Leonte Carroo – July 30, 2017
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Sunday, July 30, 2017
WR Leonte Carroo
(How did you feel about your day today?) – “It felt pretty good just to go out there and make some plays for my team. I’m just trying to get better. That’s what training camp is for is to get better each and every day and to just go out there and compete.”
(There was a play where there was kind of a hard-fought competition over the middle there and you won the ball. Tell me about how that fits into what you’ve done in your career and what you hope to continue to do.) – “That’s what I’m known for, just having strong hands and competing. ‘Mike T’ (Michael Thomas) and I were battling for the ball and I was just going to come down with it. Like I said, that’s what training camp is for – to go out there and compete against your teammates and have fun.”
(What happened on the touchdown that they said wasn’t a touchdown?) – “(laughter) In my eyes, it was a touchdown. We’ll watch it on film.”
(What are some of the bigger things that you’ve been working on during training camp this year?) – “One, like I’ve said before, just getting my weight down. That’s a big factor for me, to continue to lose more and more weight so I can become a more fluid, faster receiver. Also, just to learn from ‘The Big 3’ (Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills) and learn from what they do every single day, and try to feed off of them and make plays myself so I can make my way into their little group.”
(What is your target weight? What are you trying to get down to?) – “I’m trying to get down to 208 (pounds). Right now I’m like 212. The way my body is set up, it’s kind of hard to lose four pounds every single day, so I’m just trying to get down to a steady 208 and become a better and faster receiver.”
(What weight did you play at last year?) – “Last year I was about 221 (pounds).”
(So you want to be down like 13 pounds this year?) – “Yes.”
(From last year to this year, was last year a disappointment for you not getting as much time and what do you look forward to this year?) – “Yes, I would say it was a disappointment as far as the expectations that I had for myself and that these guys had for me. This year, I’m just looking to go out and make plays (and) make way more plays than I did last year. (I just want to) go out there and do whatever I can for my teammates – special teams, offensively – and just continue to have fun.”
(How much better is it in Year 2 where you’re more comfortable and you know the surroundings and all of that?) – “A lot better. You’re just going out there. You’re not thinking as much. You’re just making plays. Now I just have to focus on my craft instead of worrying about what I have to do.”
(The weight you lost already, have you noticed a difference out here in training camp as opposed to where you were last season?) – “Absolutely. Last year during training camp I couldn’t do two plays without breathing heavy and dying. This year, I’m able to run four, five or six plays without feeling as tired. I just have to go out there and continue to take each day by day and continue to grind.”
(Is this the ideal weight for you for the rest of your career you think?) – “Yes. I don’t want to get anywhere next to 215 (pounds). I want to stay at a steady under 210, between 208 and 212.”
Adam Gase – July 29, 2017
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Saturday, July 29, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(WR Isaiah Ford was not in pads. Anything you can tell us about him?) – “Yes, we’re still trying to figure out really what happened. He came in this morning and his knee was a little swollen up, so we held him out. I’ll probably know more tonight because it kind of came up out of nowhere.”
(C Mike Pouncey, how would you describe what he did today? Would you say he was limited or did he participate at all or he was out there?) – “We’re trying to work him into some individual things, but we kind of got some time limits there that we’re trying to stick to because any time Mike does anything, if you say ‘Hey, we’ve got 10 minutes,’ he figures out a way to get 30 minutes worth of work in 10 minutes. So we have to … we’re trying to go through a certain progression. That’s why we’ve got … The guys are doing a good job of making sure they’re watching what he does and how much he does because he’ll go past what we want to do, and that’s why he is who he is and the kind of player he is. We’re just trying to make sure we keep an eye on him and he can go through our progression the way that we have been talking about the last month or so.”
(One other C Mike Pouncey question. You said earlier this week that when he returned against Tennessee last year, he played at an elite level? Do you recall anything about that day? Was he in the secondary blocking?) – “Yes, I mean he just does such a good job. He gets to the second level when most guys can’t. He’ll have poor angles and he’ll get there. A lot of times centers aren’t able to do that. They’re trying to catch up to the linebackers and they can’t quite get the right angle on them and can’t get that block, where he can. It’s very unique to have a guy that can do some of the things that we ask him to do. When you’re running outside zone and there’s some tough avenues you’ve got to finagle through with the d-line, and he gets through. He’s got that ability to see it before it happens and make the right move a lot of times, whether it be going in front of a d-lineman or making a right call to combo up to send the guard. He just has very good instincts and there’s a huge calming affect that he has over the entire offense when he’s in there because things don’t … You don’t have mental issues. The right calls are always made. You never have to worry about the snap.”
(And you saw all that on that day against Tennessee without…?) – “Absolutely. I’d see him practice enough and then when he gets in the game it’s just, you can tell that he’s doing something a little different than everybody else.”
