Clyde Christensen – June 7, 2016
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Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen
(On whether he has been surprised by any of the players’ talents) – “I’d preface it with saying that saying, again, it’s a teach mode. When you put in this new offense, we’re resisting evaluating (players) quite yet. Evaluation will come in training camp (when) we put on pads. We’ll expect them to know what they’re doing. Right now, it’s still a teach mode. I don’t think (there have been) any real surprises. I think the offensive line … I think (with) the center (Mike Pouncey), (it was the) first chance for me to see him work. (I have) been impressed with what a pro he is and how he comes out there and works. For a veteran, Pro Bowl player to come out there … That give us a chance (when) your center comes out there and works every single day at his craft. That has been really impressive – him and Ryan (Tannehill) both, to me, are veteran guys who work like rookies … That has always been our thing: that we want to treat people like men, but coach them like rookies. And they practice like rookies. They practice like little things are important and every day is important, and that’s what we’re looking for. We need that to be contagious and run throughout the whole unit.”
(On how the players have picked up the offensive system) – “I think it has been okay. We’ve thrown a lot at them. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase goes fast. He goes fast. He gets bored quickly. But I think they’re picking it up. We’ve thrown a ton (at the players). This week has been the best by far, but there has been less install. Those other days have been install (days). Right when you think you’ve got it, here comes another 35 concepts (thrown) at you, or Gase has a creative night and comes in there with a couple new things. But I think this week starting … I think this week and next week ought be the two best by far, because there’s not a bunch of new stuff. (There will be) a few new formations, a few new applications, but the same basic concepts. So, this week has been better by far, and I would expect that the minicamp would be the best of them all. We did throw them all in there, now it’s more catching up. Now stuff is starting to click. (We are) starting to do some of the little things – seeing some of the little things get done this week – that hadn’t been done the first couple weeks, because they understand it now. We would expect the speed to get faster and faster and faster. One thing about this offense (is) it’s hard to prepare for defensively. It’s hard to prepare for offensively if you’re not used to it (going) no huddle, the heat – all those things. There’s no willing yourself into doing that. You’ve got to play your way into shape. I think that they’re getting a feel for, ‘Hey, this is rapid fire. We’re going to have to be in the best shape, and we’ll demand defenses to be in the best shape also when we play them, and there’s no shortcut on that. There’s no shortcut on that.’ We’re not where we need to be, but I think that everyone has got a vision of what that’s got to be. When we really get this thing right, we ought to be able to run all day and keep coming at you, and that’s part of what we’re trying to sell.”
(On G/T Laremy Tunsil’s transition to the NFL) – “He has been really, really impressive. I’ve been really impressed with him. He just has one of those demeanors (where) he doesn’t get out of whack easily. He’s kind of steady – slow and steady – and it has been really good. We’ve been getting him reps at a couple different positions. He has been very, very, very impressive. I think he’s every bit what we thought he was, which is (that he) has a chance to be exceptional. He works. He pays attention. He doesn’t make the same mistake over and over again, which (is) what you look for in a rookie. He leaves those meetings, (and) he looks at it and comes on the field, and it shows. (I have) been really impressed with him. Again, it’s still teach mode. It’s still a new position for him. I know you guys have written a bunch about it. We are working a lot of different combinations. Again, I said last time that that’ll prepare us. Usually, you need a lot of combinations to make it through the NFL season. Hopefully, not, but you usually do.”
(On whether WR DeVante Parker’s previous foot injury has attributed to his absence at practice) – “I don’t know anything on the medical part of it. It’s never good to miss practice. It’s never ever good to miss practice – I know that – and for all the reasons we just talked about, because it’s new stuff, it’s speed, it’s getting in shape to do this – it’s all those things. He’s paying attention and getting everything he can. But again, we need people practicing, and that’s a theme – that we got to have guys that practice. So, we got to get him back out there as quick as possible. I don’t know anything on the foot. You got to check with the medical guys or (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. But, we need him out there.”
