2019 TRAINING CAMP MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 | Jack Hammett Sports Complex | Costa Mesa, Calif.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS HEAD COACH ANTHONY LYNN
Opening statement:
"Today was a correction day. We worked on corrections from the game Thursday night. The [first-team] were full-speed and the [second-team] and [third-team] were kind of a slide-and-glide tempo because they played the most reps. I thought we got some good work in today, and hopefully we got some things corrected."
On what has stood out to him from watching film:
"Well I'll tell you — I love the way [DT] Justin Jones played the game on defense and the energy he brought. [RB] Justin Jackson, [S] Roderic Teamer on special teams. I mean, those three guys really kind of stood out to me. There were other guys, but those three in particular stood out to me."
On QB Easton Stick:
"You know, what I like about Easton Stick is that he came in the game when we were in scoring territory and he threw the interception — then he ran a guy down and made the tackle. He blew it off, came right back and it didn't faze him. He wasn't afraid to pull the trigger. That says a lot about a quarterback. "
On Stick's patience in the pocket:
"Yes, I did like his patience in the pocket. I mean, he's a passer first, but he has the wheels to create if he has to and I think he showed that."
On the offensive line:
"[T] Sam Tevi was physical in the running game. [G Dan] Feeney did an outstanding job for [C Mike] Pouncey at center. [G] Forrest Lamp is getting better. [T] Trent Scott's getting better. They got some quality reps and they'll probably get a few more this week."
On G Dan Feeney playing center:
"I think he's a natural at the position. He was going to be our center before we signed [C Mike] Pouncey. If Pouncey had never become available, Dan Feeney would've been our center last year. His size, his quickness, his ability to get to the second level — he's an athlete at the position, so he's a good backup."
On S Roderic Teamer:
"The ball just seems to find this guy. Over the offseason, I think he had five or six interceptions. He's shown a physical presence in practice and in the games, which is really good."
On TE Andrew Vollert:
"He was really coming along. He's going to be out with an ACL. He's done. He was playing pretty well — we're going to miss him."
On CB Trevor Williams:
"Trevor's still rehabbing. He'll be back when he's ready."
On the pass rushers:
"I thought the rush was there. It came in pieces. Speaking of pieces, [LB] Chris Peace brought a little speed off the edge when he came in the game. [DE] Anthony Lanier [II] had a little bit more on his plate this game. I didn't see the burst that I wanted to see that I saw in the Rams scrimmage, but he's a good player in 11-on-11. [LB] Uchenna [Nwosu] had a nice inside move. So the young guys, like I said, they got some quality reps and we are going to use those players down the road."
On defending the run game:
"The defensive line did an outstanding job, I feel like, of pushing back. Now, what I did not like was at the end of the game, regardless of who's in the game, in a four-minute drive we need to get the ball back and we did not do that. Situational football could have been better. Two-minute situation could have been better. Four-minute situation should have been better. Then when on offense gets the ball into the red zone deep inside the five [yard line], we cannot give it up. We have some things to learn."
On LB Kyzir White:
"He's doing a heck of a job. He's playing outside [line] backer for us and he's playing inside. I think he got 11 snaps the other night. He did a good job."
On S Nasir Adderley:
"You know, we don't want to put him back out there too soon and him do something really serious to that hamstring. We want to give him time to get well because we know he can play when he's healthy. We got to make sure that he's right, but yeah, I'd like to see him get back this week."
On the importance of Adderley getting reps:
"It's important for him to practice."
On WR Keenan Allen:
"Well you know, he had a little fluid on his knee. Flying when we knew he wasn't playing — we just took that off his plate."
On RB Melvin Gordon III:
"[No update] that I know of. My focus has really been on the guys who are here."
On the running backs:
"I thought the group, as a whole, played pretty well. I liked the way [RB] Austin [Ekeler] and [Justin] JJ [Jackson] ran the football. I do not like the fumble down inside the two [yard line]. You learn from it. You know, it's early, so he'll learn from it. First live contact — sometimes it happens."
On the fumble:
"It's just not using the technique that you're coached to use in a situation like that."
On if he considered challenging any pass interference calls:
"No, there was no debate from me. No. I'm not in any rush to slow the game down."
On if he needs all four preseason games to have the team ready for the regular season:
"Whether I need them or not, we're going to use them. That's what we have to work with. We'll work with whatever they give us."
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS QUARTERBACK EASTON STICK
On QBs Philip Rivers and Tyrod Taylor:
"It's great having two guys that have played for a long time and have played at a really high level — and they play a little bit different. Their styles are a little bit different. It has been great learning from Phil — then going out there and watching Tyrod play and seeing how he does it. It just offers a different perspective, another set of eyes and another person I can lean on and learn from. It's a great situation and I appreciate how those guys have treated me."
