According to Tom Coughlin, Osi Umenyiora gave his best “Rudy” impression yesterday at practice. When asked about Osi practicing on Wednesday instead of taking it off as usual, Coughlin said:
"Q: Osi actually practiced yesterday as opposed to previous Wednesdays when he rested the knee. Is that a product of anything?A: No, he wanted to work yesterday. We weren’t sure exactly how much a couple of guys could do so he wanted to get a little bit of work. So we gave him some very limited – a couple of snaps. But I was happy to see that – he actually came up and asked if he could go."
More of the transcripts and injury news after the jump…
TC: Which injured player would you like to discuss first?
Q: Aaron Ross?
A: He worked well. I can see him getting better, getting stronger, feeling better about himself.
Q: Steve Smith?
A: Steve did a little something – moved around, caught some balls – good progress.
Q: David Diehl?
A: Diehl worked; O’Hara didn’t. Diehl has been getting a couple of snaps, does individual, gets a few snaps.
Q: Was Smith limited?
A: Limited. He took a couple of routes as a scout squad player.
Q: Do you think Diehl is ready to go?
A: We’ll see. We’ll see. It will be a process. We are going to have to see how he is today, how he is tomorrow and the whole deal.
Q: Osi actually practiced yesterday as opposed to previous Wednesdays when he rested the knee. Is that a product of anything?
A: No, he wanted to work yesterday. We weren’t sure exactly how much a couple of guys could do so he wanted to get a little bit of work. So we gave him some very limited – a couple of snaps. But I was happy to see that – he actually came up and asked if he could go.
Q: You were asked about the safeties in general yesterday – Kenny Phillips specifically. We see Antrel Rolle a lot down low; we see Deon Grant down low. People think Kenny is not having an impact but he is playing up top. He seems like he has been showing that he can cover a lot of ground. Is that what you are seeing?
A: He has gotten better and better. He has been in the deep half or deep middle most of the time. We have had him down a few times. But as I say, he is getting to be more of himself. It is a process, believe me.
Q: Has he been discouraging some teams from throwing deep because he has shown that?
A: Any quarterback who is aware of what is going on and sees a guy in deep center field, it takes some things away.
Q: Is that process just typical ……., too?
A: I think it is, but no. That would be just my opinion.
Q: What does Jason Pierre-Paul have to do to keep building on his two-sack game?
A: Keep grinding away and keep learning. There are still a lot of little technical things that are involved in this. He is working at it. He is not all the way there yet. Just keep getting better; keep getting better.
Q: Is he still going truly on athleticism right now?
A: Oh no, no, no. You have to understand what I mean by that is alignment, assignment, technique – all of those things. He is aligned where he is supposed to be. He is taking full advantage of whatever the scheme might be. He is involved in some …….., whatever. But it just has to be a continuous process.
Q: Kevin Boss seems to find himself in the right position at the right time and come up with good catches these past couple of years. Is that a product of doing things that you ask him to do route-running wise or is he just naturally sort of ……?
A: Well, it is process by which he — the tight end position is utilized by assignment in all patterns. But in certain situations you look at that. You are looking to see that he is a guy that will work his way into the middle of the field or across the field or the sail route that you see that has run into specific coverages. So when you are able to put a guy in position to – by assignment – send him into a void where the coverage allows that to take place, the quarterback directs the ball to him. That has been part of the process.
Q: Do you expect D J Ware to return kickoffs again this week?
A: We’ll see.
Q: Hakeem Nicks saw the doctor last night, anything new there?
A: Good progress, good progress. They are not ready to let him run yet. But if he continues like he is, they will, I think, allow him to start to exercise shortly.
Q: Shawn Andrews?
A: Nothing to report.
Q: Is it more muscular stuff or is it more disc stuff?
A: No, it is more than muscle.
Q: Is this a fear that it is going to be more of what he has been through in the past?
A: It is a concern.
[Full Transcript Can Be Viewed At Giants.com]