(On what he is looking for from G/T Laremy Tunsil) – “I think knowledge of the plays, knowledge of calls, understanding what we’re trying to get done, who’s helping him, which way is the center going, are we putting ourselves in position to be successful. (It is) all of those things for those offensive lineman (like) which way is the slide going, anticipation of games (like) the linebacker is a little tighter or is something up. Those kind of things that we can get this time of year … We’re getting a lot of looks. Today, it was a huge blitz day. We saw a ton of looks. Just his recognition and his comfortability with those looks – with so many different looks – that you don’t panic and get your body all out of position. He has been really impressive that way. I think he’s an impressive, impressive rookie for this teach mode. Again, we don’t need to start making a (Pro Football Hall of Fame) bust yet or anything – because we haven’t put pads on – but as far as this phase (goes), he has been exceptional.”
(On his expectation for the team in the red zone) – “I think that’s the fastest, quickest way for us to improve is third down and red zone. So many of those games … The difference (between) a field goal and a touchdown is four points. Most of these games come down to four points. We’re planning on being in a lot of close games and being in some close games that second half of the season. Those red zone snaps are a huge deposit we want to make right from the get go. I think the other thing is there’s extra teaching on that. There’s extra understanding on that. The more we can invest in that … I think through the years, (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase and I found out the same thing: when you’re up tempo like this, you have a lot more red zone snaps. There are some times when our red zone snaps have been up near 350. That’s a chunk, so we took and made it a little more quantity of red zone snaps in our practice. The percentage, get that up, because when you do hurry up, the ball tends to move and all of a sudden, bang, you’re in the red zone quickly, and there tends to be more snaps in there. I think we have intentionally increased that percentage of red zone practice snaps surely anticipating moving the football and being in the red zone a bunch.”
(On whether complementary football on offense and defense becomes a concern) – “Sure it does. It always is a concern. That’s why it’s important. If you’re going to go up tempo, we got to convert first downs, and the time of possession has tended to be high with what we’ve done both in Chicago and in Denver and in Indianapolis. We’ve tended to be good at it and possess the football. There is no offense that’s good three-and-out, three-and-out. It doesn’t matter what tempo you are, that would be problematic. I do think that (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase will tie this thing together as far as the three phases, and they have to complement each other. There’ll be times that you don’t want to be up tempo. There’s going to be all those different times, but overall, we want to be up tempo. We want to keep attacking, and I think it’ll be the same on defense, also, and special teams. I think they will complement each other. But sure, it’s always a concern. We don’t intend to go a bunch of three-and-outs.”
(On whether up tempo means a no-huddle offense or shorter huddles) – “Both. All of the above. Even in the up tempo, there’s still different levels of up tempo. Some of them will be extremely fast paced. Some of them will be a huddle at the line of scrimmage where we got plenty of time. I think one of the big things is that you do want to change pitches. You do want to have your fast ball. You want to have a changeup. You want to have all the different pitches in your tempo. And we can always get in the huddle and do it that way also. All of the above would be the answer.”
(On whether the offense will be up tempo a majority of the time) – “I think so. I think it is, yes. Just keep pushing the pace. A lot of it is (to) give our quarterback some time at the line of scrimmage. All of them don’t get snapped at 22 seconds left on the clock. That’s not necessarily the intention. That’s the changeup pitch, and you want them to keep them off … You want them to have to defend right from the get go, and now your quarterback may have a chance to get us in the right play. Again, this would be an advantage-based offense that we’re looking for. One of the reasons we’re at the line of scrimmage is for the tempo, for the conditioning and for the advantage based part of it. (If) we can get up there, and it looks like it’s going to be fast, then all of a sudden we can get into a play that we want to get into. That has always been a part of it, also.”
(On how QB Ryan Tannehill fits the up-tempo scheme) – “We’ll see. He’s learning. He’s an extremely bright guy. He’s extremely bright. He has picked it up extremely quickly, faster than I would’ve said that the guy could. He has worked his tail off. I’ve had to tell my wife a couple (times that) I’m coming home later. A couple nights, I feel guilty that I’m leaving, and he’s still here. I’ve had to change our dinner hour back a little bit. I felt kind of guilty leaving before the quarterback. But, he’s working, and that’s all you can ask. He’s a fast-minded guy. As far as this learning stuff … When we put on pads – and you start getting whacked around and all those things – then we’ll see. But again, it’s a teach time of year, and he is working his tail off.”
