NFL Combine 2013: Chargers Head Coach Mike McCoy Transcript

(getting started)
Working with Tom (Telesco) every day. Certain things we want to change. Whether its running the facility. Fields. The way things are done. The organizational structure of everything. And then really getting to know everybody as a whole in the organization, not just coaches.

(how much more on plate)
Really you’re looking at the whole entire organization. You’re trying to do whatever you can to put yourself in position to be successful on Sundays. That’s just not players, coaches, but it’s the entire organization. Letting them understand that they have an important role to do. We all play a part in this. And really getting to know everybody on the business side, the football side.

(stayed within division)
Yeah, that is one advantage going into a situation like this, staying within the division. Knowing what team you’re playing. Knowing the Chiefs, the Raiders, obviously Denver. Knowing San Diego. Going in there knowing their roster. So you have a head start going into it evaluating the football team.

(from strategy standpoint)
I think number one, you got to look at it that you still have to go out and play between the lines. You can give the players so much information, but if you give them too much information you might hurt them to a certain extent. Obviously knowing the Broncos inside and out, we’ll have a good idea on what they want to do. But they’re going to change also. With Peyton, he’s going to change code words and all those things. So sometimes I think there’s too much made of that.

(what was broncos way)
Starting from the top down with Mr. Bowlen to John Elway, John Fox, the way they do it day to day. It’s top notch. All they want to do is win there. Mr. Bowlen, from the very first meeting we had four years ago with him, he said all he wanted to do was win. He would give the coaches, the players and everyone in the organization whatever it takes to win. I think he’s done a great job with that. Any time you have success as a football team or as an organization, guys will get promoted. Whether it’s going somewhere else or moving up the ladder within your own organization because other coaches leave, and that’s all about winning.

(Matthews)
He’s had some back luck the past couple years with his injuries. But he’s a very talented back. In talking to (RB coach) Ollie Wilson, I spent a lot of times the past couple weeks, what we want to do with him. He’s a good, talented guy. There’s a number of touches and we’ve got to do a better job up front as an entire football team helping him out, getting him involved in the passing game. Because he’s a talented player who can do a lot of different things.

(where Rivers must improve)
I think the big thing everyone wants to talk about is the turnovers. That’s the number one thing we got to cut back on. But then again you have to go look at the whole entire package of plays. Why were certain interceptions thrown. Why did he make certain decisions. Can the protection be better. Can the routes be run better. It’s going to be 11 guys we finally evaluate. It’s not just the quarterback, though a lot of it falls back on his shoulders. But that’s something we’ve already talked about is that’s the number one thing we got to do, we got to cut back on the turnovers. He’s a very talented player and he’s got a lot of talent around him.

(improve on sacks)
The great thing is we hired a great offensive line coach (Joe D’Allessandris). So that’s where it’s going to start. We’re going to do the best job we can, Tom Telesco and myself, of acquiring talent, bringing people in, figuring out by the opener who are the best five guys to play. Everyone’s going to start with a clean slate in our organization. There will be some transactions that will happen over time. We’re going to do whatever we can to do the best things we can to get the best 53 guys to help build that success. And it’s not just the offensive line. The running backs will be involved in protections. The tight ends being involved. The receivers getting to the right spot. Getting there on time, being where you’re supposed to be. We’ll help them in the passing game doing certain things. And a good running game will help that also.

(running read-option with Tebow in Denver and whether it will work)
I think without a doubt, the success the players had last year running it, there’s a lot to be said about it. It creates a lot of problems for the defense. It’s not something they see every day in practice. The teams that don’t have those type of players, it causes them some issues on Sundays. You got to play disciplined football. As we did two years ago, if you get out of place, the guy reads it the wrong way, that’s when you saw Tim make some big runs. Or they overplay Tim, you saw Willis McGahee going for 20 yards inside. The way guys are playing it right now it’s going to cause some headaches for time to come.

(teams catch up to it?)
Without a doubt now defenses are going to start preparing more for it through the offseason program, through training camp. Two years ago we were the first ones really to get into this on a game by game basis. Now a lot of teams are doing it. So there’s a lot more time in the offseason to prepare. ‘What is our plan? How we going to stop this? What are we going to do?’ So really the advantage changes a little bit to the defense having more time to prepare.

(tebow’s future)
He’s a New York Jet. I’ll let them comment on that.

(thoughts on tebow as QB)
He did a great job for us when we were in Denver. We won some football games, got a big playoff win with him. I wish him the best of luck.

(vincent brown)
Unfortunately he got injured last year as everybody knows. A great route runner. Very disciplined at what he does. All he did was make plays for them his rookie year coming in. He had a great college career at San Diego State. We look for him to do great things for us in the future.

(antonio gates)
He’s been a very efficient football player. Had a lot of success. Did great for that area. Will continue to do that for us. He’s a great target. Very crafty veteran. He’s one of those guys whenever he’s on the field he’s always open. The system is going to change obviously, and we’ll do some things to take advantage of his talent.

(rivers)
I think he has a burning desire to win. That’s what all the great ones do. He wants to do everything possible to change this thing and get it rolling again. I’m really looking forward to when we get the offseason program started, getting him in the building on a day to day basis to really teach him what we’re going to do moving forward, how we’re going to help him. Just really get him going again.

(what stamp do you want to put on this team)
Number one, Tom Telesco and I are going to do everything we possibly can to build a winner over the long haul. Not just tomorrow, but for years to come. We’re going to change the culture a little bit around there. That’s what happens when you get a new staff come in the building. So we’re going to make some changes over time. But we’re going to do  everything we can to help this team win the next 10 years.

(how cut down on injuries)
I think sometimes too much is made of that. The reason I say that is because it’s a violent game. This really is. Football, theres some violent collisions every day on the football field. You know some teams have bad luck. Sometimes you go through a season and you have one or two little injuries. Then there’s other teams that all of a sudden they have multiple injuries. It’s like every other day there’s something else coming up. So with the medical developments these days, the technology, everything, we’re going to do everything in our power we can to help these players be in the best shape possible, take care of their bodies, wear the proper equipment, what they need to help themselves. But it’s a game and you got to do whatever you can and sometimes some players just have bad luck.

(be specific about culture change)
Well I think Tom Telesco and I are going to our our stamp on it, the way we’re going to do things. We all have different personalities in this business. Every coach is different. The first team meeting we’ll have April 1st we’re going to tell how we’re going to do things, and really it’s just going to be the way we’re going to do it. It’s not taking anything away from the previous coaching staffs that have been there, but there are some things that Tom and I have a very strong opinion about what we want to change and we’re going to let our players know about that coming forward.

(what is the culture for a mike mccoy team)
A football team that’s going to win a lot of games. We’re going to do whatever we can to do it the way we want to do it. As an organization, Dean Spanos, Tom and I have sat down and talked a lot about what we want to do. The changes we’re going to make around the facility. How we’re going to do things different, whether it’s travel on the road, whether it’s things we’re going to do at the hotel differently. There’s going to be some changes. But we’re going to try to build a winner like we said for a long time here. There’s personality changes that are going to happen. Obviously new leadership in the building and the ways we’re going to do things, and do everything we can to win football games.