Alec Ingold – December 18, 2023
Download PDF version
Monday, December 18, 2023
FB Alec Ingold
(On picking up RB Raheem Mostert’s record-setting football after he spiked it. Is that something you were very aware of before the potential touchdown?) – “One-hundred percent. I knew the emotions would be high for him. Obviously setting history is a big deal. I probably ran over like four people trying to get that ball. I was on a full sprint. I didn’t get to celebrate with the guys but I wanted to make sure that he had that one. I think it’s going over to Canton. For that man to be in the Hall of Fame for that is really, really cool. Really special. Then he reset it again a couple of drives later. He got to keep that ball, so that’s good.”
(So the Canton people contacted the Dolphins about the football you snagged for RB Raheem Mostert?) – “Raheem (Mostert) just said that it’s on its way so pretty cool moment for him in the position meetings today to reminisce, see that and keep on record-setting with him this year.”
(You will have to go to Canton this summer?) – “Yeah, we’ve got to do a field trip. Bring the running back room up, make a special time – I don’t know what time of year that would be good for – but I’m sure it’s going to be great getting the guys. It’s historic up there. It’s a pretty cool opportunity to whenever you’re doing something at a record-setting pace, there’s a lot of guys chasing a lot of individual statistics; but it’s the team, it’s the collective, it’s the pursuit, it’s that chase that so many guys are doing really, really special things this time of year.”
(You guys had a ton of moving parts yesterday on offense, but the one constant this year has been QB Tua Tagovailoa. How would you say he has handled the season and this stretch run?) – “As a pro. Tua is handling it like he knows how. The roller-coaster of emotions outside of the building, he is one of the constants, as an NFL quarterback, to keep all those emotions in check – good, bad or indifferent – and to stay consistent has been one of the biggest things for us as a team. So it’s great to see a leader be able to do that – stay stoic, stay in the moment and deliver time again.”
(That first touchdown, it was a commitment to punching it in on the ground after the first time, second time, it was third-and-goal at the 2-yard line. What were your thoughts? What was your reaction when you heard you were going for another run?) – “Oh, I loved it. I loved it. And it’s like any time you have that opportunity for the guys to be able to kind of get that monkey off your back and be able to get Raheem (Mostert) in there. First drive didn’t start exactly how we wanted it, but you get Zach Sieler almost scoring another touchdown and you get there, it’s really that mindset to get in and touch paint. So a lot of guys were battling yesterday. It was fun to see and it was a little game of attrition for us and it was fun. It was a good game.”
(Does it feel a little bit normal coming into work today as opposed to last Tuesday? It felt like a different vibe around this place.) – “Yeah, I mean, I think human nature kind of sets in every once in a while and especially in December when games start to ramp up and everything seems to mean more, you kind of have been training yourself to put yourself through the stressful environments in training camp and OTAs so that here is just time to perform. So any time you’re able to go out and make things right on the football field, I think that was really important for us and it was fun to be able to go out and play with the guys again. You have a whole week of work that you just can’t wait to get out and make things right again in that box, so it was a good time.”
(There are no soft spots left on the schedule, not that you deem any opponent as such, but you have the most challenging schedule, strength-of-schedule-wise coming up. What are your thoughts on the upcoming slate?) – “We’ve got the Cowboys. It’s all I’m worried about. How can I be better today? How can this team be better today for Sunday? That’s the mindset. That’s the process. That’s the formula we built here. So one day at a time, being present where my feet are at, answering these questions as good as I can; and then I’m going to rest as best I can and get ready for a great Cowboys game.”
(Starting with the run that put you guys ahead 20-13 in the Titans game, starting with that red zone sequence, there obviously has been a change in Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s thinking in terms of running the ball deep in the red zone. He did it the last two series of that game, did it early this game. Was that something that he or Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith conveyed to you that at least for now – it won’t necessarily always be this way – at least for now we’re going to make a commitment to the run in the red zone? Was that conveyed or not particularly?) – “I think the whole season, it’s been so dynamic and fluid and I think that’s what’s been so different with this coaching staff coming in, is like they aren’t afraid to look things in the face. And that gives the players such a great example of how to deal with adversity, how to improve, not be afraid of growth and seeing opportunities in the game to step up. So I think whatever message you want to portray, I think the coaches, players, everyone is willing to improve and get better and I think that gives you a chance late in the season. So that’s the lesson I’m going to take today and tomorrow and every day moving forward.”
