Adam Gase – August 13, 2017
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Sunday, August 13, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(It appeared that RB Jay Ajayi was led off the field by a trainer. Is he okay?) – “Yes. He’s alright. Just hydration. I mean his first day back out there, full pads. He’ll be okay.”
(You’ve obviously had rookie defensive linemen who have shown some stuff led by DT Davon Godchaux. DT Vincent Taylor, at times we’ve seen DE Cameron Malveaux, even DE Praise Martin-Oguike. Would you mind talking about them just as a group and anything you want to say about any of those four people as individuals as players as well?) – “I think that those guys know the standard has really been set by the leaders in that room and with those older players, their expectations in the younger guys are, and how they’re supposed to work and how they’re supposed to practice. So I know those guys probably feel a little pressure more from those guys than anybody. So they want to make sure that they do everything right and they’re constantly working on the field, especially after practice and before practice, to make sure that they’re improving every day. That’s a tough group to please. I mean those guys are very, very hard on the young guys and it’s good to see how they work. All the older guys are really taking time to help those guys improve.”
(And finding obviously young defensive linemen is a commodity. Are you encouraged by what you’ve seen? Obviously DT Davon Godchaux at the top and some of the others.) – “It’s tough to go against in practice. I think it’s making the whole team better because on the offensive side of the ball, we’ve got to be on it because they can disrupt practice very easily. When you see the kind of effort you’ve been seeing, it’s been impressive. It starts with those top guys and then it’s working its way down.”
(Regarding QB Jay Cutler, at this early stage, do you measure his progress by the physical, the throws and all that? Or by kind of the mental, the grasp of the offense?) – “We’re so one day at a time right now with him. I mean every play, he comes back and kind of re-assesses things after the series and we kind of talk things out to see where mentally, he can come back and say ‘Hey, I saw that nice and clean,’ or ‘I felt this in the pocket.’ So there’s just a lot dialogue there. I mean it just takes time when you haven’t done it in a while and every day he’s getting a little bit better. Yesterday wasn’t as good as it was today. I thought today he made a couple of throws where he felt good that were challenging plays for him.”
(Where’s that line form right now while he learns the offense between aggression and just executing and keeping it going?) – “I think it’s more just the processing speed. I don’t know if it’s so much learning the offense. (Jay Cutler) has the offense down pretty good. He’s a quick study. It’s just really of knowing what it is and can see it in your head on paper, and then all of a sudden you’ve got four guys rushing at you or they bring some kind of exotic blitz, and just the processing speed of all that. And then still trying to figure out how the receivers’ body language are or run courses, play-action fakes. There’s just a lot of little things that go on just besides saying ‘Hey, I’m going to execute this what was on paper.’”
(QB Ryan Tannehill often talked about not getting too high and not getting too low, kind of staying on course. How does that compare with QB Jay Cutler both up here and on the field?) – “I think yesterday he was excited to get out there and today I could tell that it kind of calmed down for him. It felt probably more normal for him today. I think that first day that he was actually out there, he took four snaps. It’s easier when you … (They were) four easy plays that he knows really well and he could run it any time, 10 years from now. Yesterday we did some more challenging things and the defense was doing a whole bunch of stuff. So I mean, you get amped up for that because you know it’s not going to be a walk in the park. Then today, I just felt he was more into the groove. I know it’s only been that second day; but you could tell there was a different feel from him. He felt better about it and I thought that helped him kind of stay nice and even and get through practice with making good throws, decisions, getting the right Mike points, run checks, all those things. I thought it was good. He was able to just level out today.”
(Is that what you want out of a quarterback, to where you don’t get four touchdowns one week and five interceptions the next?) – “Yes, consistency is the key. Players want the same guy every day. When you know what you’re going to get day in and day out, it just helps the rest of those guys around him. They know what they’re getting. They know ‘if we’re in the right spots, we’re going to get the ball.’ If we have any kind of broken play, he can still make plays. Just that consistency day in and day out is the key to everything.”
(When you look at the receiver position, we all know who the guys at the top are. We also know that there’s a very finite number of positions available on this roster. Looking at the depth, you have so many guys making plays. Are you kind of wondering how difficult it’s going to be to make those cuts?) – “I’m so far from there. I’m trying to get to tomorrow. (laughter)”
(What do you think about some of the guys?) – “I like the way the guys are improving. You can tell that the offense understands what they are supposed to do. The defense is challenging everything – all our routes. It’s been competitive every day. I think those younger guys are starting to feel more comfortable that in this league, everything is tight. It’s a fine line between being open and being covered and the details in everything that you do is critical. We just want to see as many guys do well and give themselves a chance in preseason games to show us what they have. We want it to be hard. We want it to be a group battle to make the roster. If that decision is hard for us, that’s a good thing for us. That’s what we want.”
