Tom Coughlin, 08.07.09

Q. On the goal line, was it supposed to be only two plays?

A. Yeah. We were 0 for 2. The ball was on about the one and a half yard line, third down and goal. It’s alright, give them a little bit of a taste. It was just introduced today. What I wanted to do was get them down there and bang them. I didn’t want to be involved in something where someone didn’t know an assignment. Of course I am thinking more of the twos than I am the ones. But, to be honest with you, do you know how many goal line snaps we had last year? Offensively, and defensively? 21 offense, five defense.

Q. Where do you consider that from? Inside the two?

A. Three, inside the three. I do, anyway.

Q. How has Kenny Phillips looked in this camp?

A. He has had a good camp, he has been around the ball, done a good job of that. Defense has done a good job with the ball in the air. C.C. Brown had a nice pick today.

Q. How much different has he looked this camp, as opposed to his rookie camp?

A. I thought in the spring he was more knowledgeable, he had done it before, he had that experience going for him. He played the whole last season, so we’re looking forward to coming in and doing it again. He has done a good job and I expect him to.

Q. Same strides for (Terrell)Thomas from year one to year two?

A. Yeah, both of those guys played an awful lot last year. So the expectations are even higher for them now. Obviously, they have been through it, know how to play, they are both smart kids. Terrell plays a number of positions, including the nickel spot.

Q. Bryan Kehl was saying that one of the things he wanted to work on coming into this season was to increase his toughness and his intensity. Have you seen any of that?

A. I think I have seen the intensity part. You know it is not easy to judge the other stuff right now. It will soon take place.

Q. He was talking about it’s not all strength, it’s not all speed, but you have to have a little bit of a warrior mentality?

A. Well, you do and you have to line up everyday. You have to play when you have the little hurts. He did a nice job of that last year, in terms of hanging in there as a rookie and not having any particular part of the season where he was running out of gas. I thought he had pretty good energy for the whole year. He wants it, you can tell. He is one of those guys that really enjoys playing and wants to be a good player. I hope that happens.

Q. Did you see any lingering effects from Clint Sintum’s hamstring soreness?

A. I have not.

Q. Tom, I know you told Taye Biddle to go home tomorrow. When you look at him and everything that he has had this offseason, and now this latest thing with his grandmother, he still seems to have a smile on his face. Do you admire his resilience?

A. He is a remarkable kid, that is for sure. First of all, he is a very, very fortunate young man to be alive and to recover and have surgery late in the spring. I think he has a great attitude. He is a very likeable guy. He works hard, he doesn’t ask for any quarter. I told him how sorry we felt about his grandmother. He almost tried to apologize for having to leave. He has had a lot of things happen to him.