Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota addressed the media after practice on July 28. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On how camp is going:
"Pretty good. I just think it's been very competitive on both sides of the ball, and that's what you want, that's what you want this time of the year. There's going to be mistakes, there's going to be great plays, there's going to be good plays, there's also going to be some bad ones. But the end of the day you want the effort to be high, and I think our guys are doing that."
On what he's specifically focused on right now:
"For me specifically, just cleaning up some of my mechanics. I feel like I can always get better at those types of things. And then just mastering the offense, trying to get our guys in the best play possible, and making sure we can create advantages that way."
On how much QB Jayden Daniels picks his brain throughout the day:
"Plenty, and that's what's really been cool for me to have that dialogue. Because I think when you have a guy that's willing to learn that wants to absorb as much knowledge as he can, I think that really makes the whole room better. For Jayden, he's a young guy, but, you know, we got to do it as a part of our group. We have to kind of create these scenarios and these experiences for him that way when he gets into the game, it's not something that's brand new. I think he's done a great job asking questions and we can also always just kind of keep bringing him along."
On if having former quarterbacks on the coaching staff help him in this stage of his career:
"Absolutely, because it just creates conversation. More times than not, when you're able to have a bunch of guys in a room that have played the position, you can have these problem-solving conversations. It's always going to be different day in and day out. Our defense does a great job of creating different looks, creating problems. So for us, I always believe we can be in the problem solving business and then when you have a bunch of quarterbacks that have played the position, that makes it a whole lot easier."
On if the fan energy impacts his practice or not:
"I think it's a mixture of both. It's awesome to have the fans out here. It's awesome to feel that energy. And it's also kind of cool for me to see, you know, Hawaii flags. We're all the way here on the East Coast and you have people that are bringing Hawaii flags that are from Hawaii coming to practice. So, it's such a cool event. I think it's awesome for fans to be able to engage with the players and also for us to engage with the fans."
On how much being in full pads affects the quarterback position:
"I mean, with the non-contact, it really isn't much different per se, but I think for us it's so much more up top, right? Our game is so much more focused on the mindset of it, how we're getting our guys in the best possible plays, how are we getting outta bad plays? Just different things like that. I think for us this time of the year is such more of a mental grind so that when we get to the season, our minds are ready to go and create problem solving for us."
On where he's seen the most improvement in QB Jayden Daniels' development:
"I think really just his understanding of the offense. He's done a great job of commanding once he's in there. It's never easy to come in and you've got guys that are seven, 11 years in. But his command, his willingness to learn the offense, to be prepared, I think he's done a great job of that. And the more that he can do that, I think that's going to create a lot of confidence with a lot of guys."
On if he and Daniels ever compare their Heisman seasons:
"No, not at all. Not at all. It is pretty special to be able to share that. It's a very unique fraternity to be a part of, and to have him as a teammate and also somebody that's been a part of that journey as well is pretty cool. And we can share a lot of those experiences together."
On things he learned going through the same experience that Daniels is that can now help him:
"Yeah, I think, and I think we talk about it all the time in the quarterback room, when you're a young guy, you really want to try to come in and be perfect. And I that's hard, I really think that can be detrimental in some sense to your growth. I really think you have to come out here, you're going to fail, you're going to have mistakes, and what you have to be able to do is to learn from those things. And I think he's got such a great mindset in that sort of space where he's just like, you know what? Regardless of how this play results, I'm going to do my best to put our guys in situations that will be successful and just go out there and play. And when he is able to do that, I think that ultimately will kind of showcase his abilities and how good of a player he can be."
On where he sees Daniels making mistakes and how he's learning:
"Yeah, I think it's a little bit of that. It's maybe getting into a check or getting out of a bad play. So, there's several instances where that may come up. I think for me personally, when I was a young player, I was just trying to be perfect, have the perfect feet. And you kind of lose that sense of playing the position and just being instinctual. So, I think for us, we're just trying to help him kind of, 'Hey, just be an instinctive player that you've been, but here's kind of the guidelines that we want you to follow so you can go out there and be successful.'"
On what it means for the offense heading into padded practice:
Well, I think it's establishing the line of scrimmage. Our guys up front, it's been six, seven months since they put pads on and have been hitting. So, kind of getting that rust off in that sense. Our defense, I already know they're going to come in and set the tempo, so for us it's just kind of making sure our guys are going in the right direction, but also just establishing line of scrimmage, creating leverage, and just going out there and using your pads."
On if you can truly become instinctual as a quarterback in training camp:
"Yes, absolutely. And I think what's really been cool with us is we've had a ton of reps. Whether that's mental reps in the classroom, in the meeting rooms, or out here on the field through walkthroughs, through plays. So, I always feel like you learn the best when you experience it. So, I think for all of us as quarterbacks, we appreciate that we get a bunch of reps, that way we can see it, we can feel it. And then once we get into these game-like scenarios, we'll be very comfortable."
On how you know when someone is comfortable in the offense:
"I think it's a balance of those things, anticipating where the ball should go, and then from there if it doesn't look right or something's not visually right in your mind to go make a play. I think with all of our quarterbacks here, our guys all can create with their legs and as you can see across the league, that type of dimension and offense is very, very key and I think it's very critical. And the more that we can play on time, but also create and have a balance of those things is when you start to see guys playing very instinctual."
On how Daniels has handled the pressure of being the second overall pick:
"Yeah, he's done a great job. It's not easy, and when you're coming in to be the guy to kind of revitalize a franchise it is tough. But, I think he's got a good head on his shoulders. He's done a great job of handling all that, and we can always kind of help him through that, right? We can be that shoulder he can lean on. We can be that guy that he can lean to in terms of experiences and 'Hey, what happened here? How did you do that?' And he's done a great job asking questions too, so just kind of altogether helping him through that. But I really believe he's got a good head on his shoulders, he's handled it well."
On his opinion of immediately starting a rookie quarterback versus sitting and watching:
"Yeah, that's a great question. I think it ultimately comes down to each person individually. Some guys come out hot and play really well, and then there's also some guys that have really benefited from taking a couple years or taking a few months and watching and learning. So, I think it's really going to come down to the coaches and how they feel [Daniels] is progressing. I really believe it falls on the quarterback room. How can we help him feel most comfortable and confident? And then from there, it ultimately is him to make the plays and go out there and do his thing."
On how comfortable he was after getting drafted:
"Yeah, I felt pretty comfortable right away. For me personally, probably my best two years of my career were my first couple, so I was lucky to have a good quarterback room. I had a vet in [QB] Charlie Whitehurst, and [QB] Zach Mettenberger who really took care of me. And then my second year with [QB] Matt Cassel and [QB] Alex Tanny. When you have a quarterback room that's really focused on helping the young guy, you can't take anything away from that. It's really special. So, I was very fortunate early on in my career to have that, and we're trying to create that type of atmosphere here for Jayden."
On what the fans added to practice and how he's adjusted the area:
"It was great. I love having the fans here at practice. It creates an energy, creates an atmosphere, and it's fun for me specifically to see Hawaii flags. That was really cool. And I really love the Ashburn area, I love the DMV. I think it's been a really easy transition for my family and I. We love the diversity, we love being able to go out and eat and do all those types of things, and we've really enjoyed it. So, as this year goes on we look forward to meeting fans and being a part of this, and we're thankful we're here."
