Panthers HC Dave Canales on Bryce Young's Voice, Exciting WR Room, Luke's LB Crew, Diontae's Energy

all right kicking off our day here in Charlotte I mean look at this I have Luke Keeley to my right and then also of course Coach Dave Canal is nice enough to spend some time with us you were early you're a timing guy how is it going so far I'm just going to let you two geek out over the crunching of the grass and this the orientation of the field go for it it's going great I mean I yesterday was our best practice by far I'm looking for a feel I'm looking for the energy the finish of plays um I'm looking for the intention on the football so all those things really showed up yesterday it was a really physical practice I loved it today's a great opportunity for the guys to show if they can bounce back bring it again every time we get an OP we get on the grass we got to bring the juice every day so step in the right direction good I think I think I come out here and I love this is my favorite time of the year to figure out what what what your team's going to be like what are the new guys like I was telling Kay the grass is phenomenal I hear they just redid the back portion of the practice field here and it's unbelievable and this time of the year I always thought about am I going to be able to play football again am I going to remember how to do it that first game of the regular season I was always really nervous so I as a coach do you feel like man I hope I can I hope I can coach I can hope I can call plays I think it's all it's all fun in games until the first regular season so before that first game kind of how do you feel I feel great um I feel great about our system you know we we're in really good hands on the defensive side with aerro AO and he's done a great job of putting our guys in position um really trying to accentuate some of the talent that we have on that side um package wise and then um you know for us on the offense you know I got a bunch of guys I've worked with I've got about five guys um on the offensive side who knows this system so it really feels like we're we're pushing along schematically um at the pace that I like so I feel really confident with that we've gotten some great call it periods you know to just keep getting those reps first time calling plays was last year you know what I mean so for me those opportunities are so important um but again I'm looking for the feel of it you know and as much as I want the mental errors and all those things to be at a at a minim I'm looking for how we do it how we play because as you know Luke that's where you set the tone of who we're going to be and the players uphold that standard As We Lay it out there for them when you talk about how we how we feel is that is that a is that a Personnel type thing how do we run the ball how do we block up front who can run you know a slot route who can run outside is it a is it a player-to-player person or is it more the system itself um I think it's less about X's and O's um we definitely have a mentality here you know we're getting a lot of reps running the football trying to create it but it's really the style of play it's great effort it's great enthusiasm so we can celebrate the right things because we know who we are it's great toughness I want to see the hits I want to see guys thud up in safe ways take care of each other on the on the vulnerable place right I want to see great smart football plays you know as we as we put them in situations you know third Downs two minutes Red Zone those types of things and then I want to see finish I want to see a great finishes to each individual play are we running to the football to take advantage of those Ops when we get the ball out or vice versa if there is a fumble are we running the in the direction offensively so we can get on top of it I want the feel of the practice so that when we get to the games it's second nature and that's what we're working towards let's get into some specifics here uh you know we're talking about what what you're looking for last time the three of us were together months ago you kept saying this one thing over and over again I want to get the football right it sounds like you're there it sounds like you're you're there and we're not done with Camp you got big preseason game coming up Bryce young yeah making some insane off schedule stuff happen back here you are a timing guy how do you balance his instincts what he's great at naturally and obviously wanting to script it for him yeah great so that's that's built in that's muscle memory as well right so here's how much time you have and then you got to go we will be more decisive we'll train our receivers Deontay Johnson's fantastic it's everyday tour three times a day the play extends and he's the first one that gets open we use a term we say the ball finds energy here and it's no it's very similar to basketball who breaks the hoop with that aggressive juice you know and all of a sudden just catches the guy catches the eye of the guy who's got the ball you know so we're drilling that part into it as well because as we know you're not going to have perfect Pockets every time um and he's done a great job of knowing when I got to go you got one two to the check down I'm moving to the third um and that's where he's created some of those plays this Camp he's had an impressive Camp Luke he has he has I think you talk about that off schedu stuff and remember when you were in Seattle we used to play you guys and everything would be great and then Russ would break the pocket and it always seemed like Tyler Lockett was that guy that Russ found and they just had such a really such a great feel and I don't know if Bryce could be that same way with Deontay Johnson it just puts so much pressure on the defense and I quite frankly