Brian Flores – August 18, 2020
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Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Head Coach Brian Flores
(What type of growth do you hope to see from WR DeVante Parker this year and what are the areas where he can improve his game and contributions to the team?) – “Obviously DeVante had a solid year last year. What I liked about him over the course of the offseason, virtual meetings, it just seemed like he was – I know he was working extremely hard from a conditioning standpoint, catching balls, route-running. I’m hoping to see improvements in all of those areas – catching the football, route-running, obviously it’s a new offense so understanding his position and a few different positions offensively. I think he’s done a good job. I think we’re still in the early stages here. I think he’s feeling more comfortable within the offense and he just needs to keep stringing good days together. I’m very pleased with DeVante thus far.”
(I know you want competition everywhere on the roster. I’m wondering where you see the most interesting competitions in the roster and does that involve rookies?) – “I would say it certainly involves the rookies. I think there are – we brought in some free agents, we brought in some rookies, we have some holdovers from last year, so I think there’s a lot of competition on the team – o-line, d-line, secondary, receivers, quarterback, running back. We tried to create a situation where there was competition everywhere, like you said. I’m anxious to see who rises to the top at all positions. It will be a good two weeks here in pads – three weeks – so 14 padded days (and) we have 13 left. I thought yesterday was a good day of fundamentals and technique, running the football, getting in and out of the huddle, communication. I thought the guys did a good job from that standpoint. Hopefully we’ll build on that. From a competition standpoint, we want it at every position. We feel like we kind of created a situation where there would be a lot of competition. The guys we feel best about are the guys who are going to play; but we have a long way to go until we get there. Well, not a long ways. It’s right around the corner.”
(I wanted to ask you about S Eric Rowe and the decision last year to move him to safety. How was it received from his end and how do you look back on it now? Is that one of the best moves you can recall making as a coach?) – “Well, Eric is a team guy. That wasn’t my decision. That was actually (Defensive Coordinator) Josh Boyer’s idea. It was something that he thought would be a good fit for Eric. He’s coached Eric. He’s spent a lot of time with him and obviously Josh felt like – we had a conversation about him. It wasn’t a thought I had. He had been playing corner really his entire career and I thought it was an interesting move, so we made it. There were some bumps early on but Eric worked at it, he watched a lot of film (and) he improved over the course of last season. He’s still early at the position. He’s still pretty new at that position but you could see some growth there even in these early stages of training camp. From a communication standpoint, playing corner and safety is very different. There’s still some things that he can improve on from that standpoint, but he does a lot of good things. Hopefully we can build on some of the things we did a year ago and continue to improve the fundamentals and techniques, the tackling, the communication at the safety position. We’re pleased with Eric, as well.”
(Whether it’s a long way to go or right around the corner, Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer definitely have their roles to play in helping you lead this team. What can you say from their work that they’ve done so far to let you know that they were the right moves to make for your coaching staff this offseason?) – “It’s Chan, Josh, (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny Crossman, it’s the entire coaching staff. There’s no one person on a team that is the reason behind good, bad or ugly. It’s a team effort. We try to talk to the players about that. With there being 11 guys on the field, it’s the same as the coaching staff. Obviously Chan, Josh, Danny – they’re the leaders of offense, defense and special teams. I think they all do a really good job – and have done that thus far – of trying to implement a scheme under the current circumstances and teach the fundamentals, teach the techniques, teach the basic terminology – offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. The virtual period was good but now getting them out on the field for walkthroughs and practice and seeing it live and seeing who can learn and who learns better in the classroom – does it translate to the field? Some have been better from in the classroom – they weren’t as good in the classroom and they’re better on the field; and some guys, it was better in the classroom and it doesn’t look as good on the field. We’ve just got to work through it. Every player is a little bit different. I think Chan, Josh and Danny have a good grasp of trying to figure out the best way that each individual player learns, and trying to find the best 11 guys or combination of players. I think they work at it. They work extremely hard at it. Obviously I’m part of those conversations; but yeah, I’m pleased with those guys.”
(With the pandemic, one of the challenges for players has just been to stay in shape, and now you’ve got the limited scheduling in training camp – the limited practice scheduling. How satisfied and how comfortable are you with your team’s conditioning given all of this?) – “There’s always room for improvement but I would say by and large, most of these guys came in in fairly good condition. Obviously there’s some guys who need some extra conditioning and need to work at it. I’ve been – I don’t know if you want to call it surprised, but I think for the most part, I think these guys are working. I think they were working in their garages, wherever they could during the quarantine. But we still have a long way to go. We do. A lot of that is – for us as coaches, let’s make sure we’re hydrating. Let’s make sure we’re (using the) cold tubs and hot tubs and doing all of the things off the field correctly, so that we can get out there and practice and work the fundamentals and techniques and get better. There’s a lot this year. Let’s do a good job off the field from a protocol standpoint as far as wearing a mask and distancing and trying to quarantine as much as you can; but it’s also from a football standpoint, let’s hydrate, let’s stretch, let’s do some extra conditioning on your own. I think they all understand that there was no offseason program. We didn’t have OTAs or minicamp. Specifically for the young guys, this will be the least amount of practice or OTAs probably in NFL history for these rookies – for any rookie class. Just knowing that and understanding that and putting some extra work in, I think our guys have done that. It’s one thing to do it for two or three days. It’s another thing to string together two to three weeks, months, etc. That’s the goal for us and we’ll continue to hit that as a coaching staff. Hopefully our players will do those things.”
(With CB Xavien Howard still on PUP with the knee injury, given how close the season is, do you have to prepare as if he won’t be ready for you guys Week 1?) – “There’s a lot of competition at that position with Byron (Jones) to Noah (Igbinoghene) to Nik Needham to Jamal Perry to Tae Hayes to Ken Webster. There’s a lot of competition. We’re kind of focused on the guys who are here. Obviously Xavien is one of our top players so we’re hoping to get him back as soon as we can. He’s on COVID/IR right now and we’re just working through the protocols from that standpoint. To answer your question, as of right now, we’re working without him. As far as answering that specific question, yes, we have to. It’s really our only option. But as far as the season goes, we’re really just taking this one day at a time. Yeah, we’re working without ‘X’ right now. When he comes back, that might be a different conversation. I hope that answers your question.”
