Top Quotes From Day 13 of Training Camp

Aug 12, 2021 at 03:48 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers practice at Training Camp on Thursday, August 12, 2021 at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, California.

1. Brandon Staley on if he will 'script plays' for the preseason game on Saturday:

"We don't do a lot of game-planning for the preseason. What we want to make sure is that our guys have a framework of who we're playing against, their base structures. The personnel is going to be vastly different because we don't even know who is going to be out there for them. We do want to give our guys a sense of who they're playing and how that team plays. In terms of the actual game plan, that's not how we approach it. We're just going to run our stuff that we've been practicing and give our guys a chance to go compete and really prove themselves. This will be our first crack at doing it. I'm really looking forward to it."

2. Oday Aboushi on the offensive line's communication development:

"I think it's gotten better and better every day. We're not perfect, but we're on our way to getting there. Every day is a grind and every day something else comes up. We just work through it. Having the kind of experience we have up front and across the board is allowing us to see things a little faster. It's allowing us to be on the same page without really having to say anything. We all see everything through the same lens, and we go the direction we need to go without necessarily having to make a call. It's a process, but we're moving forward every day."

Related Links

3. Bryan Bulaga on mapping out a plan for this season, coming off of last season's injuries:

"We met up and came up with a plan. I think what we talked about earlier was about what has worked and what hasn't worked. [Head Coach] Brandon [Staley] Spoke to me about what he suggests with something. I found in the past what works for me, so I was happy that. He set that fourth and we've been feeling consistent with it to make sure that nothing creeps up and hampers me during camp."

4. Brandon Staley on if he 'would like' Derwin James Jr. to play in the preseason:

"I would not. Our practice are going to be a lot more like games than these preseason games. The environments that we create on our practice fields is where the real action is the preseason for guys like him. I've been so excited to see him compete against all of the special players that we have. We feel like that's the right environment for him to get ready for the season."

5. Oday Aboushi on his acclimation to the team:

"We're 13 practices in so I feel pretty comfortable. It's been good, the vibe is great. [Head] Coach [Brandon] Staley is amazing, his energy is solid. Working with [Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach] Frank [Smith] is great, as well. Having the group in the O-line room from top to bottom, everyone has a good personality. There's a good vibe in there. Everyone comes to work to work each day. That's all you can really ask for."

6. Bryan Bulaga on T Rashawn Slater:

"He is a really good football player and continuing to get better. It's tough as a rookie. I was there once a long time ago. I think he's doing a good job so far. He took a year off after the pandemic and he didn't come back for his junior season, so camp was his first football-type activity. Camp was the first type of activity that he did in a year besides training and doing position drills, wherever he was working out at. It's different out here, when you're going against players like [OLB] Joey [Bosa]. The speed and everything is way different than college. Then he took a year off, so it's about getting adjusted to something that's faster. I think he's doing a good job. He's come out here and learned the playbook really well. He's asking the right questions during meetings. Something that I always find a very good sign for rookies is when they come to here make a mistake, they learn from it, then come back out here and don't make the same mistake. Now, they may make a different mistake, but it's not the one they were corrected on the day before. They understand what the deal is. Rashawn is a really smart kid. So far, he's been very impressive and he's continuing to get better. There is going to be ups and downs in a rookie year. For everybody, no matter who you are, it matters how you react to that and fight through that. Keep your head down and keep grinding with it. He's got all the traits to get through that."

7. Brandon Staley on Herbert's ability to 'block out the noise':

"In our first team meeting, we talked a lot about being fully present. Don't forget what your job description is. The reason why all of you are here is because you are a football player. Being the best you can be as a football player is going to help you with all the things outside of your football career that are so important nowadays. A lot of people don't understand that what goes on off of the field is very important to a player's future. You can have of those things at the same time. You can have a great life off of the field where you're trying to create a brand and you're going to try to create opportunities for your family's future, but when you're a football player and you're on the field, in a meeting, in the weight room, you have to be fully present in order to be your best. I think that's something that Justin has a talent for, understanding the focus and what fits him best. All players are a little bit different. What he does a good job of is being fully present. That's how you improve. That's why, I think, you have seen him have the camp that he's had so far."

8. Oday Aboushi on the importance of having a solid center on the offensive line:

"What it comes down to is having an anchor in the middle who runs the show, and Corey's [Linsley] that guy for us. He runs the show smart. He's a good, strong player. To have that solid area right in the middle spreads out through the rest of the line; from me, out to [G] Matt Feiler, to [T Rashawn] Slater and [T] Bryan [Bulaga]. That staple is huge for us."

9. Bryan Bulaga on the imperative placed on the athletic training staff in training camp:

"This is a big time for the training staff right now. It's a big time of the year. There's a big roster and there are guys getting nicked up throughout camp. It's a physical time, a lot of practice and a lot of reps. Between the weight staff and the medical staff, it's a big, conjoined effort to make sure guys are staying healthy at a peak level. That's key. Guys are trying to win jobs, and if your body lets you down, you can't compete for a job or get ready for what's coming. This is a physical time and the training staff has been on it getting the guys what they need. So far, so good."

10. Brandon Staley on the expected atmosphere at SoFi Stadium on Saturday with fans in attendance:

"I'm excited to see people in powder blue there at the stadium, too. That's our expectation, that people are going to be excited to watch our guys compete. I'm excited for our fans to be there, too. I know that our families are going to be there, too, so we're excited to compete in front of them. No matter where we play, I know that our guys are going to be ready to play. That's gong to be a big part of our mission statement here: No matter what the environment, no matter when the game is - preseason, postseason - that we're going to be ready to play. This is our first chance to do it together."