Every Monday afternoon on the SportsCage, join Barney Shynkaruk and members from the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ coaching staff with a breakdown of game match-ups and the very latest from inside the Riders’ locker room.
On July 21, defensive line coach Phillip Daniels was our guest on the Riders Coaches Show.
Barney Shynkaruk:
It's time for the SportsCage Riders Coaches Show for the Saskatchewan Rough Rider Foundation. Get your 50-50 tickets now for all rider home and away games. Riders5050.ca and Steelcraft Tours Regina made in Western Canada for Western Canadians.
Hey coach, how's it going? Hey, I love a man that wears pink. I wear pink all the time too, that a boy.
Solid choice of tarp today. The guys aren't on the field today.
Obviously, you guys are watching tape. You guys are having your coaches meetings. You've probably watched a lot of tape.
Going back to the game, how do you assess things now that you've watched a few things? The one thing we were talking about last week and coaches brought up a lot was we got out physicaled. Where did you find that on Saturday?
Phillip Daniels:
We were a lot better. We went full pass last week. That helped a lot, getting us back to that mentality of going out there and dominating.
We still got a long ways to go. We still got a lot of room to improve. For the most part, I thought our guys came with some physicality.
After the Calgary game, we felt like we was missing that. We had to get back to ground one, ground zero, and get that back. The full pads session helped us a lot.
Shynkaruk:
Coach, you've got a veteran group there up front overall. Some guys that have played in some different spots across the CFL now coming together here in Saskatchewan. How much for you is it just getting these guys on the same page and making sure that they're working together versus maybe giving them the intricacies that a younger group may have to get from that coaching standpoint?
Daniels:
It's all about chemistry. The only guy with Rose coming in, Mike Rose, he wasn't with us last year. That chemistry, we got to get that together and get a better feel for each other.
Usually in the second year in the system, it helps guys to be better. Everybody pretty much is a second year guy, except for Shane Ray and Rose. It's going to take us some time.
I knew it was going to take some time, but it looks like right now they're starting to gel a little bit better. Hopefully, that's the sign of good things to come. I feel like those guys going out there, they're playing hard, but we don't always do the right things.
That was evident in that Calgary game where they got us right there. That's probably one of the worst games we played as a defensive line since I've been here. We just got to get back to what we know and get the chemistry and get those guys to gel in a little bit better with the other guys and we should be fine.
Shynkaruk:
How much coaching can you do during the game? You know, like at halftime during the game. Is that difficult?
Daniels:
Well, I tell the guys, though, practice is my time. The game is your time. The only thing we can do is make corrections on the sideline and hope they get it, hope that they fix it, get on the field and perform.
You don't like to give them too much, get in their heads too much during the game, but at the same time, it's like little things, the little nuances of the game that we go on the sidelines, we try to point out. My thing is, I'm a big guy that I don't like repetitive mistakes. You know what I'm saying?
You're going to make mistakes. We ain't going to be perfect. We're going to chase perfection, we ain't going to catch it, but at the same time, I want you to keep chasing it.
And my thing is, we try not to make those mistakes over and over again. And on the sideline, I'm just trying to piece it together, you know what I'm saying? Piece it together, see who did what, who made a mistake here, get the guys to understand what I'm saying and those kinds of things, you know what I'm saying?
Because if you don't nip that in the bud early, it's going to continue down the whole game and it's not going to be good for us. So that's the only thing I do on game day. Like I said, game day is their time.
I try not to panic and let the guys see that in my face so they can go out there and perform. Because when you panic as a coach, they panic. So let me do all the panicking in practice.
And then on game day, I try to let you guys handle it and go get it.
Shynkaruk:
I'm stealing that from my flag football team. We're not going to catch it, but we're going to chase perfection. I love that.
What a line that is. What has Mike Rose brought to this group?
Daniels:
He's brought a lot, man. Leadership. He's a guy that's smart, real smart.
He's a guy that on the sideline, you know, I can walk over there and he's already talking to the guys and get them ready to go, you know what I'm saying? He brings fresh ability. He's bringing a little bit of quickness, you know what I'm saying?
Just that veteran leadership that we needed, you know what I'm saying? You know, we got Micah. Micah's a good veteran leader, but Rose brought an extra little piece of that.
