Kubiak Enjoying ‘Different’ Role with Vikings, Impressed by Stefanski & Cousins

[Viktor]

“One of the first things he said to me when we talked a few months ago when I got here [was], ‘Coach, I’ve had some good things happen in my career and had some good numbers, but I want to win.’ And that’s what we all want to do. That’s what you’re searching for with your football team, and if you have people thinking that way, you’ve got a chance to get there.”


Added Kubiak: “He pushes himself every day, works hard at it, first one here in the morning, those types of things. He gives you everything he has, and that’s all you can ask for.”


The Vikings offense is coming along and beginning to take shape, but Kubiak acknowledged that the defense has a leg up due to longevity of the system.


While offensive players are learning a new system and new terminology, their teammates across the line of scrimmage are well-versed in a Zimmer defense that, at its core, has remained consistent.


Asked if the difference in experience made it difficult to evaluate the offense, Kubiak responded, “No, I think that’s just real.”


“Like I told Kevin and like I told the players, it gives us a chance to be really good. Because when you go against good people every day, and our defense is excellent, it gives you a chance to be as good as you can possibly be,” Kubiak said. “Everything that happens out here every day for us is real, so we’re making good progress, but we have to be on our toes each and every day to be able to find ways to move the football. That will give us a chance to be as good as we can be.”


With the final day of minicamp in the rearview mirror and players now dispersing until the start of Vikings training camp, Kubiak feels positive about the direction things are going.


“I think we’ve had a good spring,” he said. “We’ve got a long way to go, you know, but our work has been really good. We’ve taken some steps forward as a group in all areas, in my opinion. I think the key now is that we come back and we pick up where we left off, that we make sure we don’t have to kind of start again. Let’s pick up where we left off and go from there.”