Tua Tagovailoa – August 3, 2022
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Wednesday, August 3, 2022
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(It was recently reported that you got married and with family being so important to you, how special was it? Congratulations.) – “Thank you. Yeah, it was very special. I don’t know who ended up leaking it but you must have been waiting outside the courthouse for an entire week or something. For me, I love to keep my life as private as possible and that’s what we try to do with me, my wife and my family. But obviously in this world, that’s not how it is. It’s almost kind of disrespectful, if you will, by doing that. But it is what it is. I can’t do anything about it. Guys, I have a wife.”
(Does marriage change your perspective on life or football?) – “No girls for me, I guess, if you will. (laughter) That’s the perspective. Same focus – the season and what we have here in training camp.”
(Today I asked Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator Darrell Bevell about your accuracy and how he feels you’re able to be so accurate with the football. He said it was more of a feel thing for you. I’m curious, how do you train that feel to make yourself precise consistently with the football?) – “Well I would say I’ve been playing this sport for as long as I can remember since I was little. That’s something my dad would train me to do every time. I’d go out and throw with a teammate, a cousin, whoever it was. My dad would stand and catch for me. An uncle would stand and catch for me. They’d always give me a spot that I had to throw it too. My dad was very adamant at where the ball had to be every time. He made it known after practices and after games. I would say it stuck with me throughout my entire football career in college and then in the NFL.”
(Recently, a 65-yard touchdown pass to WR Tyreek Hill went viral on social media. It was viewed more than 2.8 million times. I don’t know if you knew that statistic. But why do you think there’s such a fascination about that play and the deep ball and your connection with Tyreek?) – “I think people don’t think I can throw the ball far. (laughter) I would say that’s the fascination. Like, ‘Wow! He can throw the ball!’ It’s hard to be in the NFL if you can’t throw the ball, right?”
(I guess yesterday the NFL announced it disciplined the team for tampering. Among the tampering was the team’s multiple discussions with Tom Brady dating back to 2019. Obviously you weren’t here but even in 2021, were you aware of this? What are your thoughts? Were there any discussions related to that between you and I guess high-ranking members of the organization?) – “I would say everyone heard about it yesterday when we went into the locker room and saw it on the TV. For me, I have no idea about all of the details other than what was shown on TV with the $1.5 million fine and then something happening with Brady. I don’t know all of the details. I don’t even know what happened. I got to talk to a couple of the guys to kind of find out what was going on and everyone is wondering the same thing. I’m not too sure.”
(But no discussions with I guess whether it’s Chris Grier, Mike McDaniel or even Stephen Ross about your standing with the team? Nothing like that?) – “What do you mean my standing with the team?”
(The fact that they spoke with Tom Brady on multiple occasions, which included him playing for the team.) – “Was that in 2019?”
(2019 and 2021) – “Ok. I remember I came in 2020 so whatever happened in 2019, I can’t even speak on that. I was here in 2020 and I’m still here and I’m blessed to be here. If it has to do with support from the team, I think the team is all in with me and all of the guys that we have now.”
(On a lighter note, when the music came on. Were you singing? We know you’re an old soul and obviously your playlist reflected that. Is that accurate?) – “Well, I was trying to figure out which songs to play too, because there were a lot of slow songs that I wanted to put on but I didn’t think that it fit – a lot of the songs that I wanted to put on, because they still put on some slow songs. I didn’t think it fit the guys out here working in the hot sun. Guys probably would have gotten even more mad at each other. (laughter)”
(During the stretch, it’s ok.) – “During the stretch, it’s ok. You can play whatever. (laughter)”
(On the flip side of that, Mike McDaniel has been saying that in all the meetings, he says who the fastest player was at practice. Has WR Tyreek Hill been winning that most of the time? And do you have a fastest time that you’ve clocked so far in camp?) – “Well, they don’t tell us the quarterback’s times. I’m glad they don’t because we barely reach top speed at any practice. (laughter) Tyreek has been up there as the fastest Dolphins player. Keion Crossen has been up there for the fastest player. Then we have it sectioned off. Christian Wilkins has won as big man fastest player. I would say (Emmanuel) Ogbah has won it. Then running backs and linebackers, kind of the mid-skills, Raheem (Mostert) has been winning a couple. We have a lot of speed on the team.”
(Is it frustrating to show up every day knowing that you’re putting in your best work every day and you’re constantly having people criticize those deep balls or your accuracy? Is that frustrating to come to practice every day?) – “No. I would say it’s not frustrating. I would say the only thing that gets frustrating is if you hear it every day or if you see it every day. For me, I eliminate all of that. Don’t hear it. Don’t see it. I go home, go to my family, study, wake up the next day, come back and enjoy football. I hear everything obviously from the media and then when (the communications staff) preps me for whatever you guys are going to say, then I’m like ‘Ah, I’ve got to answer this. Alright, let me figure out something politically correct to say.’” (laughter)
(When you were on WR Tyreek Hill’s podcast, you talked about how your perception of staying humble has evolved and how now you kind of realize that you could be humble while feeling confident at the same time. I’m curious, is that a recent realization or is that something that came years ago?) – “I would say I’ve always had that. The only thing is I’ve never shared it. I’ve always had it inside. I’d be humble but at the same time, in my mind, you wouldn’t know that I’m out there to still do what I want to do. Compete, obviously, throw a lot of touchdowns and a lot of other things. But yeah, being a little more vocal with it has been something that I just started.”
(Do you feel like you’re trying to kind of project that more in a public way?) – “I wouldn’t say that I’m trying to project it more but I just don’t want people to get the misconception that being humble is being the nice guy all of the time because that’s not necessarily what it is, to me at least.”
(Is WR Tyreek Hill rubbing off on you a little bit in that sense?) – “No, no, no, no. Oh man, no. Gosh. (laughter) Tyreek is his own person. He’s unique, he’s different, he’s fun. But I wouldn’t say that me and Tyreek are very similar. (laughter)”
(Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator Darrell Bevell was speaking earlier today about how a quarterback almost has to do a math equation in their head as a play is developing, which I thought was a cool analogy. How high do I throw it, how far do I throw it, how much space is there, what’s the speed of the receiver. Tell me your thoughts on that as it relates to figuring out exactly where the ball needs to be placed, especially with you guys.) – “I think that’s the good thing about having OTAs is being able to throw the ball to them, work on timing with those guys and then some of the deep balls, you can kind of chuck one out there, see who can run under it, see who can’t and then you kind of work your way back down from that. But like I said, we’ve all – in our quarterback room and quarterbacks across the league, we’ve all been playing the sport for however long ever since we were little. So it’s something that almost comes natural to us.”
