PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
August 3, 2024
JM: Happy to be back out here. I think yesterday was a good day for us, finally got some heat. But the guys did respond well; you've got to find out different ways and figure out different ways to put adversity and the sun is one of those things. I thought those guys pushed through, excited to be back out here in pads and really, look, we're close to a game now. We're less than a week away. Got to get ready to go.
Q: Will Drake Maye play in next week's preseason game?
JM: We're still having those conversations. Once again, maybe all of the starters will play. I'm not sure at this present time. We'll see how we do today and how the guys present the following next couple of days. We'll have a lot of guys play.
Q: What are your thoughts on the last two days with giving Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett the vast majority of the team reps?
JM: We still talk about competition and once again, I would say it's about the quality of the reps. Those guys earned the reps and I think that's how we want to operate.
Q: One of the things that popped up was DeMario [Pop] Douglas anticipating more attention this year because of the way he played last year. How do you go about preparing him for that?
JM: Pop's a great player. If he's getting double teamed, that's better for everyone else. I'm not sure how teams look at him, he's a good player and we'll see how, on a game-by-game basis, how they respond.
Q: What does Pop [DeMario Douglas] do on the practice field for you guys?
JM: First and foremost, it's just the quickness and the speed. He is a smaller guy, but he's very elusive. Just his ultimate competitive attitude, I think really helps the offense go as far as energy is concerned.
Q: Do you have a tentative plan yet on how you want to attack the three preseason games in terms of who plays and when you're going to incorporate starters and backups?
JM: We'll have a coordinator meeting later on, I kind of got some of their thoughts so far. I would say it's even difficult when you practice against, let's say the Eagles, and then play in the game as well or how much you want those guys to play. Really, our last game is on the road, so that's a dress rehearsal for our road trips. We're still in conversation about that, I'll probably know by the end of the day.
Q: Was Matthew Judon not practicing with pads on yesterday?
JM: Judon had everything on and he participated in every single drill. Team drills, individual drills, he did everything he had to do. Sometimes when they put pants on, you can't really tell. But I think the shoulder pads kind of give it away. No, we don't do uppers. Either we're full pads or we're shells.
Q: You said the other day that the defense will always be ahead of the offense in camp-
JM: I kind of spoke too soon. The offense is honestly- I challenge the defense on that. Not to cut you off, but the offense the last couple of days, they've done well whether it's running the ball, the play action game, pushing the ball down the field, I think those guys are doing a good job.
Q: What's been the difference for the offense?
JM: Look, they're playing with confidence right now. I'm talking about the offense, they're playing with confidence and getting more comfortable in the scheme. The defense just has to play better, play with better fundamentals, play with better pad level, play with better just overall awareness. I challenge those guys and we'll see how they respond today.
Q: We've seen some cornerbacks rotate through. I'm just curious about the depth there, with guys like Marco [Wilson] and Isaiah Bolden. How do you feel like you guys are behind Gonzo [Christian Gonzalez] and Jonathan Jones?
JM: We feel pretty good at this time. Once again, those guys have to earn a role on this team. And it's not really just defense. You want your corners to be able to play special teams as well, so the battles will continue. Even with Gonzo, he has to go out here each and every day and push it. I always tell these guys that success is rented and not owned, and the rent is due every day, and that applies to Gonzo as well.
Q: We're through this point of camp and we've seen the interior of the offensive line pretty much stay the same, with Mike [Onwenu] at right guard. I know you've talked about "best five, no matter what," but are we getting to the point where you might feel like, with the interior, let's go with that?
JM: That's more of a question like after the second preseason game. We'll have a better understanding of how we want that to operate.
Q: Do guys need to know that? How far in advance do they need to know where they're going to be, in your mind?
JM: In my mind, after the second preseason game, it should be kind of set in stone. Not set in stone, but there will be some smaller decisions to be made, but after the second preseason game we'll know more.
Q: Going back to Matthew Judon for a second, I know you said the expectation is he will always practice. Do you have an agreement with him that he'll continue to practice in pads, because he didn't do that last year amid his contract dispute?
JM: I expect all of our players to, if the dress is full pads, to come out here in full pads. I expect all of our players to, if the dress is shells, then to be out here in shells. Like I said, we're moving past the Judon thing. We're both in a good place. I think the team is in a good place and we're pushing forward.