think that it it gives you something else to practice for on the defensive side of the ball so I'm I'm I'm excited I love I love watching the team and you watch all these guys from afar but my question kind of is some of these young receivers that we've tried to develop the last couple years you know Mingo big strong physical Terrace Marshall same way what have you seen from those guys this training camp that that gives you uh some energy moving forward this is an exciting room um the guys that are all in that conversation you talked about Terrace Marshall um JN the Mingo they're having great camps um they look big and they look fast and that's what they are you know we know we're putting him in the right position we know that they understand what we're doing because their size and speed shows up where you see guys not play to their potential it's usually there's some uncertainty I see really confident guys who know what they're doing and so it's showing up Amir Smith marett another guy who's made plays every day you know so um a guy who's a dynamic punt return you got David Moore who I've known forever we drafted him in way back uh in Seattle um then I had him again in Tampa um we brought in um we brought in uh Deon Tomkins you know as a kick returner just another juice guy you know he's just a he's like lightning in a bottle so there's a bunch of guys in that receiver room that really see this opportunity you know to be able to take advantage of it you know and so I'm really excited about that room you're the first in you like to feature a player though you're saying this ball catches energy who's who's has the most energy right now who you know yeah is am mingo's having he's a star right now yeah he's doing fantastic um Deontay yeah Deontay just you know he's um he's he works on his craft all the time so in Rhythm routes setting things up releases all that stuff he's an absolute Pro but then it's the extension of the play where he really separates himself and this great to just show those examples to some of the younger players if you want this ball have a feel for the first route and then the second route and we talk about that a lot and again like you said Luke it trains everybody the old Line's got to know when to disengage the defensive line has to know I got to I got to keep the quarterback in contain here the the secondary and the linebackers we got to plaster we got to find work in our zones and just stick to it you know and it makes everybody work it's a conditioning thing as well so um really happy with where we're going there but I'd love to see more of that happen just when it when it comes up I want to know uh like the next day Friday morning you guys take on the Pats on Thursday whose name is trending and you know I don't know how who's getting action who's playing the most but who's uh in your estimation how you're mapping it out whose name will be trending on this Panther yeah so uh for sure we're going to run the ball you know a bunch so I'd love to see our running backs kind of emerge you know um one of the guys that's been exciting to watch this Camp is Raheem Black Shear um he's been fantastic on the kickoff returns with the new rule and all that um he just seems to have a feel for how to set those things up so uh looking for great things from him um looking for some pass rush opportunities you know DJ Johnson this is a big year for him you know being able to to take the next step in his career so really trying to you know see what he can bring to us uh kavan Chason came to us from Jacksonville first round pick all those years ago you know this is a guy who's got a hunger to him right now he's got a a focus and a look to him so really looking to see what he can do and then we have a fantastic Corner battle just going on you know with uh deshun Jameson DiCaprio bule in that mix Lamar Jackson these are guys we just signed Anthony Brown so this is a group of guys that were really evaluating to see who can help us long term um offensive line wise you know chanders ofal is a guy that I really want to see just continue to take strides you know he's shown power um he's shown like he's growing in terms of his understanding of the ball and uh so really I think those are some of the the top guys that that I want to talk about just really um really excited to see what they can bring to us you going to get out there I'm sweating so bad right now I don't know it's you really are I tell you what Spartanburg Spartanburg is hot it's still hot here in Charlotte um I come out here and look at it it just makes me it makes me so excited it brings me back you see all the guys that you're here so I wish I wish I could still play but the one thing here we go awesome feel a little better but when I come out here and see especially this year the size of the guys on our team we got big up front we we got big at running back I know Jonathan Brooks is banged up but he's big he's got a big presence Xavier Legette big talked about the receivers big asan Robinson on the defens side of the ball big I just think that our team is big and it's physical and I'm sure that's something you guys tried to do on purpose this off season absolutely um and I think you make it hard on teams when you can play The Run well and you can run the ball you really forced teams to to throw it and then if you have to put if have to throw the ball a bunch a lot of things can happen you got sack fumbles you got interceptions you know uh the timing and Rhythm of the pass game is really difficult to execute consistently we know there's teams out there that kind of feature the pass you know um but any team you know if you want to have success long term in this league you want to win late into the season you got to be able to run the ball and you got to be able to stop the run you know