Fewell meets the press, uses lots of words to say nothing

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, hired to resurrect the New York Giants defense, spoke to New York reporters for the first time Thursday via conference call.

It really does not seem like Fewell provided a whole lot in terms of answers. Maybe that's one of the things Tom Coughlin likes about him. (Full transcript)

Follow the jump for some of the highlights, and check the full transcript for the entire interview. Fewell is scheduled to chat with Mike Francesa on WFAN at 3:40. So, if you have time you might want to tune in.

• Fewell called fixing the defense a "workable challenge." Was he supposed to say it's broken and it will never get up?
• He doesn't know yet what scheme the defense will run. "I am currently evaluating that, just looking at our players, just trying to get what they do best in my mind and what I can bring to the table to help them do better," he said. "Scheme-wise, I am still in the process of formulating that."
• He has called games from the press box and the field, and says it does not matter to him. Translation -- I will call the game from wherever coach Coughlin tells me to call it.
• Going along with calling the defense "workable" it seems Fewell seemed to want to build up the players he will be coaching rather than knock them down. "I think I have some talent here. I think the strength, as I look at it right now, the strength of our football team looks like our defensive front," he said. "If we can stay healthy in the secondary, as well as at linebacker, I think we have talent."
• On his assistant coaches. "I never had worked with any of the other guys that are on the staff right now, but I knew of them. I watched them in their careers," Fewell said. "I have admired their work in the past. Obviously, coach Coughlin and I thought really highly of these coaches. I am happy to work with them."
• On what he wants from his defense. "I want to be fundamentally sound. I want to be multiple in what we do. I want to attack. I want to be aggressive in what we do. I want our players to play fast and have fun playing the game. Definitely create turnovers; I believe you score on defense," Fewell said. "I think you have to be physically tough. We have to play with discipline and we have to play as a team on defense.

By the way, Coughlin was also on with Francesa earlier today. I only caught a couple minutes of that, but I know that TC talked a lot about toughness, and how the Giants need to regain it on both sides of the ball.