*Saturday, April 25, 2009 *
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (general comments)
"Well, as you now know we selected Donald Brown, running back from Connecticut. He's a 2,000-yard rusher, a scintillating player who catches the ball. We lost Dominic Rhodes, and we've replaced him with Donald Brown. It's a good time anytime you get a guy who's a game-breaker. You feel good about it. He was, in our opinion, the best player left. Interestingly enough, everything went exactly as we thought it would (in the draft's first round). I think there were only two picks that we didn't have. It was pretty much where we thought he was scheduled to go off (the draft board). We were very prepared to make the pick. We feel very good about it. This guy is a game-breaker. He has the ability to take the ball all the way. You've seen some of the highlights, I'm sure. He's a great kid, and we're thrilled to have him."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on RB-Donald Brown's ability)
"His running ability caught our eye. When you rack up 2,000 yards, you are doing something. Believe it or not, he was in the same Little League with Knowshon Moreno. That's pretty amazing. He's a game-breaker back. What it says to Joseph Addai is you're going to have a longer career and a more productive career."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on if he knew RB-Donald Brown was the guy always)
"We said, 'Here's a guy that fits everything we want as a football player. There isn't a thing wrong with him.' He's everything we would like to have in a Colts player."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on who he consulted to find out more about RB-Donald Brown)
"I spoken to Randy Edsall his college coach way back in December when he was thinking about coming out. Randy and I had a long conversation about him. I had seen him play. The area scout was really in love with him. He came away and said, 'Hey, this guy is definitely a game-breaker.' Bob Ferguson, who is one of our national scouts, actually took a look at the film the other day and was just gushing about him."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on the six players he was looking at in the first round to draft)
"They were all pretty much across the board. It actually ended up being four. There's one left. We felt that once we saw the thing develop at about 24 we knew we were going to get one of the players."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on who RB-Donald Brown reminds him of among current players)
"It's hard to pick a current guy. He has his own style. I couldn't think of one right at the moment."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on why he drafted RB-Donald Brown)
"We just felt his game-breaking style and his all around ability of blocking and catching is what really attracted us. Remember, we don't base things on statistics or notoriety like that. We base things on what you see with your eyes."
PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN (on the status of RB-Mike Hart)
"Our anticipation is that he will be ready at the start of the season. I think he's a pretty valuable role player. Our hope is that he's ready to go. I don't know about training camp. I think that could be a little dicey. Certainly, we were told the other day all signs point to him being ready for the regular season. Mike is a valuable role player."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (general comments)
"We are really excited about it. He's an outstanding talent as Bill (Polian) has mentioned, and a guy that certainly is going to come in and do some fine things for us. He certainly has the speed and the ability to run the ball and not only that, he'll understand and learn the protections within our offensive scheme in a short period of time. The first thing I visited with him on the phone and the first thing he asked me about was an offensive installation for this coming weekend and a playbook. He's the kind of a guy that has the kind of personality that we are typically accustomed to working with."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on having a two-back system)
"It's important to have two good backs in your system. There's no question about that because of the fact that the workload that's put on that position week in and week out. You need two guys that can carry the mail for you. At least two."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on RB-Joseph Addai's situation)
"It's not any different than what we've been over the years. You look back ever since we've been here basically there's always been two quality backs. It shouldn't change anything as far as his mindset and knowing that he has some help."
HEAD COAH JIM CALDWELL (on if he knew RB-Donald Brown was the guy always)
"When we first got together last week and started going through the whole dynamics of the round, we certainly discussed that in detail."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on what he feels what lacking in the running game last year)
"There's not one thing you can point to and say this was the particular problem that we have. I think, overall, is we started to assess and take a real good look at it. There were a number of areas we thought we needed to straighten out. It could have been a strength factor on an occasion or two, or an individual blocking situation. Some of it may have been just from a schematic standpoint. Some of it was just a matter of being able to execute our techniques property and more consistently."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if RB-Donald Brown could be the number one back)
"We are looking at it much like we've looked over the years. Joseph (Addai) is our number one back. When Donald (Brown) comes in, he's going to play a role. We're going to give him an opportunity to fit in just like we have with other backs that have been here."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on being drafted by Colts)
"I'm happy. I'm relieved. I'm excited. Once my phone started ringing, my heart dropped. It was very exciting."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on who called him from the Colts)
"It was Coach Caldwell. He was just saying they're excited to get me and excited to get things going,and I said, 'So am I.'"
RB-DONALD BROWN (on playing with RB-Joseph Addai)
"I just want to contribute in any way possible. There's a Pro Bowl running back there and the opportunity to learn from one will be an honor and a great experience."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on what he can contribute to the team)
"Any way they need me, whether its special teams, third-down situations, whatever. That's what I'm there for."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on sharing carries with RB-Joseph Addai)
"That's fine with me. When I first started playing college ball, I played mainly special teams and a little bit of third down. Then I started to get worked into the offense. Maybe that's the same way (I'll be used)."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on the surprise of being picked by Colts)
"It's funny, my agent said, 'You know what? The sleeper pick is going to be the Colts.' Lo and behold the Colts made the pick."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on playing with QB-Peyton Manning )
"What an honor. It's definitely great to play with one of the best."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on the type of back he is)
"I just want to be as versatile as possible. The more assets you can bring to a team, the more successful you'll be. I'm willing to block, catch the ball out of the backfield and run between and outside the tackles."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on who he compares his play to)
"He's been out a couple of years, but I'd say I've got the running style of Tiki Barber."
RB-DONALD BROWN (on the biggest influences on his life)
"My parents (Donald, Sr. and Lisa) have been there every step of the way. They're great. They shaped me into the man that I am today. And also my high school coach, and Coach Edsall. I'm blessed to have been surrounded by great people."