(How comfortable are you?) – “I would say I’m comfortable but that doesn’t mean we take off days with not studying, not continuing to talk to the guys, not continuing to come up here on an off day and talk to the coaches about some of the things that we see. I think that’s the cool thing this year too. We have a lot of open conversation with our quarterbacks room and our head coach, with the receivers. It’s really dependent on what we like in a quarterback room. If a route is strong a certain way and that is how Mike (McDaniel) has been running it for 17 years, and we say through our experiences the past two years, I like this play ran this way. Or I feel more comfortable with that play being run that way, without hesitation he’s going to do that to the liking of our room.”
(What have you seen out of WR Braylon Sanders and WR Erik Ezukanma…?) – “I’ve been very impressed with them. They have very good ball-tracking skills. They’re long and they’re fast. They’re fast for some pretty lanky guys. They’ll insert. I think the hardest thing for them is just transitioning with hearing the play-calls in the huddle and knowing where to be. But other than that, they’re very impressive throughout OTAs and throughout the first couple of days of training camp.”
(Are they under the radar?) – “Oh yeah, I would say definitely under the radar. Those are definitely dark horses for our team – those two.”
Raheem Mostert – August 2, 2022
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Tuesday, August 2, 2022
RB Raheem Mostert
(You got some kickoff returns today. I’m just curious how kick returning and being a running back pairs up together and how it helps you do one or the other?) – “When you’re out there, kickoff return is just like being at a running back position. With this offense the way it’s drawn up, you’re able to read holes and everything like that. I just try to mimic that in the kickoff return game. That’s something I’ve been doing for years. Even growing up, being a special teams type of guy, leading into the role of running back, I’ve always tried to teach myself that the game is simplified when you’re able to go out there and run plays and stuff like that in the kickoff return game. So just getting back out there – I haven’t been back there in a couple of years so it was refreshing to get back out there and be able to take those returns.”
(You’re excited. You’re smiling. How fun is it to be back out here with the pads back on. What was today like?) – “First off, let’s just say today was hot. I usually don’t sweat, so if you see a couple of things of sweat coming down my face, that means I was either working of it was extremely hot. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to enjoy this weather. How can you not? I was telling Coach Embree (Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree) that when we were out in California, we were spoiled in that weather. Coming over here, it’s a little bit of a change. But at the end of the day, it’s good weather and being out here is fantastic. I’m always going to put a smile on my face. I’m just that type of guy. Once you get to know me, I like to have fun, and I don’t put the pressure on myself a lot because with anything in life, when you start to put pressure on yourself, it tends to lead you in a direction where you’re not comfortable and you’re not being able to perform at the highest levels that you want to or accomplish goals. Me, I just come into the building. I’m thankful to be in the building and go out here and play football like I’ve been doing for 20-something odd years.”
(You don’t sweat?) – “I don’t sweat. I have to have a real good workout in order to sweat. But as you can tell, I’m drenched. I’m just trying to get used to this weather and being back home and being back in my home state. It’s all a plus. It’s just going to get me better.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel had some interesting comments today. He was talking about going from being an offensive assistant to head coach, and how he’s trying to be self-aware about making sure that he’s that even though he’s the play caller, that he doesn’t lock himself in a room and become an introvert, and change the way he interacts with all the players. That spoke to me about what I perceived to be his emotional intelligence. Knowing him well, give me some insight if you can on his emotional intelligence.) – “His emotional intelligence, he’s very emotionally connected with the players. For him to be in a position where he went from assistant coach to head coach and having that role for the first time, it just shows you the type of connection he’s trying to build here with the team. We all go out here and we put on and do whatever we got to do for ourselves, for our family, and for the organization, and Mike instills that in us. He helps with those attributes. Without the emotional connection and the ties, you can’t really sit here and say that somebody is going to be successful like the way Mike has thus far in his career. It’s only right that we keep that train going.”
(Everybody shows people and the way they care about them in their own way. How would you describe the way Head Coach Mike McDaniel shows people he cares about them?) – “Doing the simple things. Being honest, upfront, and real with them. I think that’s the biggest thing that you have to account for when being a head coach. Not to bash any other coaches out there, but at the same time, you have to understand that we’re players first and then we’re fathers and husbands and uncles and all of that good stuff. You have to treat all of the players as men. When you’re able to do that, you’re going to get a group of guys that want to fight for you. That’s what Mike’s been able to do thus far. Just showing what he can do. At the same time, we do have games that we have to win as well. That’s the most important thing. And if you can get everybody to gel together and win some games, that speaks on the type of coach that he is.
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel talks a lot about how he wants players to be themselves. Do you think he leads by example?) – “Oh, yeah. I tell my wife all the time, Mike was quirky today. It’s one of those things where he’s implementing who he is in the team meetings, out on the field, in the meeting rooms. You just got to realize that and embrace it. It may be corky and funny to somebody else, but honestly that’s just how he is. That’s the person that he is. I’ve been with him for six years, so I know.”
(Has the bar been raised for quirkiness level?) – “He already set the bar high. You can’t go any lower. It’s going to keep getting high honestly. It’s fun to see.”
(What’s an example of something Head Coach Mike McDaniel has done or said that made you say that?) – “Interviews. When you talk to him about interviews, he says what he has to say and does what he does. That’s the type of person he is. I can’t right off the bat give an example. But I know if you go type in Mike McDaniel interviews, you’ll see a whole list on YouTube of all the good stuff and good content that he puts out there. It’s all fun. It’s all good to see too.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned that he announces the speeds from practice every day. How motivating is that for you guys as players?) – “It is motivating. It’s a competition at the end of the day. I know that I’m the fastest on the field. We’re not going to speak about two of the animals or whatever because they are not really that fast when it comes to a car. (laughter) But yeah, it’s funny to see those things and be able to compete at a level that we all race and have fun. I’m pretty sure I clocked a good time today. We’ll see what tomorrow brings in meetings and we’ll go from there.”
(What’s the fastest you’ve been timed so far?) – “The fastest I’ve been timed is a 20.8 (miles per hour). Tyreek (Hill) clocked a 23. I think I got a 23 today on a kickoff return. We’ll see though. (laughter)”
Duke Riley – August 2, 2022
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Tuesday, August 2, 2022
LB Duke Riley
(What have your experiences been this training camp and what are some things you’ve been working on to really solidify your role on this defense?) – “Just enjoying the process, enjoying still being in it Year Six. Enjoying still being back with a lot of the same guys. Familiar faces, familiar defense. Just working on taking it day by day, meeting by meeting, practice by practice, second by second. That’s all I can do. Not looking back, not looking forward. Just trying to improve every single day in every single thing that I do.”
