HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –Tyjuan Hagler's signing) * *
"It's always good when you can get someone back in the fold who has a pretty good sense of how you do things. He had been with us a while and it certainly helps us at this time with Kavell (Conner) being out. There is a possibility (of seeing him Sunday), there is no question about that. He is familiar with the system. We'll have to do some catch-up work here in the next couple of days, but you could see him out there for certain."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –Peyton Manning's three-game stretch)
"I'm sure that I sound like a broken record, but I think it has a lot to do with what he puts into it in the offseason and preparation and he takes care of his body. He strives to get better and he does earnestly. A lot of times people give it lip service, but he sets out to try and improve his play and everything that he does in the offseason, preseason, with that goal in mind. He does indeed seem to follow through in most cases."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –the last time Manning did something that surprised Coach Caldwell)
"There is not a day that goes buy that you do not marvel at a throw or some decision he is able to make or what he sees. That is just kind of the way he is. You certainly do not take it for granted. He made some great throws in that ball game, the week before and the week before that and every game and equally in practice. I think that's why he continues to get better."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –having stayed in touch with Hagler during the offseason)
"Not to the extent as last year. I think it was a little different scenario, but my answer to that would be no."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –next man up and relaying it to guys)
"We express that to the entire team. We talk about it on a regular basis. One of the things we have had around here is we've had a culture of that type of performance; meaning guys stepping in that maybe hadn't gotten a lot of playing time previously and steps up and plays and we do not miss a beat. There is a culture of that, that has always been in existence around here for quite some time. So what we do is foster it. I'm like the keeper of the flame. I talk about it all the time. We bring it up week to week. We talk about it in our Wednesday meetings. The practice squad guys have to be ready right at the onset. We talk about them studying, making certain they are on the top of their game because typically what happens is a guy comes and he's in the role of a backup or the practice squad and they are pretty sharp at being ready the first week. The second week they say 'I'm probably not going to play much,' and then the third week you see it in terms of his studying, his emphasis on getting ready starts to wane some. I like to keep that from ever happening. So, we talk about it every week. I think that's the way you maintain culture. Then all of the sudden you get a perfect example to reinforce what you are talking about. You get Linkenbach and you get Blair White. Those are things that bring it to light a little bit more and that certainly makes our description of things and how they should happen a little bit more vivid."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –Blair White as an example of next man up and how long that example will live on)
"We'll talk about it. It is something we'll try and foster. But we do it early on when they came in as rookies right after the draft. We talked about it and put t on the board like how many rookies and first-year players played for us. We've been as high as 19, but oftentimes we are somewhere around 10-12 year-in and year-out. We make that a point of emphasis when they come so they understand it and expect it, but also you can see on several occasions it has been a reality. So those kinds of things help you."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –young guys learning how guys practice, does coach explain to them or let them follow a veteran)
"I give them a pretty accurate description of our veteran leadership; what has made us successful around here, what is required, how do we think guys continue to get better and we talk about those things. Not only do we talk about them, but also it is fairly easy that we'll just say 'Hey, listen. If you want to know how to play your position, how to prepare for your position, how to take care of your body during the season etc., just watch the guy in front of you.' We have numerous examples of that across the board. That's the great thing about our team is the fact that we have so many leaders that not only are your best players, but your hardest workers, and that makes for a pretty easy sell. It also makes the transfer of information, which is extremely important in maintaining culture, pretty fluid."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –if that is why the players make such a big jump-i.e. Austin Collie)
"I think so. It is because of the work they put in during the offseason. It's because of the commitment, and I also think it is the kind of people we look for as well, guys with character and talent. They make a tremendous leap rather quickly, but I think the way in which the whole organization is set from top to bottom from our ownership on down, lends itself to young guys being able to step in and help us."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –injury expectations of Charlie Johnson, Pierre Garcon and Clint Session and if they will practice today)
"I do, but they are all different. If they are able to go, then they will go today. Sometimes it is right up until the last minute before we know, but in those cases I think the guys are coming along well and we'll see what happens."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –the rivalry with Jacksonville)
"It doesn't matter in terms of record or where we play, whether it's down there or up here, they are a tough team and we battle it out right to the end. Last year is a perfect example. We end up wining by two points, but they have the ball driving it down the field trying to get in position to get a field goal before we stopped them to win the ballgame. And then down there, there were nine lead changes in that ballgame. We played them back and forth. It was a classic battle and a high scoring affair, obviously. I don't expect this one to be any different. It's going to be a ballgame that's going to be tough. They have very good players on both sides of the ball and an excellent coach, and they have been playing outstanding in terms of their special teams. So, it's going to be a real challenge."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –talking to Colts players about keeping emotions in such a rivalry game)
"We try to control what we can control. We don't necessarily talk about what others do and that kind of thing. That's not our cup of tea, but we try to focus in on how we function, how we act, how we play, minimizing our penalties, minimizing our mistakes, minimizing our turnovers, and those are the kinds of things that we talk about that we can control. We don't get into anything else."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on –his take on Jacksonville's struggles)
"This is what I do. We take a look at the film and we take a look at who they have performing and playing for them and all I can see is a dangerous team. I can see Maurice Jones-Drew, who is one of the finest backs around, a guy that can run and carry the ball and give you fits. He is a game-breaker, not only as a ball carrier, but also as a pass receiver. I see David Garrard, who is without question a talented guy who certainly is very, very active and can beat you with his feet as well as his arm. I see Marcedes Lewis, one of the premiere tight ends, I think, in the league, a big guy that's physical. He can block as well as get down the field and catch passes. (Mike) Sims-Walker, (Mike) Thomas, both guys have 12 catches apiece and have certainly been able to do well. They have a pretty veteran offensive line. (Brad) Meester at center is tough and a very, very smart and heady player. ( Eugene) Monroe is a quality tackle, and that's just on one side of the ball. When you flip it to the other side, that's what I see, I see guys that can play. I see (Derrick) Harvey that can rush the passer. (Aaron) Kampman is a guy that they added to their roster that gives them effort and discipline. They've got two young guys in the middle. (Tyson) Alualu, who's a heck of a player on the inside. (Terrance) Knighton, who is tough, 336 pounds, that's what I see. I see (Rashean) Mathis on one side and (Derek) Cox on the other, who do a great job of jamming and running and playing. Two quality safeties and an outstanding kicking game, their punter and kicker are excellent, then they have return men. Thomas is doing a great job on punt returns, he is a gallant guy. They have punted it to him and the eight he has caught, he has only fair caught it once, so he is trying to ram it down your throat when he can, and Knighton is a guy with great speed that can really find seams and is able to return the ball. That's what we see and that's the only thing that matters. You had better get ready to play these guys and they are going to be tough. We will be playing in a very, very tough environment and we have to get ready."
HEAD C OACH JIM CALDWELL (on –Maurice Jones-Drew as he came out of UCLA)
"(My thoughts) haven't changed in terms of he was a very explosive guy coming out of UCLA, very, very well thought of. He has come to this league and I don't think he has disappointed anyone in terms of what he has been able to do. He's outstanding."