Here’s what New England Patriots coach Doug Marrone had to say during his interview with reporters on Thursday:
On his thoughts on Will Campbell and offensive lineman measurements:
(The beginning portion of the video was cut off)
“… You create these measurements or parameters and you just look at them and you say, ‘Listen, these are what we have. These are kind of standard. These are the things you have to look at.’ I’ve always looked at it as something that… Do you play that way or do you play longer? Do you play to the max of what you have or do you play under what you have? I’ve had guys in the past that have played for me that have 33, 34 and haven’t played like that. I’ve had some guys that had some shorter arms and played like they had longer arms. I just think it’s something that you bring up that you just want to make sure that you evaluate and see if it affects the player in a positive way or negative way.”
On when it comes to left tackle, what he evaluates while looking at guys in the draft for that position in particular:
“I think there’s a lot of traits that people put up with tackles. I never want to limit someone. I think that’s important. I mean, I played with all different types of left tackles. Some guys that have been real athletic, some guys that have been really tall and long, some guys have been short and quick. I think it’s tough that if you want to say, ‘Okay, this is exactly what you’re looking for.’ I think in the past, and you guys know better, you’ll see each team, you go around the league, has played with different players, and they performed well. A lot of them. So, I never try to get stuck in my mind of putting a, ‘It has to be this, has to be that.’ I’ve done it too long where I’ve had players play for me in the past where people will be like, ‘There’s no way this guy can go ahead and do it.’ The guy goes out there and he plays extremely well. I think it’s a matter of getting the players in, working with them, seeing what happens, and then seeing what they can handle.”
On his relationship with Mike Vrabel and how he feels about the opportunity here:
“I’m fired up. The relationship, obviously, I knew Mike when I was coaching. I started with the Jets and we were playing against New England. Mike was one of the players we played against. He was a good player. So from a game plan standpoint, they had a bunch of good players there. So you had to know that. That’s where I first knew of Mike. Then getting to know him, then obviously, when we were in the AFC South, and he was working at the Texans, and then he became the head coach. You spend time, you’re trying to do things, league meetings, things of that nature. We spent some time together and we really enjoyed each other. We created a type of friendship. I felt very fortunate when the opportunity presented itself to come to this great organization. Obviously, I’ve competed against New England for a long time, and it’s great to be part of it, finally. Really excited about that. Excited about being in the area. When I first started coaching, I don’t know if you know it, my first job was in Central New York, but my second job was really at the US Coast Guard Academy. My third job, they don’t have football anymore, was at Northeastern. Coming back when I was at Boston College last year, coming back at Northeastern, it really brings a lot of great memories. That’s where I first met my wife. She went to Boston College. My daughter goes to Boston College now. She’s a sophomore. I really enjoy this area.”
On his early thoughts on the developments and the stage of competency with the players:
“Yeah, I think that I’m excited to work with them. I think I see a lot of good characteristics, things that I’ve liked. It’s very difficult when you come into a new program and you’re looking at players, you don’t know what they’ve been coached or what they’ve been asked to do until you get them. The players are coming in next week. I’ve talked to pretty much every one of them, actually, every one of them, on the phone. I told them how excited I am to work with them. I’m excited to teach them. I’m excited to learn from them. I think it’s a two-way street. So I’m getting ready just to build that connection and really start from creating a great foundation for them and then see where it goes.”
On the fact Will Campbell, came up here and visited and what his impressions were:
“Well, the thing… What’s funny, and no one probably knows this, is that after Jacksonville, I went to Alabama for a year. And what’s interesting is that during that recruitment process, Will Campbell was the person that we recruited. [Kelvin] Banks was a person that we recruited. Josh Connerly, Emery Jones, Tyler Booker. So for me, it’s been interesting that we recruited them. I’ve watched them when they were in high school, and to see where all those young men come, how much they’ve progressed, that they were the top players when they were in high school. I watched them play, and now they’re top players playing now, that’s pretty cool. It’s been interesting. When I’ve talked to some of those players, I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you’re…’ They’re like, ‘Oh, yeah.’ Then when I’ve had that number, I put it in my phone, and all of a sudden it pops up. I’m like, This is pretty cool to see where these guys are now from where they were. They were very good players then and they’re very good players now.”
On forgetting the won/loss record, if we say, ‘A good Doug Marrone-coached offensive line will be:
“If I can get the players to play the best to their ability, and that’s on me. I’m a big believer in development and developing the players and taking them… I’ve always said coaching to me was the definition of being able to take a player where he can’t take myself. I think it’s a great foundation. It’s something that I’m going to take a lot of pride in. It’s going to start with getting to know the players and what they do. It’s going to start with a foundation and try to take what they do well and implement those into what they do technically. Trying to get the most out of someone at the end of the day. If I don’t or if they don’t play to the level that people expect them to play, the first person I look at is myself. I’m the one that didn’t do a good job. I’ve got to be the one that has to be able to help them get to the best of their ability.”
On the fact he spoke about arm length earlier and that he mentioned the most important thing is whether or not it shows up on tape, and whether or not with Will Campbell, if he’s noticed it:
“He’s been obviously productive. I have not noticed it being an issue for him, at the level that he’s at right now”
On Armand Membou looking like a pretty good player, but he played right tackle, even going back to his high school days and if he’s had experience flipping guys from one side or the other and whether or not he feels Membou might be able to play on the left side:
“Well, again, I do have experience. My first year in New Orleans, in 2006, we took Jammal Brown, who was a Pro-Bowler, right tackle. He made the Pro Bowl at right tackle the year before we had gotten there. And we were like, ‘What are we going to do?’ Things of that nature. Coach [Sean] Payton and I sat down. We were saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to move him over. He never played the left side.’ He was a first-round pick from Oklahoma. Sat down with Jammal, said, ‘Hey, listen, we want to try this. I think you can do this. If things don’t work out, we’ll put you back to where you went.’ Then he went from an All-Pro right tackle in 2006 or 2005 to All Pro left tackle in 2006. So yes, I was part of that. It was just pretty cool. It wasn’t me, though. I didn’t do it. The guy was very talented. You know what I’m saying? It wasn’t like, I’m this great coach that all of a sudden switched him over there and we’re able to do it. The kid, he had a ton of talent, but he did it.”
On Mike Vrabel talking about how different kids are coming out of college and if his coaching style has changed as a result and how he’s had to adapt:
“I think absolutely. I think just the way from a teaching standpoint. I was fortunate to have three children that have all grown up, all three in college now. I saw the difference there. I see the difference in my first time in the league to now as far as how you want to approach things, how do you want to present things? How do you want to present things on the field for players? So I think you do have to change. I think you do have to create that stimulus, keep it connected, and keep it moving. I think that’s a very important way, and I think you’re always looking for ways to do a better job teaching. But we’ve seen that change in the last couple of years, and that’s happened at every level, not just football, not just sports, but also education in our universities and what we’re doing there.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This transcript was done based on the available footage and is subject to typographical errors. If you spot anything, please let me know in the comments below.)
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
