Karl Dorrell – November 5, 2019
Download PDF version
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Wide Receivers Coach Karl Dorrell
(What do you think are the keys to helping any player reach his potential?) – “I think the biggest key is confidence. You have to build confidence in a player and I think the best way to build confidence is really to have a strong intention about developing a player. When a player feels that way about you in terms of your time and investment in him, it seems to reciprocate. Once that development and repetition becomes skillful work and he’s getting better and he’s getting more confident, then he wants more. I think it’s kind of a progression that way. I think our job in the NFL is we select talent every year. We see to kind of create a vision as to what we see this player and what his capabilities are and then we try to develop him as best we can. I’ve kind of been in that ever since I joined this profession. I’m a big developer of players. I’ve been that way my whole career. Obviously a young player like Preston Williams, him developing and playing as well as he is to this point – unfortunately everyone knows he’s done for the year – but he was coming along very nicely each week getting more and more confident and being more and more productive. That’s all you can really ask for in a coach.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned after the win that he’s proud of his staff for putting in a lot of hours to try to find any small advantage. I found that comment very interesting. Can you take me inside to understand what you’ve learned about how to find even a small advantage vs. an opponent?) – “That’s a great question and I think that’s the skillful work of coaches in this profession. Each and every week you’re trying to find those little nuggets, those little things of insight, anything that can kind of create an edge for you against a particular opponent. Even though that’s done in general every week, I think this staff that I’m on is a really good staff, one of the best I’ve had in my career. We do a really good job of really detailing what each player does and what specifically is his role. We wouldn’t try to put a player in a position that couldn’t accomplish what we think he can do. I think that’s what he’s saying, is that we spend a lot of time with trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together completely and for us to have the best success offensively, defensively and on special teams. That’s the work that we do as a staff. It’s been enjoyable. Sometimes it’s a little more than you would want, but ultimately we’re here for the players to get them to be the best they can be.”
(Talk about WR DeVante Parker and how he has four touchdown receptions in the last five games, just his veteran leadership and how he’s really kind of been just the constant stability for the offense in a sense.) – “I’m very proud of where DeVante is right now because he’s one of those guys that really hasn’t been getting a lot of attention in terms of from a notoriety standpoint, but he has quietly done his job effectively each and every week. He’s taken advantage of the opportunities he gets. He’s getting more – I think his confidence is tremendous right now in terms of what he thinks he is as a player, which is really going to help our offense, and like you said he’s had touchdowns recently the last four or five games. He’s making things happen for us offensively. As his coach, I’m just really excited about what he’s doing. I know that he’ll tell and I’ll tell you right now is that he still has so much more to give. I do think that you’re seeing the best of him that’s coming up. I really do. I think he is trying to be a good leader by his work ethic, doing everything in practice, trying to take care of himself so that he’s ready to perform each and every week. He’s growing and maturing in a lot of different ways and I think I think that’s been noticeable by everybody.”
(Obviously you’ve got some challenges now with WR Preston Williams out. How does the receiving corps compensate for his absence?) – “By stepping right into place. My group – these guys that I’m really proud of – they’re hard-working guys. They’re very confident in their skills. They all understand kind of the dynamics of our position and I’ve told them from the very beginning: football, this sport, there’s going to be injuries along the way. Who’s ready to step up when we need the people to step up and things of that nature. I’m sure – we’re all disappointed in what happened with Preston, but I know that in our group, someone is ready to rise to kind of fill the gap for us. We’ve got a number of candidates that are going to be ready for that. I think Albert (Wilson) is getting back healthy. Jakeem (Grant) is, he’s playing a role for us and he’s doing some really effective things for us now, so I see both of those guys, their time is probably going to increase more. DeVante (Parker) – he’s obviously been a pretty good stable piece to us and he’ll continue to do that. I do have some guys with some veteran experience that can kind of step and make some plays.”
(How much has the injury held WR Albert Wilson back? Is he up to full speed yet?) – “I don’t think so and he probably would tell you the same thing, but he’s getting better and better each week. I think it’s been a progression for him just to continue to get better each week. His movement’s better. He’s getting his explosion back. A lot of it is his confidence, playing at a level that he was prior to the injury. He’s regaining that mental aspect of things and that’s coming along, too, and I think where we’re going right now this week with Preston (Williams) being out, I’m sure in his mind is that this is a chance, ‘I’ve got to step up and get things going.’ I’m sure he’s going to challenge himself to do so.”
(With WR Jakeem Grant and WR Albert Wilson, how much is it about getting them in space? Obviously everybody would love to be in space but giving them the opportunity to get run after the catch yards?) – “I think it’s because of their ability with the ball in their hands, that’s the natural inclination that we all have as coaches, is that I know these guys in space can create and make somebody miss. I think the other part of it, too, from my perspective is create them to be as good of receivers as they can be along with that other piece, and now you become something special. I think for example, Jakeem the last couple of games has had some big chunk throws, things that have gone his way and he was able to get some chunk plays for us. He does do the screens and all those things, too, but I’m trying to get him to be a complete receiver with all that other stuff that they do. He and Albert are really working hard at those things. I could tell you how we talked about Albert in terms of his progression and what he’s doing, but I think these guys, they see themselves as more than just space players. They want to develop the full route tree.”
(With WR Preston Williams, just as you look back at the rookie year and how pleased, has it exceeded expectations?) – “I’ve been very pleased with Preston. You never know how any rookie season is going be. I think he’s come a long way since his first arrival here, from the spring and to what has happened all the way through this week. I’m very encouraged that he’s going to have an excellent NFL career. It’s unfortunate that it’s come to short end for this particular season, but I know he’ll recover and work and get himself back in the fold of – he’s one of the future pieces for the Miami Dolphins. He should be proud of what he’s accomplished, but also he should be hungry that he knows that there’s a lot more out there.”
(And the next frontier for WR Preston Williams? Is it just more consistency in terms of eliminating drops among other things?) – “Among other things. There’s a lot of things that I think – and he’ll tell you that, too – that there’s a lot of refinement that he’ll gain with knowledge and experience that’s really going to help him from watching and studying himself this year to things that he’ll correct going in through the offseason for next year and into next season. I would expect you’re going to see a cleaner, more consistent player the next time he steps on the field. He’ll study himself. He’ll know the shortcomings and also the things that he did well. I’m very pleased with what he’s been able to accomplish at this point. It’s unfortunate that he’s down, but I am hopeful that he’s going to be able to pick up at least where he was or even beyond that.”
(And any homework assignments you can give WR Preston Williams? Things he can do while recovering from an ACL?) – “Absolutely. You’ve got to keep him busy. He better be right there with us. Exactly. We want to keep him involved with what we’re doing offensively so that he’s, when he does step back out on the field, (he’s up to speed).”
