Durham Smythe – June 11, 2018
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Monday, June 11, 2018
TE Durham Smythe
(What’s the process been like to learn an offense this quickly and have to go out on the field and contribute?) – “It starts as soon as you get here, diving into the playbook. Actually before you get here, because they send you the playbook. It’s all about going out there, taking a lot of time outside of the building to get familiar with the playbook and kind of just roll with the punches. We throw in an install in the morning and you get as much of it as you can. You go out on the field, you try to play fast and then you go home that night and kind of focus on it then. It’s been good. I’m excited to kind of keep pushing that through next month, month and a half and get really familiar.”
(What is the difference between a college install and what you’re engaged in now in the NFL?) – “Volume, big time. Generally the concepts are similar; but in terms of volume, how many plays are in, adjustments that can be made pre-snap by the quarterback. You have to know this play could be alerted to this play, those mechanics. But I’d say overall it’s the volume.”
(Tight Ends Coach Shane Day mentioned to us how Anthony Fasano was FaceTimed, I guess after Indy, when you talked to the Dolphins. Have you had any communication with Anthony during the OTA process, to ask him for advice or ask him for feedback on playbook?) – “Actually, Shane just gave me his (Anthony’s) number and I’ll probably be reaching out to him here in the next few weeks. This is kind of a crucial time, this next month, especially as a rookie. (I’ll) kind of maybe pick is brain about what to do during this time and things like that; but it’s nice to have a guy who’s connected to the Dolphins, who’s connected to Notre Dame and it sounds like is willing to help.”
(On a percentage basis, how much bigger is this playbook compared to college? 10 percent, 50 percent?) – “It’s probably maybe like 100 percent bigger. If our playbook is this big, I would say it’s double maybe. That’s (a) rough (estimate), but that’s probably around what it is.”
(So the first time you opened it up, your thought was?) – “When you first get it, it only has a couple installs. So, you’re like, ‘Okay, I’ll be able to handle this.’ And then you come in the first day and they throw you a stack that’s just as big as the stuff you’ve gone over for two weeks. Like I said, it’s just about rolling with the punches, kind of getting familiar with it as you go and establishing some comfort.”
(We’ve been able to watch four practices. We haven’t seen you and TE Mike Gesicki targeted a lot in 11-on-11s. Do you have any ballpark number in your mind of how often you have been targeted in full team drills?) – “Ballpark number, I’m not sure. They’re all kind of running together at this point. I think we’ve both been targeted a decent amount of times; but at this point in the year, especially as rookies in this OTA, minicamp process, it’s all about getting familiar with the playbook with other guys and things like that. So, in terms of targets and rep by rep, things like that, we’re not as worried about that.”
(Have you caught all the balls thrown to you in 11-on-11s?) – “I believe so. I’d have to go check but I believe so.”
(Have you felt underappreciated as a receiver, because certainly Tight Ends Coach Shane Day and the Dolphins front office has said we think he’s not getting the credit he deserves as a receiver? Have you felt underappreciated through the draft process in that regard?) – “I don’t know about underappreciated. I feel like with the offense that we ran at Notre Dame and our philosophy is what we wanted to do. Obviously, I wasn’t targeted as much, didn’t have as many catches. I think that’s something that I tried to show throughout the pre-draft process, through the Senior Bowl and things like that, that it was something I could do as well. Like you said, I think they have confidence and I do as well.”
(Have you found any worthy ping-pong opponents yet?) – “Actually I’ve only been in there (the players’ lounge) once. I know I … It’s kind of a crazy time of the year right now for me and the other rookies and guys like that. I’ll definitely be on the prowl here pretty soon.”
(You said you’ve been in there once?) – “Only once and I was actually in there alone. I haven’t been on the ping-pong table at all actually.”
(How much did playing at Notre Dame help you on this level in terms of no stage on this level should be too big for you because you’ve already been on a huge stage?) – “It’s tough to say right now because I have been in an (NFL) atmosphere – a preseason or regular season game; but you’re right. In terms of stage-wise, I don’t think there’s going to be a light that shines too bright, for a lot of these guys. Mike (Gesicki), the other rookie tight end played at Penn State. It’s the same thing. I think it’s an advantage a little bit, but in terms of how big, it’s tough to say.”
(The offensive coordinator, Dowell Loggains, basically said you’re the Y tight end, or that’s where they’re working you. Is that what they call the in-line guy?) – “Yes, for the most part. There’s always little intricacies where the Y will be split out here, split out there; but in terms of general rule, yes.”
(What is the seam-threat guy? They call him what?) – “In our offense, it’s called an F.”
(What might be one thing that is easier in the adjustment you made to the NFL and what might be one thing that is tougher than you might’ve expected?) – “In terms of tougher, I would say it kind of stems from the volume of the playbook. That’s because in college, I think I was a guy that used the mental part of the game as a strength. I knew the playbook extremely well. I could go out and play extremely fast because I knew it so well. Adjusting, anyone that has to make that adjustment from college to the pros is going to have an adjustment period; but for me, I think that’s something I’m trying to make my strength. That’s something that is tougher just from sheer volume. In terms of an easy transition, that’s tough to say at this point. Almost all of my focus is on the playbook and little technique things here and there. I wouldn’t say any of them are extremely difficult but I wouldn’t call anything really easy either.”
(What was the point where it really hit you the magnitude of the heat and humidity during practice down here?) – “It was probably last week. I’m from central Texas so I, in a past life, was used to the heat a little bit. But you’re right, it’s definitely different down here with the humidity and things like that. Last week we had our minicamp and I think it was our second day, Wednesday. I don’t know how hot it was but with the sun out plus all of the humidity, I went through three pairs of gloves. I didn’t get as many team reps with the older guys because they know everything. They’re crushing it and I’m out here with three gloves and things like that. (laughter) It’s definitely an adjustment for everybody but one I think down the line will make us better.”
(Were you struggling at all? Did you find you were more gassed than you thought you’d be?) – “I think for me it was more sheer sweat. I was just drenched. My shorts were heavy and things like that. It’s just something to get used to, but like I said, down the line I think it will pay dividends.”
(You’ve never gone through three sets of gloves during practice before?) – “In the middle of camp I could go through two maybe up at Notre Dame; but, three is a new level. (laughter)”
(As a guy who had been considered a very, very good blocker as a tight end, is it too early without pads to get a sense yet of how good of a blocker you’ll be initially as a rookie at this level? Are you curious about that? Do you have a feel for it yet not in pads?) – “I think it’s tough to say; but at this point in the year with OTAs and things like that, obviously with no pads, we’re working a lot of technique. You don’t get to go full speed into a guy but we’re working a lot of technique that I think in college, a lot of people don’t focus on. Even myself, we ran the ball a lot but I’ve already learned so much within the four weeks here in terms of blocking technique and things like that. I’ll continue to work on that over the next month, month and a half, and hopefully that will translate for me when we put the pads on.”
(Going back to the studying part for a second, are you doing anything drastic like 3 a.m. you’re still looking at your playbook?) – “I haven’t pulled a 3 a.m. yet just because, like we said with the heat and everything, I think if I stayed up until 3 a.m., I’d probably die the next day. Me and Mike (Gesicki) have been good about it because we are roommates over at the hotel. We have been good about studying away from the building. We have a whiteboard in our hotel room that we will quiz each other with and things like that. It’s been good. It’s nice having a guy who plays the same position who’s going through the same thing, so we can bounce ideas off of each other and things like that.”
