Jim Harbaugh On Maxx Crosby & Raiders Week | LA Chargers

how excited are you to get on a football field and play in a regular season game game week super excited um every day matters but the games count so uh um here's a there's a uh appropriate air around the facility and the building with the with the team the meetings I mean it's uh let's go coach is there any more I don't want to say any more excitement but you know about rivalries because of what you've went through in college and things like that what do you know about this particular rivalry that makes it Stand Out Among the best um I think you're exactly right um there's uh it's a it's a big river I don't know if I've it's been named or or uh I'm not going to be the one to name it but it's like it's felt for sure uh yeah used to coach at the Raiders and um so there's an understanding this is a this a rivalry big game do do you address that with the team in any capacity this week I think they all know I think everybody knows everybody participates in it you know knows understands um you know and it's and it's it's the opener it's the uh there's this big game big week you sense anything extra with the players considering how how last year's get out of most re recent meeting with the two teams went uh there's a there's definitely a respect for the for the Raiders uh you know their their team their organization uh you know they their players um coaches you know throughout the you entire organization I sense that and then the other thing I sense is that yeah everybody knows this is these count now and um that uh there's a there's just an extra extra heightened excitement Focus uh you know detail into what everybody's putting into the day Jim being now back in the NFL for a few months what have you have you found anything that you really missed about the NFL that you didn't know you did until you're back in it now I think I've said this a few times um I didn't think the NFL could get any more any bigger uh any more exciting than it was a decade ago but it's it has you know at least you know I don't know how many times more but you know certain two three 4X you know 10x I don't it's uh when I didn't think it could go any get any more popular it has um the other the other things that stand out are um rules changes uh and and safety you I think uh and most of those rule changes have been for the safety of the players in the game and I think uh all all three are are are uh tremendously positive for good or bad how how what do you think the biggest difference in you is since the last time you were on an NFL side one I don't know I don't have that list in front of me um just um I think I've grown um I think I'm uh uh you know as pouring the same amount into it which is everything you know heart and soul into the into the job uh love this team and uh yeah super super happy to to have the work you know to be able to go to every day and and uh work at that common goal you know be a part of the team um and creating a ball team you know like I want this to be our favorite ball team we've ever been on on you know even from the every guy you know uh every every man woman in the organization you know they could think about little league or high school or college or Pro but I want this to be their favorite ball team they've ever been on and what way would you feel you've grown as an coach uh like I said I I don't really have that that list in front of me I feel like I have what are the challenges that uh Max Crosby presents um at anything you could describe he uh he presents a a challenge I mean he's he's great against the Run he's great against the pass um he's he is uh you know about as I mean as physical and as slippery as a guy could be you know I mean both at the same time you know and whatever one he chooses uh you've got to be really you really got to be on your your details your um your Technique you know to uh to have success or get a stalemate you know that is Success against a guy like Matt Crosby he's a tremendous football player how much are you looking forward to you know Joe all having the opportunity to go up and against an edge rusher of of that caliber like in week one obviously he's been going up against Joey and K to butd through training camp but to sort of have that test that that barometer like in week one right away like what are you looking forward to about that um I mean yeah you you hit the nail on the head I mean there can't be a a bigger test you know you know right out of the right out of the gate and uh you know Joe's preparing for it and um you know I think uh you know I can't wait can't wait to to watch him compete you know you know at the starting out against know premere you know uh Edge player in this in this game in the history of the game really what's your biggest concern about your Club going into this game this season this right now um I mean you do everything you can to prepare and um but you just don't know Jim you just don't know I mean uh I don't think I don't think anybody really knows um I think we're going to be good um I think uh and excited to see see what happens but but the way the preseason set up it's it's hard for any team to to know exactly what they have um so yeah it's like let's go we're jumping out of a plane and let's hope the parachute let's hope hope the parachute opens you know hope hopefully we all packed it in there good and and uh and it opens for us and there's been I can't say enough about all the people in the organization that uh you have made sure that parachute is packed packed right can it team be overhyped going into the season open um I don't know the answer to that question are we have we' been overhyped or hyp I mean like excite the excitement level not overhyped from the perception of what people think the team would be but like the players on the field oh oh the players themselves yeah um I mean you're dealing with professionals you know that uh that if you know it's not their what's the what what do people say not their first barbecue not their first uh Rodeo Rodeo that's right not the first rodeo for them yeah they're they're uh you know they're pros and they're they're uh you can just see the you know the U the laser like focus and you know the attention to detail in every aspect you know of their their position and and and getting their getting their uh getting their bodies ready to play the game you know getting their minds right um yeah I I I think so um that's that's that's what I've been around I haven't been around any kind of outside you know hype or anything like that I don't know what that is so um it's been it's been with these guys in the in the submarine and now we're ready to ready to surface I'm sure the start of a season always has you feeling some sort of way but for this Evolution and this iteration of where you're at in your career new franchise have you felt any unexpected emotions waking up this week um just really like uh you know like always um you know wake up and uh just ready to attack the day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind um but yeah the opener that's that's always uh that's always a big because you know now they count you know every day matters but only these these games count so uh yeah there's a there's a heightened sense of everything why are you looking forward to to seeing about Justin I know you you've sung his Praises since you got here but um he's had a pretty eventful month um when you get to the game what you what are you looking forward to see from him um just fired up to watch him compete can't wait to watch him compete um I know we were the last press conference we we talked about the word comfortable and I said that's not a word that I would uh associate in football uh I got an addend into that I would like to see the quarterback comfortable in the pocket uh that is I know you're not I know you're not a doctor but how comfortable are you with Justin's foot right now uh I can't wait to watch him uh go compete he's he's been uh you know he's um been so so good so locked in uh you know this entire entire offseason uh his practices have been uh I ran out of the you know appropriate adjective everything I was saying was under selling it um so uh the other thing he's like a human computer chip um you know for a brain it's just the way he the way he thinks the way he can he can uh you know uh go through information you know get to the you know absorb it retain it remember it disseminate it I mean it's it's really impressive so I can't wait can't wait to watch him compete so no concerns over the plan of fash year uh I mean concerns I have concerns about uh you know uh the entire team you know and their health yeah I'm I'm always that's always that's always top of mine but um yeah he's been gosh you guys go to practice you watch you know I mean uh I'm I you ask me how I'm excited I can't wait to watch him compete how have you seen involved as a leader since you've been um he just right out of the shoot one of the best leaders i' been ever been around um you know from day one he is uh he's he's a he's a he's a rock you know um and in every way you know just uh the hardest worker the tone setter the uh the uh I mean the strategist the uh the performer you know I mean he's uh the producer I mean he's how else do you want a guy to lead I mean he he leads from the front it's um you know it's tremendous I mean like and I think you know even the going back to the elevator incident um it was no surprise that when 15 people got out of the elevator uh who would be the last one to get off the elevator who let 14 other people go in front of him and who was the last guy to get off the elevator was Justin Herbert um so in any and every way uh he is he is one of he is probably the best leader I've ever ever been around you know um you know that's that plays the quarterback position or really any position you know you there's not a day he comes where late or disheveled or not ready to work you know I mean every day he's you know he's he's gotten the gotten the proper sleep and the the hydration and the the recovery and you know he's studied because he got everything down cold you know the next day that he that he comes in he's always early you know hours early um so uh yeah I think that probably covers about any and every way and uh and he's just a great guy too um and a great teammate you you've had a long history of turning around bad teams how difficult has it been with this franchise last year was a really horrible year here how tough has it been to get them to come away from last year and you know look yeah it's like there's no good coaches without good players so I was never really on any bad teams uh they always had they always had good players and I've I've seen the same thing here you know across the board really good really good players with Scott Matlock number change and obviously you know playing some fullback in in tight end just is he going to play two ways or you expecting him to Play Def play two ways two three ways because he's going to play special teams too he's going to play defense he's uh he's one of our top three uh defensive lineman starting fullback uh and he's he's starting on couple phases in the in the kicking game too so three-way player and you feel like he can play you know a certain number of snaps on defense and offense he can fill all those roles like it like the fact that he's playing offense isn't going to take away from how many snaps you can play on defense I guess is what I'm asking no he's in he's in Premier condition I mean um and he's prepared himself in the the same manner that I was talking about the other players uh you know Elite Elite uh combination of strength and power and uh agility flexibility Mobility um and conditioning I think he could play two games back to back play one game a full four quarters and then play another game like a double header I think that's the kind of uh shape he's in you guys tried you guys have tried you guys had tried Jordan mcfaden at fullback as well is that experiment over or is that is he still like an option at at fullback as well yeah yeah he he's uh he's an option he's uh he he's a option as a as a backup to tried different people Scott was the best thought Jordan was like second best and and uh so definitely remains in the in the in the picture Gardener mro I think has been interesting he's been mostly a pretty good backup NFL quarterback but there's been some uh instances where he's become the starter and Leed of team and uh with some success what are your uh analysis of him that you've seen I've always been a big fan uh yeah he's a starting NFL quarterback um you know I think he's he's uh he presents a a lot of a lot of problems he plays with uh you know great ability and knowledge of the system and uh you know like confidence um I'm uh he's a he's a winner yeah I've got a lot of respect for him Jim Joey and and KH throughout Camp I know Joey was out for a while with the hand thing but have they impressed you at all from what you thought coming in to what you've seen over the past few months yes I think uh not only Joey I think Joey's great KH khil is great those are I mean those are are two of the best who've also ever played the game two the two the absolute best in the in the league right now seen it seen it daily um you know they are I'm excited I'm excited to watch them compete um and uh tul Le and Bud uh I really think it's one of the one of the real best if not best Edge rooms in uh all of football have a new OC and and Luke gsy preparing for him were you guys looking primarily at like Bears film from from last year how how do you prepare for for an OC in year one yeah you look at where they were their previous their previous place and and um and you also look at you know what the what the current roster is and you know try to try to get some ideas how they're going to implement those guys Edwards ready to go for D pardon I know Gus was working through the Gus and JK were both working through some things during train camp but are they both ready to go on Sunday yeah it look looks that way just where do you feel like how eager are you to see this running game just with the way the line blocked during the preseason and everything yeah um can't wait can't wait to watch them compete our backs our offensive line our def defense our special team the whole team I just can't wait can't wait to uh watch our guys compete on Sunday just with a bunch of news um um skill player position guys that Justin's working with how much do you still think even the first week or two of the regular season there's still going to be those growing pains and getting to know you phases I expect our guys to go out and compete and uh you know uh give it their very best I'm really really excited about it same with the with the receiver group you know the tight end group um talked about the quarterback The Edge group I think I said the whole team I mean yeah I'm just as excited um you know any position group you could you could uh mention I um feel like feel like they're ready to go Jim you played in this this rivalry um is it anything more to you than just the opening game or is this Charger Raider thing still special you yeah every game every every game you play is is huge uh there there's definitely a a rivalry component to it and it's the opener uh it's it's all those things do you have like a a game day routine that you that you typically do that that you've done before that you'll do this year not not any kind of like routine not too much of routine wake up eat you know uh and keep going over the game plan and you know play out the scenarios and uh yeah nothing special