And I think that over time, you know what I'm saying, the guys start to respect him a lot more and they start to listen to him a lot more. And it makes my job a lot easier when you got a guy like him that can coach guys up on the sideline and get them in the right place.
Shynkaruk:
I was looking at the stats this afternoon before coming over here, and I believe you guys sit currently third in quarterback sacks acquired by the D-line and that, but really spread out amongst the group and even Thurman in there coming down from the linebacker spot as well. Is that a strength of this team right now that, you know, we can get pressure from a lot of different areas and get to that quarterback with a lot of different guys?
Daniels:
Yes, that's a good strength to have, you know what I'm saying? Now, the thing is, when you look at football in general, stopping the run and getting more opportunities to rush the pass is the key. You know, we got to stop the run and we got to run the football on offence.
That's key to winning, really. If we stop the run, you know, early down, first down, we get an opportunity on second down to go pin our ears back and go get it. You know, we hadn't been real strong in a run game this year like we were the year before.
And so that's the difference in the sacks. We should, I don't like being number two or anything, you know what I'm saying? No less number three.
I want our guys to understand that. Let's stop this run. Let's get more opportunities to rush the passer and let's get in the top of those categories, you know what I'm saying?
I'm a big believer in the run game. So we pride ourselves on stopping the run. If we do that then the sach totals will go up.
If we continue to let guys run for 130 yards, and I'm the kind of guy that I hate when people run for 30 yards, no less than 130. And so my thing is we got to get that done, you know, I mean, that's the key to going to the big dance and winning it, you know what I'm saying? Last year, if you remember that Winnipeg game, we couldn't stop the run.
And guys wasn't doing their jobs and wasn't filling their gaps, wasn't sitting in their fits. And so that kind of hurt us in that game. So I stress that a lot.
I'm a big believer in stopping the run. And as long as our offense keep doing what they're doing, we're going to win a bunch of games.
Shynkaruk:
You guys did a great job, like we talked about. But Nathan Rourke, like, I don't know if it was your game plan, he seemed off all game. That's something that obviously kudos to you guys for making it difficult for him.
Daniels:
You know, Corey (Mace) does a good job of calling the game and he made it uncomfortable. We mixed some things up, you know, gave some different looks and now DBs play pretty good back there and then locking guys down. It's just being together, both units playing together.
I tell guys all the time that like pass rushing coverage go hand in hand. You know, sometimes we're gonna be good. And sometimes they're gonna be good.
And sometimes we're gonna be good together. And that was a game that we're good together. And I just think that we've got to continue that.
And I continue to build that chemistry right there with that group and everybody on the defense and inquiry did a good job of calling the game and calling a good game. That's always outcome.
Shynkaruk:
Dave's brought it up a few times how coach Mace has gone over and joined your group at practice. Does he still have a couple plays in them. Is that what he wants?
Like, could you put him in?
Daniels:
Listen, you know, Corey started out as a D line coach. And as you know, he's a D coordinator and a D line coach in Toronto. As hard as it is for him, he cannot let it go.
You know what I'm saying? You know, he gonna let me do my thing, though. He lets me do our thing.
But he always tells me, Phil, let me come over and get those Ds today. Let me go get those D tackles today. And I'll be like, Corey, you got so much other things to head coach.
You need to be roaming the field, roam the field and just do that and we'll be fine. You know what I'm saying? But yeah, I let him come over there sometimes, take over, you know, give me a little rest.
You know what I'm saying? And you do a good job, man. We both do a good job.
And I told the guys, man, y'all cannot go wrong, man. Y'all got a head coach that's a defensive coordinator that used to be a D line coach. And you got me who played 15 years at D line and I won a Super Bowl as a D line coach.
So you guys ain't got, y'all can't complain about nothing. If y'all don't get it right, it's on you guys and not on us because we are good coaches.
Shynkaruk:
I want to get into some of your old days in a bit here. And I remember you coaching because I'm a Patriots fan. So we'll leave that there.
But how difficult is it? Because RP and I were talking about just before he came on here, we're going to get into it in a bit here. We're seeing some big hits on quarterbacks and that's always going to happen in football.
How do you coach guys that are absolute dogs and they've been doing it and their job is to go and hit somebody? How do you coach them to gear down when you get to the quarterback? That's got to be so difficult.
Daniels:
It's tough, you know, it's tough. You got guys coming full speed. Some guys went zero to 80, 300 pounds and they just, you know, they just get close to the quarterback.