(RB Malcolm Perry is an intriguing guy to me because of his versatility and his college production. What part of his skillset do you think might translate well to the receiver position?) – “He’s got good quickness. He’s got good hands. He’s an instinctive player. He’s just got good feel for the game. But look, he’s a college quarterback. The receiver position, the running back position, they’re all different. We’re asking him to do a few different things. The techniques, the fundamentals, playing at this level for a rookie against a higher level of competition, getting used to that, getting used to the speed of the game – all of those things, that’s kind of what he’s going through and really all of the rookies are going through right now. I think so far he’s done a good job, but we really have a long way to go in a short amount of time. He’s doing a good job but he loves to play. He loves to compete. There’s a lot of things we like about him. We’ll see how this shakes. Obviously there’s a lot of competition in the wide receiver room as well.”
(You’re really good at challenging guys and getting the most out of them by pushing buttons. What do you have to do with WR DeVante Parker this year to make sure it’s not just a one-year wonder with him?) – “With DeVante, I don’t really have to push many buttons. He’s a self-starter. He’s self-motivated. He’s a competitive guy. I think he pushes himself and occasionally I’ll find the right buttons to push. For him, there really aren’t many. That’s been my experience over the last 18 months. I like where he’s at. If I feel like he needs a nudge, I’ll give it to him. I don’t have a problem doing that. He’s a motivated young man. I don’t – there are other players who may need a nudge. He’s one who competes every day.”
(I wanted to ask you about S Kavon Frazier. He was a late addition to the team. We saw him out there yesterday working with a prominent group. What is your vision for him and what does he add to the defense?) – “Well, Kavon we got as a free agent. He played in Dallas. He’s tough, he’s fast, he’s had a lot of production in the kicking game. I liked him coming out of college. (He’s) smart. He’s done a good job thus far. He’s a physical player. Right now, we’re working a lot of guys in a lot of different groups, just trying to find the right combination of players. He’s shown up positively so far in the OTAs and the walkthroughs and now one padded practice. I’m happy with where he’s at and hopefully we can continue to grow and improve over the course of training camp. He has some experience in this league, provides some leaderships – or has the potential to provide some leadership. We’re pleased with him as well.”
Jerome Baker – August 17, 2020
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Monday, August 17, 2020
LB Jerome Baker
(How was the first day of practice?) – “It was good. Everybody was excited. It was hot, like always; but I was definitely excited.”
(We’ve seen the Dolphins post some videos of you – your normal energetic self. Have you taken pride in being that role – the Energizer bunny, so to speak – for guys in this difficult time coming back to football?) – “Oh yeah, definitely. Before everything that happened – I like being that energy. I like being just my fun self. It’s still football. It’s still a game we all love and it’s definitely something we all just have fun doing, so I try to be that and show pretty much anybody that it’s still a fun game.”
(There’s another year for you to be a team leader and a team captain, especially on this defense. How do you take this role into the second season that you’re going to be in it?) – “For me, I kind of just take it day by day in the sense of I just try to be myself. I try to get better every day, help this team in every way, and that’s my approach every day – just doing anything and everything I can. It’s all to help us win, so that’s just how I take it.
(How did the virus make today different?) – “There’s a lot of safety protocols, but when you’re on the field, it’s still football. You go hard. You don’t really think about anything like that; so for me, once we touch the field it’s still football. It’s still just go hard in everything you do and off the field, our medical team, they do a great job of taking care of us. That is my approach. When you’re on the field, just play football.”
(What is your vision for this Dolphins defense in 2020 and how do you feel you guys have grown and improved from last year?) – “Honestly, we’ve just got to build off of what we did last year and that’s just kind of our approach to – today was our first day in pads, we’re going to watch this film and tomorrow we’re just going to get better every day. Honestly, if we really do that, we’ll definitely be a good defense. So that’s just going to be our approach for now, just take every day as the days come and honestly we’ll be all right.”
(I’m sure you want to do as much overall improvement in your game as possible; but if I could pin you down into one thing that you’re focusing on that you hope is a better version of Baker this year than last year, what is that main focus you have?) – “One thing I’m definitely working on is my pad level. This offseason, that’s what I’ve been working on every practice. I really am just conscious of my pad level. Yeah, that’s just like the one thing I’ve been focusing on; but every day I try to work on something new. I just try to ultimately get my game better as best as I can, so this offseason I would definitely say my pad level.”
(You spent some time on the COVID-19 list. How was that experience? Was it shocking when you were put on it? How did you manage it and how are you feeling now?) – “It is what it was, but (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) and those guys – our medical staff – they did a great job of just taking care of me, making sure I had everything I needed and honestly it was just, I really just wanted to make sure our team was safe, so I stayed home and pretty much just watched our Zoom meetings and did that. It was definitely unique, but I got through it.”
(I wanted to ask you about LB Kyle Van Noy’s experience doing some of the same things you do. He just told us he was a bit of a dying breed in terms of a guy that can do a little bit of everything and being one of those guys yourself, how much does his knowledge and experience in this defense help you in that regard?) – “It helps me every day. Kyle, since the day he walked in, he’s kind of just been in my ear about anything and everything – if it’s on the field, if it’s off the field, whatever it was – he’s definitely been a great mentor, just an older vet, so I definitely appreciate that. I always make fun of him because I think he’s like the second-oldest player on the team. He’s definitely unique, but he’s a great person and also a great player.”
(I’m wondering if there’s anything that you learned about this team today, the first time you’ve been in pads?) – “I don’t know yet. We still didn’t watch the film yet, but guys just went hard. I think that was the big thing. We just went hard. We did everything we did as hard as we possibly can and it might not be perfect, but we definitely got better today.”
