Mike Kafka focus is on Giants, not Northwestern job

Mike Kafka solely has good issues to say about Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern.

Getting into his second 12 months because the Giants’ offensive coordinator, Kafka previously performed quarterback for Northwestern for 4 seasons from 2006-09 earlier than serving as a graduate assistant with the group.

Each Fitzgerald and the college have just lately come beneath hearth amid allegations of rampant hazing and a poisonous tradition across the soccer group. Fitzgerald was fired in early July after 17 seasons as Northwestern’s head coach.

Kafka’s 4 seasons at Northwestern have been Fitzgerald’s first 4 years in cost.

“I’ve acquired nothing however love and respect for Coach Fitz and I had an amazing expertise at Northwestern,” Kafka mentioned earlier than apply Thursday. “I actually did. Many, many lifelong pals to this present day. I met my spouse there. I began a household there. So, I had an amazing expertise at Northwestern.”

After a robust first season as offensive coordinator, Kafka obtained a minimum of 4 head teaching interviews within the NFL, although every group selected a special candidate.

Now in want of a brand new head coach, Northwestern might pursue Kafka within the close to future as properly.

“I’m simply centered on coaching camp, actually, at present,” Kafka mentioned.

Joe Schoen is assured he and Saquon Barkley are simply superb.

“Our relationship is sweet,” Schoen mentioned on WFAN on Thursday morning. “When he began [negotiations] in the course of the bye week [last season,] Saquon got here as much as my workplace and we had a very good dialog and I mentioned, ‘Hear, that is the primary time you’ve been by means of this, there’s a enterprise facet to this, you have been drafted No. 2-overall, you had your fifth-year choice exercised and now we’re transferring into talks for a contract extension and that is the primary time and none of it’s private.’ He understood that all through the method.”

After Barkley didn’t report back to minicamp, Schoen is impressed with what he’s seen from Barkley at training camp.

“He’s been as much as my workplace a few occasions since he’s been again,” Schoen mentioned. “We discuss on the sphere and stuff. He’s very mature, he’s an excellent teammate and he actually cares about his group. He got here in, he was in phenomenal form and he appears to be like actually good on the market, it was as if he was right here all spring.”

Rookie working again Eric Grey, whom the Giants drafted within the fifth spherical, has been taking reps at punt returner all through coaching camp.

Explosive with the ball in his palms, he’s an actual choice for the function.

“Eric does an amazing job, he’s proficient,” particular groups coordinator Thomas McGaughey mentioned. “He did it in school [at Oklahoma] and he’s a piece in progress similar to all the remainder of them which might be again there however he’s doing an excellent job, he’s working laborious. He’s a rookie that has rather a lot to be taught and we’re bringing him alongside like all the remainder of them.”