Frank Smith – September 21, 2023
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Thursday, September 21, 2023
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(Last year, the always candid Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker told us with WR Erik Ezukanma, it was a challenge sometimes getting him lined up in the right spot last year. Not an issue this year. I bring that up because with RB De’Von Achane, obviously a different position, have there been any rookie issues in terms of him just lining up correctly or stuff like that to this point?) – “I mean nothing that’s really glaring. I think that all rookies when they come into an NFL offense, there’s things they have to learn and obviously techniques, differences from college to pro. There’s obviously a natural growth that occurs. But no, I mean there’s nothing glaring with De’Von. We’re so excited for his growth and really look forward to his future here as a Dolphin.”
(You guys have made up game plans without QB Tua Tagovailoa, without T Terron Armstead, without RB Raheem Mostert. If WR Jaylen Waddle cannot play, what would be the difference in making up a game plan without him than someone else?) – “Like always, when you’re fortunate to have such high-caliber players like we do, whenever anyone misses time, it’s hard and we have to adjust. But I think ultimately, that’s the way we cross-train guys. Like last year, especially when we had the o-line questions, that back to training camp. We try to have versatility in what we ask our guys to do. So when you have guys who do specific things, and only one thing, those guys are obviously harder sometimes to fill in for when they’re down. So I think the biggest thing as we move forward through the season is just making sure whenever we have any issues, we remain versatile within our system. And the one thing is that all guys who are up on the roster, we’re going to use in some form, and we’ll use them to their strengths.”
(It felt like during training camp you guys may have staggered WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Tyreek Hill’s reps when they were on the field at the same time. Would it be fair to say that that’s also happened in the first two games of the year? And maybe what are the benefits? Or what’s the aim was that?) – “Well, sometimes it’s due the fact that we practice in 100-degree weather and it’s hotter than hell – or more humid, not hot. Hot would be Vegas. Humid here. (laughter) So some of it is just naturally in training camp, you do work through certain things. I think ultimately, however we deploy our guys, ultimately it’s our ability to work together and all be connected in what we’re trying to accomplish. So I think that’s the great thing about year two in your system is you continue the growth. There’s more of an understanding and we look forward to the opportunity this weekend.”
(Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry seems be off to a good start with the o-line. Is there anything that he does teaching, motivation, film, practice, on the field, that stands out to you as unique or different or particularly impressive?) – “I would think his energy and passion for football, o-line play. His work ethic, he has an unbelievable work ethic, energy towards what he does, a passion towards what he does. And like we talked about, when you can surround yourself with guys like, good things tend to happen because they have that resolve to always make sure that we’re trying to get the best out of each other. I mean that’s all you can ask for in a teammate and another coach.”
(With Butch Barry, I’ve heard a couple of offensive linemen use the term ‘our standard’ and ‘We have a high standard.’ Is that a term that Butch has hammered into them or emphasized? Because T Kendall Lamm and T Terron Armstead, I’ve heard a couple offensive linemen say that.) – “Yeah, I think it’s just more of an emphasis. I think ultimately as a team, we have a standard of performance we’re looking for. I think that you probably hear that term used, but I think that the emphasis of it is the key thing that they’re really hitting on.”
(What impresses you the most about what RB Raheem Mostert has done this year? Particularly that he’s 31 years old and what he did against New England the other night.) – “Yeah, again, it’s no surprise to us that are here because we get to watch how he operates every day and the way he goes about his business, his preparation, (how he) manages himself. I mean, he’s awesome. I’ve always loved watching his play from afar when he was with the Niners. So we’re fortunate to have him here and I think it’s just as players get later in their career, how they handle themselves and how they go about all their maintenance stuff is vital, and he’s a consummate pro at everything he does. We’re very fortunate that he’s here.”
