Eagles coach Nick Sirianni discusses day 1 of rookie minicamp
Nick Sirianni can officially mark his first minicamp practice off his bucket list, as the new Eagles head coach led a solid group of first-year players and some veterans through the first onfield work of 2021.
Sirianni came away impressed with his core group and once again preached competition and getting better each day.
Here are some of his takeaways from that first day.
What he's looking to see
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni watches players run drills during rookie minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, May 14, 2021, in Philadelphia. (Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)
"We set some goals for them, and really it was to go out there and compete, was to learn the offense, the defense, and the special teams, get the basics down, get one percent better every day, connect with their teammates. Then finally, the fifth goal that we set for them was to go out there and show us what you guys can do. That was the main thing. That was the main message is: go out there and show us what you guys can do." "My message to the coaching staff was, hey, let's let these guys go out there and show us what they can do. Let's keep the installs very simple. Let's keep them very simple so they can get out there and they can exhibit their abilities on the field. So that was my message to the coaches and that was my message to the players today, this morning."
Impact of missing out on OTAs (May 25-27, June 2-4, June 14-17)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni watches players run drills during rookie minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, May 14, 2021, in Philadelphia. (Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)
"We take every single day that we get with them on the field is definitely a true blessing to get out there, to work, because it is a process. You have to go through the ups and the downs of learning a new technique and learning a new offense and learning a new defense and learning a new special teams. So any day we miss is obviously something that you don't want to happen as a coach or as a player that's developing." "But it's really just count the days that we have, make the days that we have really count, and get everything we can. When they're here, we're going to work our tails off and they're going to work their butts off to get everything we can get out of those players so they can get better because that's all it's about."
Thoughts on the Bama Boys
Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Landon Dickerson warms up during rookie minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, May 14, 2021, in Philadelphia. (Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)
"Yeah, that's a good question. DeVonta, again, it's pretty early just these last two days with them, but DeVonta is kind of a lead by example. He's just out there, and he just seems determined at all times, and he just really can't wait for the information to get to him and can't wait to get better. I think that's contagious, and I know that's contagious. Let me rephrase that. The way he kind of works and he's gone about the meetings virtually. Then, today also was virtual and then being on the field with him." "And Landon, I know he works, too, and they've got different personalities, and that's what's cool about football, you can lead in so many different ways. You can lead in so many different ways, but the common denominator of both of them, they both love football, and they both work really hard, they're both ultra-competitive and they've both got a lot of talent, and those are important parts of leading, as well. It's been nice to get around them and kind of see how they lead because, yeah, they have that special quality of being able to lead."
Jamie Newman's NFL future looks bright
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jamie Newman warms up during rookie minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility, Friday, May 14, 2021, in Philadelphia. (Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)
"Jamie is an impressive -- he's got great stature. He's a big man. As we watch tape on him, too, he's hard to bring down. He's a really good athlete, hard to bring down. He's really sharp in the classroom. You can see why he was successful at Wake Forest when he was there." "You know, he's got qualities that you want to be able to develop, and so good first day for Jamie."
Sirianni on Jalen Hurts and avoiding the gossip
Oct 18, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; aPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) spins away from Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (90) during the second quarter t Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
"I don't believe that that's good coaching when you just say, here's our offense and let's go. You learn it, your talents are ‘this’ and your talents are ‘that’, but here's what we run. That's just not good offensive football. Good offensive football and good defensive football and good special teams football for that matter is adapting to the players you have and playing to their strengths." "Of course, Jalen [Hurts] has strong qualities of being able to extend plays and move around and extend plays, so we're definitely looking at those things and doing those things. We've all had a very extensive amount of time with quarterbacks that are mobile, and that's the same thing for [RB] Miles [Sanders]. Miles, what does he fit? Again, these are things when we get on the field with him, we'll figure out a little bit more, but that's still to be determined of what everybody's skill set is." "But we are putting in an extensive amount of offense and Coach Steichen [Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen] has done a great job and the offensive coaches of really relaying the message to the players and installing it, and the players have done a great job learning it."
1
1
