Q. (Question off microphone).
FRANK ROSS: The way I see it is happy at the point where Tremon and all the returners are at based on the work. There's only so many live reps you can get. He's done a good job. That doesn't mean the competition is over.
We've got to improve everybody as a group. And if Tremon is satisfied, I would tell you to ask him. He's a guy that wants to continue to improve. So whatever level we think he's at, we need him to get better as the entirety of the group.
Q. (Question about the preseason first game)
FRANK ROSS: First game preseason is always unique with the amount of substitutions. A lot of reps to go around. It is a vanilla game relative to both units, New Orleans and us.
We just have to look for guys who are out there finishing, finishing in a position they can control their matchup. Correct leverage points in coverage, et cetera.
So from an operations standpoint, really happy, from the jump. And we've got to continue to get better here for the Rams game.
Q. (Question about linebacker group).
FRANK ROSS: Linebacker group, a lot of competitors in that room. A lot of guys have kicking experience from Grugler-Hill all the way down. If you guys remember Kirko (phonetic) coming out of Iowa, Lovie likes to assemble a group that can run. Hopefully in the kicking game we'll take advantage of that.
Q. 6'5", 275 pounds, what does that say about (indiscernible)?
FRANK ROSS: That's right. That was an exciting play. Referencing the game, 25 seconds on the kickoff. Okay. They bring it out of the end zone. And he's a 3 to the kick direction side on that play. Going down there causing havoc, they bring it out. Ended up getting a holding penalty. Now they start their, quote/unquote, game winning drive attempt inside their own 15-yard line. Man, that sideline was excited for Dio. So whether it's Rivers, Deo, Demone Harris, Beezy, Hewitt, KPL, any of those guys running down on that kick side and being able to compress those running lanes, that's exciting. Happy for Deo on that play. That was awesome.
Q. Jalen Reeves-Maybin, was it surprising how much his workload was for preseason week one?
FRANK ROSS: No, I don't think anybody on this team is worried about their play time, their reps, what quarter. Things like that. To me, it's a football team that needs to get better. This is special teams game unit that needs to get better. Every day we go out there, we want to compete. Doesn't matter the quarter we're in. And this is the cutting time of the season. So hopefully everybody's licking their chops to jump on any rep possible.
Q. Tom had an interception earlier. You were the first person to go run up, see him. Knowing your relationship with him as a special teamer to having a full-time starter, talk about that, how proud you are to see that?
FRANK ROSS: Yes, growth. Texans, doesn't matter who it is. But TT. Now you're looking at guys like M.J. Stewart, Eric Murray. Doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what your, quote/unquote, slot on the totem pole is. Excited for the overall success of whoever that is. Good play out there today. Want him to do it again tomorrow.
Q. The long field goal attempt, was it just getting him to stretch his leg out? Did you honestly believe he could make it?
FRANK ROSS: Anytime we roll our kicker out there, we have confidence he's going to make it. We expect him to make it. He expects it out of himself. Relative to down distance time in the game, end of half, you're going to stretch those yards a little bit more.
But we were alerted cover, they put a returner back deep. Slight miss. Wants to get that rep again.
Q. Guys like Jalen Camp and Johnson as receivers, as gunners on the outside?
FRANK ROSS: Guys have to be willing to play. If you're in that receiver group, trying to contribute on the offensive side of the ball, gotta be able to give something to the core four in the kicking game. Any of those guys. And you saw Johnnie out there competing and Jalen running down on the punts last Saturday. So excited to see where those guys continue to grow for those backup depth receiver roles, definitely.
Q. Going back to that long field goal, how do you judge the risk/reward on that? Never return it all of a sudden --
FRANK ROSS: That's right. We've seen that in big moments in games across the NFL and college football where they return a short field goal for a touchdown. So gotta know your kicker, know your environment, know how he's kicking the ball to that point. Maybe that turns into a Hail Mary situation in the half, and of course relative to the scores in the game.
All those things will factor into it. Have full confidence he'll go out there, kick anything from the midfield area. So at this point we'll roll him out there and we'll convert next time.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports