HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on some of the focuses of Summer School) Monday, May 16, 2005
"The big thing is we want our veterans to get back and get going in the swing of things and have them show the rookies how we do things. Eventually, the rookies will learn the plays and what we do, but how we do it, how we practice, how we meet, the type of tempo we have. That's what we're trying to get across."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on if this is where the season starts) *Monday, May 16, 2005
*
"I think summer school and training camp are the most important times of the year for a team because that's where you really determine what type of team you're going to have. And if you have great attendance, great work now, it pays off in November and December."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on having so many weapons back) Monday, May 16, 2005
"It's fun. We have an offense that is in high gear right now. We have a lot of guys that know a lot about the offense, and that makes it fun to watch. Defensively, I think we're going to catch up. We have some young guys who play hard, who practice hard, and they're going to be good players. So all in all, we just have to concentrate on doing the right things all of the time, and we're going to be in good shape."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on how much DB-Bob Sanders will benefit from going through Summer School for the first time after being injured last year) Monday, May 16, 2005
"It has to be a big help to him. Today, we lined up for the first time, and we had Joseph Jefferson out there, Donald Strickland, Bob Sanders and Mike Doss, and none of those four guys were totally healthy last year. To see them running around making some plays in the secondary, and that's even before we got to Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden and Matt Giordano's group. So, all in all, I think we're going to be much improved because of the health of some of the guys, including Bob."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the competition in the defensive backfield) Monday, May 16, 2005
"There is. It's going to be good. We have some guys that have played really well for us in the past and if they can stay healthy, we think they're going to play better. We've added some young, fresh legs to the group, and we have to get our defense playing the same way our offense is. And I think we will."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on so many players attending Summer School sessions) Monday, May 16, 2005
"I think since (Head) Coach (Tony) Dungy has been here, he has really encouraged that. Obviously you cannot make it mandatory, but he points it out very simply, 'If you want to win, you need to be here.' And everybody on this team wants to win, so we've always had good participation. This is really when you define your team and work on the little things that are going to come up during the course of the season. If you just wait until July and August and the start of training camp to start working on these things, you're not going to have much of a passing game, you're not going to have much timing. This is always when we've established our timing and become a better football team."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on being back again) Monday, May 16, 2005
"It's a good feeling, and this is always an exciting time, because the majority of the team has been here since about the last week of March in the offseason program. This is truly the entire team with the rookies included with the uniforms on. It just gives you a good feeling. Guys are here to work, they're here to get better, and I'm looking forward to the season opener."