(Regarding RB Jay Ajayi. Before the hydration issue, it seemed like he was very involved out there. He’s clearly making progress?) – “Yes, I think we’re back to where he was earlier. It’s just now it’s a conditioning thing for him. I don’t even know how many days he ended up missing, but it triples when you walk out there on a day like today. You think that you can just do your normal deal and it smacks you in the face real fast.”
*RB Jay Ajayi remains in the concussion protocol. He is cleared to fully participate in practice.*
(RB Jay Ajayi is still in the concussion protocol?) – “He’s out, he’s out.”
(RB Jay Ajayi is not in the protocol?) – “No.”
(C Mike Pouncey, how did he do? I know the day after is often important. How did he do?) – “He did good. He did good. He didn’t follow my rule of staying off the ground. The first play I looked up, I see (Andre) Branch helmet to the lower back. I about pulled him out of practice. It was good. He did a good job. He felt good. I always wait until the next day to see his reaction to the day before. He was good today. He didn’t feel any after effects of practice. That’s what I keep looking at is how do you feel the next day and then the day after that. It’s a constant, trying to figure where he’s at. We’ve had nothing but positive signs that we’re going in the right direction.”
(This is the first day that we saw G Isaac Asiata with the first team. Was that experimentation? Did he do well in the exhibition game? What do you hope to see?) – “We’re just moving guys around. We’re all hands on deck right now with players. We’re a little thin at o-line and wide receiver right now. (Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator) Chris (Foerster) does this all the time. He starts moving guys around, especially young players. Sometimes he’ll throw them in that first group, put a little pressure on them and see how they react. That’s really what we are doing. That’s really our philosophy with that group upfront is really changing it up as much as possible. I wouldn’t look into it deeper than that.”
(Speaking of young offensive linemen, T Eric Smith, he’s a guy that when you see him walking around he looks like he lumbers or labors a little bit. But when the ball is snapped, he seems like a different guy.) – “He did a really good job in the game. The defensive ends that he is going against, I know that they’re our backup defensive linemen; but they’re pretty good. He’s had to go against William Hayes, and Charles (Harris). He’s had a challenge on his hands all spring and training camp and he did well. That was good to see. Any time you can find a guy that can contribute at that position, it’s valuable for us.”
(What are some of the things he has taken on and done well?) – “I think he’s just getting comfortable with what we’re doing, offense, consistently trying to hone your craft. It’s just hard. You have so much information going on in your head. (He’s a) young player trying to figure it all out and at the same time, you’ve got somebody trying to drive you back into the quarterback. It’s that fine line of using your intelligence and then your physical ability.”
(Anything you can tell us on WR Leonte Carroo?) – “Yes, he had a hamstring strain. We’re trying to give him a day off there and see how he recovers.”
Ndamukong Suh – August 13, 2017
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Sunday, August 13, 2017
DT Ndamukong Suh
(Now that we know LB Raekwon McMillan is going to be gone for the year, what gives you confidence that the run defense is still going to improve from last year?) – “I think it’s about execution, at the end of the day. No matter who’s in the game, what we need to do is execute. It’s very unfortunate that we lost Raekwon. Obviously, he’s a great talent and somebody that we were expecting to play. He still had to earn his position, at the end of the day, if he was going to play at a high level and be in the game for us; but at the end of the day, it’s all about execution. It doesn’t matter who’s in the game, whether it’s myself or anybody else.”
(Can you talk about LB Mike Hull and what he brings to the football team?) – “Mike Hull is a great talent. (He is) obviously somebody who’s underrated, but in my opinion, plays at a very, very high level. (He’s) a kid that knows what he needs to get done, is going to play 100 miles per hour, if not more. (He’s) somebody that I respect and I expect a lot out of him coming into this year, especially after what he did last year.”
(When did DT Davon Godchaux first catch your attention?) – “I don’t know if he ever caught my attention per se. I’ve always kind of been working with him. I talked to him when he first got drafted. (We have) been in constant communication and he’s just a willing learner, which is what I love the most about him. When people teach him things – whether it’s myself, Cam (Wake), (Andre) Branch, (Defensive Line) Coach ‘T’ (Terrell Williams), (Assistant Defensive Line) Coach ‘Dre (Andre Carter) – he just soaks it up and he implements it when we get into individual as well as team.”
(What stand out about DT Davon Godchaux on the field?) – “I think it’s his aggression. He’s a kid that’s very aggressive, gets off the ball (which is) primarily what our defense is built around – getting off the ball and being attack-style. I think he started to do a good job of that. It’s all about being consistent. Myself, I’ve got to be consistent. It’s not something that’s easy or comes easy so (we need to) continue to do that and get that repetition.”
