Charles Harris – June 6, 2017
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Tuesday, June 6, 2017
DE Charles Harris
(What have you gotten out of these OTAs?) – “Reps. Just reps. Technique – without the pads on and stuff like that. I’m able to move fast without the weight of the pads and everything. So I’m really just getting the techniques down and fundamentals.”
(I know this is no pads and quite often, as Head Coach Adam Gase said, you guys know that passes are coming. But it appears your first step has been successful so far. Have you learned anything about your first step? Has it surprised you or are there things you need to work on in that aspect of your game still?) – “I’m not elated. I’m not surprised or anything with my game right now. If anything, I feel like there’s a lot of stuff I have to work on. Every day, post-practice, I’ve got things that I have to work on. I go in there and watch film with ‘Coach T’ (Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams) and all of the other guys. He always points out things we can get better at. I feel like none of us can get to that level of complacency where we’re like, ‘Okay, we finally got this down. I’ve got something down.’ I feel like even when it comes to my first step, I’ve noticed it’s not as efficient, as consistent, as some of the older guys, some of the vets – Cam Wake and stuff like that – but it’s something I have to work on every single day. It’s something you have to focus on each and every play.”
(We’ve been enjoying watching your battles with G/T Laremy Tunsil in practice. What has it been like going through it?) – “It’s been competitive. Tunsil is a great player. He’s a great tackle. It’s funny because I remember the first time I went against him, he actually gave me a message. He actually told me what to do. It was my first rep. It was the first day of OTAs. I think he had like reach-blocked me or something like that. He said ‘you have to buck me and set the edge,’ basically. I was like ‘Dang.’ In my mind, I was like ‘Dang, I appreciate it.’ Of course, in that moment I wasn’t thinking about it; but that just speaks to the character of him. Just everybody wants to get each other better on both sides of the football.”
(Does any of that surprise you that’s the environment you’ve come into here where it’s generally pretty supportive and the guy even that you’re going against is trying to help you?) – “Yes. I feel like everybody is in college. When you make that transition from collegiate to NFL, you’ve got your college coaches, college GAs, guys that have been in the league talking about how competitive it is and how some guys might tell you the wrong play to try to get you kicked off or something like that. So I think it is very surprising with the mindset that other people are placing me or told me about the next level. But the environment right here is great. Everyone right here is supportive. It’s a bit surprising but it’s also something that I appreciate and that I love about this place.”
(Do you guys have like a goal to be the first guy to get a sticker? The rookies?) – “No, not really. I mean the d-line – me, Praise (Martin-Oguike) and (Cameron) Malveaux – we all just talk about each and every day about how many sacks you’re going to get. Just little competitive things like ‘I’m getting three today; I’m getting four today.’ Stuff like that. But the logo itself, I don’t think anybody is really focused on it. It’s something that’s going to come with due diligence. Really, just each and every day we compete, we’re competing against one another and pushing each other, telling each other ‘You’ve got to do this better on the next play.’ After practice, we’re each coaching each other, helping each other with our hands and things like that. Even in the rookie class, we were helping each other develop as much as we can because we all came from different colleges, different d-line coaches and things like that. It’s great for us to be able to actually communicate with one another and teach each other.”
(Do they want you doing anything with your body as far as gaining any more weight? Doing anything at all?) – “To my understanding right now, strength and conditioning wise, right now we’re in OTAs so we can’t really bulk up too much and can’t really lose weight. Right now it’s more about maintaining. We’re also getting more flexible, stronger and things like that. I think that really comes over the summer. Heading into this break we have coming up, I feel like that’s where the real training will begin. Until then, I haven’t really talked to the coaches about the strength and conditioning aspect.”
(Have you spoken to DE Cam Wake about his diet? Is that something you think you can adhere to?) – “Yes, I spoke to him about it. Cam’s an interesting guy, to say the least. The diet aspect is so important. Nutrition is so important. I talk to (Team Nutritionist) Mary Ellen (Kelly) all the time about my nutrition and things like that. Everyone doesn’t have to be like Cameron Wake to be as great as Cameron Wake; but I feel like some of the things that he does do, in terms of nutrition, I’ll try to reiterate. The other stuff, the hardcore stuff, I don’t know. It’s pretty hard.”
(What are you talking about?) – “Like dairy. I love my cereal. I love my milk; I love my cheese. Stuff like that.”
(DE Cameron Wake doesn’t eat dairy?) – “I don’t think eats cheese like that. He doesn’t really care for cheese. That’s one thing.”
(Besides DE Cameron Wake’s diet, what other things can you pick his brain about each and every day?) – “Really, technique. The things he does on the field. Also, pass rush. Of course he’s a great pass rusher, so some moves that he does. What is he seeing? What does he look at pre-snap? Also post-snap, how does he learn from the play itself and then go onto the next play? What does he take away from it? Some things like that.”
(You mentioned after you were picked, just all of the admiration you had for DE Cameron Wake. How do you balance the admiration you have for him knowing that, theoretically, you’re here to compete against him?) – “Don’t get comfortable, I guess. Don’t glorify somebody too much because anybody can get beat. Anybody can get their position taken. I feel like that’s how you kind of look at it. I don’t know. Of course I have adoration for the man but, at the same time, each and every day I’m trying to get a job too. I’m trying to make sure I get my reps too. I don’t know. I don’t think that’s really something you have to do intrinsically. I don’t think there’s a certain way you do it, it’s just you either glorify somebody too much or you don’t.”
(And from DE Cameron Wake’s perspective, he knows you’re coming here and working to try to take snaps from him, theoretically. Have you been well received by him? Is he kind of taking you under his wing at all?) – “Yes, him and (Andre) Branch. Both of them, for the most part, have been great in regards to showing me the ropes and showing me everything I need to know. There’s no type of animosity or anything like that.”
Cordrea Tankersley – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
CB Cordrea Tankersley
(What insight can you give us into how difficult it is to come in here and try to pick up everything about the pass coverage?) – “Yes, it’s very difficult; but you know, we have vets who help us try to learn the process, try to learn the system. The coaches also do a great job of keeping us going and also being able to watch a lot of film and study so we’re not that far behind.”
