Kenny Stills – August 7, 2017
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Monday, August 7, 2017
WR Kenny Stills
(How does this change when a quarterback like this comes in? How does it change for the offense?) – “Honestly, nothing has changed for us. The guy isn’t here. He hasn’t signed. We’ve got our guy in Matt Moore. We trust in him and that’s about it.”
(You’ve been in the league, what do you think of QB Jay Cutler?) – “Honestly I’ve never played for him, I’ve never played with him so I can’t really comment on it.”
(What was it like having former Lions WR Calvin Johnson out here working with you?) – “Man, it’s amazing. He played for (Wide Receivers) Coach (Shawn) Jefferson. That’s how he and Coach Jefferson have that relationship. He comes right in and it feels like he can speak to what we are doing, coach us up and give us little tips and pointers here and there. It’s amazing having him here. He was a special player. If any of us can do some of the things that he did, we’re on the right track.”
(You mentioned relationships. How quickly does it take a receiver and quarterback to build that relationship when you bring a new quarterback in?) – “It’s just repetitions. We’ve got to get out there and get the reps together and continue to work on building that. It’s not something that we are worried about. We’ve got our guy. You guys know what he can do. We’re confident in this building, the people upstairs, to do the right things for this team. That’s where we’re at.”
(Have you ever met QB Jay Cutler before today?) – “No.”
(Had you guys done nothing and just moved forward with QB Matt Moore, do you think the locker room would’ve felt pretty good about that?) – “The guys in the locker room trust the guys upstairs. That’s all we have to say. We know that we got the guys in the locker room to do what we need to do. We trust what they are going to do for this team. They put us in the right position for the most part now. You’ve seen the success we’ve had last year. We trust what they are doing.”
Matt Moore – August 7, 2017
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Monday, August 7, 2017
QB Matt Moore
(You said after Saturday’s scrimmage that it was business as usual. Is that still the same mentality today?) – “Yes. I mean really, that’s the approach. It’s kind of the same message. In training camp, there’s tons to work on; there’s tons going on obviously, so I’m singing the same old song. It’s getting better every day, learning from the previous day, working with the guys that are here now and that’s my mindset.”
(Based on that, do you believe it’s open competition?) – “I think I’ve been in this league long enough to know that you compete every day. Whether there’s a depth chart or not, you’re competing every day with yourself, with your teammates, and that makes you better.”
(Have you ever asked yourself ‘Why not me?’) – “I don’t have time for that. I’m grinding. I’m working on things. I’m improving from last year and looking forward to the future.”
(How did you find out that they would be bringing in another quarterback?) – “I talked to (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. We had a nice conversation and he told me what was going on, and that was it.”
(Can you share the message Head Coach Adam Gase gave you?) – “It was very simple. (It was) very straightforward and I get it. I understand; but it wasn’t very Hollywood. It was just pretty straightforward.”
(You’ve obviously been doing this awhile, as you mentioned. You thought this might be your chance to have a team to start for 16 games. It has to be on some level disappointing for you.) – “You know what? This is a team sport and you guys know this, I’ve been with this organization for a long time and have been a team guy and I’m, like I said, (focused on) training camp. My focus is getting better and working with the guys that are here.”
(Is it still viewed as a competition for the starting job?) – “Always. Like I said it before, you compete every day. And other guys … Everybody makes you better around you. You compete every day and you try to be at your best when the season starts.”
Jarvis Landry – August 5, 2017
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Saturday, August 5, 2017
WR Jarvis Landry
(On the injuries suffered in practice this week.) – “We’ve just really been doing everything that (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has talked about. It’s been a next-man-up mentality and we understand that unfortunately things happen, and we’ve just got to find a way to stick together as a family, as a team, and keep putting days together.”
(You and QB Ryan Tannehill are very close. Personally, what’s this been like for you to see a setback for him?) – “It’s hard. It’s hard. It’s hard to see anybody go through what Ryan’s going through; but all I can do is pray for him, continue to encourage him, continue to let him know that this team has his back and we stand behind him and go from there.”
(With the weapons you have offensively at receiver, tight end, and running back, as long as you have a capable quarterback, whether it’s QB Matt Moore, whether it’s former Bears QB Jay Cutler, who Head Coach Adam Gase mentioned today that he talked to, should this offense still be highly productive?) – “Absolutely. For us, no matter who’s the quarterback, it’s finding a way to complement each other, finding a way to make plays for each other, and that’s what it’s all about. So for us right now, it’s stacking each and every day together heading into the preseason and to the regular season.”
(What did you learn about QB Matt Moore going back to last year when he was starting for you guys?) – “Matt’s a gunslinger. He’s a guy with high energy. He’s a guy that comes in, he commanded the huddle and you see him making plays out here, so for us, we’ve just got to make plays for him and we all help each other out in that way.”
(What about the 22-yard completion you had over the shoulder? Can you tell us what you saw, what happened on that play?) – “Just me and Matt (Moore) hooking up. We got man-to-man and me and Matt just (found) a way to hook up right here and then the next play, (found) a way to get in the end zone.”
(So you have a good chemistry with QB Matt Moore, obviously, dating to last season.) – “Yes, we all do, we all have a good chemistry, even in practice. I don’t know if you guys have seen, even in ‘RVAs’ (routes vs. air), a lot of the times we still run routes with Matt. It’s not like we don’t run routes with Matt, so the chemistry is still there and you guys saw a little bit of that today.”