(Are you pleased with the progression of the defensive line so far in training camp? What are you expecting for the defense heading into the season?) – “Honestly, it’s very hard to gauge. We’re going against ourselves. We understand how to game plan and do different things against ourselves. I think last Thursday was a good test for us; but at the end of the day, we still have a lot of work ahead of ourselves, because we didn’t all play an extended period of time. I’m not saying that’s a reason, but we need to go out there and continue to work on our craft and get better and not really focus on where we’re gauged at right now, because the true test at the end of the day is going to be how well we play against Tampa.”
(Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams talked a lot about aggression and like you said earlier, he said it’s really important for you guys to knock those guards back. That’s what he really wants to see. How good and how consistent has DT Davon Godchaux been with that?) – “I think everybody across the board has done a pretty good job of it. But at the end of the day, we all need to be consistent. Even if you have a great play or two or three or five, it’s about being able to string those five or six plays (together) and have those be elite and then eight, nine and 10, 15, 20 (snaps) need to be just as powerful and just as aggressive and pushing your offensive lineman in the backfield.”
(Having said that, can you get a gauge or do you always reserve your thoughts until the real deal?) – “I’m always going to reserve myself for the real deal because at the end of the day, you get a good understanding of what you can and cannot do in the preseason as well as even in practice; but the true test is when you get out there on the football field and there are live bullets and there are guys that are … You’ve got every single option that’s coming at you. They can run 50 million different plays and kind of go from there. It’s how you react and adjust and how you go against it.”
(Did DE Charles Harris show you what you thought you would see last Thursday in his first game?) – “What was I supposed to see? (laughter)”
(You tell me.) – “I don’t know what I was supposed to see. (laughter) All I understood was (Charles Harris) had a job to do, and his job was to get off the ball, play at a high level and attack offensive lineman and make plays. I think for the most part, he was doing that; but like I said before, we’ve all got work to do.”
(With a guy like DE Charles Harris, you see him fly off the ball and he’s almost there, he’s making the guy move. When does it click to, ‘Okay, now I got to get a little more?’) – “I think one thing for him is that he’s always going to have that ability. But the special thing about this league is being able to finish. You see the great pass rushers all those guys have that instantaneous step to get to the quarterback and get him down. It’s not about getting close to him and getting him out of the pocket. It’s about getting him down. I think Charles has that. I think over time, it’ll become easier and faster. There are some alignment things and stuff that we’ve all talked about that we all need to work on, including himself.”
(Do you guys on the defensive line and defense overall feel any added pressure with QB Ryan Tannehill’s injury and QB Jay Cutler trying to get up to speed, or do you guys have that confidence already that the offensive side of the ball is going to be balanced enough to take some pressure off you guys?) – “We’re got a very high-powered offense. At the end of the day, we need to continue to do our job and that’s to stop the run and get after the passer. At the end of the day, I don’t believe there’s added pressure. I think nonetheless we have to get our job done. If we get our job done, we’ll be fine.”
Jay Cutler – August 13, 2017
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Sunday, August 13, 2017
QB Jay Cutler
(How have you done out here and how do you determine progress this quickly?) – “Talking with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) … Obviously, going to the right spot, and footwork and all of that stuff is factored into it. Just kind of how I feel in the pocket, how comfortable I am. Yesterday, I felt like the tempo was really fast. Everything was kind of sped up for me. I saw the field well. I was just moving a little faster than I should. So today felt, I told Adam it felt a lot better. Everything was slowed down. I felt a lot more comfortable, I was moving in the pocket. It’s just going to take playing football to really get to where I feel really comfortable.”
(What do you want to do on Thursday in the second preseason game? Do you want to start, play like two or three series? Ideally, what would you do on Thursday?) – “Whatever (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) wants. We’ll talk to Adam. We’ve got a few more days until we get there. (We’ll) see how everyone else is feeling, see how the (offensive) line’s feeling and we’ll make a decision whenever we feel good about it.”
(Are you anxious to get in that preseason game?) – “I am. I am. Just being behind some of these guys and missing most of training camp, missing OTAs, I think it’s important for me to get some valuable reps out there, feel good and get some positive stuff on tape with some of these guys.”
(You talk about learning your guys. How is that process coming along with the wide outs?) – “It’s coming. I think the good thing about these guys is they’re really open. They’re really receptive. They want to get better and they’re smart football players. (This is) a high IQ football team. When I say something, they’re right on the same page. They get it, they know what I’m talking about. So I think that’s been really positive for us so far.”
(You and WR Kenny Stills look to be getting a little chummy out there. Are you guys building a little bit of a rapport?) – “I like all those guys. Those top three (wide receivers), the tight ends, I’ve known Anthony (Fasano) forever, Julius (Thomas). You’re talking about guys that have been around football, know football (and are) smart players. They just want to get better, so (building rapport) is easy. You’ve got guys that run hard, want to get better each and every day. That makes my life 10 times easier.”