(How often are you out there and you feel like you’re just totally lost?) – “No, I don’t be lost. Like I said, I just follow my vets and study the game so the next practice, I’m always prepared. I don’t go out there being lost. I’m always prepared. It’s just getting used to the speed of the game.”
(Are you leaning on one vet more than another? Has anybody taken you under their wing at all?) – “I’m definitely leaning on all of them really; but I look at Byron Maxwell, obviously. He’s a guy that has been playing football a long time.”
(We saw you have a pick in 7-on-7 drills one of the days we were here last week. How many interceptions have you had – how many pass break ups have you had?) – “That was the only one. I need more. (laughter) I have a couple of PBUs (pass breakups). In the NFL, you’re not going to get many. It’s not college. The quarterbacks are going to put the ball where it needs to be. Any time I get an interception or even touch the ball, it’s precious.”
(What’s been the biggest eye opener so far? You mentioned the speed of the game. Has it been classroom work or how the vets take care of their bodies? Anything you really said ‘Wow, I didn’t think it would be like this in the NFL?’) – “Not really. Like I said, the only thing that was really overwhelming was just the speed, just adjusting to it. Every receiver you go against is really good. There’s no drop offs. You have to always be ready to bring your A-game every snap. So just being able to adjust every snap and give 100 percent every snap.”
(Have you played at all in the slot, or has it all been in the boundary?) – “Yes, I’ve played some in the slot. Mainly man, basically wherever they need me to play. I’m an open book. But mainly if a receiver goes inside, I’ll match up with him.”
(How much since you’ve been here have you played the nickel?) – “I wouldn’t necessarily call it the nickel. I’d just say I was the man, a corner in the inside slot.”
(How much do you think you could do that?) – “I did it a pretty good amount.”
(LB Raekwon McMillan was in here and he was very pleased that he had got an apartment. How have you rewarded yourself since signing your contract?) – “I just recently moved into my apartment as well – down in Sunrise. So, to finally have my own place, I’m finally adjusting to it.”
(Anything else, anything special?) – “I have my car coming in as well this week. That’s it, I’m not really a big spender. I really just spend money on the things that I really need and I have a son, so I really provide for him.”
(What’d you get?) – “What kind of car? A G-Wagon.”
(Black?) – “Matte gray with black rims.”
(CB Byron Maxwell said that he thanked you for the national championship. RB Kenyan Drake didn’t want to talk about it. Do you have anything you want to say about that?) – “Yes, he tried to steal my ring the first day that I got here. (laughter) Those guys, they worked hard and they set the standard for us to win that championship. The guys before us, the guys that are there now, that’s who we did it for. We are all a team, all alumnus.”
(You mentioned this before, pardon for asking this again. But you and CB Byron Maxwell, did you guys know each other at all? Did you ever meet him?) – “Yes, during my time in high school, I had a chance to visit. I met him a couple of times and he played that one year and then he left. But I was able to keep up with him while he was in Seattle and Philadelphia. He also communicated with me during the times that I … My senior year at Clemson. Just being here on the same team is quite overwhelming. Somebody that I looked up to, just being on his side – I couldn’t ask for a better teammate.”
(So you felt coming in that CB Byron Maxwell would kind of be there for you?) – “Yes, definitely. I definitely knew that, coming from Clemson. A Clemson guy, that’s just what we do. We take care of one another, we always look out for each other. That’s just how we were raised at Clemson.”
(Your first encounter with him was on a recruiting visit and he happened to be there? Do you remember the circumstances of the first time you met CB Byron Maxwell? – “It felt like I’ve known him all my life. The guys that Clemson recruit, we are all really the same. We are low maintenance, high character kind of guys. Even with Andre Branch, I’ve latched on to him. I’ve kind of known those guys, so just being here and seeing those guys already here has motivated me to not be overwhelmed. I have older brothers you could say.”
(So it was on the Clemson campus where you first met CB Byron Maxwell?) – “Yes.”
(This might be way off, but is there a point of which you feel like you’re competing with the veterans as opposed to learning along with the rest of the rookies?) – “Yes, we’re all out competing. I’m competing not only with the vets, but with myself as well. I always want to get better, so you’ve got to follow before you lead. I kind of just look at those guys as my leaders and one day they’ll be able to pass the baton to me.”
(Do you feel like you’ve gotten on equal footing with them or are you still trying to catch up to them?) – “I will never be equal. Those guys put in extra work. Those guys have been here way before me. I’m a rookie. I just have to learn. Can I play with them? Of course. I feel like I can play with anybody. But as for that standpoint, I feel like those guys will always have that step ahead of me. I mean (Byron Maxwell) won a Super Bowl. Some of them have won Super Bowls. Some of them have been here for six or seven years. I’m just getting here. I’m always willing to follow those guys lead.”
(What do you think about no decals for the rookies?) – “I think it’s a great idea. Earn your stripes. Try not to get complacent. You’re competing for something. I think it’s a great idea (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is doing with the no decal. You’ve still got to put a helmet on.”
Raekwon McMillan – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
LB Raekwon McMillan
(The rain is nice to dance in, huh? When it’s coming down really hard?) – “Yes, I got my little Chris Brown dance going on out there (laughter) and having a little fun. It’s the only sport that you can really … Well, it’s one of the only sports that you can go outside even with the different types of weather and still going to do what you’ve got to do out there.”
(What was it practicing like in the rain?) – “I mean I’ve practiced in the rain before. I’m from South Georgia. It’s nothing new. One day it’s 95 (degrees), the next day it’s pouring down rain. It’s just fun to be outside doing what I love.”
(What’s the transition been like for you from Ohio State to now and can you talk a little bit about learning this defense and how fast are you processing right now?) – “At Ohio State, we did a lot of the things that we do here, but (at Ohio State it was) less complex. Way less complex. In an NFL game, we go into all the different types of route combinations that the offense can give us and it’s an elite level of players. So you’ve got to change it up every now and then. But playing at the best of the best in college, it helped me out a lot. It helped me adjust to the speed of the game here. Just on the mental side, we did a lot of things at Ohio State that helped us transition to the NFL. Coming here, the only thing that’s going to help you get to where you want to be is reps and going out there and doing it, staying healthy, and going out there, doing it and being available and being coachable.”