(What do you think about year six and going into that. What does that mean to you, and everything you’ve gone through in your football life?) – “I look at it like I’m an older guy. I’m a guy that should be in some situations, not all situations, but in some situations counted on to do the right thing. I’m looked at as a guy that whenever my name is called, I’ll be the guy to do my job, to make sure that it’s done 100 percent. That’s what I’m focused on is just making sure I do my job for my team, to make sure I put my team in the best situation that they can be.”
(On the other side of the football, what have you seen from QB Tua Tagovailoa and how he’s performed this season so far?) – “I’ve seen a lot of growth. I’ve seen a lot of camaraderie . (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) does a good job. He’s an offensive-minded coach, so he’s taking care of the offensive side. We usually stay to the defensive side. Even in defensive meetings, we don’t see the offense really until it’s time to go against them on the field. They are electric. There is a lot of speed, a lot of weapons for Tua and that’s a great thing. It’s like you got this guy covered, but then there is somebody else you’ve got to worry about as well. That’s a good thing that Tua has is there’s a lot of weapons. He’s doing a great job. I love Tua. He’s a better person than anything. He’s a guy that’s going to hit you up almost every day throughout the offseason to see how you’re doing throughout the week. I love Tua as a person, not even as a football player. I obviously love him as a football player, but Tua is a great person and a great friend to me.”
(Speaking of Tua, there was plenty of pressure looks out there for him today. How do you think he did against those?) – “I think he did a good job and I think it’s really good that we’re giving him those looks. We obviously as a defense have a lot of looks and we show a lot of different things and we’re making it harder for him. I feel like we’re giving him some of the hardest things he’ll see throughout the season so I think will help him throughout the games and in like-game situations.”
(What do you think about the linebacker rotation and the depth that you guys can produce at the beginning of the season as opposed to mid-year last year where you guys kind of struggled?) – “I think it’s good. Like I said before, just using guys in certain situations. I think it’s really good that we got a lot of the guys back. We all know the system, we all work together well. We all encourage each other every single day to be better, and we’re pushing each other. It’s great. It’s competition and we all love it.”
(Does having that group back enable you to get more vulnerable with each other? And to really work as a unit?) – “Being with people longer, it’s easier to have, I guess you could say more uncomfortable conversations with people. It’s really rare because we know how to work. A lot of guys in the room are older. We have one rookie in the room with Channing (Tindall) and we’re definitely bring him along. But most of the guys are four, five, six, seven years in. We already have a standard set in the room of how we’re going to come to work every day and how we’re going to bring each other along. I don’t think there is a day that we come to work and everyone in the room isn’t trying work as hard as they can and do their job and bring each other along. It’s constant. When I’m in, I’m helping the guy next to me, and they are helping me. In the game, there are so many things moving at one time, and we’re constantly helping each other get in a better position. We’re constantly celebrating each other’s wins. I think that’s what it’s all about. We’re happy for each other. We’re very vulnerable like you said, and we really have a great relationship with each other.”
(Having the one rookie in LB Channing Tindall, and now you going into year six, how special or what’s your perspective on seeing a guy go through a process that you’ve already gone through?) – “It’s a beautiful thing, to be honest with you. Me being the guy that I am, I know when I came in as a rookie, I was competing. I came in with a young linebacker corps and those second-year guys, I was competing with those guys. They were learning as well. The fact that I’ve learned a lot in this league. This is my third team, I’ve been around a lot of good veterans, I’ve been around a lot of good players. It’s like I can teach him. I always tell him every single day to make sure you write down everything you hear because at the end of the day, we’re getting information that coaches – I love the game so much that one day I may coach it. So I’m getting so much information and I’m getting some of the most elite information from these coaches so I try to write down as much as I hear. Even if I hear the same thing, I’m writing it down again. I feel like if I write it down so much, I won’t be able to get it wrong. I don’t do it until I get it write, I do it until I can’t get it wrong. Just constantly creating that repetition, and those habits of taking notes and film study and things that coming from college and the NFL, especially in the SEC like Channing was, the game speed is kind of similar. But the anticipation and the knowledge of the game has to go a step up. I think he’s doing a good job. I think he has a lot of potential and I love being the guy that helps the younger guys. Not even the younger guys, the older guys and everyone that I can. I love being that guy.”
(Do you like being a leader?) – “Yes, ma’am.”
(Do you have a notebook? What kind of notes?) – “I actually don’t have a notebook because I had it when I first got into the league. But I have an iPad. I bought an iPad and I have this app that I have every single note that I have taken from 2018 from every single coach. Instead of having it in a paper form, I have it in an iPad form where I can go back to 2018 OTAs, 2018 training camp, 2018 season from the Falcons. I have all of my Philadelphia notes. I have all of my notes from last year from every defensive coordinator I played with and every special teams coach I played with. I can go back and write down and look at everything that they said because I’m writing down the stuff that they’ve done. That’s going to be my edge one day if I want to become a coach one day, if that’s the route I want to go.”
(You said you love QB Tua Tagovailoa as a person. Do you feel like he’s been able to be that person more this year or show that person?) – “I don’t know how to say this but I feel like he’s coming out of his shell more. I don’t want to sound like he was in a shell, but he’s getting more comfortable. He’s in his third year. He knows a lot of the guys are counting on him and a lot of the guys on the team have always believed in Tua. There has never been a doubt in anyone’s mind. I think he’s getting a better feel of the game and the players and the repetition. I think he’s an amazing person like I said. We talk more on the golf course than we do out here in the building. I think that’s the best part about it.”
(Was it kind of an uncomfortable environment because it wasn’t as supportive of QB Tua Tagovailoa overall at times?) – “I wouldn’t say that. It was just different in it’s own ways. I think that this year with this team, a lot of the same guys back. We brought in more talent, brought in more weapons. I just think that the old veterans that they brought in (Terron) Armstead, Tyreek (Hill), they are bringing their own type of certain energy to the table. I think everybody is doing their part, playing their part.”
(How is your golf game?) – “Tua can get me. He got me. (laughter) He’s actually been teaching me because I wasn’t a real golfer but I’m definitely getting better. He’s Tua. Just how he does football is how he does anything. He wants to be perfect. He’ll practice and work at it. He’s definitely out there way more than me hitting golf balls. But that’s offseason stuff. Right now it’s straight ball. I think he’s a great person and a great human. He’s our quarterback. We’re going to protect him at all times.”
