Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts Sr. address media post-joint practice with Colts

How did go out there in your opinion today, Mike? >> Um it went good. It was a it was a lot of good competition. I feel like obviously we got things to clean up. Um you know, but we did show a lot of good things as well on film, you know. We're going to go back and look at the film. You know, it's never as bad as you think, never as good as you think. So, we just got to continue to keep working to get better. >> How important was the last 2 days for your progression and your preparedness going into the season? >> Yeah, it was very important. You know, obviously running up against going against another defense, you know, obviously seeing our defense all the time you get a lot of the same repetitive looks, but to be able to get a different looks and stuff like that to get some live competition. It it was awesome. >> The initial timeline you provided at the beginning of camp was you might be cleared by next Wednesday, I believe is around when it was. >> Uh-huh. >> Where are you at in that process? >> Yeah, I got to talk to my doctor. I know that that call will be coming up soon. Talk to my doctor see where he see see where he think I am and you know, see how he feels about everything and then we'll go from there. >> Do you have an appointment yet on the calendar with him? >> Um I'm supposed to be talking to him today. We're going to see. >> I know you you said you don't want to rush back and everything like that, but how has it been when you get your opportunities in 7-on-7 or anything? Just you know, does it does it is it frustrating at times that you're just like ah I want I want to get in there already. >> No, it's not frustrating. You know, sometimes like I think about like today like I just think about the reps that I have, you know, obviously I don't get a lot of reps. So, it's like I want to take take advantage of every rep rep that I get. So, like today I ended on a on a bad play. I ended on a pick, you know, but so it's like for me I'm like now I got to sit here the rest of practice thinking about that was my last play, you know, but at the same time, you know, it's it's good you know, it's good to be able to go out there and compete. It's good to be able to you know, learn from from from the mistakes and go out there and you know, next time I get out there I know what I'm going to do to make sure it's better. >> Has it changed the way almost you've looked at practice trying to maximize everything you can get because you're not >> Yeah, I mean that's where you got to be like you you just got to you know, fall in love with the process, you know, cuz cuz sometimes you might get in that mindset is like okay, I got five plays today. I want to you know, you you still can't force it. You can't you know, do things that you're not supposed to be doing. You know, obviously, you know, as our position, we got to protect the ball, protect this team, and you know, I got to make sure I I I take advantage of those reps, but at the same time being smart with them and and, you know, playing it real. >> Are you doing anything different or extra maybe to kind of simulate and prepare for the presence of the pocket knowing that you can't kind of can't do that one aspect of everything right now? >> Yeah, I mean, I do a lot of drill work. As far as the pocket, I can do everything. And if if I had a rush coming at me and everything, I can get away, but it's just the right now if I don't get away, that's what we're thinking about. If I don't get away, you know, I I don't I don't think my doctor is ready for me to, you know, take those hits right now, but um that time is coming real soon. >> Will you talk to him? Will you talk to him? Will you hope to Are you hoping to get cleared from today? >> When I talk Yeah, man, obviously, you know, but at the same time, you know, whatever he say, that's that's what it's going to be, and I'm going to trust him, and I'm going to trust God, and, you know, I'm just going to continue to keep taking steps in the right direction. >> You're not from the area, but it obviously holds a lot of significance for you. Just what's it like playing back in this area and being around, you know, a place that has significance for you? >> Yeah, man, it's awesome. You know, obviously, I got a degree from Indiana. You know, that's probably about an hour and some change from here, you know, but at the same time, you know, it's it's it's great to be here. You know, it's great to be able to have this good work with this team. You know, it's a good team over there, and I'm excited to see what the guys do on Saturday. >> Did you get to do anything or see anybody that maybe you knew that, you know, the reception that you got here from people? >> Uh I didn't see anybody I knew. Actually, I did see one of my old teammates, Noah Pierre. He's one of the coaches at Wabash, um and they came out here to practice yesterday, so I was able to see him. Pierre, that's my guy, so it was good to see him. >> Will you argue Last one here. Will you Will you argue to play when you talk to your doctor, or do you just let him make the final decision? Will you push him and say, "I feel great. Let me go. Let's get started." or >> Um I mean, I would never argue with a doctor. Uh I feel like they know more than me as far as, you know, the body and uh mechanics and stuff like that, so I'm just going to trust what he say, and, you know, I'm just going to trust God, and just continue to, you know, like I always say, run my own race. >> How did it feel the last couple of days out there? >> Felt good, man. Uh I love I love joint practices because I feel like this is the time where you really get better as a team and you get to, you know, show your full self on offense and and do it against another team. So, for me like I love these times, you know, I always have fun, always love to compete against other guys and, you know, get see see my teammates get better, but then even the other guys say like, you know, you got us better this these past couple days. So, it it's it's always fun for me. >> Felt like there was a a real uh intent to bring intensity and effort to these last couple of days. Is that true? >> Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, you can't you can't walk out here and and not feel the intensity. Um every single joint practice I've been a part of like you we stepped on this field and you you just felt some hostile environment coming in and for me it's fun um because like every single time I, you know, line up against the the other defense like I'm I'm trying to, you know, be my best self for the offense and then obviously just show the gifts that, you know, God given me every every single play. >> Offensively, how how close are you guys to where you want to be? >> Extremely. It's it's just cool to see like us execute, especially in the run game. Um you know, I know that they don't show too much run