Los Angeles Rams HC Sean McVay

(On how he thinks today’s practice went)

“It was good. Just like anything else it felt a lot sharper on both side of the ball from day one to day two. That’s what we talk about with our guys, always trying to improve. Like I mentioned yesterday, until we really go back and look at the tape, we’ll really get a good feel. But, I felt like we moved around better, competed better. Still have to try to always avoid the pre-snap penalties both on offense and defense, but it was definitely a step in the right direction for us.”

(On RB Todd Gurley’s performance today at practice)

“Todd did a nice job. I think when you look at just the running back position as a whole, one of the things that makes him special is his ability to break tackles, so a little hard to get a true evaluation of what a special player he is until you get in those game situations. But, I think in terms of doing all the little things the right way and being a player both in the pass and the run game and being mindful in protection – I think he’s done an excellent job. He’s definitely setting the standard in that room for sure.”

(On the importance of building relationships and communication with QB Jared Goff and Gurley)

“I think that’s the start of everything. First off to develop any foundation, you want to start by building relationships. That’s one of the things that we as a coaching staff really value and we want to embody that and the players have been receptive as well. It takes a two-way deal to have great communication and I think those guys have done an excellent job. They’ve made it easy for us as a coaching staff to do that.”

(On QB Sean Mannion’s performance thus far and if there’s anything he can do to truly challenge the starting role)

“Sean’s done an excellent job. You can see that Sean’s a conscientious guy where he was really working on some of the little things from the offseason program and he was able to translate it from where he built on what he did in the offseason as opposed to starting over. I thought yesterday was one of his really good days. I thought he built on that and had another good day. It’s just like we’ve said with everything else, we’re always constantly evaluating these guys. But, I think he and Jared, both had good days today.”

(On if when he brought in QB Dan Orlovsky, because he was looking for a veteran)

“Yes, we were. When you have two younger players like we do. Dan’s a guy that’s been around some great ones, playing with Peyton manning. He’s been with (Lions QB Matt Stafford) for the last couple years in Detroit. He’s a pro’s pro. I think having a veteran leader in that room where he can explain some of the experiences he’s had different than a coaching prospective, but from a player prospective. He’s got a little bit of experience in a system very similar to this. He worked with (Rams offensive coordinator) Matt (LaFleur) when they were in Houston together early on in Matt’s coaching career. So, I’ve never met Dan before this week and just being around him, he’s definitely going to be a benefit to that room.”

(On what he saw on tape from yesterday’s practice that he wanted to work on today)

“Yeah, I think you want to be mindful of it. There’s always a handful of things, but what you try to do with each position is kind of pick out that point of focus, point of emphasis for that given day, because if you emphasize everything you kind of emphasize nothing. So, with each individual position group, we picked a couple things out and for the most part, from just seeing it out here at practice, it seemed like guys especially on offense, did a nice job translating that.”

(On using TE Gerald Everett and TE Tyler Higbee together)

“Well, I think when you just look at it, Tyler (Higbee) is a little bit bigger guy, got a great catch radius, but I think they’re very similar, where they’re both functional athletes. Tyler’s had a little bit more experience just based on going into his second year playing on the line of scrimmage, but I think when you just look at the first couple of days, the comfort level that you see in Gerald Everett and just moving around and getting lined up and just executing his role responsibility on the given play, he’s much more comfortable. When you can do that, you can play fast and that’s when I think you’ll see his athleticism. Every time he does something wrong I always give him, I say, ‘I don’t know, would Jordan Reed or Vernon Davis have done on that?’ But he’s done a nice job to start camp and we’ve been pleased with Gerald so far.”

(On the move from offensive coordinator to head Coach and appreciating how good the defense is)

“You can. It’s a little more difficult for me than I thought. But no, it’s exciting because ultimately it’s about the team and that’s what we talk about with our guys all of the time. I think what we’re striving to see is just great competitiveness on both sides of the football and I thought our defense had a great day yesterday. I think when you look at it just seeing it firsthand right now watching it live, it seemed like it was a good balance back and forth between the offense and the defense today. It was a better day, but absolutely as a coach, it’s about winning football games and any time you have a great defense, you give yourself a chance.”

(On having to suppress the offensive coordinator in him)

“I think naturally that’s always your natural reaction just based on being involved in the offense so much, but being around these guys defensive guys, getting a familiarity with kind of what (Defensive Coordinator) Coach Wade (Phillips) is going to do on that side of the ball with his scheme. It’s been fun for me to learn and kind of give an offensive perspective on some of the things and I think they’ve done a great job making it difficult for the offense.”

(On how WR Robert Woods fits into the offense)

“He’s done excellent. He’s playing both outside and inside for us. He’s competing well in the run-game. Kind of like we talked about the other day, he’s been what we had hoped. He’s a complete receiver, not really limited in any of the routes he can run. You talk about a pro’s pro where you say something in the meeting room and he’s going to be able to translate it out to the grass. A conscientious guy that you can look at and say, ‘This is the example younger guys of what it looks like to work and do the little things the right way on a consistent basis’.”

(On if there is any update on DT Aaron Donald)

“There is no update right now. As far as the communication goes, there is ongoing communication and like I’ll continue to say, we are striving to work for a solution. In the meantime, guys are out here getting better. I have full trust and confidence that Aaron is working too. That is why, you know that he is going to be doing the little things the right way, so that hopefully if we can’t come to a solution to this, he will be ready to go.”

(On what it is about T Andrew Whitworth that has allowed him to have some of his best years in his mid-30s)

“Well, I think that he is the epitome of a pro’s pro – like you were kind of talking about with a Robert Woods. Doing the little things the right way all the time, a great example in terms of just playing the techniques, the fundamentals – I think it has been encouraging to see a guy that has had the level of success that he has had in Cincinnati and then asking him to do a couple things differently and how willing he has been to buy in to those techniques. But he has been everything and more and this is what I tell people, he is like a fine wine, he is just getting better with age.”

(On how much he is looking forward to getting Donald back so that his other interior lineman can learn from him)

“I think with any of the great players, that is the idea. If we’re able to get him back, you know he is going to be an example of what it looks like, but I think when you’ve got guys like (OLB) Connor Barwin, (DT) Michael Brockers – you are seeing (DT) Dominique Easley, (OLB) Robert Quinn, you feel good about the depth that we have up front. Those guys have done an excellent job kind of being leaders in their own right as well.”

(On if he has thought about what he will do if Donald doesn’t show up)

“It is a great point because as an NFL coach you always have to have contingency plans in place, whether it be a holdout or injuries it is the next man up mentality. We are hopeful that we will get something worked out, but if not, we feel confident in the guys that have stepped up in his absence. We are trying to get better every single day.”