(I saw you tweeted about decorating your apartment? Do you have a roommate?) – “No, I actually got my own apartment down here. I had a roommate all through college so I figured it was time to finally get my own and hopefully my next step is getting my house.”
(I think Ohio State last year went – was it 5-1 in one-score games? The only loss was the Penn State game? Is winning close games a skill or is that something you can do repeatedly? Is that an ability do you think?) – “I wouldn’t say it’s a skill. It’s something that you train for. You’re only prepared to what your training is. So you train for that during the offseason. The hardest part of our workouts at Ohio State was the end of the workout. It was hard throughout, but we’ve got to turn it up towards the end; and thats kind of our mindset here as well. Always train for the fourth quarter (and) always finish. At the end of the game when it’s a close game, it’s all about finishing. That’s what we’re practicing. That’s what we preach.”
(What does it take to finish?) – “Like I said, during the offseason you just have to train yourself to when you’re tired and …”
(It’s a physical thing? It’s not mental?) – “It’s physical and mental. You can train yourself mentally too, so when you’re tired, not worry about the outside distractions. You really focus in and lock-in to what you’re doing, zero-in like we say around here, and get the job done – mentally and physically.”
(What have you observed and/or heard from LB Lawrence Timmons and LB Kiko Alonso that maybe has been a little helpful or interesting?) – “We come in and we learn every day about the game, physically, in this building. But for them two, it’s about what they do off the field. Kiko (Alonso) and his diet, how he takes care of his body. He comes in … I asked him, I just pick his brain on what he does in the offseason – hot yoga, stretching every day, twice a day or something like that. He goes vegan every now and then. He watches what he eats and it’s the same thing with Lawrence (Timmons). Somebody who has played for 10-plus years, you’ve got to look at how they take care of their body and how they’ve been able to sustain his level of play over a long period of time. Really, from them, it’s been just soaking in everything they do off the field.”
(What do you think is your most NFL-ready skill? Obviously you did a lot well at Ohio State. You tackled really well. Is there a particular skill you have that you think is most ready to contribute as a rookie?) – “My skill – I call it a skill – but coachability. A lot of players come up with a hot head and think they’re this and think they’re that. But being coachable, it’s a skill that not a lot of people have learned to sustain over their career. Once they think they’re a starter, they think they’ve got it. So being coachable goes out the window. Ever since I stepped foot on campus and at Ohio State all the way until my junior year when I left, I always went into the meetings with a notebook and pen and wrote down notes and been coachable, and the same thing when I got here. The transition into my rookie year, one of my goals was to be coachable. When I’m up, when I’m having a good time, when I’m getting picks in practice and when I’m messing up play after play, just be coachable.”
(You worked with a guy who’s known for being tough in the NFL with Greg Schiano. What is the difference between him and Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke?) – “I only had the chance, had the privilege of being coached by Coach Schiano for a year, and he was with the safeties. He’s kind of overseeing the whole thing with the safeties. I didn’t really get to deal with him as much; but I see a lot of similarities in him (with Burke) – high intensity, don’t give up anything, want to challenge everything type guys – and very, very smart individuals when it comes to football, off the field and everything around it.”
(Often times the middle linebacker has to mirror a running back. A lot of the times they, I’ve seen a couple of times you’ve had battles with RB Kenyan Drake coming out of the backfield. How do you feel like that will prepare you? I know you’ve done it in the past as well but matching up with somebody with that type of speed, how’s that?) – “All that comes with preparation. They’re going to do what they’ve got to do to get an advantage on you. So you’ve got to know in your head what he’s trying to do to you and how you can get ahead in this situation. You know Kenyan (Drake) is one of the fastest players on the team, to me, how he looks out there and how he plays on the field. So me knowing that he might be a little faster than me, I’ve got to put myself in position to be able to do my job and excel.”
Darren Rizzi – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(Has WR Jakeem Grant caught every punt that has been kicked his way this spring?) – “Has he caught every single one? No. He has not caught every single one, but he has certainly looked much improved. The nice thing right now in camp is we have two punters – a righty and a lefty – which I’m not going to say was purposeful, but it’s great to have a guy from each side and getting as much work as possible. He’s out there every day. He was a little disappointed … He just looked at me like I was crazy because our JUGS machine – when it’s wet at the end of practice, you can’t shoot the JUGS – and he was looking at me like, ‘What are we doing?’ because he had been doing it every day. He has been catching a ton of balls. (He) looks a lot more comfortable back there. Again, we’ll see how that progresses moving forward. But (he is) certainly a lot more comfortable than he was a year ago. He’s certainly still a work in progress, but looking good.”
(We saw WR Drew Morgan back for returns today. He did just a few at Arkansas. Do you think he’s well equipped for that if you need him, and what else can he do on special teams?) – “What we’ve been doing is every day we’re working more and more guys in, trying to get as many people as possible to fill the role. Some days we’ve had Kenyan Drake back there, Senorise Perry, Drew Morgan – we mix a bunch of different guys. We obviously know Jarvis (Landry) can do it. Kenny Stills has done it before in his career. Drew is one of those guys that had done it in college, not a lot of reps in games, had done it a lot in practice – kind of like Jarvis, to be honest with you, and Jakeem both coming in. We’re really working Drew at a bunch of different spots right now. He’s working a little personal protector on the punt team, working a little bit of gunner. Really what we’re doing with all of the rookies right now is finding out what their skill set is and what their positions are. (We are) working a lot of techniques stuff right now, a lot of fundamentals, trying to get a lot of those guys caught up on things that they haven’t done before. A lot of these rookies have never done what we’re doing before. But he’s a guy that can definitely … It looks like he’s fairly comfortable back there, more than most. We’ll see moving forward how he does as well.”