game stuff out, you know, for like social media stuff, but I feel like we did very well um with the with who we who we, you know, uh have for a hat and getting the runs in and, you know, showing a glimpse of what we are going to do in the season. So, um that's why that's why I enjoy these times to, you know, really see who we are against another team and I felt we, you know, did very very well this these past >> Kind of looked smoother, cleaner out there today than yesterday. Is that kind of the way you viewed it, too? >> Uh man, I thought it looked smooth both days. I know we had some, you know, some mess-ups here and there, but I mean, that's just football. Um you know, we we didn't overreact, we didn't do nothing like that. We just got back to the next play. And so, that's that's how it felt for us. Um but we're we're going to keep on just trying to get better and just get ready for for week one. >> I believe you had your first rep of pass pro yesterday. It was a pretty intense live rep. How important are moments kind of like that in a skill that maybe you don't practice every single day in in practice or in a live situation like that? >> Yeah, I mean it it it was great. Like, you know, I love I love pass protection. Uh so, like, when it comes to the one-on-ones and even the the reps in in the team period, like, I'm trying to give my my full effort. Uh so, you know, for us, like, you know, we got really good work in the in the pass protection, especially in the in the in the routes one-on-one. Uh that was fun. Uh that's always fun. Um but uh yeah, it was it was cool to to to get those pass, you know, pass protection reps in and just have fun doing it. >> Now, you guys starters aren't playing on Saturday, probably not playing next week, and this was your last joint practice early joint practices. How do you guys keep that intensity going for, you know, the next week or two of training camp before you get to the season? >> Yeah, I mean, it all starts through practice. Like, you know, for us, I I don't know their plan um for the for the coming weeks, but I know that we're going to practice, and I know that we have to give our full effort in the practice, and, you know, just embrace that grind uh because you know, if we if we don't do it for each other, if we can't hold each other, then we're not doing it. We're not working as a team, and we're not doing what we're supposed to do to to get ready for the season. So, we're going to continue to work hard um every single day in the in the meeting room and the practice field, and go from there. >> How do you feel things went here last couple of days uh going against the Colts and their defense? >> I think it was great. Great opportunity for us to come out here and compete against another team. Uh we've been going against each other, so to go against somebody else and and their scheme was pretty good for our team. >> Offensively, how how close are you guys to, you know, kind of the the heights you want to reach this year? Like, are are you kind of just kind of is it along the right track? You happy with where you guys are offensively? >> Yeah, definitely. We've been I feel like taking the right steps in the right direction, and uh just, like I said, going against another team and using what we've been uh preparing for for the season, and now to go against somebody else's scheme and execute was a big thing. >> If you could kind of reflect on from July 29th when you began camp to where you're at now, where have you guys improved as a unit the most, do you think? >> Just continuity, just playing together, and just fighting for the man beside each other. >> I think I've noticed a couple of interesting wrinkles with you in particular and your versatility and where you're lining up. Do you feel like the staff is is doing a good job of coming up with some creative ways to use you? >> I would say I'm just rolling with the punches. Every day is a new day. >> [laughter] >> Uh obviously, yeah, I'm getting different opportunities in different places that running different routes. So, it's pretty cool to do. >> And it feels like the camaraderie with the tight end group seems at least to my eyes like it's pretty strong. >> Yeah, definitely. >> His addition has been in that group as a whole. >> Yeah, Austin Austin's the granddaddy of the group now. You know, he's he's year 11, so he's the patriarch. So, it's just fun having him in there and his hearing how he breaks the game down and all the games that he's played. So, it's good having him in the room. >> He's the granddad, what are you? >> Uh I'm the nephew. Cuz then Chuck is like right there. Chuck is year eight, I think. So, I'm the I'm the third in line. >> [laughter] >> How many How much time are y'all spending on screen game as opposed to the last couple years here? >> On the what? >> Screen game. Screen stuff. >> That's that's a schematic question. I can't give you that answer. >> [laughter] >> I wouldn't understand it anyway. I'm just like is it more time than it was in the previous two years? Are you Are you >> I'mma have to let you break the film down. >> [laughter] >> Nobody will say. Have you interacted at all with Phil Callahan in any of those drills or anything like that as as part of like the blocking or preparing for? >> Yeah, I wouldn't say like individual, but definitely in the off season I've tried to pick his brain in terms of how he helps his O-line progress in in the in run game and and in tight ends as well. >> Is there anything in particular that he told you that was kind of >> Just use your God-given abilities and your and your arms. So, when you strike people that that slow them down. So, that's that's one thing. >> With you guys not playing on your starters not playing on Saturday, how important was just the last two days in making sure you guys left everything out on the field that you could in getting your joint your only joint practices of the year? >> Yeah, I mean it's that's the goal every day to leave everything out there in the field, but um to be able to go out there and take majority of the reps and and and put it put it on the table, it was a good thing for us. >> Kyle, we've seen kind of Divine and Kendall Daniels be out there at the same time, and that's a really tall couple of linebackers. From your perspective, what is difficult about playing guys that are that size at that particular position? >> I mean, both of them can run. Both of them are super smart, so it's great competing against them every day, and it's it's good they're on our team. >> How did Two look to you today? >> I feel like he looked good. He's the, you know, one of the spirits of our ship along with Mike, and it's just it's great competing with him. >> He talks a lot about just just trying to learn the way you guys run routes and everything. Are you kind of on the same page with him, do you feel like right now? >> I mean, not not yet. I don't think anybody is, but it's it's just growing into September 13th.