2009 Colts Training Camp: Player, coach, and Polian quotes as camp opens

Jeff Saturday on new coach Jim Caldwell:

I think when he first took it over you knew. He is very assertive in his role. He understands what it takes to win in this league. He’s been around us so he had already earned the respect. I had worked with him as the quarterbacks coach for so long that I know what his expectations are. I know how he calls guys. He is a very vocal person when compared to (former head coach) Tony (Dungy). He’ll call guys out. He’ll say things that need to be said in a different way. Both he and Tony have different ways of doing things. I think Jim put his stamp on it from day one, and I don’t think it’ll be any different as we enter camp. This is his team, and he’s got to do what we’ve got to do and that is win football games.

Adam Vinatieri on new special teams coach Ray Rychleski:

I’ve had the opportunity to work with him the last couple of months and he brings a lot of fresh new excitement, that college atmosphere to it. It will be fun to see the changes that he makes and I think he’s getting guys really excited to be back out on special teams, too, so I think it’s going to be good for the team.

Marlin Jackson on recovering from his knee injury:

It definitely does increase your passion, having to work harder than you ever have before. I’ve always been a hard worker but with this injury, if you want to get back to the level you were at, you have to work 10 times harder than you ever have before. That definitely does increase your love and passion for the game.

Reggie Wayne, after showing up in a dump truck with a construction hat on:

This was my whole idea for camp this year. I really feel like we’re going to really have to get dirty. We’re going to have to really get into it. I feel like we have to make the blueprint and once the blueprint is made, we already know the site. The site is in Miami. I know that place better than a lot of people. We feel like, let’s get the site together and as long as we have the blueprint, the rest is history.

Pierre Garcon on last year:

I learned a lot from Marvin, Reggie and Gonzo. Now I’m putting it all to use and putting it all together and starting a new destiny.

Gary Brackett on recovering from his leg injury:

I missed the last couple of games, so I’ve been out since November. Obviously, I’m anxious to get back out there on the field, playing with some of these younger guys, getting used to different schemes. It’s similar to what we’ve done, but there’s a little different terminology, so I just want to get back and caught up to speed.

Colts President Bill Polian on the defensive tackle position:

We felt as though we needed to get a little more bulk at that position without sacrificing athletic ability. I’ve had lots of question about getting bigger and that really isn’t the case. When we won the Super Bowl we had Booger McFarland in there at 305. 305 with athleticism is plenty good enough, which is what (second round draft pick) Fili (Moala) happens to be and Dan Muir and a few others. 335 without athleticism is not what we’re after just to set the record straight on that. We play a style of defense and will continue to play a style of defense that emphasizes running and changing direction and athleticism on the part of those guys, but they have to be big enough not to be blasted off the line of scrimmage. 265 in a running situation on 1st-and-10 is not big enough. The fellas we have now are plenty big enough and plenty athletic enough and that is one of the things we wanted to try and accomplish.

Colts coach Jim Caldwell on separating himself from Tony Dungy (this one is good!):

No, not really. I don’t get that sense because of the fact that obviously he’s a great person to emulate. He’s been great for this organization, the program, and he should. He’s a Hall of Famer; he’s won so many ball games and directed so many great teams that he’s going to get attention. He’s going to get questions. I’m going to get compared a lot. It’s kind of like an old story. I was with Joe Paterno and he went down to do an autograph signing with Muhammad Ali. The two of them were sitting next to one another, and Ali had a long line of people and all the gals. Joe was over there and he had a few in his line, so he made a comment, Hey Ali, Why do you have the long line with all the girls and all the guys that are interested in talking to you?" Ali looked over at Joe and says because you haven’t whipped anybody. So I haven’t whipped anybody yet. So when that time comes and we get this team doing the things we certainly anticipate they can do, I think you will see things even out a little bit.