Drew Petzing Camp Day 7 Presser and Interview

OC Drew Petzing took his turn at the podium to start Day 7 of camp and touched on a bunch of topics.

Drew Petzing Press Event Transcript

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• Start with Gibbs, obviously hasn't been on the practice field. What do you think the offense looks like without him? What do you think you're missing when he's not on the field? I mean, he's one of our best players. You know, we always want him out there, but I know he's going to be ready when the moment comes. So, not concerned about it at all.

• What is it as far as, you know, with a new coordinator, new system though, um, you know, what is he not taking advantage of, I guess, by not being out there working, I think, more closely with the line, quarterback, all that stuff. I think that's a small piece of it, but you know, for a guy that's played at such a high level, you know, I think his skill set is very obvious. I think we know what that's going to look like when he hits the field for us. So, uh not something we're particularly worried about. I think we can work on those things even when he's not on the field and would expect us to pick up right where he left off when he gets back out there.

• The flip side of that equation, Drew, is Pacheco is getting a ton of run and um I think people are kind of wondering which Pacheco was this franchise getting early career the last couple seasons. What have you seen from Isaiah here in these this first week of training? Maybe even extending back to OTAs. Yeah, he's been awesome. Uh just the way he approaches the job, how physical and how tough he is, how hard he practices, how much he cares. You know, he can have an unbelievable practice and if there's one rep that he didn't do exactly what he wanted to do or he beats himself up over, he's really hard on himself. And I think that is contagious and it's been fun to work with and really excited to see that continue. I can ask one more.

• You saw him carry a few tacklers for like an eight-yard run a couple days ago. just how infectious can those kind of plays be for an offense? Oh, it's huge. I mean, as you said it, I think there was contact probably a yard, yard and a half past the line. It ends up being a nine-yard run and that to me is what the run game is about. It's a physical mentality. Uh it's a violent sport and when you got guys like that with the ball in their hand, I think it gets the rest of the other guys on the field excited about seeing that.

• If I can if I can ask just one more sort of on the Gibbs thing is just on the other side of it for you for yourself, you know, as a coordinator play caller. Um what are you missing by having a special player like Jahmyr not in the fold, you know, that working relationship, seeing what he can do and how you can use them? I think that working relationship is still there. I mean, we're still communicating. We're still talking through practice reps and different looks and things that we want to do or things that I think he can do at a high level. Um, so if anything, it gives me the opportunity to try to highlight some other opportunities and give other guys the ball in practice and see what else we can do um, in those events. I think that's a big part of being an offensive coordinator is adapting to who's available, who's out there, how do we move people around, how are we, uh, dynamic and difficult to defend. And so that's kind of been my focus here these first couple days.

• I can't give up too much of, you know, what you're looking for, but it's a lot of fans who still getting to know you, still getting to know what the offense going to look like, but what do you feel like is your trademark, your hallmark? What can fans expect to see from, you know, Drew Petzing offense this year? Uh, it needs to be physical. It needs to be tough. Uh, it needs to be difficult to defend and it needs to be multiple at times. You know, it's not going to all run through one person. It's not going to run through one personnel. It's going to change week to week. I think that's important in this league. You know, defensive coordinators, I think, do do things at a really high level. They watch tape. They understand scheme. Um, so I think that's a big part of what we need to be on offense.

• A lot has been made obviously your use of 13 personnel but obviously the seems like the strength of the you know is the receivers the wide receiver group. How do you balance that you know the position groups and is there a sacrifice you're going to have to make one way or the other? I don't I think it more of an opportunity than a sacrifice. You know it's an opportunity to put your best players on the field and in other places I've been sometimes that was 13 personnel. If it's 11 personnel if it's 10 personnel if it's 01 personnel that's what it's going to be. And I think that's so important to me doing my job at a high level and doing the best job for the organization is making sure that whoever has the ability to affect the game at a high level, I'm putting on the field and giving them that opportunity.

