Q. Everything has been a little bit of a change-up, huh?
GENO SMITH: A little bit, a tad bit.
Q. This is different. So how is the install and how have these couple days this week been different compared to the last couple years?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, just more learning, a little bit more studying. Obviously a new system, a new coordinator, you know, new everything. We're changing the guard here.
So for me I'm studying and getting with the guys. A lot of extra meetings with the receivers, running backs, O-line, talking through some things, making sure that we're prepared when we get out here for practice.
You know, so far it's been good.
Q. You always studied anyway.
GENO SMITH: Of course, of course.
Q. So what are you doing differently with those habits and with that study tactic?
GENO SMITH: You know, it's just a matter of repetition because it's all new, fairly new to all of us. I think Jack is the only guy. Jack Westover was already in this system.
For the most part everyone is learning a new system and we're all pretty much starting at the same spot. For us, just talking about things that we may not understand with the coaches or gaining some clarity if we need it, whether that's from me or from one of the coaches.
That's something that we're just continuing to work on together, you know, just kind of learning this thing, and then obviously wanting to get out here on the practice field, execute, and then be able to coach off that.
Q. Did you have any communication with Michael Penix, Jr. given he had been with Ryan over at UDUB?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, I talked to him last year obviously, and then I kind of sent him a text when he got drafted. But not really. You know, Mike has got to do his thing. He's got to figure out how to be an NFL quarterback and stuff.
For me, I just got to do this stuff on my own. It's not really that difficult, you know. It's really something -- I've been in the league 12 years now. I've seen all the systems that you can throw at me, so it's a matter of learning, studying, and I think I have pretty good study habits.
Q. Obviously it's early, but what are your impressions of Grubb and this offense?
GENO SMITH: Very impressed, man. Obviously from the stuff he's done in college he has a great track record. And then just being a part of the system, being able to learn from him, the type of guy that he is, type of man that he is, type of coach that he is. I think there is going to be great things coming for us.
Coach Grubb is doing a great job being demanding, making sure guys are studying and on pointe and knowing their assignments, but also giving guys some grace. It is a new system, new offense, and guys are going to mess some things up.
That's not necessarily a terrible thing. We can gain from that. So Grubb is doing a great job. It's our job to make him -- make the plays come alive and make it all look good.
Q. ...offense plays to your skills?
GENO SMITH: I mean, I got to get more reps in practice and obviously get a chance to go out there and play in the game to really have a great assessment of that.
Overall, you know, I feel like I'm a drop-back passer and I feel like this is a drop-back offense, an offense that's going to spread the ball around, trust the quarterbacks to make the right decisions.
That's pre- and post-snap.
I think that's something that I'm really good at. You know, just want to make sure I'm doing the right things when it comes to that.
Q. You called yourself a drop-back passer and also posted the shot of the (indiscernible.)
GENO SMITH: That was a PR, yeah. I had 21. I thought it was a mistake myself, but it wasn't. Yeah, hit 21 so apparently the off-season workouts and stuff been paying off.
Q. You guys pick it up the next day and run a little faster?
GENO SMITH: Everybody beat me after that. It was good for that one day and then you seen guys running 22s and I was at the bottom again.
Q. Does your off-season program change as you get a little bit older and stuff like that?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, really just diet. You know, that's the main thing, is maintaining my diet. Overall, you know, obviously you got to work hard no matter what age you are and once you get up there a little bit more, it becomes that much more important.
So just making sure that I'm on it, staying on my routine, just doing the little things that's going to preserve me for the long run.
Q. In watching this offense over the last couple years, it's a lot of shifts, a lot of motions and stuff. Seems like you guys are bringing that over here.
GENO SMITH: Yeah.
Q. How much more does that put on your plate with the shifts and the motions, more so than maybe what you have done the last couple years?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, we're not going to shift and motion that much, but we'll be able to get out there and do some things.
