Duke Tobin: Held onto some players too long

[*pally*]

This is the complete interview with Duke

these are a couple of blurbs...there is more in the article

Quote:The thing that we're going to have to evaluate going into next year is who is going to play up to that and who isn't. And we're going to have to make changes there, and there's going to have to be an influx of young players, and we're going to have to reevaluate where the money is being spent, and how much is being spent on each position. And so that is the thing that we are going to do this offseason (is ask) is that money going where it needs to go?

Quote:The style in which you played games last year … what needs to be fixed?
We'll retool. There are elements of our team that we have to get better at. You know, we have to play better defense. We have to run the ball a little better, you know. But that goes hand in hand with playing defense. If you believe that you're going to hold the team, then you're a little more flexible to do some things differently on offense, you know, I know for a fact, Joe felt very pressed to play in the way that he played, to try to keep us ahead in these games. And so, we have to get better there. It's not an indictment on anybody you know more than me. It's not a pay problem. It's a decision to stay with guys you know that have been with us through really good times. It probably won't be that way this year, and we'll have to make those decisions as we go forward, and we're going to have to have additions there.

Quote: How do you get more production out of Myles Murphy?

Tobin: Still believe in Myles. I think as he got a little more play time, when we got into later parts of the year, I think he started to show some things. I think at that position, it's a little bit like a running back, you got to get into a groove. And I think he started to feel a little bit of a groove there. We've got to get him to finish, you know, in just the pass rush game, finish at the top of the rush. And maybe some new voices there will help that, but that's been the biggest hold back with him, is at the top of the rush, go ahead and finish. There's a finish at the end of the rush that he needs to really work on and focus on, and I don't see anything holding him back from doing that. And I've got big hopes for Myles.

Quote:How do you get better guard play?
The way that we play, it requires a firm pocket and we've hired a new offensive line coach. We believe in him. He's really an impressive guy when you get to know him, we're hopeful that there can be some improvements made technique wise with him. We're going to add to the position. For sure there will be competition at those positions, we have to evaluate who will come back and who will not come back. It's a spot that we're focused on. We're going to continue working with guys that we have on the roster, and we are going to try to evaluate how to get better with guys that aren't currently on the roster, and whether that's young guys from the draft, whether that's free agents, we'll look at all options, but we're going to add to that group. We're definitely going to add to that group.

this is as blunt as I've ever heard Duke speak about a player

Quote:What has Jermaine Burton done to deserve a spot on the roster

He's done nothing, and he's going to have to start doing something quickly. We knew we were taking a risk. We felt comfortable that we could help him through some of the challenges he's had in the past, and we're going to continue to try to help him. But this is professional football, and you have to take accountability, and you have to be accountable to your teammates, your coaches, and the team that you're playing for, and he has to figure that out. He's got to figure that out fast. He's a very talented player, and we knew that there were risks in taking him. We knew there were rewards in taking him. We know what both of those are. We're hoping for the rewards. We're giving him the resources he needs to get to those rewards, but at the end of the day, you can't want it more for somebody than they want it for themselves. And we're hoping that Jermaine figures that out.