Derek Carr has been through coaching transitions before. Heck, he went through two just last season. So, it’s not hard to think that he’d be able to handle a change to new head coach Josh McDaniels.
Carr said he’s been particularly impressed with his new coach in teaching situational football.
“A lot of situations come up, and he teaches the heck out of them,” Carr said. “When we drill it, he makes it as hard as possible. We don’t get 19 timeouts, but he makes it as hard as he can. He knows it better too. Hopefully, we just go out there and execute the situation and the play to its fullest. He’s always correcting and teaching younger players. He’s all about the details.”
Despite being in the league for eight years, Carr said he still can learn a few things. McDaniels comes from the Patriots, a team that has quite a bit of success under head coach Bill Belichick.
“Everyone has different philosophies,” he said. “Not being funny, but the different head coaches I’ve had, they’ve all thought they see the game from a whole play out differently. Some fill on 35 to do this, and some want this. Where the ball goes on certain plays. When to take timeouts, when not to. What we want to do clockwise.
“Everyone has different philosophies. So yes, I’m always learning and always putting things down in my notebook.”
Although Carr didn’t take a snap during the Raiders first preseason game last week against Jacksonville, he said he still thought it was important to communicate with McDaniels to understand his thought process.
“I feel like I can get better by learning,” Carr said. “Asking, ‘Josh, what are you thinking on this?’ Because I want to make sure. I’m trying to execute it exactly how he wants it done.”
That communication will likely continue in the coming preseason games, in which Carr may not see any snaps … or very few. Carr also stays involved by being a support system for the quarterbacks who do play.
QB Carr helps outs his teammates
In last Thursday’s game, Carr was seen celebrating Jarrett Stidham’s touchdown run late in the first half.
“Yeah, I told him that’s the five stars dual threat quarterback coming out, and he laughed,” Carr said. “I think that’s why, we’ve been joking about that. So then, when he ran for the touchdown, that’s why I was laughing because him and I joke about that stuff all the time. It’s been really fun to get to know him.”