Cameron Wake – September 15, 2017
Download PDF version
Friday, September 15, 2017
DE Cameron Wake
(How ready are you for game day?) – “This is now the longest training camp we’ve had in … Not Dolphins history – maybe, I don’t know; you’ve got to check that – but, it has been a while. It’s long overdue. (I’m) anxious, excited. I’m actually looking forward to going out and seeing what we’re made of, really. We’ve done a lot of hard work in the offseason and now it’s time to put it under the lights. I know I can speak for most of the guys and say that we’re excited and we’re ready.”
(Last year you guys talked about that California trip as sort of a bonding experience that unified the team. Can you see the correlation with this one as well? Not to put words in your mouth.) – “(This one was) was (a) surprise. A little different than last year. We kind of knew what was to be expected (last year). I think in light of the situation, everything that was going on that caused this to happen, I think there is some bonding going on. Obviously, there are families out here. Guys have to come together and rely on one another for something obviously outside of football and bigger than football. At the end of the day, everybody got that taken care of and now we’re here and treating it as a business trip. You’ve got all your affairs in order and now your mind is on football, and it’s time to go play.”
(What do you imagine it’s going to be like playing in a 27,000 seat stadium?) – “To be honest, I have never really noticed stadium sizes as far as once you get on the field when you’re warming up. You look around and they’re cheering or telling you how terrible you are; but once the game gets going, it’s about the guy across from you, the guys next to you and getting you job done. Actually until you said that, I didn’t realize the size of the stadium and didn’t care if it’s 100,000 – (which) at Penn State we play in front of all the time – or 27,000. It doesn’t matter.”
(They’re playing Akron.) – “We already played them, didn’t we?”
(On the road I was saying, 27,000.) – “52-0 I think it was.”
(With this defense, so much was made about stopping the run last year, a franchise record 2,200-something yards allowed. What makes you convinced that this year will be different in terms of the run?) – “I think the guys that we have for the most part, we’ve got a lot of guys returning; but we’ve obviously made some key additions to the roster as far as the guys on the defensive side of the ball. I think those guys help; but also, I think being able to key in on your responsibility over the past six weeks or 12 weeks – or however long you want to consider it to be – those are the things that are going to make or break you. Up to this point, I think guys are all taking accountability as far as, ‘Alright, this is my gap. That’s your gap.’ We’re trusting each other and building that relationship where we can make that wall that you need to be a considerable force in stopping the run. But to be honest, that’s all on paper, that’s all in practice. We’ve got to go out there and we’ve got to do it on Sunday. Until that happens, I can’t say either way. It’s a put up or shut up, show me better than I can tell you, type of thing.”
(When you look at the talent on this team, where does this compare to you going into a season and your level of optimism that you can make a real run with these guys?) – “I try to be neutral every year, every season. We’ve had lots of teams talent-wise and on paper; but that’s always on paper, on paper, on paper. On paper has never won a football game nor has it lost one. It’s always the players; it’s always the plays. Again, until you’re out there with live bullets, all of that, OTAs and paper and who did what last year and the year before, really, it doesn’t matter; because they don’t care how many Pro Bowls you went to. They don’t care how many interceptions you had. They’re trying to beat you right now. Are you going to play today to the best of your ability to help the team win? If not, then you’re going to be on the bad side of things. All of the talent and all of the coaching staff and all of the facilities in the world doesn’t win a game. You’ve got to go out there and do your job. That’s to be seen; but I am confident in my guys, and I’m confident in this roster. I wouldn’t expect anything but.”
(Let me ask this in a different way, is this the most talented group you’ve played with in your time here?) – “I guess it’d probably be one of the most experienced groups I’ve ever played with. It’s definitely up there as far as the talent level. I’m in here going through my years of … (It is) all kind of one big mush; but it’s definitely up there. I’ve been on some really talented teams and obviously we haven’t had success in the past. Last year was my first playoff experience. So was last year the most talented? I don’t know, but it was the most successful. Are those two correlated? In football, probably not the same as other sports, as far as all-star rosters and winning the big show; but I think here, it’s team, not necessarily talent. Talent obviously helps of course, but I think that team is going to get you farther than a bunch of Pro Bowlers that aren’t together.”
(Once you got on the field out here, other than the weather being not as humid, did you notice any difference from if you were practicing in South Florida?) – “The weather is hard to ignore. It’s hard to miss. It’s nice. (I am) wearing (long) sleeves, which is not happening in Florida I can assure you. Other than that, it’s football. Once you shake off that novelty – that surprise – and you go out there, it’s a football field. It’s 100 yards and you’ve got to go out there, put your hand in the dirt and get after your work. To me, it was just another day at the office, just another location.”