• How have you kind of uh I guess kind of gone through the calculus of just uh you know, obviously there's so many players that are capable of, you know, making plays on in this offense, but just like balancing like who, you know, who gets the most touches and that's how have you worked through that yourself? But just so far, I guess It's a balance as you said and I think a big part of that is challenging guys and saying, "Hey, you want the ball, go out and earn it." We're in training camp right now. Guys are fighting for roles. They're fighting for touches. They're trying to show me, their teammates, other coaches, this organization what they can do. And I've always said, "You show me you do something at high level. It's my job to put you in that position over and over again." And I think that's what competition is all about. And it brings out the best in us as individuals and as a unit.

• A lot of move pieces along the offensive line. Just curious now you've gotten to see if you've patted practice. You can't really evaluate until the pads come on. Just what have you liked about that that unit up front. You said you want to be physical, run the football. It obviously starts there. Just what you've seen from those guys. Yeah, I mean you hit on we've had two days in pads. So we're starting to be able to evaluate what guys are capable of, what where we need to improve, what we do well. You know, I think the always the not shocking thing, but the surprising thing is some of those things that worked before the pads came on in team drills in one-on- ones. All of a sudden, when the pads come on, it's a little bit of a different sport. And so, been really pleased with the attitude, the effort, the physicality. Uh there's some execution things and some technique things that we're going to continue to clean up. But I think that's the starting point. If the physicality is not there, the toughness isn't there, the other part doesn't matter. And so, I think we've seen that in two days. Uh and then the other stuff, those details will come as we get through the rest of camp.

• You just had Greg Dorch for three years in Arizona. I mean, when you guys have you got St. Brown and JMO and Tesla there, but you know what Dorch can bring. So, what can he offer this offense in this? Yeah, I mean, the return skills are, you know, second to none in my opinion. I think he does a great job with the ball in his hand. You know, he plays in the slot a lot or has uh which I think is something he does at a high level. So, just as you said, another tool there and he's got to go out and earn that right now throughout camp. Uh, and I think he's doing a nice job of going out there and competing.

• Drew, you mentioned that attitude and physicality for the offensive line. Tate said yesterday it feels like that's picked up this year from last year beyond just watching a player win his rep. How do you identify and measure attitude, physicality in your offensive line? Yeah, I think there's two different ways. I mean, some of it is subjective, I guess you could say. Like when you stand on a field or you stand behind a, you know, a line of scrimmage, you can hear it, you can feel it. There there's a I think everybody can to some extent. Even in the in the stands, there's that it just sounds and feels a little bit different. Um, and then I think the other part is you look for those little things, the extra effort, the finish, uh, things that you know maybe weren't there when things aren't going well or you don't have that attitude that need to be there at all times. And I think that's always my challenge to point that out when it's good. But also to say, hey, like this isn't our standard and we need better or we need more. This is why this is why it's important. This is how it helps us win. And that's kind of where I hang my hat. And I think the nice thing is we have guys pane specifically in that room that are going to make sure he holds his teammates to that because he does it at such a high level.

• Jamo took a pretty significant developmental jump last year. I know you weren't here, but I know you also did a pretty deep dive on the tape study. Where did you challenge him maybe to take that next step? And how is he answering that call? He's answering that call. And I think the nature of that receiver room is they're so competitive. Uh they push each other at such a high level. Kind of starting with Saint there as the leader of that room. And for JMO specifically, I think that, you know, playing physical, playing fast, attacking the football, uh, finishing plays, you know, the speed is second to none. I mean, he can run by everybody. Uh, but what guys are going to try to do to negate that is get their hands on him and make sure he doesn't get off on the line of scrimmage or he can't put, you know, separate at the top of the route. And I think that's where he's tried to really improve of gaining some of that play strength, being faster at the line of scrimmage and playing physical at the top of the route. And I think he's doing a nice job.

• Personally for you coming in obviously it's so many weapons so many this team so driven to get back you know to the standard they said before is it a healthy pressure that comes along with just turning this thing around a little bit how you dealing with that It is you know and I've been asked about this a couple times I look at pressure as a positive term it's not stress it's something that we signed up for that we love to do uh I think it brings out the best in us so I think you need to be in that situation you know when the game's on the line it's not a relaxing feeling and but you do this job because you love those moments you live for those moment. So, and I think the players do too.