(When you have a three interception practice, who surfaces? Adam Gase the play caller or Adam Gase the head coach?) – “That’s a tough question because I’m excited because the defense did a good job. Guys either tipping a ball or somebody making tight coverage and it goes up and then I go right to the ‘Hey, let’s be careful if we’re going to start pitching this thing around and not turn it over again.’ So I think a little bit of it does go to the head coach but then, at the end of the day, I go back to like ‘Alright, we just turned it over.’ But I love the fact that last year I don’t remember really getting a lot of hands on the ball and this year the coverage is way tighter. The underneath is really the biggest difference I’ve noticed with Lawrence (Timmons) and Kiko (Alonso). Those guys that have been kind of coming in that gained some experience last year, and even in that second and third group, those guys are doing a good job. Mike Hull, he showed up a couple of times today in the red area, which is always good to see.”
(What would you like to see from LB Neville Hewitt in the short term, meaning training camp, and then the bigger picture, meaning the full of season?) – “I think he just needs to keep doing what he’s doing. He seems to always make some kind of play that everybody takes notice and he’s been very consistent over, really since the end last year, spring and training camp. He looks very comfortable in what he’s doing. He understands the concepts of the defensive schemes and why we’re doing things and it’s been very impressive watching him grow so fast in a short period of time.”
(Would you say LB Neville Hewitt is competing for a starting job?) – “They’re all competing right now. We don’t have anything … we’re not even looking at it like that right now. We’re just trying to get guys out there. All of those guys are getting reps. That’s how we have it set up. We want to make sure that we give every guy an opportunity. We’ve got so many guys out there and we’d rather not have anybody standing around, so we want to get everybody on film. We want to be able to evaluate everybody. We never want anybody to walk away thinking they didn’t get a shot.”
(We had a chance to speak with CB Byron Maxwell today and he said like he said last year that he feels like he’s the best corner in football and things like Pro Bowl and All-Pro. More important before what they are now, what kind of mindset and then performance have you seen out of him so far?) – “One of the things about (Byron) Maxwell that I’ve always appreciated is his ability to put himself in that one-on-one situation and he really wants to be the best corner – whether it’s in the league, on this team, however he looks at it – he just wants to be the best guy, especially on the field that day. He does a good job of knowing his weaknesses and what he needs to work on, and that’s what he tries to do in practice. He knows, ‘Alright, I know I can press. I know I can really disrupt the wide receiver coming off the ball.’ So we’ll see him playing the off, trying to do different techniques to really challenge himself to see, ‘Okay, can I do this a game and can I do it well enough?’ That’s when you know, like a veteran player trying to make sure he’s got one more thing in the bag he can go to. He’s really done a good (job), this camp especially. He’s made it tough on some of these wide outs when he’s able to put hands on them, especially today when you get those pads on. It’s tough when you’re a wide out. You better do something at the line of scrimmage with him because if he gets his hands on you, you’re probably not going to go very far.”
(What gives you confidence that you’ll see the CB Byron Maxwell from the second half of 2016, not the first half?) – “Because that’s kind of where he is right now. I think he was trying to figure out how he kind of fit in and his third team in three years. It’s a little different scheme then what he did in Seattle and completely different then what he did in Philly and I think it took him a minute to kind of figure out his place here; but once he did, he did a good job.”
(WR DeVante Parker told us today that in his words he has a ‘new work ethic.’ Have you seen tangible examples of that?) – “Oh yes. It started last year. When he got on that schedule that (Wide Receivers Coach) Shawn (Jefferson) put together and that got him kind of rolling, and then he’s gone out on his own and started working with guys to help him with his running and his training and the way he practices. You can tell. It looks the same as it does in a game for the most part. When he comes out to practice, you’re getting full-go the whole practice. I really feel like that’s one of the main reasons why there’s good timing going on between him and Ryan (Tannehill). They’re working on things after practice and trying to make sure they’re always on the same page. Watching him at that last period, it’s … They’ve run a lot of plays and he looks like he’s not even close to being tired. He accelerated on a scramble and the guy’s in really phenomenal shape right now. I think he realizes what he needed to do to get his body to that point.”
(Is there a football skill, route-running preciseness or something that you have seen development in the last 6 to 12 months?) – “Yes, he understands leverages of DBs a lot better then what he did last year. He understands the reason why we’re doing a lot of these concepts and he understands where he fits in some of those concepts. The thing that does make him unique from a mental aspect of it is he never gets frustrated. Like if he goes a long time without a target or catching a ball, he doesn’t get rattled by that. He just keeps lining up the next play and looking to win on that route. Sometimes it takes guys a few years to kind of realize it’s not always going to happen exactly the way you think, because the defense can sometimes take you away or play some coverages where the ball is not going there. He does a really good job of just lining up the next play, learning from the previous one and going again.”
(When you have o-line against d-line one-on-ones down there, as a coach, what is more important – who wins the battle or the guy showing technique?) – “It’s a little bit of both. It goes with all those groups that are working the one-on-one stuff, because it’s a little bit unrealistic, because it’s not really how it’s going to be in a game. But it is fun to watch the competitive nature of guys and how bad they want to win. What are they going to do to win that one-on-one battle? I kept trying to venture down the o-line/d-line to see if I could catch Charles (Harris) or Cam (Wake) or (Ndamukong) Suh. I kept missing it. Every time I turned my back, it seemed like I would turn around and they would be already gone. I really liked the competition that … Those guys, they get excited when you get the one-on-one stuff. All those groups get really fired up to do that because there’s a lot of talking going on and the groups really … that’s where it all starts because you’ve got linebackers and safeties together and running backs and tight ends. You get a lot of good back and forth going on.”
