Upon being named the new assistant defensive line coach, Ryan Kerrigan spoke with the media Monday.
Kerrigan, who recorded 95.5 career sacks — the most in Washington’s franchise history — opened by saying that having his competitive aspect fueled is good for him.
When asked about the defensive line being undisciplined and not maintaining rushing lanes, Kerrigan responded, “You don’t want guys to rush cautiously, but you do want them to be aware,” he answered. “You gotta be aware of where the quarterback is. That has to be at the forefront of your mind when you’re rushing because a defensive end can’t turn it at 12 yards and expect the quarterback to be sitting there. That will create a massive B-gap window, so that is something we’re definitely going to have to emphasize and work on so that we can get better pressure on quarterbacks.”
“They (current linemen) are all hard workers; they all do what they are asked to do. So I don’t anticipate having to do that (get on them). From my vantage point, having played with these guys a couple of years ago, it’s an awesome situation for me personally. I really want these guys to succeed. I’m just hopeful I can impact them in a positive way, help them find success, and then ultimately, our team finds success.”
“As long as you can be critical of the performance and not the person, I think that is the best way to go about it. You can say, ‘Here is where you need to be better’ as long as you are not being disrespectful to them.”
“It is interesting how your mindset shifts. Seeing the schedule from a different lens (coach rather than player) has been the biggest thing for me, and you kind of look at the game differently now as a coach.”
“I didn’t anticipate an opportunity would come so quick, being that it was in late July (Kerrigan retired). I’m really thankful Coach Rivera gave me this opportunity. I’m just hoping to prove him right.”
“The time I will be able to put in watching each guy will allow me to give them better feedback because as a player I was watching mostly myself. It’s all about them. It’s not about me anymore. When I initially met with Coach Rivera he said (in coaching) you’re serving the players.”