(WR DeVante Parker’s role, Wide Receivers Coach Shawn Jefferson said he’s been a monster. He said the next ‘Monster Ball,’ he’s going to be invited to. What’s your assessment on him being a monster?) – “He definitely is that, and everybody in the receiving room and everybody in the organization believes so. It’s gotten to the point where he’s seeing that for himself and he’s making the plays that prove it, so for us, we’ve got to continue to get him to play that way and continue to feel like that.”
(What attribute does he have that you are impressed with the most? I know, over the years, you’ve always talked about if you were a little bit taller. I know he has that height. What has impressed you the most about him?) – “He’s the total package, He has the height, he has the speed, he has the ability to make contact catches. He’s a complete receiver. For him, it’s just understanding the game, and as it’s slowed down, with the experience that he has had in the last two years, it’ll be exciting to see what he brings to the table this year.”
(What do you and WR Devante Parker and WR Kenny Stills do to compete with each other and push each other during camp?) – “(We) just hold each other accountable for the most part. The standard level is already high. (Wide Receivers) Coach (Shawn) Jefferson, you guys talked to him, so I’m sure you guys know the standard is already high. So for us, we just find a way to hold each other accountable, whether it’s on the field or off the field, and I think that’s where most of our competition takes place. “
(You also have WR Jakeem Grant in your ear all the time.) – “For sure.”
(Do you like having WR Jakeem Grant in your ear all the time?) – “I love that. That’s something that we’ve created in the receiver room that allows us to be more open to (one another), allows us to hold more of (ourselves) accountable.”
(If WR DeVante Parker is invited to the Monster Ball, what Ball would you be invited to?) – “A Legends Ball. I’m going to the Legends Ball, the Legends Gala. We’re going to the gala. It’s springtime you know what I mean? (laughter)”
Matt Moore – August 5, 2017
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Saturday, August 5, 2017
QB Matt Moore
(Just your assessment on how the scrimmage went being out here today?) – “It was good. I thought offensively we bounced back. Obviously “X” (Xavien Howard) made a good play early on. It was nice to come out again and get to put a nice drive together and end with a touchdown. So we’ll watch the tape. I mean there’s going to be things to correct like always but I think (we are) pleased overall.”
(When you hear rumors about potentially bringing somebody in to battle for that starting quarterback job. Do you feel like the proofs in the pudding? You’ve done enough to this point to prove you’re the guy to go to?) – “You know what? I’m focused on myself and the guys that are here now. I was just saying that I’m on a day-to-day deal. I’m trying to get … Today was a challenge. Tomorrow I’m going to review it. The next day I’m going to get better and that’s where my heads at right now.”
(How used to that are you in terms of having to compete and work?) – “I mean that’s how it’s been. This league is built that way. My career has shaped up that way; but honestly, like I said, I’m focusing on what I can do, how I can get better and not worrying really about anything else.”
(Do you feel there’s something to be said about a guy who has battled with his team in this locker room, going into the playoffs with him, as opposed to somebody from the outside coming in?) – “I mean last year is last year. Again, guys, we’re in training camp. There’s so many things that I’m focused on and all the outside noise is really not it.”
(What did you guys want to accomplish today and were you successful in doing that?) – “Yes. You know, I just think the fluidity of the offense is … in and out of the huddle with tempo, are we up to the line, are we making our calls? There were some things that the defense got us on and like I said to finish that second drive with a touchdown, I think was nice. We had a big play to Jarvis (Landry), which was nice. We let the o-line communicate with each other. So those are all things, again, we’ll be able to see on tape; but I think overall, talking to the guys that were in there, I think they felt pretty good. You know a play or two here or there that we’ve got to fix; but I mean that’s football, so it was good.”
(Do you think this being your second year with an Head Coach Adam Gase offense, what are some things that you have discovered that you specifically like about the plan?) – “Yes, he‘s funny. He can get in a zone. Kind of like a player, he kind of gets in the zone with play calls and you know when that’s happening because he’s hitting on a lot of stuff. So I’m looking forward to that. We got into a rhythm last year. When he’s feeling it, he makes it really easy on the quarterback and everybody else out there. So that’s nice. He’s just got a real talent for that. So I’m looking forward to that. We’ll just continue in our growth together. I mean the guy … He’s got a ton of football knowledge and just sitting down talking to him day after day, night after night, you know you learn a lot. You make yourself better hanging around a guy like that.”
(I think you threw a nice ball to WR Jarvis Landry that he kind of caught it over his shoulder, right? Before the touchdown? Talk about what kind of opportunities Jarvis presents to the quarterback.) – “Well timing, especially in a play like that, it was man coverage so it’s one on one and I think as a wide receiver, you’re praying for that. You believe in your abilities and Jarvis obviously, he loves those situations. So I knew I had him one on one and he really made a move and beat the guy. I probably could have put the ball in a little better spot for him to score on that play but it was a great catch. Again, any time he’s one on one, I think he’s a disaster for defenses and then obviously with the ball in his hands, he really thrives. So it’s good.”
(One more general question: when you look at the skill sets of all the players around you, especially when they’re all healthy – RB Jay Ajayi is not healthy right now. How would you describe what that’s like to how all of them?) – “Yes, I mean it’s awesome. We got a good thing going. We’ve got a good core of guys. The receiver room is really, really taking strides. Kenny (Stills) and DeVante (Parker) and ‘Juice’ (Jarvis Landry) and then the younger guys coming along, and the running backs, that’s a good … to me it’s a good pack in there. The tight ends is a veteran group. So I think if we can get on the same page and execute and overcome adversity, because it’s going to happen, if we can overcome it, we’ll be alright.”
