Preston Williams – May 11, 2019
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Saturday, May 11, 2019
WR Preston Williams
(If you had gone to the Florida, Florida State or Miami out of high school. Which one would you have chosen and why?) – “I didn’t have an offer from Miami so probably Florida State.”
(You didn’t have an offer from Miami?) – “I didn’t.”
(Who was the coach at the time at FSU, Jimbo Fisher?) – “Yes, Jimbo.”
(I watched the Arkansas tape, you killed them. They are an SEC school. How did that bolster your confidence about how well you can play?) – “I always had confidence. I played at Tennessee too. So playing Arkansas, I had played them before. I already knew what to expect.”
(When we get the chance to watch you over the next few months, what are we going to see? What do you feel are your strengths on the field?) – “I’m just working. I’m trying to learn from everybody, so I can pick up a lot of stuff. A little bit of everything that I’m trying to perfect as a receiver.”
(At one point last year, Mel Kiper said that you had first-round talent. Why do you think you weren’t drafted?) – “Things happened in the past. I’m not complaining about it. I’m just moving forward. The past is behind me.”
(What was draft day like for you?) – “It was pretty good. My agent told me to expect anything on draft day, so I kept it real cool.”
(Address this opportunity that you have with the Miami Dolphins that they gave you. Although you were undrafted, you’re still here.) – “The coaches believed in me. They gave me an opportunity. I’m just here to work hard and show them what I can do.”
(Who was one of your favorite NFL receivers?) – “I like all receivers. I try to learn from everybody’s game.”
(Whose body type do you think you’re like? Is there somebody you tried to watch?) – “I used to watch Randy Moss growing up. I’m a big fan.”
(What did you think about QB Malik Rosier and some of the passes he was throwing to you this weekend?) – “He was pretty accurate. He’s a good quarterback. I like working with him. One of these days I’m going to try to throw after practice with him.”
(What’s something that you’ve learned from your off-field stuff that has made you a better person?) – “You have to be a professional on the field and off the field. I just try to stay clean and do what I’m supposed to do.”
(When the Dolphins asked you about what happened when you got in trouble – the shoving and restraining, and violation of the protection order – what did you tell them? How did you explain what happened?) – “I just told them the honest truth. I kept it real with them. At the end of the day, that’s all you can do.”
(Do you think that you would’ve been drafted if not for the off-field stuff?) – “Probably.”
(How realistic do you think it is to make this football team?) – “I don’t know. I’m just working every day and trying to do what everybody is telling me. It’s in the blue so I’m just working.”
(It’s only been two days but how do you think you did out on the field?) – “I feel like I’m progressing. I’m getting better every day.”
Kendrick Norton – May 11, 2019
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Saturday, May 11, 2019
DT Kendrick Norton
(So what has this experience been like for you?) – “It’s been good coming down here. (It was) a quick turnaround, just hopping in and getting to know everyone and the new coaching staff. It’s been good so far.”
(What is it like having a bunch of fellow Hurricanes out here?) – “It’s always great having a lot of familiar faces, even some guys that I don’t know personally like Clive (Walford) and stuff like that. Just seeing some older guys is nice.”
(After last season not working out kind of how you wanted to, especially coming out of the draft, has that kind of reinvigorated you with this opportunity here?) – “I’ve just been coming out, refocusing, trying to stay hungry, focusing on the small stuff and taking all of the things that I learned last season and trying to apply them.”
(There are plenty of defensive tackles in this rookie camp. How do you think you did as far as the job of separating yourself from that group?) – “I think I did pretty well. I’ve been here five weeks so I’ve tried to come out and lead the younger guys and help them out with learning things and helping them get lined up when they couldn’t. I felt like I did pretty well.”
(What are your initial impressions on DT Christian Wilkins?) – “He’s a good athlete. He plays with great pad level and he has a lot of upside to him.”
(I saw Head Coach Brian Flores talking to you guys. What was his message to you guys at the end of this practice?) – “He was just saying we’re going to keep focusing on the things that we do. We want to keep focusing on conditioning and getting ready for next week.”
(What did you learn about yourself last year with how your season went?) – “I just learned I had a lot to learn. I came out and tried to soak up as much as I could from the older guys and be ready for when my time comes.”
(It has better prepared you, hasn’t it? Do you feel a little more professional in this situation?) – “Yes, definitely. I feel like I have a lot of answers to different things that I see on the field, just sitting behind a lot of older guys and actually having a chance to learn. So it’s been good.”
