TITANS HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT - October 30, 2015
(on Marcus Mariota's injury progress)
Marcus (Mariota) has made a lot of progress this week. He's done a nice job, I think he's close, but we're not going to play him this week. I think that's the best decision for him and that's what we're going to go with.
(on what the determining factor was in deciding not to play Marcus Mariota Sunday)*
I think probably just missing some reps. I think physically he's probably on the line of being ready to go, but it's a tough enough position to play without getting the bulk of the reps. That was part of it.
(on if he is comfortable playing Zach Mettenberger)
Well if he didn't, we don't have much choice, right. We've said all along we felt good about this. I got asked about that early in camp, 'why do you keep three quarterbacks?' I said that's because the chances of a guy getting all the way through the season just seems to not happen in the NFL much anymore, so that's why we did it, and we feel good about it.
(on if Marcus Mariota's progress gives him confidence that he will play next week)
You've got to be careful about saying those things because you don't know if something could change. But where we are today, just what I said, it's more of a function of not having gotten enough in practice to feel comfortable with him.
(on if Zach Mettenberger will be more comfortable after another week of practice)
I think the thing that will make him most comfortable is having played in a game. You can get only so much out of practice, and having gone through game-speed and made throws, moved around in the pocket, that's what prepares you to play. After not having done it for a number of weeks, he got some time last week and hopefully that will help him feel more comfortable Sunday.
(on if it is frustrating to have Marcus Mariota miss time in his rookie season)
Frustrating's not the right word. You feel bad for the kid because he wants to play so badly, but in the NFL season, you lose players. That happens. You're just glad that he'll be back and you go forward.
(on if he can rule out anyone else for Sunday's game)
Perrish (Cox) and Harry (Douglas).
(on if he will make another roster move with Harry Douglas out)
That's something that we'll talk about, but it's certainly in consideration.
(on how Marcus Mariota's knee is tested in practice)
Drills, he does drill work…just all the normal things that a quarterback has to do. He does his own things for rehab, but just during the course, that's really the test, is doing the football things.
(on if Andy Gallik is ready to get back into things Sunday)
He practiced, but he's got to go through the final clearance of the protocol. We're hopeful that will happen this afternoon and we'll be good to go.
(on what goes into deciding who will start at center if Andy Gallik is healthy enough)
It's premature to talk about it until he is out of the protocol, so that's a part of it. I think that Andy (Gallik) did a nice job when he was playing the last two weeks. We feel much better about him having gotten that, and (Joe) Looney did a nice job when he had to come in. So we'll see where we are when we get to the game.
(on the status of the other injured players)
We feel good about all the other guys being able to go, so that's what we're expecting.
