Chip Kelly and Quarterbacks Spoke to the Media
8/6/2024 1:24:00 PM | Football
On how his philosophy for running football changed
“I think your philosophy is always built upon who your players are. The last time we were together we had different personnel. You're always trying to feature what you do really well and then try to mask what you don't do really well. So I think it's always morphed and sometimes you're more of a run RPO team. Other times you're more of a spread them out throw the ball down the field and then you're running screen and draws. It just really depends on your personnel. So I think maybe that's how it's changed a little bit and our personnel has been different. You get to learn some new things to adapt it to your personnel.”
On what our team does well
They do a lot well. That's the good thing about this place. I don't think there's one singular thing. There's a lot of talent in the running back room, obviously a lot of talent in the wide receiver room. So I think there's got to be a good balance.
On how much of accuracy is timing, chemistry with receivers, and how much of it is the actual technical side of your form
I think Will has done a really good job working on the playbook in the off season. Studying film so that he understands when there's a play call made he knows where to go with the football...He's really studied it and understands it and I think Will deserves that credit. He's done a great job of putting himself in that position right now."
On his dynamic between with Ryan Day
"I think we're both trying to win. So when you're trying to win I don't think you look at it like who's, who's the mentor or who's the boss? It's, you know, how do we put our players in a position to make plays? That's the bottom line. The good thing is, is that we know each other so well, like neither of us has an ego."
On Ryan's Big Ten Media Day statement of trusting Chip with his life:
“That's a pretty big statement, but I feel the same way I think there's a long history. We grew up in the same hometown, we've known each other for almost 40 years now. So it's not we coached together in the NFL for two years and then we got back together again. When you go through: the same elementary school, junior high, high school, college, I recruited him and coached him in college. I know his entire family well. I think we're all products of the same hometown. The same coaches that coached him in youth sports, coached me in youth sports. So there's always going to be that connection.”
On the first practices of the year
“Honestly, I feel really good. Obviously, there's a lot of new information put in, but I think I just got to keep my head in the books and just keep grinding and grinding and when I get my shots to go out there and play, I just have to capitalize on that."
On his experience at the Cotton Bowl in 2023
"I view it as a huge learning experience because I mean, it just shows how fast the game really is and how, how prepared you need to be in order to be successful and to win games.”
On feeling like an ideal quarterback for Chip Kelly
"Oh, yeah, for sure. I'd say I could be up there. I think it just all comes down to really, who's more prepared and who's more ready to go, but yeah, I, I'd say this offense fits me pretty well and I hope to, obviously do a good job and succeed in it."
On there being a mutual relationship with Coach Day
“When I entered the portal, I knew Coach Day, we had a good relationship throughout the recruiting process. Then Bill O'Brien was actually the office coordinator here and I had a good relationship with him and then I ended up getting here and then Coach Kelly comes here and me and him had a good relationship through the recruiting process, you know, California, UCLA, it was just a good fit all around and I couldn't be happier to be here. ”
On the correlation between Alabama and Ohio State
“I felt like there's really good quarterback development here. Coach Day, is a great quarterback whisperer. Quarterbacks they've had in just the past five years have shown they've put up great numbers and I just really done things the right way and I wanted to come to this offense, be coached by him, be coached by coach Kelly, you know, make adjustments to line.”
On earning a game spot
“I can't really explain how that would be. I'm just really trying to develop and take coaching points from Coach Day, a great quarterback whisperer and then take coach points from Coach Kelly. I just want to develop and run the offense the way they want it and I just take their coaching points and try to put it in my game.”
On Ryan and Chip's Relationship
"It's great. I mean, obviously you can tell they've known each other for a very long time. You can tell the similarities with their offenses and especially from day one just how they speak football and how they coach on the field. I like it a lot."
On working with Chip
"He's been incredible just the way that he teaches us in the quarterback room, the different details that he adds and little things that he adds that I never really thought about when it comes to certain plays or reading things differently. It's been good to learn from him."
On where he has seen the most improvement this camp
"I would say just consistency. Honestly working with Jordan Palmer and Mike White all in California this off season. I think that's been a huge help for me being more consistent with my mechanics and everything. Also throwing the ball, I feel I'm more consistent. " "I think we have weapons everywhere and with this new offense we're able to utilize every weapon differently and make it really hard on the defense to figure out what we're trying to do. If they take away one option, there's a lot more options to go after."
On coming into a new system
“The more that I just throw to these receivers and get around these guys, the more we're coming together and becoming a team, it's cool to see and we just got to keep doing it and keep practicing as hard as we've been five practices in.”
On his running ability
“I enjoy running the ball. People always ask me, is it more fun to run a touchdown or throw a touchdown? I like to run it, I think it's pretty cool to run in there and celebrate with your teammates. It's definitely been a big part of my game and it’s going to need to be.”
On the QB battle:
“I’m just going to be myself, keep fighting to be the best version of myself every single day and, try to make the most out of my reps and show this team that I'm gonna give them my all and that's all I can do. We’re just going to keep competing, making each other better, and having fun.”
On advice he would give his past self coming into the last nine months
“I would say just know to come in and be ready to be developed, it's gonna be hard days and there's gonna be days where it's good. So just going through the ups and downs and just keeping myself composed. Leaning on the older guys to help me out.”
On the talent of the QB room and getting in reps
“That's challenging, but when I get in there just do the best I can and just be myself.”
On being coached by Chip Kelly
“He’s very smart. He loves teaching quarterbacks and being the great coach that he is. He always talks about having a plan, that's the biggest thing for me coming in as a freshman. Coach Chip Kelly, he's always trying to push you to your limits, I feel like that's why he does a good job.”