(Have you ever worried about pitch counts in a practice?) – “Pitch counts?”
(Like how many throws you make in a particular practice.) – “No, no. That’s never been something I really worry about. Tuesday I got here, or whatever day it was – Tuesday – I came out and practiced. I told (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) let’s kind of ease me in. Let me kind of get my toes in the water, then we can go from there; but yesterday and today we were full go and I think going forward, with the training staff, the weight staff, everybody in the building, Adam gives us so much time after practice to get ready for the next day, so we’ll be good.”
(Chemistry with receivers doesn’t happen over night. From you experience, how long typically do you take?) – “It could be three weeks, it could be three days. I don’t know. It’s just kind of when it clicks, it clicks. It’s like whenever you meet somebody new, right off the bat there’s a spark or sometimes it might take a little bit longer or it just doesn’t happen; but with these guys, it’s going to happen. These guys are good football players, they’re fun to be around. It’s an enjoyable process.”
(It is your second time obviously working with Head Coach Adam Gase. He’s kind of a night owl right, is that his schedule? What’s the latest you’ve worked with him?) – “We do FaceTime. I get out of here at a reasonable hour so I can get home and rest up; but we FaceTime late into the night if something pops up or if I’m not sure about something, he’s always right there and he’ll explain it. (Quarterbacks Coach) Bo (Hardegree) is the same way. It’s a group that communicates really well.”
(Has this experience been overwhelming and if so, is there any other way it can be coming out of retirement?) – “No. I mean the first couple of days, I think it was. You meet all of these new people. Coming from a place you’ve been for eight years, you kind of know everybody. There’s a new influx of people from year to year, but for the majority, you know everybody. Coming here the first couple of days, they’re a whirlwind. It’s just what it’s going to be. You just have to get used to it, like any other new experience. The longer you’re in it, the easier it is. It feels like I’ve been here for two weeks. I don’t think I’ve even been here a week yet. So I don’t know if it’s going fast or slow, but it’s going. (laughter)”
(What are your impressions of being on the same team now as DT Ndamukong Suh after going up against him for several years when he was with Detroit?) – “It’s a positive in my book. (laughter) He’s put me on my back a few times. He’s slammed me. He’s a tough player. I think that defense is good. They’ve got some players – impact players – in each area. The front’s going to be really good, so I’m glad he’s on my side.”
Kiko Alonso – August 13, 2017
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Sunday, August 13, 2017
LB Kiko Alonso
(How did you feel the first preseason game went for you?) – “It was alright. Obviously we wanted to keep points off the board. We’re looking forward to a better performance on Thursday.”
(What was your comfort level at that outside position because I know there were a little bit different assignments?) – “Yes, it’s a little different but with the more reps I get, I’ll get more and more comfortable, so I’m feeling real good.”
(Obviously it’s a very unusual circumstance to see a young guy like LB Raekwon McMillan get hurt in his first ever play. What went through your mind when you saw that?) – “I was just hoping for the best. That stuff happens.”
(What have they told you about whether or not you need to get ready to play the middle sometimes?) – “They haven’t told me anything. I’m ready for … I know this defense well so I’m ready to play wherever they need me.”
(What have you told LB Raekwon McMillan if you’ve had the opportunity considering you’ve sort of been through that before?) – “I immediately told him, ‘Hey man, I’ve got two (knee injuries).’ But really, we don’t know what’s going on with him. If it is the knee, then I told him that I’ve got two and you’ll be fine. That’s the truth this day and age. That stuff is like – a knee injury … If you tore your ACL back in your day, you’d probably be done. (laughter) And how old are you?”
(That’s correct. I’m 40.) – “(Laughter) Never mind, you’re not that old. (laughter)”
(With LB Mike Hull, what makes you confident that he’s ready to elevate into a starting role?) – “Just watching this guy at practice, he practices his butt off. This is his second year in the system. The guy day in and day out practices his butt off and makes a lot of plays. You saw that when he stepped in last year and had a pick. He played really well against Baltimore.”
(And no concerns about the size of LB Mike Hull?) – “No. Size is just a number.”
(How much do you guys refer to LB Mike Hull as scrap?) – “That might be the perfect nickname because that’s exactly what he is. He’s just a scrappy guy. He gets the job done and he’s physical and aggressive and he’s just scrappy. He’s a wrestler. He’s a wrestler type football (player).”
(How much do those guys up front really make a huge difference? Everybody talks about LB Mike Hull’s size but if the guys up front are doing their job…) – “It makes a big difference. It’s the same thing with an offensive lineman to a running back. That’s the same thing as a defensive lineman to a linebacker. Those guys get after it. It makes our jobs a lot easier.”
(For you, how smoothly has the transition gone from middle to outside?) – “It’s gone well. It’s a little different but – I know I tell you guys a million times – you go see ball, get ball.”
