Frank Smith – August 22, 2023
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Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(Just a couple of completions by QB Tua Tagovailoa with the first-team offense outside the numbers. Wanted to just kind of get your gauge on how important that can be for this offense to stress the perimeter of the field this year?) – “I think this time of year, we’re obviously working on our execution in all phases of the offense, so whether it’s inside or outside the numbers, it’s vital for us to understand what we’re trying to accomplish through the concepts. It’s all about what the defense presents or what we’re trying to attack inside of it, so the opportunity to work that part of the offense has been great. Like this next week, each day we’re having emphasis points, so continuing to grow with an emphasis in that area has been great for us.”
(Something I’ve noticed in the two preseason games is a lot of screens whether at wide receiver, running back, tight end. How do you think that can kind of complement what you guys are …?) – “I think just in general, a good screen game is an opportunity to get the ball in space to our playmakers. Half back screens, obviously they get lead blockers. It’s really kind of, in a way, outside zone on level two after you displace them. Perimeter screens, again, our ability to make the defense defend all 53 yards of the field for width. So we’ve always viewed it as a complement to what we do and then going through the offseason and stuff like that, areas of improvement; we’re excited with the growth we’ve had in that and just it’s an overall area that we knew we could improve on and we look to continue to just getting better in all areas over the next week or two.”
(How do you see the left guard battle? It’s close now to the time you have to make a decision.) – “Decisions, we’re not at that time yet. We’ve got a week of work. A lot of stuff we’re trying to emphasize this week can get done. Guys have three more days plus the game. We have time as far as that, as far as making decisions because obviously with guys coming in and executing what the emphases are, we really look forward to this next week to see what a lot of guys are going to do in these situations and look at how they respond.”
(Have there been one or two guys that have really helped themselves this past month?) – “Yeah, I think with just everything, all guys are going through, fighting to make the 53 (man roster). There’s good days, there’s other days, but we’re looking for consistency. So the next three days, I think, plus the game, will really allow us to get a good feel for the way all competitions are going at all positions.”
(A lot of attention this offseason obviously on QB Tua Tagovailoa’s health. I know it’s a limited body work from the other day in Houston, but did you see any signs of Tua being able to protect himself?) – “I think overall, his offseason plan of things he wanted to improve on, I think that he’s had emphasis on areas that he’s been working on and we’ve seen him challenging himself in many of those areas. So I think overall, the way he’s progressed and the way he’s developed through working on all these things has been very impressive for us. I’m really excited for him to continue his growth going through the rest of the preseason and the regular season.”
(How relieved were you when you heard T Terron Armstead’s injury is not serious?) – “Well, Terron (Armstead) and I go way back, so with him, I’m very happy that it wasn’t anything that was going to be major, but he knows when it’s go time. I’m sure he’ll be ready when the lights get bright, but yeah, I’m very happy that it wasn’t anything that was going to be substantial.”
(I know the plan wasn’t for QB Skylar Thompson to play the entirety of the game after QB Tua Tagovailoa went out, but obviously QB Mike White had a situation come up. It seemed like Skylar took advantage of it. What did you like most about his performance?) – “The grit and the tenacity that Skylar (Thompson) plays with just – he’s a competitor and obviously he’s reveling in those more opportunities to play. He’s done a great job for us. His command in the huddle, his execution of what we’re trying to accomplish. Just overall, he’s had a very good camp and really this next week will be a great opportunity for him to continue with that because we really like where he’s progressed and what he’s been able to do so far.”
(On the addition of Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry and how the transition has gone the last six months) – “Everything is about having our coaching staff have a sense of urgency and passion and enthusiasm for what you do, ability to communicate and problem-solve. He’s been a great addition and the communication we’re able to have amongst the staff with all things has been awesome. I think a lot of that comes into our second year of a system. And then him being in it before with Mike (McDaniel), there really is an understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish. So far it’s been great, but however we’ve got to focus on today just because for us right now, the most important thing for us is not look to the future, not what we’ve done. We have to get better today, tomorrow, the next day, for us to get to where we want to go, for us to maximize our goals for the season.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel has talked a lot about game operations, getting to the line, getting the play off. How have you helped and what has been your role in making sure it gets better this year?) – “I’m just facilitating information, helping communicate the standard of performance that we’re looking to have, communicating with guys why we’re doing what we’re doing, why this creates problems. So I think ultimately it’s just our communication of expectations one, as a staff and then two, to the players. That’s been our goal all along, so this year we’ve seen improvement in it, but yet, we have to keep pushing our standard of how we want to operate if we want to make sure the defense is playing on our terms, not on their terms.”
(One specific that’s gotten better about it would be what?) – “I just think our communication about a lot of things, and that comes into Year 2 with us being here, knowing exactly what we’re trying to do, being able to communicate it clearer, the staff understands better. All these things come with more time spent together and the same thing for the players. More time spent together, they understand intent better. They understand how they all work together to accomplish things.”
(Can you describe your level of satisfaction with what you’ve seen with the running back group and do you think there’s enough there to get this offense to where you want it to go this year?) – “We’ve had some good outings and some plays that obviously we can improve our execution. Just overall, they’ve done a very good job. Overall, we’re starting to really understand conceptually what we’re trying to do in the running game and the connection between the runner’s intent, the line’s blocking, perimeter’s blocking, how it all fits. I think just in general you can’t put your finger on one thing. The backs have done a good job, but just overall the connection from everyone and then the level of the sense of urgency to get it done I think has improved, and that’s an area that we want to continue upon, not just say, ‘hey, this has been good.’ We want to keep pushing the bar on our execution in all phases.”
(Do you think the personnel is capable though, overall? Just the guys here already?) – “Yeah, because ultimately the guys here have had the opportunities to understand why we’re doing what we’re doing, understand the communication that goes through each other. So the guys who have been here have done a really good job in understanding the execution of this offense in this system that we’re trying to do.”