(With the defensive tackle, the backup situation, so many young guys. We’ve seen so many mixing and matching with the second team. How will you do that evaluation?) – “The good thing is when you watch the film, it’s almost like a game every day, where you go through your evaluation and keep track of what’s going on and who’s doing what. The development of guys, we really take focus day-by-day – who came, who showed up and who played well and who didn’t. Our coaches do a good job of keeping track of those things and there’s communication between the front office and our coaches – (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and our personnel guys, we’re talking all the time. They’re talking to our position coaches almost every day. If a guy’s in charge of one group, he’ll come down there and they’ll have a discussion on it. It’s an ongoing process. We just know we have a long time before we have to make any decisions; but it’s kind of neat to say this guy started here the first day of camp, where was he after one week, where was he after two weeks, and see how that guy follows as we go through the entire preseason.”
(Can you explain the University of Davie t-shirts?) – “We were talking about it last season when we had free agents coming up and guys going down and guys stepping up. We were just talking about the culture that we wanted to create and a lot of our players were agreeing with what we were saying. That was really where it started. We were like, ‘Yes, we’re kind of a college team.’ Sometimes nobody really even knows we’re down here. It’s kind of where it started and then when we re-signed (Andre) Branch and (Kenny) Stills, I think those two guys both sent it out on Instagram or something like that. That’s kind of where it started. We were trying to think of something to do, like giving those guys something before we start camp or OTAs. That’s where it really started and our guys like it. They feel like there’s a little bit of a college atmosphere around here.”
(Are you the dean or the chancellor?) – “I don’t know what I am. Neither one of those. (laughter)”
(Are you going to stick with War Daddy?) – “We’ll still do that, you guys saw it last year I think. We have the Cam Wake tier ‘War Daddy,’ like hoodies. I’m sure he’ll want me to do something else this year – different colors, I don’t know. I haven’t checked with … I think he’s in charge of that, so I’ll have to check with him first.”
(What are some ways you would like your program to be similar to the university or collegiate atmosphere?) – “I think it’s just the closeness. I think our guys have kind of created that on their own. We kind of wanted to make it where our guys like coming to work every day and they want to go out to the practice field. They enjoy being around each other. Those guys created it. They spend a lot of time with each other when they’re here. When they are off the field, it seems like our guys like to hang out with each other. That’s kind of really … Most of us think back to when we were in college and that’s what it was. I like the environment our guys have created. Like today, it was great energy on the field. Guys were having fun, they practiced hard and there was great execution on both sides. I’m sure we made plenty of mistakes we’re going to learn from and tomorrow we’ll come back and get better from today.”
(With DB Cordrea Tankersley, we saw that he was back out there today. Do you leave the hydration thing on him today to see if he could handle it on his own? Or is it a player safety…) – “It throws a big red flag for us. So now he probably has about 20 people on him. It’s like your worst nightmare if that happens. You have so many people coming at you with water, Gatorade, all kinds of things to make sure that you’re hydrated. Our training staff and strength staff and nutritionist, all these departments we have – sports science – they make sure … That’s no joke to them. They do a good job. That was the first time that really has happened since I’ve been here because they are always on these guys about all of that stuff. That’s probably the worst thing that could’ve happened to him because they’ll be all over him now.”
(A couple of picks for LB Kiko Alonso so far. How do you feel like he’s adjusted moving from the middle to the outside, and what do you like about him playing on the edge?) – “It’s such an interchangeable … The way we play defense, he’s not in the middle in base; but when we get to our sub packages, those guys move all over the place. It’s not a hard adjustment for him. A lot of times it’s like ‘see ball, get ball.’ It’s not too hard. You can tell he’s very comfortable, especially the second year in the system. Communication-wise, he has been outstanding. I think the front … Him being back there is a familiar voice for them, and that’s kind of good for our defense instead of having a different guy all of the time talking. I think ‘L.T.’ (Lawrence Timmons) being back there too, that’s kind of nice for him to have another veteran back there with him, especially a guy that can make a lot of plays. If Kiko just stays in the defense and does his thing, he should be very productive.”
DeVante Parker – July 29, 2017
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Saturday, July 29, 2017
WR DeVante Parker
(It’s only half packs, but how did it feel to get a little more physicality out there?) – “It felt good competing with the defense and seeing what they’re bringing and us competing with each other, going back and forth, it’s a good thing.”
(I think on Day 1 you had that 32-yard touchdown catch. What was it like to start off your camp and what do you remember about that play?) – “It was a great way to start off camp. I felt like I can go up and attack every ball that comes my way, and I don’t think anyone can get it from me. I just go up and high-point it. It’s the way it goes.”
(Who did you work with this summer to stay in shape? Who did you work out with?) – “I worked out with this guy named Adam. (He) stays out here in Davie about 10 minutes from here.”
(Did you throw with QB Ryan Tannehill at all before camp?) – “Yes, we threw with Ryan a little bit and also (Minnesota Vikings quarterback) Teddy (Bridgewater), so I threw with both of them.”