(On whether the up-tempo offense is all for naught if you’re unable to execute on crucial downs) – “Any sport, any offense, any tempo – that would be the case. Absolutely right.”
(On how QB Ryan Tannehill has been at putting throws on the spot) – “He’s adopted (the process). We’re stressing accuracy. This game is about accuracy. This game is about your misses being on the correct side, a little golf-ish if you will. You got to know where to miss and when to miss. We put a huge emphasis … (Quarterbacks) Coach Bo (Hardegree) has done a good job emphasizing the small targets. ‘Aim small, miss small,’ would be our theme in there from The Patriot. You remember that one? The guy is teaching his son who’s never shot. We need the ball in spots. Those things are really important. Those are the things the average person doesn’t see, (like) a ball that’s thrown on the back hip for a five-yard gain when it should have been thrown on the front tip of the shoulder for a 15-yard gain, because it turns up. Those are huge. That’s a huge emphasis. If you’re going to throw the ball as much as we’re going to throw it and do the things (we’re going to do), that has been a huge emphasis. (Ryan Tannehill) has been really good. I’ve seen it improve. He has worked hard in his technique. You guys see that we believe in drill work. We believe individual (drills) being as important as anything we do during the day and accuracy is a large part of that. Our feet, our body, our technique, our accuracy is huge. It’s huge. It’s the deal. You guys see that we spend an inordinate amount of time – during those special teams periods, pre-practice, all those things – working on those and emphasizing those. If you can’t throw it accurate in this league, then it’s going to be short lived. It’s going to be hard to be successful.”
(On the running back group besides RB Jay Ajayi and RB Kenyan Drake) – “Damien (Williams) would fall in the category (of) we just haven’t seen that much. He missed some practice, which was really unfortunate for him and us. We need these reps. Those other guys (I have) been impressed with, and I think they’re learning. Again, it’s hard to judge a running back until you get whacked and have to run with some pads on. But, they’ve been attentive. I think it’s a little bit of a change for some of them being as involved in the passing game and lining up split outside the numbers and doing some of those things. The protection issues are huge. We’re learning it. We’re not there yet. I’m glad opening day isn’t this weekend. We’re not ready for that, but we don’t need to be ready for that.”
(On RB Kenyan Drake) – “(Kenyan) Drake has been excellent. I’ve been really impressed with the rookie class. Not me, (but) we’ve been really impressed with the rookie class as professionals, as learners, as going home and studying and coming in and fitting in. They haven’t looked like rookies. I really think this class will be a huge part of the foundation of this thing. I’ve really been impressed and Kenyan, certainly, being one of those guys. He has won a bunch of football games. He understands how fine a line it is to win football games. What they did personnel-wise in this draft class is finding guys who understood that and could do that – could concentrate long enough to do the little things. (I have) really been impressed with this rookie class as far as being pros. Jakeem (Grant) – same thing. These guys have gotten in their books. They’ve done a great job. It’s good for everybody, because you get more competition. You got young guys competing with old guys and everybody has a … Nothing’s for sure.”
(On his impressions of QB Brandon Doughty and QB Logan Thomas) – “(With) Brandon (Doughty), I’ve been impressed again – like that rookie class – (with) how quick he has picked it up, that he doesn’t get rattled, doesn’t run around in there like a chicken with its head cut off. He looks like he knows what’s going on. He may not do everything perfectly, but he has a grasp of what’s taking place. Logan (Thomas), of course, is such a physical specimen. I think his accuracy is starting to come. It has still got to keep coming. One of the problems we do have right now is we got five of those guys, and you don’t get a ton of reps and you got to get those reps through film and through extra study and through getting the mental reps when you’re not in there. But they don’t get a ton of reps. I’ve been impressed with Brandon being able to stay up with things.”