(Can you give us a story about working against Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio? We see you in practice talking to him a lot.) – “Vic (Fangio) and I go back to Chicago so I spent three years with him there. He’s been a good friend of mine. He’s been in many ways – late at night, we had conversations back in Chicago and now the same thing where his experience or his wealth of seeing things, wealth of problem-solving, his one-liners are always funny to me. I just enjoy having him here just because if there’s one thing he is, he’s very clear in his expectations, communicating a system and also in his way, once you know him, he has fun every day. So there’s not one specific thing because I enjoy all of it with him because you just never know what day you’re going to get a comment about something that makes me laugh. Normally it’s a one-liner that I wasn’t ready for and I’m like, ‘what?’”
(What’s a one-liner that pops to mind?) – “I can’t even think right now because – I mean, they’re never-ending. He’ll just always have something off the cuff. He’s got kind of a dry, witty sense of humor that I do, so it’ll just be something random. I can’t think of anything right now just because they’re an endless rotation coming from him, which I enjoy and I know a lot of the staff enjoys because he’s being himself. And that’s all you want in this industry is guys who are comfortable with themselves, have fun doing what they’re doing and are really good at what they do.”
(You’re pretty stoic with us. You’ve got some jokes, too?) – “I’m more of like – my years of now going into Year 2 as a coordinator, it’s like, okay, my humor is more not on questions, it’s more situational. So I’m kind of like a giant ‘Arrested Development’ episode. (laughter) So if anyone knows that one, they’ll get it. So for me, right now, this setting is kind of…”
(Which character are you?) – “So many choices. Definitely not Gob. (laughter) As I get used to it more, maybe it’ll come out, but I’m more funny walking around over there as I observe random things going on. It’s probably a blend of ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Arrested Development.’”
(How does Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s sense of humor compare to Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s?) – “It’s a great balance. Both have great timing toward their humor. It’s just the difference in their personalities. But as a coach, I can’t be thankful enough that I get to go every day and you have an environment where it brings out your best, but then you get to also laugh with the people you’re working with. They’re a good balance to each other because they both kind of have timing comedy. So I’m laughing all day. Some other people may be like, ‘what was that?’ But I’m dying. So it’s great for me at least.”
(What have you noticed about your tight ends so far? They were playing the fullback role last game. It seems like you guys have thrown to them in a lot of situations – red zone, first down. I thought I saw maybe a tight end screen attempted once. What have you learned about these guys so far?) – “Like we talked about all along, guys who are able to do the complete skill set of things, because it’s hard playing tight end. Coaching them for six years, I have the most empathy for ‘Embo’ (Jon Embree) because it’s like you’re going to do a little of everything all the time and sometimes you’re learning something inside of a concept as opposed to ‘we expressly tell you so.’ They work hard. Their love of football. All of them possess mental and physical toughness, so I’ve been very pleased with what they’re doing. They accept their role. They thrive when they get their opportunities. So far they’re committed to the cause of each day getting better and it was really cool for Durham (Smythe) to see in a situation like he was, to execute something he’s now done in practice several times. So again, the way you practice, the way you play – that’s why today for us is the most important, making sure that we maximize this opportunity as our growth through the season.”
(Do you have a role that the tight ends must play or are the tight ends showing you guys what they can do?) – “I think everything – as we challenge them with new criteria for each play, concept, what we’re trying to accomplish; their execution in it allows us to go, ‘okay, there’s another thing they can do.’ I think ultimately this time of year is we’re attacking a defense. We’re seeing where are their stress points, where are they vulnerable, and tight ends that are versatile allow us to do that because you can move them around the offense to be either primary pieces or complementary pieces. And when you have guys that can play in-line, fullback, out wide, run primary spots and execute; it allows us to be versatile in what we want to do.”
(What’s that collaborative process with Head Coach Mike McDaniel now that you’re in Year 2? Is there a way that he approaches an offseason after a season’s worth of experiences that you maybe didn’t notice last year?) – “I think it comes with the familiarity with Mike (McDaniel) now. Prior to getting here, not knowing him as well as maybe he knew Wes (Welker) and ‘Embo’ (Jon Embree) who he worked with. But when you go through the season and you have the fire of it all, you work through it and you learn how does he communicate, how can I help. I have always believed in my coaching career that my job is to assist my boss and make sure that I can take things off of his plate. Sometimes you take things off of his plate and he doesn’t know, so it’s anticipation. So I think in Year 2, I can anticipate what he wants better so I can help him where all of a sudden, that’s done, ‘oh yeah, thanks for doing that.’ So I can anticipate him better to help him and then more of it’s just communication. When you can anticipate and you give good communication, the machine just keeps moving faster and faster.”
(Are there any examples of that you can share with us?) – “Just like in training camp, all right, we’re trying to get these couple things done the next couple days. I can lay it out or I can anticipate knowing what he’s probably wanting to do. I can give him an outline of it and he can go yes/no as opposed to maybe he was going to do it. I can give him an outline of it and then he can choose off of that or he can go, ‘hey, why’d you do this?’ And then we can think about it. So it’s just anticipating, communication and anticipating maybe wants or needs that he can do that I can remove from his plate.”
Vic Fangio – August 22, 2023
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Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio
(I have 65 years old targeted as my retirement age. I’m assuming you’re nowhere close to retirement?) – “No, not yet.”
(Have you ever come close?) – “No, I really haven’t. I still feel young. (I’m) 65 years young and still can outwork these young coaches. (laughter)”
(How are you a different coach than you were when you were 35?) – “Just learn through experiences.”
(Anything in particular?) – “No. It’s evolution.”
(I know the last time we spoke to you, you said you wanted to find depth in key spots – safety, defensive line, cornerback. Two weeks later, have you had anything answered yet?) – “In some cases. At corner we’re still – because of injuries, Cam Smith hasn’t played much. We’ve had guys in and out of there that haven’t had the opportunity through missed practices or missed games. We’re kind of a little bit in flux there with Jalen (Ramsey) already being out.
