OL Brad Butler
Practice – September 2, 2007
On being named the starter…
As far as personnel or where guys play, I don't even think about that. I just try to get better everyday in the rehab room. We have great doctors in there. They took great care of me and got me back to pretty much 100 percent now. I think the credit really goes to the doctors in there for helping me get back from my injury.
On his mindset….
I was obviously happy about it but at the same time I was focusing on Denver.
On the battle and his view of being the third guy before now…
Like I said, I don't think about personnel decisions. I just go out there and give 100 percent a day. If they told me tomorrow that I was going to move to defensive tackle, then that's what I would do and I would go out there and practice as hard as I possibly can. Those are things that are out of your control and it just doesn't really affect my game. I just want to go out there and help my team as much as possible.
On the need to play with Langston Walker to get on the same page…
It's true that we haven't played next to each other as far as live action. But that's what the whole off-season is for. To have an offensive line coach, like coach [Jim] McNally, who really stresses technique and communication. We started back in March when Langston [Walker] and [Derrick] Dockery and all those guys came in. We all rotated together. There's definitely some chemistry there. Even though he's a Cal guy and I'm a UVA guy, we sit there and we talk taxes and all sorts of other things. It will take some time but I wouldn't say it's completely new to us.
On the difficulty of transition from tackle to guard…
Being able to come in last January and having Coach McNally start to work with me was really important. When they told me that I was going to move to guard, I knew that I really had to spend the extra time here in the off-season to try to learn that position. It's true that I played a little guard in college so I think that helped a little bit as far as being comfortable in there. I give the credit to coach McNally who's really helped me develop my technique at the guard position.
On if it's rewarding….
It's nice, but at the same I'm here for my team. I'm not looking at individual goals here. I want to do what's best for the team. If tomorrow they move me to left tackle, that's fine. I'm just here to do what they want me to do and do it at 100 percent.
