Jaguars
Jaguars HC Liam Coen has been impressed by their offensive line’s communication through OTAs and praised the effort of OL coach Shaun Sarrett, assistant OL coach Keli’i Kekuewa, and offensive assistant Trevor Mendelson.
“From a communication standpoint, all five being on the same page, you can definitely see an intent behind what they’re trying to do,” Coen said, via the team’s YouTube. “I think Shaun (Sarrett), and Keli’i (Kekuewa), and Trevor (Mendelson) have done a really nice job in that room, and I think the players have caught on in a lot of ways.”
Coen added that the line has done well facing dealing with different blitz packages in practice.
“It is extremely difficult to evaluate this time, specifically the fronts,” Coen said. “But from a fundamental, technique, communication, angles, understanding the scheme and what we’re trying to get accomplished on each play. Our defense is throwing a ton at us just from a blitz standpoint, just different looks and that is challenging, especially on Day 4 of OTAs. That’ll only help us moving forward and I think those guys have done a nice job so far.”
Raiders
The Raiders hired DB coach Marcus Robertson under HC Pete Carroll this offseason, who also spent 2014-2016 in the same role with the team. Robertson is happy to return to the silver and black and expressed his belief in Carroll to change the culture.
“I grew up on the Raiders, grew up in Los Angeles in the Pasadena area and I really enjoyed my first experience here,” Robertson said, via Levi Edwards of the team’s website. “I would like to say, if you look at what I did when I first walked in the door and when I walked out, I [helped] take us from having a top five pick to being a playoff team. And I’m hoping for that same success here.
“I do believe that Pete is doing a hell of a job and we will change this culture.”
Steelers
Steelers fifth-round DT Yahya Black said that he’s adopted his dad’s work ethic and is focused on becoming one of the best run defenders in the league.
“I’ve always been a run through your face type of person,” Black said, via the team’s website. “I’m glad other people notice it too. I’m a run stopper guy, so I’m going to do everything in my power to stop the run and then develop in any other place that I need to. I’m a high-motor guy. I have that drive. It comes from my family. My toughness comes from them too. It really was instilled in me at a young age from my dad to all my coaches growing up. We struggled growing up. My dad was always working tough jobs, working construction and things like that. He was always a hard worker and always tried to put me in the best position, something that he couldn’t do himself as a kid. So, I recognized that growing up and probably never said it to him enough about how much he’s taught me how to be tough, but I really took it to heart. And that’s always just been a big message that I’ve carried along with me.”
Black explained that he knew he wanted to be a professional football player but didn’t think it was a reality until his third year in college.
“It was always a dream. I always wanted to be a football player,” Black said. “The reality didn’t hit until my third year in college where I realized this is a possibility. It all started to become reality when the game slowed down for me. I was always around guys that had good heads on their shoulders. And they always talked about how the game just slows down when you get to that point. I can tell you, those first two or three years, my mind was racing. Everything felt like I was going 200 miles per hour in a NASCAR race. And then the next thing you know, it’s like I’m driving down the highway and going 60 miles per hour and it feels like I am riding a moped. That’s when it hit. I don’t know yet what the pace is going be like, but once the mental side of it slows down, it gets easier.”
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