(What do you expect from UM and Manny Diaz for 2019?) – “I expect a lot from Manny Diaz coming in and taking over. I think he’s going to come in there and he’s going to get them right. I expect a lot from them. I think they’re going to do well.”
(Did you enjoy playing under Manny Diaz? What was that like?) – “Yeah, that’s my guy. Manny Diaz is a fiery coach. He expects nothing but the best from you and he won’t accept anything less. I love Manny.”
(What kind of impression do you think you left with the coaching staff?) – “Our coaching staff here?”
(Yes, this one here.) – “I think I left a pretty good one but every time you come out on the field, like Coach Flores says, rent is due every day. So you have to come out and apply the same effort and get better every day.”
Brian Flores – May 11, 2019
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Saturday, May 11, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(What can you tell us about RB Mark Walton and his tryout this weekend? What went into that decision to bring him here?) – “He’s here on a tryout. Obviously he’s a talented player. We wanted to definitely take a look at him and see if he was a fit for us on the field (and) off the field. I think he’s done a good job really in the one day that he’s been here. So we’ll see how it goes.”
(How much did you guys discuss or talk about RB Mark Walton’s background or his past and the things he’s been involved in this summer before making that decision to bring him here?) – “It was discussed. Obviously (General Manager) Chris (Grier), myself (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore and) our staff, definitely it was something that we discussed. But again, it’s a tryout. That’s kind of part of the process is getting to know him and getting to see him both on and off the field.”
(How many running backs do you feel like you need to carry into training camp?) – “That number is fluid. You need enough obviously to practice with and then obviously to get through the preseason games. There’s not a specific number but five (or) six backs, somewhere in there is probably a good number.”
(How would you describe your personal opinion and philosophy on giving people more chances?) – “I’d say I think … I think people deserve a second chance. I believe that. I think that’s the case. I don’t want to judge people based on one incident (or) two incidents. I think it’s a case-by-case situation for a player and just for people in general. That’s kind of my stance.”
(Yesterday, RB Chandler Cox was working out with the tight ends for at least part of the time that we saw. Is that because that’s more of his skillset or why was that?) – “I think he’s a versatile player. I think he’s somebody that can move around in the backfield and in some tight end positions. You can split him out a little bit. He’s going to work with the tight ends, he’s going to work with the backs, he’s going to move around. He’s somebody that’s got that ability. He’s going to work in the kicking game as well. He’s thrown the football. He’s a former quarterback. We’ll see what he can do there.”
(WR Preston Williams from Colorado State, he looks the part but what strengths did you guys identify of his?) – “He’s a talented player. He’s got good size, good speed (and) he catches the ball well. (He’s been) smart in the one day that he’s been here. He’s got a long way to go like all of the rest of the rookies; but he’s off to a good start and we’ll see how he develops.”
(It’s only one day but when you look at the tape of practice yesterday, did anybody go ‘WOW! LOOK AT THAT GUY!’) – “No. (laughter) That didn’t happen.”
(QB Malik Rosier is a guy obviously that fans down here are well familiar with from his UM days. Have you had a chance to form any opinions on him?) – “I think he’s an assertive … I like his assertiveness at the quarterback position. He clearly has some leadership ability. He can get these guys in and out of the huddle, makes his ‘Mike’ points (and) gets everybody lined up. I thought that was good. Again, he’s here on a tryout basis as well. I thought he had a good day yesterday. We’ll see how it goes today but I think he’s off to a good start, as well.”
(A lot of times when you talk to second-year players they’ll say that it makes a huge difference being in the offseason program as opposed to training for the Combine and running 40s.) – “I would agree.”
(How do you see that manifest itself out there? Are they quicker, more familiar? How do you see that?) – “I think there’s, obviously, some continuity built being in meetings, being in the weight room and getting out there from a conditioning standpoint. They’re better suited to go out there and perform rather than some rookies that are coming in and everyone’s training a little bit differently. They have no idea what – from a playbook standpoint – what they’re going to get. When you combine learning the playbook with your conditioning, with your strength training and put it all together, it’s all laid out, it’s all in a uniformed structure, and there’s a process there. It all works better together. Yes, I think that second year when they’re in here and they’re in the offseason program, there’s a process and a structure (for) the way things are done. I think you get a better player and you get better performance.”