(Where do you think your comfort level with this offense is compared to last year?) – “Comfort level, it’s all the way up now compared to last year. (It’s my) second year learning this offense and I’m comfortable with it.”
(Is there one example where you’ve said, ‘I’ve got this. I’ve done this thing better than I have in years past.”?) – “Of course. A lot of things.”
(Anything specific you can tell us?) – “No. It’s a lot.”
(Did you have any fun during the summer, during the offseason? You get away? Any trips or anything?) – “Yes, I went to the Bahamas for a weekend, and I went back to Louisville for a week and then I came back and started working out again.”
(Bahamas – any fishing or just chilling at the pool? What’d you do?) – “I didn’t do (any) fishing. I’m not good at fishing. I just went to the beach, that’s it.”
(What’s different between this training camp as opposed to your first two in the league?) – “I’m playing a lot faster than I was. The first year I came in, I was playing fast; but then I got hurt. This year, I’m just playing a lot faster and know the plays and everything well.”
(How has your mental approach to the game changed these last couple years entering your third year?) – “It’s changed a lot. When you’re healthy, you just feel a lot different. You feel like no one can guard you. You just go out there and play hard.”
(What kind of mindset do you think does it take to be one of these dominant wide receivers? You obviously want to be one of them. What does it take?) – “It takes a great mindset. You want to go out there and feel like no one can guard you. That’s how you have to play. Just go out and play hard every play.”
(Do you feel like no one can guard you? Is that how you feel?) – “That’s how you have to think, feel in your mind that no one can guard you. That’s how you got to play.”
(How does that translate to the field?) – “It’s a mindset. You just go out there and do it.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill said earlier this year that this is the most talented skill position he has had since he has been here. What do you see when you look at the talent of the skill positions of this team?) – “There’s a lot of talent at skill positions that we’ve got. There’s just a lot of talent everywhere. We just bring that to the field. I’m looking forward (to it).”
(Do you think the offense going to be very difficult to defend because of the weapons they have – WR Jarvis Landry, you, WR Kenny Stills, RB Jay Ajayi?) – “I think so. It’s a lot of people to have to choose to pick to guard. (There are) a lot of us out there at one time, so it’d be difficult.”
(In what ways do you and CB Xavien Howard challenge each other and make each other better?) – “We try to get physical with each other, tell each other good job. It’s good competition with me and him. We just go at it every day.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill expressed to me that he has more confidence, more trust, more excitement about what he has seen from you since last season ended. When you hear all that, what goes through your mind?) – “I’m glad to hear that from the starting quarterback, to know he’s talking about you and he sees me healthy. I’m healthy now. His trust in me grew a lot.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill also spoke of you being, obviously, so talented but that at times obviously, when you were injured he said you were a Ferrari with four flat tires at times. As you look back now, how limiting were all the things you went through – foot, hamstring, etc.?) – “It was a lot of things limiting (me). I couldn’t do certain routes like I wanted to, because I couldn’t run at full speed and that was bothering me. This offseason I had to work on that and make my legs and everything stronger.”
(Did you do that through anything new as far as new drills or new conditioning work?) – “Just a new work ethic. Things in the weight room also – leg strength.”
(This is the best you’ve felt since when?) – “Since I first got here.”
(What about food? I tried changing my diet, I ate the exact same thing every day – fruit and oatmeal for breakfast, salad with chicken … You don’t need to know all that, but I’m curious about your diet. What are some foods you’ve discovered or are your favorite foods now? What are you eating all the time?) – “I eat pears, some potatoes and salad and some type of meat.”
(And you’re what weight-wise now?) – “Weight-wise, 210 (pounds).”
(The same as last year?) – “The same.”
Kiko Alonso – July 29, 2017
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Saturday, July 29, 2017
Linebacker Kiko Alonso
(I’ll give you a hard one right off the bat. Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather. What’s the prediction?) – “I’ve got Mayweather.”
(Decision? Knockout?) – “I’m saying knockout. I’m saying knockout Mayweather.”
(How much are you looking forward to that fight?) – “I’m glad we get to watch it, because it’s … We might have the day off. I’m looking forward to it. It’s like a once in a lifetime type fight. It’s going to be fun. It might not be much of a fight, but it’s going to be entertaining.”
(Are you trying to go to it?) – “No. I’m going to watch it on TV.”
(How do you think they’ve promoted the fight? Would you do anything differently?) – “I thought it was funny. The tour – the press tour – that was some funny stuff, like some WWE stuff.”
(How would you describe your comfort level now in your second year with the Dolphins?) – “I’m really comfortable. It’s nice going into a year and being comfortable in the system. This is my first year having the same defense, so it’s definitely nice.”
(With your QB Ryan Tannehill picks back-to-back days, were those reads, disguised? How’d you get him?) – “I was just dropping into coverage and I was kind of reading his eyes, and I was in the right place at the right time.”
(Kind of picking up where you left off last year with the takeaways aren’t you?) – “Yes. We’re just trying to make some plays, trying to help out the team.”
(It’s still early in the process, but how is the chemistry building with you and LB Lawrence Timmons?) – “Good. The more reps we get, the more comfortable we’re getting.”
