TITANS INTERIM HEAD COACH MIKE MULARKEY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT - November 6, 2015
(on Marcus Mariota's status for Sunday's game)
He's going to play, yes. I think each day he's got better. It's good to be on the turf here like the same turf we're going to be playing on Sunday, so it was good to see him move around like he did.
(on if Marcus Mariota has the same mobility he has at the start of the season)
He's close, he's definitely close. You can't simulate game speed until the adrenaline and everything is flowing, and that will be on Sunday. We'll see that show up.**
(on if Marcus Mariota will wear a brace in Sunday's game)
He will, yes.
(on if the team will do anything different schematically to help protect Marcus Mariota)
We're going to try, that's the plan. We have a plan of attack every week on how to do that. We kind of amped that up a bit after the situation last week with the number of sacks, so we'll see. We have a plan.
(on if the team will get a boost from the return of the starting quarterback)
The players have had success with him, the Tampa game. We've been close in a lot of these losses when he's been playing, so it's naturally a boost, plus they know what he's capable of doing for us.
(on how excited Marcus Mariota is to return)
I get here early, he's here earlier than I am. He's a workhorse when it comes to studying and getting himself healthy and everything. He's itching to go.
(on the feel among the team after three practices with him as interim head coach)
We've really had three good days. We did some things, this practice is usually split full-go and more of a walk-through. We changed it to go full-go, and these guys responded. They didn't even blink. We're off the field 12 minutes earlier than we anticipated. That's good that there is a good tempo going when you're getting those kinds of results. Every day we've finished early, which is a good sign. They're moving around.
(on if he has accomplished everything he has wanted to this week in preparation for his first game as interim head coach)
I think. There are things right now I'm sure I'm missing, but I've had really a lot of help from a lot of people around. It's been good the way I've been supported by everybody. It's all getting close to being checked off.
(on if a new coach can give a team a boost the same way the return of the starting quarterback can)
Well you know, you hope. We've only got so many games to go and it's important that we get over the initial shock of what took place and hopefully get right back into rhythm and get ready to play a game. You can only be in that kind of state of mind for so long. We've got to get ready to go, and these guys have responded like they're ready.
(on if the game will be a good way to get back to a sense of normalcy after the events of this week)
It will be good. I don't think there will be any distractions. I think these guys will be ready to play when they show up on Sunday.
(on if he has decided on a starting offensive line for Sunday)
I think we know it. I'm not going to reveal it until Sunday. I'm feeling good about it, but I'm not going to let that out until we play, just for competitive advantage.
(on if he will make a move in the secondary with Jason McCourty and Blidi Wreh-Wilson out)
That too, we're going to wait to see how we do once we get off here and maybe another day.
(on injured players that can be ruled out for Sunday)
Blidi (Wreh-Wilson) and Kendall (Wright) will be out for sure. We're still kind of waiting to see the results of (Jason) McCourty, still an option,
