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HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER**
(On the progression of the team in the offseason)
I'm pleased. They've had a couple of weeks off since the OTA's; everybody has worked hard and the rookies have progressed. We had a really good session yesterday and I was pleased with what happened today.
(On the team improving since the beginning of OTA's)
Things are settling down; it's clearing itself up right now. This is the time that you want it to happen. We have another session Friday and then three next week. By the time we are finished up with next week's session we will have pretty much everything in; then you go back and do it again during training camp. Things are moving along and I am pleased with the condition level of the team and of the participation and enthusiasm.
(On Titans Offensive Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger)
Mike's very specific. He is deliberate and wants things done his way. Once things are in place he is going to attack; he is going to attack defenses. We are talking about some things we don't have in yet because our defense doesn't necessarily play those defenses. He's just very specific and deliberate and the players will understand when he calls things there is a reason for it and what is expected of them in the play.
(On Titans quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson)
Craig's value has certainly been underestimated over the last few years. He has quietly done his job and worked with Coach [Norm] Chow and now Heimerdinger again. He understands what they want and gets it across. He has done a great job with Kerry [Collins] and Vince [Young]. Mike and Craig remained close after Heimerdinger left.
(On Vince Young throwing the deep ball more now that Norm Chow is gone)
It's hard to say now; we are going to put the ball down the field and there are going to be some catches and some incomplete passes. The defense will dictate for the most part and when there are opportunities we are going to take advantage of them.
(On Vince Young and his targets)
He is making all the throws and his footwork has improved. He has a good feel for what we are doing. I am pleased with his supporting cast as well. The tight ends are doing a nice job. Alge (Crumpler) is doing very well and has been a really good addition to this club and all the receivers have improved. We are pleased with Lavelle Hawkins. It is a good group of players around him [Young] and they are making some plays for him.
(On Biren Ealy)
Biren found his way on the field toward the end of last season. He made some plays for us on special teams and got some snaps for us offensively. He works very hard and is here every day. He is definitely in the running and we will see what happens.
(On the veteran players mentoring the rookies)
That's the way we do things here, and the vets understand that the rookies are here to help us win. The vets embrace them. On occasion they are joking with them and things like that, but by in large they know they are here to help us win so they are going to try to get them to understand how we do things and help them to get better as well.
(On Justin McCareins)
He has really settled down. Keep in mind that we only had him for three years. He is making plays and understands the offense and is very familiar with Coach Heimerdinger and has made a lot of plays over the last couple of days.
(On Jeff Fisher's coaching clinic)
It is an opportunity to open the facility and a rare opportunity to watch an off-season practice and we will spend a lot of time in the various meetings covering a lot of different things. This is something that we have been doing for years and we have got a great response out of it. We are honored to be able to help and answer questions. Believe it or not, we have learned some things ourselves. The game is very special at the high school level in Middle Tennessee and throughout the state of Tennessee. Many of those programs are great and most of these are the guys that are the reason for that. There is room for improvement, as always, and we are happy to have them here.
(On Brandon Jones' incident at the Nashville International Airport)
We discussed it last week with Brandon and his representatives. I think that is all that needs to be said and we will wait and see what happens. We are responsible for the choices that we make and sometimes we lose track of things. He is embarrassed and will hopefully be able to put this thing behind him.
(On the dangers of the off-season to NFL players)
The off-season is a scary time for coaches. There is a lot of idle time and we are constantly reminding players to avoid places that they shouldn't be and making good decisions and doing the right things for the right reasons. I don't have the specifics on what happened to Javon [Walker] but I hope he recovers quickly; you can never be too careful.
(On Albert Haynesworth's holdout)
We have until July 15 to get things done. We both have a vested interest in getting something done. I would not classify it as being stalled and we are going to continue to try to get things done. That is all I can say; we don't make a habit of making negotiations public. I can say we have an interest in getting things worked out.
(On the effect of Albert Haynesworth's holdout on the team)
I don't think it has an effect on the team. What it has to do with is performance and production. I hope that he is taking care of himself physically and emotionally. There is no way he can match what we are doing out here. Albert's success last year had a lot to do with the price he paid during the offseason and condition level that he was able to achieve. It also had a lot to do with the players around him. Those players are out here working hard and I hope he is working hard as well.
