MIKE MACDONALD: Great to see everybody. Cool to have spectators at practice. It was a good day. We're learning as we go. Guys' spirits are high and we're playing fast.
I think we're practicing the right way for the most part. We're just getting after it. It was a good day of practice. Kind of back and forth in terms of execution. We're chasing it, so onward we go.
Q. There was lots of communication, a lot of energy. How would you rate where they are with install, with retaining what you have already presented to them?
MIKE MACDONALD: It's a challenge right now. You know, we're still installing -- going to be installing defensively, shoot, throughout -- I mean, install two is today. We'll evaluate it as we go.
So if the guys is like real slow to make some checks today, anticipating things, so make some decisions so it doesn't pile on so we don't get too far behind.
Not really worried about the pace of how fast we get everything in. We want a really good foundation for when we get into camp. So we have a schedule, but we'll adjust as we go.
Q. How much is in so far, Mike?
MIKE MACDONALD: Today was install two, so 20%.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
MIKE MACDONALD: Well, it's something that they did in Baltimore. The thinking behind it is we're trying to make practice as much like a game as possible. So how we dress, all the details, where we stand, how we operate, how we coach them up timing-wise. We want the guys feeling like they're out there playing. That's kind of part of the equation.
Q. How much time do you have to spend on the new kickoff stuff?
MIKE MACDONALD: I mean, I wish I had the correct answer. We just stop. Like maybe three hours. Just get to the three hours and stop. It's an ongoing thing. The rules have been evolving throughout. It's something that we're trying to stay with it. Be a lot -- I don't want to say experimentation, but that's kind of what it is. What works in terms of alignments and how we can play with things, who can block what, the schemes.
It'll be interesting to see because we're in not secrets on how we're going to operate, and we'll have to adapt when the league starts to declare early in the season.
Q. In a similar regard, how much room do you think there is for animation within the rules there for teams to try different things and concepts and ideas?
MIKE MACDONALD: With the kickoff?
Q. Yeah.
MIKE MACDONALD: Hopefully a lot. I mean, hopefully it's going to be a really fun football play. I think that's the whole spirit behind what everybody was trying to do.
I think for the most part, we got a really good chance to make it a really exciting play, so that's the way we see it.
Q. How have you seen the rookies kind of acclimate with the veterans now that they're all here together working?
MIKE MACDONALD: It's going to take some time, just how to operate. Our vets have been great leading the guys and showing them routines, keeping the competition high, but bringing them along.
We want to respect everybody, and the rookies have to do their part as well to respect those guys that have kind of laid the foundation in front of them.
So we got a great group. Really excited that guys are working well together.
Q. In terms of continuity, you have all the edge guys back from last year. What are your early thoughts on seeing a healthy Uchenna Nwosu out there, Darrell Taylor?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, it's great to see them out there working and communicating. We're working through how we're going to structure the pass rush and who is playing what spot and what shakes down and what makes sense and what hits and all those things.
This is a great time of year to sharpen the sword so to speak and understand -- build the foundation, platform to the jumping off point when we come back in the fall.
And even when that happens, you're going to constantly evolve of where you're going to put guys and how you're going to interact and what groups you can put out there.
If you're not doing that you get static and kind of become -- offenses get a bead for what you're doing. You got to keep it moving.
Q. You joked about not talking this much, but now that you've got more practices under your belt, where have you seen a change in how your approach it or your comfort level?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, you're having interactions with guys and that kind of gives a feel for how guys tick, what types of conversations you want with who.
Again, it's a process. It takes time, and there is no magic wand you can wave and everyone gets along and there is all this mutual understanding about how we're going to operate. We're just like chasing the mutual understanding of what kind of football team we want to be.
It's this constant chase of what we want. 'Spoon knows, you know. He's like, well, couple conversations with Mike, but that's what we're shooting for.
Today was a great testament about how we're going to operate as a team.
Q. You were asked a lot about Geno Smith this off-season before you had really been around him a ton. Been around him a couple months. What have been your impressions of Geno?
MIKE MACDONALD: Highly competitive. I love how Geno works. We are pushing him to take the next step as a football player and as a leader, and I think he's answering the call.
So really excited about Geno up to this point and getting to know him, but just really such a respect for how hard this man works at his craft.
Q. (Regarding Sam Howell.)
MIKE MACDONALD: I think he's coming along fine. Again, we're at practice two. You sit in the offensive staff watching practice with guys and there are things that offensive coaches notice with the whole team that you don't necessarily see from the defensive perspective.
But I thought he had a really good practice. He's slinging it. But just like the rest of the team, he's got a lot of work on. I got a lot to work on.
But I think we all have that mentality of how we want to approach it, so I think Sam is right there. I think it's an exciting future.
Q. The pace of how you install things (indiscernible) is that different than last year in Baltimore or in Michigan...
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, each situation is unique. Michigan we took it really, really slow. What we were trying to do was very foreign to the guys. Took a long time and we took our time, and that's okay.
But we're chasing execution.
At Baltimore the first year was similar more to Michigan than you would anticipate. Second year they had a pretty good baseline, so were able to get along with a pretty good clip.
If you go in with an open mind and let's do what makes sense for this group, that's where you end up in the right spot.