(You had a fair amount of in-game responsibilities beyond special teams last year, game management stuff. Is that still the case in 2017?) – “As far as I know. (laughter)”
(Did you do anything this offseason to study tendencies, stuff like that?) – “Yes. What we do every offseason is we look at a bunch of different situations. We really go back and look at all the reviewable plays. That’s one of the things that I’m charged with during the game – myself, (Assistant Special Teams Coach) Marwan Maalouf. We go back and look at all the reviewable plays from last year. That’s one example. All the plays we lost review or won review, we go back and look at all kind of stuff. We look at a bunch of different 2-minute situations. We go back and look at a bunch of ones we thought we might have played different. We go back and look at good timeouts, bad timeouts, a bunch of those different things. We spend a good part of the offseason looking at a whole bunch of things in terms of situational football. There’s a bunch of different special teams things that come up – as we all know – situationally. So yes, we spend a lot of time during the offseason doing that.”
(Was there one or two areas of improvement you saw that you’ve enacted those changes or will enact those changes this year?) – “We try to play those reviews out as if we were live, in-game, because you don’t have that much time to make a decision. Ironically enough last year, we didn’t have a ton of reviewable plays (because) just the way the games transpired, and then we had two big ones in one game. We had like a drought for a long, long time where we didn’t have any. And then all of a sudden it was the Jets game where we had the Dion Sims non-touchdown turned touchdown, and then we reviewed the spot on the third down, made it a fourth down and they didn’t get it. It ended up being two huge plays. And then all of a sudden, we went into a drought again. You never know when they’re going to come up. So we try to practice those as if they’re live. We’ll put them on the big screen and say, ‘Right here, are you thinking review, not review? Challenge, not challenge?’ You try to practice as much as you can. It’s hard, because it’s hard to do it in practice. You can’t really practice reviewing a challenge in practice. With that as well – like we’re practicing right now – myself, I’ll watch the offensive and defensive plays and look at the sideline plays and the end zone plays, and you’re saying to yourself … You’re always trying to work yourself, because you have to practice it like anybody else. You’re saying to yourself as you’re watching it live, ‘Is that one I would’ve reviewed? Is that the spot I would’ve reviewed? Are his feet inbounds? Was it a catch through the end zone?’ All those different things that you can review. It requires a lot of film work and really trusting your instincts. Fortunately – knock on wood – we’ve been pretty good with it in the last couple years, and hopefully it continues.”
(How much of a factor was special teams last year in terms of WR Rashawn Scott being active ahead of WR Leonte Carroo late in the season? What exactly can Leonte do well on special teams as far as what units he’s on and can do well?) – “I’ll start with Rashawn Scott. He’s a guy that progressively had gotten better throughout last year. We watched him all through camp and then through the season on the practice squad. He’s a guy that was arrow up all year, always practiced hard, always felt like he was on the verge of breaking into the 53(-man roster). We felt like at the end of the year, we went for a little bit of a change up those last few games. We thought Rashawn gave us a little bit more at that point than Carroo did. It was obviously a joint decision between the offensive staff, myself and (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase. Moving forward, you come into the offseason like this, everybody is at a clean slate. Leonte Carroo – I just call him Carroo; I don’t even mess with his first name. I don’t know why I’m trying. Carroo is moving a lot better. He has actually looked like he has really taken the offseason seriously in terms of movement and moving around. Like I said, we have those guys doing the same stuff everyone is doing right now. They’re all working the same types of things. Carroo, I think, played about 100 plays last year roughly – give or take a few on special teams. Obviously, he had a little more experience than Rashawn, but I was really happy with the way Rashawn played. It’s a good battle right now. We got a battle going on at that receiver position, in that room. Just like the guys we added – Isaiah Ford and the undrafted guys. Right now, those guys are all competing for those fourth, fifth, sixth spots, whatever you want to call it. They’re all in the mix right now.”
(A question for you in your role as Associate Head Coach and somebody who has been here for a while: If this team is better than last year, would it be because it has got more talent? Would it be because of system or because it executes better? What would you say?) – “D: All the above. (laughter) I’m not trying to be funny. It’s one of those, I think year after year … There has been … You mentioned the years I’ve been here. I’ve been on, I think, teams that were 7-9 that might’ve had more talent than we had last year. I think last year, we played well when we had to within the game. We played well when we had to within the week. I think Coach Gase did a hell of a job last year of once we started off the beginning of the season 1-3, of tightening the ship around here and getting guys, bringing them in a little bit, reeling them in a little bit, and we run off a bunch of games there. Did we acquire some talent? Yes, I think we definitely acquired some talent in the offseason between the draft and free agency, so that has helped us. We kept a lot of our own players. I think a year now in the system with all the players in the program – whether it’s offense … Defensively, we’re still going to have some changes, but there is still a lot of the same terminology, so the guys that (have been) around, there’s not that much that’s going to change. I’m sure (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) is going to have his own certain stuff that he’s going to do. And then special teams-wise. I think when you’re moving forward from Year 1 to Year 2, that’s going to be a huge factor that the guys have been in. I think where we are right now compared to where we were a year ago systematically, programmatically and organizationally, is heads and tails from where we were. I think all of those things that you mentioned, I think it’s a little bit of everything. I really do. I think that whole thing gathers together, makes a recipe for success moving forward. At the same time, when the season comes, we’re going to have to play well in those games – in those crunch times – and that’s what we did well. You look back … You guys know the thing. You look back at our games last year, and we had big plays at big times. The Rams game, the Chargers game, the Jets game – you go on and on and on about these games we won in the fourth quarter – and the Bills game. You look at all those games where maybe in years past, we didn’t win those games. That’s kind of how I view it from my seat. The couple years we went 7-9 or whatever, we didn’t win those games. We lost those games. This year, we made the plays to win. Guys stepped up for whatever reason. I don’t think it is one thing. I really don’t. I think it’s a combination of things. I think a little bit of it is all the things that you mentioned. They could all factor in, for sure.”
(Do you think winning the close games is a reflection of the players, the coaches?) – “I think it’s a reflection of everybody – winning those close games last year. We didn’t win it one way. It wasn’t like the offense won every game with a 2-minute drive. It wasn’t like the defense held them every … It was something different every week. It was us driving down the field against the Rams to beat them. It was Kiko Alonso intercepting a ball. It was Kenyan Drake running back a kick return. It was Andrew Franks making a field goal with time running (out) up in Buffalo, and then Jay Ajayi having a big run. We did it a different way, and it was different people every week. It wasn’t the same guy. That was the most impressive thing to me. I think that is a combination of coaching and playing. It wasn’t one person.”
(Do you think that’s sustainable, because you look at – over history – those close games tend to even out over the long enough timeline? Do you think this team can go – whatever it was – [8-2] in one-score games?) – “It seemed like my first two years we were always on the short end, so I think we’re still making up for them. (laughter) Do I think it’s sustainable? I do. We have the same people in the building. We’ve added some great pieces to the puzzle. Again, it comes down to playing well in those crunch times. That’s really the bottom line. To me, that’s in any sport. You look at the NBA Finals, you watch the Stanley Cup, you’re watching baseball – whatever it is, it’s playing well in those (games). The talent sometimes at that point evens out. (In) the NFL, there’s a whole bunch of talent. The bottom line is, ‘Who’s playing well? Who’s executing? Who’s making those plays in the fourth quarter, in the times it matters?’ We did that last year. I think moving forward … I think the one thing (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has done a great job of here during these OTAs is reminding our guys about not being complacent, remember the complacency thing. Everything we got last year we earned. I think he has really done a great job of reminding our players that is a huge factor. I haven’t seen (complacency) at all. I have seen our guys going out every day, working hard. I’ve seen a great work ethic even today out in the rain. We flipped the (practice) scripts around a little bit and threw some curveballs at them. They handled it very well. I really like where we are. I like where our veteran guys are. I like where they’re leading the rookies. This is the first time I can remember in a long time where I’m going out to do drills, and I have the veterans out in front telling the rookies what to do, and I’m standing back being able to watch and evaluate. That’s a comforting thing as a coach, because we have a lot of veteran guys that have been here and know what we’re looking for. That’s a really, really good thing.”
(You teased us with more talented Dolphins teams. What year are you leaning towards?) – “(laughter) Come on now, you know I’m not going to go there. You’re not going to get me to go … You guys have covered the team for a long time. You guys know. We had a lot of teams here in my years – I’ve been here eight years – there have been some teams where we had to win at the end of the season where we didn’t. We had to win some big games that we didn’t. We can probably point to two or three different years. We can sit here and talk about a bunch of different years, and last year we did. Again, going back to what I said before – not to beat a dead horse – but we made plays when we had to last year. We made those plays in the fourth quarter, and in past years we didn’t. That’s what I was getting at.”
(Getting back to WR Jakeem Grant for a moment. You mentioned earlier that he was working with P Matt Darr in the offseason. I know that’s one reason he’s doing better. Can you give us a sense of, for example, how many balls he’s catching a day? Is there anything technique-wise that you’ve done to improve his ball security?) – “One of the biggest things is going back and watching your video, obviously, from the year before. We videotape everything that he does – when we’re allowed to, when the rules allow. He’s watching the videos every day. He goes out, (and) he probably catches about 30-40 balls prior to practice. He probably catches about 10 to 15 within practice, catches another 30 or 40 after practice again. He’s up there. Let’s on average say he’s catching 75 punts a day, either off of a live foot or off of a JUGS machine, simulated punt off a JUGS machine. That’s during now. During the OTAs here, he’ll catch about 750 balls. When you factor in the couple days for minicamp, he’s going to catch roughly somewhere in the vicinity of 1,000 balls, punts here just in the spring and then we bring it to training camp. What has he done differently? I think just the experience. We talked a lot about that last year. It’s just one of those things. Punt returning is one of those things (where) if you haven’t done it before, it’s a very difficult task. It’s not something that’s going to come natural to a lot of people. I’ve seen some great, great, great talented players that couldn’t catch a punt. A bunch of them. Hall of Famers. It wasn’t in their DNA, if you will. It’s one of those deals where it’s a certain practice time. It takes, really, an awful lot of practice time and getting a guy used to it. That’s what he has done. He knew that he couldn’t just take the offseason off and come back in OTAs and pick up where you left off. That’s not how it works. That’s why he got Matt (Darr) down to Texas. That’s why he took it upon himself to work on it all offseason so that he felt like he was continuing his trend of improvement and not having to pick up where he left off or start over or any of those things. I think he has been really mature about it. I think I might’ve mentioned it the last time I talked to you guys: he was the one that told me that he was disappointed in himself in our exit interviews. He really didn’t feel like he put his best foot forward, and that’s why he really went out this offseason and put his mind to it to work at it.”
(With Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke, you’ve been here with him on staff for a year. What have you noticed about him that could possibly translate to becoming a good defensive coordinator?) – “I’ve known Matt a long time. We go way back to when we used to work the Boston College camp way back when I was a college coach. I’ve known him for a while as a person. The first thing I’m going to say is he’s a very intelligent guy. He’s a guy that’s … Obviously, he’s an Ivy League graduate. But more than that, he’s football intelligent – because I’ve known some Ivy League grads that weren’t that football smart either. Nothing against the Ivy League. No shots. (laughter) All kidding aside, he’s a very intellectual guy; but he’s football smart. Great football IQ. I think his relation to the players is great. I watched him last year as a linebacker coach and look what he did with Kiko last year on an individual basis. A guy that came in and maybe a lot of people cast off and he got him back into a leadership role in what he did with him. Watching him individually with his group, watching him associate with the players and watching him with the entire defense, I think his intellect is obviously going to help him in that, his football IQ, his relationship with the players – all those things combined will make him a very good defensive coordinator. There’s no reason for me to believe at all that he’s not going to do a great job and have a lot of success.”
Isaac Asiata – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
G Isaac Asiata
(I know you guys liked the rain, huh?) – “Miami rain is different than Utah rain, I’ll tell you that. That was a tsunami. That thing was crazy. I’ve never got rained on like that before. That was fun.”
(Do you get a whole lot of rain in Utah?) – “It’s rain, but it’s like light rain. Our heavy rain (in Utah) is probably like a little drizzle here in Miami.”
(What was it like practicing in it?) – “It was cool. I mean it wasn’t hot, so that was nice. (laughter) I can’t complain.”