(And at safety and defensive line?) – “Yeah, that’s still up in the air.”
(What about defensive line depth? How much has DT Da’Shawn Hand helped you?) – “Yeah, a really good pickup at that point in training camp to get him in here. I’ve been pleased with his play and hopefully he’ll continue to improve and has a good chance to be a part of the team.”
(I saw with DE Emmanuel Ogbah, he’s working with standing up but then in goal-line situation, he has his hand on the ground. Is he going to be a guy who does both? Or do you see him exclusively as an outside guy?) – “He can do both. When he had his hand on the ground, we were in a different defense. He wasn’t an edge player then. But he’s capable of doing both. He’s emphasized the two-point stance to work on it, and he’s really made some steps in that area the last week or so of improving his play out of that stance. But he can play from the three-point also.”
(As someone who’s in my 60s, I can understand how difficult it is to work with people who are less experienced than you. What’s it like with you and Head Coach Mike McDaniel? He’s one of the younger coaches. What are similarities and differences that jump to mind? Or interesting things?) – “I think similarities are we kind of look at the schematic part of the game in a like manner. Obviously, our personalities and way going about doing things is different. But it’s no different than anybody else. You’re similar in some ways, different in others.”
(Talk about the differences in how you go about your work. We listen to you guys and see the differences. How do you see it?) – “Well one, he’s a morning person. I’m a night person. So I stay late. I prefer to sleep in, if I could. He’s the opposite. He’s here early and leaves early.”
(Are there moments where you roll your eyes and are like look what these guys are doing, as an older coach?) – “Almost daily. (laughter)”
(I was talking to Head Coach Mike McDaniel about musical tastes. Everybody has their own. I saw Tony Bennett in Vegas once – it was one of the highlights of my life. Are you more of a Tony Bennett guy or a Frank Sinatra guy? You like Bobby Rydell right?) – “I like Earth, Wind and Fire, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, just to give you a take there.”
(Do you ever slip that stuff into meetings?) – “We got one in the other day. The music – I shouldn’t say music. The noise that they usually play in the meetings is not music. It’s noise. What they played today, I got my request in, was music. (laughter)”
(What are your thoughts on social media?) – “I don’t partake.”
(So you’re not getting here at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. when Head Coach Mike McDaniel gets here?) – “No, no.”
(Has there ever been any overlap where you’re leaving when he’s getting in?) – “No. And I hope there never will be. (laughter)”
(Are you adjusted to a new training camp and this training camp schedule?) – “Yeah, it’s been different for me. It’s still an ongoing process. I’m looking forward to the end of training camp only because of that, so we can get into a more normal schedule that hopefully I’m used to.”
(Is there something specific from the entirety of the two preseason games that you can say, ‘You know what, that really pleases me?’) – “I think overall, it was good play. I do think we need to keep in mind that the other team’s number one quarterback last week was a rookie. So I think this week, (Trevor) Lawrence is going to play and he’s a real dude, so he’ll be a good test for us.”
(CB Cam Smith, you’re not going to be able to see him in 11-on-11’s yet, but before he went out injured and now with regards to CB Eli Apple and CB Noah Igbinoghene, was the margin between the three of them, in the competition for playing time, small? Or has one of those three emerged as a potential starter when you go nickel with CB Kader Kahou and CB Xavien Howard?) – “Small. It was small and it still is. But there’s injuries involved. Cam just hasn’t been out there enough. The biggest thing with Cam is we got to feel like we can trust him to do the right thing. We’re all going to get beat some, but we don’t want to get beat by self-inflicted wounds.”
(I wanted to ask you about DT Christian Wilkins holding in and your thoughts on that and how much work does he need to ramp up for the season?) – “Well he had, I don’t know the exact amount of days, but the first two weeks we’ll call it, he was partaking in all of training camp. He still does some stuff. I feel good that whenever that’s resolved, he’ll be ready to go.”
(Another guy in that role, DT Brandon Pili, has flashed a lot and has had a lot of playing time. Is he a guy you can trust in that position?) – “Yeah, he’s getting better and better each and every day. I’ve been pleased with his progress and he’s definitely in that hunt.”
(Your defense has been without two of its top players in DT Christian Wilkins and CB Jalen Ramsey. I know that’s life in the NFL, but is there any frustration from that standpoint that you haven’t seen the whole thing?) – “There’s initial frustration, but then you’re used to it, and you move on. It’s just part of being in the league. Jalen is an unfortunate non-contact injury on grass. And Christian is an administrative deal, which I think will get resolved eventually.”
(Do you talk to CB Jalen Ramsey regularly?) – “Yeah, I see him and we talk.”
(How is he in his recovery?) – “I think he’s progressing well. He’s obviously trying to beat the timeline that the medical people have put on him, and he says he will. I think it’s way too early to know if that’s true or not. He’s working with the idea of coming back earlier rather than later.”
(At the safety position, what exactly are you looking for? Little cues or stuff that you look for?) – “Just overall good play.”
(I know you’re as excited to have LB Jaelan Phillips as he is to have you as his defensive coordinator. There’s no question how talented and hungry he is, but what strides have you seen from him that maybe even surprised you?) – “I think he’s improved in his fundamentals. Both what happens early in the down and late in the down. I’ve been very pleased with his play. I think if he continues to improve on the little things, great things will happen because of his talent.”
(What have you seen from LB David Long Jr.?) – “David can run. He’s a run and hit guy and can make good, flashy plays, which are good to have. He’s a good tackler. We just have to become more consistent in executing everything.”
(We saw DB Elijah Campbell guarding some tight ends in the preseason game. What about his skill set makes him right for that role?) – “He’s a versatile guy. He obviously can play safety and come down and play the dime position. When you’re versatile, that does help you and helps the team when you’re putting together your final 53.”
