Head Coach Hue Jackson. Photo by Tony Gonzales
Q: With [Richard] Gordon, you had said that he broke the hand and came back in that game. What happened then? Is he out?
Coach Jackson: Well because I think during the game, we weren't throwing to him very much and all he was doing was blocking. But I mean obviously to play that position, there's a little bit more – you've got to be able to grab. We just needed to finish out that game at that time. Credit to him, he was able to go back in there and keep battling. But in order to play this sport, you've got to be able to use your hands as a football player. If you're blocking, sometimes your hand is something you need. Right now, I think he's getting closer but he's not ready just yet.
Q: Has the trade with Aaron Curry been completed?
Coach Jackson: Very close, very close. When it's completed, I'll be very excited about it; very excited about it.
Q: What do you like about him?
Coach Jackson: He's athletic, he can run, he tackles, he takes on linemen, he takes on backs; I think he's a really good football player. I mean obviously, I can't speak to what went on up there but I know what's going to go on here. So, I'm excited about getting him once we can get everything done. It's hard to comment about everything when you know everything's not done, but hopefully, things will get squared away here soon and we can move forward.
Q: How does Curry get used here?
Coach Jackson: He plays.
Q: Where?
Coach Jackson: Where I decide to play him.
Q: Which is?
Coach Jackson: I can't tell you that yet. You'll know very soon but I promise you if he's on this football team, he's going to play and he's going to play well.
Q: Is he versatile enough to play multiple spots?
Coach Jackson: You better know he is. But, I don't want to put him in a whole bunch of spots. I want to let him play one thing and let him become great because I think the guy has great talent.
Q: Did you figure out what happened up there or is it just a totally fresh start here?
Coach Jackson: I feel very comfortable in my evaluation watching tape of this young man, what he is, and what he can do for us. Like I said, once this thing is complete, then I'll speak more on it but I like the situation of him being a part of our football team.
Q: Hue, had talks begun with the Seahawks before last week or is it something that just happened Monday or Tuesday? When did the process of discussing Aaron begin?
Coach Jackson: Well obviously, I don't want to get into all that. I just know this – we came to a collective agreement over the last couple of days of myself watching tape and feeling very comfortable about the opportunity to improve the football team. Once it is all said and done, I'll give you guys all that other great information you're looking for.
Q: Before the year, you said [Terrelle] Pryor was definitely a quarterback…
Coach Jackson: And he's still a quarterback. Terrelle Pryor is going to play quarterback for the Raiders. He's not playing anything else.
Q: How did Manase [Tonga] grade out for you at fullback last week?
Coach Jackson: He did really good. I mean Tonga – he's a banger; he's going to go in there and bang and people don't know that he can run the ball and catch it too. But, he did a good job last week so we'll continue to keep using him and keep him growing in his role and he's done a good job.
Q: You like to throw to your fullbacks and really keep them involved. Is he at that point yet where you can do those things that you were able to do with Marcel [Reece]?
Coach Jackson: Well, Marcel's a special talent. Not that Tonga's not, but there's certain things you do with certain players. Marcel's a different type of player than Tonga. Tonga's going to go in there and block. He can catch it and he can run with it, but comparing those two is hard to do because they do have different skills.
Q: Huff is out again. Is it his ankle again?
Coach Jackson: Yeah. Huff is just – he'll be fine. We're going to be okay.
Q: The sack numbers are deceiving. They come in clusters and pressures are what matters too, but how is [Kamerion] Wimbley doing? He's got the one sack. Is he pressuring as much as he did last year and are you happy with that?
Coach Jackson: I am. I think he's doing a good job; I really do. I mean obviously, teams – they find different ways to block him because he had such a good year a year ago. So, what he's got to do is find a different way to get there and that's what we're trying to do. He's going to be fine; it's still early in the year. He's going to start getting some of those sacks in bunches here pretty soon.
Q: Facing Cleveland is going to be a game for him. I'm sure he's ready every game, but it's something when you're facing your former team?
Coach Jackson: I mean every guy that plays his old team wants to get up and play well. But as I told him, it's about the Raiders and Cleveland. It's not going to be a one man show. We need him to play good, but he needs all of us to make sure we do our jobs so that he can do his.
Q: What's your take on Colt McCoy and have you been able to pick Michael Huff's brain at all this week because they played together at Texas?
Coach Jackson: [Laughs] He's a good player. Everybody asks me that about Peyton Hillis, Colt McCoy; I don't have to pick anybody's brain – I can just watch the tape. These guys are good players. He's a young, talented quarterback, won a lot of games in college, got off to a good start in the National Football League and I think he's a good player. It's going to be a good challenge for us in our stadium.
Q: Do you feel two days of practice having both days that everything is business as usual as it can be with you and the team?
Coach Jackson: There's no question – we are. We're moving ahead. I mean we've got a football game to play, I think our guys understand that and that's what we're getting ready for.
Q: With all the different formations you show on offense, how many coaches are you pulling from to come up with the different things you wanted to do on offense?
Coach Jackson: Every last one of them. Even from my high school coach, I go all the way back. I've got books and all kinds of stuff from a long time ago. I told you guys – I do anything I can to score a touchdown. So, I pull from everybody and obviously, I've got my man Al Saunders here who's a great resource and we put this thing together. But, we don't care how we line up. You guys might see something funny this weekend; you never know. Come to the game. I hear it's sold out. Is that true?
Q: Yes; how do you feel about it?
Coach Jackson: That's exciting. That's unbelievable and like I said, kudos to Amy Trask and this organization again for making sure that we can get a sellout here at home. Obviously, it's going to be a huge deal for our football team and a huge deal for Coach [Davis]. But like I said, this thing is about winning. We've got a game to win this weekend.
Q: How big would it be at its base element to break the win, loss, win, loss?
Coach Jackson: Yeah. I don't like that. That's not the kind of football we want to play. I keep telling you – the expectation here is raised. That win, lose, win, lose stuff is hopefully, a thing of the past. I mean we've been doing it a little bit and I don't like it and I told my team that I don't like it. If we're going to be a team that I think we can become, we've got to get out of that mode. Every game – we've got to go into it with the expectation of winning and we've got to go find a way to win it.
Q: Coach, your offensive line started off so cohesive out there and then this past Sunday, they admittedly did some uncharacteristic mistakes out there. What did you see from your O-line?
Coach Jackson: I saw them playing against a really good football team in Houston, in a different environment on turf, and I think we got on the edge on people a little bit and didn't finish like we normally can. But, that happens but they also did some good things too. They gave us a chance to win the game and made some huge blocks when we needed most. I mean I love that our guys are hard on themselves now; there's an expectation here and we have to meet it and exceed it. I think the guys understand that and they're looking forward to the challenge this week.
Q: Reece and [Matt] Shaughnessy – are they out or what's their status?
Coach Jackson: Well right now, I don't have to finish that one until tomorrow when we get closer to telling you where they are.
Q: Is it fair that Shaughnessy's situation could go on for quite awhile?
Coach Jackson: I'm not going to say it's going to go on for quite awhile, but I think we'll make a good decision here pretty soon in exactly where we are with him.