Trent Sherfield – August 2, 2022
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
WR Trent Sherfield
(I’ll ask you the question I asked RB Raheem Mostert because you guys have obviously known Head Coach Mike McDaniel for a long time. Every time we have a press conference, he says something that surprises me and I can’t believe a coach said that. Today, he talked about how he wants to be self-aware, that even though he’s the play-caller he doesn’t ever want to be perceived as introverted. He wants to make sure that he has that connection with the players and when he passed by the hallway, he’s still able to connect with them. Tell me about this guy’s emotional intelligence. What do you think about it?) – “I think it’s very, very high. To me, what stands out to me is that he’s the same guy that he was in San Fran. He didn’t come here, get a head-coaching job and then all of a sudden just change. He’s been that way. He’s been that same guy. He’s going to keep you on your toes. He wants to be player interactive. He’s a player-first coach. He’s very aware. He’s aware of his surroundings. He’s a very, very intelligent person. I’m grateful to be playing for him again. The thing that I can respect the most is that he’s still Mike. You can go up and talk to him at any time. He’s not somebody who is going to shield off and doesn’t want to talk or anything like that. He’ll ask you about your family and anything outside of football. That’s the type of person that he is, for sure.”
(I know it’s hard sometimes to think of like a great story or a specific example on the spot because there are so many stories. But can you think of a moment where you were impressed with something you saw or heard that made you feel like he really cares about people?) – “I can’t really think of anything specific. I’ll say one thing that I do notice a lot is when I was in San Fran, we would have the family come to camp just like how we have today, and he was the first one over to his family with his kids, his wife and even today, it was the same exact thing. You could just tell that he’s family-oriented, even with his own family. And he considers us his family as well, too. I think he takes the same exact approach.”
(On if he’s noticed any changes in Head Coach Mike McDaniel from being offensive coordinator to now being head coach) – “No. I have not. The only thing is just calling the plays with a walkie-talkie in his hand. I think that’s it. From a characteristics standpoint, he’s still the same guy, still the same individual. Like I said, player interactive. He’s always going to keep you on your toes, going to toss out a funny joke here or there and that’s Mike. That’s something that you have to respect about him.”
(What’s the benefit to having a coach who is a little more player-friendly? Because a lot of times NFL coaches … like Bill Belichick off the top of my head. So what’s the benefit of having a coach that…) – “I think the benefit is honestly you get the trust from the players. I think you get a little more vulnerability from the players. When I say that, I mean the players are able to go to Mike because Mike’s door is always open. That’s what he always says. We can go to Mike and talk to him about anything. We might want to do this differently or whatever the case may be, Mike is all ears. He’s willing to listen. I think that’s the benefit of having a coach like that because he wants to listen to the players. He wants to do it the players’ way, and also do it his way, but he wants to bring it together and make it a family thing.”
(What’s your favorite thing about working with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “I think my favorite thing about working with Tua is his response. I think that’s my favorite thing. Tua can go out and he can make a mistake and the very next play, he’s out making a much better play – an eye-popping play. I’ve worked with Tua all summer this offseason and it was great to learn from him. He’s a great leader, a great quarterback, and I can’t wait to get out there and play with him.”
(Do you think this season QB Tua Tagovailoa can kind of respond to some of the adversity that he’s had?) – “Absolutely. I think the naysayers and everything are totally in the back of his mind. I think Tua just focuses on himself and getting better day in and day out. Obviously with the weapons that we have now, it’s only going to exemplify the type of quarterback that he is. Tua has been working. Shoot, he faced adversity even at Alabama. So this nothing new to him. It’s just a testament to how he comes day in and day out, shows that he’s willing to work and shows what type of player and what type of leader that he’s going to be.”
(Have you heard QB Tua Tagovailoa play the guitar?) – “No, I haven’t. I have not seen him play that yet. I would love to see that, but I haven’t.”
Mike McDaniel – August 2, 2022
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Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I had a two-part question. First thing was with OL Michael Deiter, do we know if he’ll be ready for the regular season or is it a long-term thing? My second question, one thing we don’t yet know about you as a head coach, we saw something last night that made me think of this. You’re probably aware WR Preston Williams tweeted “Just want an opportunity, shaking my head.” When a player who wants more chances at practice does something like that, do you say something to the player? Do you let it slide? Do you throw him more passes? Do you bake him a cake? What’s your reaction in general when a guy says something like that?) – “Wait, so those are two separate questions, right?”
(They are, so I’m going to pay more in the piggy bank.) – “Alright, so can we go back to the first question? OK, here. To best organize this efficiently, you have two questions. First question.”
(OL Michael Deiter, is he out long term, or will he be ready…) – “I don’t have concern right now with the information that we have about the regular season. So we’ll just let the week play out and see where he’s at at the beginning of next week. Next question was?”
(On WR Preston Williams with his tweet about just wanting an opportunity. What’s your philosophy as a head coach? Do you say something to him and say this is not a good idea? Or do you just let it slide? Does it affect how many passes you throw him?) – “There are – the most pressing needs of the football team – I don’t necessarily see within social media. So I don’t prioritize that necessarily. I do, however, prioritize opportunities for players to follow their dreams. One of the things that (Wide Receivers Coach) Wes Welker and I strongly connect on from our journeys, which were the exact same – we were the same athlete by the way (laughter) – is that we hold with a lot of esteem and responsibility preparing people and giving them opportunities. It’s also the – really looking to the players, too, to understand that every time they’re on the field, the way we do things, it’s a tremendous opportunity for them as well as their teammates who they’re depending on to execute and operate at a high standard. I wouldn’t – people care. People want to do good, so I get that and I don’t really hold much weight to all of that.”
(There was a lot of talk around the league this weekend about guardian caps and the usefulness and if they’re so important, why they do we only wear them for a couple of weeks and are they leading to bad habits. Do you have any stance on it? What do you see from the usage of them? Are guys using them the right way? Do you see the value from…?) – “Once things become mandate, I try not to let things occupy my brain space, whether or not it’s the value of it. It makes sense – it makes sense to me in preparation why it became a mandate, so I don’t really operate outside of that debate just because that’s kind of a wasted brain space for me and for the players. So it’s rule, you’re going to wear them, so I don’t really have a feeling pro or against because of that.”