(Just the value of having linebackers who are skilled in coverage – obviously you do that well. LB Kyle Van Noy, he can do a ton of things. He has good metrics in pass coverage. LB Kamu Grugier-Hill did in Philadelphia. What’s the value of that?) – “It’s a great thing. He can definitely mix it up as far as our defense; but also it just adds to our overall depth in our linebacker room and it definitely helps us. It’s kind of cool that we all just kind of pick each other’s game and help each other get better. It’s definitely a fun aspect.”
(I know a lot of times defenders have competitions when there’s a new quarterback, especially a rookie quarterback, on who gets the first interception off of him. Do you guys have anything of that sort?) – “(laughter) No, we don’t have anything like that, but I definitely – not just the rookie quarterbacks, but pretty much any quarterback – I talk a little stuff here and there. That’s just what I do. That’s just how I play the game. We don’t have anything yet, but if we do, hopefully I’m the first one. (laughter)”
Kyle Van Noy – August 17, 2020
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Monday, August 17, 2020
LB Kyle Van Noy
(Last week you talked about how hot it is down here. How are you adjusting and do you have a full grab of just the conditions and surroundings?) – “It’s hot as (explicit). (laughter) But we’re working through it, I’m working through it, getting used to it. A lot of you guys that have been here are already used to it. It’s a learning curve for me, and I’m just taking it one day at a time right now.”
(How has it been, the first day out there, to hit somebody? I know you guys have been ramped up for a while and just doing OTA-type practices. What was it like to hit somebody for the first time?) – “It felt good, it felt good to get back at it. I haven’t been able to hit somebody until December, January or whatever it was. To be out there, competing with the guys, is always good. There’s a different type of feel in the building all day, the ramp up to get out there and hit. Guys were flying around, guys were enjoying it, having a good time. It was a good practice, I think. It’s something to build on. We want to be physical and fast and play at a high level. What a great way to start, to put on them pads and get it cracking.”
(Someone that rushes from so many gaps like you do, how helpful is it to have the size of guys like DE Emmanuel Ogbah and DE Shaq Lawson off the edge to help create better rush lanes for you?) – “I’d say as a whole – I wouldn’t just say those two guys because collectively it takes the whole 11 – guys covering, to have the secondary like we have, to have the linebackers that can cover like we have, it takes all 11 of us to be on the same page, covering and rushing. I think if we just get it going on the same page, at a consistently high standard, I think we’ll be alright. Those two guys are big dudes and I think they’re going to get after the passer pretty good this year.”
(I’m wondering if you’ve learned anything about this team today that you didn’t know before you put the pads on?) – “That’s such a hard question. (laughter) It’s only Day 1. I can’t answer that. It’s a secret. (laughter) I don’t know we’ll see. I learned that I’ve got to get better, how about that.”
(When we talked to Head Coach Brian Flores before practice, I asked him if he felt like you guys were ready to put on pads with the shortened offseason. Did you guys feel like it was time to start hitting before or did you feel that maybe there could’ve been more things to perfect before putting on pads today?) – “That’s a good question. I think we were ready. I think guys were scratching. I think some guys are obviously ready on day one, and some guys it might take them a little while. But I think collectively, we are ready as a group. We’re hungry. We want to get better. We want to get up to speed with all of the new guys, including myself. Older guys want to get back up to playing at a high level. It’s just coming together as a team. During this training camp, this grind period, you get to see who people are all about. You get to see what type of team you have. Obviously, that team is going to continue to grow during the season; but this is the time to lay that foundation. To do it with this young group of guys, it’s fun. I’m excited, rejuvenated, let’s go.”
(I wanted to ask you about the COVID angle. Did you at all think about it when you were out there on the field, hitting these guys…? Is that something that crossed your mind?) – “The first time I thought about it was you bringing it up right now. You don’t really think about it. Obviously when you get done off the field, you want to do the necessary things to stay healthy, sanitize, all of those good things.”
(How did the realities of the virus make today different, if it did in anyway?) – “You think about your job. You put that to rest until you have to deal with it again. Yeah, as simple as that is, you get to not think about it for a little bit and focus on your job and having fun. We had a lot of fun today. Guys were flying around, like I said earlier. It was a good time. I’m sure you guys can’t – you guys weren’t allowed to tweet about it or anything. I bet you guys are dying right now, right? (laughter)”
(What is it like for you to be reunited with Head Coach Brian Flores and how much do you think your understanding of this defense and this scheme – this hybrid scheme – will help this defense grow?) – “I want to be a leader on this team. I’m not a ‘rah, rah,’ type of guy. I just hope to lead by example with the way I work every day as a professional. I just want to be the best teammate I can be. Yes, I have familiarities with the defense. Yes it’s different; but at the same time, I know how ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) wants things done, and I know how (Defensive Coordinator Josh) Boyer wants things done and I’ll try to do my best to help out everybody, and they’re going to help me out, as well.”
(I always want to get it from a defensive player. How was it facing QB Tua Tagovailoa for the first time? Did you see anything from your perspective?) – “Oh, here we go. I knew it was coming. (laughter) I’m not going to answer that one.” (Laughter)
(You’re not going to answer it?) – “Nope. You only get to ask me Kyle Van Noy questions or defensive questions. (laughter)”
(How was it going against the offense as a defender?) – “(laughter) It was good.”
(I wanted to ask you about G Solomon Kindley, the rookie offensive lineman. He looked like he was getting some pretty good pressure against some of your defensive linemen. What did you see from him today applying pressure?) – “I was just trying to do my job. So if it was him, I couldn’t tell you.”
(I wanted to ask you about your versatility. What do you enjoy about it? Do you think at times, offenses when they line up at the line of scrimmage are having to look for you and wonder where you are?) – “Yeah, for sure. I feel like I’m the last of a dying breed. I don’t think you can find players that can do all three skillsets. Usually they’re either in coverage or run, one of those situations. Very rarely do you get all three. I’m just trying to bring that energy to the team, trying to be a problem, a mismatch, and take advantage of that mismatch wherever I line up.”
(I want to ask a little bit about the conversations that you have had with your rookie teammates. This is a different year for them. I don’t know if they have asked you something?) – “That’s a good question. I like that one. That’s a good ending right there. I’ll answer this one. I think the advice that I’ve passed onto them is it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. You want to inhale as much information as you can, you want to work on your craft each and every day, you want to get better each and every day, don’t make the same mistakes, and I think you’ll be alright. That’s the message I pass to them.”
