Danny Crossman – November 21, 2022
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Monday, November 21, 2022
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(K Jason Sanders, it seems like we’ve asked about him a lot recently. How has he been hitting the ball overall? He said today he thought he’s been hitting it well, but what are your thoughts on that?) – “I’m in the same boat, pulling on the same words as Jason. Again, we talked about this a week ago or two weeks ago. I see every single kick he hits throughout the course of the week in practice and warmups. So my perspective on how he’s hitting the ball is maybe a little bit different. But again, it only matters what you do in the game. So we’ve got work to do, and we’ll get that cleaned up. I have zero doubts (and know) that Jason (Sanders) will get that cleaned up.”
(Are kickers any different than any other player as far as their mentality and the pressure that they’re under? I mean, K Jason Sanders obviously wouldn’t have as many snaps as CB Xavien Howard on the field. Is that good or bad or doesn’t matter?) – “I don’t think it matters. Jason (Sanders) knows the job he has. The opportunities you can’t count on. You don’t know when they’re going to come, you don’t know how they’re going to come – whether it’s kickoffs, whether it’s PATs, whether it’s field goals, yet you always have to be ready. So that is what it is. Jason has been a very good kicker in this league, and I have no doubt that he’ll get back to that. You look around the league over the last couple of weeks, and I’m a big believer in the kickers of the National Football League, but in the last couple of weeks, there have been lots of kicks missed that you maybe wouldn’t think would be missed, but that’s part of it. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. You guys wouldn’t be sitting there – you guys would be out on the field. (laughter)”
(I want to ask you about how WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. has done as a returner. Is that something that you see potential growth in and do you want to continue down that road with WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.?) – “Yes, I think Cedrick (Wilson Jr.) has gotten better just because he’s done it. When you look at before he got here, very limited reps in his career and very limited reps since he’s been here. But every week, he’s gotten more opportunities. Some opportunities in the game that have come up, we’ve had an opportunity to possibly return the ball and/or return it. So yes, (I’m) happy with where he’s at, happy with what he’s doing, how he’s working and hopefully we can continue to build on that.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel voiced his confidence in K Jason Sanders. What did you think when you heard that? And is that consistent? It seems like it is, based on what you’re saying with your belief in K Jason Sanders?) – “It comes down to Jason (Sanders). I know what my beliefs are. (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) has got his beliefs. Jason will get it right. Ask Jason. I believe in Jason.”
(Not expecting you or asking you to criticize anybody, but in the late game situation where the score is tied, where neither offense has moved the ball all game, would you not be inclined to punt the ball out of bounds instead of giving a returner a chance?) – “Yeah, there’s a lot of things that go – there’s so many things that go into that. Again, I’m not going to – I wasn’t in the stadium, and it wasn’t my situation. Maybe based on what the wind was doing, maybe that was what they were trying to – I don’t know. So that’s never going to be where I chime in. There’s thoughts and I know what I would try to do, but again, maybe the elements keep you from doing that.”
(So as a general philosophy, you’d be tempted to punt out of bounds?) – “Not necessarily. I would try and make it very difficult for them to have a return. But again, if it was easy to do, everybody would do it.”
(Along the lines, we were asking you about kickers and missing kicks, but on the flip side, I was watching the Cowboys game and I think it’s K Brett Maher, he made two straight 60-yard field goals. Outside of more training at a young age for kickers, is there anything else that you can kind of attribute to that? It seems like nowadays, we’re seeing kickers make most 50-plus and 55-plus yard field goals.) – “Well, I think that’s the evolution of the position. I think to your point, parents are pointing kids in one direction and that direction, kicking being one of those alternatives, has a possibility of gaining a college scholarship. Players are stronger than they’ve ever been. The training that they do, the facilities, the ball, there’s so many things that go into that. Then it’s just the evolution again from a coaching standpoint. I mean years ago, coaches would be scared to death with the, ‘What if we miss?’ And ‘Where are we giving them the ball?’ And the things that follow that where now, you get more and more coaches thinking of the positive and not the negative.”
(How cool has it been to see P Thomas Morstead put out that zero punt celebration with QB Tua Tagovailoa a couple times? He hasn’t been too busy the last few weeks.) – “I’ll tell you what, and I – not to top it, but I top it with this, it’s great to have zero punts, but to have no turnovers on top of that, that’s where you’re really talking about good complementary football. To not turn the ball over and not have any punts, that’s outstanding. But yes, it’s fun that they’re enjoying it. Again, if we’re not turning it over and we’re not punting, good things are going to be happening for the Miami Dolphins.”
(You guys had WR Jaylen Waddle out there for a kickoff return. It was a touchback, but I’m wondering if guys have their own rules or their own leeway? Like with WR Jaylen Waddle, if it’s four yards deep, it’s OK to bring it out? Does every guy have a number? How does that work?) – “It varies on a lot of different things – the player, the time of the game, the score of the game. There’s a lot of things that go into that.”
(So it’s not a set number?) – “No, absolutely not.”
