Danny Crossman – February 15, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(You are coming to a team that had someone in this position for a long time. Do you know Darren Rizzi much? Will you talk to Darren about personnel or do you want to form you own evaluations?) – “(We want to) do our own evaluations.”
(Just observations of what you’ve seen from your group on tape over the last couple of weeks? Does anyone stand out to you? Obviously you have a second-year kicker that did well.) – “There are some good players and guys that have done some good things. We’re still in the process of trying to find what their strengths and weaknesses are and then tie that into as we develop what we’re going to be. It’s still very early in the process.”
(You like your units to be known for what?) – “We want to be able to put pressure on people – whether that’s in the rush game or return game – and the ability to kick the ball well regardless of the situation. Sound, selfless, good football.”
(Last year, you had to work through the new rule changes. Did you agree with them, did it make the game better and how did you adjust to them?) – “I think the biggest thing is anything with player safety, you’re always in favor of that. In terms of getting used to and getting acclimated to the new rules, I still don’t think that the league as a whole knows exactly how it’s going to play out. But football is football. Whatever rules they give us we’ll play by and be the best that we can.”
(As a special teams coach, you know the roster as well as anybody. Does that help coming from Buffalo being in the AFC East coming down to Miami?) – “Yes. I think that anytime there is familiarity, it’s going to help you and obviously being in the same division, (it is) even another level. The same conference helps, the same division really helps, seeing the same team twice a year. I was in Buffalo for six years, so I have a pretty good feel of who they were in the scheme they played in. Now it’s just trying to tie that together with how we’re going to build it and what we’re going to do here.”
(Did anyone on the Miami Dolphins special teams last year stand out or that you had to circle, ‘we got to stop this guy?’) – “There are several good players. There are some good, quality players here, and we’ll see if we can develop them and get them even better.”
(What do you look for in a special teams player? I know a lot of times people dismiss those players. ‘Those guys are just on special teams and not really a main focal point.’ But for you, you’re trying to get everybody together. What do you say to those types of players?) – “I think what you’ll find out here is we’re all looking for the same type of player. We’re looking for selfless, smart, tough and available. If you have those things, you have a chance. We’re all, I’m sure if you go up and down this row, and what you’ve just (heard) from the offensive (coaches), we’re all really looking for the same thing. Good football players are good football players, regardless of what you’re going to ask them to do.”
(Culture-wise, did you know Head Coach Brian Flores before all of this? Or did he reach out and you just matched culturally?) – “I think as Brian brought up, when he made the transition into coaching, his first start in coaching was as an assistant special teams coach. In those circles, as a special teams coach at the combine and other functions, you get a little bit of familiarity with one another. Obviously he comes from a similar tree and we have similar beliefs. Those core beliefs aren’t going to change so it’s nice to be aligned with somebody that has those same beliefs.”
(Outside of the weather, what was the reward for you to come to Miami? What was it that made you want to be a part of this?) – “Obviously Coach Flores, like I just said. Those things I just talked about with the culture, his core beliefs and coming up under the same system and values, that’s what stood out to me.”
(Your thoughts on joining the Dolphins organization?) – “I’m obviously super excited to be on the front end of this thing with Coach Flores. He and I have similar beliefs and similar core values, what it takes to win as a team in all three phases, the type of players, the type of people we’re looking for. So I’m very excited.”
(How long have you known Coach Flores?) – “I got to know Brian when he made the transition from scouting into coaching. He started as an assistant special teams coach. I got to know him a little bit, probably about 10 years (ago) or so.”
(What do you see when you look at the core special teams guys. You have a couple of explosive returners – RB Kenyan Drake, WR Jakeem Grant…) – “There are some good players. Like anything, you take those good players and try to find a way to use their strengths and what they can do and make them better.”
(Do you have a core philosophy as a special teams coach?) – “A little bit, but mostly it’s going to tie into who our players are. I think you’ve got to play the game based on the strength of your players. You’ve got to ask them to do what they can do and we’ll work on what they can’t do.”
(What would be your core philosophy, if I may ask?) – “Find a way to win.”
(How do you embrace this challenge? What is your mindset as you begin this chapter in your career?) – “I think it’s like anything. It’s excitement. Any time you start on a fresh deal with a coach that has similar core beliefs and working for a general manager who has the same beliefs as a head coach and for outstanding ownership, it’s exciting.”
(Had you known Brian Flores for a while?) – “I got to know Brian when he made the transition from scouting into coaching. He started in special teams. It’s a tight, small circle and he and I got to know each other through that.”
(When Brian Flores called you, did your heart go through your throat? Did you know it was coming?) – “We had spoken. Obviously when he was fortunate enough to be in the position and made the phone call, it was exciting just because when you look and you take one of these jobs, to be able to be in a situation where you believe it’s somebody that’s aligned with the same core values and ideals that you have, it’s exciting.”
(How much of an advantage is it that you’ve spent so much time in the AFC East scouting these players here?) – “Obviously it helps.”
(You know who S Walt Aikens, for instance.) – “Right. That familiarity is always going to help. I think the difference is, now that you are going to be in that room with those players, is taking those same things that you were worried about defending and then building on how we can use those strengths to our advantage. It is nicer and makes this time of year a little bit easier.”
(You know a lot about WR Jakeem Grant, for instance. You know what a headache he caused you, so it must be nice that he’s on your side?) – “Correct. It’s nice to walk in and have those types of players.”
