Ifo Ekpre-Olomu – May 25, 2016
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Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
(On how difficult the past year and a half has been emotionally and physically) – “Over the last year there has really been ups and downs, definitely. Every single day you have to come ready to work and have to have the right mentality, because you have good days and then you have bad days. It’s kind of like everybody else. At this point, I feel like I’m healthy now and ready to go and (ready to) start trying to get better (and) get back to doing football stuff rather than doing rehab stuff every day.”
(On what went wrong in Cleveland) – “I think it was just something with new management. They wanted to go in a different direction, and I guess I wasn’t in that direction. They gave me every opportunity to get to another team and be able to compete here, and I’m happy I’m here.”
(On if there is a skill he had before his injury that may be slower coming back after the injury) – “I really think I’m starting to actually develop all of my skills back more. It’s more now just repetition and getting reps because doing rehab stuff is a lot more structured. You know you are doing 10 reps, but now you are doing … It could be 10, it could be 20, it could be 25 (reps). When you get to rep 25, you’re the same as rep No. 1, and that’s the kind of thing I’m battling right now.”
(On if he feels like he is the same player he was in college) – “I feel like I’m getting better. This is only my second day playing in almost a year and a half. I definitely have to learn the game all over again and get a feel for a new defense. But I feel like I’m not too far away from where I was, and I think it’s only going to get better.”
(On if the team has him working at both the slot and boundary corner positions) – “They have me working at both inside and outside. (I’m) just trying to learn everything and be a guy that they can play anywhere so that I can get on the field.”
(On how his change of direction is coming along) – “I think it’s coming along great. We’ve been playing a lot of press-man (coverage) here, so I think I’m doing really good in that. Like I said, it’s day two. It’s day two (for me) in a year and a half, so I feel like I’m at the lowest that I am right now and by the time we get to minicamp, I’m going to be where I need to be.”
(On if he has any nicknames in the locker room) – “I’ve always went by Ifo. That’s what everybody has always called me. Short and sweet. The guys in the secondary are pretty close for being only here for about a couple weeks. Everybody is cool and everybody wants everybody to get better.”
(On the defensive back group) – “It’s great. There are a lot of young guys, so you can definitely relate to a lot of them. You’re all working to do the same thing – compete and find a role on the team. I like it a lot. Coming from Cleveland where you had a lot of veterans to learn from, now it’s like everyone is together, and we’re all in the same boat, and we’re trying to learn together at the same time.”
(On how much the Pro Bowlers on the defensive line help the defensive backs) – “It definitely helps a lot scheme-wise. But at the same time, you just see how those guys work and how hard they (work), what they do to actually get to where they are to become Pro Bowlers. It really just motivates everybody on the team, not just the secondary. (You) see how hard they practice and they don’t have to practice that hard. They’re already established, and they go as hard as anybody else so it just motivates you.”
(On how he feels about there being a wide open competition for two starting spots) – “I think it’s great. As far as the secondary, everyone knows that every day counts. You’re not going to have your best day every single day, but at the same time, you know that everything is on film and as long as you are getting better, that’s all you can really focus about. You can’t worry about other people and what they’re doing. You have to worry about how you’re performing and how you can get better.”
(On how many operations he’s had and what doctors have told him about his long-term prognosis) – “I had two operations, both by the same doctor – Neal ElAttrache in (Los Angeles). At this point, he said that I’m perfectly fine and that he would have cleared me a couple months back but when I got to Miami, they wanted to make sure that I went through the offseason program and did all the stuff with the team before they decided to clear me. The doctors said that I’m perfectly fine and that he thinks that I just have to maintain it. Every day before guys get on the field, they’re doing some exercising and stretching for 15 minutes. I have to be out there 30 minutes early and do everything I can to make sure (I’m) ready to go every day. That’s the thing; you don’t want it to get stiff. You want to make sure that you keep moving every day and on your off days doing a little bit. But at the same time, (you want to) manage not doing too much.”
(On how he would describe his journey from the injury to where he is at now) – “You definitely get humbled a lot. You understand now what you need to do and now you’re at a different level – a bigger and better level. You realize how much you have to improve to be a player that they can trust and you learn, especially with the knee, how much (you) have to work to get to past the point that I was, because if I’m at the point I was in college, that’s not good enough anymore. You just realize that you get humbled and you understand what it’s going to take now.”
(On if his adversity has given him more appreciation for the game) – “Most definitely. (You’re) definitely more appreciative of what you get to do every single day. I mean, you get to play a game for a living. It’s an honor because there are a lot of guys that could have been in my situation wouldn’t be able to be playing right now.”
(On what the Dolphins told him they liked about him when they claimed him off waivers) – “They just said that they feel like, if I’m healthy, that I can be a guy that can help contribute and help the team win. That’s all it really comes down to. I mean, nothing is given. I have to go out there and perform or else I won’t be here, just like everybody else in the secondary. You have to make sure that you come out every day with the right mindset and remember that you can’t take this for granted, because you are one of the guys that are truly blessed to be in your position and you have to keep working every day.”
(On his strengths in college) – “I think instincts, for sure. Playing multiple positions, I can do that. I’ve always been a good press corner so I think I can do that, as well. I mean getting back to his point, (my) short-area quickness is coming back, and I think that can be a strength for me. But at the same time, right now, I’m really just working on trying to improve everything, because I want to get better, and I know that I’m not at the point that I want to be.”
