HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
November 15, 2024
JM: Good morning, a couple minutes early. I appreciate you guys being able to accommodate. Look, we had a good week of practice. Today is always a huge day for us. This is an opportunity for us to work on the red zone and really clean up some of the early down and third down stuff that has shown up throughout the week. It's also a day where the coordinators have an opportunity to go out there and call a game, not knowing exactly what the cards look like, which I always think is important because as much film study as we do, you never really know what you're going to see, especially early in the game. I think the guys came out with a lot of energy on Wednesday. That practice was fantastic in full pads, very physical practice, very punchy practice. Yesterday, I thought offensively, one of the better days that we've had. Now, that goes back to the process. It doesn't always equal a win on Sunday, but at the same time, it's very encouraging that the team has been able to practice at a high level. We just have to bring that energy going against a good football team – regardless of record – going against a well-coached football team, and we just have to be able to go out there and match all their energy and enthusiasm and execute. When it's all said and done, this game comes down to execution, and that's our expectation. I would say yesterday was a good day practicing, and just to see [Christian] Barmore out there was a great sight to see. The expectation is there is no expectation. When he's ready to go, he will play. I know he's excited, and he's been wanting to get back on the field for a long time. A lot of credit to the doctors and the medical staff. They've done a great job handling the situation with Barmore. It's tough as an athlete when you have something like blood clots because you don't have a cast on, you don't have a sling on or anything like that. It's almost like that invisible – 'I feel good enough to play, I feel good enough to play,' but there are definitely steps and procedures that we have to get through. But he is practicing, and we're excited for that.
Q: What were the reports this morning? I don't know if you chatted with Christian just how he felt physically after his first practice?
JM: Look, he still had a smile on his face today, so I think he feels good today. But at the same time, we'll leave the final decision up to the medical professionals.
Q: You talked about wanting to manage expectations. What are those conversations like with him because, again, like you said, it's not like a traditional injury where you have to follow the regular steps.
JM: It's tough, and going back to transparency, I've tried to keep you guys in the loop as far as the progress of Barmore, [Cole] Strange or Caedan [Wallace], all of those guys. I would say, look, it's an emotional roller coaster as you go through those types of things. I would say we have a good psychology department, too, to help these guys along as they work through injuries. But, again, look, he's excited. He's happy to be back on the field, and we'll see what happens going forward.
Q: Do you expect to get Cole Strange and Caedan Wallace back at some point before the season ends?
JM: That's the plan.
Q: How realistic would it be for Christian to play – when he is ready to play – a lot of snaps like we have seen him in the past, given that he hasn't had camp or anything like that?
JM: Yeah, for a guy who hasn't really put on pads since January, it's tough. You never want to just throw a guy out there coming off an injury, regardless of what the injury is, throw him out there for 50 plays. That's unrealistic. I think we see what he can handle, and we'll build from there.
Q: Along those lines, Jerod, no expectation was what you said for Christian. This weekend, to play in a pass-rushing role, is that even in consideration if the doctors tell you there's no reason that he couldn't do that?
JM: There's a chance. We have a meeting with the doctors after practice today, so there is a chance. No, seriously, there is a chance. We have medical meetings every single day, and we'll see how that goes.
Q: What made yesterday's practice so good for the offense?
JM: Just the overall execution. The pre-snap stuff was sharp, the motions were sharp, and the overall execution and protection, they were good. Look, it's a huge challenge. When you look at the team we're playing, you look at the Rams, they have a very good front. They're very athletic, they're young, they're hungry. It doesn't matter what the score is; they're trying to make plays. We have to be able to go out there and match that.
Q: With the players yesterday, we were talking about how Christian Barmore is an energetic, vocal guy, loud. How different did the practice feel with him back?
JM: Did they say goofy?
Q: They did not say goofy, but that's probably another word, yeah.
JM: It's good. It's good to have that positive energy out there. The expectation is you go out there and make plays, everyone's excited anyway, and we know what kind of disruptor he can be. So, when you get those questions, 'Why didn't you guys do anything in free agency?' Barmore coming back or being able to play at some point this season is going to definitely pay huge dividends for us.
Q: What have you seen from Kendrick Bourne this week, just kind of after what happened on Sunday?
JM: Yeah, I saw – well, Kendrick has had a good week of practice, and sometimes you need – I don't want to call it a wake-up call – but to go out there, to be active and not have any snaps, he's a driven individual. Look, he's a very good player. We've just got to get him going.
Q: What have you seen so far from Yannick [Ngakoue] in terms of his acclimation?
JM: Yeah, smart individual. Let's start in the classroom. It's easy for him to pick up a lot of the things that we do. He's been around this league for a long time. He's fast, and he's explosive. Again, you don't want to put him in a bucket as a pass rusher. He's very good at that, but he's one of those guys that can play on all three downs. Having that depth where the gap isn't huge from a talent perspective is good for everyone. There are some good, I guess, unintended consequences, good consequences that happen having a guy like that.