(The other coaches here have talked about your teaching ability, and obviously you’ve seen a lot of things. But also your sense of humor. What kind of sense of humor do you have and what’s your best line?) – “Oh, I don’t know. It just comes off the cuff. It can be dry at times. But I like to have fun in the meetings. That’s my favorite time of the day is being in front of the defense and coaching them. I don’t go too crazy out on the field with the coaching because we’re not out there on the field with them. I always say the practice field is the quiz, the game’s the final exam, and we’re not there to help them. So it’s our time to coach them in the meetings and individual periods and when they’re playing out there and 11-on-11 drills, I like to leave them alone, and I like the coaches to leave them alone because we’re not going to be out there with them. So a big deal of my coaching goes on in the meeting rooms.”
(We’ve see you throw flags during team drills sometimes. Is it specifically when you see a penalty? Or is it when you see something that you don’t like?) – “I’m not looking for anything. But if I see a penalty, I’ll throw it. Now I haven’t done it in a while because we’ve had these two weeks of joint practices where we’ve had league officials there. Maybe I’ll have to bring it back out today. I don’t know. But we were bad as a team last year in penalties, both offense and defense. I think one phase was last in the league, one was second to last. And the only way to improve something is to emphasize it.”
(One month ago when we talked to you, you said that you weren’t fully comfortable with the depth. You wanted people to separate themselves and show some things. Where are you now as we get closer to the season?) – “A little clearer, but this last week is going to be very important for a lot of people. It’s easy to pick a team 1 through 40 or 45. It’s those 8 to 13 that are hard. This week is going to very telling for some of the guys.”
Mike McDaniel – August 21, 2023
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Monday, August 21, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I’m looking for an update on RB De’Von Achane, what can you tell us about how he’s doing?) – “Good, week to week. He was playing hard and had a defensive lineman’s body weight fall on top of him. But he’s good and avoided anything severe.”
(Do you expect RB De’Von Achane Week 1? And if not, does that change your thinking with the 53-man roster at running back?) – “I don’t really look at it like – Week 1 is how many days away? 20? I see him week to week. I guess seven is divisible by 20 twice, I think that far out, I’m not really worried about it being an issue. I’m more worried about how he’s going to look at the end of this week and the beginning of next. That’s kind of the timeline for him.”
(How about TE Eric Saubert and OL Robert Jones?) – “Both of those guys were having an excellent camp. I think they put their best foot forward. It’s always rough when guys come down with injuries during a game. I think Robert Jones should be a little longer I would say, but both of them are pretty much in the midst of beginning a rehabilitation process that could take more than a week or two.”
(I wanted to ask about DT Christian Wilkins obviously not participating in team drills. I know you’ve said you’ve been in constant contact with him. Is this something that you’re concerned at all could spill into the regular season?) – “I really haven’t even concerned myself with that. It’s something that when Christian tells me he is ready to go, he’ll be ready to go. I’m not worried about anything other than the guys on the practice field each and every day. Very hopeful that things work themselves out, but it’s also I try to stay in my lane with coaching the player. I will say he’s been absolutely demolishing individual work.”
(OL Liam Eichenberg, an update on his status? Also at left guard, what you’ve saw from OL Isaiah Wynn in the game?) – “We had to kind of hold Liam back. He was determined but didn’t think it was fair from an evaluation standpoint to put him out there, to try to protect him from himself. He’ll be chomping at the bit this week to get reps as he should. We’ll make sure that we don’t do anything on our side that we can prevent from him having any further issues. I thought Isaiah got his feet wet in the system to a degree. I think he did a real good job trying to attack our techniques, and there is stuff he wants to improve upon. That’s the whole evaluation process in general. Just like a game doesn’t end after the third quarter, I think right now you’re taking the game tape and you’re applying the pros and cons, trying to build on the real good stuff that he did and trying to improve upon the stuff that he knows he can do better. Then we’ll evaluate that week, or this week as it would be, and what he’s able to do in the game moving forward. It was an important piece, and I can’t emphasis piece more. The good games were had by many players, and you want to see what they do with that moving forward. The whole key, like a football team, is you need to be you best at the end of the season, so you have to be a player that continues to progress week to week, and we get better as the season progresses.”
(I wanted to ask you about QB Mike White. There’s a report he’s in the concussion protocol. Is that accurate? And if so, what does that do to your planning for exhibition game No. 3 now that you’re possible down to possibly two quarterbacks?) – “Yes, Mike White is in the concussion protocol. During the game, some staff members noticed some irregularities. So that whole process began, and I was just told during the game that he was not available. That will always be the case; once you enter the protocol, I don’t really have – that’s kind of outside my planning so to speak. The good news is, as you guys have painfully been made well aware, I don’t get ahead of myself in terms of planning and how guys are going to play in regular season or in the preseason games until the work week is done. So we’ll move forward. We’ll end up signing James Blackman and be taking reps and evaluate those things as they get close to the game. But right now, we’ll have three available quarterbacks; Tua (Tagovailoa), Skylar (Thompson) and James.”
(I had a specific question about the film regarding the first offensive line combination and their execution in the running game on Saturday, your thoughts there? Then just kind of generally speaking, how you think the second year in the system has benefited a group that has so many incumbents from the first year here?) – “I think you’re starting to see some of the stuff that I’ve talked to you guys about since Day 1, that what we’re trying to do up front and specifically with the run game is demanding and it’s very particular to a certain degree of technicalities of really physical fundamentals that are different than a lot of guys do in the past. That’s a process and you don’t just get to where you want in a week, a month, sometimes a season. A lot of times it takes a couple years of development of a whole group to get it to where you want. I think our starting group really took a step forward from that game. There are guys that are in position battles that did good things and bad things – it’s all part of the process. I think that we are starting to exhibit some of the stuff that I really hoped we would this offseason. It’s kind of really met close to where I was hoping we’d be to this point. What does that mean? It means you’re in the process where you’d like to be, but it’s not where you want to go. So I thought that there are some real positives that is direct correlation with complete and utter commitment by the coaching staff and in the players. I think you’re starting to see some flashes of what we think we can be. But again, it was great work all week going against different type of technique and different front. And as a result, we did some good things in the game on Saturday, and there’s some definite things that we can improve upon that we’ll be focusing on as we progress.”