On Thursday's game:
"[There are] a lot of things to learn from. I think that's kind of the key. Really though the whole camp and through this whole first year, it's just continuing to learn and find ways to get better and grow — for everybody. A lot of good, some bad and things that you can learn from. That's the plan moving forward and really that's what it's about."
On having something to build off of:
"It was a fun experience to get out there, run around and play. It's good to have that experience under your belt — and now, moving forward, learning from it."
On the touchdown run:
"[I] caught man-coverage. We had some vertical routes and our receivers did their best working downfield, working their guy and trying to get open. The offensive line protected really well. Just kind of the way I stepped up into the pocket, there was a lane. I just tried to make a play and the guys did a good job keeping it alive. We were fortunate enough to have a big play."
On if he thought about sliding and just taking the first down:
"Honestly, I did. Just kind of the way it all unfolded, I thought I had a chance to get by him and that's kind of what happened"
On being able to go back and watch the game:
"Oh, it's huge. Just to have that experience and really just to go through a whole game day and learn kind of how we put together a game plan. Obviously, it's abbreviated. It's a preseason game, but to learn a little bit about what the routine might look like and go through a pregame and get yourself ready to play. Then, obviously, to go out there — it's live bullets for the first time. It was a lot of fun and definitely a huge learning experience."
On his interception:
"Yeah, it was just poor decision. It hit him right in the chest, so obviously not good, especially in that situation going down to score and an opportunity to points on the board. We'll learn from it. It's football at the end of the day. You can't hang your hat. You have to move on and keep playing. Guys did a really good job battling back and picking me up after that one. We were able to go get some points after that."
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS LINEBACKER DRUE TRANQUILL
On playing in his first NFL preseason game:
"It's a dream come true. I've been dreaming of it since I was a kid. It was a lot of fun to get out there against Arizona, fly around and play with these guys. We've got a lot of good guys on this team. It's fun to get out there and play with them."
On his interception against the Cardinals:
"They set a two-by-two formation. I'm responsible for the over, so I kind of just sunk underneath it, baited the quarterback a little bit and he threw it right to me."
On making the 53-man roster:
"Well I mean, guys have to make it on special teams. When you come in as a young guy, that's what older guys are looking for. 'Is this guy going to be able to contribute on teams?' Coaches want to see it. It's something you've got to do as a young guy. It's something you have to love to do. You know, it's an aspect to this game. There are three phases to this game. In order to win a championship, you've got to have all three. I'm happy to contribute and it's definitely a place to make this team."
On playing WILL linebacker:
"I know WILL, but I haven't been given reps there. So I just MIKE."
On the difference between MIKE and WILL linebacker:
"As a MIKE linebacker, you have to know the entire defense and get guys lined up. Certainly, calling the defense and getting the guys lined up is helping me in terms of my full understanding."
On LB Thomas Davis Sr.:
"TD's awesome. He brings so much experience to the table. At 36-years-old, he moves around just as good as any of us. Having him both as a mentor with my technique and fundamentals, as well as in the classroom — he's been a tremendous asset to our group."
On dedicating his interception to Pat Tillman:
"Well, I wasn't familiar with Pat Tillman until one of my buddies at Notre Dame shared [his story with me]. His story was just really moving for me — a guy that was just willing to sacrifice millions of dollars to serve his country. Just the commitment to service and duty is something I think is very admirable, and something I want to model in my life and my game. To walk out there and see his name in the Ring of Honor — on the bus ride over I was just watching a video of him. He's just a guy I really look up to and a guy that really motivates me and moves me internally to be the best version of myself."
On what surprised him about Thursday's game:
"We didn't have a lot of film on them. We didn't really know what they were going to do. We thought they'd run a lot of tempo — they were really slow, actually. That surprised us more than anything. I think they'll be a little more fast-tempo in the regular season. I was a little surprised how slow they were moving, offensively. It helped us defensively and certainly helped me my first time out there."
On DT Jerry Tillery:
"Jerry's just disruptive. He's a massive human being. He's super long, he's explosive. He'll be in the backfield. He's a great pass rusher. He's great against the run as well. He'll be a big asset to our defensive front once we get him back."
On Tillery's personality:
"He's awesome. We're actually roommates this camp. He enjoys so many different aspects of life. He's a hard worker, a guy who takes his game very seriously. A lot of times he's beating me to bed at night, which is hard to do. I'm a pretty disciplined guy [about] getting my eight hours. He's just really committed to his craft and getting better. He's excited to get back on the field."
On playing with Tillery in college and the NFL:
"Yeah, it's great man. We shared four years together at [Notre Dame]. To continue that here in L.A. is certainly something special."
On having familiar faces around:
"Whenever you go through changes in life, it's nice to have some familiar faces around and someone to bounce ideas off of as you're getting acclimated. It's been cool having [Jerry Tillery], [DE] Isaac [Rochell] and [P Tyler] Newsome out here as well."