(Anything about LB Lawrence Timmons that has stood out to you so far?) – “The guy plays hard. He brings some intensity. The guy loves the game and he’s just a great, great player. It’s going to be fun.”
(How do you feel like your skills translate to playing on the outside?) – “It’s not that different. At the end of the day, its run, hit, make plays. That’s what I’m going to try to do.”
(Does it give you a chance to do anything even better playing outside as opposed to in the middle?) – “I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m going to go try and do my part on the outside.”
Lawrence Timmons – July 29, 2017
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Saturday, July 29, 2017
LB Lawrence Timmons
(So what do you think of the heat?) – “I haven’t thrown up yet, so far so good. (laughter) I’m enjoying it. It’s the third day of camp so I’m still trying to get acclimated. The heat is kind of serious but I’m having fun.”
(How do you prevent the heat from becoming a problem?) – “Cool tubs after practice. Popsicles preferably. Stuff like that because it’s real hot out here.”
(I’ve seen you talking to LB Kiko Alonso on the side a lot. How do you form a bond with a new teammate like that?) – “It’s huge. Team camaraderie is everything. We’ve got to be like brothers and family out there – on the field, off the field. We’ve got to be each other’s friend, brother.”
(You were in half packs today but how was it to have at least a little more contact?) – “It was good getting your pads low, getting that muscle memory back of bending the pads. That and just out here like you’re little again, playing ball and having fun.”
(It’s practice but how cool was it to get that interception?) – “It was fun. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase makes it fun for us. It’s very youthful here. It’s just fun out there. It’s like high school all over again.”
(And you had a lateral…) – “Yes. You saw that? When I was a quarterback (I ran) the veer option. (laughter)”
(You’ve been on some good defenses. What do you think when you see that d-line in front of you?) – “I feel like we have one of the best d-lines in football. You’ve got (Cameron) Wake, you’ve got (Ndamukong) Suh – the best d-tackle ever. (Andre) Branch has been going crazy. We’ve got a lot of players and it’s going to be fun. We’re still trying to develop and get better at the same time.”
(LB Raekwon McMillan, what do you think of him so far and his early development?) – “I feel like he’s very young but he’s willing to work and come to work every day. He doesn’t say much but he listens, which is major for him. I think he’s going about it the right way and I’m just waiting to see his success.”
(LB Neville Hewitt is a guy who made a few starts last year. He played some special teams. What does he bring to the table?) – “I like Neville because he’s a hard-nosed player. He gives you one speed every time. He’s very passionate. That’s another guy that’s going to make a lot of noise this year.”
(When you have three linebackers on the field and you’re outside, what does that enable you to do? What are the positives from that scenario when you line up like that compared to the middle?) – “I play both so it doesn’t matter to me. I’ve got to be a flexible player and play both. In the middle, you’re in the scrum more. On the outside, you’re free. You get to run around. That’s the difference.”
(Have you been playing more Sam linebacker?) – “I’m both – all over.”
(Is it true that sometimes in the summer the Steelers would tackle each other to the ground?) – “We’re the Dolphins here. (laughter) What are you talking about? Who is this guy? (laughter)”
(I read that the Steelers used to tackle each other in practice. I thought that was interesting.) – “No.”
(Not really?) – “No. (Steelers Head Coach) Mike Tomlin is still my guy. (Owner) Mr. Rooney, you already know.”
(He’s going to get an extension it sounds like?) – “Who?”
(Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin) – “He should. Why wouldn’t he?”
Adam Gase – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(We saw CB Cordrea Tankersley leave the field. Is there anything you can tell us about his situation?) – “Yes, he got a little over-heated, so our guys pulled him in. I just saw him a few minutes ago. He seemed alright.”
(Cramps?) – “No, he’s just dehydrated. Overheated.”
(The first day in pads will be what and with your first two defensive draft picks, what specifically on each are you eager to see with them in pads, with DE Charles Harris and LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “Tomorrow will be the first day that we’ll have our uppers on. We don’t go the full lower body pads. We’ll be in those for a couple of days before we go full pads. We’re a little selective on the full pads. Just guys stay off the ground when we go with uppers and we still get good work out of it. Really, all I’m looking for is to keep seeing what we’ve been seeing so far. Guys have been doing a good job of doing their job and you see those guys flash – whether it’s a run game or pass game. We’ll just keep working those guys in, giving them different looks and the longer we go, hopefully that will help them get ready for what they’re going to see in the preseason.”
(How comfortable are you with LB Raekwon McMillan making those calls?) – “Fine. That’s why we drafted him. He’s really smart. That’s the least of my worries. He does a good job of being vocal. He’s very clear. He knows what he’s doing. He’s going to make mistakes because that’s part of it; but a lot of the things are still done by Kiko (Alonso). It’s not as big of a deal as a lot of people think.”
(CB Alterraun Verner, I didn’t notice him out there in team stuff. Was he out there or did you guys just kind of bring him…) – “I mean we’re going to be rotating guys all over the place so I don’t know the reps until I watch the film and kind of see what’s going on. We kind of … Everything is moving real quickly. Every once in a while I’ll get informed that somebody’s been pulled out; but I’m not going to sit there and count the reps during practice.”