Obviously NFL quarterback, man, everything is on your plate. You're getting in and out of the huddle, calling the play, making sure guys are lined up in the right spots, making sure the O-line knows what they're doing, running backs.
Always going to be a lot on your plate. I think Coach Grubb, again, has a great system. It demands a lot from the quarterback pre- and post-snap, and he has a great way identify giving us some answers.
The thing we have to do, again, is just be really disciplined with all of our reads, reading our keys, and then obviously getting out there and making the plays when they come about.
Q. It's early in the installation process obviously, but this is not the first time you've had to learn a new offense in the NFL. How does so far this process compare to, say. When you had multiple offensive contributors in your career in New York and going to LA? How do those situations help you now?
GENO SMITH: I would say it's a lot easier. When I first got into the league all the words, they meant nothing to me. Now, 12 years, a lot of these plays I've run before. A lot of ways we execute I've been around; it's just different language.
So it's a matter of just learning the terminology and then obviously being able to recite it back to the guys in the huddle and go out there and make the plays.
It's a lot easier for me now that I've been in the league a little bit. Still a matter of studying and I really take that serious.
Q. Your receiving corps is pretty much all the same guys last year with Jaxon and Jake, year two. How much does that help?
GENO SMITH: Shoot that, helps a lot. You know, I look forward to guys making big jumps. All of us. The entire group. DK, Tyler, Jaxon, Bobo, Derick, all those guys. I think they all have a shot to do some really good things.
I think D had a really good day today. I thought he made some really good plays. You know, I can see that group just continuing to make strides. Bringing Coach Fris in, a guy who has a track record for coaching great receivers.
I think he's going to be able to make those guys better so, I think as long as we continue to push each other, continue to work hard, yeah, we got a real shot.
Q. What does Ryan demand from you guys, the quarterbacks, leadership-wise?
GENO SMITH: The main thing is having that presence in the huddle and in the locker room. That's something that a quarterback has to have no matter who the coordinator, who the coach is.
You want your quarterback to be a leader, be respected, and that's something that I think he really talks about and emphasizes. And obviously being smart. That's the main thing, knowing what to do. Guys respect guys who know their assignment and what they're doing.
So making sure that I'm always that guy who is prepared and that allows the guys around me to feel comfortable knowing that the quarterback is prepared.
Q. How much different are the practices? How is the tempo? Do you notice anything different from last year to this?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, no bags out there, so don't have to do the bags before practice. Then I mean, it's OTAs so I'm pretty sure training camp and as we go into the season things will ramp up a little bit more and maybe even tone down as the season goes on.
You always adjust it. What I can see so far is coach does a great job making sure that we understand the tempo of practice, we understand the rules of OTAs, not attacking the ball, that type of stuff.
And then for the most part it's the same: You go out there, got to execute. Very demanding. Coach demands excellence, and that's what we're trying to provide.
Q. Is there where you want to be at this point in the off-season?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, I feel like we're in a really good spot honestly. Personally, I can say I feel like I really have a really good grasp of the offense. I know there are still things I have to learn. From the installs that we've done, really sharp with those things.
And then as a group, it's not just about me personally, it's about the collective group, and so that's what is important. We're all on top and prepared. That's coming along well as well.
You know, I think we're all just getting better. We had a few mistakes out there at practice, but that's a good thing. Those are things we can clean up and we can learn from; and then just try to eliminate the mental mistakes and just go out there and play fast.
Q. You mentioned the presence you have to have. Is that something you feel like you've always had in you, or has that come along during the course of your career?
GENO SMITH: I think I've always had it, but I also think those things develop and you can get better at those things as well. When I was younger I was the guy who had to listen and learn. I had to watch the vets and figure out how to be a pro.
As I got older I began to be the guy who can help the younger guys and stuff like that. I think that just comes with age, some of that development, but obviously you got to have it in you to start.
