Opening statement:
"That was fun. The other day, the offense kind of got off to a fast start against the defense and had them on their heels, and then it flipped. Today, the defense got off to a fast start and kind of had the offense on their heels. For me, like I told our team, that's the making of a good football team. If the offense is always dominating the defense or the defense is always dominating the offense, then we've got a problem. What I saw over the last couple of days was a team that's beginning a team, guys that are competing extremely hard. We have got some guys that can make some plays on offense, defense and I believe on special teams. I just think we've got to keep growing. I just think we've got to keep working and pay attention to detail. We had too many misalignments and those types of things that we need to clean up. On defense, we have got to continue to tackle better and swarm the ball. We need to get more turnovers, but I thought it was a good effort by our guys. Again, the thing that I like is that it's a different schedule for them. We came in early, had our walkthroughs at normal time and then there was a lull in the day. I really talked to them last night about their process because hopefully, someday we're a team that's playing Monday night games, more Thursday night games, more Sunday early evening games because we're becoming a really good football team. You just never know how that's going to happen so you got to handle all the things that can happen in the National Football League. Our guys' processes, they come in each and every day. When you walk out on this field, regardless of what's going on, you have got to make sure you eliminate distractions so when you come out, you put your best foot forward. As a group, I think we did a good job. We're inching our way closer to getting ready to play a football game."
On WR Corey Coleman's impressive catches at practice today:
"Yeah, well that's what he does. He's not doing anything that I'm surprised of. I said it before, that's why we drafted him. He's a tremendously talented young man. He's got some growing to do so there are some things that he's got to clean up and continue to get better at. He always finds a way to make a play. That's what you're looking for in a guy that has the opportunity to score the football like he does. Obviously, in order for him to catch those balls, there is some good protection going on, there is a good ball thrown and he is able to make some plays. He's just got to continue to do that. That's something that we're counting on, but at the same time, there is a whole lot that goes into that."
On how encouraging QB Robert Griffin III's connection with Coleman was tonight:
"I think it's good, but I think the most important thing, Robert is protecting the football. That's what's going to give us the best chance to win games. I'm loving the big plays, and that's what quarterbacks do in the National Football League, but what you have to do to be a winning quarterback is win. On top of that in order to win, you have got to be able to take care of the football. He's done a good job with that. If we can do that, run the football and then make explosive plays like I think we can, then I think we've got a chance to be a decent offensive football team."
On the running game:
"I didn't like it. I'll be the first to tell you I didn't like it. I liked the second part of it. There were a couple of times that Crow (RB Isaiah Crowell) had some good runs. We have got to get our pads down. I think what it was is that our defense said, 'Forget you, we're not letting you run it today.' That's going to happen. We play in the AFC North. There are some really good defensive football teams. They're not going to just let you walk out there and just walk up and down the field. We have got to become a gritty group up front. We have got to find a way to make the run game go, and we will. I feel very confident about that. I was happy with (defensive coordinator) Coach (Ray) Horton and the defensive staff and our defensive players by slowing the run game down. That's a good thing."
On what Coleman does to separate himself from other WRs:
"I don't know that he does something spectacular that separates himself, but he's just very, very talented. He can make contested catches. He has the ability to adjust to the ball in the air. He has the ability to make plays down the field. That's what he did. He's a fantastic player. I think we all recognize that, but again, he's still a young player. We're doing it in practice. I need to see him do it against competition and that's when we'll say, 'OK, maybe he's arrived,' but he's got a ways to go."
On the historical significance and what it means to him to be part of a team that has multiple black men in high-profile positions in the organization:
"I don't look at it like that. I think we have some of the best people in our fields at what we do at those positions. I never got caught up in black and white. I know for me, I hired the best guys that I thought could help our football team win. I know (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Sashi (Brown) is extremely talented at his position, (vice president of player personnel) Andrew Berry is extremely talented in his position. We feel comfortable and confident in the people we have, and I think Dee and Jimmy (Haslam) do, too."
On if he recognizes the historical significance of it:
"No, honestly, I never thought about it that way. I probably should, but I don't. That's not my focus. My focus is those coaches and the people who are in those leadership positions doing everything they can to help this organization win."
On Coleman's ability to catch the ball inbounds and his awareness to tap his toes on the sideline:
"Yeah, he knows how to score the football. He knows how to get from here to there very fast and get the ball in the end zone. He's proven that, but he's got some things to clean up. Again, I don't want to anoint this young man yet. It is way too soon. I'll be the first to tell you that. Has he shown some very unquestionability? Yes he has. I want to give him that, but at the same, he knows there are some things I'm expecting him to get cleaned up here real fast in order to be the type of player I think he can be."
On improvements Coleman can make:
"He's got to get lined up right. There is a lot on his plate that we do that he has got to learn how to handle the right way that, and I think he will. Again, it's early for him. We've had what, six practices? We have a lot more to go before we get ready to play. We have a game next Friday so there's a lot of work. We have a big day tomorrow so it's another opportunity for our guys to get better. The fun part for me is going to be how our guys respond to tomorrow. We're going to give them a little rest and we're going to get up and we're going to do it again a little differently than what we're doing today, but we'll do it again."
On the accuracy of the deep throws for Coleman to make those plays:
"Outstanding. I keep saying and you guys keep watching (QB) Robert (Griffin III) get better and better and better right before your eyes. He's no different than any other player I'm coaching. There's an expectation that I have for that position and how they play. There's an expectation for the line, defense or offense. Our guys have to meet that expectation, and I think he's trying. That's all you can ask for. He'll keep growing and going after it, and good things are going to happen.
On Coleman not really having competed against a Pro Bowl cornerback like DB Joe Haden in practice:
"Well, (DB) Tramon is (Williams) not too bad."
On Williams not practicing all the time to compete with Coleman:
"He was out there today. He plays against our guys in practice every day. There's no question we can't wait to get (DB) Joe Haden back. At the same time, we have to play against the guys that are out there. I feel good about our corners. I don't want our corners getting beat by Corey, please know that, but at the same time, this guy has that uncanny ability to make those plays. I think that's a good thing for us. Hopefully, we can continue to do that."
