Buffalo Bills center Connor McGovern spoke with the media following Sunday's practice at training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, N.Y.
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00:00So from your perspective, progress report of the move to center, where are you at so far?
00:05I think it's going really well right now. Me and Josh are getting comfortable with each other.
00:09You know, for a while, like, he was used to how Mitch snapped it.
00:12Mitch tended to snap it to his left. That's how Josh was used to it.
00:15So this whole offseason we've been working trying to train with coming back to the center
00:19and I think we're just starting to click and we're finally starting to gel together.
00:24Is that natural for you to go to the left or was it more natural for you to go to the other side?
00:29So, like, we try to meet in the middle. So, like, we start working in the spring,
00:32then spring and the offseason, like, it's one thing until you start to get the live bullets of camp.
00:39So, like, he's just, for the past four years with Mitch, Mitch snapped it to his left naturally.
00:43That's just how he did it. So Josh was used to that.
00:45So we just slowly started working it back to center until where he's comfortable.
00:50How much of that might affect some of the snaps that we've seen not be completely normal?
00:55Yeah, just at the beginning, just getting used to the live reps, just full speed.
00:59Like, you can practice as much as you want without someone over the top of you.
01:02But as soon as you get, like, a tilted shade that's trying to jump right down your face,
01:06it's a little bit different and just getting used to that again.
01:08And luckily that's, I think, in the past now.
01:10And we're finally starting to click and we're fully comfortable with each other.
01:13Since spring, we hadn't had pads on yet or anything.
01:18You had mentioned then that you basically are center.
01:20Yeah. That's you. That's what you want to be.
01:23Does it still take a minute, though, to get the center mentality back once you get the pads on out there?
01:29Yeah. It kind of, like, mentally I was there and all that ready,
01:32but it's just a little different once the pads come on.
01:34You know how it is. It's just getting used to it.
01:36At guard, there's a little bit more separation.
01:37But center right on top of you, just getting used to that again.
01:40It's just like getting back on a bike.
01:43What about the communication aspects with the rest of the offensive line?
01:47Obviously, you're familiar with most of them. Where is the progress with that?
01:50I'll say right now where we're at is better than at any point last year.
01:53Just how all five of us are communicating, make sure we're all on the same page,
01:56then turn back talking to Josh and he's correcting us or he's making sure all our calls are correct.
02:02Tackles are doing a great job. If we alert anything, they're communicating out to wide receivers.
02:06If they have to go down to my point, like, just make sure everyone's on the same page.
02:10I felt like last year a lot of times, like, the five of us might have known what we're doing,
02:13but we didn't communicate enough to the tight ends or wide receivers or Josh might have been something else.
02:18But I think we did a great job, especially Joe Brady, getting us all together
02:21and make sure we're all on the same page, like, it's offseason and now they're in camp.
02:24Like, we have the running backs in us with meetings and the O-line,
02:27just see how they want to hit the hole, our calls and our blocking schemes.
02:31So I think just meshed together, everyone's on a better page already this year.
02:35How have you seen Josiah's performance grow the most?
02:39Obviously, you're playing next to him now as opposed to both guard spots,
02:42but you watched him on film all last year. What have you seen from him?
02:45I think he's just become more confident player.
02:47Like, last year, being a rookie, he tossed right into the fire right away.
02:50There was a little bit of doubt, like, if he had a bad rep, he'd let that get to him.
02:55I see that this year, like, he's letting that just, he's being a lot more level-headed, more calm demeanor.
03:00And I think that just comes with maturing, just getting used to that position.
03:02And now he's starting to close it, like, him and Spencer are very close.
03:06Now he's just getting fully used to playing with me next to him now.
03:08You've been around a lot of really good guys at that position.
03:12What's the ceiling for Josiah Stortz?
03:14I think the sky's the limit with him. Just his size, his ability to anchor in.
03:18I don't think there's anyone in the league that can truly bullrush him and go through him once he gets his paws on you.
03:23I just think he could be one of the best, if not the best guards in the league.
03:28How farther ahead in terms of what Kromer wants you guys to do?
03:31Obviously, Deion's been in it, Spencer, but the rest of you guys were learning new last year.
03:35Is that also factoring into maybe feeling farther ahead this year because his stuff's different?
03:40Yeah, I would say so. Like, when I got here, it took me probably till literally week two,
03:43three of the season to feel fully comfortable with it.
03:46But luckily, David Edwards had him in L.A., so he's used to that. He came in last year.
03:50He knew everything. Spencer got another year on his belt.
03:52Saibo came in as a rookie with him.
03:54So I think just another year of all of us just working together and just working his technique just helps tremendously.
04:00To expand on that a little bit, what John's talking about,
04:03I think today might have been the first time that anyone took first-team reps along the offensive line.
04:08Yeah. Except the starting five are what we would expect to be the starting five.
04:12How much has that helped? Just every single day, it's you five out there.