(I know you don’t want to make excuses but can you grade the offense on a little bit of a curve today? No left guard, no left tackle, no right tackle, no running back?) – “I mean again, that’s football. Like last year, we played with guys that hadn’t played a ton. Obviously like I said, we’re going to watch the tape; but, it’s that old saying, it is next man up. Nobody knows that more than I do. So guys have got to go in there and execute regardless if you got reps or if you’re a two or a three. You’ve got to be ready to go and it was evident today. I mean with all that said though, like I said, there were some plays made. There was communication. So we’ll watch the tape and see.”
Adam Gase – August 5, 2017
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Saturday, August 5, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What were your thoughts on how the scrimmage went today?) – “It was good. It was good to get out here and get a lot of the guys that haven’t been here, the environment, how it should go on a game-day type atmosphere with the coaches. It’s a little tough because it’s unrealistic. Some of the guys are still … We don’t have anything to where it’s scripted and you’re calling it and guys are asking questions in the huddle. We might have had about 40 delay of games with some of the younger guys.”
(What was your perspective on CB Xavien Howard’s interception at the start?) – “I think they stole our signal, so that’s what I’m going with. (laughter) It was a nice job. He jumped it. It was a good catch and a good finish.”
(What did you want to accomplish out here today and did you?) – “Just getting a feel for a game-day environment with the coaches and players. I think the guys did a great job. They were wired in and they were excited to get out here. They were a little upset that we didn’t go live, but we were a little down on linemen. We knew that some of those guys were going to have to play a lot of snaps, so I didn’t want to take any chances of anybody really getting hurt.”
(Is there a reason T Laremy Tunsil wasn’t out?) – “It was a personal reason. It’s nothing that’s alarming. I found out this morning. He’s alright. He’s just dealing with something.”
(WR Kenny Stills and LB Neville Hewitt?) – “Kenny, the other day his hamstring tightened up a little bit. We had been planning on giving him a day off but we had a pretty good rhythm going. He’s a tough guy to get out of the lineup because he always wants to keep going. He’s built like a Ferrari, but every once in a while you got to put him in the garage. It was the right time for us to do that.”
(What do you see in DT Davon Godchaux?) – “A competitor playing as hard as you want a guy to play. He gets after it every day and never slows down. (He’s a) one speed guy. I like what he’s doing, like the way he’s playing. He keeps getting better. I think he’s doing a great job. He’s picking (Ndamukong) Suh’s brain nonstop. I think he’s doing a good job of showing him the ropes for a young guy with a veteran player showing a young guy. I like the way he’s developing.”
(On the same note, DT Jordan Phillips. Any reason why?) – “We’re competing every day. It could be a different guy every day running with the ones. Whoever has the best day the day before, he’ll be the starter that day. The next day. We’ll just keep going back and forward. They both have their opportunities. It’s about getting as many snaps as possible.”
(What’s the thinking at left guard right now? Do you have any hope that C/G Ted Larsen can play this year?) – “You noticed that, finally? (laughter) You noticed that our left guard went down, right? That’s good. (laughter)”
(Do you expect him back at some point this year? Or is it unclear?) – “I think there’s a really high probability that he’ll play this year. Normally it would’ve been an injury where he’d be done for the year; but with the way the rules are built, we should have a chance to get him back. It was disappointing because he was probably our most consistent guy day in and day out. I hate to see that for him because he’s worked so hard to understand what we’re doing. He’s brought a great attitude. He’s a great veteran presence. Losing him hurts, but the next guy will step up and we’ll keep rotating guys in to figure out who it is going to be.”
(So it is probably a minimum of six weeks? Probably?) – “I haven’t even thought that far ahead. I just know it’s going to be a minute.”
(What has been standing out and impressed you the most?) – “That’s tough to say because there are a lot of individuals that have impressed me but also there have been more than one or two groups. It’s hard for me to pinpoint just one group. I like the way our guys are working. I like the way they’re competing every day. We kind of got the wind knocked out of our sails the other day at practice and I thought guys did a great job yesterday of coming back out, battling, practicing hard, maximizing the time on the field and they did the same thing today.”
(Is there an update on QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “Not that I know of. Me, Mike (Tannenbaum) and Chris (Grier) were up here pretty late last night. We were kind of figuring out all of our options – putting them on the table. We just have to see. We’re waiting for a few more opinions to come in. We’re in no rush.”
(As you guys are waiting on those opinions, have you contacted other quarterbacks possibly to come?) – “We’ve had a lot of people call us. We’ve talked to a few people. We’re just … We’re keeping all options on the table. A lot of the things that are out there aren’t really what we’re doing. It’s funny to watch.”
(There’s a report about QB Jay Cutler.) – “I heard about that.”
(How much have you spoken to him in the last couple of days?) – “One time. All I asked him was if he was interested. That was it.”
(If QB Jay Cutler decides to join the Dolphins, how quickly do you think he can learn the offense because he knows it?) – “When I get there, then I’ll be able to tell you. But I don’t even think it’s close to anything right now. Like I said, I had one conversation with him and that’s where we’re at. As soon as … Me, Mike (Tannenbaum) and Chris (Grier) haven’t spoken since last night because I’m dealing with this right now. When I know more, which hopefully in the next few days I’ll have a better idea of what’s going on, then I’ll let you guys know.”
(What did QB Jay Cutler say when you asked him if he was interested?) – “He was interested. I think he’s just trying to figure out everything. You don’t expect this to happen. I don’t think he looked at our situation like ‘Oh, this was going to happen.’ So it was a surprise and I think he has a lot of things to think through.”
(Do you still need more info on QB Ryan Tannehill before you can make a decision on that or do you know you’ll need somebody either way?) – “I mean I know I need somebody either way. It’s just what role … I’d like to know exactly with Ryan first, to be honest with you, so that helps me make a decision (with) what direction I want to go.”
(Do you need to know in order to be upfront with guys that you are talking to as well?) – “100 percent. That’s one thing that our organization is priding ourselves in is we’re not beating around the bush. We’re telling guys exactly our plan. That’s why it’s slightly frustrating for me when all of this misinformation is out there and people don’t know what they’re talking about, because we haven’t said anything. Our players, everybody is hammering them on this stuff, and I haven’t seen a true thing yet.”
(Is there anything specific you want to correct?) – “I just said it. I had one conversation with (Jay Cutler). I have people saying he’s already signed and we’re doing this and we’re trading for this guy and it’s ridiculous.”
(As far as misinformation being put out there, is it valid that QB Jay Cutler said if he comes here – you know he expects to come in and battle for a starting job if Jay does comes here – but did he demand to be a starter if that was the case?) – “He didn’t demand anything. In my conversation with him, he didn’t demand anything. I know this, the comments about him in the media, it’s not like he’s talking to anybody, I know that, because that’s not who he is. If he has got something to say, he’ll talk to me. I know we had a good conversation and I know where everything stands with that. Now that this is over, now we can move on to the next step and get more information.”
Matt Burke – August 4, 2017
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Friday, August 4, 2017
Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke
(What we’ve observed is DT Davon Godchaux getting a lot of first team work. Has DT Jordan Phillips’ camp been up to your expectations and is that a battle where you see it as a tossup right now between Davon and Phillips?) – “Can I answer yes to both questions? What we’re trying to do with some of the young guys especially, is kind of get them in against the top competition. It’s not a reflection on Jordan. He’s had a solid camp and done what we’ve asked him to do. It’s really us trying to move some guys around and see him against the top level of competition and get a better evaluation on some of those guys. Godchaux’s had a good camp. He’s flashed a little bit so we’re just trying to kind of find out so we’ll move those guys around and get them working with different groups.”
(Our eyes would tell us that LB Raekwon McMillan is your middle linebacker assuming he doesn’t screw it up … Is that true?) – “Just as long as all of them don’t screw up. (laughter) He’s done a good job. He’s done a good job. Again, the same sort of thing with the linebackers, with Raekwon in particular. What we wanted him to do in terms of taking charge of the huddle leading the group. That position has to make a lot of calls and where he’s been playing so he’s done a good job and the same thing, so we’re trying to get him work with that first group and against better competition and see how he responds. He’s been good so far.”
(What factor made you go with LB Raekwon McMillan at mike instead of LB Kiko Alonso or LB Lawrence Timmons?) – “No factors. I mean again, we went through the spring and we’re still moving them around a little bit, in our nickel package especially, if you look. That’s really where sort of the interchangeability comes in – a diversity. Basically with Kiko and with Lawrence having both played both spots now inside and out in their careers and there’s a comfort level with those guys. There’s always caution with a rookie, trying to just make sure he’s comfortable in doing what he’s doing. So we wanted a little bit to settle him in one spot.”
(What would LB Raekwon McMillan need to do to get more reps or experience in the nickel?) – “Do nothing. I mean he’s getting work. You know for us, obviously especially with (Head Coach) Adam’s (Gase) offense and seeing a lot of three wide (receivers) and sub personnel, it’s just a matter of mixing groups. We had that thought in terms of okay, if we’re playing a guy with ‘the first base,’ well they’re getting all nickel snaps and he’s not getting work. So how do we … so we’re trying to really almost have two different looks at it where in base, there’s one set of groups and then he may be in one base; but when we go two nickel, he’s getting the nickel work with that group or vice versa with Mike (Hull) and those guys. We’re definitely aware of sort of making sure it’s not just ‘Okay, you’re with the one’s, you’re with the two’s.’ It’s okay. Base snaps are different then nickel snaps and who’s getting work and again, really the combination of both, we’re trying to get toss sort of our top five or six guys all working together and seeing what the best mix is. So we’re conscientious of getting him work in both groups.”
(Are you comfortable with your depth at linebacker right now?) – “Yes, I am. I am. I feel good about … I think Neville’s (Hewitt) had a really good camp – really, really good camp. And obviously we feel good about Mike Hull. We’ve been moving him in and out of groups a little bit. So we kind of feel we’re pretty good with about five deep right there. Then there’s a lot of different body types with that next group and what we’re looking for with some of the young guys that are competing. So I feel pretty good, yes.”