Ted Karras – August 17, 2020
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Monday, August 17, 2020
C Ted Karras
(I know there are going to be moving parts on the offensive line but with G Solomon Kindley at guard, what’s it like when you are a center and you have to work with young players that haven’t really cut their teeth in the NFL yet?) – “I’ve been very impressed with all of the rookies that we’ve brought in this year and pretty much everyone on the o-line is really working hard and everyone is kind of finding their fit and earning their role. Those young guys have really been fun to work with so far. I’m really excited for not only this year but their careers moving forward.”
(What’s it going to take to get this offensive line in fighting shape in four weeks?) – “Days like today – go out there in pads in the South Florida heat and work at our craft. I think today was a good start. I’m going to watch the film right after I talk to you guys. Obviously there’s going to be some things to clean up. I thought we were competing out there and everyone is fighting hard to get ready to go.”
(I noticed at the beginning of practice, you kind of hovered over towards QB Tua Tagovailoa. I didn’t know if you had any advice for him today or going into practice being a young guy, and kind of how he handled himself emotionally in his first real practice?) – “I think he always handles himself well. He’s a very impressive young man. I don’t have too many nuggets for him but I’ll help him out when he needs it, which is not often. It’s fun to work with all of the guys so far in this offense. It’s coming together and obviously we have a long way to go, but we’re getting there one day at a time.”
(I’m wondering how the dynamics of the entire team – getting to know each other – have changed because of the virus and the fact that you haven’t spent near as much time together this year. Are you still putting faces with names or where are you in that process collectively?) – “I was a little frustrated with myself early on in camp that I didn’t know enough names. I kind of looked up the roster myself but now that we’re in the building more and coming together – everyone is at practice – I pretty much got everyone on the team’s names. Obviously any time in training camp, there’s transactions and you’re going to have to meet new people every day. It’s going along well. I’ve built many great relationships already on this team and I’m really excited about it.”
(I know that quarterback and center relationship is so important. How are you individually building relationships with each of the guys – QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Josh Rosen – as you kind of navigate this offseason?) – “Well, one of my favorite things is to go watch film with them after practice. I like to see what they’re seeing and it’s kind of a low pressure situation. Getting to know these guys, I’ve gotten to see some pictures of Fitz’s family. I’ve been hanging out with Tua just here at the (facility) and watching film and kind of seeing – I like to know what they’re seeing as well so that we can speak the same language and be really crisp communication-wise. Off the field stuff, there’s not much – we can’t really do anything. I’m not taking any chances with anything outside of the building. We’re pretty much here and that’s fun – a little training camp on the Nova campus.”
(Coming into your fifth year now, you’ve been a part of several training camps, obviously. Head Coach Brian Flores talked this morning a little bit about the physicality of practices and kind of letting you guys go. What’s your overall take on how the physicality of today’s practice was?) – “I think it was great. I think we have a really big team and big, physical players all along the line of scrimmage – even off the ball. It’s a pleasure to go in there and cut my teeth with them and get better. This will be a fun camp and a good opportunity to get better as we go into this long season, which we’re going to play a lot of physical teams early. It’s going to serve us well.”
(For a while it seemed half of the defensive and offensive lines were on the COVID-19 list. You were lucky enough to avoid that. What was that like when it seemed like six guys in one day went down and you were around a lot of them?) – “Well, I slept in the guest bed at home. I didn’t want to bring any of that home. Obviously this is a scary situation for everyone. We’re still working through it. I feel very confident and well taken care of. Our entire organizational staff is fantastic and I feel very comfortable coming to work every day. Being able to focus on football only, which is important with these next – 27 days? – until kickoff.”
(With the shortened offseason and kind of limited conditioning you guys had coming into today, did you feel like it was time to put the pads on or did you feel like there were maybe some more things to work on before you were able to get out there and be in pads?) – “It’s definitely time to get the pads on. Especially with just 27 days until we’re kicking off, we need the work. We need to get our timing right and our fits right. O-line is a repetition position and you really can’t get a true, true rep without having full gear on. It was a good start today. I’m excited that we did (put pads on). It really is camp now and that’s exciting. It was nice to see some people in the stands today, at least. It was getting a little lonely out there. We’re just going to keep working every day.”
(G Solomon Kindley looks like he’s a mauler out there, the way he can get into the backfield. There were also some times where he was getting some pressure applied on him as well. What are some things that you’re seeing from him so far, from the rookie draft pick?) – “Well, it’s been very fun to play next to him. He works really hard and he’s always trying to do the right thing. He’s a great guy to have in the room. He’s a cool dude. He really is working hard. We’re going to need him to work hard. He’s a very good football player and I’m excited every time I get to go into battle with him. Obviously this is Day 1 and this is learning how to play in the NFL. I have to work on my fundamentals just as hard, if not harder. Everyone is working hard and I think we’re on the right track.”
(From the outside looking in, it would seem that trying to put together an offensive line with so many young guys, no OTAs and no preseason games, it seems like a pretty daunting challenge. From your point of view, where does this challenge rank among other challenges you’ve had to face in football?) – “Just right there with any training camp is a challenge. This is a very unique year, like you said. We have a lot of talented young players that came in, as well as – everyone on our o-line is very talented and we’re pushing each other and working very hard. I think as these next four weeks go, the best five players are going to play and obviously that’s a coaching decision. I have nothing to do with that except working my hardest to make sure that I’m one of the five. But I think that we have really good guys. I think we have excellent coaches that are getting us in the right place and putting us in positions to succeed. Then the onus is on us to go out there and execute when the time comes.”
(This is your first new offensive system since you came into the league in 2016. What has been a more challenging dynamic of the install this summer – relearning of ways this staff might want certain blocks or techniques done versus how you’ve done it in the past or adjusting to new terminology in the playbook?) – “I love the new terminology. I think it’s fascinating to just learn another language in football. I’ve relished that opportunity and feel pretty comfortable with it now. As far as technique-wise and nuances, I’m going to do what our coach asks us to do. There are a couple of differences but they’re putting us in positions to succeed. There’s a couple of ways to work and I’m excited to get to work every day with (Offensive Line) Coach (Steve) Marshall and ‘Coach Lem’ (Assistant Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre), and these guys in the o-line room.”
(What do you hope to see from this team in 2020 in terms of what you guys look like on the field?) – “Well, I want to be tough, smart, competitive and play well under pressure. That would be the best combination. That puts us in a chance to win every week and I hope we can prepare well and come together. Today was a good building block for that.”
Brian Flores – August 17, 2020
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Monday, August 17, 2020
Head Coach Brian Flores
(What do you expect to see from your quarterbacks today?) – “Obviously it’s the first day in pads. We’ve seen a good amount from these guys, I would say, over the last two practices, which where more O vs. D and team oriented. I want to see them get guys in and out of the huddle, good communication, good execution, good fundamentals at their specific position – just from a footwork, ball placement, accuracy, those types of things. We’re still in the early stages. Obviously it’s a new offense. We’re trying to execute at a good clip early on.”
(Do you expect QB Tua Tagovailoa to be 100 percent full participant in padded practices, and outside of scheduled off days, do you see him resting during some practices? Is it the plan for him to go full-go every single practice?) – “We’ll take it one day at a time. He’ll be out there today along with the rest of the quarterbacks and the majority of the players on the team. He’s looked healthy in the OTAs and walkthrough type practices. This will be the first one in pads. Yeah, he’s looked healthy. We’re taking this one day at a time with Tua, as we are with every player, and hoping that he improves on a daily basis. Like any rookie, he needs the snaps and he needs the reps to improve and get better and give himself a chance.”
(I wanted to ask you about something you’ve talked about a few times with playing the hand you’ve been dealt, as well as mentioning your personal activity when it comes to scouting what’s available out there. My question is, does this new season with expanded rosters and practice squad provide you with any sort of advantage to get more guys in to take a look at?) – “I don’t know if it provides us an opportunity to look at more guys. I would say, if anything, it’s harder to look at – to get workouts in. I mean there’s protocols in place to do them but it’s not as seamless and easy as hopping on a plane and getting here. There’s a process that players have to go through to work out now. We have limited time. As far as – we have gotten some guys in and we’ll continue to do that; but quite honestly, (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore) and (Assistant General Manager) Marvin (Allen) and those guys, they handle the lion’s share of those things. Obviously I play a role in that as well; but logistically, it’s not as easy to put together workouts as they were a year ago. From that standpoint, it’s a little bit more difficult. I think up to this point, we’ve made some roster moves and I think we’ll continue to do that. Like you said and like I’ve said, we’re going to play the hand that we’ve been dealt. We’re just trying to proceed on a day-to-day basis as best we can, given the circumstances.”
(Since the first couple of weeks of training camp and walkthroughs, how would you say the offensive line has progressed and what can we expect to see early on from that group?) – “Well, obviously we’ve got a young guys in that group with some veteran players sprinkled in like Ted Karras, like Ereck Flowers, who just got back, like Jesse Davis. (Michael) Deiter was here a year ago. We’ve got a few of the young guys as well. Look, there’s a lot of chemistry that has to be built there. I think that’s coming along. It could be better. We’re working on a few different combinations on the o-line; but you don’t really know what you have until you put the pads on. You’re literally fighting pressure with pressure and it’s another body, working a double-team, working the combinations in the run game, feeling the speed, the speed rush, power rush, bull rush, speed-to-power, converting to power and feeling those things. You don’t know what you have until you’re put into that setting, which starts today. From a walkthrough and a non-padded standpoint, I think they’re coming along. Obviously using those 14 padded practices will tell us a lot about that group and really the entire team.”
(With the shortened offseason, do you guys feel like you’re ready to put the pads on physically and mentally?) – “We have no choice but to be ready. We’re going out there today and if you’re not ready, then there’s going to be some problems; but I think we are (ready). I think the guys are raring to go. They’re excited. I think when you put the pads on, the one thing I try to stress to them is to focus on the technique and the fundamentals, because once you put pads on, the adrenaline gets going and in some instances, guys forget about those techniques and fundamentals that we’ve been trying to drill into them for the last – I don’t know how many days it’s been, let’s call it 20 days. That’s kind of the focus. That’s where I want them to put their focus. Let’s focus on the technique and the fundamentals. It’s the same techniques that we’ve been talking about except we’re in pads. They have more protection and we’re going to let them go a little bit more today.”
(I want to ask you about TE Mike Gesicki and some of the things he was able to do in the second half of last season, that you’re hoping he can build upon for this year?) – “My goal for Mike is to improve today. He’s looked good in this early part of training camp; but once we put the pads on, blocking, pass protection and obviously getting into his routes, route techniques, dealing with DBs who are trying to – we’re working his releases against DBs who are trying to get their hands on him. All of those things, when you haven’t done them for eight or nine months and you’re out of that practice, you need to get back into it. You don’t just jump back in the way you were a year ago. That doesn’t happen for any of us – coaches, players. We all need to get out there and practice. Like I’ve said to these guys, last year was last year and nobody is really worried about it. Let’s just focus on right now. To think you’re going to be right where you were at the end of last year, I think that’s just not the case, especially with this being the first day in pads. We’ve got work to get back to that point because it just happened overnight. We’ve got to work for it. That’s kind of been my message to him and all of the players, quite honestly.”
(I wanted to ask you, we’ve seen a little bit of the dynamic virtually between QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and QB Tua Tagovailoa. It seems like they’re being buddy-buddy a good bit. What do you think about that dynamic of your quarterback room and how it translates on the field when it comes to competition?) – “That dynamic, I’m seeing it across all positions. I think we’ve got a lot of good guys on this team and I can see some friendships and bonds building. That only helps on the field from a communication standpoint, even from an asking-for-help standpoint. There’s some instances where you can sit and the offense comes out in something and you’re uncertain about it and you can ask the guy next to you, ‘Hey, what do you think?’ And you help each other get lined up. It’s the same thing offensively, the same thing in the kicking game. I think Tua and ‘Fitz’ and (Josh) Rosen as well, I think those relationships that are building, it’s just one example of hopefully what we’re getting from the majority of the guys in the locker room.”