04:16It's a huge thing. I think that was in the last year.
04:18Like, chemistry's a huge part of the O-line.
04:21Like, so usually during this part of camp, like, you've already subbed in guys multiple times.
04:25Like, guys might be only taking two, three reps at a time.
04:27We've making sure we've taken every rep.
04:29I think today was the first time me and Deion didn't take every single rep.
04:31So, like, getting a little bit of break.
04:33But I think that goes back to last year, how we started all 19 games together.
04:37And we just want to build upon that because we had so much chemistry last year.
04:39And we want to make sure we're just like that, if not better this year.
04:43What have you seen from Cedric Van Grangranger so far in his rookie season?
04:48Have you had any advice for him to date?
04:51I think he's a tremendous player. Like, he understands football. He's a very high IQ.
04:55I think with every rookie, he's just got to calm down a little bit.
04:59Just let the game slow down for him.
05:01So, I think this week helped, like, when we get into live, go against another team.
05:04There's not many defenses like our own that are lined up almost offsides, jumping off the ball.
05:09I think he's going to excel when he gets against a different team and finally gets the live bullets
05:13and then just is able to calm down a little bit more.
05:15So, that's what we've been just trying to tell him in meetings.
05:17Just don't worry about everything.
05:19Just if you lose a rep, you lose a rep.
05:21Just keep working on your technique.
05:22I think one day it's going to fully click for him and he's going to fully understand.
05:25He's going to be a great player.
05:27What have you seen out of the defensive tackle side, specifically Ed Oliver and Daquan Jones in camp this year?
05:33I think they've both taken another step forward.
05:36Like, Ed at 3 Tech, he's just – there's some plays that you can't believe.
05:41Like, he times up that snap count perfectly and he jumps it.
05:43It's just hard to – like, we've got to either cut back or Josh get rid of the ball quickly.
05:48I don't know if there's many other, like, nose guards in the league that are technically as sound as Daquan.
05:53Like, how he works his offhand against your snap hand, just how he's able to turn his shoulders so quickly.
05:58I think those two will have a great year in the interior.
06:01Connor, in terms of just Josh's growth, he's talked so much about wanting to be more of a vocal leader.
06:05Obviously, with his position, who he is being the leader on this team, just now that you've gotten this close relationship with him,
06:11has there been anything that's stood out about what he's done so far through this offseason and getting ready for this year?
06:16I would just say the communication in general.
06:18Like, he's always – like, after every series, you always see me and him get together.
06:21We're just talking about what he sees, what I see, why, like, sometimes he might want to over a call and I'll tell him no,
06:28just so he knows our situation, like, blocking schemes and just that feedback.
06:33So, I don't know if in his first couple years if anyone really told him no or, like, other stuff.
06:37Just so we're all on the same page now.
06:38And, like, he's in our meetings more, just hearing our calls, just knowing we're all on the same page.
06:43And I think he's taking that next leadership spot, like, talking not just to the O-line, but making sure everyone's on the same page.
06:49If I'm changing the call, like, he's telling the wide receivers that he got new routes and whatnot.
06:53So, I think he's just taking that next step.
06:55Some guys keep up with guys who've gone on to other teams.
06:58Have you kept in contact with Mitch Morse?
07:00Has that been part of the dialogue to help your transition?
07:03Yeah.
07:03So, I was texting a few weeks ago, but we're all at Dawson's wedding a few – actually, now it's, like, a month ago.
07:09But it was great to see him just catch up.
07:10Him and Ryan Bates were both there.
07:12So, I've been friends with Ryan's for a long time.
07:14So, it's going to be great to see him again this week.
07:16But I've been in touch with those two a lot.
07:18Had he shopped off with Mitch?
07:20Not at the wedding.
07:21Yeah, no, we try to stay away from football as much as we can.
07:23Just, I don't know, it's just better to not talk about it all the time just to get away from it.
07:28So, mostly talk about family or how he's got his new beach house down in Jacksville.
07:32Just off the football field stuff.
07:34Connor, how's life as a new dad?
07:36It's great.
07:37Like, I went three days without seeing Tatum.
07:39And I went home yesterday, and I was like, I feel like she doubled in size.
07:42So, it's been wonderful being a dad.
07:46Do you guys feel ready to take on a different team after playing against one another for so long, getting to Pittsburgh?
07:51Are you looking forward to that?
07:52Yeah, I can't wait.
07:53Like, this week – what, Chicago's this week?
07:55Yeah.
07:55Yeah, Chicago.
07:56It's going to be nice because, just like I was saying before, like, no one plays defense like our defense.
08:01Like, they're jumping down the throat.
08:02Like, going against some Raiders and all that, I think it's going to be great for not just the starting five,
08:06but the younger guys to get some actual reps against other defenses.
08:09And then next week we're going to go against Pittsburgh and just get the scrim –
08:12like, the practice with them and then the actual game.
08:14So, I think it's going to be nice to get some wide bullets against other teams.