(With T Isaiah Prince, he’s a guy who kind of looks like a basketball player with how tal and how long he is. When you’re out there on an island at right tackle, does that height and length benefit you or can it be used against you?) – “I always think of things defensively, so yes it can benefit you, for sure. When you’ve got a guy that long with that much size, it’s hard to get around a guy like that. Yes, I think that definitely benefits him. Again, he’s another guy who definitely needs development. He’s a guy who we’re looking forward to working with at a few different positions. He’s a smart kid. He’s talented. There’s no doubt there. We’re interested to see how he can help us and what he can do.”
(When you look at all the undrafted guys that you signed, about how many would you estimate you guys thought might’ve been drafted?) – “We were fortunate we were able to sign a few guys we felt really good about. The draft, how that works, you just never know at the end what teams are really looking for. (There were) a couple there that we felt like had potential to get drafted late. We were fortunate enough there to, at the end when they did go undrafted, we signed a couple of those guys and we feel good about this rookie free agent class as well as the guys we drafted. Once they get here, whether you’re drafted, undrafted, AAF, it doesn’t really matter. Everyone is going to have an opportunity to compete for a position, whether it’s offense, defense or in the kicking game. The guys that come out of that competition will be the guys who are playing in the fall.”
(You have five defensive tackles in this rookie camp right now, obviously with DT Christian Wilkins. Do you feel like there’s a hole to be filled there at that position outside of bringing in Christian and drafting him? DT Kendrick Norton is a former Miami Hurricane. What do you like about his game?) – “You asked if there’s a hole there, and I talked about it yesterday, I’m trying to create competition, really, at all positions. To me, there’s a hole everywhere. I think we need to try to get the best players at each position. We’ll try to bring in as many guys as we can. There’s a limit obviously to 90 that we can sign. That’s the case there. As far as Kendrick, we like what he’s brought to the table so far. He’s got size, he’s got good power, he’s smart. He’s got some versatility also. We like what we’ve seen from him.”
(Do you distinguish and differentiate nose tackles from defensive tackles or are they all just lumped in?) – “There’s a little bit of distinction, I would say. It’s based on the player’s skillset. Nose tackle, d-tackle, penetrator, big end, defensive end – there’s a few different distinctions. But it’s up to the player. We may feel one way that he can only do this. If he goes out there and shows us something different, then he can do a couple of things.”
(So you break them up into five different groups?) – “I can keep going. We can go to 15 if you really want to. (laughter)”
(We have time.) – “I’m not going to give you everything in my bag. I’m never going to give you that. (laughter) You can just trust me on that. I’ll give you a little bit.”
(What about the secondary? Do we have a rover?) – “A rover? That’s a few different things. (laughter)”
(I have an offensive line question for you. When you say you want to play the best five guys on the offensive line – I think you’ve said you’re a best-five guy. Why are you better playing the best five? For example, T Laremy Tunsil played guard his rookie year, so you’re better off playing a tackle at guard than a left guard, somebody who came up playing left guard? Better football player makes a better unit, that’s what it is?) – “I would like to think that. I hear what you’re saying. I appreciate the question. There are some cases where you don’t want to take a guy completely out of position just to get the best five. That’s not the best five. That’s not the best unit. So, I appreciate the question. That’s why we talk so much about versatility and getting these guys to learn multiple spots so we can put our best five guys out there. There are times when a guy can only play right tackle and that’s it. If you try to move him somewhere else, he can’t get into a left-handed stance. That happens. That guy is pigeonholed. I think we all understand that, and we’ve become pigeonholed as an offense (or) as a defense when we’re talking about d-tackles, nose tackles, d-ends – guys who can only play one position. There’s only 46 guys that dress. So if we’re not versatile, injuries occur in this league and guys get tired – hopefully not our team because we want to be conditioned; but eventually, guys will get tired – you have to be able to shift guys around and that’s where versatility comes into play. I understand the question, and we want our best five guys from an offensive line standpoint. (It’s the) same on the defensive line. Really, (it’s the) same on both offense and defense. We want our best 11 guys out there. If we’re locked into ‘You can only do this,’ then if that works, then it works. If it doesn’t and we can get the best five guys out there, we’ll try to do that.”
Myles Gaskin – May 10, 2019
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Friday, May 10, 2019
RB Myles Gaskin
(How was it getting back on the field?) – “It was good getting out here, getting back to real football after the last couple of months of just working on 40(-yard dash time)s and stuff like that. It’s fun to getting back into a playbook, learning a new scheme and meeting some new dudes, meeting my new family.”
(There’s only about 50 guys out here, so plenty of reps. It has to be pretty fast-paced. What did you think about the pace of the practice?) – “It’s what you want. You want as many reps as you can get, especially being new like all of us are, trying to pick up this playbook as fast as you can. I’m going to speak for myself personally, but that’s how I learn the best in the playbook is just doing it over and over again.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said this was going to be a lot of teaching. How much teaching was there?) – “It was a lot of teaching, I can’t even lie. Like I said, I’ve only been here in Miami two days, so I’m trying to learn the playbook, learn all these new names, meet all these new people. It’s a lot going on but it is what it is and I’m enjoying every second of it.”
(For the career that you had in college, was it a disappointment for you that you were not drafted as early as you probably wanted?) – “It is what it is. It’s gone and done with now. I’m not too worried about it at all. That’s in the past.”
Christian Wilkins – May 10, 2019
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Friday, May 10, 2019
DT Christian Wilkins
(What did you think?) – “It was definitely Day 1. You could tell from the start. Definitely a little rusty, but this is what this is all about – getting acclimated, getting back to doing football movements, working eyes, hands, feet, and really getting back in shape, too. I was working hard before I got here; but this Florida heat, this Miami heat, is a little different. So I definitely have to work hard and get better. That’s all I’m trying to do each day is improve.”
(Is it what you expected?) – “Yeah, it’s a grind. But it’s exciting, too. It’s football. Every time you get an opportunity to come out on this field, it’s special. And I bring that mindset to the field every day. I had a lot of fun out here today, but I’ve definitely got to get better. I’m a long ways away from where I want to be; but it’s good. It was my first practice and it was definitely a lot of fun. I just enjoyed getting out here and competing.”
(What was your first exchange with Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby like?) – “Back like we never left. He’s still Coach Hobby. He coaches hard and gets after you, but he’s going to make you a better player ultimately and that’s what I was most excited about coming here was just knowing that Coach Hobby is going to get me where I need to be as a player and as a man, challenging offenses. I’m definitely excited working with him again and all of the coaching staff, honestly. (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores, (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Patrick) Graham, everybody. I’m just excited to get working with them.”
(Talking with Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby yesterday, we get the sense he’s going the keep you grounded. He told us against Pitt you…) – “Oh, gosh. Why (does) he got to bring up old stuff? (laughter) (Dewayne) Hendrix is out here, too. He reminded me as well. Yeah. Hobby will definitely do a good job keeping you humble and that’s why he makes you better, because you’re never good enough. He’s hard on you at all times, but that’s what’s going to get you better with where you need to be. It’s definitely great. He’ll keep you grounded, keep you humble, for sure.”
(Does it feel like the NFL yet? Because it’s all rookies.) – “You can definitely tell the difference. It’s still the best guys out here, better than your typical college level. So you can tell the difference just the way the coaches are pushing you. (There is) just an extra sense of urgency. I’ve always played with that, but just an extra sense. I’m just trying to be great (and have) a sense of urgency because this is what I’ve worked for all of my life. Now that I’m here, I’m going to have fun, take it and run with it and enjoy every moment of it. There’s never going to be a bad day out here on this field as long as I can play and compete. I’m going to have fun with it each and every day.”
(You personality is a lot different than Head Coach Brian Flores, General Manager Chris Grier, Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby. How do they encourage you to be yourself here?) – “That’s a good question. I’m definitely going to continue to be myself, but in the realms of when it’s respectful. There’s a time and a place for everything. I love to have a good time, I love to have fun with everything; but also there’s a time and a place. When it comes to this football stuff, you’ve got to be locked in, you’ve got to be focused. I be myself when I can; but also part of being myself is being locked in, focused and trying to be the best. I don’t mean that with any arrogance. That’s just what my mindset is and why I play the game, why I love the game.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said there’s a lot of fundamentals going on basically, but was your mind still swimming out there, where to go and where to be and all that stuff?) – “As far as the playbook and stuff, I studied that. I had a pretty decent feel for the Day 1 installs and stuff. From a mental standpoint, from the install stuff, it wasn’t too bad. But definitely just the level of competition, it’s hot out here, you’re grinding, you’re moving and there’s a lot going on. You’re doing all of these drills and you’re doing things that you didn’t do before. It’s the first day, so I know for sure tomorrow I’m going to be out here better, polished and have a better mindset as far as knowing where to be, knowing what to do and leading by example.”
(Your versatility is one of the big reasons they drafted you. Where all did you line up today?) – “I just line up wherever the coaches need me to line up, whether that’s playing wherever on the defensive line, playing in the backfield, on offense. It doesn’t matter. Wherever the coaches need me to play, I’ll line up and play there. I’m just ready to come in and work.”
(Did you get some work at nose today?) – “Again, I’ll play wherever the coaches want me to play and do my thing.”
(Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby said you were already asking to play tight end and running back. What’s up with that?) – “That’s part of just having fun with it. I feel like when you’ve got some talent, some abilities, you’ve got to try to showcase them all. (laughter) I have fun doing that. But there’s nothing like making a tackle for loss or sacking the quarterback. That stuff is fun, but I like the job I’ve got, for sure.”
(You’ve got something a lot of teams don’t have, you’ve got competition at fullback.) – “Right. (laughter) If they throw me back there, I’ll work hard and try to get the job done.”
(It has been a short time, but what is your relationship like with the other guys in the draft class?) – “I’ve already started to build a little bit of a relationship. Within the week after we all got drafted, I reach out to them. I just hit them up, congratulated them, just seeing how they were doing and everything. I’m just excited to get to work with him, not just those guys but all of the rookies out here all working hard, all competing. It’s fun to see that. We’re competing in everything: how we eat, how we work out, how we do it all. So, it’s been fun getting to work with those guys.”
(This is the first time we’ve talked to you since the day after the draft. Have you heard form anybody else, any notoriety from the shoulder bump there with Commissioner Roger Goodell?) – “That went all over the place right after. I’ve gotten stopped a lot in the airports and traveling and doing things like, ‘You’re the guy who…” and I’m like, ‘Yeah, that was me.’ (laughter) I’m definitely getting it for that. A lot of people recognize me for that, which is pretty funny.”
(Do people ask you to follow up and give them a shoulder bump?) – “Yeah, I’ve got some of that too, actually. People will see me and they’ll just go up and, ‘Alright! Hey!’ Why not? (laughter)”
(So you do it?) – “Yeah, I do it. Of course. I know what this means. (jump in the air signal) Mr. Goodell didn’t. (laughter).”
(On his collision with Commissioner Roger Goodell.) – “Yeah. He was pretty solid. I’m keeping my word on that. He was pretty solid. My shoulder wasn’t great after that.”
(Did you use the elevator wrap at the stadium? What were your thoughts?) – “I did see that. First of all, whoever did that worked fast, because that was within I felt like hours after it happened, which was pretty cool. That was pretty cool. I thought it was fun. It was pretty cool to look at.”
(Do you feel the culture yet here?) – “Yeah, you definitely get a vibe of that, first of all with Coach Flores and his leadership, what he’s trying to build and what he’s trying to establish. You definitely get a vibe for that. All of the coaches are definitely following suit. They’re coaching hard. But I feel like they’re also going to love you hard and get after you and be straightforward, straight shooters, tell you like it is, tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear. That’s all good because it’s going to make you better as a person, as a player and ultimately as a team.”
Michael Deiter – May 10, 2019
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Friday, May 10, 2019
OL Michael Deiter
(Is it a little warmer than Wisconsin?) – “Yeah, slightly. A little bit. I’ll tell you what, I’m going to have a good tan though, so a little payoff.”
(How exciting is it to get back to actual football instead of just prepping for the draft?) – “Super exciting. (I’m) done with the underwear Olympics, done with all of that. I need to get into football shape. I definitely felt the wind a little bit today, but I’m super excited to play football again, put a helmet on and just do what you’re meant to do. No more interviews, no more running in spandex. It’s good to play football again.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores said there is going to be a lot of teaching. How much was just fundamentals out here today and how did you feel?) – “It was pretty much all fundamentals. A ton of indy (individual drills) and then a little bit of team (drills); but the team was slow, just making sure everyone was on the same page. The biggest thing is you don’t want MA’s (missed assignments) on a day like today. (You want to) make sure everyone is on the same page. The proper technique will come and then the speed of the game will come. It’s just early.”