Q. This is your third year starting and you're going to have a different starting center to be snapping to you. Where is the relationship at with Olu and now Nick Harris coming over, and how critical is that with a new offense with everything the center's in charge of up front?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, you know, well, first of all, Olu played for us some last year and I thought -- I actually thought he did a really good job and I thought he was really, really prepared. For a rookie it was very impressive.
Being this is his second year, we're both learning a new offense at the same time so our communication has been great. We're talking things out and I'm learning from him different O-line calls and things that they're adjusting at the line of scrimmage, as well as he's learning from me as far as what I'm seeing as the quarterback and kind of how I like things to be done.
So it's an ongoing process. We're still early in that process. I think Olu has done a great job, tremendous job, and I think he's only going to continue to get better.
Q. With that group in general, I know it's hard to evaluate offensive lineman, but what do you feel like the prospects are for that group?
GENO SMITH: Shoot, man, I think they're going to be the best in the world. That's the way I look at it. I think we got the right guys, right coaches, and it all comes down having the right mindset.
But the leadership is great. You got a guy in Charles Cross who's a great young tackle. We are getting Abe back. Got George back in the fold. He's been great throughout his career. Getting Nick here, guy who understand ball; he knows what he's doing.
The guards have been doing a great job. Second year for AB. Be great to see how he can improve in his second year, and if they collectively come together, I think that group could be -- as young as they are, I think they could be one of the best in the world.
Q. I got another position group question. Running backs, what are you seeing? What have you seen?
GENO SMITH: Shoot, man, explosiveness. Ya'll can make up nickname for those guys. Talk about Ken Walker, in my opinion one the best backs in the league. Can do it all. Catch out of the backfield. And the best part about him is he's super tough.
Zach Charbonnet, in my opinion another No.1 running back, three-down running back, can do it all. The thing about him, he's always prepared, prepares like a pro, knows what he's doing.
Kenny McIntosh is coming along.
Got some younger guys still coming along, but overall that group, man, any one of those guys can touch the ball and make a play. That's what I want from a running back group.
Q. We've got to come up with nickname for them?
GENO SMITH: You guys can do that. Usually like smash and dash and all that. We'll see.
Q. We'll get back to you.
GENO SMITH: Yeah.
Q. (Regarding Sam Howell)?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, Sam, shoot, we been hanging out playing Booray, went to Cabo, did some golfing, developing our relationship. Sam is a really, really talented young player. He played a lot of football to be that young. Did a lot of great things and showed a lot of great things on tape.
For me, the whole starter/backup thing, I don't ever wrap my mind around that. It's about that group. The quarterback group has to be a collective unit. Whoever goes in the game has to have the support of the other guys.
So for me, it's as you about us learning and working together and pushing each other together. That can only provide us with an excellent chance to get better.
Q. Obviously the schedule came out and you guys have two Thursday games this year; going to play on Christmas on a Wednesday; going to play a Friday game. I think every day except Tuesdays is going to have games. Is it getting to be too much a little bit, or are you guys fine with sort of these schedules that are all over the place?
GENO SMITH: I'm going to be honest with you, I haven't even looked at the schedule. I don't even know -- I know we play Broncos week one and I think we got two away pre-season games and the last one is at home.
But anything past that I haven't really looked at. I play football, man. Wherever they want me to play, when it's time to show up, I'll be there.
Q. Is there anything you've not seen before that's totally new to you?
GENO SMITH: I wouldn't say that, no. You know, everyone has their own style. Every coach has his own style, philosophy, and it's about buying in. I think guys are doing a great job buying into what Mike is doing. We got to continue to do that.
He's a great, great coach, man. He understands exactly what he wants to do and laid it out for us and it's our job to execute.
Q. You said you guys went to Cabo?
GENO SMITH: Yeah.
Q. How is your golf game?
GENO SMITH: My golf game? Not good enough. I keep working on it.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
GENO SMITH: Not the whole offense, but about 15 of us.
Q. Who's the best golfer?
GENO SMITH: Tyler would say him. I think we're all pretty bad, so I don't think nobody could take that one. Tyler might say him.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports