Alec Ingold – December 9, 2024
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Monday, December 9, 2024
FB Alec Ingold
(As you watch the tape in meetings, what has stood out about why the run game has regressed in terms of yards per carry so much these last five weeks?) – “Yeah, it’s a good question. We’ve talked a number of times the past few years about how the run game is kind of the epitome of all 11 having to be tied together. So I think where we’re at right now as a team, obviously extremely efficient in the pass game, being able to move the ball in a number of different ways and when we’re operating so efficiently sometimes those looks, we need to do a lot better job as players to be able to take those looks, be all on the same page to be able to execute because when we’re throwing the ball seven, eight yards a clip, 12 yards a clip, 14 yards a clip; sometimes a four-yard run doesn’t feel the same, right? And I think a lot of guys can clean up our assignments in the blocking schemes to be able to kind of make sure that we are moving the ball in the run game just as efficiently and effectively as we are in the pass game. So I think it’s definitely an area that we can grow in and it does take all 11 to be able to make that happen. We’re not playing horseshoes or hand grenades right now, and ‘close’ isn’t going to cut it. So December football, a lot of teams need to be able to run. We’re going to be on the road quite a bit and I think that’s going to help, so I think it’s really button down the hatches there. It’s definitely a growth opportunity for us heading into this stretch.”
(I know there’s a difference between excuses and explanations. You guys don’t make excuses but and explanation for the run game decline, your snaps are down, OL Austin Jackson not there, T Terron Armstead not there yesterday – not an excuse – is that a legit explanation?) – “I mean I think there’s a lot of – when you start to look at the circumstances of why something isn’t happening, sometimes the simple answer of not being able to execute is the tough one that you have to really dial into. I think being able to look at those circumstances and why we aren’t performing with those 11 guys on the field, being able to run the ball. There’s no finger pointing, there’s no excuses and it’s simple, but it’s hard to do. And I think that’s the challenge that we all have to kind of embrace and not look at any sort of outside help, any sort of outside explanation and truly just dialing into how all 11 can be in this run game and we can improve down the stretch cause I think that’s the only way we win the games we need to win, is for all 11 guys to be able to take that ownership and not have to look for who’s on the field, who’s off, situation of the game, like it shouldn’t really matter at this point. It’s who’s on the field and how can we execute?”
(What about short yardage specifically? Does it just come down to being more physical than the opponent or are there still some minor details and technique that can be fixed there?) – “Probably a little bit of both. I think being able to, when you talk about fast, physical, elite technique in short yardage; getting the right feet in the ground, being able to do all the things we need to do to move your guy one yard so the running back can get through that line of scrimmage, I think it really is details, I think it’s that focus. Yeah, a little toughness can help, too, a little tenacity to get after it, but I think short yardage in the run game is something that we’re all going to be having our hand in. I think Tyreek (Hill) and Jaylen Waddle have been doing an outstanding job run blocking – all wide receivers. Malik (Washington) has been doing a great job as well in that run blocking. So all 11 are bought in, it’s just, man, we need to continue to grow in that area and we’re all tied together and we all have our hand in that.”
(I would agree with anything you would say about the importance of the run game – I find it odd though that when the run game was doing very well, the team was on a losing streak. And now, it’s almost like it’s reversed what you would expect, isn’t it?) – “Correlation, causation, that whole thing. I think wins are important so we’re going to take that, but if we get this run game and the pass game all clicking, you’ll be able to see the offense at its full potential and I think that’s what we have to strive to do every single day at the office. How can we continue to, each asset, each piece of this game, put it together for December to play really good football and I don’t think we’ve hit that stride yet as an offense which is exciting because there’s something to work on, and it’s frustrating at the same time because it hasn’t been coming together the way we’ve seen it come together in the past. So I think it’s just really learning from the past, understanding you’re inspired for what’s ahead and in the future and what can be, and then being as present as possible to make sure that we’re executing when those run plays are called, pass plays are called – it doesn’t matter what the call is – to all 11 to be able to execute there.”
(Is it like a split personality? Is it like two different personalities -that type of running game while QB Tua Tagovailoa was out as you had to have as opposed to the type of running game you have now with him there?) – “When your back is against the wall no matter what, I think it brings the best out of you. In a lot of guys in the run game we had to step up and we had to do that. I think that sense of urgency, I don’t think you can wait for your back to be up against the wall anymore, like it’s a one-game season from here on out so that sense of urgency that we’re carrying through run game, pass game, installs, Wednesdays, Fridays, it shouldn’t matter. At this point, everything’s important, every single detail matters, all your single efforts from blocking all the way on the backside of a play not thinking that’s going to be the home run block. All of those things matter at this point in the season, so that’s the battle that we’re fighting and I think we’ve got the right guys to do it.”