(Has CB Alerraun Verner done enough to make you think that he can challenge CB Bobby McCain to be your first-team slot cornerback?) – “He’s had a good camp. I’ll just hit repeat on that one. I wouldn’t say that. I think Bobby’s had a great camp and Bobby’s right where we want him to be. I think the comfort level for me with ‘Vern’ as a veteran guy that’s done it before, and we’re moving him in and out a little bit, and he’s made some plays. You know he hasn’t played in a press system that kind of we employ, so there’s some technique stuff that he’s working with; but (we’re) very happy with sort of what he’s done since he’s been here. It’s hard to think it’s only been a week. So it’s still a work in progress, but he’s had a good camp too. Since the day I walked into this building, (Head Coach) Adam’s (Gase) whole thing has been competition is going to make us better. So we’re just trying to build up as much competition as we can at all spots and we’ve be moving Vern both places and it’s been a really good camp.”
(What have you seen from DT Vincent Taylor as well?) – “Vincent’s actually made a lot of strides since we’ve been back here from I thought from where he left off in the spring to when we’ve been back here. He’s been a lot better. ‘T’s (Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams) has been working a lot with his footwork and that was kind of one of his issues coming out. He’s been really good. Honestly both those rookies are just tough kids. They don’t say anything and they just put their head down and go to work. You see them out here with (Ndamukong) Suh and with those guys. (They’re) just sort of sponges. So Vincent, he’s a tough kid. He’s got some explosiveness and I think the comfort or the … I don’t know what the word is but I’ve been happy with both those rookies just in their approach to how they’re working. Vincent made a huge jump to me from where we left here in the spring to where he is today. So I’m very happy with his progress.”
(How much better is CB Xavien Howard than he was to close last season?) – “A lot. It’s good. I’m going to turn the pressure on ‘X’ up a little bit. He’s had an outstanding camp. I mean outstanding. Again, it’s hard. He was a rookie last year, didn’t play, had the issues, and that plays with you guys with people a lot, psychologically and physically. He’s had a very, very, very, very good camp and we’re putting a lot of expectations on him to continue that trend, so I’m excited to see it.”
(In what areas do you feel like CB Xavien Howard has been better? Anything in particular?) – “Everywhere. He’s physical, he’s putting his hands on guys. We drafted him for a reason and the athletic ability he has. He spent a lot of time in the offseason just (working on) technique, the stuff he didn’t get as a rookie because he was hurt this time last year and then we kind of threw him into the fire. So it was more just like learning the scheme and just trying to get caught up to where he could just go play ball. The technique work that he’s done with (Defensive Backs Coach) Lou (Anarumo) and (Assistant Defensive Backs Coach) Daronte (Jones) from really the offseason start forward. His technique is just … it’s been impeccable. Again, we’ll see. It’s only Week 1; but he’s just having a really good camp.”
(How was your vacation?) – “It was fun. It was good.”
(What was the highlight of your vacation?) – “It was good. We got to hike with gorillas, so we got to Uganda. The highlight were those two days there probably.”
(Why were those two days the highlight?) – “We were in the forest. You spend two days hiking up in the mountains. I don’t know. It’s hard to describe the sort of sensation of seeing these giant beasts kind of approach you. You basically, you could get close and then as they’re moving around, the guides and the park rangers that you’re with sort of instruct you as to whether you should move or hold your ground or stop talking and stuff. So the first time that happens and (the gorillas) actually walk within feet of you, it’s hard to describe. It was majestic.”
(And this was where specifically?) – “It was in Uganda, on the western border of Uganda at this place called the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.”
(That’s not the first time you’ve done that before?) – “First time I’ve been that close to gorillas, absolutely. That’s not the first time I’ve been to Uganda, but the first time I’ve been that close to gorillas.”
(What was the low light (of the vacation)?) – “Twenty-eight hours of flights back here and (Head Coach) Adam’s (Gase) texts asking me where I am. (laughter)”
(When did those texts start, right after you left?) – “I had no Wi-Fi service for a while, so it was good. (laughter)”
(Can you talk to me, just in general, about inheriting a defense that struggled so much last year and challenges in front of you coming in?) – “There’s a new challenge every year. We have different players, and that’s one of the things you can see the 0-0 around here, so it’s a new season for us. What happened last year – good and bad – doesn’t matter to us, so we’re trying to move forward. I’m pleased with the effort level and work that everybody’s putting in. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Came Wake and Ndamukong Suh are having the two best camps of anybody on this field. It sounds silly to say that, but to see those guys – I mean Cam’s almost my age, I’m not sure – and to see him out here what he’s doing, it’s fascinating. I’ve been happy with just the overall effort and what these guys are doing coming out here every day.”
(And as a defensive coordinator that’s kind of important, to have guys step up?) – “Yes, again, especially your veteran leaders. We’ve added a bunch of rookies that we may be counting on to play some football for us. So to see how they’re watching those vets, how they work, and how they’re just taking it in. We talked about the two tackles last year and they’re just watching a guy like (Ndamukong) Suh go to work every day and how he performs. It’s invaluable to me as a coach and as a coordinator.”
(Are you setting any particular goals this year defensively? Any bar you’re setting?) – “Yes, try to win as many games as we can.”
(How has your life changed with this new title of defensive coordinator?) – “My life?”
(Yes, I mean the hours you work or what?) – “Everybody works hard. I’ve got to deal with (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) a little more than normal; but it’s coming to work, no different.”
