Q: How did the visit with Steve Smith go?A: Went well. He came in here really upbeat. The guys were excited to see him. We just have to see exactly…it's going to be a long haul for him. Hopefully we can cut through some of that and see where it goes. That's all I can say. He looks good though.

Q: By long haul do you mean he would not be able to help at all this season?A: I don't know about that. I wouldn't say that at all.  As far as I know it's August, but he's got a ways to go.

Q: How far along is he?

A: He's feeling good, feeling better, doing more, progressing, better.

Q: Would it have been better for him to be working out here instead of out inCalifornia?

A: Well he was training, he was working, he was rehabbing hard.  Of course we didn't have him every day. 

Q: Are you starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel in the Osi situation?

A: I hope so. I really do. I hope we get some closure on that chapter and start on the new one. 

Q: Have you talked to him at all about getting back out there?

A: Always just from an encouraging standpoint. Let's get this stuff resolved and get out there.

Q: Were you aware of any issues with Osi's knee last year?

A: The concern last year was more hip oriented.

Q: After some of the things that have happened so far throughout camp, are you looking forward to this game to get back to some type of normalcy.

A: I told the players today, the game is right there.  The competitive juices have to flow in everybody. Now, there's an awful lot of work to be done on the field and I'm sure every club feels the same way.  Starting point is a game.  Let's play a game and see where we are.

Q: Do you even address all of the off-the-field issues with the players?

A: Only where it impacts what they need to know, that's all.

Q: You changed the schedule. What is the reasoning behind that?

A: Yeah the reason is that if we're going to play in the North Atlantic then we're going to practice in the North Atlantic. That's all.  The real reason was the objectivity.  We've had nine practices. I think they've had few issues at all from a weather standpoint so we'll go twice in the heat of the day and then we'll decide next week whether we're going to do the same thing.  Football has to train in the heat, so we'll train in the heat.

Q: Are you prepared for the game with the lack of practices so far?

A: Well at a certain point we put the pads on and we wear the pads every day.  You kind of play your way into that. There's responsibility when you're doing that.  I mean we don't practice to hurt each other; you practice to learn how to practice together in pads.  That's where the difficult part comes in.  You've got the young guys who sometimes don't understand even what the interpretation of the verbiage is so you get an occasional one of those things.  The development of the physical part of it, you play your way into it.  Have we had many practices? No. Are we where we should be? No. Would I use the word "crisp"? No. I'm looking for crisp but nobody on the ground.  That's what I'm looking for and we're not there yet.

Q: How's James Brewer?

A: They called it a contusion I believe and he's gong to try to go in individuals and see where that goes.

Q: Marvin Austin?

A: Austin will practice.

Q: Has Amukamara had the surgery yet?

A: He has.

Q: Did it go ok?

A: I've never known one that hasn't.

Q: Are you at all worried that Osi will actually need this surgery or are you convinced that he'll be fine?

A: I am thinking that whatever is in the best interest of our team right now, that's the only thing I've thought about.  We will manage whatever we have to manage.  We've done it.  Like I said, the hip – we couldn't practice both Wednesday and Thursday (last season) so we practiced one day under those circumstances.  So if there's an issue here, we'll find a way to work with the issue. We'll find a way to get the player in the best position he could be in on Sunday.

Q: Do you believe that mentally he'll be able to put everything behind him and play?

A: I think he'll be able to.  Whatever the behind you is.  It's the season. It's time to go.  Competitors feel it.  They want to go.