 How are you? I'm well. How's everybody doing this morning? Good. Good. Good afternoon. Whatever it is. How would you say, where do you feel like Marcus has made the biggest leaves in his comfort with what you guys have been doing or asking him to do? Yeah. I just think each week he gets a little bit more comfortable with the scheme, a little bit more comfortable with what we're asking him to do. You know, it's been a period of time where he didn't play football. So I think the more you do things, the better you get at him. And I think he's settling in a little bit this week or each week. I mean, I think you can see in his confidence and he's executing the plan and doing what we asked him to do. Was there a point where you really maybe got the sense that he had a more, a better grasp of what we needed to do on a week basis? No. You know, I just, I just see him getting more comfortable in the meeting room each day. You know, he goes out there. He puts in a lot of time. He puts in a lot of work. He's one of the first people here, probably the last one to leave. And I just see the work that he puts in and he's worked on a lot of things, whether it's fundamentals, whether it's play calling, whatever it may be. And it's good to see that his work's starting to come to fruition. He's talked a bit about what you were talking about knocking off the rest, essentially, of not playing the last two years. What are some things that, I mean, when you talk about knocking off the rest, what are some things that you see him doing in that regard that maybe we don't see from the outside looking in? Right. I think the biggest thing is just the speed of the game and processing and seeing looks like, you know, as a backup quarterback, you know, you don't get a lot of those speed reps. You don't get a lot of those looks. And, you know, obviously he played some of the pre-season. I think each game, it's probably slowing down a little bit for him. He's got great command of the offense, great command of what we're asking him to do. And he relates well to his teammate. So I can just see him getting more and more comfortable each week and I think it's showing in his play. You talked about him relating to his teammates. I think the storyline that kind of came out of this past Sunday's game was just as much about him being the leader of the locker room. And I think I was talking to Cale Tuntley and Jaylen Hawkins and two guys on different sides of the ball, but they both said the same thing. Like, yes, we like following Marcus. We do follow Marcus. How do you see him being a leader not only at this offense of unit, but the team in general? Right. What I think Marcus does a great job of is getting to know his teammates. And like you said, he, obviously he's in front of the offensive guys. He's around them a lot. But I see him, there may be a younger defensive player and maybe he eats lunch with them or maybe he finds a way to connect with them. And I think that's so important that he finds different little ways to connect to guys. It may be a guy who's his age or maybe a rookie who's just 21, but he's really good at finding that little thing. Like, maybe this is something we have in common or maybe this is something that I know and he shares it with them. And I think guys appreciate it because it's very genuine. And I think guys appreciate that. And I think that's everybody leads in their own way. I don't think there's any like cookie cutter way that you lead. And Marcus has a very genuine way about him, how he leads. I think guys gravitate and follow it. How many quarterbacks you've been around in quarterbacks whether it's college NFL, how many quarterbacks really do you got? I'm talking about defensive guys too and stuff like that. You know, I think the good ones have to. You know, you're the quarterback of the whole team and you know, I think you've got to be able to relate to those guys and be able to, when times get tough, you've got to be able to go in there and support each other. And I think if you don't have that connection or you don't have that thing in common, I think it's really hard to relate to guys. I think that's really anything in life. You've got to kind of find that common denominator and something that maybe you guys share or maybe a piece of advice that Marcus can give from having played a few years. Maybe this is my sleep pattern or this is how I take care of my body or this is how I prepare in the off season and it might just not apply to a quarterback. It may be to a young linebacker or to a young DB and just those little nuggets of information. I think it's how he does a great job of doing that with his teammates. How long has it been for you to work with a quarterback that's mobile and fast like him too as well just to have those options? Yeah, no, it's great. And Marcus brings energy and juice every day the meeting room to practice and it's been great. And just to hear some of his experiences and you know, we may be looking at film and goes, well, you know, I've seen this and maybe I've done it this way or maybe I've done it that way and just to really see his personality come out. It's been fun. We got a fun, really fun quarterback room with him and Desmond. It's really good. I enjoy working with those guys every day. I know Sunday you didn't ask him to throw a whole lot. He only attempted 14 passes but he was really efficient. When you go back and you look at Sunday what stood out to you from the passing game particularly? Well, you know, one thing that we knew there was going to be a key to game is we had to be