• With the money running back rooms all of those guys have had, you know, a lot of good days uh out here so far. What's impressed you the most about just like the top to bottom kind of I don't know if you want to call it production that you're getting from that room but talking the running back room. Yeah, I I think you see again it's set by the standard of the top of the room uh in terms of the way he approaches things, the way that he goes about his job. It pushes everyone in that room to be better. Uh you know, the guys in front of them have a lot to do with that as well. You you're not going to run the ball unless the O line's doing their job. But I think it's the, you know, probably one of the things that's most impressive is what they do without the ball in their hand in pass pro, which is something we ask them to do on third down, uh, in the action game. I think that's the part of the job you really find out about running backs of what is their willingness for contact, where is their intelligence at, where are their eyes at, how disciplined are they, you know, outside the building and studying their job, knowing the little details of what we're asking them to do. And, you know, for a lot of guys, when you're not the bell cow back, that's your number one role. And if you can dedicate yourself to that, I think you earn a lot of respect to your coaches and a lot of respect for your teammates. I think we have a number of guys in that room doing that at a high level.

• When you say that, like you're saying Jahmyr is setting this the standard for that room and how hard or how it's kind of tricky. He's not out there practicing with the pads on and getting beat up, but still setting the standard. He can still he set the standard in the way in what he's done as he's been here and what he did in the spring. You know, he he's a guy who's had every day working his tail off uh first in line, doing everything the right way. uh does not shy away from protection, you know, as the number one back, which I think is extremely important. Uh and I think he's, you know, as I've talked about, he's very smart player. Um and he's always trying to help those guys in that room understand how he sees things, how he does things. Uh and I think you can do that no matter where you're at.

• A few things if you sort of big picture Dan said like in the spring you guys were focused on sort of like the meat and potatoes plays, right? like running them, getting really good at them, but doing a lot of different looks with different bells and whistles. What's sort of the progression? Like what is the focus right now? Where you at Yeah, sorry to cut you off there. I don't know if we'll ever shy away from that. Like you have to be good at what you're good at and you have to find ways to do it differently. And then the other reality right now is we've only done it in two days with pads. So we need to make sure that when the pads come on, we still do those things at a high level and that we can do it in the run game, in the passing game, on third down, in situational football. So, I think we're still in that process. You know, as we get closer to the end of camp, you start to turn a little bit more into game plan mindset of who are we playing, all right, what is the front, where are the key matchups, how do we exploit those types of things. But I think right now the focus is very much still on how do we get better at what we are and how do we complement that with some of those things.

• The other thing I want to ask you is just about the tight end room. Just, you know, what do you what do you make of it so far? You've got a lot of moving parts in there with different guys coming in and out and injuries and You know the unfortunate reality of training camp is you are going to have some guys with some nicks and bruises kind of in and out and I think it gives those other guys an opportunity to show what they're capable of doing and it also puts a lot of stress on the coaches which is great you know that to get guys ready to make sure they know what they're doing or how they're doing. I think Steve's done a great job with that. Um but it is it's been fun to have Sam out there. Uh Brock Wright, you know, arguably one of the most reliable pros, you know, in this organization just in terms of the role he has for us as an offense. Um, so pleased with where we're at and uh, you know, want that competition to continue in that room.

• Drew, you've had OTAs, you've had training camp, TBD on how much or if the starters will be playing in the preseason, I guess. What are some of the keys that you use as a coordinator to make sure that everybody's comfortable, yourself included, and on the same page before that first game? Yeah, I think Dan does such a great job of that just in terms of the way he structures our day, structures the practices. You know, you're going to see a lot of move the ball, call it periods, different situations that he's putting guys in. he's putting coordinators in, which is just great from a learning standpoint, an education standpoint, a communication standpoint. Uh because always things come up, even in the course of a 17-game season, you don't hit every situation, and you don't end up in all those situations necessarily. So, when you can do them and they're authentic, it makes people think, oh, you know, we could have done that here. We could do this here. Make sure we're good at that. Is everybody on the same page here? And I think Dan does such a great job of that throughout camp so that we're ready come week one.

• Do you feel like there's value of having starters in the preseason maybe from a procedural standpoint to for I think it goes both ways. I think there's so many factors that go into whether that happens and you know ultimately well above my pay grade so not worried about it.