(It looked like the DT Davon Godchaux and DT Vincent Taylor made a couple of plays. What have you seen?) – “It seemed like the whole defensive line was making a lot of plays. They really made it tough today. It was a frustrating practice for the offense because the defense was really doing a good job. They made it hard for the run game to get going. That’s really what we kind have been expecting. We knew it was going to be tough this training camp because these guys have a really good feel for what we want to do on defense. They did a really good job of executing today and they’ll make it a rough practice for the offense. That’s what we want. It’s kind of one of those … it’s frustrating for one side, but the other side, that’s what they’re getting paid to do. That’s why we’ve got those guys up front. We want them to stop the run first and make them one-dimensional.”
(You have a lot of athletic big guys there to play that defensive tackle position but not many have that much game experience. What do you hope to see during training camp that will keep you encouraged?) – “We’ll give them so many looks and really you’re just trying to get them prepared for the preseason, so that’s not like a shock to them. The faster we can keep those guys playing, the better, and it just becomes a game of reaction. I don’t want them thinking, which that’s why our defense is set up really for those guys to get up the field and penetrate and just play hard and fast. We don’t try to over-complicate anything and right now, those guys are doing a really good job. They’re making it really tough – whether you’re in the one’s, two’s or three’s – because they’re getting a ton of reps. It’s really been … It’s an encouraging sign that the front, they’re trying to really push each other. That whole group, I mean you can see the leadership of those veterans has really been paying off for us because those guys are pushing those younger guys and they’re setting the tempo of practice early, and those guys are following suit.”
(It what ways has T Laremy Tunsil grown and improved now versus a year ago?) – “I mean he’s playing the position that really he’s been playing his whole life. So for him it’s … I know he enjoyed … When he plays tackle, he really … That’s his thing. He really kind of did that for us for one year – going inside – and did a good job and had to learn real fast, and that’s the way we were built last year. Now with him being able to bump out there, that’s just more his game. It’s nice having him out there. It’s just every day you look out there going, ‘I’m glad he fell to us.’”
(Does it fit his T Laremy Tunsil’s skillset better?) – “Definitely.”
(How so?) – “He’s a big man that’s very athletic, great with his hands (and) just has a really good feel. It’s just one of those things, he’s just so used to playing that spot and when you get bumped inside, everything’s happening a little quicker. It’s a different perspective. Your eyes are going different spots and things get a little tighter. It’s a whole different game for him, and then you throw him at left tackle and it’s hard to get around him. It’s hard to get inside him. He can redirect so good. It’s good to get him out there.”
(Does he compare to anyone that you’ve coached at left tackle or coached against?) – “That would be hard for me to say. I haven’t really … I’m trying to think. Really I was with (Ryan) Clady there for a second before he started getting hurt all the time; but coming into 2009, he was a dominate guy in the league when he was a young player. I haven’t been around too many guys that have those kind of skillsets.”
(Do you guys have some clarity with your offensive line? Is the group that we’re seeing out there now the plan as it stands today?) – “We’ll see. I don’t know. I don’t have to put a depth chart out yet.”
(You don’t have to.) – “I know.”
(I asked you. It’s your prerogative.) – “(laughter) I don’t know, just keep watching. Chart it. (laughter) It’ll give you something to do during practice. (laughter)”
(Back to G/T Laremy Tunsil, do you see a change in his personality in Year 2? So often guys do change a lot from their rookie season.) – “He’s very … I would say he was real quiet last year. He was trying to find his niche in the locker room and now you can see he’s got some ability to talk a little trash every once in a while. So you can tell he’s having fun. I think he really enjoys playing left tackle again.”
(You said in the spring you were happy with what you were seeing from DT Jordan Phillips in terms of raising his game a little bit. Have you seen signs early in camp that he kept that up through the break and early on here?) – “Yes, he’s done a good job with his pursuit when we’re throwing balls. That’s been a big point of emphasis for the d-line. I know that group is really trying to hold each other accountable with that where a ball is thrown (and they are) running down the field. Really, that’s kind of getting their extra conditioning right there. He’s been one of those guys trying to do that. In the run game, you’ll see him every once in a while. He’ll make a really good play. He’s trying to do what his responsibility is. That’s why … Those are tough positons to play inside because it’s hard to make a ton of plays because you’re kind of protecting those linebackers, and at the same time, every once in a while when you take a shot, you’ve got to be right. He’s done a good job of staying in his lane; but at the same time, he’s been making plays by doing that.”
(When you have your own veteran guys that have the trust level with from last year, like DE Cameron Wake for example. How much do you kind of leave to him or defer to him in terms of taking care of some of the teaching out there with the younger guys?) – “Yes, that’s kind of why we’re doing those last periods of the practice when those guys kind of break off. When we first started doing it, it was more for coaches and the young guys, and the vets kind of started taking over a lot of those drills. It means probably a little more when it’s coming from those guys that they’re playing with, and they’re kind of watching, making comments and kind of giving them their tricks of the trade. Those guys will listen to that. At the end of the day, they don’t want to let them down. They want to make sure that they do it right for the guys that they’re playing with. And it’s been … All of those guys have been great between Cam (Wake) and (Ndamukong) Suh and (Andre) Branch, William (Hayes), they’re all out there, always trying to help those guys get better, which is great to see. You can see there’s a lot of pride in that room to where they’re playing as a group and they all want to make sure they’re doing the right stuff.”