(What do you need to see from DT Jordan Phillips to ensure that he’s ready to handle a 40-snap workload?) – “I think he’s ready to handle that right now. Again, with Jordan, as always, it’s been consistency and honestly, I’d say he had one kind of rough day at camp so far. It was one day where he jumped offsides a couple times; but other than that, he’s been consistent. That’s all we’ve been preaching to him. I know he stood up in front of you guys in the offseason and said the same thing, ‘Hey, I have to be better play in and play out.’ That was basically our charge to him when we came back, like listen, it can’t be a part time, it can’t be a flash play, it’s got to be a level of consistency that we’re working with, and he’s done that. He honestly has. Like I said, he had one kind of rough practice, which I’ve had a couple of rough practices too. So the longer that goes, the longer the consistency shows, and the more the trust builds and we feel good about that. He’s been doing (well), he honestly has. If you see us moving guys around again, a lot of times that’s just us trying to evaluate some other players. It’s not punishment for (Jordan).”
(What have you seen from S Nate Allen so far?) – “It’s been great, as advertised: smart, veteran, competitive, always in the right place. I laugh because everyone sees T.J (McDonald) making a lot of flash plays, but Nate’s kind of just making real consistent plays. He doesn’t necessarily make all the splash plays. He’s gotten his hands on some balls actually, which has been nice; but he’s a steady and calming influence, which is exactly what we wanted out of him. It’s been great.”
Darren Rizzi – August 4, 2017
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Friday, August 4, 2017
Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(In your role as associate head coach, how are these injuries, how is the team dealing with these injuries? Is it the same as last season, regular season? Or are they more accustomed to it now?) – “You’re trying to butter me up with my title, huh? (laughter) That’s a good way to start. I like that! You know what? I think everybody realizes in this day and age in the NFL, our team no different, injuries are going to happen. This time of year, it’s the first time you put the pads on. You don’t get to put the pads on in OTAs with the new rules and the offseason rules. So you’re looking at not only the Dolphins, but if you’re looking across the league, every day something pops up. Every team has 90 guys in camp and that’s one of the reasons. I think our guys have handled it very well, like every other year. I really don’t see a difference. I think our guys have always had – it doesn’t matter what the injury is, it doesn’t matter what position or who the guy is, it’s next man up and let’s go.”
(In your role as special teams coordinator, I haven’t seen K Andrew Franks miss one single kick. Are you seeing extra confidence in him? Is there a change technically?) – “We worked on some things in the spring with him. Just some technical things, some things we saw on film from the season. In the spring time during OTAs, he was a little bit hit or miss there; but I thought he’s really had a good start. He had a really good start this week. He’s kind of right back … We have a thing around here called beginner’s mentality. (We) kind of go back to the drawing board and it’s something I got from Michael Jordan’s book way back when. In his book, he talks about beginner’s mentality every year – starting training camp and learning how to hold a basketball. We kind of take that same approach. So with Franks, we kind of went back to square in (and told him) listen, this is where we’ve had success. We haven’t taken a lot of long field goal attempts just yet; but so far in the shorter distances and the PATs and mid-range stuff, he’s been good so far. You may watch him warm up and he tinkers with some things, but so far so good in the team periods. Really, it’s just that beginner’s approach mentality and that’s really what we’ve seen so far. Hopefully that will translate to the games. We’ll see. As you can see, he’s not up every single day. A kicker is a lot like a pitcher if you will. There are going to be days where they’re on, like a guy in a five-man rotation – you’re going to have your day that you’re up and then another work day. So we kind of handle it like that. So the days that he’s up, we’ll try to get the most out of him. He’s been good so far.”
(How has WR Jakeem Grant been in training camp?) – “So far in training camp, we’re trying to put him in a ton of difficult situations. We’ve talked over and over about how much he works at it and his work ethic with the return stuff. The thing I’ve noticed, just from my angle, is really I’ve seen a big difference from him on offense this year. Obviously, I have a little different perspective on the practice because I get a chance to step back and watch the team periods, not as an offensive or defensive coach. I’ve seen him show up a lot more on the offensive side of the ball. Special teams wise, we’ve tried to put him in a lot of difficult situations. We’re kicking him all kinds of knuckleballs purposefully and all kinds of different things and trying to make it as difficult as possible for him. He certainly hasn’t been 100 percent but I’ve seen a major improvement between this camp and last camp.”
(Returning punts, RB Kenyan Drake, how has he done?) – “So Kenyan we’re trying to get him in a position where that’s another role that he could maybe do. He’s obviously a very athletic guy and very good – we know what he can do with the ball in his hands. We saw that last year on kickoff returns and certainly on offense. So he’s just another playmaker and just another option. As I’ve talked about with you guys before, as many options as we can have, the better. So he’s just another guy. He by no means is a finished product. He did a little bit of it at Alabama, not a lot, so we’re trying to … He’s a little bit of a work in progress. There are some other young guys who have worked there too. You guys have seen Jarvis (Landry) back there time and again. He hasn’t really gone full go on it just yet but we’ll give him some work to keep him fresh and some of the younger guys. We’re trying to work as many bodies back there as we can.”
(So WR Jakeem Grant is still No. 1 punt returner and kickoff returner?) – “Our kickoff returns, we can do a bunch of different things. We could have as many as three returners on the field. You saw last year we did it a few times with Jakeem, Kenyan (Drake) and Damien (Williams). We had a bunch of different guys out there. As far as I know, right now, we’re going to get Jakeem work in the preseason games for sure. As a young player, he still needs as many reps as we can – some live reps. There is nothing like those game reps. So right now, he’ll go out there and he’ll take the punt stuff, start off and we’ll go from there.”
