FB B.J. ASKEW
(On training camp)
“Right now we’re still in the beginning phases of camp so we haven’t quite gotten to those dog days yet. (Coach) Gruden has done a good job taking care of us. So, right now for the most part I think everybody is still feeling pretty good.”
(On wanting to carry the ball more)
“Really, I won’t get the ball as much as I would ever want to. I’m pretty sure of that. But you’ve got guys like Warrick Dunn, Earnest Graham, Michael Bennett, Ken Darby, I mean, they’re looking fantastic. I just kind of take it as an honor to block for those guys and work together as a team to win a championship.”
(On the great moments for a blocker)
“I just like to see a linebacker one-on-one in the hole. I know the guys behind me are going to do what they have to do, and I just want them to know they can count on me to handle my side of the job. It’s really just one of those things, I kind of tease them sometimes, ‘Oh man I would have broken that tackle, come on man!’ In the huddle even, I mean, we talk.”
(On the stable of running backs)
“It’s pretty much one of those things where it will be completely up to the coach. It may be game plan based; whoever he wants to run the ball is going to carry the load. Really, when you have more than one guy who is handling you don’t get all of those injuries. You lose your one main star and you are pretty much starting over. But to have so many guys who can do it, and do it at a level that they have proven that they can do it is a plus for the entire team.”
(On working with Jeff Garcia)
“First, I have to talk about Jeff’s toughness. You’ve seen him last year. He’s head first. He’s trying to scramble. He’s doing everything he can to get the first down, to make the big play. You can’t ask anything more from Jeff.”
(On the backup fullbacks)
“I haven’t seen much of Carl (Stewart), but Byron (Storer) is looking very stellar in the hole, very strong. I’m just trying to help him out with a few things as far as putting the finishing touch on a block. I think Byron is ready to play.”
S JERMAINE PHILLIPS
(On similarities of past camps)
“No I don’t really see a difference, the only difference that I see is that in the afternoon we go into our dome and we have our walk through so our legs are a little bit more fresh, but I look at is as this year we really have an experienced team and it’s been exciting because you can move farther along in things that you want to do in terms of communication and things of that nature and things that you want to do on the field.”
(On the new tent)
“I’m the type of person that I like hard work, I like to be out on the field, and to sweat a little bit more, and get the grind going on but I think it’s definitely beneficial. As we go through plays and do different things, different blitzes and things of that nature. You get to walk through and see exactly where you are going to be. Today we are going to add some noise to it, so it’s going to give us the effect of being at home if you’re defense and away if you’re playing offense, so it’s definitely going to be interesting to see how that plays out today.”
(On S Sabby Piscitelli)
“He’s ready to go. I see him growing a lot from last year to this year. I mean he really knows what he’s doing. He’s comfortable, he’s confident in what he’s doing. He’s going to give us another safety back there who can step in there and not miss a beat. So I look for us to be fresh back there at all times. He’s going to be a great player in this league.”
(On CB Aqib Talib)
“He has a lot of talent, he’s just learning. Everybody knows when you come into this system as a rookie it’s a lot to learn, a lot to grasp, and to digest but he’s doing a good job with that and he’s taking it in and making plays here and there.”
(On the mindset coming into camp)
“The mindset that I take is that I'm a rookie. I look at it like that I come in here that it’s time for me to go in here and fight for a job again and fight for a spot on the roster. I’m in meetings and I take notes just like I did when I was a rookie just to go over things, even if it’s things that I know. Just to keep me in that habit, keep me in that mind frame. You never know it all. I see Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber, they’re doing the same thing, and looking at those guys, I learned from them over the years. So if they’re doing it there must be something right with it.”
(On last season)
“You know last year was just great. I think in 2006 I think I lost a little bit of confidence in my abilities, I think that was the biggest problem. I doubted myself when everybody else wasn’t. Last year has taught me that you don’t doubt yourself, you’re here for a reason and when you can’t play anymore you’ll know it and until then just go out there and play hard and just go off your instincts.”
(On facing other teams)
“I have been looking forward to that since we lost to the Giants, I have been looking forward to that for a long time. In training camp I don’t really get to hit anybody, and the mentality in practice and the mentality in the game is totally different, at least for me, in practice these are my teammates. I want these guys to make it through the day, but in a game I know I can hit this dude and he can be out for the game and I can be fine with it. It’s a totally different mentality.”
(On S Sergey Ivanov)
“Sergey has come into the defensive back room and he has fit right in, he’s one of us. He has a great personality. In a defensive back room there are a lot of different personalities, me included, but he’s a great fit and I think he’s going to provide some spark for us. I’m sure he has some stories, being over there in Russia, traveling to London, and Amsterdam and things of that nature so he’s going to fit in just fine.”
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