Luke there's nothing worse than going into that game and you just can't stop the run it feels like you're getting pushed your defenses were huge upfront and you guys had a star linebacker core with UTD and Shaq you know and so the teams that were built that way were trying to do that you know and trying to make a team play a certain way that'll fit in that'll be in our favor you have this like run through a wall mentality every time I I could just listen to you for hours I know you have to run but I want to ask about you and how you're enjoying your first Camp it's the first one in Charlotte lots of fans they're excited fans who never got to go uh and experience it and you know I'm I'm thinking of how I've heard you describe like baker has told me and told everyone you're an optimistic bully I'd like to know when I talk to Johnson today when I talk to some of these players how are they going to describe you to me hopefully they describe me as just connecting you know I I try to be intentional about where I'm at in the hallways between meetings passing through before practice I just want to get that one touch I want to get that pound the handshake some guys love to hug I'm in I love that who's the hugger and oh shoot um they're all it just depends on the day you know I can tell though cuz either like I'm feeling like this today or it's like this and then if I see the high hand it's like we're going in for the real thing this is great um so hopefully they would say that um hopefully they would they would say that you know I'm I'm pushing them to to throw this practice the way we want it pushing them on the energy of the deal um and I think just you know waking up every day and just with gratitude and trying to remind the guys look how amazing this is look at this place look at this opportunity that we have um and to remind them that it's all of us and the greatest respect that we can bring to each other is to bring your best because it makes everyone better and as we go to our games all these games matter if you're to tell me preseason 1 doesn't matter to the guys that are just on the cusp of maybe making this roster or not you'd be crazy I know how much this matters to them and I'm just trying to point Focus to it and heighten that experience for them so that everything we do matters and everything counts last last one for you now Bryce young I'm also hearing is being a bit more vocal yeah this year what is that all about one thing that I've been pleasantly surprised with with Bryce because I didn't know him from before is he's timely in the words that he shares okay he just knows when to bring the guys together he goes around after drills and he talks to specific guys and they're working through stuff Austin Corbett or he's with Deontay a lot you know and he and Adam already have a pretty good rapport you know and then when he feels like he's got to talk to the group it's not all the time but it feels timely and generally his message is on point I think at this point he's still refining his messages and how he says things but it's like he said the right thing like this is a great moment he felt the moment he addressed it and then there was progress afterwards you know and it happened to be our first drill yesterday after team run the defense absolutely got after us and after that first rack of a couple of plays he brought the offense together he was very Stern about what he said and he was like guys in so many words we got to refocus here and we got to get our stuff right and it was just great to feel that energy and to see the guys respond to them because they felt it they knew it was true wasn't like oh what is he saying this is off you know off base so that's been really cool to see from him Luke let's go this sounds amazing I'm trying to like can we poke a hole on this team I don't think so what are we doing not yet I mean I think talking about Bryce with that I think that's the biggest thing is being intentional being yourself I I don't think you can make a guy be something that he's not and I think with Bryce I think you I think you you obviously know him extremely well I think he's very intelligent I think he's very intentional I think he does things on purpose and I think he understands situations and I think he knows what he is and what he isn't and I think as these guys continue to grow as they continue to be in the NFL Bryce had a full off season finally I think if you're him you got to be very excited and knowing I got some older guys around me and he's got Theon now ausen Corbett's back I know he's been banged up Taylor moton got the two big new inside guys chuba hubard has really had a really great season last year so now Bryce I think he kind of looks around he's like now I know who my team is and I'm sure that makes him a lot more comfortable absolutely you know and and to pair with all of that we are going to become us and we're evaluating every day what do we look rhythmic on what do what does it look like we're playing fast because that tells me about their confidence and their focus on the plays and we'll start to hone that in after we get through this kind of last couple of days going into New England when we come back we'll start to just say okay these look great let's build a couple of a couple more of these and those things and that's where I really um look forward to seeing Bryce right now we're just kind of throwing a lot at him and he's handling it great but as you know Luke there's just certain calls it's like man this is one of our babies and this other one that feels like a one-off you know so we really got to start to hone in on our core um and I'm excited to see us become Us in the next couple weeks cool excitement growth Progress Energy I don't think anybody's worried about your energy coach we appreciate it