Jay Ajayi – June 13, 2017
Download PDF version
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
RB Jay Ajayi
(Head Coach Adam Gase was complimenting you on your route running and how much you must have worked on it in the offseason. How much time did you invest in this and was that your top offseason priority?) – “(I was) definitely working this offseason. Just being able to run better routes and being more detailed, that was a priority for me this offseason.”
(How do you feel your progress is?) – “(I) definitely feel a lot better than last year, and I’m still working. I’m still going out each day trying to get better, but I definitely feel like I’m a lot ways ahead this year than I was last year.”
(Can you explain the detail aspect of it, because sometimes the routes look the same. A curl is a curl, but what gets you to that next level detail-wise?) – “For starters, knowing your landmarks. Certain routes need to be broken off at certain yard lines. There are so many yards in each route. Really just making sure that when I do get into my brakes that I’m getting out of it sharply, not rounding my brakes, and at the end of the route, finishing the catch. That’s something I’ve been working on this year.”
(Is there a specific picture you have in mind of the complete back you want to be or is there a former running back you look up to?) – “I know I can do it, personally. During college, I was a guy who was able to catch the ball out of the backfield and also run. I prided myself in being able to do everything and be on the field for the whole game. Getting into the NFL, I know it’s a lot different, but I still believe I have that skillset. It was really about developing it even more now at this level and trying to push myself to become elite. That’s really what I’ve been working on, knowing that I have the skillset and really putting the hammer to the nail and working tirelessly at it (so) I can go out there Sundays and really become that weapon that I want to be.”
(What was your motivation for this offseason to really work harder on your route running and some aspects of your game compared to your first season?) – “For sure, my rookie year I had a lot on my plate. For sure, I was just trying to figure out what I was doing, learning how to be a pro and everything. But right now, having a couple years under my belt, knowing what I want to be, I want to be the best. I strive for that. I know that to be considered the best at the running back position, you have to be a guy that can do it all. Last year, I was able to do a lot of great things on the ground, but I felt like something was missing in my game. I knew I could do it, so I just wanted to be able to come out and practice and continue to work at it, continue to show that I can do it and be consistent.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase talked about how perceptive you are now about the details and nuances of the offense. He said you think about things almost like a quarterback does now. Do you look back at your beginning with the Dolphins and think, ‘I did not know what I was doing back then.’?) – “From the first year I was here as a rookie, I had some adversity being hurt and all types of stuff. It’s hard to get into the game, grasp it, get the knowledge of your playbook and all that. Then we get a new coach – all these different things. But now being in Year 3, having been able to have a good year like last year, I learned a lot of things. I feel like right now, I’m definitely a lot more comfortable on the field, a lot more composed. I do know little details out there that have been able to help me react faster, be quicker in my reads and also allowing me to be more confident on the field.”
(Did it help you at all being secure in your role now too being the guy this year as opposed to the last two offseasons?) – “It feels good to know that I have a role on this team that is going to help affect us winning, and that’s exciting for me and continues to push me each day to continue to improve my game.”
(At the end of last year, did you feel like you had more carries in you if that had been required? I know it’s a week-to-week thing, but do you want the ball more this year or was it about right?) – “Last year, I felt good to be able to carry the ball. At the end of the year, I did get banged up in that Bills game, but at the same time, each week I was ready to go out there and do whatever needed to be done, however many carries that was. Knowing what we want to do this year and knowing myself and how I felt in some of the games where I was able to get into a rhythm and get over 20 carries, I feel like we were able to do well. In those games that I got to a certain amount of carries, I feel like that was when our offense was doing the best. We were getting a lot of plays on offense, we were scoring points and both sides of the ball were also doing well. If that’s the case, then I’ll be completely for it, and I’m ready for that. That’s what I’m preparing myself to do. We’ll see what happens this year as the season comes up. Each game plan each week, like you said, could be different; but I know for myself personally, I’ll be ready to carry the ball however many times I have to.”
