Comments from Carolina Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera.
On the end of training camp: Honestly, it's exciting. I think the biggest thing is that it really signifies we're taking the next step in the preseason toward the regular season. The thing I was really proud of, and I've said it before, is we found a way to teach these guys how we want things done, and they've accepted that. Now, we've just got to continue and maintain that. The thing that was exciting was we had a short period of time, and I think our guys have grasped a lot of the concepts in terms of what we want to do offensively, defensively and special teams. It was a big step. We're heading in the right direction. But as I tell the guys, "It's a journey of a thousand steps, and we've only taken a few." I'm really pleased with the way we are headed right now.
On if he succeeded in developing a team and chemistry at training camp: I think that it's a start. We had a little test out here. We were going to kick a 62-yard field goal to see whether or not we were going to have meetings tonight. If he (Adi Kunalic) made it, we were done. Those who didn't think he would make it, if he missed it, they got to get off. But nobody wanted to take the bet. They stayed behind their teammate. That's a good step, I think it is.
On his first training camp as a head coach: It was hectic. From the time that they agreed to terms (on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement) and we went through free agency and getting our guys signed, and then getting our draft picks signed to trying to reschedule practices the way practices needed to be done was pretty hectic. But I think our coaches handled it very well. They did a great job. I can't say enough about what our coaching staff did in the last four weeks. And I say four weeks because, really, that's what we had to do. We had barely a week to plan and put everything together and then almost three weeks here. It really was good. It was a good experience. As I said, I'm real pleased with the players. I think they got a sense and a feel for what we want and how we want things done. I think they grasped that, so that was good, too.
On what he is looking for in the second preseason game: Consistency more so than anything else. One of the themes that I had on Monday was to be consistent. You would see good things happen and then you would see bad things happen in the game. What I want to see is a series of good things without anything bad happening. If we can start to be a little more consistent, that will mean we're taking another step forward.
On who will start at quarterback against the Miami Dolphins: Cam (Newton) will start. It's just following in line of what we had planned throughout training camp, and that was to go back and forth, back and forth with our guys. It's a good opportunity. The (first-team) offense will play their half, and Cam will start off with them. Jimmy (Clausen) will come in and play with that same group of guys in the second quarter. We're doing like we did last week where Cam came in and played with that first group in the second quarter. We want to make sure everybody gets an opportunity to play and work with the guys, and we feel it's important to keep that competition going.
On if any decision has been made on the Panthers starting quarterback for the regular season: No. We have a plan and we're sticking to it. As we go through this process, sometime next week we'd like to have a real good feel for what we're going to do as we go into the regular season.
On why running backs Mike Goodson and Jonathan Stewart did not practice: Goody's got that Achilles. Stewart's got the Achilles, too - the one that he had a little trouble with. He came out earlier, did some warm-ups and practiced a little bit, but then he kind of aggravated it. So we got him off the field, hoping that it will calm down and we'll have him ready for the game.
On why Goodson carried a football around the entire practice: That's part of it. It goes back to what I told him on Saturday - he's too good of a football player for us to give up on him. Just looking for little ways, little things for him. One of the reasons I wanted him to carry the ball around was I wanted him to understand the significance and importance of keeping that ball, especially in a crowd. I told the guys that if anybody knocked the ball out of his hands, he was buying them dinner. But I put it back, also, that if he makes the day without losing the ball, I would buy him dinner. So I'm going to ask Mr. Richardson for some Bojangles' certificates. The idea is to make him aware, in a group of people just be aware. That was our first step in trying to help him. Not try to make an issue out of it so much as it is a reminder. I think he's getting it, and, hopefully, he can learn.