(We noticed CB Jordan Lucas’ interception today. Has he found a home at safety or is he still cross-training, and what do you want to see from him on special teams?) – “When we get kind of past that first line guys, we’re cross-training as many guys as we can that can handle it. He’s a guy that’s … he’s able to play a lot of different positions. We’ve had him at safety, corner, nickel. We’ve moved him around a lot. He’s one of those guys, he works extremely hard to make sure he knows what to do so if something happens, he can jump in there. It’s tough because if you’re a one-dimensional guy and you’re that second line of defense, you better know what to do because if one guy goes down, the next guy is up and you’ve got to be able to play a lot of different positions.”
(Special teams-wise with CB Jordan Lucas?) – “He’s a big-time guy that’s playing a lot of phases. He’s trying to develop into one of those guys that we can count on. It’s not as easy to jump into those roles. You can see like Mike Thomas has developed into a guy that’s extremely good and well-known across the league, and all of those guys are trying to push to that level. I’m sure that wasn’t Day 1 for Mike, where he just jumped in there and was like ‘Alright, now I’m going to be a good special teams (player).’ He works extremely hard at that. He studies a lot of film. He knows exactly what everybody’s supposed to do. That’s what makes him such a good special teams player.”
(It’s hard to predict, obviously, on feet; but have you gotten any feedback from the medical staff on how far WR Rashawn Scott is away from being able to do anything?) – “I don’t know. We’re way a ways away. We’ve got time.”
(I wasn’t around for training camp last year, so I don’t know the answer to this question: perhaps at the scrimmage, there’ll be tackling to the ground? Anywhere else where you’ll actually have the guys tackle each other to the ground?) – “That was something that we’ve been discussing. It’s really going to be … We’re going to see where we are health-wise. We always start going into it saying, ‘The scrimmage is going to be live.’ And then we’re going to see where we’re at. It makes it a little difficult because if we go live with our d-line, it would make it extremely hard. We might cheat it for the offense a little bit. (laughter) We’ll see. A lot of times too, you want to be careful about who’s taking how many hits. You know Jay (Ajayi) is already scheduled to carry the ball 400 times for you guys. (laughter) I don’t want to give any carries up.”
(How does WR Jakeem Grant look so far on special teams and then separately on offense?) – “Good. He’s doing extremely well on both. He’s really taking a lot of pride to special teams. I can tell it really bothered him in the spring. A couple of the drops last year he had on those punt returns, it just really bothered him. I know he has been working relentlessly to be a reliable guy and catch every one. On offense, he’s really making a huge jump for us. He looks so much more comfortable and he’s making a lot of plays. He understands how he fits in. It’s fun to watch him play because when he gets the ball in his hands and he gets a little bit of space, you see the defense start to panic, because if they don’t get near him, he’s gone. A guy like that, they’re rare. We want to keep trying to put him in position to make plays and when we hit the preseason, the same thing. We’ll see if we can get him going at receiver. It makes him more valuable. He’s not just a special teams guy. He wants to be a guy that can help on offense.”
(Running back a possibility for WR Jakeem Grant as well?) – “I don’t know if I’m ready to go down that road yet.”
(When you’re trying to decide on full pads or just the uppers and you have to consider keeping players excited and all that, is that an overriding philosophy or a day-by-day type thing?) – “It’s day by day. You get a feel for it; you see where your health is. You get your mind right as far as what’s the weather going to be like, as well. One day to the next, you just never know. You roll out there and it gets pretty hot. When we’re in the uppers, it’s just a mindset for those guys. They get going and then we throw the full pads on and they’ve got to have a different mindset. They know the night before. It kind of gets them ready. We keep talking about, ‘Let’s prepare every day like a game.’ We try to give them a heads up on that, because when we go full pads, they’ve got to have a different mindset, because out here it’s not going to be cool by any means.”
(When you’re out here with no pads, does the boredom level build quicker for the guys after two days?) – “I think they’re a little anxious to throw pads on. Like today, offense, they’re always going to say, ‘We don’t have pads on. It’s not going to look like that when we have pads on.’ That’s why tomorrow it gets a little more interesting.”
Kenny Stills – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
WR Kenny Stills
(As you enter training camp and prepare for the season, is there an ease in your mind now that there’s no contract to be playing for. I’m not saying that you’re going to be working any less hard, but are things a little bit mentally easier?) – “I don’t know. That’s not something I really think about, honestly.”
(What changes tomorrow intensity-wise when the pads come on?) – “You hear the pads popping, that’s pretty much it. We’ve been going pretty hard. You see the tempo. You’ll hear the pads popping here and there and you’ll see some guys showing a little more aggression.”