(How have you held up now three weeks into OTAs, going head to head with the better defensive linemen in the league?) – “Yes. I’m just getting caught up to the speed. I mean it’s really, really fast paced. It’s kind of like when you go from high school to college and you’ve got to get adjusted to the college speed; but then now, like everybody’s fast. Everybody is the best at what they do and so it’s tenfold. Going into week three, just learning … I’m trying more to dissect the playbook. I’m trying to learn my assignments so that I don’t have to think, it becomes second nature and I can just go out there play football.”
(Have you been asked to block DT Ndamukong Suh yet?) – “Yes. I’ve been asked to block Suh and he’s Suh for a reason. He has that, I guess that credential on him of being one of the best for a reason. I respect him for that. Every time I get to go against him I know I’m going against the best and that’s only going to make me better.”
(How many wins do you have?) – “Probably none. (laughter) But in the effort category, I’ve probably got some good effort, so that’s fine.”
(You were working with a lot at right guard. What’s that transition like for you considering you were a left guard?) – “They’re just trying to have me play … learn all three spots. For me at Utah, I played right and I played left, and I played a little tackle too. It’s been a while since I’ve played (right) guard. I like playing either side or wherever they want me to play at.”
(The last time we talked to you, it sounded like you were sort of, of the mindset that you felt that you needed to earn your stripes before you did the face paint thing. So where are you now? How will you know when it’s time to start doing that?) – “When I earn the spot on the active roster. When I earn some playing time. I feel still I haven’t earned anything. I don’t think I’ll earn anything until we’re into training camp and even then, for me, I feel like respect, especially from these veteran guys, especially on the O-line and the rest of the team, that’s everything to me – for me to earn their trust and the coaches trust. So I still feel like I have a long way to go and I just got to keep taking it one day at a time.”
(How much work have you gotten with the starters with QB Ryan Tannehill’s group?) – “A little bit. I’ve been thrown in the mix. Like I said, they’re trying to put me … make me learn everything and just make myself more valuable, trying not to pigeon-hole myself a little bit.”
(What did they tell you guys about when you get a sticker on your helmet?) – “They haven’t said anything. I noticed that the first time we went out there that I didn’t have my sticker and I thought it was great. I thought it was a great thing to have to earn the Dolphins sticker and I’m all for it.”
(You have a pretty big personality. Are you allowed to let it out a little bit or not?) – “Yes, like I said, I’m a cheerful guy. You said it, I have a big personality; but when I go out there, I kind of try to stay more low-key. Nobody really knows me. I don’t need to draw any attention to myself. I just need to go out there and work.”
(I heard you went to Hard Rock Stadium with DE Charles Harris. So how was that experience just taking that in for the first time?) – “An NFL stadium is definitely different than an NCAA stadium, I know that much. When I went on the field for the first time, it was an overwhelming feeling. That stadium is beautiful. The Hard Rock Stadium is amazing. I look forward to playing games on Sunday in that stadium.”
Adam Gase – June 5, 2017
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Monday, June 5, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(In regards to DE Charles Harris, on the days we’re here, he seems quite disruptive. Is that a consistent thing and what’s the next level for him in his development?) – “It is consistent. He’s really done a good job of trying to implement the techniques we’re asking him to do and doing everything in the run game (and) passing game exactly what he’s coached to do. It’s hard to predict how far we can take and what’s going to happen when we get in pads. That’s going to be a different world just because we’ll be able to do some different things offensively as far as the run game goes and some of the trap game type things. That will be a new world for him with what we’re going to do in training camp. I think it’s just going to be an evolving process for him. He’s just going to keep learning and see how fast he can adjust to the pro game.”
(When it rains outside, do you have a policy? I’m sure if there’s lightning in the area, you’re not going to be out there. Do you have a policy of sometimes we’ll stay out or we’ll always stay out?) – “I think it’s just what are we trying to accomplish for the day. Today was a good experience for us. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) and myself talked about it once it started coming down pretty good of ‘we might not stay on the script here.’ We have some philosophies that we like to do when we do have these kind of situations come up. Play calling starts changing; the way we play defense starts changing. We both had to make those adjustments through practice so really the scripts kind of go out the window. You start calling it like a game.”
(How would you say the team handled the rain?) – “I thought it was good. It was really good to see the guys just never batting an eye. We had guys staying on their feet and we weren’t slipping and sliding all over the place. The grass held up well. It was good for us to go through.”
(Was today a blitz day defensively?) – “Not necessarily. Every day is just … We don’t really over-emphasize our periods. We don’t want our guys kind of cheating a drill. We just call them team periods. (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) and myself kind of choreograph what we’re looking to do. When we’re doing red zone, it’s pretty obvious you can tell when we’re going to be doing that. I thought the guys handled … They don’t know it is coming and then all of a sudden we start dialing up a few more blitzes. We’re very careful with what we’re really doing because we don’t want to start doing things where guys are stunting all over the place and then you get bodies on the ground.”
(Since OTAs began, how would you describe the way the defense has performed overall?) – “They’ve done a really good job. The speed has been outstanding. The coverage has been tight. Any time we have pressure, our fits and where guys are supposed to go has been really good. It seems like they have a pretty good grasp of the playbook right now. We’re just hoping we’ll keep improving. We just don’t want to get stuck on ‘Hey, we feel pretty good.’ We have to keep finding ways to improve.”
(Entering yet another week, what has the learning curve been like for the rookies? Are they grasping what you’re trying to teach them?) – “They’ve done a pretty good job. They’ve gotten a ton of reps. They’ve handled it well. I see those guys are very engaged in meetings. It says something about these guys that have either been drafted or found by the scouts as an undrafted free agent to where that emphasis of let’s make sure we’re getting the right kind of guys that can fit into our culture and understand what we’re looking for and listen to how we want to do our note taking, studying, in the meetings how our guys are learning. I thought what (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and the scouting staff has put together has really been beneficial for us this spring.”
(Is it a positive mental hurdle for QB Ryan Tannehill to clear with the slick field out there with his knee?) – “I think you guys are thinking about that a little more than we are or he is. He’s fine.”