(So a little bit more is better?) – “Yes. I feel like I’m a workhorse, and I get better as the game keeps going as I continue to be a part of the game. Yes, I feel like if I can get a certain amount of carries, then that’ll be good for our team as well.”
(Did the Pro Bowl experience change your approach heading into this offseason or how you study the game and the demands for yourself?) – “It was motivating for me personally. Being there, getting to see a lot of elite players, being around them, some guys who’ve been in Pro Bowls since they got in the league, some guys were just being at their first Pro Bowl, and they had been in the league for like eight years – all of those different things were inspiring and motivating for me. It definitely made me want to continue to work harder and push myself, because I want to be on that level every year, being able to be recognized as such type of a player.”
(Was there anybody’s brain you picked when you were there in particular?) – “Yes, I got to talk to Ray Lewis. That was a really cool thing. He was explaining how he had watched how my season had went from the start to the end, and he was proud I was able to push through the adversity and everything. Other guys, such as some of the guys on the Broncos, I got real close with and being able to tell different stories. They knew (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase as well, so they were able to tell me about some of the stories when they were back with him. And just other guys that were on my team in general, like DeMarco Murray and being with my boy Melvin (Gordon). All of those experiences, it was a great time, and I definitely learned a lot.”
(Did they have a good Head Coach Adam Gase story that you can share with us?) – “No, I don’t. (laughter)”
(How familiar, if at all, were you with DT Lawrence Okoye before he joined the Dolphins and were you among the Brits who was cheering him on in the Olympics?) – “I wasn’t too familiar with him on a person-to-person contact level. I do remember though reading an article a long time ago when it said a British Olympian was trying to play in the NFL. I think this was back when he first started. When I saw that article, I do remember being like, ‘Wow, this is a big guy knowing he wants to try American football for the first time.’ For me personally, it was like, ‘I hope he does really well. I hope he can translate, because that’ll be so great for the U.K. having more players that can translate and figure it out to where they can play in the game that we play in.’ Now being his teammate, it has been really great. He has been working really hard, and I get to see it day by day. I’m just rooting for him and trying to be a great resource for him whenever he needs one.”
(You guys talk a lot of soccer with DT Lawrence Okoye?) – “Yes. Me and him, (Director of Sports Performance) Wayne Diesel, (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Matt) Burke – we always chat (about) soccer. They’ve got their teams; I’m always rooting for mine. It’s always fun.”
(I’m guessing at Boise you guys ran a lot of up tempo, no huddle. You guys tried it last year. QB Ryan Tannehill said it’s a point of emphasis in camp. How do you think that could potentially help you and the offense?) – “For us, we want to be able to dictate the tempo of the game, whether that’s doing it in no huddle and using that to our advantage – using the weather to our advantage out here – and really putting teams on their toes. We want to be able to do that also us huddling up, being able to do all our checks and balances and everything and being able to pick defenses apart that way as well. That’s why right now, we’re really focusing on the details, being able to know the ins and outs of each style of game and being able to execute at a high level doing both.”
(How are you planning on spending the coming weeks after you guys wrap up?) – “We actually finish on my birthday on the 15th, so that’ll be great. I’ll get to celebrate. And then I’m actually going to be going back to London on the 19th, for about three weeks, so that’ll be fun as well. I’ll get to go out there, be with family and train as well.”
(How difficult was it for you in particular to process all that’s happening in England with the terrorist attacks? It must feel differently for you than your American teammates.) – “It’s a tragic thing to watch. I actually watched a little (of the) concert that they did for Manchester Strong and I was really proud to see all of that. It was a really amazing thing for them to bring out all those musicians and everything. I thought that was really cool. It’s even more interesting (with) my mom knowing I’m going back, she was just making sure she told me, ‘Stay safe,’ and everything. It just shows that there are issues going on outside of the U.S. that’s going on in the world and people need to be aware. Also, we hope that things like this cannot continue any longer.”