(What is the plan for WR Jarvis Landry as far as returns? Do you want him out there? Do you consult with Head Coach Adam Gase on that?) – “It’s something we definitely communicate about all of the time – Adam and I. He’s great about it. He’s great in terms of ‘What do we need to do to win the game?’ That’s something that we’ll explore. Listen, we all know what Jarvis can do back there. He’s a proven guy. He’s a guy that we’re very comfortable putting back there. So whether we approach that situationally again like we did last year or have one guy do all of them, that kind of remains to be seen. We’ll see how these next four games go and we’ll make a decision from there.”
(With your rookie punter – P Matt Haack – how difficult is it to evaluate him in practice when there are not a whole lot of punting situations?) – “I don’t know if you guys have noticed; but basically, what we’ve done with (Matt) Darr and Haack is they’re on like an every other day schedule. So we have punt and yesterday Haack was up, the day before Darr was up. They’ll both get a little bit of work tomorrow in the scrimmage. But so far with (Haack), he’s getting as much work as Darr in terms of reps. He’s a very talented guy. It’s great for our returners to have a lefty in camp, as well, a lefty kicker because the ball comes off different. We play teams like the Patriots for example, who have a left-footed punter. So it’s a different deal for the returners but he’s been very impressive. He’s been very impressive. He’s done a very nice job. He’s had good hang time on the ball. He’s very composed. He’s been a really nice addition to the team right now.”
(Have you gotten any idea of how DT Vincent Taylor will do at field goal block and kick block? And I think DE Praise Martin-Oguike? Was he the other one that had some success in college? Can you talk about those two?) – “Yes, so we work those guys and they’re going to get a ton of work in the preseason here. That’s one thing that we don’t really work a lot of live drills on. We don’t do a lot of live field goal, field goal block. We’ll do individual work and we’ll work the techniques but that’s not something we’re going to do (often). We don’t go live field goal versus live field goal block, so it’s a little bit hard to tell. Certainly both of those guys have a really good foundation with what they did in college. They’re definitely going to get some work. But just in our drills? Both guys are explosive. They both have a really good knack for it. There’s something to be said for a guy that has a knack for blocking a kick or a punt. There is something to be said for that. There are certain techniques that go with it. I like what I’ve seen so far from those guys.”
(How has CB Jordan Lucas done special teams-wise? Because it seems that’s going to be a huge key to him being on the 53.) – “’Luc’ (Jordan Lucas) is a guy that is very versatile. He can do a lot of different things, so he has kind of got that jack of all trades. On punt for example, he’s a guy that reps at ‘PP’ (personal protector). He’s a guy that reps at gunner. On the return team, he can play a bunch of different positions on both return teams. On our kick team, we move him around. That certainly helps his case for this team. I’ve seen a big difference in him. A lot of those first-year guys, it’s all new to them. They’re very green. And a guy like ‘Luc’ I’ve seen a guy with a lot more confidence. He’s moving a lot better. Today we did a couple of live drills with the punt return stuff. I think he was real physical out there. I’m really excited to see him in these games, I really am, because I feel like he’s taking a step from where he was last year. We got him some reps last year in live action, so he did have some game reps. But I think this year, you’ll see a more confident guy. He has been through it once already. I’ve seen that with a few guys.”
(The same for CB Lafayette Pitts. What’s the next step for him?) – “Absolutely. And again, he has really had a strong first week here. Anything we’ve done with live competition, he’s really … Again, a lot of confidence. I’ve seen that from a lot of the guys that were rookies last year. Everybody talks about that Year 1 to Year 2 should be your biggest jump, and I’ve seen that. I’ve seen guys like (Jordan) Lucas, like Pitts, like (Leonte) Carroo – those guys just pop into my mind – like Jakeem Grant, guys that were in that class last year. Even a guy like (Kenyan) Drake has taken a big step forward in terms of having a lot more comfort level with what we’re doing, have a lot more confidence in terms of the way they’re playing. That has been real positive.”
(Is TE Thomas Duarte doing much on special teams?) – “He’s going to in these games, for sure. This is something that he has got to do. He knows that. This is a role … That tight end position, I really like that group of guys – all of them. It’s going to be a lot of it that third, fourth, fifth tight end, whoever ends up making the team, they’re going to have special teams value. We know MarQueis Gray last year played a lot of reps for us on special teams. That’s a position where if you’re going to make this team as a third or fourth tight end, you’ve got to have value there. He’s going to really be a guy that gets a lot of reps in these games, and we’ll see what he can do.”
(Among rookie draftees, has anybody caught your eye special teams-wise? I know you mentioned DT Vincent Taylor.) – “Just kind of going through the guys in my head position by position – (Raekwon) McMillan is obviously a guy that has a lot of value both defensively and on special teams. He has really been a guy that I’ve been really, really impressed with – his work, his demeanor, his physical-ness, everything – really the whole package there. He has been really good. Defensive back-wise, a couple surprises there so far. Again, we’ll when it translates to the game, but (Torry) McTyer has been good, ‘Mo’ (Maurice) Smith, ‘Tank’ (Cordrea Tankersley) all those guys, those rookie DBs. So far, our drills are probably a little far ahead where most rookies are at this time; but again, we’ll see how that translates to the game. Even some offensive guys, there have been some guys that have stood out a little bit. ‘D’ (De’Veon) Smith the running back from Michigan, he has been a guy that has been right up there with those other running backs. Again, all those guys are going to get … I’ll have a much better feeling after a couple weeks of these preseason games when we’re live action. But I’m very pleased so far. I do have to say this, I think one of the reasons is our veteran guys – the guys like Walt (Aikens), Mike Thomas, Damien Williams, guys who’ve been around, Mike Hull and Neville Hewitt – they’ve really laid a nice foundation. Their work ethic has been outstanding. Those guys have no choice but to follow those guys. It has been great. I’ve been really, really pleased with this first week and our work ethic, our approach and all of that. Now let’s see if that translates to the game.”