Drew Petzing Exclusive Interview with Lions Brooke Kirchhofer

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• Day six of Detroit Lions training camp practice just wrapped. I'm joined with new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Preing. I'm Brooke Kirchoffer out at the Meyer Performance Center. Coach, few days now with the new offense. First impressions. It's been great. Finally put the pads on. So, we're getting closer to playing some real football. Uh I think the guys are working hard. It's physical. It's tough. Uh but we're getting better and I think that's really where we need to be.

• Now, you mentioned the pads. There's going to be some new faces once things shake out on who the starting five will be on the offensive line. And what have you maybe learned from that group early on in pads? I think you start to see that toughness. It's a different game when the pads come on and things that were easy or you got away with before the pads come on become much more real. And I think you start to see guys separate themselves and who really wants it and who's about it and who has that ability and you start to see some guys realize, all right, I got to pick it up. I got to take another step. I got to find a way to improve if I want to be here. Uh, and I think that's really what we're looking for.

• Things are coming together on the offensive line. What have you seen from the rookie Blake Miller? Maybe leaning on some of the veterans in that room. Uh yeah, I think the rookies have done a really nice job of coming in and embracing the culture. You know, I think that all starts with Penei Sewell. He's an unbelievable player. He's an unbelievable leader and I think when you walk in that room, you know the standard and you know that he's going to do it and he's going to hold you to it and I think it makes everybody around him better.

• A lot of weapons on this offense. I know you've got to be excited, especially with a quarterback with such a high completion percentage year in and year out. What has stood out to you the most that's maybe gotten you excited ahead of the season? I think just having the weapons and so many different people that can make plays and change the game. You know, we'll draw up plays and we have scheme, we have reasons we do things, but at the end of the day, it's about those guys going out there and making plays and, you know, when you have the level of talent that they've been able to build here between Brad and Dan over the last six years, uh, it's really fun to be a part of, and it creates a lot of problems for other teams.

• We'll get more specific now to the quarterback Jared Goff, your first year working with him. How would you describe how the OC/QB relationship maybe looks like behind the scenes and how you two work together? Yeah, I think it's a very close relationship. I you know, maybe that's what people assume, but it's constant conversations. I'm getting calls on my way into work. I'm getting texts at home. You know, I'm calling him and texted him, and it's you know, you could be in the middle of the day on an off day and something pops into your brain and the first person I'm going to go to is him and he's probably going to hit me first and say, "Hey, can we do this? Are we thinking about that? What do we do here?" Uh it's something that I I've loved as I've gotten to know him is he never puts it down or walks away from it. I'm very much that way. Uh so it's been so much fun to just challenge each other and push each other uh to get the best out of each other. And I think that's really what stood out to me here these first couple months.

• It's interesting you mentioned the comparison just watching now six days of practice. You guys almost have the same demeanor out there. Just business as usual day in and day out. Doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low. How do you think that makes him one of the most effective quarterbacks in the NFL? I think it's a huge part of playing that position. You have to have a short memory. You have to be even keel. You can't live and die on every play. Uh you do the best you can. Every time the ball snapped, you reset. You get back in the huddle and you do it again. I think that's so important to play in that position at a high level and I obviously as you said he's done it that way for so long. Uh it's really impressive.

• All right. Outside looking in, what made this job so appealing to you before getting here? I think a lot of the things we've talked about so far, you know, it's the talent they've been able to build here, the culture, the attitude, the way that they do things as an organization from ownership on down. Uh it's a special place and it was, you know, just uh I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of it and it's been everything probably more than I expected uh when I first took the job.

• Well, we heard from Sam Leaporta. He's excited you're here. You've typically had a tight end friendly offense. Can you take us into that a little bit and how maybe the NFL in general is maybe going more toward tight end friendly sets that they've been running. Yeah, you've certainly seen that trend around the NFL. I think a lot of that again is going to be talent driven. You know, I've been around a lot of great tight ends, which has been awesome. So, their production has increased, and that's kind of the challenge you make to the offense. Say, "Hey, you want to have production in this offense? You have to show me that you can do things at a really high level." Sam has certainly done that throughout his career, and it needs to continue every time we step on the field. Um, and I think that's kind of what you're seeing throughout the NFL, the matchups that are created in the passing game, the things that these guys can do in the run game. Uh, it makes them and the offense very difficult to defend.

