do because this is a football team that I'm the head of and I get to watch it offensively, defensively, and special teams. Like I said, I've been taught by him what to look for, what characteristics to look for. I know how I want our guys to play; Raiders characteristics that I look for, so I combine what I've learned him and combined what I know and what I'm truly to put on this football team. You put it together and it brings you Aaron Curry.
Q: Have you had to change the coaching at all because of the hat you now wear full-time or have you just been getting less sleep?
Coach Jackson: No, I'm not going to change. Less sleep has been issue all year, but I'm not going to change. I tell you that, I think my players know that and I think everybody here knows that and I'm not. I am what I am and I like myself. I'm cool with myself, so what I'm going to do is continue to be me and do everything I can do within my personality with how I know how to do things, the way I've been taught, and do everything I can for this organization to be great and that's all I'm interested in. I don't care where the credit goes, I don't care what people think – I don't, that doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is winning football games and that's it.
Q: Had Aaron Curry's name ever come up in conversations with Al Davis before?
Coach Jackson: Yes they have. I mean we knew that he was out there. Obviously, he played the first game after that, I don't think he played a lot more after that. So, we knew he was available but again, we didn't make that choice then and there. We made it now because I think it helps our team.
Q: Any updates on [Matt] Shaughnessy and [Marcel] Reece? Anything new there?
Coach Jackson: No, there's nothing new. I mean I ruled them both out and that's kind of where we are. Again as we continue this process, we'll know exactly where we're heading with those guys. Hopefully, we'll get somebody back here real soon.