efficient on offense. This is a really good defense we played on Sunday. We knew we had to take what they were going to give us and I think Marx did a great job of that. I think he was accurate. I think he was decisive and he did what it took for us to move the ball. We knew we had to stay on schedule. We knew we couldn't get in third and long situations with this group, with their rush patterns and their rush group. So I think as an offense and as a team we executed the game plan, you know, the way that we hoped it would go and maybe only throwing it 14 times but the way we look at it is whatever it takes to win a ball game. If you got to throw it 14 times, run it 14 times, I think it's a week by week thing of whatever it takes to win the game and I think our guys do a great job of that and understand and like, look, this week it may be running it 14 times. The next week we may have to throw it 40 times. It's like whatever it takes to win the ball game and then you go on to the next week and try to find the best way that you can to attack that defense to win the next game. How nice is it to have a quarterback that is balanced like that to make sure that you can weave through the weekend week out of whoever you're facing? Yeah, no, it's good. I mean, he puts a lot of stress on defenses. I know he's hard to defend and it really makes guys think twice about, well, maybe do you want to blitz us here? Do you want to do this to us? Because he can get you out of jams. He can extend plays. You know, he can throw in the run. So I can imagine it's quite a challenge preparing for him each week. How have you managed Desmond? Because he's never really, he hasn't been in this situation in terms of being a backup. Right. I don't know who it was last week. You might not even realize it. No, it wasn't. How have you managed handling him in that way and some of those responsibilities that he has? Yeah, well, I think right now, I look at it like this, I think he's a great caddy for Marcus right now and he's in the meeting rooms and the backup quarterback's got a really, really hard job because he's got to know the game plan as well as the starter does, but without taking starter reps. He's taking scout team reps and I think that's really, really hard to be able and study this however many plays are in the game plan. I've got to know it as good as Marcus does. I've got to know the protections. I got to know the progressions. I got to know our run checks, our run reads, whatever it may be, but I'm really not practicing. I'm practicing another team's looks. So I think Desmond's done a great job of that, preparing each week, spends as much time here as Marcus does and then we try to do stuff with him whether it's after practice or whatever, we're trying to get some reps with him but he's doing well, he's developing and I think he's doing a great job supporting Marcus as a backup quarterback and anything that Marcus needs him to do. A lot of times when you mention caddy, a lot of times when I've talked about what quarterbacks, their job is as much getting the starter ready and that's what you're filming or whatever. How is he adjusted to doing that? What is his responsibility in all of that? Well, his responsibility is obviously to prepare himself to play, but he does. He helps Marcus any way he can and whether it's on the sidelines during the game or in practice, maybe it's something that he sees that maybe Marcus didn't see. He can relay what he saw or he watches a lot of film as well. So it's just little things like that, like you said, to help their starter prepare each week and then to be ready to play when his number's called upon. Is Marcus the type of guy that works with him? To be up games, because I know some quarterback groups have done that where it's like being prepped for a week, it's like, hey, back in quarterback, you take these five games and watch them. Is that how it goes in the room or is Marcus different? Marcus watches, he watches the majority of the games. I'll ask him if he's seen a look and yeah, I've seen this look. So I don't think, you know, he and Desmond are probably watching the same film. I know Marcus wants to kind of see it all and consume it all and see the different looks. But, you know, they do a good job of communicating each day and daily, whether it's in the meetings or after practice or during practice. I'm just going to ask, you know, how, if we don't get to see practice, how Marcus has been doing, you know, with the scout team and how's the development been coming along? Desmond? Yeah, it's different. Okay. Yeah, I think he's doing well. Like I said, he's got to go in there and fortunately, we played some offenses that are kind of similar to ours. So a lot of times, his reps are the other teams' reps, but they're similar plays. They're similar concepts. So he may go in there, look at the card and say, all right, run it like we run this play. And that's his rep. And he understands that's his rep and it's the same or similar type concept that we're going to run offensively. So I think he's done a good job with that. Obviously, he did a good job of getting guys in the right spots and dealing with motions and other things that come with being the scout team quarterback. And I think he does a great job after practice of grabbing the younger guys, guys who maybe not have receivers or running backs who maybe not have gotten as many reps. And then we'll go through the plays there. So that's once again, his time mentally to go through the reps and the plays and does a good job of carrying those other