HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on today's morning practice) *Training Camp *
"Well, another hot one today, I think getting us ready for Dallas. We actually started a little work preparation today and trying to look at our rotation and how we are going to go. All in all, a fairly good day, learning as we go and making progress."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on preparing for the unknown against Dallas) Training Camp
"Well, we just have to kind of assume some things…all in all, what we really tell our young guys is that we just have to go down there like it's a practice day, go out there and read your keys and play good fundamental football. We really won't have a great idea of what they are going to do."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on getting more physical during preseason games as opposed to training camp practices) Training Camp
"You are trying to get yourself groomed and get your fundamentals down. We do some hitting in terms of individual drills and fundamental work in camp but not the tackling so to speak. That's where you do have to get sharp on defense – the tackling process."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on mental preparations for a rookie, specifically OT-Tony Ugoh) Training Camp
"I think for any rookie that comes in that is the biggest part of the game. Most of these guys have played in college and played well and you are learning a new system, you are learning to play with new people. Techniques a lot of the time are different for our offensive linemen, for our defensive backs, what you are allowed to do. That kind of thing is different in the NFL. It really is a learning process. All of them are going through it. Tony (Ugoh) is doing it as well as anybody."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on expectations this year for the rookies) Training Camp
"It is no different than it ever is. You draft guys with the idea that they are going to come in and help you in a lot of different ways. Guys that come in that don't think you are expecting a lot out of them because they are only playing special teams or they are only playing in certain situations, they are still critical to us. We have more chances maybe for some of our rookies, Tony Ugoh, possibly, Anthony Gonzalez, but what we have to remember is that we have other guys who have played those positions and will play well, and it is never going to fall entirely on them. It is not the type of thing where the team is going to sink or swim depending on the rookies' performance. We do expect those guys to contribute, and as I said many times, you don't know who it is. We certainly thought Joseph Addai would play, but I don't think at this time last year we expected Charlie Johnson would play three quarters of the Super Bowl."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on DT-Quinn Pitcock) Training Camp
"Quinn's doing a good job. He hustles, he's a strong guy. H has to work himself back into condition. I think the heat was an issue for him today, but he's going to do well for us from first impressions."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on losing DT-Anthony McFarland) Training Camp
"It is always tough when you lose your leaders in veteran players, but that's the nature of football. We've faced it before, a number of times, and what usually happens is other guys get more of an opportunity and guys that you maybe weren't expecting as much out of, you find out they can do more than you thought. Other guys around that position tend to pick it up and play better and that's how we found DB-Antoine Bethea last year when Mike Doss was hurt. That's how we found a number of guys, just because they get more of an opportunity to practice and play."