(You mentioned WR Leonte Carroo. He had some difficulty with special teams last year. What has been the difference for him this year?) – “I think first thing is he’s moving better. He’s moving a lot better. I don’t know if it was conditioning or whatever. I’ll stay in my lane on that one. I don’t really know exactly what it is, but you can see him moving better. He definitely has more confidence. We had a couple of live drills where it looks like he’s really running well. He’s more physical. He obviously has a better understanding of what we’re doing. He’s a guy when we brought him here, I really thought he had a lot of special teams value coming in. He had some peaks and valleys last year. I think everybody knows that. But he has really had a nice start here. Again, he’s another guy. All these guys you’re mentioning are all these guys that are going to get a lot of work in these games. It’s up to them at this point. Once we get to Thursday – Thursday night – they’ve got to go out there and they’ve got to make the plays.”
(Can you guys afford to go live tomorrow? High-speed collisions obviously on special teams. Can you afford to do that, or do you wait until Thursday?) – “Special teams is a little bit different than offense, defense. Special teams, we’ll go live. We don’t necessarily go to the ground. It’ll be live block, everybody kind of staying up. We’re not going to go live punt return and get the returner. It’s obviously to avoid injury there. But everything is going to be live to the ball. That’s what we call it – live to the ball. We’re just tagging off the ball carrier, trying to keep people off the ground. At the end of the day, it’s very, very hard to simulate special teams full go in practice. That’s just the way it is. Whether it’s field goal against field goal block, whether it’s kick, kick return. It’s something that’s very difficult. We try to keep the speed the same, but just in terms of finishing blocks and getting the ball carrier on the ground, we’re going to have to see who can do that in games, for sure. It’s very difficult to simulate.”
Frank Bush – August 4, 2017
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Friday, August 4, 2017
Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach Frank Bush
(How much of LB Raekwon McMillan’s ability to absorb information came from the fact that he played at a major program like Ohio State?) – “I think that’s a major factor because they put a little bit different kind of pressure on those kids at those bigger schools; but secondly, it’s just a credit to him. The kid is very, I won’t say professional at this point; but he’s very serious about football. He wants to get things right. He takes a lot of pride in being right and whatnot. He’s kind of built that way so, fortunately, we got him.”
(This is your first year with the Dolphins. How much familiarity did you have with the personnel?) – “I knew a lot of these kids just from being in the league over time, just watching Kiko (Alonso) throughout the years, Koa (Misi) and all those guys. And then watching the way this staff came in here the year before and kind of put the thing together and won a lot of games to go to the playoffs. We’re always a little bit envious of those things so you look to see what they’re doing, that way you know you watch the team.”
(Are you established on a starting trio?) – “Not really. When you look at it, we have about six guys that are really competing. Of course we have a couple of guys we run out with the first group with Lawrence (Timmons) and Kiko (Alonso) and that group, and Raekwon’s (McMillan) been running some reps with those groups, but right now it’s really about learning the defense and then really, really competing, just to show us what you can do. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt Burke has always been adamant about, ‘If you can play, we’ll find a role for you,’ so all those guys are competing just to be a part of what we’re doing.”
(Speaking of a role, what about LB Neville Hewitt?) – “Again, he’s just another guy that’s competing. He kind of ended the season last year doing a good job and really he’s had an outstanding offseason, spring, and even training camp, until recently, so he’s just competing for a role. If he can do some things that we like to do and he continues to do so, then we’ll find a way to get him involved.”
(LB Mike Hull, as you’ve seen it, he has been in and out a little bit with the ones. What kind of a role could he … I mean is there a package or is he strictly a backup, which I don’t mean in a negative way?) – “Exactly, exactly. In this league, as you know, it’s next man up and you’re one snap away, but for Mike he’s just done a good job of learning all three positions, being there on call when we need him; but also making some plays on the football field. So just like the rest of the kids, he’s competing. He wants to be the next man up. He wants to be the next guy to go on the field, so if he is that guy, then of course we’ll find a way to make sure he gets his opportunities as well.”
(So when you say all three positions, is LB Mike Hull mainly in the middle and, if necessary, on the outside?) – “Yes, absolutely, because again, he’s a smart kid that knows how to retain the information and it’s not too big for him. We do put a lot on him in the sense of asking him to know all three (positions). We’ve got to be smart about that, but he does a good job right now of being able to handle that.”
(What do you want to see from your unit against the run?) – “I just want to see them be more aggressive downhill. I want to see us tackle way better. I just want to see us consistently stop the run when we know we have to stop the run. That’s one of the emphasis (this camp). We’ve worked to improve it and we just want to see them get better and better and better at that.”
(Mentality wise, what has LB Lawrence Timmons added to that unit?) – “Lawrence comes from a place where they’ve had a lot of success and so we’re hoping he can help bring a little bit of that standard here, a little bit of the old school, kind of rough and tumble, bang people around kind of standard that they’ve gone through there. We kind of like what he’s doing so far.”