Can't stop, you know, I really do think I do think the leagues protect the quarterbacks a little bit too much. Like for instance, you know, a hand to the helmet. That's why we wear the helmet, to protect ourselves.
A hand to the helmet is not going to hurt a quarterback, you know what I'm saying? Those kind of things. So I feel like, yeah, the game is getting tougher for us to tackle and to go after the quarterback the way you want to.
But you have to just teach guys like when they get close, you know, just swipe the feet if you're on the ground, you know what I'm saying? Those little things like that or just, you know, just waist high, those kind of things. So, but it's tough, man.
You know, I remember a penalty early in the season when Micah and Rose hit the quarterback and I didn't think it was a penalty. I thought that was a good hit. I just thought they hit each other harder than they hit the quarterback.
But he pointed up at the referee, made a big deal out of it and that's how he got the call. So I just think they let the quarterbacks decide the call by just pointing up, complaining and those kind of things. You got to ask for yourself, just see it, see it for yourself and just keep that flag in your pocket if it ain't no, if it ain't crazy, you know what I'm saying?
If we ain't going after his head, you know, keep that flag in your pocket. Love your honesty.
Ryan Pollock:
What a great answer there. Great point. And then building off that coach as well.
So then you're, which we're not doing, but you're asking a guy to go in and be cautious and slow down and then you've come up against the quarterback potentially this week like a Trey Ford, you know, could be really elusive. And if you don't run all the way through him, he's a guy that can get out of the pocket and start to make plays. So how do you prepare for a guy like that?
And maybe speak to how important it is for that front to be able to hold their lanes and do their jobs and not allow him to get back there and start moving around?
Daniels:
Yeah, we got to be balanced up front. You know what I'm saying? We rush, we got to be balanced.
Everybody got to be where they need to be. And my thing is, you know, he's the kind of guy that, you know, you make people miss. And you know, my thing is don't let them get on the edges.
We'll be fine. But I think our guys know what we're dealing with this week. And I hope that they come prepared to practice this week.
And let's prepare to go get him. You know what I'm saying? We can't hesitate.
We can't be, we can't hold back, you know, on what we do. But at the same time, we can play smart and balance rush that and be where we should be when we should be there. And that's the key to stopping quarterback like that.
It's a balanced pass rush, balanced pass rush, be smart. And my thing is, you know, you look, you get a lot of people say, hey, keep your eyes on the quarterback, rush with your eyes on the quarterback. No, rush and be smart and be where you should be.
Shynkaruk:
Wow. Phillip Daniels joining us here on the Coaches Show this week. Now let's go into your career.
Seattle, Chicago, Washington. What's the quarterback side? Who is the quarterback that you sacked back in your day that you still hang your hat on?
That was the big one. That was a doozy.
Daniels:
Man, I sacked all of them. I sacked a lot of them. Mike Vick, you know, he was so elusive.
And he's, you know, he's one of those quarterbacks, you know what I'm saying? Those guys that can run around, scramble, and get out the pocket, you know what I'm saying? But I think I broke him in as a rookie.
He came in, we played him, and he ran a boot to my side. And, you know, he fast. So I had to take a good angle, perfect angle.
I got to him, put my arm around his neck and kind of grab his left hand because he's left-handed. He fumbled, or like, I ran it 90 yards for a touchdown. So him, Brett Favre, you know, so good.
Dan Marino, those guys. I mean, I go way back. I sacked a lot of quarterbacks.
Tom Brady. So, you know, I tell my guys, you know, you name a quarterback, I probably sacked him. The only ones I didn't sack was the ones on my team.
But I had 60-something sacks, but I spread those things around. So it was good.
Shynkaruk:
That's awesome. That's funny. Hey, then transitioning into coaching as well, and a little bit of a selfish question for me.
I like to always ask coaches about, you know, I think you can teach players when you're a coach, but I think when you work with elite people, they can also teach you. So a guy that really stood out for me, you're working with Fletcher Cox, with the Eagles and that. Your time down there, do you work with these guys?
And maybe just when you're working with them, a little eye-opener and going, man, this guy is like next level. And you can take something from him to move on to the next guy that you're working with.
Daniels:
You know, I think being a former player, for me, I never got to the point where I was like, this guy's next level. I always felt like we all, if you're a good player on that league, you're going to be a solid player and be a good player. Fletcher was just different because he was heavy.
