Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson spoke with media on Thursday and discussed the offensive line's mentality to rebound from a disappointing 2022 season in which they didn't play up to their standard. Nelson also discussed his impressions of rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, what makes Jonathan Taylor special, as well as how Nelson views progress by the O-line in practice. (Video by Jake Arthur)
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00:00 >> What do you see just so far throughout camp for
00:03 Anthony Richardson and how he's day to day dealing with the ups and downs and
00:07 obviously trying to get better?
00:08 >> Yeah, I've been really impressed with him and
00:10 the way he's coming to the building every day.
00:12 Just his work ethic and his poise in the huddle, as a rookie,
00:16 has impressed me a lot.
00:17 The growth I've seen from OTAs till now,
00:22 you can tell that in the offseason time, he was at home, he was studying,
00:27 he was working on calling the plays in the huddle and stuff.
00:31 I'm really happy with where he's at right now and the growth he's having.
00:37 Gardner's been doing a great job, being a great teammate, so
00:39 I appreciate him too.
00:41 >> I feel like you're getting to know Anthony on a personal level yet and
00:46 kind of see his personality coming out bit by bit.
00:48 >> Yeah, definitely.
00:49 >> There has to be, there's always that time on task for the offensive line and
00:56 the quarterback, learning each other.
00:58 Where do you think you guys are in that process?
01:00 Every quarterback's different and
01:01 obviously Anthony specifically is a remarkable quarterback.
01:03 >> Yeah, I'm with you.
01:04 I think every day just growing, getting better each and every day.
01:11 At the end of the day, you have a pocket,
01:13 which you wanna have regardless of the quarterback.
01:17 So that's what we're working on, us five, blocking their four, their five.
01:23 And having a nice firm pocket in the middle.
01:26 Yeah, just trying to do that on a very consistent basis.
01:31 >> I mean- >> Go ahead.
01:33 >> I was gonna say, this is a physical game, but how much of you guys as a unit,
01:37 how much of you guys getting where you want to be, is attitude?
01:40 Shane talks a lot about that, obviously, but do you think that's, I don't know,
01:44 you think that's a big part of it or is there more to it?
01:47 >> I think it's attitude.
01:48 I think it's wanting it, desiring it.
01:51 And being passionate about that every day.
01:55 And a lot of it's off the field too.
01:59 Growing together off the field and getting to know each other really well on
02:03 a personal basis and hanging out, that shit goes a long way, honestly.
02:09 We've been doing a great job of that since we got started in OTAs.
02:13 And I think that's helped us a lot.
02:15 And Coach Speranos has been doing a great job coaching us up and
02:21 letting us all have a voice in the room and working shit out together.
02:25 And it's been making us closer.
02:28 I'm really happy with where we're at right now.
02:31 Still a lot of room to grow.
02:33 There's always room to get better and to improve.
02:35 And that's what we're hunting, that's what we want each and every day.
02:38 >> Coach mentioned a lot of the stuff last year, just communication.
02:41 It wasn't necessarily play.
02:42 Was that a big point of emphasis for you guys to fix that this year?
02:46 >> What coach?
02:47 >> Sperano, I'm sorry.
02:48 >> Okay.
02:49 >> Yeah.
02:50 Yeah, it starts up front with the communication and
02:54 seeing the defense and preparing for that each and every week.
02:59 And then communicating how we're doing it, everything.
03:02 Seeing things through one set of eyes, five is one.
03:06 And trusting the man to the left and right of you that he's gonna do his job.
03:11 Like you don't have to worry about doing too much, just worry about your job.
03:14 Everyone does their job five on five, we're good.
03:17 >> How would you describe what Tony's brought, just personality wise,
03:21 to your room and what has made him a guy that clearly you guys enjoy playing for?
03:25 >> Yeah, I love Tony.
03:27 He's, I mean, just from the first day, he's honest with you.
03:31 And you can tell he cares about you on and off the field.