(I wanted to ask you about S Adrian Colbert. You guys gave him a half-million dollars guaranteed back in March. What’s changed since then that you decided to move on?) – “Those are tough decisions. Chris (Grier), myself, Marvin (Allen), Brandon (Shore), we’ve had long conversations about every player that we’ve released. They’re not easy; but at the end of the day, we always try to do what we feel is best for the team. Obviously those conversations are internal. I’m not going to go into specifics of this, that or the other thing; but at the end of the day, we just felt like it was the best move for us going forward.”
(I want to ask about LB Kyle Van Noy, in terms of your vision for him in this defense. I know he’s played for you and has extensive experience in this scheme, but how much does his knowledge of this scheme help in this process of you building this defense?) – “Kyle, obviously I coached him in New England. I think he’s very smart. He can play multiple positions. He’s got leadership ability. I think he’s going to help us in a variety of ways. To me, the one thing from a communication standpoint, from a leadership standpoint, I see him as similar to what (you guys) said about Tua and ‘Fitz.’ His relationship with Bobby (McCain) and (Davon) Godchaux and (Jerome) Baker, you can see that starting to grow. If we can get as much of that on the team as possible, that’s what we’re looking for. Obviously he and I have a good relationship – up and down at times, as he’ll tell you; but I think the world of Kyle. He’s got a great family. I’m looking forward to working with them this year.”
Anthony Campanile – August 15, 2020
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Saturday, August 15, 2020
Linebackers coach Anthony Campanile
(With the amount of players you all have that can play off the ball as well as come down on the line of scrimmage, how do you and Outside Linebackers Coach Austin Clark balance that time on the field or in meetings – whatever it is – with a player like LB Kyle Van Noy, who has so many snaps both on and off the ball in his past?) – “I think that one of the awesome things about coaching here is we all coach defense. We all get an opportunity to coach our guys and I think it’s a staff full of guys who love to coach fundamentals and love coaching with each other. It’s something that as a group collectively, I think we all – at every position, to be honest with you – we all incorporate our own philosophies and get the opportunity to really coach all of the guys. It’s been an awesome experience that way.”
(I wanted to get your thoughts on what this opportunity means to you jumping from Michigan to the NFL?) – “It means the world to me. It’s been a tremendous opportunity. The opportunity to coach with (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores was something I was really excited about. It’s a storied franchise, so the opportunity to come here, coach for him, coach at this place and coach these players, it’s been a fantastic experience so far. It was something I was really, really looking forward to. I was really, really excited about it and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
(LB Kyle Van Noy has so many facets in terms of what he can do to his game. How much does he help this defense improve and how many roles can he fill?) – “I think Kyle, as you said, one of his great abilities is he got a lot of multiplicity to his game. I think him bringing that to our system, and we’re a system where I think Coach Flores has done an incredible job and Coach Boyer has done an incredible job in their careers of playing to the strengths of all of their players throughout their entire career. We’re obviously really, really excited to have him here, and I think he’s going to be a great addition to our defense and he’s a great fit to what we do.”
(College football obviously has no preseason games. So I’m wondering with you and a few other guys who have come over from the college ranks, are there some things you can do – increase competitive reps, simulate competitive situations, scrimmaging. Not a lot of people think about that. You have to be ready to go – Michigan vs. Alabama – first game on national TV. In the NFL, we’ve always have the preseason, so what are your thoughts on that?) – “I think for the guys coming from college, it’s not much of a difference, so that might be an advantage for us. A guy coming like myself as a coach, that’s all you know – getting the guys ready through training camp. I think Coach Flores has done a great job managing everything up to this point and really, really organizing in a way that our guys can get better every day. It’s been meticulously done. I think he’s done a fantastic job with that. Having been through some other situations like this as a college coach, I’ve been really, really impressed with that. I think through the summer, like you said, this is the same situation for everybody in the league, and we just have to do a great job of coaching our guys every day. Everything is important, every meeting is important, every practice is important, and I think our guys understand that. I know they do because they prepare that way. It’s a little bit of a change, I’m sure, for a lot of these guys as professional athletes with no preseason games; but they’ve really stepped up to the challenge and done a great job preparing.”
(What kind of boss is Head Coach Brian Flores and what are the things about him that make you confident that he’s going to be successful here?) – “I can tell you this for myself, one of the things I was most excited about coming here was – I had spent some time in Boston. I was at Boston College. Coach Flores was a Boston College graduate and was coaching in New England at the time. I knew a lot of people that knew him very well, and everybody spoke so highly of him, not just as a football coach, but as a person. For myself and for my family, to this point in the time that I’ve spent here, he’s been phenomenal to us. He’s just a great person in that regard. He cares about people’s family. Football is what we do. It’s a huge part of all of our lives, it’s a huge part of all of our families lives. He understands that but first and foremost, he understands that as a father and as a husband, that’s the most important job all of us have in the world. I think he does a great job of managing that for himself, with the staff and with the players. He never loses sight of that. That I think makes him a special guy in that regard.”
(What is your history with Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer and if you can share, what are your thoughts about what he’s going to bring to the defense this year?) – “Coach Boyer and I really got to know each other a little bit better through the interview process, to be honest with you. I felt a compatibility in getting the opportunity to speak together and talk about football together. The values that he has and what he believes is important about football – the way you play, the way to build a team, chemistry, toughness and character – those things are still really, really important in the game. I think guys that believe in those things have a lot of success. I felt that there was a common ground between the two of us, for lack of a better term. He’s a fiery guy. He’s a guy that’s going to get after you. He’s going to coach hard. I’ve learned a ton from being around him and the same I said about ‘Coach Flo,’ he’s a good guy. He cares about the right things and he’s going to coach guys hard every day. He’s going to coach the coaches hard and coach the players hard.”
