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Frank Bush – August 4, 2017 Download PDF version

Friday, August 4, 2017

Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach Frank Bush

(How much of LB Raekwon McMillan’s ability to absorb information came from the fact that he played at a major program like Ohio State?) – “I think that’s a major factor because they put a little bit different kind of pressure on those kids at those bigger schools; but secondly, it’s just a credit to him. The kid is very, I won’t say professional at this point; but he’s very serious about football. He wants to get things right. He takes a lot of pride in being right and whatnot. He’s kind of built that way so, fortunately, we got him.”

(This is your first year with the Dolphins. How much familiarity did you have with the personnel?) – “I knew a lot of these kids just from being in the league over time, just watching Kiko (Alonso) throughout the years, Koa (Misi) and all those guys. And then watching the way this staff came in here the year before and kind of put the thing together and won a lot of games to go to the playoffs. We’re always a little bit envious of those things so you look to see what they’re doing, that way you know you watch the team.”

(Are you established on a starting trio?) – “Not really. When you look at it, we have about six guys that are really competing. Of course we have a couple of guys we run out with the first group with Lawrence (Timmons) and Kiko (Alonso) and that group, and Raekwon’s (McMillan) been running some reps with those groups, but right now it’s really about learning the defense and then really, really competing, just to show us what you can do. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt Burke has always been adamant about, ‘If you can play, we’ll find a role for you,’ so all those guys are competing just to be a part of what we’re doing.”

(Speaking of a role, what about LB Neville Hewitt?) – “Again, he’s just another guy that’s competing. He kind of ended the season last year doing a good job and really he’s had an outstanding offseason, spring, and even training camp, until recently, so he’s just competing for a role. If he can do some things that we like to do and he continues to do so, then we’ll find a way to get him involved.”

(LB Mike Hull, as you’ve seen it, he has been in and out a little bit with the ones. What kind of a role could he … I mean is there a package or is he strictly a backup, which I don’t mean in a negative way?) – “Exactly, exactly. In this league, as you know, it’s next man up and you’re one snap away, but for Mike he’s just done a good job of learning all three positions, being there on call when we need him; but also making some plays on the football field. So just like the rest of the kids, he’s competing. He wants to be the next man up. He wants to be the next guy to go on the field, so if he is that guy, then of course we’ll find a way to make sure he gets his opportunities as well.”

(So when you say all three positions, is LB Mike Hull mainly in the middle and, if necessary, on the outside?) – “Yes, absolutely, because again, he’s a smart kid that knows how to retain the information and it’s not too big for him. We do put a lot on him in the sense of asking him to know all three (positions). We’ve got to be smart about that, but he does a good job right now of being able to handle that.”

(What do you want to see from your unit against the run?) – “I just want to see them be more aggressive downhill. I want to see us tackle way better. I just want to see us consistently stop the run when we know we have to stop the run. That’s one of the emphasis (this camp). We’ve worked to improve it and we just want to see them get better and better and better at that.”

(Mentality wise, what has LB Lawrence Timmons added to that unit?) – “Lawrence comes from a place where they’ve had a lot of success and so we’re hoping he can help bring a little bit of that standard here, a little bit of the old school, kind of rough and tumble, bang people around kind of standard that they’ve gone through there. We kind of like what he’s doing so far.”

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