(On draft night, we talked to you about all of the positions you played; but I think they want to kind of steer you on guard here. Is that what the bulk of your work was today?) – “Yeah. I took a lot of guard reps today, but I don’t know where I’m going to play on the o-line. It’s still up in the air. I don’t really know. The biggest thing is to just get better at wherever they put me and wherever I fall in is wherever I fall in. I’m not quite sure where I’ll play yet.”
(Did they start you out on the left side because that’s where you’re most comfortable?) – “Yeah. I played left guard today.”
(Does it feel like the NFL or because it’s all rookies and young guys here, does it still feel a little bit like college?) – “It definitely feels like NFL. I know what you mean by rookies and stuff but they have the talent to be here or they wouldn’t be. Guys are trying to make statements, so you’re getting people’s best. Although we’re not in pads and you can’t hit, it’s still a little bit physical and it’s fast. It’s super fast, so it definitely feels like NFL football.”
(How long do you think it’s going to take you to get used to this heat? It’s not even really summer yet.) – “Everyone keeps saying this isn’t hot. It’s definitely going to take a little bit to get used to, but it will be fun to grind through it. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be something that I have to get used to if I want to be a good football player down here. It’s just something I have to suck up and work at.”
(How much of an adjustment would it be if you had to move to the right side at any point?) – “It wouldn’t be that much of an adjustment at all. It would just be kind of the stance is different. It’s still offensive line. It’s all similar with hands and footwork, it’s just you have to kind of flip it in your mind. It wouldn’t be a big deal at all.”
(How much pride do you take in having that Wisconsin brand on you as an offensive lineman?) – “You take a lot of pride in it. All it really is is the way you work. It’s not like you go to Wisconsin and you’re magically a good offensive lineman. It’s just kind of a formula of shutting up and working, and then if you keep doing that year after year, you’ll get better each year and you’ll end up being a good player. I have to do that here as well. Every day get better and compete and learn and I’ll be where I want to be come the end of training camp.”
(Do you take pride in the fact that your school has produced a tremendous amount of good offensive linemen and you have the most starts in anybody in Wisconsin history?) – “Yeah. That’s definitely something that’s cool. It’s really just something that I was lucky I never got hurt. Thank God I never got hurt. I was always able to be out there. It’s something I definitely take pride in, but anyone could’ve done it if they were just lucky enough to never get a serious injury like I was. Really, I was just kind of lucky. I’m happy, but it was luck.”
(What do you think are the challenges you’ll face in the NFL trying to sort of win that starting spot?) – “The biggest thing is come in and learn. You have to learn what the offense is and although it’s similar, the verbiage is a lot different and there’s definitely way more that you have to know. Then, the competition is way better. Every day, you’re going against probably one of the best you ever saw in college and that’s a day-in and day-out grind. You still have to earn the trust of the guys in the locker room and the guys around you. It’s different because there is a constant competition. In college, there’s less competition so guys can be a little more friendly; but here I want to be friends with everyone, compete with everyone and make it a friendly competition. The biggest thing is just going to be the playbook and then competition.”
(Anything your peers tell you about the NFL to give you guidance and help you out?) – “The biggest thing I got is don’t make it more than what it is. It’s football at the end of the day, and I think that’s a really cool piece of advice because it is just football. It’s a game that kids can still play but there’s just a lot more that comes along with this side of it. I think if you can just kind of remember that it is just a game, it still requires a ton of work and even though it is your job, it’s a game. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low and just work every day. That’s kind of been the advice.”
Andrew Van Ginkel – May 10, 2019
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Friday, May 10, 2019
LB Andrew Van Ginkel
(How did the weather treat you?) – “Good. It’s not like Iowa. It’s something I’ll have to get used to, but it won’t be too long before I do.”
(What is it that you bring to the table as a player?) – “I feel like I’m very versatile. I can do whatever they ask me to do (such as) all special teams (and) wherever they want to put me on defense. I think that’s what I bring. I can be all over the field.”
(It seems at Wisconsin, you really thrived off of doing a lot of twists and stunts. What is it that you love about dong those plays and do you see yourself doing that here?) – “I think it has a lot to do with my teammates. They set me up. They put me in a good position to succeed. I put a lot of credit on them and the coaches at Wisconsin do a good job of putting you in a place where you’re going to succeed. I give them all of the credit and that’s why I’m here.”
(What does this opportunity mean to you from your start going to South Dakota, then a junior college, then Wisconsin and being here now?) – “This means a lot to me because it was a dream. To hear my name get called and have the Dolphins call me and want me to be a part of their program and team, it meant a lot to me. I take a lot of pride in that and I want to prove to them that they’ve made a good draft choice.”
(What about this first practice? What did you think? Was it hot? The coaches? What was it like out there for you?) – “It was good. The heat is not like Iowa. You can say that. (laughter) It’s good to be out here and be around the new coaching staff and learn about them as well as them learn about me and what I can do well.”
(What’s something about yourself that you think everybody should know?) – “I don’t know. I’m just a plain guy that likes to stick to myself. I don’t like to be in the spotlight.”
(You’ve had a chance to play at that stadium that you get to play in professionally a couple of years ago against the Hurricanes. Did you think at that time a couple of years ago you’d have a chance to be in the NFL?) “That was always an end goal for me; but I knew that hard work and putting in the time was the only way I was going to get there. I knew I had a chance, so that just drove me even harder.”
(What is it about DT Christian Wilkins, from the short time that you’ve met him, that really brings him and brings people together with him?) – “He’s just a positive guy. He wants to be here and he wants to get better. He always has a smile on his face from what I can tell. That’s who you want to be around and that’s what this program is about. Caring for each other and being respectful.”
Chandler Cox – May 10, 2019
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Friday, May 10, 2019
RB Chandler Cox
(Today, the head coach said that you embody a lot of the things that he loves about this game. That’s what the head coach said about you. Your reaction?) – “It’s amazing for (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores to say that because he loves the game of football. You can just tell. In the meetings when we got here yesterday – we’ve had about three or four meetings so far with him – and you can just tell the love and the passion that he has for this game. That’s why I’m so excited to be here because that’s what I love too: just the game, the passion and the physicality of it all. I’m just excited to give him everything I’ve got and to give the Dolphins everything I’ve got.”
(There’s a belief that the fullback is dead in the NFL. Are you trying to bring that back?) – “Oh, yeah. I guess so. I love the position, personally. It’s what I love to do. Obviously not a lot of teams have fullbacks but I’m just trying to help this team as much as I can, whether it’s fullback or wherever – special teams – I don’t care. As long as I’m playing, I’m happy.”
(How much tight end have you played in the past and are you comfortable?) – “I played a little bit in high school and a little bit in college too. I went to Apopka (High School) up in Orlando, Florida, and I kind of played all over the place there, too. And then obviously at Auburn, I started four years at H-back. I didn’t really get much tight end there, but just a little bit.”
(When was this dream born for you?) – “When I was as little as I can remember. I was probably 3- or 4-years-old and I was always watching football on TV and was like, ‘Man, I want to play in the NFL.’ It’s a dream come true to be out here. It’s pretty surreal for me, still. I kind of look around and say ‘Dang. This is kind of weird.’ But it’s amazing. I’m just happy to be here and thankful for the opportunity.”
(It’s probably thrilling to score a touchdown but I’m wondering what it’s like when you destroy a linebacker or a cornerback that comes up and you know that you’re responsible for creating that hole.) – “There’s nothing like it. I’d much rather block for someone than go score a touchdown, personally, just because I love opening up the hole for the guy behind me whether it’s a receiver or a running back or a quarterback. I just want to move somebody out of the way and look past and he keeps on going and stuff. I love that. I’d much rather do that than score a touchdown; but scoring a touchdown is fun too.”
(What do you bring to this team?) – “Just being a good teammate, a good person. I think that’s really big in today’s society and for NFL football or college football. Just being a good teammate and a good person, and being able to help the team as much as I can (whether) it’s playing different positions or doing whatever they want me to do and not asking questions.”
(Have you studied at all how the Patriots used the fullback last year because so much of this staff is from New England?) – “Oh, yeah. (James) Develin is one of my favorite fullbacks to watch. Obviously he’s bigger and stronger than me, but he’s a good player. It’s pretty surreal to have these guys come down from the Patriots (being that) I’m a fullback now. I’ve got to perform and do whatever they ask me to do to make this team.”
(What do you use to make up for not being bigger and not being stronger than someone else?) – “Just technique and giving it everything that I’ve got. That’s what I have to do. Just give everything I’ve got on every single play and give more energy than the guys bring to me.”