(What makes this group of running backs unique, in your opinion, and is the approach different with the success you had last season going into this season?) – “I think it’s a very, very tight group. That whole group, they’re happy for each other’s success. If one guy is not on the field, you never see a guy standing by himself upset he’s not in the game. They are always kind of in it for each other. It’s pretty cool to watch over this last year then heading into the spring, how much they pull for each other. I think we’ve started something good last year with our running game. Jay (Ajayi) has really done a great job of taking the lead with that group and becoming really our bell cow running back. Those other guys are all trying to figure out ‘Where do I fit in best for us?’ They’re all ready to go if something would happen and they had to be the next guy. I really like that group and love the way they’re working right now.”
(When you get the rain coming down like it did today, do you almost embrace that as throwing the scripts out the window but you’re going to have to deal with something like that during a game. Do you almost embrace that as a challenge?) – “I personally love it because now it becomes a real game for us. We’ll see how our guys react to it and understand what we’re trying to do. We saw last year in the Arizona game, you have to keep your feet. The ball was popping up, popping all over the place. We were getting turnovers. We did a fairly good job of protecting the ball in that game and that’s probably what helped us win that thing. Just to get this experience of … Those balls today, it’s not like we got so many of them to where you’re constantly having a fresh ball. Those things were pretty water logged. I know (Equipment Manager) Joe (Cimino) was trying to change them out as much and as quickly – his staff is trying to get those things as dry as possible. But we kind of want that wet ball situation and to make it as hard as possible for our players.”
(Was there anything significant with either G/T Laremy Tunsil or S Reshad Jones?) – “No. It’s just I’m being soft and holding them out.”
(Do you have a timetable regarding the whole thing with the rookies and the decals on the helmets?) – “You guys are making a bigger deal of that than I am. We thought it was something different. We just wanted to make a point of everything needs to be earned here. Our veterans have really embraced that to where I think they appreciate that they know that rookies don’t just come in and are handed things. Every guy in that room knows the best players will play and nothing will be given to anybody.”
(Is G/T Laremy Tunsil injured?) – “Yes, but we’re alright. It’s nothing significant.”
(G Isaac Asiata, he played mostly left guard and now is being cross-trained. Is that just for the overall development of the line or do you envision him possibly contending for playing time?) – “We cross-train everyone because when you only have seven guys up on Sundays and one guy goes down, that can cause a lot of chaos. We always want guys to be able to play multiple spots. I know I’ve talked about this before. Just moving from right to left or left to right or to center, or if you get bumped out to tackle, it’s a completely different line of sight for you. It’s a completely different aspect you’re looking at things (from). So we’re always cross-training our guys. We try to get as many guys that can snap as possible because, as you guys know, when you lose your center and you don’t have a bunch of reliable guys in that area, it can be very costly for you. We’re always cross-training guys at guard; we’re always cross-training guys at tackle and the same thing at center, so we can find as many guys as possible to play all of those positions so if we do have an injury, we’re able to move some pieces around and we don’t feel like we’re going to be in a big hole.”
(Has G Isaac Asiata held his own so far?) – “I think so. It’s harder to tell with the linemen because they are at a disadvantage. There’s no pads. You feel like you’re on an island a lot of times because, especially with our d-line, those guys can get by you pretty quick, so you have to be pretty quick on your feet.”
(What is your comfort level with the backup left tackle situation? Is it T Sam Young? What are your other options?) – “We’re moving a lot of guys around. It’s too early for me to really say ‘This is the guy that’s going to back up the left tackle.’ We’ll just keep moving guys around and then whatever we find out our best formula is going into the season, we’ll make that decision later. Right now, we’re just trying to get guys reps.”
Kraig Urbik – June 1, 2017
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Thursday, June 1, 2017
Center/Guard Kraig Urbik
(You guys are getting some rotation in there at center with C Mike Pouncey being hurt. Is it just not for you to prove, even when he’s healthy, what you’re able to do?) – “Yes, for sure. When you’re trying to make the team, you need a guy that can do multiple positions. I think last year I started games at left guard and center. Like you said, there are guys – (Anthony) Steen, me, Jake (Brendel), even Ted (Larsen) – have been getting reps at first-string center. We’re just kind of rotating guys and seeing what guys can do.”
(Who’s looked the best?) – “We’re all working hard.”
(What’s the challenge like of trying to put together a good line with chemistry during this OTA process?) – “Like you said, you need to develop chemistry for sure. You need to have all guys out there healthy; but obviously when you don’t, it’s just guys trying to step up. You want to be one of those guys that they depend on that can step in when someone’s hurt, and you don’t lose that chemistry and there’s not a drop-off, like you have sometimes. You just want to go in and prove yourself every day.”
(How do you view the battle for the starting job at guard?) – “’Bush’ (Jermon Bushrod) obviously started every game last year. Ted (Larsen), myself and (Anthony) Steen and everyone else – we have a lot of guards on the team – everyone has been getting their chances. Everyone is out there working hard. It’s been a good battle so far.”
(Have you ever talked to DE William Hayes about why he doesn’t believe man hasn’t landed on the moon or are you aware of any of his beliefs?) – “I’ve heard a couple of them. It’s kind of funny.”
(Have you ever talked to DE William Hayes about that? Would you be receptive to hearing his points of view?) – “I am receptive to the truth and I think the truth is that it’s not flat. You can say whatever you want about the moon landing, but the earth is not flat.”
(DE William Hayes agrees with you on that, he’s with you on that.) – “He said the (earth is not flat?)”
(Yes, DE William Hayes said that he’s never fallen off the earth. So you guys are on the same page on that one.) – “Okay.”
(But DE William Hayes does believe in mermaids.) – “Well, I mean … You never know.”
(Do you believe in mermaids?) – “No, not at all.”
(DE William Hayes said that DE Cameron Wake and DE Andre Branch told him to shut up. Would you tell him that?) – “No. It’s free speech. He can say whatever he wants.”
(Do you have any controversial theories?) – “No, I’m politically correct across the board. I’m politically correct.”