(How is WR Erik Ezukanma doing?) – “The rookie – the strife of a rookie in the National Football League is so often underestimated and understated. You have to realize that grown men who have been playing NFL seasons for an extended period of time that have been making a living for their family and doing so within the confines of a certain scheme, that is a lot of ground to make up when you enter the league as a rookie. So I’ll start by saying all players, really, by and large, the biggest thing is getting better all the time. You’re not staying stagnant. It’s not if but when you make mistakes, how do you correct them? Rookies especially, I try not to get ahead of myself and look at, ‘Well, he can do X, Y or Z in a month when the regular season starts.’ It’s specifically and it’s no more truer than for rookies, are they improving on things? Are they making the same mistake twice? That’s one exciting thing about Erik, is that he is learning a completely new language at a different speed and temp. The rookie trials are hilarious, I don’t know why it’s not talked about more. The speed of the game, the pass rush, you don’t have much time – the quarterback doesn’t have that much time to operate in the NFL game and nine times out of 10, every rookie receiver that starts minicamp, every single year lines up like four yards off the ball when they’re off the ball. It’s like, that shows you how far they have to come, so it is a tough thing to accomplish, to be able to, in a short period of time. But I’ve been very encouraged with how he’s handled himself and corrected things. The mistakes are changing, they’re not the same ones and that’s what you want. So I’m, happy about that.”
(Pads come on today, how much does that give you a real sense of the run games with more physical blocking in practice?) – “So pads are obviously a big deal, it’s a big part of football. But one thing that I stress to the team this offseason that I truly believe is that if you practice the right way without pads, it’s less significant when they come on. That doesn’t mean they’re not significant; it minimizes how significant it is. I’m very happy with how we practiced without pads, because we deliberately approach it as though we would have it. You put yourself in position to either block or tackle, obviously, it’s not the same and you can’t deliver on the force as much. So it is a very valuable thing. I would have been disappointed if I would have really been eager for the pads to come on. Like ‘Wow, we really can get a look at this.’ I would have been disappointed. The players have really owned how they’ve practiced without pads, so I’m excited but it’s just another step in the process. There are some valuable run-game trench stuff that comes from the backs being able to brace contact. That’s super valuable. So yes, it does help evaluate the run game from blocking stuff. I don’t expect it to change drastically because of the way that we’ve approached and attacked technique on both sides of the ball.”
(Yesterday when we were talking with DT Raekwon Davis, he was mentioning how much better he feels having slimmed down and his quickness and so forth. I’m wondering what you see from him in that regard? Also last week, OL Austin Jackson was saying some of the same things. Were there many players that were asked to slim down for this training camp?) – “It was kind of a concerted effort by the coaching staff, both starting with (Offensive Coordinator) Frank Smith and (Defensive Coordinator) Josh Boyer, but trickling down to each and every position coach and their assistants that the idea is to show them a vision of what we want to be. On both sides of the ball in both retrospects, it behooves a player to be at the maximum athleticism – their maximum explosion, their maximum speed with flexibility, all of those things. We did, I think, a good job in the offseason kind of really painting that picture for them, and it’s to the player’s credit that they’ve said, ‘You know what? I’m all into this. I’m all in for this. My career does mean something to me, and I don’t want to have regrets after my career, saying what if I was X, Y or Z?’ So that’s the thing – it wasn’t like a straight mandate you have to go and be this that or whatever. It was kind of a play on my firm belief that players, just like coaches, just like people, they want to be their best. So if you show them without a shadow of a doubt that X gets them to that spot, if they’re the right type of people that you’d want to have on the team, they will respond and get to that point that best fits their physical prowess.”
(The team announced it was going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the undefeated 1972 team and obviously Larry Csonka spoke to you guys. I’m just curious as you kind of were growing up in the game just what did you know about the 1972 team, and now that you’re a member of the organization, what have you learned about that team?) – “I remember vividly 11 years before I was in the womb. (laughter) No, who doesn’t – you’re talking every single year of my life, like clockwork. Chris Berman, ESPN, graphics – they evolved over time, but the champagne bottles pop – it’s kind of in the narrative and that’s what’s unique about that team, is that it carries annual credence when everyone fails to duplicate what they did. So I think it also goes to show that particular team; one thing that I think is something that each and every player in the league and every team – but most importantly this team – understands is what one year and one team can do, the ramifications that can have for the rest of your life. That’s the thing that’s really overwhelming to me is these people are bonded forever. I was talking to Larry (Csonka) about some of his nonverbal communication with some of the people he played with on that team, how that’s still present today. It’s like the wife look like – or whatever. You can talk without talking. And how powerful and cool is that to ever be present in the moment in your life knowing that it’s going to have residuals for the rest of it. I think that’s something that we should be proud of as a team, that we understand and are proud to be coaching this team when we’re celebrating it and to be able to be connected with them in one way, shape or form is a privilege to us that we do not take lightly.”
(I did not mean to insinuate that you were born or alive during that time, by the way. Just making sure.) – “Yeah, I mean I thought I’d been aging all right, but… (laughter)”
(Along those lines, did you ever cross paths with Coach Shula?) – “I did not unfortunately, no. Obviously I wish I would have. It would have been an honor, but really there were a lot of years that I was a Broncos fan and I was like, ‘wow, they’re better than us.’ (laughter) There were a lot of years that was occurring. But no I unfortunately did not.”
(WR Tyreek Hill said earlier that him and WR Jaylen Waddle are the fastest duo in the NFL. First of all, obviously that’s seen as a luxury having that much speed, but can you talk – are there any difficulties in scheming that up, having that much speed on the field?) – “It’s kind of like the difficulties – the guy who has three yachts has deciding which yacht to pick. No, there’s not difficulties with that. It’s very desirable. We’re very fortunate and whether – I think competitive players that are willing to go out and say, ‘yeah, we’re the fastest in the league,’ – those are guys that are competitive that are willing and want to prove it. And regardless of skillset, you have players like that on your team and you feel pretty good about it. There’s no – you don’t need a shed a tear for our problems with our speed decisions, but to me I think – they talk about their speed a lot which is cool, but they’re also fast football players that block, that do the things that teammates need to do. When they’re called upon to be a fast electric decoy, they do that. I think that they’re not fast guys, they’re fast football players and that’s the coolest part about them and why we don’t really have issues.”
(Speaking of Tyreek, do you agree that they’re the fastest duo in NFL history?) – “I agree that I’m excited to see them prove one way or the other that being the case. (laughter) I’m definitely not going to say that they’re not, but I’m definitely not going to say they are either. That’s for them to prove, which they know and they’re excited about, but that’s for them to prove on Sundays.”
(What was your reaction on QB Tua Tagovailoa’s bomb to WR Tyreek Hill?) – “What was my reaction? My reaction was they did exactly what I told them to do. (laughter) No, that’s not the first time and it won’t be the last that they’ll connect like that. I was pumped because the exciting part to me was that Tua did it at the appropriate time. He wasn’t just throwing a long ball. He read the defense and that’s what he felt and he did it with conviction. If you guys watch it, he did it in one-hitch timing which is kind of how we want the quarterback to do it, but the reaction was what’s the next play because I think everyone would be disappointed if we were satisfied with that. That’s what we’re supposed to do when it’s there and let’s go execute the next play.”
(Who has the fastest timed speed in training camp so far?) – “It’s funny because every time that Tyreek (Hill) isn’t the fastest guy on the practice field, I make a huge deal with the team. I build it up like, ‘Tyreek, congratulations, man. You’ve been working so hard. You got third.’ (laughter) ‘Like, we’re all so happy for you.’ And he gets… but I did it enough where it pushed him to – Tyreek entered into the 23s (miles per hour) which you don’t really see that often at practice and all this speed talk is just making him go faster, so write what you will.”
(You’ve talked a lot about how you see your job as maximizing the dreams of everyone in the building. You’re in the building, too. I’m curious what conditions do you feel help you to best maximize your dreams?) – “Honestly, I don’t talk about it much, but the people that hired me – I’m talking about the owner Steve Ross, Chris Grier, Brandon Shore, Tom Garfinkel – and this atmosphere with everyone in this building provided the perfect atmosphere for me to be who I was. It was what kind of what was described to me they kind of needed and they knew when they were hiring me that they were hiring me and not some version copycat of somebody else, so I think this place more so than I’ve ever felt really in my career; I feel most at home, most myself, which is for anyone kind of speaks to the type of culture we’re hoping to perpetuate. There’s an attachment to that and there’s a feeling that you can be your best self and get the most out of you in those types of situations.”
(What’s been the biggest adjustment for you personally going from offensive coordinator to head coach in training camp?) – “I mean, there’s been no adjustment. (laughter) The biggest adjustment – I’m very conscientious of the people that I don’t get to have heavy discourse with on a day-to-day basis, but who still their days are affected by how I treat them. So as an offensive coordinator, I think you can get a little more cerebral and focused and introverted with conceptual things, football X’s and O’s. And as a head coach, I think it’s very important that you don’t lose yourself within yourself in that way because somebody passes your office in the hallway and you are thinking about something, you just give them a little nod and that’s out of character of how you usually address them, now you’ve just negatively impacted their day for the rest of it which isn’t – to me, that’s not me doing a good job. My job is to maximize, not to ever inhibit. So that is a change. I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of people do that at a high level and have been on the other end of it, but it is something that I have to be mindful of every day. Otherwise I’ll be mad at myself and none of us want that.”
Zach Sieler and Raekwon Davis – August 1, 2022
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Monday, August 1, 2022
DT Zach Sieler and DT Raekwon Davis
Zach Sieler:
(We got a chance to talk to Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark and I asked him a little bit about you and DT Christian Wilkins getting extra work in. He talked about you guys kind of recognizing when something doesn’t go right in practice and you come over off to the side afterwards and work on it. Just wanted to get your perspective on kind of that mindset – you and Christian working after practice.) – “Yeah, I think being with (Austin) Clark and just the d-line in general for so many – two or three years now – it’s one of those things that as soon as it happens, you kind of know, ‘oh shoot, my hand wasn’t right in that play or I had a bad step.’ So we kind of both will sit there and he’ll run off and I’ll tell him something and I’ll run off and tell him, ‘hey man, you messed that up.’ And we’ll make sure we focus on that after to really try and hone-in on that.”
(How long do you feel like it took you to get to that place where you could recognize it that quickly and apply it later?) – “I think we’re still getting there. We’re still improving, but just the Austin (Clark) and the Pete Jenkins stuff has really been integral in our progress, I think, in teaching us kind of what we’re looking for.”
(They don’t the put the contact lenses on the really, really fast guys like you?) – “No. Yeah, apparently we don’t need to see like the receivers. (laughter)”
(When the fans were out here on Saturday it was crazy and you sent the two rookies out here to practice the pump-up. You guys are having fun, aren’t you?) – “Yeah, I think it’s a mentality that Coach McDaniel is installing where it’s we’re here to work and get better every play, but we’re having fun when we do it. And making sure we improve and learn every time, but you’re not just here just grinding and upset. So just trying to make the atmosphere a good work environment and everyone wants to get better.”
(Would you say it’s beneficial the way you guys do shorter reps but more efficient reps? Do you sense at the end of the day it’s different or…) – “I think it’s definitely – my legs sense it. (laughter) The quick turnaround, I think it’s really good for us, especially down here getting the conditioning in and getting the extra reps in quicker really helps us with our wind.”
(What do you think about getting pads on next practice?) – “Oh, we’re excited. It’ll be nice to get out here and really kind of start going and see what everyone’s made of.”
(Do you like that, I assume, as defensive linemen and the physical…?) – “Oh yeah, we’re in the trenches every day. It’s why you play football.”
(Has DT Raekwon Davis gone back out to the gator farm yet since his last appearance out there?) – “I don’t think so. I think he’s still trying to stay away from that.”
(There he is.)
Raekwon Davis: “Hey, buddy.”
Sieler: “Hey, bud.”
(How is he progressing here in Year 3?) – “He’s doing great. He’s seeing blocks. He’s seeing his reads. He’s looking slim, feeling good, yeah. I think it’s been going really well.”
(Do you want to go back out to the farm and get some more gator action? Some hog hunting maybe?)
Davis: “Yeah, if he invites me. I’ve never been. (laughter) I’ve never been yet.”
(What was the episode of Fish Out of Water this summer?) – Davis: “That was like the Everglades.”
(Did you see it, Zach?) – Sieler: “Oh yeah, I did. Oh yeah. He was driving the boat.”
(Was he a pretty good gladesman?) – Sieler: “Oh yeah, it looked like it. (laughter)”
Davis: “That was my first time driving an airboat. You know how to drive one of those?”
Sieler: “Oh yeah.”
Davis: “It’s crazy.”
Davis: “Go ahead. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Sieler: “No, you’re good, bro. They probably want to talk to you anyways.”
Davis: “No, they want to talk to you. (laughter) Superstar right here, baby.”
Raekwon Davis:
(We talked to Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark today. He said this is the best shape the best shape you’ve been in. He said you lost significant body fat and weight. Are you able to share with us, is it 10 pounds you lost, 3 percent body fat, what range?) – “I’ll start off by saying I started like, a meal prep. I got my diet better first. I started with that. I started more cardio. Even after practice, I do my cardio, stay on top of my shape. Because I’m a big guy so it’s so easy for me to like, consume weight, to put on that weight, so I just try to do my best to maintain it throughout the camp and try to have it right there to have it at for the season.”
