(On if camp practices feel tougher than games) "Absolutely, 100 percent.  That's a big thing we did last year. That's why I was so eager to get through camp. Not necessarily eager to get through it, but go through the grind of what camp is because then we get to the point that when we're in games, it's not necessarily easy, but as far as conditioning and just the pressure, it's less strenuous. He definitely has a plan, and I fully believe in it."

(On if Coach Marrone wasn't happy today) "Yeah, he wasn't. Obviously coming off a day off guys came a little sluggish so we had to go back in time and do over a couple of periods. At the end of the day, that's just sudden change. That's coach throwing in surprising elements that will happen in games. There will be times when the defense will have to go back out on the field when we weren't expecting to go back on the field for the offense, so just those little elements of surprises, twists and turns, that we have to adjust to. He's not going to let us come out there and not get anything out of the day, so as a player, you've got to appreciate that."

(On how it's going playing middle linebacker) "It's great. Full-time job. Full-time responsibility. Things have been going smooth. I'm very eager for Thursday, getting a chance to go against the Saints, but overall it's been good, getting guys lined up, knowing my checks. I'm very eager, very excited."

(On how he feels this year at his position versus last year) "Honestly, another year under my belt. Just communication, that's the main thing being a young MIKE in the NFL is being able to communicate and overcommunicate at times, see everything you see so that way other guys can see it. That's the main thing is just talking because there are times when you are playing MIKE and you're just exhausted, but you've still got to talk to everybody else when other people can kind of be in their own zones. That conditioning is there, and I've very excited."

(On if that's about knowing the system) "I'd say it's a mixture of everything. Knowing the system. When things kind of go haywire, still having that poise to be like 'this is what we're in,' getting guys lined up. You're like the quarterback out there, so you have to approach it as such."

(On if it feels like a transition to a full-time job) "Most definitely. Last year I just played MIKE at nickel, so when we were at nickel I had to be vocal and everything and when we went to base we could just kind of lean on Poz [Paul Pozluszny] to do the communication. So me, I'm out there talking all day going home with a raspy voice and coming back and doing it again. That's just a part of the job. Like I said, overcommunicating."

(On where he feels like he's made the most strides since camp began) "I'd say knowing how the offense is attacking us, because coming into it when you are young you are trying to learn the scheme. You are learning the scheme, what we're running, what coach is kind of thinking in certain situations. Now it's let's shift to what the offense is thinking, how they are trying to attack us. So that's what I'm getting better at, knowing where we can be attacked, where I can be attacked and to try and counter that based on formations and tendencies and things like that."

(On Leon Jacobs in camp) "Leon has been awesome. Number one, he knows what he's doing. That's the coolest thing. Coach will ask him a question in meetings and he'll be spot on, no hesitation. So Leon is very bright, very intelligent. You can tell he goes home and he studies at night. Obviously, physically, he's a specimen. He looks the part, so very excited to see what ends up happening with him. He's doing very good, very good, so I'm excited for him."

(On how long it takes for a player like Leon Jacobs to translate meeting room knowledge to the field) "Yeah, that's the cool thing about it. Not only is he in the classroom showing it, but he's on the field executing. He's very far ahead. He's further ahead than I was."

(On if Leon Jacobs is meeting the expectations of this defense) "No problem whatsoever because he's out there communicating like me and Telvin [Smith Sr.] and the cool thing is he's kind of feeding off me and Telvin, so the more he hears us talking, the more he's talking and saying the right things. It's a breath of fresh air, you know what I mean? Instead of being like, 'Oh, OK, I've got a rookie. I've got to kind of worry about him, tell him what to do, make sure he knows what to do.' Leon is spot on. I don't have to worry about him."

(On if he feels like he could have made a bigger impact as a rookie had NFL rules not prohibited him from participating in spring practices) "I mean that's neither here nor there, but yeah, I think so. Leon is smart. He's very intelligent. I'll give him the nod on that. He had me beat."

(On Blake Bortles) "Just his poise back there. He's a lot smarter, looking guys off. He plays games with the linebackers, so it's kind of fun going back and forth with him. We might get him on something or he'll get us on something and we'll communicate seeing what he saw, seeing what we saw. Blake looks really good. I've seen him make a lot of tight throws. You guys saw it in the scrimmage. He's accurate. He's running the offense, getting guys lined up. Watch out for Blake this year, man."  

(On Blake Bortles' camp performance against the Jaguars defense) "Our defense is very talented. When he's going out there, putting up drives against us that says something about him. Blake is going to be very good this year. I'm very excited to see what he does."

(On what's important for him for Thursday night's game) "Go out there and execute. You know what I mean? It's a regular season game for me. It's a game for me until they pull me off, but go out there and execute, get guys lined up, be physical and be fast and just communicate. That's my job, and I'll do that to the best of my abilities for the Jacksonville Jaguars." 

(On if he embraces the climb back up the mountain after being so close last season) "That is the thing. We are back at square one. We are not looking forward to, 'OK, playoffs already. Regular season already.' We are still in camp. We have to go through this grind where our bodies are sore. We are practicing in full pads every day, hitting and everything. We have to build that back up, so in the beginning of the press conference [we talked about] when we get to the regular season, we won't be tired."

(On having such a good postseason and picking up where he left off) "Yes. That was the main thing. Going into the playoffs, I had always wanted to play in the playoffs, and we finally got to play on TV. I was like, 'OK, we are playing on TV. I am going to make a play. They are going to say my name.' Now, it is kind of like, 'OK, Myles. You waited all till the playoffs to do that. Let's start the season off doing that.' Obviously staying within reins, making your plays, but here and there go make a play like you did in the playoffs. That is what I try to do."

(On being one of the best defenses ever) "That is the thing. Obviously, it is a lot of outside expectation, but the cool thing is that when we step in the huddle and you look at the guys starting in the back. Our DBs, they don't expect any passes to get caught on them. Then, the linebackers – me, Telvin [Smith Sr.] and Leon – we expect to be thorough in our run fits. We expect not to give up any passes. The d-line, they are 'Sacksonville.' Everyone has a standard of excellence that they are chasing. That is just making us better and better and better and better to the point where we are all not getting on each other but bringing each other up. Everyone is like, 'I know you could have done this better. Come on, let's go.' We are all working together for one goal. That is where that greatness begins and you can see it."

(On the linebackers not having a nickname) "We just handle our business. We let everybody else take all the credit, and we just try to handle our business. Me and Telvin [Smith Sr.] have been thinking of a little something, and we will incorporate Leon [Jacobs] in it. Linebackers, we just handle our business, and we let everybody else get all the love."

(On Telvin Smith Sr. potentially giving away the nickname) "Yeah, that's Telvin. Telvin is going to be on Telvin. When Telvin gets up here, ask him what the name is when he gets up here."