guys with him. Any mention of, you know, he's going back to Cincinnati, you know, back up. That's kind of the man up there. Oscar Robinson. Wow. That's strong company right there. Wow. Yeah, he's big up there. So I mean, it's got to be, you know, he probably wants to play, but, you know, I stand in the road, keep your mind set together. How's he doing, you know, with that part of it? Yeah, no, he's fine. Desmond professionally understands this is a business trip and I haven't asked him about it, but he'll hand it like a professional. I know he will. So. But for you as a quarterback coach, how beneficial is it to have someone who has his calm of the demeanor as Marcus at all times? You know, I think it's good because a lot of times when things don't go the right way or it gets rocky in a game, guys are going to look at the quarterback to see how they react and Marcus does have a calming presence about him. You know, he doesn't ride the roller coaster of emotions. He's pretty steady and I think that's important to have from a quarterback position that guys know, hey, like this guy's not rattled, so I shouldn't be rattled either. So I think he's got a good calming influence and he's got a really good demeanor. So I think it fits well. Take a sense of the quarterback for a second because obviously we will never be inside of that room with you. What is Marcus like in those situations? Is he more of a leader? Is he really vocal? In the quarterback room in our meetings? Yeah, you know, I think he's done a really good job of saying, I'm comfortable with this. I like this. This is what I've seen. Hey, I've been, you know, maybe in this place. This is how we picked up this blitz or this is a play that I like. And I think it's great to have that communication between myself and Coach Ragon and Coach Smith. And, you know, I think he does a great job of just expressing himself and being open and it's a lot of open dialogues. I think it's really good. Coach, when you all were just gotten a quarterback, what was your, what did you share about Bailey's app? He's one of the real quarterbacks that's playing. Yeah. Pickett's playing and you all got another respectful developmental approach here. What did you have on Bailey's app? You know, really, I just know the guy had a lot of experience with him. You know, you know, you know, really, I just know the guy had a lot of production from where, you know, from wherever he was, it was a ton of production. Like, I don't know a lot about him, but it was a ton of production and he is playing well, so I'm happy for him. A few minutes ago, talking about how Marcus adds to this offense and what he's able to do with his legs and being able to move the pocket and all that kind of stuff. How much does overall supplement, the supplementation of the run itself help Marcus and what he's doing, whether it's with Tyler Algero or Cale Huntley and the production that they're obviously having. How does that help him open things up? Me, Marcus' ability to run, is that kind of what you're asking? Yeah, you know, it's another guy that the defense has to defend. You know, you can't, a lot of quarterbacks you don't have to defend them, defend their legs, but Marcus is one you have to. You've got to always account for him and like I said, he can extend a play, he can keep it alive, he can add to our run game, he had whatever, 50 yards rushing and whatever it was on Sunday to scramble for the first down and stuff like that that's always extended a play or maybe he scrambled and it got us in third and two or third and three, it kept us in a manageable situation. We always talk about don't make a bad play worse. So if you can get us to third and two instead of being in third and 12, like those are huge hidden yards in there and I think part of his mobility is part of the reasons why we've been able to do that. We haven't talked to you since really, you've marked seven as ball handling issues for the first five weeks. What do you attribute that to? I think it's about being comfortable and obviously we work on it every day. We work quarterback center exchange, we work ballhandling with the backs. We work ball security drills and obviously we got to do a better job taking care of the ball because when you carry the ball you carry the hopes and dreams of the football team with you when you have that ball in your hand. It's just stuff that we just got to continue to work. We've got to continue to be conscious about it. I mean teams are going to try to attack where we're focusing on it. And as a team we're really focusing on ball security and making sure we don't turn the ball over because obviously that's one of the biggest factors in whether you win a game or not is your turnover margin. So it's something that we're focusing on. We're continuing to work on and continue to press forward with that. Within that you're talking a little bit about quarterbacks, quarterbacks, handoffs. Is that maybe where some of the issues were early on because he didn't have familiarity with Tyler or even with Caleb too, where those two guys sort of understand each other all that much? I don't know if they don't understand each other. Obviously a couple of them didn't happen on any type of RPOs or whatever it may be. And obviously some of it's misfortune and the ball may slip here or it may get caught on somebody's hip. It's just stuff that we got to continue to work. And we work it every day and we'll continue to work it. And I know the guys want to do better and they will do better. For you when you're watching Marcus operate how