(I wanted to get back to the run game very quickly, you guys gained the 205 yards with no fullback. How did the tight ends do blocking? Is there a significance to doing that without a fullback that the execution and you get to hold something back for the Chargers maybe?) – “There were some cool things. That position is really at the point of attack a lot of times in what we do in the run game, and I thought the tight ends utilized the opportunity to do some things from tight ends positions. We had them in the in the backfield as fullback sometimes, and it was something that that group wouldn’t have been able to do three weeks ago, I don’t think, in its entirety, so therein lies a success by itself. The fact that they were able to go out and do some cool things, I think we have some good players that have skills that we can really utilize in this offense that historically found ways to kind of utilize their skillsets. Guys are starting to kind of feel what those are within the offense, making some plays in the run game and the pass game. So they’re a huge part in what we do offensively, that sometimes relates to big box scores, sometimes it doesn’t. But it’s a very, very critical position that I thought some guys that we really believe in, whether they are vested veterans or young players that are rookies in the NFL, I thought they all contributed to the offense, which is one of the reasons we were able to have some success.”
(What messages or expectations do you plan on telling the team this week before they step on the field for this final preseason game? And how has the process been for you, understanding that it’s just one cut this year instead of on the typical three?) – “Well, I think that you don’t hide from what is on a lot of people’s minds, and that’s whether you’re hoping for a position on the 53, whether you’re hoping for a practice squad, whether you’re hoping to be a starter. A lot of these things, we’ve been really working at for an extended period of time, so you want to do right by all of that work and put your best foot forward knowing that there’s a finite timeline. I think that our team really is doing a lot of things that you hope, or a lot of things that are necessary for our team to be good. That’s a daily assessment of where they’re at and worried about that individual day and not getting ahead of themselves. So we have three practices this week, and each practice, each day, that’s all I’ll be focused on, because it’s a huge piece. It’s not the only piece. There’s also all the stuff that they put into it, but you don’t want to go into this final preseason game doing anything other than playing your best football within your responsibilities that you’ve been invested in since Day 1. So the first thing that will be on the board to the whole team is Tuesday. When I talk to them tomorrow morning, I’ll be focused 100% on that and what guys have an opportunity to do that day, because every rep is critical, just like every rep at the beginning of the camp is critical. They all have a hand in their ultimate roles on this team and then in the NFL moving forward by their daily input and what they’re able to do with their day-to-day practices, reps, moments, all those things come into play. So Tuesday will be an important day, and then we’ll be followed probably by a Wednesday that’s very important as well.”
(My friend Hal Habib told me earlier that tomorrow’s Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s 65th birthday and I look forward to wishing him happy birthday in person. I am wondering, considering all the many years of experience that he has, how has he and his approach to coaching fit in, meshed and benefited both the staff and the players?) – Yeah, it’s exciting. I think, a 65th birthday, I’m excited, I hope that I will have one. Because I’m not sure for all your history buffs but Social Security starts at 65, right? Well, that was enacted in the New Deal, I believe, when that was the life expectancy for human beings. So hey man, killing it. I’m fired up for him. (laughter) I think that Vic has been absolutely phenomenal for the players, coaches and organization. It kind of fits exactly with what I saw from the beginning. I saw a lot of synergy (with) him and I, ironically. I think a lot of people are like, ‘Huh,’ when I say that, but the way we approach football, the way that that our fundamental philosophies of how to teach accountability towards the player and then in the requisite, accountability necessary from players to do what we’re asking them to do, the commitment to absolutely the best fundamentals and technique that you yourself can really come up with over a lifetime of football. He’s delivered on that tenfold. I think that it’s been cool to offset, we have quite different musical tastes. So sometimes I incorporate some of his music into team meeting situations – I promise you the players know exactly who’s musical tastes those are when they’re being played, but I think that’s important to have. It just kind of speaks to the broader scope and vision of what this organization can be which is cut from many different cloths – there’s one sole commitment and that’s to winning football games and really empowering players with the best tools that they can have. So I think that embodies that and pretty much if it isn’t already obvious, Vic Fangio and myself, we’re the same guy.”
(Two guys that I wanted to ask for just kind of relative updates are RB Myles Gaskin and FB Alec Ingold. I don’t think we’ve seen RB Myles Gaskin since the first preseason game and FB Alec Ingold since the joint practice. Do of you have a general timeline on those guys? Big picture, just how difficult will the mounting injuries make 53-man roster cuts, because obviously, there’s a lot of juggling with guys who are on PUP who are probably going to start on IR and whatnot?) – “I’ve been fortunate since I’ve been on the job there’s been a lot of juggling, and I anticipate there always being a lot of juggling, so I’m comfortable in that. Both Myles and Alec are on the very close side of being able to participate in football again, so I expect to see them sooner rather than later. Injuries are something that you’re always having to juggle. That can dictate the terms of how many practice reps you’re able to take, depending on how many available players you have. But on a roster like this, I think that what it’s done is really enabled some people to get some opportunities to showcase some skills while people have been injured. I think it’s a harder thing on teams that don’t have as much depth as we do, because then the disparity between one guy and the next can really have a trickle-down effect to what you’re able to do either offensively, defensively or from a special teams standpoint. It hasn’t inhibited our ability to do really anything. We have a ton of decisions to make that you want to be made on the field. When certain people aren’t on the field, other players get an opportunity, and there’s been some guys that have definitely taken advantage of that. In this situation, 2023 with the Miami Dolphins, it’s just giving opportunities to guys that we need to see to make the right decision for the Miami Dolphins.”
(For bookkeeping purposes, was the plan to get QB Mike White some snaps after QB Skylar Thompson in the game, had his situation not surfaced?) – “He was going to get reps. We had them split to kind of equal it out from the previous game. When he was in, he was going to be in for the duration, and then plans quickly changed. So you just adjust like all football teams have to, but yeah, we were planning on getting him some snaps in the game.”
