Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was on a conference call Thursday morning, breaking down how his team plans on using Josh Gordon, the play of Jimmy Garoppolo, and how Richard Sherman is playing this season.
On getting Gordon ready and determining how much of an asset he can be Monday night:
Well, we have to figure that out when we practice with him. We haven’t been on the field yet, so I can’t tell you anything yet until we see him. Can’t go on the film we’ve seen. We have to get him on the field and practice with us.
On the crash course to get Gordon up to speed:
Of course, there is. That’s just how you do it. You give them every opportunity to learn as much as they can, and then you see what you got. Some teams will just throw a new guy out there. We’re not doing that. We’d love to see if he can help us and complement what we have.
Thankfully, the 49ers didn’t rush Emmanuel Sanders out on the field and took things slow with their new wideout and brought him up to speed.
On how Jimmy Garoppolo has played
I think he’s doing great. To complete over 70% of your passes is really a challenge. To do that in complement with such a committed running game makes this a really efficient offense, they’re really hard to deal with. Garoppolo can throw a bunch of different stuff, has a real quick release, has good athleticism to move around in the pocket and find his space. When you’ve been in the system for a few years, you get better, and you can do more.
On the 49ers pass rush
It’s obvious to the commitment the guys they have on the roster now and putting them in the right spot that it’s changed the fortunes, I think. They’ve always been on the verge of being really good. We’ve always seen them as the talented guys that they are. Of course, Nick Bosa adding to it, and Dee Ford too, they’re great. But they’ve had the nucleus for a really good group of guys. They’re at their best right now, and they’re firing on all cylinders.
On Sherman’s play
I think he’s playing great. He’s doing great stuff. There’s nobody that understands the game at his position better than he does. He’s savvy; he’s smart, he’s tough, he’s a playmaker. He’s doing everything just like he’s capable. I don’t see any drop off in his game at all.
On finding Robert Saleh in 2011
He got recommended by somebody to us, and he had been a really well-respected quality control guy in Houston, and we really liked him and were fortunate to get him. He just worked his way right up. There was no question that Robert was going to be a really good ball coach and a leader of the defense from the start.
Carroll on if Saleh has the presence of to be a head coach:
Absolutely. He’s a bright coach. He’s a first-class individual. He’s got really good strength of character. His leadership qualities are obviously in display now. There’s no doubt. No doubt. We’ve had some really good guys over the years at those positions, and he’s certainly one of them.