(Where are you now?) – “I’m a great weight. How about that? (laughter) I’m at a great weight. I’m at a real, real great weight, you know. I ain’t going to say, but…”
(Lightest since – without giving a number which is fine, of course – lightest you’ve been since when?) – “I’d say, like, my sophomore year at Alabama. Yeah, sophomore year. I’m going towards that, to that weight. I’m not going to say I’m fully there, but I’m close to being that weight.”
(What difference do you feel on the field playing at this new weight?) – “Man, I ain’t going to lie to y’all. It feels like having – you ever have like, a weight vest? Like running with a weight vest on? It feels like that – like you just took that weight vest off. I feel loose. I feel like I can really move now.”
(Did you cut anything out of your diet that you miss?) – “I never ate bad. I was just like a big snacker. I just like to snack because my kids like to – I see my kids eating snacks and I feel like, ‘gimme some!’ (laughter) Like I want some of that, too, you know what I’m saying? But yeah, I just had to relax on that.”
(Do you feel faster because this offense…?) – “Yeah, so when I came in OTAs, you know how he just put the new zone, like the real quick zone in. I got in there and I was like, ‘wow, I’ve got to really come back to camp prepared. Be quicker, because them guys are quick.’ Connor’s quick. Connor Williams is quick. He’s a fast guy, strong guy. He’s quick.”
(Are you looking forward to seeing how quick they really are when you put pads on tomorrow?) – “Yeah, I mean, yeah. You put your hands on them and that’s a different story. (laughter)”
(Is that – the first day of pads – you guys on the line, do you look forward to it more than anybody else?) – “Just looking forward to both sides of the ball just making plays. Just making big plays. I know they’re going to get a couple good plays. I know I’m going to get a couple good plays. Just making each other better. Just getting better.”
(Do you feel that buildup leading to the first day of pads? Is that something you guys are itching to kind of start having more contact?) – “Yeah, we’ve been in the locker room, we’ve been talking about it. We’re itching for it. Tomorrow’s that day. It’s here.”
(You talked about the weight difference in terms of speed. How is it affecting you in terms of power?) – “Nothing at all. I’m just a naturally strong guy. That’s just me. That’s just like my second nature. I’m always strong.”
(Him, too.) – “Yeah, powerful guy. Just God gave me that tool.”
(You want to arm wrestle.) – “You might beat me though. You might beat me, so I don’t want to arm wrestle. You look kind of big. (laughter)”
(You mentioned OL Connor Williams with the speed at center. Does he look to you yet like an NFL center even though he hasn’t done it a ton in his life?) – “Bro, listen. When Connor first got here – because I felt like zone, quick zoning was something I really struggled with – and when Connor got here, he really made me better as a player, quick zoning, the type of blocks they do. I’ve been so much better ever since he’s been here. But yeah, he’s a great center. He’s great, bro. He’s very good. He’s been good ever since he’s been here.”
(You mentioned weight at the top. Does training camp, sweating out here, do you ever change your meal plan or how you manage your weight at all given how much you guys are losing weight-wise, probably?) – “I’m still doing my meal preps. I still do my meal preps when I’m in camp. I still do them. I eat a little bit like, here, but I’m still on my meal prep.”
Myles Gaskin – August 1, 2022
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Monday, August 1, 2022
RB Myles Gaskin
(On the difference in speed on offense this year) – “Yes, you said it, man. Just everything is moving fast. A faster pace. Guys are coming together, obviously. It was a big offseason for us as the Dolphins. I think it’s finally coming together. Obviously we were just all excited to get back in here for camp and everything. Being here has just been a lot of fun, learning this playbook, getting out here and running these plays, seeing these new guys, getting to see ‘Cheetah’ (Tyreek Hill) out here. Man, it’s a lot of fun and a lot of excitement for us.”
(What is the speed like? You see it firsthand. We only see it from far away?) – “What’s the speed like? I’ve never been in an offense that moves like this. The o-linemen are going. We’re racing every day. Everybody wants to be the fastest guy out there, every single day. It’s a competition. I mean, that’s what you want in the league. Compete every single day with your teammates and it’s going to translate to Sunday.”
(Almost every offense you’ve kind of been in, you’ve been the fastest guy, right? What’s that kind of like to have other guys like this here?) – “That’s the competition part of it. Bringing in the guys that we brought in, just real fast guys and guys that have been in this system before. It’s just excited being able to learn from these guys. It’s exciting. I can’t elaborate that enough, but it’s been fun. It’s fun.”
(For you personally, how does this system fit your skillset compared to last year’s system?) – “I think it fits my skillset. I think – it is what it is. At the end of the day, you get a playbook, you learn how to run how they want you to run, but at the same time, you continue to be yourself. All of us are here for a reason. So you take the coaching points and then try to translate them to your game and how you can excel like that. Every system is always a little bit different. Coaches want a little bit something (different) from others, but at the end of the day, it’s football. I think this one, a lot of outside zone and that type of stuff, it’s been good for me.”
(RB Chase Edmonds about transitioning from inside to outside and some of the thought process and some of the difficulties there. I’m curious with your experience how you’ve kind of evolved switching to the outside zone scheme?) – “Every year I’ve been in the league, I’ve had a different ‘OC’ (offensive coordinator), a different system. So I guess it’s just the new one this year. I know I do like this one the most. Just getting guys out there running, we have athletic guys up front, and that’s what we want to do. Everybody on the team has bought into that as an offense. Once everybody is kind of pointing and facing the same direction, that’s what you want. It’s going to make it easier for everybody.”
(You mentioned the fun you’re having. It was kind of a fun moment before practice where you had guys coming over and pumping the non-existent crowd. Moments like that, is it as fun as it seems from the outside? Does it feel like that?) – “(laughter) The rookies. Definitely, definitely. I think being an older guy now, you get to see the rookies come in. You see how they’re a little bit nervous the first day and they loosen up and then you get to see their personality. Coach (McDaniel) definitely brings a type of vibe. The whole coaching staff brings a different type of vibe than honestly I’m used to in kind of all the years I’ve played football, but it’s exciting. It’s exciting. He’s a young dude, and he kind of speaks our language. It’s exciting – he relates. He relates to us. I think when you have that, guys just want to play for him. Guys want to make plays for themselves, obviously, and for this team, but also for the coach.”