Salvon Ahmed – August 19, 2023 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 19, 2023
Postgame – Houston
RB Salvon Ahmed (transcribed by Houston Texans)
On how it felt to play rush for nearly 100 yards
“It felt good to be out there. It’s a team sport, so everybody’s out there doing their thing. The offensive line, the receivers, the quarterback, everybody was out there doing their thing to make sure we all could make plays, so it was fun to be out there.”
On how he compartmentalizes and focuses on what he needs to focus on
“You just take it one day at a time, and that’s great room that I’m in with those guys. We all try to learn from each other, we all try to help each other. As much as there is competition, just like anything in life and in sports, we all try to help each other a lot. Just take it day by day, and we all look out for each other and help in any way possible.”
What were some of the factors that helped you rush for more than 200 yards?
“Man, just being consistent. Just being consistent, and it’s been a long training camp, just taking the stuff that we do in practice and applying it to the game. The offensive line did an amazing job. The receivers out there making blocks. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Did you have a sense something like this could be coming?
“Definitely. We practice hard. We practice hard, and like I said, it’s a lot of consistency. It’s a lot of consistency going out there day in and day out and just applying everything that you do in practice and make sure it’s going to the game. It’s all coming together.”
On how he feels he stacks up to the running back competition and how much a game like this helps
“You just focus on day-in and day-out and just take it one day at a time, not really looking at – you try to focus on stuff outside of your job, that’s not my job, where I’m supposed to be at or anything like that. I just show up to work, be at practice, come to the game, and do my job.”
On how it felt to see QB Tua Tagovailoa take the field in a game for the first time in a long time
“We’re all excited. We love Tua [Tagovailoa], and I can’t wait to see everything that he’s going to do this season. Yeah, I think we were all excited, and just ready for the season.”
On what it meant to have QB Tua Tagovailoa back in the huddle
“I mean, we love having Tua [Tagovailoa] on the field. He’s a really poised guy. He makes everybody else feel calm, so I love being in the huddle with him. That’s my guy.”
Skylar Thompson – August 19, 2023 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 19, 2023
Postgame – Houston
QB Skylar Thompson (transcribed by Houston Texans)
To go from two interceptions in the last game to no interceptions and three touchdown passes in this game, what do you think changed?
“Just not living in the past. I think the best thing for me, in my mindset, is when adversity hits, which obviously the first preseason game didn’t go how I would want it to go – that’s when I just tried to get stronger and not let it affect my confidence, affect my belief in myself. That’s all I did today. Just when I stepped out there, I just had belief and confidence in myself that this is a new game, new opportunity, and a new chance for me to just play the game that I love. Just try to make it simple and have fun out there, and it definitely worked in my favor today.”
Did you know that you were going to play most of today’s game following QB Tua Tagovailoa?
“Yeah, I knew I was going to play after Tua [Tagovailoa]. I didn’t quite know what the situation was going to look like. Once Mike [White] went through the same deal that I did, so they just informed me that I was playing the rest of the game, so I was happy to get more opportunities there.”
Did you get any explanation as to why you played the rest of the game instead of QB Mike White?
“I don’t know what took place with Mike [White]. I was just told that I was playing the rest of the game, and that I was going to finish it out. I have yet to know what exactly happened. That’s just what the coaches told me at the time, and that’s what I did.”
Where do you think you’ve grown the most from your first preseason games last year to today?
“I think just the language of our system. As Tua [Tagovailoa] kind of showed earlier in the week, it is a complex system that we do a lot of shift trade motion, do a lot of stuff that affects the defense. Last year, I was really just very vanilla on the system, as far as executing it and getting guys in the right spot, have this motion, have this motion, but now I feel like I’m getting better at being able to understand why we’re motioning, why we’re doing the things that we’re doing to kind of give me indicators of what the defense is doing. It just allows my process pre-snap to have an idea of what’s going to play out after the snap. That’s the most important thing as a quarterback is to have a plan, and being able to predict what you think the defense is doing but also being able to react, but just having an idea pre-snap that allows me to play faster and play with confidence, and I think that’s helped me going into year two here.”
Being around QB Tua Tagovailoa all the time, you probably have a sense of what it means to him to return to the field after 237 days. What’s your perspective on that?
“I was happy for him. Tua [Tagovailoa] is a guy that is full of joy. That’s the best way to describe him. He’s always upbeat, always positive, always has a smile on his face, and you can tell he loves the game of football. Just last week, you can tell he was frustrated he didn’t get to play. He’s a competitor. So, when he got that opportunity to get back out there and get back on the field, I know that was big for him. Everybody in our locker room, everybody in this organization supports him and was excited for him. You could tell he was happy to get back out there and get in the swing of things and get back in the routine of playing ball.”
I saw QB Tua Tagovailoa yelling at you to change the play. What did he want to change?
“It’s just an inside joke. We ran this play that we scored on against the Texans in practice, and Mike just made a joke because Tua had that play. Just to read it out, it was an inside joke and happened to throw a touchdown on it. It was Tua just being Tua, just having fun.”
Which touchdown was that?
“It was the first one to ‘Salvie’ [Salvon Ahmed].”
Can you take us through the touchdown pass to WR Braxton Berrios?
“That was just a backside route there that he’s really a place holder trying to hold the safety there, so we could hit what we were trying to hit on the front side. The front side was covered, so I kind of took a step back and just played football. I stepped back there. On paper, the ball was hardly ever going to go there, but as I retreated back to buy myself some time, I felt him make a great play, kind of a scramble drill type of thing, cut loose, and made a great football play there.”
Tua Tagovailoa – August 19, 2023 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 19, 2023
Postgame – Houston
QB Tua Tagovailoa (transcribed by Houston Texans)
“First off, great team effort, great team win. Any which way you can put that, proud of the guys. They went out there. They competed. Didn’t matter who was in. So that was really good to see.