(Is there a bit of a learning curve for yourself in getting to learn this defense and trying to teach it for the first time? And how do you think players like LB Jerome Baker and LB Raekwon McMillan and LB Kyle Van Noy, they’ve all played in this defense already. Do you think they are maybe a little bit of a step further ahead in knowing the scheme then maybe some other players on the team?) – “I think those guys have done a great job preparing. I think like any season, you’re going in, you start back at square one and you go through the spring, summer and right now obviously we’re in camp. Everybody gets re-acclimated to playing and learns the system. It gets installed the same way for everybody, but they’ve done a great job every day in the room of being engaged, like I said. Every meeting means something and they’ve prepared like professionals. They have been great in the meeting room like all of the other guys. I think they are doing a good job with that. In terms of myself, I kind of hit the ground running here. I think everybody – like I said, Coach Boyer did a great job explaining everything in the system. There was a lot of stuff that I came in and had a pretty good feel for, by the time I had already come in. I felt like honestly, it was a pretty good transition and it went seamlessly – for me, I can say at least. I’ve enjoyed it and I think the players have done a great job.”
Marion Hobby – August 15, 2020
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Saturday, August 15, 2020
Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby
(Before free agency when Head Coach Brian Flores and maybe General Manager Chris Grier asked you about DE Shaq Lawson, from your background with him, why did you feel like he would be an asset here? What specifically do you like about his game that will help this team? And I wanted to ask you about DT Raekwon Davis as well in the draft process – what intrigued you about him?) – “Starting off with Shaq Lawson, you kind of have a good history with him and you kind of know where he’s from, what he’s about. We were looking for those smart, tough players that love football and team-first attitudes, and he fits it. It’s something that he’s been a leader all his career, even in college going into the pros with his energy level, and I thought he would be a really good fit for us.”
(I wanted to ask you a follow-up to the previous question on DT Raekwon Davis and also DE Emmanuel Ogbah. What do they bring to this defense do you hope?) – “Watching football on Raekwon Davis, even when he was young player at Alabama, and seeing him mature each year coming in and getting a chance to visit with him at the Combine, I thought he did a great job in the interview. Raekwon is different athletically, but he’s really a more conscientious football player. Football is important to him. His family is important to him and just getting to know those things about him after visiting with him at the Combine, it just gave us a good encouragement about that guy. Ogbah, he’s just been a pleasure to work with. Just visiting with him early, I didn’t know him beforehand; but just evaluating him off tape, asking other coaches about him, his work ethic, his smarts and all that, he’s proven to be exactly what they said. He’s very conscientious. He likes the game. He’s got a good football IQ. He’s smart. Man, he’ll work.”
(DT Christian Wilkins is heading into Year 2. How have you seen him kind of grow a little bit in the first year since he’s joined the team and what are your hopes for him in Year 2?) – “It’s funny when you watch Christian. At the end of the year, I thought he probably was in his better shape and it started showing up on the field because he started making those plays that we want him to make. I think he’s come in this year in better shape. He’s ahead of his – and that’s tough because we didn’t get OTAs, we didn’t get minicamp; but somewhere, this man went and really worked his butt off to keep his weight down. He really looks good out there. We want to see him step up a little bit more as a leader. Last year he came on at the end, stepped up a little more as a leader. It’s his second year in the scheme and knowing what’s expected of him, I’m looking for great things from him.”
(At the very end of April, we were able to catch up with Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban on QB Tua Tagovailoa and DT Raekwon Davis, and I got a quote here about Raekwon. He says, “he’s trying to get his ability to match his production.” What’s the best way to do that? What’s your plan?) – “I think he’s got to take accountability for that as well. That probably was the thing that I’m more shocked at with him being here and being around in the film room – that he has taken (accountability) – because I heard that statement and I’m going, ‘does he not take it serious?’ I didn’t get that impression from him from the Combine, and then (having) been working with him, I think he’s a little bit more conscientious about what he does, his game and getting better. But showing them on tape, where he can be better, holding him accountable to play at a high level. He’s in a meeting room where those guys are going to push him as well, on and off the field, to do the right things. It’s going to take some work, but he’s headed in the right direction.”
(You guys didn’t have much sack production last year. I know a lot of things played a factor in that, but what is the plan in terms of playing better as a unit to get pressure on quarterbacks?) – “I think you hit it perfect – playing as a unit. One guy gets a great rush and the other guy is not in the right position. This guy gets a great rush and it seems where we didn’t really play together. When you usually have four-man rushes, everybody has a rush lane, everybody has a responsibility. I think if we can improve there, where everybody is counting on the man next to them to do his job and produce, I think that really can be – if one of the things we can do is play together, it’s big time.”
(I’d like to ask you a little bit more about your comments on DT Christian Wilkins a moment ago. As you were speaking I couldn’t help but think at least if I’m reading it right it may be there was a level of professionalism that improved as things went along. What can you tell us about that? Was that something you think came form within? Something the coaches stressed? And how much can that help him in this season coming up?) – “I think it’s a little bit of both. If anybody knows anything about Christian Wlikins, he loves football. He’s a football guy and with critiquing him, showing him where he could be better – sometimes that, as a coach, can be critique or that can be coming down on him; but I think it has a lot to do with him – him wanting to do well and get better as a player. That’s where it starts. They’ve got to be self-motivators and then as coaches, we just continue to build on what they bring to the table. I think he matured as he went on. I think he had a lot of things going on early. He’s going to try do them all in the community, he’s going to try to do them all any way he can. (laughter) I just think he had a lot on his plate early. I talked with him about it and he said, ‘yeah, Coach, I had a lot going on, but I’m settling into my role.’”
Gerald Alexander – August 15, 2020
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Saturday, August 15, 2020
Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander
(You’ve got the unique challenge – or the Dolphins have the unique challenge – you’ve got two former cornerbacks called on to play safety in Eric Rowe and Bobby McCain. What’s that challenge like in terms of helping those players make the conversion and is it one you think is the new wave in the NFL?) – “Well, for me, it’s a very familiar challenge, because I personally went through that myself as a corner in college and transitioned into safety prior to my career in the National Football League. So it’s something I’m familiar with. It’s different but those guys definitely have done the necessary things to transition into that role. It’s just continuing to have them improve throughout practice. When you’re not a safety, you’re not being that primary communicator as you are in that position. These guys have been doing a good job and we’ll continue to develop their communication out there on the field so they can take command and be quarterbacks of their defense.”
(What comes to mind when you think of your stint here as a player a few years back?) – “Probably the cup of coffee that I drank every morning. (laughter) I wasn’t here for that long. It’s good to be back in a familiar setting and being able to contribute in this way.”
(What did you see in the evaluation process in the two rookies you drafted – CB Noah Igbinoghene – what did you like specifically about his skill set? And S Brandon Jones as well?) – “We knew those guys have great athleticism coming in and great tools to develop in our program, and not to mention their athleticism; but just getting a chance to meet them throughout the process. You knew that they were guys that had the football character that we are looking for in our building. We haven’t really had the chance to see that on display on the field, we’re just getting to start practice. But you can tell just by their football character and their makeup that they are willing to be coachable and improve on a day-to-day (basis).”
(CB Byron Jones was on here a few days ago and he mentioned how you had been such a great teacher for him and it’s easy for him and the other defensive backs to learn from you. I was wondering throughout each step of your career, who had been teachers that have helped you out in terms of coaching and mentors and such?) – “I think my experience with Jimmy Lake, who is the head coach at Washington now, and Chris Petersen and his staff were monumental in my coaching career, and really had me think about developing the teaching aspect of being a coach, and really being a great presenter and making sure that I take all of the complexities of the game and make it simple for the guys to be able to comprehend and execute out there on the field, and just try to get better in that way and form. Some of the experiences that I’ve currently had here with the coaching staff has continued to challenge me as a teacher and develop these guys and getting those guys to understand what we are trying to get them to do on defense.”
(I was thinking about how in college football, you have these four or five star recruits sometimes and you’re not exactly sure how they are going to perform when the lights turn on. There’s no benefit of a preseason game. To draw a parallel to the rookies you’re working with, how can you best prepare, how can you best make sure that especially the youngsters – the newcomers – that you know what you have, that you know how prepared they are, without the benefit of those preseason reps?) – “Well, everybody got dealt the same hand in regards to what’s going on. We’ve got to have not only our young players but really everybody, every single repetition that we take out on the field whether it be at a practice setting or a walkthrough setting, or every single meeting or every moment that we spend and energy that we spend towards trying to get ourselves prepared for a season, is valuable. We don’t have those preseason under the lights opportunities to make a trial run at this. It’s going to be live when we get our first opportunity to compete. We’ll just continue to heighten the level of urgency on a day-to-day basis with every single drill. That’s our challenge as a coaching staff, that’s our challenge as a team, to get ourselves ready for a month from now.”
(I wanted to ask you about the young players in terms of S Brandon Jones and CB Noah Igbinoghene. What’s the challenge of getting them to learn this defense so that they can contribute right away? What’s that like?) – “There are so many things that young guys have to learn and it’s just learning really how to practice, how to be a professional – not to mention all of the things and all of the responsibilities and the communication that it takes to be able to feel comfortable and develop in this defense. It’s really going to just take reps. It’s going to take repetition and being able to see different plays and experience different things at practice. Obviously as we start to intensify the practice, they’ll be able to make those full-speed mistakes and learn from them and develop as we go. It’s just going to take time and reps and being able to get those reps to feel ready, and continue to develop from there.”
(How did you and Head Coach Brian Flores first get in touch with each other, maybe when you first met? What was your reaction when he first reached out to you about this job?) “I got a chance to meet ‘Coach Flo’ and these guys really through Tiquan Underwood, who I played with in Jacksonville. I was here really locally and visiting Blake Baker, who I coached with at Arkansas State and who was the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami. While I was in town, I came and visited Tiquan and got a chance to meet some guys in the building and got an opportunity to be here and really kind of shadow in training camp last year during an internship. Going back and taking some of that information to Cal, where I was coaching at the time, it was valuable information just being here for a week. I learned a lot from this coaching staff. When the opportunity came, obviously I was very excited and grateful for the opportunity, which I still am. Now that I’m here, I understand what my responsibility is to be able to lead the secondary and contribute to this team as much as I can.”
(You talked a little bit about the character of the two rookie defensive backs you guys drafted. Head Coach Brian Flores talks a lot about communication as an important trait on his team with an emphasis on players that can communicate on this defense and in this defensive backfield. How much does that help you guys acclimate quickly in this condensed offseason program?) – “Communication is a must in our defense. All guys have to be on the same page, especially at the safety position. We have the depth of the defense and we’re responsible to really get everybody in line, so it’s very important that whether you’re young or an older vet, that the communication is on point. We know that big plays always run through the secondary. Whether it be in the pass game or the run game, the easiest way to give up an explosive play in the backend is lack of communication. What I tell those guys is lack of communication leads to disaster. We have to make sure that all of our communication is on point, regardless of the condensed offseason and not a lot of reps in the offseason. Through practice and walkthrough, we have to understand what certain terminology means and get everybody on the same page. Those guys are going to be the ones that are playing on Sunday. It’s not how much I know, it’s how much those guys know and their awareness out there on display on the field, and understand what words to say and what communication to make, to make sure everybody is on the same page.”
(I’m wondering – the focus is on how players adapt and learn a new system and techniques. As a coach new to the techniques, how did you do it?) – “How I did it is obviously listening to the guys who were experienced in the system. I have great resources with (Defensive Coordinator Josh) Boyer, and ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores). I have experience myself as a player, which really doesn’t matter; but taking all of my experience in coaching and as a player, and really applying it to some of the things that are being taught that we want done in our defense. At the end of the day, taking all of that information and relaying to our players in a simple form, where those guys can comprehend it and go out there and rep it, and continue to develop and get better. I’m looking forward to what that can look like over the next couple of weeks as we start really ramping up the intensity of practice.”