Q: How do you view the first preseason game? Are you going to be installing a game plan throughout the course of this week?
JM: Honestly, I mean, it's more about who you're playing against. The first preseason game is a very basic game. It's all about fundamentals, running, tackling, all those things. That's the most important thing. We're not going to game plan against our first preseason game. We just won't do it. If they want to game plan against us, that's fine, but we need to be able to go out there and run our basic fundamental calls and run them at a high level.
Q: We've seen Marte Mapu observing and using a walkie-talkie. Can you just explain what he is doing and how that helps?
JM: Yeah, you know, he needs to know the call. If you're not standing by the coach sometimes you don't get the call, especially when we're not signaling. Look, Marte's a very smart individual and he is still engaged, which I appreciate and I think his teammates appreciate as well.
Q: How have you seen [Jaylinn] Hawkins fitting in with that safety group with some of the injuries?
JM: Yeah, I mean, he's going to be a big piece of the group. And honestly, as you go throughout the preseason, he'll play a lot. There's one for you, he'll play a lot in the preseason to see what he really has to offer.
Q: At running back behind Rhamondre [Stevenson] and Antonio [Gibson], you've got some guys there. What have you seen from [JaMycal] Hasty?
JM: Yeah. Look, Kevin Harris came in and he is an offseason award winner. He's done a great job in the weight room, a great job on the football field. But once again, we'll see when we get to the games. Hasty, he has a unique skill set, a little bit different than the rest of those guys but he's been out here making plays as well. We'll see how it all kind of pans out.
Q: I noticed during two-minute drills yesterday, it was a lot first and second-year receivers out there with the group. I don't want to read too much into that, but what did that mean to have those young guys out there in a critical situation?
JM: It was great, and once again, when you talk about adversity, it was a little bit of a warmer day for those guys and just to see them push through that, it was very encouraging. Very encouraging.
Q: Jabrill [Peppers] said yesterday that his reason for wanting that contract extension, was wanting to stay around and be a part of this turnaround. What does it mean to have someone like that on this roster who wants to be here, especially considering what happened last year?
JM: I mean, it's great. And hopefully these guys can feel the tide turning. I've been saying that the expectation is the expectation. We talk about the north star and it's winning, but you can't win without good players. I'm happy to have Pep (Jabrill Peppers) here and the other players that we've re-signed that were already on our team before, as we continue to build forward. So, his energy and toughness, it encompasses what I believe a good defensive player and a good defensive team needs.
Q: It's been an eventful week for any football team. The unfortunate Christian Barmore situation, obviously Monday's practice was what it was. Just what is it like as a first-time head coach weathering some of these things?
JM: I mean, it was good. These things happen on every single team, and it's good to get that experience dealing with frustrations, contract negotiations, frustrations on playing time, and things like that. It's part of the job. Like my mom said, "You want to be a head coach, huh?" I do. But once again, look, it's a learning experience for me and I will continue to evolve and just try to be a better coach every day, just how I expect our players to be better players every day.
Q: The last two days of practice have been pretty clean, Judon being back. Does it feel like you've weathered the storm a little bit?
JM: Yeah, but once again, I had a conversation with Mike Tomlin at the ownership meetings and he was like, 'Every day is different.' That's what it is. Just got to be ready to adjust. I talk about mental agility all the time; you have to be able to change on the fly. The opposite is rigidity, which I don't think I'm a rigid person and willing to learn from other people.
Q: Yesterday it looked like Calvin Anderson might've gotten banged up. Not only did he come back to practice, but we saw him getting some reps out there with, what looked like, the top unit. What was going on in your perspective, to not only see him get back out there but also try to bump on the offense?
JM: There's nothing more important than availability and there's nothing more important than being out there on the practice field. Hat off to that guy for getting back out there, obviously it wasn't a serious thing and once again, he's out there competing for a job.
Q: Jerod, how, if at all, has what you seen in the last eight practices informed what you'll do with your practice plans for the next three weeks? Are you changing anything based on what you've seen from the team?
JM: Well, now when you start to put games in there, you've got to approach a day or two out as a game week. Like I said, it's a dress rehearsal for us and it's a dress rehearsal during the game for all of the coaches as well, who's on the headsets and things like that. We'll still be out here competing to be on the New England Patriots roster and saying that, we have to start getting ready for our opponents.