Tua, let’s start with before the game. What was going through your mind before this ballgame knowing you’d be returning to the field for the first time in a long time?
“It was awesome. You get all the feelings that you normally feel of getting back out there again. Butterflies, anxious to get out there, all these thoughts going through your head. But I thought it felt really good being able to go out there, call plays with the guys, the camaraderie in the huddle. Things didn’t go our way, adversity hit, and it was cool to see the guys respond.”
What did you think of the interception on the first play?
“Yeah, it was just a bad play. That’s really all it was, just bad quarterback play right there. That’s not how you want to start out a drive any way you look at it. It was a bad play, but like I said, I’m glad with the way we responded because the next series, things were still jarred up with the first two plays and then we got into third down and things started to settle and we found our rhythm in the game.”
Was it good to get that one out of your system?
“It’s never good to do that. It doesn’t matter which way you look at that. It’s never good to turn the ball over. It’s never good to throw a pick. I’m not happy about that, but like I said, I’m really happy for the guys that were in there that were able to go out and showcase their skills and be able to perform at the level they did today.”
You took your first quarterback hit from the defender, I know one of the things you focused in the off season was making sure your head doesn’t snap back and it seemed like you avoided that. After the fact, did that come to your mind? That the Jiu-Jitsu was really working there?
“Yeah, I would say yeah. The thing with that, I mean, you just have to continue to rep it. We do some things at the facility that help keep up with that. But it’s football. There’s hits that you’re going to see that you know you can fall and then there’s others where you’re not going to be able to see, and it’s how you react to it. It’s a physical sport. It’s tough. But yeah, went out there and was expecting to get hit, was expecting to go to the ground, all of that.”
On the interception, my friend Dave pointed out that you spun towards the guy with the ball. In the future would you think about not getting involved in the tackle, or is that something you’re just not going to be able to avoid?
“I mean, as a quarterback, I understand the whole outlook of, okay, like he threw an interception, try not to get hurt while you’re trying to make a tackle. But on top of throwing the interception, what’s even worse than that is the guy scoring when he intercepts the ball. I think for me, I’m going to do the best that I can to make a play, and if not, then so be it.”
Would you feel that the operation and flow of the second drive is what led to converting those 3rd downs?
“Yeah. We definitely got into a good flow, and it was both the run game and the pass game. When we needed to run, I felt like we did the things necessary to gain some yards, and when we had to pass the ball, I thought we executed really well.”
As the game kept progressing and the offense kept scoring touchdowns, you always ran on to the field to celebrate with your teammates. What was going through your mind when the touchdowns just kept coming?
“Yeah, I don’t think people outside looking in understand the amount of work that these guys put in day in and day out. There’s a lot of guys that have the luxury to slough off because they are who they are. But the guys that don’t have that luxury and don’t have that opportunity, the amount of work that they put in day in and day out, it’s tough. So, to be able to see them go out and execute and execute at a high level regardless of who’s out there on the field, I mean, you’re just happy for them. You see the reward that is out there when they’ve worked so hard their entire lives. Guys are all competing for a job. Everyone is competing for a job. I thought that was something super, super cool, and I just wanted to be there to support those guys as much as I could, both offensively and defensively.”
What did you think of QB Skylar Thompson’s game?
“I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it. Three touchdowns? What do you mean? Any which way you call that, that’s awesome. He led those guys, and it was both the twos and the threes, due to some unfortunate circumstances. But I’m very happy for him. He got into a groove with the group that he was with, and he balled.”
If the team can run the ball the way it did today, what impact do you think that will have on the offense?
“I think it’ll have a big impact. You could see through the games last year when we were able to run the ball how efficient we were on first, second, third. It didn’t matter, because the defense didn’t know what to expect. When we’re able to do that, we’re able to play on our terms, and we’re able to play fast, physical, and play with elite type things, so it’s good.”
Are you happy right now?
“Am I happy right now? Anytime we can get a win, I’m happy. Big shout-out, Annah, Ace, if you guys are watching, love you guys.”
Mike McDaniel – August 19, 2023 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 19, 2023
Postgame – Houston
Head Coach Mike McDaniel (transcribed by Houston Texans)
On what was going through is mind on QB Tua Tagovailoa’s first interception
“You know, I told him before the game, I did not expect him to play that long but if adversity comes our way, to seize it, and he took it extremely literal. To me, it’s like, ‘Alright, perfect. What are you going to do?’ I think it was so valuable because it was the first play, and he came back as I would expect, but the rep – he had already put himself there before. What happens when that happens? It was on a play that he’s had a lot of success with, and he threw a pick. We got behind the sticks, and I think we had like a 14 or 15-play drive that was critical with three or four third downs on it. That is exactly what preseason is for, that’s why you want somebody to play. I’m glad he got it out of the way. But more importantly, the team didn’t blink. The team had a pretty short field to defend, and what a momentum swing that is when your defense can come up and not bat an eye, hold a team to not have points and then progress from there. I was happy with the way the team responded to that.”
On his thoughts on QB Tua Tagovailoa’s performance and how he handled taking hits
“I mean, it was – it’s not if, but when. These are things that you prepare for. I didn’t feel anything except that it was a – I wasn’t imagining his first play that he was going to tackle somebody on it, but he’s as prepared as one can be. So, I’m not – if I was surprised that it happened and/or – if I was surprised, I would have my eyes blindfolded and earplugs in my ears. That happens as a part of football, and you have to prepare for that, which he does.:
On what led to the 200-yard rushing performance from the team
“You know, I think there’s a lot of individual effort. There’s inches in the game of football. Especially with a penetrating front like Houston has, you have to be on your P’s and Q’s, a lot of people have to execute things, and then people have to make plays when the opportunity is there. So, I think starting with the offensive line, the tight end group, and the receivers all blocked – and we had some ballcarriers make plays in tight windows. It’s cool for guys to get rewarded for all the work that goes on unseen.”