(Can you switch between one or the other? That power running game and then the zone blocking?) – “Yeah, I mean I think it’s all a piece of it, right? You want to have both assets depending on what the defense is presenting to you. What guys are making plays on both sides of the ball so that you can be able to have as many plays on that call sheet that could be explosive. You want to score every single snap that we touch it. You’ve got so many explosive guys between De’Von (Achane), Jaylen (Wright), Raheem (Mostert), Jeff Wilson (Jr.) coming up big in a couple key snaps. We have a great room in the running back room. All of our wide receivers, tight ends, Jonnu (Smith) obviously, there’s a lot of guys that can do some special things with the ball in their hands, so every single time that we step on the field, every single snap, we’ve got to be able to be explosive and do whatever it takes to get those efficient yards that we need.”
(If I told you, you were playing with a guy who’s on pace to break all of the single-season tight end records, would you be surprised?) – “I would assume it’s the guy that catches JUGS before every single walkthrough, every single practice every single day; it’s probably that guy that I’ve been seeing showing up every single day. I think it’s cool to see – I didn’t understand that, I didn’t know that he’s on track, but not surprised in the least by the work ethic you see. Throughout the year, I think Jonnu’s game this last – everyone’s talking about how he didn’t get the ball and then he does in overtime; it’s like throughout the season it kind of epitomized how he’s been approaching things. Like when his opportunity, his number gets called, he’s been working relentlessly and tirelessly to be ready for those opportunities, so really, it gives me goosebumps right now thinking about the amount of work and how it shows up on the field. All of his efforts have been showing up in a number of different ways and his habits, routines, his standard, he’s leading by example in a number of ways in this building.”
(I’m doing something on T Terron Armstead and he’s got an event this afternoon, a shopping spree – I’ll ask you about your event next – but he had a deal last week of kids, I guess educational. Here’s a guy who’s got a hip-hop album, outstanding player, yesterday, he’s injured. I see him at one point talking to T Patrick Paul, at another point talking to LB Chop Robinson. What do you think of all of this with Terron? How do you describe him? What do you think of him?) – “He’s one of the best pros I’ve ever been around. He doesn’t talk very much, but when he talks, people listen. He has a very unique leadership style to him. He’s almost like a father figure it seems like in the huddle. You can tell when he’s on the field, guys have confidence. All 10 guys outside of Terron have confidence when you see ‘72’ in the huddle, and I think that carries over into the locker room. You see him and his presence; it’s calming, it’s confident, it’s not arrogant in the slightest and I think the more things that he’s doing off of the field, I think that bleeds onto the field, being a role model and example for a lot guys, myself included, looking up to his academy, his financial literacy work that he’s doing. Having a building with ‘Terron (Armstead) Family Foundation,’ that’s unbelievable stuff that he’s been doing over the past decade, and you can see it show up in the game and to have a career that he’s had up until this point, has been outstanding.”
(And tell me about your event. It’s up in Coconut Creek, right? $100 for every 30 yards of offense, is that right?) – “Yeah, we’re going on the 16th, we’re going up. We’re going to surprise the kids, play a little Santa Claus, give them some give back, some toys and all that stuff and last year we did that event and I was like, ‘man, this is cool.’ You get the shoes, you get the clothes, you get the toys, but I wanted to be a part of something that’s going to stay there longer than I’m going to be around playing football. So we were able to fundraise and build these kids a nice outdoor park for them to be out there and just be kids, man. It’s those little things, the perspective, the smiles on their faces. I can’t imagine the amount of memories that are going to be made over there outside at SOS Children’s Village. So really excited to see all the smiles when that thing gets released.”
(I’d like to ask you a little bit more about T Terron Armstead and just kind of what he’s going through because we haven’t seen him be able to practice for several weeks and yet he’s out there trying to make it go every Sunday. How difficult is that and how much respect do you have for him?) – “Utmost respect. I think the past few years seeing how – I’m a big rep guy. I need practice, I want my body mechanics, I want to work all the way through the week and for him to get all of those reps for the past few years where he’s battling whatever injuries he’s battling and then show up and put the cape on, on Sunday has been inspiring because he’s a pro’s pro. He’s not taking vacation, he’s not hanging out. Like he is working every single day whether it’s boxing, whether it’s whatever he’s doing for cardio. He’s been taking care of all of his business, all the time. So to see him be able to go through all that adversity and still perform at a high level week in and week out is extremely inspiring and to see there’s a million different ways to get to Sunday and to be able to be a performer. I can assume that’s not the easiest way to do it, probably not how he wants it, but it’s inspiring to see him show up to work every single day.”
(What’s different about December football?) – “I think the margin of error is extremely small. People are climbing or they’re falling. I think there’s a lot of holiday season going on, there’s a lot of end of the year, there’s a lot of noise going around and the better that you handle that noise as a team, to stay connected to make sure that you’re using every single ounce that’s gotten you to that point, to be that edge, to be that separator in December football. The teams that win in December are the ones that are winning in January and February and there’s no secret to that. I feel like hitting your stride in December is extremely important because every single play matters that much more, all that little effort adds up. You get a lot of high stakes poker being played on the football field in December and I think that’s where the true separation of good and great is.”