Q. With your linebacker coaching background, not having contact right now, rookie like Tyrice Knight, some of the other undrafted guys out there, what do you think are the most important things to see progression-wise at that position before you get into training camp?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, I think it's -- hate to keep making these blanket statements, but really is the whole defense and really the whole team. You're looking at communication in and out of the huddle, pre- and post-snap, alignments, how fast they're reacting, able to execute your technique without having to go like combative against the next guy across.
In the run game it gets kind of tough because the runner is going to run through the defense, and when you go back and watch it on tape you're like, oh, there was a guy right there. We would've made the play.
Those are assumptions you have to make until you put the pads on for real. That's okay. But that's where we are at. Those are the things you're looking for.
Q. What have you learned the last month or maybe the two days about how to run a practice?
MIKE MACDONALD: Well, I think we had a pretty clear vision about how we wanted practice to go. We wanted it to be fast, execute, loud, get the job done, and get the heck out of here. There is not a lot of lollygagging around.
Again, you don't practice to practice. You're practicing to train to go play the game. A lot of the decisions that we're making are inspired by that principle behind the whole thing.
Q. Where is Abe Lucas in his recovery?
MIKE MACDONALD: It's hard to tell. We're shooting for camp right now. Yeah, Abe is getting after it in rehab. I'm proud of his effort he's putting in.
Q. Didn't see Anthony Bradford out there.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, tweaked his ankle yesterday. Shouldn't be long.
Q. (Regarding coordinators over the past month or so.)
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, you know, we're in a great spot. I think we hired two great people, two really good football coaches. Working more hand to hand, or hand in hand with AD on a daily basis. Just getting the defense organized and installing. Really excited about AD. The connection he's been able to make with the defense, how he orchestrates the front. We've been able to bounce a lot of the ideas off one another; that's been really fun.
Grubb is a really detail-oriented guy. Knows what he's locking for. Very precise. We want clarity in everything we're doing. We want the guys to know exactly what the expectations are, exactly what's being asked of them. He has that. He's a very clear communicator for sure.
Q. Install done by the end of the weekend?
MIKE MACDONALD: No, no. Baseline. We're chasing the baseline, base fundamentals. It's not a huge install. It's concepts. We'll get the base concepts in and then go from there.
Q. Horse ahead of the cart a little bit here, but you guys are playing your former mentor, Jim Harbaugh, in the first pre-season game.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah.
Q. Do you have interest in maybe doing some joint practices with him down the line?
MIKE MACDONALD: Down the line maybe. This year we're not going to. It'll be fun to see those guys and see Jesse and some of the other coaches that we're familiar with.
But, yeah, be fun to go down there and get after it a little bit.
Q. Mike, when you have clarity from the coaches to the players, what does that enable you to do?
MIKE MACDONALD: Well, it let's you play the right way. You know, if I know exactly what's expected of me, how I'm supposed to do it, now I can go play the play we want on both sides of the ball.
So if it's out there and it's gray it slows you down. Put yourself in those positions of those guys out there. Where do you stand, what do you look at, how do you move, all these types of things. That's why it takes so much time.
That's what differentiates good teams from great teams.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
MIKE MACDONALD: He asked that already. It's okay. It's to simulate the game as much as we can, baseline.
Q. Tyrel Dotson and Jerome Baker, didn't really see them out there today. Are they okay?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, T-Dot is out there but limited, and Bake is in-house but he's rehabbing right now.
Q. Talk about making this as gamelike as possible, is that something you took from Baltimore or the other stops along the way where that was drilled into you?
MIKE MACDONALD: That was mostly from John and just makes sense. You know, we're not going to practice to practice great. We're practicing to go out there and play games in a gamelike scenario.
Q. 'Riq Woolen in general, what have you seen out of him? This time last year he had just had knee surgery and kind of missed this whole time last year.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, I think Tariq is in a great spot. Great spot. We had a great conversation today. Expecting big things from him, just like everyone else on the defense and on the rest of the team. We're going to be pushing them because there is greatness in there.
Q. That position group in general, is that one you're pretty excited about? Both the guys come back and you had add a couple corners in the draft.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, we are really excited about our secondary, and I think there is some flexibility there. We can get some personnel groups for guys moving around, play matchup ball a little bit.
They're in a good spot. Again, we'll see. It's just kind of the guys had a great two days we stacked, and let's go back to work. Have another great OTA tomorrow and see where we are going into the next day.
One day at a time.
Q. What did you like about Witherspoon?
MIKE MACDONALD: I mean, where do I start? Great feel for the game. I mean, just picks things up really quick, but just understands ball and plays at a really, really fast speed.
At nickel there is a lot of action in there, and so when guys have that type of skillset you can get them right around the action as much as possible.
He'll do all the things: He'll blitz, man, zone, play deep in the field, so it's a fun positioning to play.
Q. Rayshawn Jenkins, what have you seen out of him so far?
MIKE MACDONALD: Shoot, I mean, the things we anticipated off of tape and off like reputation and doing our homework, but he's going to be a leader on this football team so we're going to count on him. He's very talented and a guy we can play matchup with and, again, he can do all the things we ask from a safety in our system.
So off to a great start. We expect a big year from him.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports