Malcolm Koonce Making Big Strides for Las Vegas Raiders

Malcolm Koonce is an emerging star for the Las Vegas Raiders, and has been making big strides in training camp.

HENDERSON, Nev.-Malcolm Koonce is an emerging star for the Las Vegas Raiders, and has done nothing but make the expectations rise with how he has played in training camp.

The young star is on the rise and his humility makes that rise even more enjoyable to watch.  He spoke after training camp practice about a myriad of issues, including his rise.

You can watch the entire press conference below, and read the transcript:

Defensive End Malcolm Koonce

Q: What did you focus on in the offseason to prepare yourself for year two?

Malcolm Koonce: "Everything, all around. Just trying to become the best player I can be. Get-offs, hands, moves, everything."

Q: What's it been like working for Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham?

Koonce: "It's the same thing, it's football. He's going to demand the same thing from me that I demanded from myself last year -- being better in every category."

Q: How do you contextualize want to accomplish in a season?

Koonce: "I don't set goals, number-wise. My goal every day, every game I play, is to be able to leave the day satisfied of what I did. Last game that we played, my goal wasn't to get x-amount of sacks, or this amount of tackles for loss. It was just go out, play how I know I can play, and walk away being comfortable, knowing that I played my best."

Q: What's your relationship like with Chandler Jones from a personal perspective?

Koonce: "It's funny. It's different because he's kind from upstate New York, I'm kind of close to the city. But there are still a whole bunch of similarities. We talk about little things, like the Garbage Plate and stuff. And especially with me going to school in Buffalo with Rochester right there. So, we talk about little things like the snow, the weather."

Q: What's your relationship like with Jones on a football level?

Koonce: "It's cool. To me, he's been in the league for what feels like forever. It's cool to pick his brain with little things that I see. Little things that I don't notice, but he says, 'No, you just tweak this a little bit, it'll work way better than it did.' Stuff like that happens all the time. But it happens with everybody else in the room like Maxx [Crosby], Tashawn [Bower], Gerri [Green], everybody."

Q: What is the Garage Plate?

Koonce: "I've never had it, I just heard about it. I think it's potatoes, macaroni salad, cheeseburger, hotdogs. And you put ketchup all over it. I'm still trying to have it, I've been in Rochester a few times, and every time it just something happens, and I can’t get it."

Q: Was Khalil Mack an inspiration to attend Buffalo?

Koonce: "If you've ever been to the Buffalo facility, there's a blown-up photo of him on the wall. Every time you come to this facility, you see a photo of him. Of course, it's an inspiration having achieve what he achieved at Buffalo and then in the league. I went to school with his younger brother, LeDarius. Sometimes he [Khalil] would come in during the offseason, get treatment, do field work with us. But I wouldn’t to say we want to close connection."

Q: What would you say is your biggest improvement you made in the offseason?

Koonce: "Focusing on the offensive line. I feel like, with defensive linemen, it's kind of the same thing -- get off, the same recognition you have to have when you get off the ball. I feel like this offseason was more focused on o-linemen technique, how protections work. As an offensive line, their plan is to block against the defensive line."

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