He was a heavy guy, you know, a guy that when he put his hands on you, you know, he destroy you. And guys like him, you just give them direction. You don't have to really teach them too much, coach them too much, just give them the playbook in the meeting room and then get them on the field and to give them some direction on what to do.
And they got it, you know what I'm saying? You know, it was a pleasure working with those guys, you know, guys like him and all the other guys that I've worked with in the past, just to see those guys, I tell guys all the time, even until your last day playing football, you should be learning something. You should be getting better.
And so just to see them keep learning and keep growing. And even if they're a 13 year guy, whatever they may be, I ended up being a 15 year guy. And I always felt like, listen, once I start wanting to learn, I'm done.
I might as well retire. And that's the same thing in the coaching field. You get to the point where you don't want to learn anymore.
It's time. It's over. You let it go.
So I never had guys like that. Guys were willing to learn. Fletch was one of those solid guys that was willing to learn.
Brandon Graham, I can go on and on. I had an old school guy who I played with, Clyde Simmons, gave me some of the best advice I ever got in my life. You know, I remember being mad on the field and upset about something.
And he came to me and said, Young Buck, carry this with you the rest of your life. Never let anything or anybody ever steal your joy. And that's what I give to the players.
And I tell them, don't get upset, man. We're all in this together. We're all in this together.
We're a team. We're going to work through it. And it's good to see those guys, because they can also help those young guys understand that.
And just like I got it from an older guy, they get it from me and some of the older guys here too, the young guys. So it's good to have guys like that on the team. It's good to be able to coach guys like that and that you're still teaching them something, even though they played 13, 14 years.
Shynkaruk:
Where do you keep your Super Bowl ring and when's the last time you wore it?
Daniels:
I got my Super Bowl ring up here with me. My wife keeps it. She makes sure that nobody messes with that thing.
You know what I'm saying? So keep people telling me to put it in a safety deposit box and all this stuff. I said, Nah, we're going to be OK.
It ain't getting too far. I believe if the building was burning down, my wife would run in there and get it. She's not long I waited to get a ring.
As a player, I never went to a Super Bowl. I went to the playoffs, but I never got to the Super Bowl. So as a coach, I told myself that, OK, I never got there as a player, but I want all my guys to experience that.
So when I started coaching, that was my goal. I want everybody to experience a chance to have a championship and see everything that goes along with that on that game day, winning that thing, seeing the people out there hugging, crying, all that stuff. I want all my guys to see that.
And that's one of the reasons I coach.
Shynkaruk:
OK, your son, though, has a great cup ring playing in Toronto last year. Does he ever rub that in to dad a little bit? Be like, yeah, you got your Super Bowl ring, but I got the great cup ring.
Daniels:
Yeah, I tell him all the time that should be our ring. We just repeat the wrong game to play our worst, worst, worst game, you know what I'm saying? So but I was there for him.
I went I went to B.C. to that game and I always been there for him. And, you know, of course, I was a motivational speaker one year and they won a few years ago and they played here. So I was on the sideline for that one.
And my thing is, my thing, my kids do well. I'm being I'm all in. I help them in the way I can.
And I want to be happy for them. And I'll go last year was to play each other in the great cup. We fell short.
They did good. I hated that because I wanted to play him. I want to play against him.
And we matched up really well with them. You know, you know, during the season, we matched up really well with them. I thought if we got to the great could be a great story, father and son playing against each other.
No, they just didn't happen. So I told him just keep his head up this year because he's struggling a little bit right now. Just keep your head up.
But hope y'all get Kelly back in and things will turn around for coach.
Shynkaruk:
Thanks so much for taking some time today here on this Monday. Awesome. Awesome to chat with you.
Some good quotes there. Continued success.
Daniels:
I appreciate it. Thank you guys for having me. You bet.
Shynkaruk:
Thanks, coach. That is our defensive line coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. You look them up online.
Philip Daniels did the guys he rattled off that he's sacked. Come on. That was fantastic.
Like top to bottom. Great interview. Great guy.
Quotes. Yeah. I would run through a wall for that guy.
Yeah, for sure. You can see why guys want to play. So that's awesome.
Absolutely love it. Our coaches shows always brought to you by Steelcraft Doors and Regina made in Western Canada for Western Canada and the Saskatchewan Rough Rider Foundation. Fifty fifty.
