On Tuesday, Mike McCoy tee’d it up as the new interim head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Never before had he addressed the media so directly. During an introductory press conference, he laid out his game plan to catapult first-year starting quarterback Cam Ward. The team should refocus as they prepare for their next game against the New England Patriots.
McCoy touted creating a culture by using your team’s best leaders and protein to library liberate the tone in the locker room. He singled out defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons as an impact player on the team. It makes sense on a team where Simmons brings a dominant open court presence into every game. “That’s the accountability factor. He wants to win so bad. He’s one of the best ones to use as an example from any player on this football team,” McCoy said. He believes that if all players emulate Simmons’ work ethic, “great things are going to happen for this organization.”
McCoy hopes to continue refining Ward by building on the rookie’s strengths. The plan fully leverages those strengths while matching them up with the larger offensive game plan. He stated, “That’s going to be our No. 1 focus. How do we get Cam to be more efficient and have more success?” It’s this practical approach that highlights McCoy’s deep experience. He’s been an important coach of many big time quarterbacks, including Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Jake Delhomme, and Trevor Lawrence.
McCoy highlighted the positive reinforcement techniques he used with Trevor Lawrence during their time together in Jacksonville, stating, “That’s what I kept on telling Trevor and what I’m going to tell Cam.” He wants to provide an encouraging space for Ward to work through the usual ups and downs of his rookie season.
The Titans faced difficulties last week, culminating in one of their worst weeks of practice leading up to their loss against the Las Vegas Raiders. In an interview with former NFL quarterback McCoy, Simmons opened up about how he was a key figure in getting practice energy levels back in check. “He stepped up in practice last week and demanded we start over,” McCoy noted.
McCoy is just as hungry to accelerate the development of Ward. Going forward, he wants to involve tight ends coach Luke Stocker and running backs coach Randy Jordan more hands-on in practice. He affirmed that quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree would remain the playcaller, so at least there’s some consistency in philosophy on offense.
McCoy is excited to begin this new chapter with the Titans. He’s intent on forging a spirit of personal responsibility and meritocracy among his ball players. That’s why the team’s leaders—such as Simmons—are crucial in establishing that go-getting environment. Written in the midst of preparing for their biggest test yet against the Patriots, so hopefully those underdog vibes continue.
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