Greg Knapp Quotations

We're from two opposite backgrounds, but whatever's inside of him, from his core growing up, there's a quality I like in that he enjoys the game still as a kid. I think that's important at this level, because at this level the pressures are there. They will always be there, but as long as you see that core enjoyment of the game, I think that's important.

He is creating his own position right now.

He's definitely coming along now. Still, the coach in me wants to see consistency, game after game.

Really, when all is over and done with, people will judge a quarterback by wins and losses. That's the best criteria you can have. Sure, we want him to improve his completion percentage. We'd like for him to complete every pass he throws, but you have to be realistic. This offense develops, for many young players, from the inside out. We're moving along at just the right pace.

Steve said it will take two to three years with the same coaching staff to be able to do things like that regularly.

It doesn't happen overnight. We're delighted with Mike's progress.

I think he did a great job last year of taking a lot fewer hits. He understands how important his health is to this team and that he doesn't need to put himself in harm's way.

When it's taken away from you like it was him, the feeling you have for the game grows a little bit inside you. You find out what it means to you, and that your tranquility, and your most enjoyment is between those lines.

There's nothing particular - not one player or one protection, and they had the right blitz on - that's going to happen at times. But the quarterback not getting it out, the coach saying, 'Hey, I should have called this protection in that situation' - that all has an effect, and as soon as we minimize those, we'll be better off.

Now all of a sudden, you've got a moving target. You can't cookie-cutter him into a drop-back quarterback mentality. He provides too much of a threat to a defense. He can change the field position with one run.

This is the first year that he's starting off in the same offense, healthy, back-to-back.

It really starts with getting less third-and-long situations, and that's what we've gotten ourselves into early. Our short yardage has hurt us. We've missed on three third-and-ones and one third-and two. If you convert those, we're middle of the pack on third down. Now we've been great in short yardage (in the past). It hasn't been great to start out with, and we'll improve on that.

That's one measuring stick, certainly, for quarterbacks. But of all those games, how many ended up as victories for that guy's team?

The line and the backs have done a great job of adjusting to the fronts they're seeing. A week ago, it was more safeties and linebackers at the line of scrimmage. This week, it was four linemen covering our guards and our center and a 'backer on the edge that made it a little bit tougher.