LOVIE SMITH: We've gotten a lot of good work done. Seems like forever we've been out here practicing. Once you get to -- you put in a good week of pads and all of that, you've got to get over the hump. Today was a hump today. We're having a few guys each day that have some bumps and bruises that's causing them to miss a few -- maybe a little bit of time, but we're pushing through it.
We continue to put in situational football. Today team off, making calls off of the sideline. Before you know it that first preseason game will be here. Like where we are. We'll take your questions.
Q. Did you get the word on Darius Anderson? What are your thoughts about that?
LOVIE SMITH: Yes. Well, my thoughts about that is when it initially happened, of course I reached out to him and he told me that charges have to be dropped because it didn't happen that way. Normally when things come up like that, we let it play out in the system. I'm glad that they came to that conclusion.
Q. How special is it to have Stephen Silas here?
LOVIE SMITH: It's very special. Stephen is doing a great job. I'm a big basketball fan. I see what he's doing with our Rockets. A young football team developing, a lot of great young talent, can't wait to see them play next year, but he's H-town like we are, so it's good for us to compare notes but good to see him at practice.
Q. What's the status of Tytus Howard and Kenyon Green?
LOVIE SMITH: They're both out injury-wise. We don't necessarily go over what the injury is, but both of them are out for a period of time. They don't have season-ending injuries. They'll be out for a period of time, and we expect to get them back shortly.
Q. Kenyon is progressing as a rookie; how do you work with him?
LOVIE SMITH: A part of getting ready for a season is injuries are going to happen. You're going to be out for a period of time. You get as much mental work as you can. You rehab your injury. We like everything Kenyon Green has done. As you can see, he's been working with the ones some. He's a big, athletic man that's going to help us win a lot of games. Again, it's nothing serious. He'll eventually be back out there.
Q. Can you talk about the progression of (indiscernible)?
LOVIE SMITH: I love everything he's done since he got here. He knows his role. He's going to back up Christian Kirksey. As you watch practice just about every day he's out there, he's one of the guys that's bought into -- defensive football is like getting the ball back. You see him punch it. It seems like he's punched the ball out just about every day, but he's a valuable backup for us, will be in the mix as we go through.
Q. Can you talk about what Jonathan Greenard did today? Is that what you're expecting him to --
LOVIE SMITH: Absolutely. That was a great play he made today. But we expect great players to make great plays. Last year he had a limited amount of time on the field but he was productive, so it's time for him to take a step. We need a few of our guys to take that next step where you're really talking about them, and Jonathan has the ability to do that.
Q. What did you think of Jalen's performance so far, and what did you see from him today and the way he's practiced so far?
LOVIE SMITH: Well, I noticed -- what we should notice about Jalen is he's just blending in now. Of course he's one of our starting safeties. We aren't giving out any starting spots, but he's been working with the ones. But he's intelligent, smart, everything we're looking for in a safety he has. Can't wait for him to actually play his first game.
Q. Would you talk about Isaac Yiadom, what you've seen from him?
LOVIE SMITH: Yes. You know, he played some good football at Green Bay last year, so we got a chance to see him play. But as a cornerback, you notice him. Size, he's going to be a special teams contributor for us, but long, he's physical, shows up every day, good pickup. We have plans for him.
Q. Can you talk about Derek? We see how athletic Derek Stingley is. We know he has a high football IQ. Talk about his ability to be coached.
LOVIE SMITH: Guys are coachable or they're not and you can tell right away. If you just meet him you can tell he's going to be a coachable guy. He's eager to learn. He's like a sponge. When young players come in you've got to act like you don't know a whole lot and just teach me, and that's what I've seen from all of our young guys, Christian Harris, we talked about Pitre, and of course Derek Stingley is like that. The big thing for him was for us to get him on the football field and let him continue to play, and that's what we're doing.
Q. (Indiscernible) has come in and played a lot of reps this off-season, and AJ Cann is slipping in there day in and day out. What have you seen from him?
LOVIE SMITH: Consistent play. You know, he has history with George Warhop, our offensive line coach, and it seems like every day he blends in. He's a pro, shows up every day. He's a physical player. I think he's a good pass blocker. Just everything we're looking for, gives stability to the offensive line.
Q. Stephen said he was surprised there were so many similarities between what you do and what he does.
LOVIE SMITH: Anytime you get a compliment from a coach, I mean, it is a big thing. If I see a lot of what our Rockets are doing, it's what we're trying to do. But yes, you have to have relationships, and you have to be hands on coaching the players in a positive environment.
I've seen -- I know Stephen's style of coaching. It works, and of course we're trying to do some of the same things.
Q. How important is it to build relationships with the other coaches in town to build a bridge across the sports?
LOVIE SMITH: Absolutely. We're all, as you said, in the same city. I love the other sports in general. I'm a fan. When we're not playing, I'm a fan, and of course we support everything that's H-town related, whether it be our Houston Cougars, Texas southern, the Rockets. Of course I've known Dusty Baker forever. When Dusty was with the Cubs I was with the Bears, so we have a relationship before just now. But absolutely. I know they support us and we definitely will be supporting them.
Q. You talked about Dusty and Stephen. Over the years there's been a lot of talk about race and hiring coaches and the front office. What does it mean for you to be in a city where all three major sports' head coaches are Black coaches?
LOVIE SMITH: It doesn't happen very often. In fact, we were just talking about that earlier. We've got to get together and get a picture. The city of Houston, it's diverse. Everything should show that. A lot of times it's not about the lip service you give, there's a visual with what we're doing.
Q. Can you talk about the return of Phillip Dorsett and how you envision him elevating his play?
LOVIE SMITH: Of some of the things that needed to happen, that's one of them. Phillip has missed a lot of time. He's a part of what we want to do. He brings a skill set, quickness, make you miss in the open field. But in training camp and in these practices, injuries happen. It's good to get him back out there. He's back in the mix now.
Q. You mentioned in the off-season how you wanted to change -- you showed them that video of the start of the off season and the last game. How have you seen them, respond to that?
LOVIE SMITH: Everything we've asked the players to do, they've done. I mean, they've bought in. So the culture has changed. Eventually -- last time when you start a business, the last thing you see is a profit sometimes, but it's happening behind the scenes. As a head football coach and coaching staff, they buy in. They lead, they do exactly what we ask them to do. We have a plan, and it's going to work.
Q. Pharaoh has made a lot of plays throughout camp. What do you see?
LOVIE SMITH: I love what he did in year one of being a young football player, but he's listed as a tight end, but he can play in line, he can move out. It's a tough match-up because he has big wide receiver skills. Just another weapon that we have to be able to use. We have a big guy in Pharaoh inside. We can line him up at a lot of different positions, so just gives flexibility to our offense.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports