 John Carlson Combine Interview Notre Dame tight end John Carlson answered questions on a number of topics from the media at the recent NFL Combine. How did playing in Charlie Weiss' offense help you prepare for the pros? "It was beneficial to play under coach Weiss, obviously. It was beneficial to experience the change of coaches and to have to adjust to a new system in my college career. I learned a great deal from coach Weiss and hopefully I'll be able to pick up the next offense more quickly." How much did he relate to what he did in New England to what he was trying to teach you? "He used that quite a bit. He had a lot of success when he was coordinator there. The first couple of years at N.D., he had a veteran group, and what he did at New England translated well. I feel fortunate to have learned under him for three years." What did Weiss do with you? "I played conventional tight end for the most part. Coach Weiss moved me around a bit." How do you compare to other tight ends? "I haven't scouted the other tight ends. I know that there are certain strengths that compare; even more so I focus on the things I can improve upon: be more powerful at the line of scrimmage, punching people with my hands, footwork, fundamental things like that hopefully will help me improve my blocking." Can you catch the ball? "I like to catch the ball." Can you talk about the illness that you had last month and how it affected your preparations here? "It was about two weeks before the Senior Bowl. I caught what I believe was a parasite, and I ended up losing 17 pounds in eight days. It was unfortunate. I've gained most of the weight back. I've gain most of the strength back. I feel healthy today. It was disappointing not to play in the Senior Bowl, especially after a tough season in whcih we didn't get to a bowl game. The Senior Bowl was my bowl game. I'd been training since Dec. 11. It was disappointing, but I had no control over it. I've done everything I can to get back healthy and where I am." Any idea how you caught it? "There is a ... it's hard to pinpoint, but it could have been a function we went to at a home for youths. There's no way to be sure." Did you talk to Seattle? How would you fit? "I'll be happy to play for any offense. The meetings are short. The scheduled meetings will be more in-depth and more football-oriented. I don't have much to tell you." Your favorite team? "I grew up in Minnesota. So the Vikings and Packers were (most familiar). I grew up a pro football fan, so I didn't have a favorite team." Did Anthony Fasano (Cowboys) tell you anthing, anything about Bill Parcells? "Anthony and I are pretty close. He's a great player. The connection between coach Parcells and coach Weiss, we've discussed that a little bit." Regrets about not coming out last year, because you went, what 3-9? "To this day, I still believe I made the right decision. We didn't prepare to be 3-9. We worked as hard in the offseason as we did any other offseason. I was impressed with the way the guys hung together. There was no finger-pointing. We didn't throw in the towel. Practiced hard up until the last game. Even though the product on the field was not up to our standards, we put forth a lot of effort." Have you talked to Bengals rookies Dan Santucci or Chinedum Ndukwe, both of whom you played with the year before at ND? "I haven't talk to those two guys. We have mutual friends." Given your history with coach Weiss, have you had any contact with New England and do you think it would be a good fit? "As I said earlier, I had coaching changes. It forced me to learn a difference offense. I think, being the Patriots run the same offense, I might know some of the terminology and basics. I think I'd be able to pick up any offense after some time." Did you talk to Pats, who else? "I have a pretty long list. I don't pay any attention to the speculation. I am going to do the best I can this week. This is the time at hand. I want to be drafted as high as possible. It's a pretty simple goal." Where will you be on draft day? "I am going home to Minnesota. I am from a little town called Litchfield. My family will be there. My fiancee, her parents. It's going to be pretty quiet." Did you get basketball offers coming out of school? "I had some offers mostly from smaller schools or division II school. No tennis offers. If you saw my backhand you'd understand why I didn't have the offers. (You had a pretty good doubles record.) But that's doubles. They don 't put good tennis players in doubles. They put pretty good athletes over there and let them serve and volley." You were captain last year. Does that help this time around? "I don't think so. The year in general was such a learning process. I might be a stronger person for having dealt with some adversity. But I don't think it moves me up the draft board."
|
Print
E-mail
Del.icio.us
Digg