(WR Jaylen Waddle talked of tinted contact lenses. Are you wearing those?) – “Yes, that’s why my eyes are red. I don’t know if y’all can see it. It’s just my eyes have just gotten a little bit sensitive to light, moving from Seattle. It was always grey all the time, and then I got out here and the last couple years and I’ve been sensitive to light. It’s been helping for me.”
(How does it help?) – “It just kind of dims it down. It just kind of dims how bright it is down, just kind of like having a tinted visor but just contacts.”
(How did the rookies do in the fake pump-up?) – “We’ve got some work to do. They’ve got some work to do. (laughter) Good thing we didn’t have anybody out there today. So that was the practice for practice tomorrow, you know?”
(How does it feel knowing that this offseason, they added RB Raheem Mostert, RB Sony Michel, RB Chase Edmonds? How does that feel? How does that impact you?) – “I’m always excited about competition, and I’m always excited about learning from other guys. I think me and Chase (Edmonds) are kind of built the same. Smaller guys, run the ball kind of similar, so I like kind of watching him play and see how he plays. When we talk and when we come outside, how he talks to me and how I’m talking to him. Raheem (Mostert), he’s been in the system before, and he’s excelled before. Sony (Michel) has won Super Bowls. So I think that we brought in good guys that I can learn from and everybody can learn from in the room. I think those guys learn from each other and that’s what you want. You want a room that everybody wants to get better, everybody wants to compete but is not selfish. That’s football.”
Connor Williams – August 1, 2022
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Monday, August 1, 2022
OL Connor Williams
(Through five practice and all of OTAs, how would you assess where you stand in the move to center? Are you pleased with what you put on tape? Are you pleased with how it’s going?) – “It’s training camp. It’s one day at a time. It’s a day at a time getting better, working on your craft, fine-tuning your craft. We’re in day five and we’re grinding right now. It’s all about the grind.”
(What did you do between minicamp and training camp to kind of acclimate to playing center?) – “Really, just stayed in the building, worked with the strength staff, worked with the people in the building to get close to everybody and just get used to this heat. That’s probably the biggest transition. Just getting comfortable with the spot, with the snaps and everything, and getting snaps in with Tua (Tagovailoa). Just getting comfortable with it.”
(When people think about playing center, obviously your mind goes to getting used to snapping the ball. But what else goes into that people may not think about?) – “I’d say it’s a completely different game. You’re having to help both sides of the line. You’re not just stuck on (one) side anymore. It’s a more full game, but at the same time, you have to conceptualize the defense and everything to be able to make the right calls. Just playing that new head game and everything. Then like you said with the snaps, once you get the snaps down, it’s just a second-hand motion.”
(With snapping, are you happy with how you’ve done? Are you where you want to be with the placement of the snaps?) – “It’s definitely progressed. It becomes second-hand where you’re not thinking about it and you’re throwing it back there and it hits the money.”
(How many snaps are you doing per day out of shotgun?) – “I don’t count them but a good handful. And then definitely some after practice, so just getting that repetition down.”
(The first time the Dolphins told you that they wanted to give you a good look at center was when?) – “They signed me and I was happy to be here, and they said we picked you to play o-line so I came here. Then they called me a couple of weeks later and said ‘we think we’re going to give you a good tryout at center.’ Wherever they need me, I’ve always said from day one that I’d go. I’m happy with where I’m at now.”
(On the snaps that haven’t been exactly where you want them, have they been more too high or too low?) – “It’s just in the heat of the moment having to adjust to the defensive calls and everything and they just get off a little bit. Just having to readjust it. Just fine-tuning.”
(The last couple of practices we finally got some one-on-one pass rush o-line drills. How much do you guys love getting after it in those drills?) – “That fine-tunes the craft. Definitely an environment like that where it’s just completely one-on-one and no sideboards or anything. It comes down to technique. That’s where you become a technician with the person you’re going against and it’s good looks for both sides.”
(Has anybody stood out on defense in those drills?) – “You know, Raekwon (Davis) is pretty big so he’s a good hand to handle. He’s done a great job and we’ve been battling it out.”
(This really starts tomorrow right? You guys put the pads on.) – “The d-line can grab and hold on the jerseys, but once the pads come on, it’s a different game. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”
(Obviously fine-tuning the snap and then center is also different with pads on, right?) – “It’s a little bit different, but at the same time, it’s the same game. It’s the same sport.”
(As a youngster or in high school, have you played center?) – “I’ve been in QC since I’ve gotten into the league just as backup and whatnot in case of an emergency. So just doing that. But at the end of the day, snapping is not too bad. It’s second-hand nature once you get used to it.”
(Can you talk about what is going to be new to you now is making the calls when you walk up. That is a new responsibility that you’ve inherited by playing center. Can you talk about the responsibility of that now? Now you’re in charge of making the calls.) – “That’s definitely been a transition and I’ve enjoyed it. Playing four years in the league and seeing all of these different defenses, you kind of accumulate the knowledge of it. That’s probably the big thing about it, but I’ve really enjoyed that process of seeing the defense and seeing the plays come together.”
(Do you feel like that will help you transition to making the calls yourself?) – “Most definitely.”
(Has there ever been a day going back to May, June or the first five days of camp where you walked off the field and said ‘I wish I was at left guard?’ Or has that never happened? Has it been fun and enjoyable every day?) – “You come out here and you give it your best every day, no matter where you are. We’re all competitors and we’re all athletes. Whatever our craft is we’re working on, that’s the goal. There is no time to sit there and look back or look at other spots or whatnot. It’s about being present in the moment.”
(This has still been fun for you, this adjustment?) – “Most definitely. I love it.”
(We were talking to DT Raekwon Davis about weight. I’m curious how you’ve gone about that process? We know you lose a lot of weight out here. How do you get to your ideal weight?) – “I’ve stayed about the same weight. It’s mostly about rehydrating, about getting those waters in afterwards, maybe an IV or whatnot. But you have to keep the hydration up and keep the salt in so when you come out here, you (may) lose eight pounds. Just keeping it up.”
(Some guys said they come in heavier or lighter knowing they have to get to a certain weight. Do you have any strategy coming in like you know you’ll lose a certain amount of weight?) – “The salt helps you retain a lot of water. You’ll be up three or four pounds in the morning just from retaining all of that water that you lose by the end of the day.”
(What do you think they saw in you to move you to center? What in your skillset said he’s a center?) – “I think inside it’s more about being able to help both sides. Mobility, flexibility, being able to get to the blocks, and at the same time, get to the second levels and be able to move quickly on the second level. I think it’s been a good transition.”