• You're also known for your run game. What would you say is your staple or most important philosophy in that area? I feel like I'm coping out a little bit here, but it all comes back to what do the guys do best. You know, I can come in here and say, "Hey, we're going to run this type of scheme and we're going to do it this way all the time, but if the guys on the field, that's not what plays to their strength. We're not going to get the best out of the offense." So that to me is a lot of what the offseason in training camp is about is figuring out what schemes we are good at, why how we can dress them up, how we can complement them, what fits our players best. I think that's so important in the run and the pass game. And then part of the run game is about attitude. You know, I think the overall mentality of a run game, and I've said this to the offense, and I've challenged them on this, is at the end of the day, if you're really good at running it, you should be able to tell the other team you're doing it. And if they can't stop you, it's really hard to defend. Uh, and I think that's a mindset as much as it is execution.

• You talk about your scheme and it really depends on the talent and wanting to utilize what you have in the room. So, how have they kind of responded to what you've brought to the table? How has it been meshing with the new guys on offense? I think it's a big part of the culture that was probably here before I got here. And I think you see it every day of practice. These guys go out and compete. You know, Saint's been doing this how long now? And he's done it at such a high level, but if you looked out there, he's probably going as hard as he did his rookie year as he's trying to make a name for himself in this league. And I think that attitude, that effort, that intensity brings out the best in all of them. And again, as you said, it's going to show me, hey, if you want it, let's go get it. Let's earn it and make sure the ball comes to you because I got to look everybody else in the eye and make sure we're doing the best things for the team.

• That's got to stem from the head coach. I have to ask you, and I think everybody wants to know, too, what that relationship is like with Dan Campbell. It's been uh probably again more than I ever imagined. I I'm a sponge. Like, I ask questions, pick his brain. Uh not in awe of him at times, but you just feel really blessed to have the opportunity to learn from him, work under him, uh challenge him, and try to make him better as he pushes me. Um, and it's been awesome. I've learned a ton, uh, grown a ton as a coach, as a person. So, it's been great. You've learned a lot from Dan Campbell. You've obviously been at a couple spots before this. Your path as an offensive coordinator. Is there anything unique about your journey that maybe people might not know? I think I've been very fortunate to be a lot of around a lot of great coaches in a small amount of time. You know, I think back to six years in Minnesota, four offensive coordinators, you know, uh Pat Shurmer, Norv Turner, Gary Kubak, Kevin Stefanski, like so many different people I think helped grow me as a coach, grow me as a person to help me get to this opportunity. Um I'm very fortunate of that. Um but that's probably the biggest thing that maybe people don't know or weren't aware of.

• We know that people know you and Ben Johnson, the familiarity with him. How often are you guys maybe even still communicating, keeping in touch? You were a groomsman, I believe, in his wedding. Yeah, so we gaed together at Boston College for two years and got really close. He was in my wedding, I was in his wedding. Um I hope they lose every game this year. No, I'm kidding. Uh but no, he he's a very close friend. He he's a person I put a ton of trust in uh as a friend, as a mentor. Uh I know he's not going to give me any insight in for any help. You know, I think we're way past that. Um but no, we talk, you know, regularly. Uh someone that that I'm going to rely on for football and a lot of things outside of football. And uh yeah, he is he's a special person that I really do enjoy being acquainted with.

• Big into golf and that stems from back in Massachusetts. Uh can you give the fans a little peak behind the curtain as the caddying days? And so I I grew up caddying. That was my high school, my college job. So I love the game. I put the clubs away. I'm done playing. They're not going to come out till after the season. Uh but it is it's a fun sport. It's a challenging sport. Uh it's a mentally draining sport. Uh Wellsley High School native run the Rocket Mortgage Classic this weekend, so got to give him a shout out. uh always like to watch him play and but I did I grew up around the game. Love Caddy and I'm happy to carry bags for a little bit of extra money when needed and uh it was a great job growing up.

• Well, coach, we so appreciate the time. We're happy to have you here in Detroit and good luck this season. Yeah, appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

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