(How different is RB Jay Ajayi this camp as a leader? Is there a big noticeable difference in how he’s carrying himself?) – “Yes, you see Jay out there just trying to lead by example. You hear him a little bit more; he’s a little bit more vocal. It’s great for us as an offense. We’ve got so many young guys that can do big things for this offense. Just for us to be out there and picking each other up all the time is pretty big for all of us.”
(To have a year of this offense under your belt, for all of you, how does that change your familiarity with it?) – “We’re just more comfortable and we’re playing faster and we’re having fun. When you’re not thinking as much, you’re out there just playing ball, so we’re seeing that for the offense.”
(How much confidence does it give the offense as whole just to have a guy coming off a historic season like RB Jay Ajayi out there taking care of the running game?) – “We know at every position that we’ve got guys that can make plays. The offensive line started making those big holes for Jay last year and it started opening up the passing game for us. We know we can all play off of each other; so yes, it’s exciting for us. We just continue to push each other to get better and we want to build off of what we did last year.”
(Is RB Jay Ajayi the type of guy that can do better than what he did last year?) – “You can always improve. At every position we can improve, so I guess we’ll see.”
(Usually there’s a lot of turnover. It seems on offense there’s a couple new pieces but not a lot of change. How does that help having so many familiar faces back?) – “The continuity on our offense, you can tell. You don’t see any mistakes made. We’re comfortable in this offense. The new pieces are coming in and they’re helping us. Like I said, we’re having fun and we’re thinking less.”
Jay Ajayi – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(The pads come on tomorrow. What kind of intensity does that add to a practice?) – “It’s going to add a lot more contact. Energy is going to be up. I know the o-line and d-line, they’ll probably be excited for that. It should be a fun practice.”
(How does it affect you – no pads to pads? You’re a physical runner. I know it’s not always tackling to the ground and everything. How does that affect you?) – “In practice (it is) a little bit different, because you get to see the holes a little bit clearer, the landmarks are a little more easier to read. For me, personally, in practice it’s all about aiming points and landmarks. Making sure I’m consistent with my keys and running hard whether I got pads on or whether I don’t.”
(And the landmarks are easier because there’s contact and it’s more game like?) – “It’s a little bit more game like. Obviously, the line, they can use their physicality a lot better than if they were just in jerseys. They can actually hold onto their blocks better, get good leverage and the holes are easier to read.”
(You had a historic season in many ways last year. Do you find yourself even more hungry for camp?) – “Definitely. I’m a competitor. I’m striving to be the best. Last year was a great season. Now it’s just about starting fresh and building with this team, building on this season and trying to be great.”
(How different is this training camp for you after what you did last season?) – “I’m in a different space mentally now. I know my role. I’m comfortable with what I know. Now it’s just about pushing myself every day, coming out here and striving to be great. (I’m) working on the little details here and there to really stretch my game and really take my game to another level.”
(How would you describe your role?) – “Just to be a leader on this team. I was able to do a lot of good things for the offense last year. It’s just about building off of that, taking the next step on the field and off the field.”
(Last year RB Arian Foster was the starter through camp going into the season. You now know you are. Do you do anything different as camp unfolds as you prepare for opening day?) – “No. Just come in, know what my plays are. Know my assignments. Come out here. Come with energy. Be a leader and try and be consistent and improve my game every day.”
(I’m sure you wanted to be a leader last year, but you got to wait your turn. Is that the way it works?) – “It was opportunity, just waiting. When it finally came, it was about making the plays, keeping your head down and do what you need to do. For me, it was running hard and having great blocking and working. Now, this year, knowing what I was able to do last year, it’s about taking the next step. For me, that’s what it has been all about this offseason, this spring – pushing myself to do even more than I did last year.”
(Can you talk about what we should expect to see out of you as a ball catcher this year, as a pass catcher?) – “I’ve been working hard on it all offseason. It’s something that I’ve been working to get real comfortable (with). I believe I can do it. I know I have the skillset to do it. I’m striving to be that all-around back that never needs to come off the field. That’s what I’ve been working on every day.”
(Attacking the wide-nine front proved to be a little bit difficult in training camp last offseason. Now, you guys seem to be doing a little bit better with it. How much easier was it seeing it the second year?) – “For us, we go against our defense every day – a great defensive front – so it’s always a challenge to go against them. It was about learning the … Go against them, wide-nine technique. You have to read the keys different than if was just a regular defensive end. You have to know what you see in pre-snap. After that, it’s just playing football. It was just about growing comfortable with that as an offense, as a running back room. Now I think that we’re pretty knowledgeable of how to run against different techniques.”
(You went home in the offseason. Did you notice there were more Dolphins fans than ever where you live?) – “I was in London, so I didn’t see as many ‘Fins jerseys all over, but I saw some pictured here and there. People were showing love, and that was fun. I went back home to the U.K., so that was cool.”
(Do you often get recognized on the street there?) – “I got recognized a little bit. It was pretty cool just to be able to go home and enjoy being with my family after having a great year last year.”
(Healthy C Mike Pouncey, healthy QB Ryan Tannehill, offensive line coming in tact. Are you excited about the offense this year, a dynamic offense?) – “You look at our toolbox, I think we’re pretty stacked. Now we know what the weapons are, we all have to contribute. We have to play even more than what’s expected of us and we’re excited to go and do that.”