much does do for Marcus's success? Yeah, no. They've been tremendous and Coach Ledford does a great job with his staff there. They do a great job and they've done a great job. We've obviously run the ball and protected Marcus and I think they're understanding kind of his style of play and he understands how they're blocking things so I think as we continue to play games they're obviously continue to get comfortable with each other but I think the line's doing an outstanding job and rushing the ball well, protecting well and Marcus did he won the award but I think he'd be happy to say that he couldn't do it those guys up front and they've been obviously key contributors to what we've been able to do the last few weeks. Coach, is this style of offense sustainable? You know, people got their own take now. You know, heavy run, pass. I'm sure y'all want to improve the passing production but how sustainable is this offense moving forward? I think like I said before whatever it takes to win like whatever mode that we have to do to win a football game we're going to do it. If that means we throw it 20 times this week great. If it means we throw it 40 times this week great. I think this offense is more than sustainable because I think we're going to take what the defense gives us. We're going to find whatever niche we think can help us win the football game and that's what we're going to try to do and whatever that may be is our guys have accepted our guys believe in the system they believe in what we're trying to do and they accept each challenge that we have this week about whatever the keys are to try to win the game I've been playing football my whole life so going out there playing within the confines of the defense doing my job one of 11 going out there trying to help us win the game what's your assessment of the being those coaches telling us they like to do 11 personnel a lot and those guys had a lot of catches last week against the Saints they have a good receiving court we have a good DB court we're both young relatively young so when out there playing within the scheme of the defense is that something you all you don't want to try to build on? it will be hard for us every week trying to get our offense to ball more possessions to go out there and score turnover margin is a big deciding factor for wins for the most part so going out there trying to get our offense to ball as many times as we can and help us win what's your assessment of Joe Barrow and how he's playing you know at the slow start I guess it's a good quarterback he showed that last year we have to do to affect him in the passing game and then try to get a win try to get a win no sunglasses today no sunglasses listen I didn't bring them to practice not to practice game day thing game day fit for the defense I mean you can say all you want about their super court this is one of the fewer super court we have three guys with theoretical to be a number one how do you prep for that prep for them the same way we prep for anybody else we respect everybody in this league I guess every week you have a challenge every single week so going out there they have three good receivers but we we are confident in ourselves the game plan the coach needs the halfer so go out there and just play go out there and play how much of those like random reps that you would get you know you get like a series here a series how much do you think that might help you versus if you like just kind of going for either last like I said going out there it's helpful however you go out there and just playing football I've been playing football my whole life especially defensive back I have played that literally my whole life so going out there it feels natural so nothing too big Darren how would you describe the culture around here right now it's different it's different from last year for sure we have we're very confident ourselves right now we're feeling good we just got to keep the ball rolling right now keep the ball rolling I know that one of the things when you're in not too low when you lose how do you guys approach that as players on the same way we take on the same personality as our head coach our DC we feel what they feel they feel what we feel so when he says that we all feel that it's a lot of teams are up and down in this league but we don't want to be one of those teams so going out there playing hard playing physical playing fast that's what you have to do so Borough is confident himself and kind of brash do you like playing against a guy like that yeah I mean I'm a very confident person I think he is dude his confidence on the field the interview and stuff like that it's a hard league especially playing quarterback so you have to be confident yourself and then playing defensive back you're playing backwards the whole time you don't know what the offense is doing so you got to be a different type of person to play defensive back so that's good how does that manifest itself with you on the field I just play with confidence every play I don't really like she was just saying I don't really get too high or too low head it on every single play just be ready for the play that comes your way from the start of the season team it's been good I was dealing with a couple of little nagging injuries however getting back to myself getting back to the confidence in myself and playing well every week I try to get better every day I try to get better at practice just getting more reps in the defense and everything like that it's helping me be more comfortable out there at corner again