On how rewarding was it to see RB Salvon Ahmed do what he did
“It didn’t surprise me at all, but I’m very happy for him because he’s the consummate pro that focuses on the right things, which is when my opportunity is there, to make the most of it. When you have that type of mindset, that enables you to be the best version of yourself and take advantage of the opportunities when they do come. I was happy for him to just really seize the moment and do some good things running the ball and in the receiving game.”
On his thoughts on QB Skylar Thompson
“I thought Skylar [Thompson] did a great job handling everything. That’s what you want to see is you want to see from him how fast he was getting in and out of the huddle. You could tell it was an emphasis from him as well as it was for me, and he didn’t get bogged down with a play. There were some plays that he’d want back, but then he continued to press forward and try to make some plays, and I think he did a great job of that, some on-schedule, some off-schedule, and the key will be to go watch the tape and get better from that moving forward.”
On how he foresees the third preseason game with respect to snap counts for the quarterbacks
“Well, I just think you have to balance opportunities, and there’s so many compounding variables with opportunities. You get playing time, but who are the eligibles? Who’s the offensive line? You want it to be settled on the field, and it doesn’t just go into game performance. It’s game performance on things that – there’s a lot of times I’m calling plays for them less concerned about the defense, and like, ‘Hey, we rep this play, we talked about it at length, and I want to see what he does,’ those type of things. You just try to balance that stuff out across the board with every position.”
On the status of LT Terron Armstead
“He’s doing well. Optimistic. We avoided anything too substantial in terms of a timeline. I’m not really worried about it. I’m just worried about him getting right as fast as possible, which I know he’ll do.”
Have you been told anything about RB De’Von Achane or OL Rob Jones?
“I think (De’Von) Achane is a shoulder, we’ll find more out tomorrow. Rob Jones, we’ll find some more out tomorrow, too, I believe. It’s a lower extremity. But they’re going to find a lot more information with imaging.”
On what he likes about the defensive unit
“I think it’s held true to what collectively the coaching staff headed by (Defensive Coordinator) Vic (Fangio) and the defense in general as a group of people, they want to continue to progress and get better. There’s a big part of playing defense that as a team we talk about a ton that is yards are cool, but they have to get in the end zone, and being that mindset is kind of very similar to that of the team’s mindset with adversity. Sometimes you’ll give stuff up – don’t worry about it. You finish, they don’t. That’s what you’re trying to get done. Yeah, it’s always fun when defensive units are getting better in a real way, not because of anything, but their details, their technique and their fundamentals.”
On if OL Lester Cotton is dealing with an injury
“Yeah, he had something minor. He probably – like if we were – he wanted to go, but I didn’t think it was fair to him to gut through something and the potential of having tape put out there that’s not a reflection of how he’s been playing. So we held him out. But he wants to get on the field in the worst way, and we’ll be excited for that.”
On what he thinks this win meant for QB Tua Tagovailoa
“I think you’re highlighting a great point. I think he’s finding himself as a man, and he is doing it alongside teammates. I think that when you’ve been doing something for that long, you’re just enjoying the process day-in, day-out. He is so comfortable in his skin and his zest for life is so strong, now as a father and a husband and a quarterback. He is enjoying – he’s worrying about the right stuff. Like you throw a pick first play, that’s not ideal, but you focus on ‘OK, well, most people might let that linger and have an effect on how you approach everything else. As a competitor, I’m going to try to not have that be the case.’ I think all of that fits within him and his development and where he’s at, and I’m excited to see him every day. He’s got a really cool new tattoo, so that’s cool, too.”
Do you approach this game as sort of a dress rehearsal of the preseason?
“No, I literally didn’t even decide who was going to play until, you guys will believe me at some point, like literally the day before because it made sense. Then I felt like the team – a lot of guys needed tape. They needed a game to do good or bad – doesn’t matter – but you’re practicing for so long, they were ready for that. There’s something we’re trying to get done every single time we’re able to go on the field, whether it’s practice or preseason game, whether or not certain guys play will be our educated best guess as to what helps and what hurts people moving forward. There may be less, there may be more. We’ll see how the week progresses, how we are health-wise and what guys need to do to best prepare for the regular season.”
Jaylen Waddle – August 19, 2023 (Third Quarter)
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WR Jaylen Waddle on CBS Miami Broadcast
(We just saw you guys get in the end zone again, 28 points here so far. Impressions of the offense?) – “We look real good. We had a bad start but that comes with it getting all the rust and jitters out, coming out and playing the one’s for the first time. Got that out the way and we started moving the ball efficiently.”
(I did want to ask you about coming home this week. How much fun did you have? Did you get to visit any of your old stomping grounds, see friends and family?) – “Yeah, I got to see friends and family. It’s always good coming back to Houston. There’s a lot of love and support out here. I went back to my old high school and got to see them scrimmage. It was a good week.”
(I know a lot of them were probably asking, when are we going to see you back out there? How are you feeling? Are you close to coming back?) – “Yeah, definitely. You’ll see me back out there real soon. I’m feeling good, going to be back real soon.”
(You’ve had a heck of a start to your career here. Last year, you lead the Dolphins in receiving touchdowns. What were your goals coming in and how much do you get to play off of a guy like WR Tyreek Hill?) – “Yeah, man. Tyreek definitely, he kind of brings the energy not just in the room, but to the team. Him coming out there and being himself, you don’t have no choice but to follow him and try to match his energy.”
(When WR Tyreek Hill came out and said, “I want a 2,000-yard season,” did that get you thinking about maybe what you want to bring to the table here in 2023?) – “Not really. ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill) has the ability to do anything he wants to do in this league. So him saying he wants 2K is in his reach, and we’re all rooting for him to do that and make history.”
(I know I saw you out there during practice, still being engaged with practice even if you couldn’t be out there, saying hi to old Alabama teammates. How cool was the reunion this week?) – ”Man, it was good. Houston’s got a lot of Alabama guys over there. So it’s always good seeing my old teammates, seeing how they’re doing, catching up with them, talking about the ‘Bama days and all that good stuff.”