Q: Jerod, I know you sometimes told us, like a few weeks ago, when Layden [Robinson] was expected to play after he sat for a little bit. Is Kendrick a guy that's expected to play this weekend?
JM: Yes.
Q: Jerod, you coached with Nick Caley for a little while. He's on the opposing staff this weekend. What was it like working with him? What made him a good offensive coach, and do you see any – I know it's Sean McVay's offense, but do you see any of Nick's influence on the tape that you watch of the Rams this year?
JM: Yeah, look, I'll say one thing about Nick, let's just start with just his overall energy and the way that he builds relationships with his players. He does a good job. He'll be an offensive coordinator in this league, 100%. He's very smart. I will say this, and again, we talked about this McVay tree. This is where it all started. They are not a 'Do what they do' type of team, but there will be a couple of wrinkles. Now, as far as who put those wrinkles in, I'm just not sure.
Q: When it comes to that Rams coaching tree, I think you brought a lot of those kinds of guys in when you were interviewing for coordinators. What are some things about the Rams organization that stood out to you as obviously, you were trying to build your own culture?
JM: Yeah, look, they've done it both ways. They've brought in the big-name free agents and went all in on one year, and now they're doing it a different way where they have a lot of young talent. They actually have some draft picks now, young talent and developing. To me, that's what it is. It's about being able to change, not your philosophy, but being able to do it multiple ways and win football games. Put a good team out there.
Q: Is there anything about Sean McVay's coaching style? Because it seems like both by prioritizing building relationships and the way you connect with the players, is there anything about his coaching style that stands out as well?
JM: Yeah, I've had an opportunity to talk to Sean a couple of times, and he's a very bright individual. I'm sure you guys have always seen the clips of him remembering the exact play, the exact hash and all that stuff. That's just like Steph Curry shooting the half-court three, you know what I mean? But he's a good coach, and he's able to adapt to what he sees out there. Nothing but respect for him.
Q: We were talking to Alex [Van Pelt] yesterday about – he mentioned something about pickups. He said that Demontrey Jacobs was the leader on pickups. I'm curious as to how you guys or when you guys maybe started charting that, and what's the origin story of that?
JM: Yeah, every room has their little thing. Even when we had the linebacker room, we had the hard hat, giving an award out like that. But it all goes back to trying to build a culture and trying to develop a culture. So, the pickups, you never want to see your teammate on the ground having to get up on his own. But those small things like that, to me, are important as we continue to try to build this thing out.
Q: The Rams coming in, it's sort of good to ask about Jeremy Springer because you hired him coming from that program. Knowing what you know now from working with him this year, what has he brought to your staff? Has it been sort of what you envisioned?
JM: Yeah, absolutely. It's been the energy, it's been the creativity on special teams, and I would throw TQ [Tom Quinn] in that bucket as well. The one thing I told Springer, I was like, 'Look, let's not turn this into a family reunion on the sideline.' You go on their sideline, not ours. But we're excited to have Springer, and he's done a good job for us.
Q: Tyquan [Thornton] missed practice yesterday. It said 'personal.' Is he in the building today? Do you expect him to practice?
JM: He's in the building, and he'll practice.
Q: When it comes to the culture stuff, I'm just curious now that we're halfway through your first season, where do you think that is? How do you feel like you've done in terms of establishing what it is that you guys want to establish as far as that stuff goes?
JM: It's a work in progress. Anytime you're trying to develop a culture, it takes a long time. I would also say culture is what you reward. You saw a guy like Jeremiah Pharms, who at one point in his career played offensive line, but at the same time he's a defensive lineman, and he goes out there and practices every day, hard. He's going to get more and more snaps on the field. That's what you reward, and that soon becomes your culture.
Q: With the attrition at safety, a lot of younger players have had to play: Dell [Pettus] and Marte [Mapu]. What kind of job has Brian Belichick done with that group to get those guys ready?
JM: A phenomenal job, especially some of the last-minute adjustments, like right up to the hour of the game. There have been question marks where Brian has handled that stuff seamlessly, and he'll tell you a lot of that goes on the players as well, being proactive as far as asking those questions. He's done a great job for us.
Q: We saw Kyle Dugger practice this week. What's his status going into the game on Sunday?
JM: Let's get through today. I hate to keep going back to that, but we've all seen crazy things happen on a Friday. One time my helmet came off on a Friday before, as a player, but I was okay.
Q: With Joe Milton, the practice player of the week, what have you seen from him behind the scenes?
JM: Huge development. Again, he's one of those guys that he has to steal reps. Drake's [Maye] getting a lot of those reps, and he's running the show team and doing a great job there. We also have a period at the end of practice where it's just call it and go, like five or six plays. He's getting better every day, and again, going back to stealing reps, he's one of the top users of the virtual reality system.
