FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons wide receiver Roddy White, a four-time Pro Bowler and holder of all of the team's key receiving records, is not worried about his role being diminished in the new offense.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
White spoke about the new offense, which is being installed by offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, during a break at his youth football camp on Sunday at Flowery Branch High.
“I just don’t think we’re going to go out there and throw it 30, 40 times a game like we did in the past,” White said. “I’m not saying that we didn’t like that, but it’s going to be different. We have to get back to our old (style) where we run the football. Play-action passes and convert on third downs.”
The new coaching staff is installing the outside-zone perimeter running game. Running backs Devonta Freeman and rookie third-round pick Tevin Coleman are battling for the top spot.
White has detected an overriding theme over the offseason.
“Just make the game really simple,” White said. “The more you simplify the game, the easier it is to play football. That’s what they want to do and that’s what we are going to have to do. Go out there and play fast and know what you’re doing.”
White, 33, a first-round pick in 2005 out of UAB, has 765 receptions for 10,357 yards and 62 touchdowns, all team records. Last season, White had 125 targets and made 80 catches for 921 yards and seven touchdowns.
He’s not worried about receiving fewer targets in the news scheme.
“I’ve never concerned myself about that,” White said. “When we had Mike Mularkey (as offensive coordinator), we ran the ball and we found ways to get me the ball. I never worry about passes or things like that. My opportunities are going to come. I just have got to hold onto the ball and make my plays when I have to make them.”
The Falcons concluded their OTAs last week. They are set to hold their mandatory minicamp Tuesday through
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Thursday.
White admitted that he’s had to pay closer attention in team meetings because of the installation of the new offense.
“Once you get new verbiage everything starts back from scratch,” White said. “It’s been good. I’m going to meetings and actually paying attention now after going through the same system for seven years. . . .it's new learning and you (have to be) attentive.”
White believes the Falcons can rebound after posting to consecutive losing seasons at 4-12 in 2013 and 6-10 last in 2014 which led to the firing of Mike Smith, the franchise’s winningest coach.
“Every year, I feel like we have a good team,” White said. “The key to our thing (is) just staying healthy. . . .It’s a new era. It’s a new coach. New things are coming. We’ll be happy to get these guys out here and see what we can do.”
White doesn’t want to put too much stock in the offseason program.
“Really, we won’t (know) until the (exhibition) season starts and guys get out there and start running around and we start hitting and stuff like that,” White said. “It will be a different team, a different attitude.”
Here’s what White had to say on a few other matters:
ON WR COACH TERRY ROBISKIE BEING RETAINED: "We are just having more fun in our room. That was the thing about keeping him on staff. Things don't change in the wide-out room. But around the new coaching staff, it's different. It's a different energy. There are different personalities. A lot of things are different. We do a whole of things differently. It's a lot more fun than the old regime, but it's still football. At the end of day, DQ (head coach Dan Quinn) wants us to play fast and physical football and that's what we have to go out there and do."
ON THE RETURN OF UAB FOOTBALL: "I'm excited about that. We have a long uphill battle. The next couple of years will be tough. We have to get our team back together, get recruits and things like that. It's like starting from scratch. We have no players. It's going to be a tough uphill battle to get to where we want to be at. Those guys are willing to work. We are going to get guys in there that can help our team win."
ON THE HAWKS GOOD SEASON: "I want to surpass that. We want to make it to the big game. We've been to the NFC championship game and lost there. We want to take the next step."
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