Michael Deiter – July 27, 2019
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Saturday, July 27, 2019
G Michael Deiter
(How did it feel to get the pads on and crack a couple of heads today?) – “It was awesome to feel that football feeling again. It’s cool to get out here and practice with no pads on and get your footwork back and all of that, but it’s nothing like when you finally put the pads on. It’s a whole different ballgame, and it’s fun. You kind of see where you’re off. As soon as the pads come on, you realize what you need to get better at. I think that helps a lot.”
(Guys were chirping a little bit, nice fun competition between offense and defense. Guys have got to like that as well.) – “It’s going to happen. It’s a competitive game, guys are going to go down, guys are going to work. That’s just all part of the trenches.”
(The concepts in the playbook, is a lot of it new or is a lot of it stuff you’ve known in the past?) – “I’d say there is a lot of similar concepts, it’s just the verbiage is different. It’s different language that I’m picking up on. It’s good. I still need to keep working on it but it’s coming. The concepts are the same, other than there are some new pass game stuff, that’s a little different for me. But, when it comes to the run, it’s all the same concepts just different language.”
(Tell me about the physicality out here. Rookie year, first day in pads. How different was that?) – “It’s a lot different. The physicality, it’s there. People’s ability to get off blocks, it happens way faster, they are way more athletic, and then they are a little bit more physical. There is no denying that. Then there’s the heat too, which seems like it’s kind of physical too. You kind of have to battle them both.”
(You come from Wisconsin, which is known for their running game. Is there similar concepts there as there are with the Dolphins here?) – “Yeah, it’s a lot of the same stuff. The run game is pretty much going to be the same everywhere unless you’re running the spread all of the time. We’re running a pro-style offense, (so it is) a lot of the same concepts. Like I said, it’s just a lot different language.”
(Have you been able to find a hockey rink out here to get a skate in yet?) – “I need to. In the offseason, that will be something I definitely have to figure out. I’m hoping to hang out with the Panthers. That would be cool.”
(Are there any of the veterans on the line – T Laremy Tunsil or G/T Jesse Davis – that you may be able to pick their ear or someone that you’re maybe close to, to help you?) – “Jesse, Dan (Kilgore) and Chris (Reed) are definitely guys I’ve been leaning on a lot because they play in the interior. They are smart and they are good players and I need their help. Just sitting with them and hearing what I can do better from their point of view is huge. You get coached, but it’s always different when you hear it from the guys you are playing with, especially older veterans like that. It’s refreshing to see if they are seeing the same thing you’re seeing and just getting it right together.”
(What are some of the things, the rookie-hazing that’s going on, what are some of the things they are making you do?) – “There’s not really anything. Honestly, it’s pretty nice. It’s cool stuff like getting snacks for the room and stuff like that. Just helping out when they need help with stuff. It’s honestly not bad at all. It’s friendly. They are cool. I’d say the hazing in college was a lot different. (laughter) It’s pretty much been buying snacks and making sure everyone has coffee, which is cool. That’s part of being a rookie.”
(Any weird request?) – ‘No. Nothing weird.”
(Do you share a favorite candy or something with another player?) – “The biggest thing that we need to have loaded all the time is sunflower seeds. We chew so many sunflower seeds throughout the day. Everyone is passing around bags of seeds, so every two days I have to go buy a bunch of sunflower seeds.”
(Any flavors?) – “All the flavors. Barbecue and pickle are the main ones that go, and then ranch. They go fast. The originals stay longer.”
(What are any of the other things? Honeybuns, Pringles any type of things?) – “Just chip assortments. Hi-Chews. Do you know what Hi-Chews are? The little fruit candies and then the fireball cinnamon candies.
(A lot of websites and pundits think you’re penciled in as left guard for this team starting opening day. I know that a rookie kind of has to earn his way into that role. What’s the message been like in the meeting rooms, in the coaching rooms as far as where you stand on the offensive line depth chart?) – “The message is I don’t really know where I stand, but all I can do is come out here and work and play good football and learn. The biggest thing I need to do these next few weeks is just learn, and then at the end of that, I’ll have a chance to do something, and that’s fine. I’m not going to sit here and think about what might or might not happen later. All I can do right now is work, and the biggest thing I need to do is just master the playbook. Once I can get that down, I can play fast, and then I’ll be able to play at my best, and it’ll give me my best shot to help this team, but it’s not really a concern. It’s just learning and getting better with those guys.”
(It seems like you’re not really in a rush for an opportunity. With the offensive line, these opportunities just come at any moment, right?) – “There’s always going to be opportunities, and there’s opportunities to help in different ways, and as cool as it would be to come out and start, if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world. I’m not going to sit here and be like, ‘I need to be a starter.’ That’s not how that works. What you’ve got to do is come in as a rookie and shut up and work and let the cards fall where they will but do your best to make your card played.”
(How do you measure your growth each day at training camp? Are there set goals that you’ve set for yourself?) – “Definitely. Every day, there’s something I can get better with, and a lot of it’s been just small technique stuff. I think I’ve been pretty good with the playbook, but I think stuff like hands, footwork, especially when you start to get tired in this heat, that’s stuff that can go fast. So just buckling down on that stuff has been kind of my grind. And it’s gotten better, but there were some points today where I was a little tired, and it wasn’t there, so it’s stuff I need to clean up.”
(All-time starts record at Wisconsin on the offensive line, and that was at left tackle, left guard and center – is there a preference you have? Has there been some cross-training going on so far in camp?) – “There isn’t a preference. Any spot is an offensive line spot, so I’m good with all of it; but I would say I’m most comfortable with inside somewhere, so that’s about it. I’ve worked a little bit of right guard. I’ve worked some right guard in OTAs and then a little bit today, a little bit of right guard.”
(We had a great quote last year from former G Josh Sitton who said that changing sides on the offensive line is like trying to learn how to wipe your butt with the other hand. Is that accurate to say?) – “That’s a good quote, but I think it’s probably not as hard because it’s still offensive line. It’s a little different, and then the stance is a little different, but I think switching to wipe your butt would be way harder. (laughter) Way harder.”
(What’s been the percentage breakdown of each side for you so far, do you think? Ballpark?) – “I’m not sure, but it’s been mostly left and just a slight bit of right.”
(Have you practiced in this kind of heat before in your life?) – “We were down here for the Orange Bowl, but that was December, and it was not this. So no; but I’ve got three practices in now, so yeah.”
(How many pounds do you lose at practice?) – “At least usually six, and it’s weird because I feel like I’m drinking the entire – like I couldn’t drink more water I don’t think. To still lose that amount of weight, I mean this heat is different. It’s something that will definitely be an advantage once we get used to it because people have got to come play in this, and I think that’s a huge advantage for us, but we’ve definitely got to get used to it.”
(We’ve seen G Chris Reed open with the first team. Have you gotten many first-team snaps or any at all so far through three days?) – “Just when Dan (Kilgore) needs a breather. When Dan needs a breather, I’ll come in and Chris will go to center, or I’ll go in at right guard, just to kind of help those guys out; but it doesn’t really matter. Wherever I work, I’m getting good work.”
(Do you feel effective in the communication when you play center as far as getting the protection calls called out and everything like that?) – “I haven’t played much center, but if they want me to, I’ve been snapping and stuff; but if I go to play center, I’ll feel comfortable with that. It’s just something in need to keep working on.”
(Do you feel like you came in more ahead in pass protection or run blocking as a college player moving into the NFL?) – “I would say just because of the Wisconsin style, better in run. There’s a) little bit of an edge in run; but my run needs work, my pass needs work, so neither are close to being great. That’s for sure.”