(I wanted to ask you about your receivers. Obviously you guys have staggered them throughout training camp to the point where QB Tua Tagovailoa was working with WR Daewood Davis and WR Chris Coleman at times. How much does that help the quarterback in terms of chemistry, and also from a play-caller standpoint or an offensive coordinator standpoint, do you have a WR River Cracraft package or a WR Braxton Berrios package? Obviously you have a Erik Ezukanma package. Do you build packages for each guy?) – “I think each week poses different situations, different ways we’re going to do things. I think anytime you need to get the right amount of guys to play on the field, you group their plays together that way we make sure we got the right guys out there. Ultimately, we’re always looking to make sure we take our guys and put them in the best situations possible for what they do well. When it comes to the wide receiver group, Wes (Welker) does a great job with them and making sure they understand the intent of what we’re trying to do, the details of what we’re trying to accomplish, and many times the thing we get here with the weather in training camp is we have to make sure that we deploy our guys where not everyone just fatigues out in period one. That does allow for some versatility of who gets to work with the quarterbacks. I think all of those things do play an advantage for us as far as the way we train. But again, it may help us sometimes but it’s ultimately going to be about our execution and how we do it.”
(When a baseball player makes a couple of errors in the field, they always say, ‘it’s important that he doesn’t take that to the plate.’ What do you think I’m gong to ask you about? OL Connor Williams has a few bad snaps, but I see him sealing off a block on a run through the middle. I see him blocking down field and kicking butt on a screen. What are your thoughts on how Connor has been able to do all the other stuff well while trying to work through the snapping deal?) – “I think everybody has stuff they are working on, and the quarterback exchange thing obviously gets magnified. But at the same time, it’s just something that he’s working through, It’s the second game of the season. I would imagine by Week 17 hopefully we’re not talking about that. But it obviously gives us something to work on because there are so many other things that he’s doing and obviously Tua (Tagovailoa) is doing. They are very professional about it, so they are making sure they’re working through just anything that maybe was off at the time.”
(You were talking about the fatigue factor in camp and bringing receivers in and out. Head Coach Sean Peyton was talking earlier this week and said that one of WR Tyreek Hill’s big attributes is his stamina, and WR Jaylen Waddle is probably the same way. I’m curious how much of that is an effective asset for you guys on offense knowing that those guys can run, run, run?) – “Yeah. I think overall in general, when you have guys who have that high performance, high stamina, it allows for you to push the envelope in what you’re able to do. For me, my personal experience with (Darren) Waller was the same way. High stamina. His on-field play percentage was in the 90s. When you have guys like Jaylen and Tyreek, who have that stamina, it does help. Especially in our climate where as you fatigue out, it does pose situations. I think it’s also the way we practice and the way we go about everything. Rolling backs through, rolling wide receivers through, making sure we cross-train offensive linemen, making sure we move things around just because you never know what the season is going to present. The minute you just say, ‘hey this one thing,’ and now you have to be able to adjust, it doesn’t allow for the versatility, and I think that’s just a core belief in how we practice and go about things and making sure we’re versatile with the athletes.”
(One more thing on the snapping issues. Has it reached a point where you or Head Coach Mike McDaniel – and I know QB Tua Tagovailoa, and OL Connor Williams obviously have accountability and are self-starters – but has it reached a point where you’ve told them, ‘this has to be fixed?’ And is there too much blame being placed on Connor with some of those?) – “No. We haven’t told them that.”
(Is QB Tua Tagovailoa partly responsible or has it all been a part of the function of snaps not were not done correctly?) – “Well, in any relationship where it’s such a close personal situation, I don’t think it’s necessarily one guy. I think ultimately, the great thing about the two of them is that they are so committed to doing things right that I know these are things we’re going to work through and we’re going to be looking back in a couple weeks looking back like ‘that problem, hopefully is just a distant memory.’”
(We see QB Tua Tagovailoa make these crazy anticipation throws each week where the ball is out before guys are at the top of their stem. Is that something you can coach into a player or is that entirely inherent of his skillset?) – “I think it’s just the way that he goes about his business, his anticipation and understanding. All plays you can’t say it’s necessarily just one guy doing it on his own. It’s a collection of the way you teach things, the way you execute, the way you run the route, the way that you do things. I think ultimately it’s a collection, and that’s the way they’ve trained all offseason. They’re working together to make sure that they can play with anticipation and intent together.”
(I know a lot of teams have the traditional X, Z, Slot. You guys have a different style of receivers with the motion. If you don’t have WR Jaylen Waddle, does that change how you have the functions of your receivers and who goes in motion?) – “Anytime you one of your guys out, you have to adjust. I think that’s just the nature of the NFL. It’s a long season and the only absolute is there is subject to change. I think for us, again our versatility and how we train, and how we ask guys to learn, and what we do is what allows us to be versatile when we deal with these situations throughout the season.”