03:37 And you get a million texts from him a day,
03:40 him texting you about certain plays and what he's seeing.
03:44 And I mean, that right there just shows how much he cares.
03:47 We're out of the building, we've already had meetings all freaking day.
03:51 And this guy's texting you outside of the building.
03:54 It's like, dude, turn it off for a second.
03:55 But he's always on it.
03:57 And as a player, you really appreciate that.
04:00 You want a coach that's always pushing you inside the building,
04:03 outside of the building.
04:05 He's done that, but we're also having a lot of fun in the meeting rooms and
04:10 on the field.
04:11 And it's great to get back to that.
04:13 >> Do we notice that of Bernie so far,
04:15 in just any ways that he's kind of been able to grow since last year was that?
04:19 >> I mean, first off, he's put on some good weight.
04:22 He looks huge, which is awesome.
04:27 So that's gonna help him a lot with handling a bull rush.
04:30 And then he's only been playing tackle for
04:34 X amount of years cuz he played tight end in college.
04:37 So just every year he gets, every playing experience he gets,
04:41 every practice he gets, he's gonna get better.
04:44 Cuz there's so much to learn from.
04:47 But yeah, I really like playing next to Bernie.
04:50 He's a great guy and he's a great player and can be a great player.
04:54 And just being on that mission to accomplish that every day.
04:59 >> How does that affect your level of play?
05:02 >> How does what?
05:02 >> Bernie playing, his level of play, how's that affect your level of play?
05:06 >> It definitely affects it cuz we gotta play together.
05:10 Defensive line runs games and we gotta pass that off together.
05:14 We have to do combination blocks together.
05:17 So he needs to fit, we need to know where each other are fitting on combinations.
05:22 And be hip to hip.
05:25 So it affects me that way.
05:26 But I mean, one on one blocks and stuff like that, that has to be all me.
05:30 And I have to be good at that.
05:32 >> Q, I know it's next man up mentality in training camp and through sports.
05:36 But when JT is not out there,
05:37 how do you find that balance between supporting a teammate?
05:40 He's going through something but also staying ready and getting ready for the season.
05:43 >> Yeah, I mean, just I appreciate JT's here every day and he's working hard and
05:50 getting treatment and he's in the meetings and he's locked in.
05:53 So I appreciate that but I mean, you can't really stew on that.
05:56 Like to whatever running backs we have, we gotta make do with that.
06:00 And they're looking forward to the opportunity and
06:04 they're out here every day working really hard too.
06:06 So yeah, you can't really think about that.
06:09 You just gotta come to work and be like, hey, it doesn't really change.
06:13 Like that engine keeps going.
06:15 Do your job.
06:16 >> How motivated are you and the rest of the offense to
06:20 run and show that you guys are better than last season?
06:23 >> Yeah, very motivated.
06:25 Last year, we didn't meet our standards at all.
06:28 And this year, we're doing our best to be our best.
06:34 >> Does it help to try out the same five guys that you were able to in the last season?
06:38 >> Yeah.
06:39 >> How do you gauge the run game out here when it's not live?
06:41 What are you looking for, your benchmarks?
06:44 >> I would say, are we getting our right fits?
06:47 But I mean, it is live.
06:50 We might not be tackling, but it's live.
06:52 We're all going as hard as we can.
06:54 So did the running back get to the second level without getting touched?
07:00 That's probably how we're gauging it a lot.
07:02 Or is he getting touched by a linebacker at five yards?
07:07 That's a good run, so gauging it that way.
07:10 Even though there's not tackling, it's live, we're competing out there.
07:12 >> What makes JT special?
07:13 You've been his teammate for ten years now, you've seen what he's done.
07:16 But what makes him, I guess, different than other batsmen and
07:18 linkers in that operation?
07:20 >> I mean, just looking at him, I mean, he's yoked and he can run you over.
07:27 He can outrun you, he can juke you.
07:31 He brings a lot to the table.
07:33 You know how special JT is, so yeah.