(What do you think has been C Mike Pouncey’s mindset from your talks with him? Is he encouraged that he’s going to be able to play this season? I know Head Coach Adam Gase has talked about wanting him available for games by limiting him in some practices. Is he in good spirits?) – “Yes, he’s good. I don’t know if I can really comment on injuries but I know he’s feeling great and he wants to get out there. I think it’s just one of those things where you just have to take your time. Again, I’m not a doctor or anything like that; but I know Mike’s eager to get out there and practice. He wants to be out there with the guys. I think he’s eager and he’ll be ready for sure.”
(Do you think the key for the line this year is consistency? Because you had some games last year where you were great and some you weren’t. How do you make it so it’s not that … Those ups and downs?) – “Yes, for sure. Obviously there’s a lot of factors that go into it. We want to be more consistent game-in and game-out. I think we will this year. I think we know the mindset we have to have this year, being more consistent. We can’t have flashes of great games – 200 yards rushing and stuff like that – and then go out and have like 60 yards rushing. We have to protect the quarterback. We have to do a lot better job with that. We can be more consistent for sure.”
(Without knowing assignments and all of that from our standpoint. When it was going well, what were you doing well and when it was not going well, what were you not doing well?) – “I think (there were) a lot of factors. It was … Those games we weren’t doing well, it would be a play here, a play there, a guy off by half a man. If you’re just off a little bit, it will kind of destroy the whole play. I think we need to be more consistent with our landmarks, knowing our assignments and things like that. It takes all 11 guys to run the ball. There were a lot of times where there would be one guy that was off and it would ruin the whole play. That’s kind of one of those things where we want to get past that and be all 11 on, all 11 working together, and that’s when we were really good last year.”
(You’re obviously a reliable option at center should C Mike Pouncey not be able to play. But, have you gotten any work at guard and do you have hope to be able to be in that competition with C/G Ted Larsen, G/T Jermon Bushrod and G Isaac Asiata?) – “Yes. Being able to line up at center and both guard spots so far in OTAs, I’m sure that will continue throughout camp. Whatever opportunity I have, I’m going to go out there and prove myself, day-in and day-out, and whatever happens, happens.”
(Any impressions of G Isaac Asiata? He is older than the traditional rookie. Does he seem more mature?) – “Yes, for sure. He’s more mature. I think both rookies have done a really good job of grasping the offense. We have a pretty complicated offense, but they seem to not have too much difficulty with a lot of the nuances that we’ve learned. The third or fourth day, they were learning a lot of things that were pretty complicated. So they’ve done a really good job with that. I think for them it’s mostly just getting out there and getting reps.”
(Just basic zone-blocking things, if you’re uncovered, a lot of times you combo and work your way up to the second level a lot of times. At what point of the season did you guys feel like you were able to see what everyone had and play on a string and everybody knew what that person next to them was doing and going up to that second level?) – “Each week is different. Throughout the rest of the season – when we played Cincinnati, that was the last team we played that was a four down front. Every other team was multiple different fronts, jam fronts, all of those different things. So when you grasp the offense and know what you’re doing all the time, you know what the guy is doing next to you. I think there were some times last year where guys were a little hesitant sometimes because of a lot of new things; but they have to know in and out what the guy next to them is doing.”
(What kind of a sense have you gotten from QB Ryan Tannehill since his return from injury?) – “He’s leading everyone out there. He feels 100 percent. He’s moving. I think he feels great. There is no hesitation at all.”
(Were you surprised by how well he’s moving? I know you’re often in front of him but when you actually see him moving and doing drills and things?) – “I don’t watch the drills too much. I’m over there doing my own. But he seems to be moving good. Even before the playoff game last year, he was moving pretty decent. I thought he was feeling well then, so it’s been about five or six months (since then). He’s really feeling good and eager to get back out there.”
(Any change you’ve noticed other than the position switch for G/T Laremy Tunsil going from his rookie year until now?) – “Yes, he’s a really fluid left tackle. It’s a natural position. He looks fluid out there. I think it’s just him getting more reps and the better he’ll do. He’s doing a great job so far; but like everyone else, we just need reps right now.”
William Hayes – June 1, 2017
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Thursday, June 1, 2017
DE William Hayes
(I know you haven’t been in town long but have you had a chance to look for any mermaids yet out there?) – “No, but I went fishing a couple of times. I caught me a little hammerhead shark. I haven’t found one yet but I’m still in search for one.”
(Do people ask you a whole lot about your beliefs or do they ask you more … Like when they see you out, do they ask you more about football plays or what they know about your beliefs?) – “They’ll probably ask me more about my beliefs. A lot of times, people get excited to see me, but that’s more so about they ask me about the whole mermaids and dinosaur things more so than anything.”
(When we talked to you a few months ago, you said you had other theories that you’d be happy to share with us. The floor is yours.) – “I think I already made it clear that I don’t think man ever went to the moon. I don’t know, some of my beliefs might not be good to talk about right now. We might do that … I don’t want to offend anybody. I’ll keep those a little secretive right now. You can hit me up later.”
(Aliens? UFOs?) – “I actually believe in aliens. Absolutely. I believe there is life on other planets. I just don’t think we’re the only ones here. But I don’t know how much sense that makes to everyone else.”
(One that’s kind of catching fire in the sports world is the flat earth thing. Do you have any thoughts on that?) – “I’ve never fell off the earth so I’m going to say it’s flat too.”
(Your teammates in general, how do they like some of these ideas and theories that you’ve had over the years?) – “We haven’t really talked about it too much. The one time we brought it up, they just told me to shut up. (laughter) So it was real quick.”
(What was your response to that when they told you to shut up?) – “I tried to explain myself but (Andre) Branch and (Cameron) Wake said ‘We aren’t trying to hear all of that around here.’ So we just all laughed about it and that was kind of it.”
(What were you trying to explain to them?) – “I was trying to explain my theory on dinosaurs but they weren’t really trying to hear it.”
(It was a ‘no go’ then?) – “Yes. I don’t believe a T-Rex ever walked this earth.”
(It doesn’t bother you when you get shut down like that?) – “No, because I’m still going to explain myself, regardless of the situation. You’re just not going to hear it. You may not be listening to me but I’m going to talk to you about it.”
(How do you explain the fossils that they find though?) – “I just think we put those things there just so we could have some (stuff) to talk about. I don’t know. If you go to a museum and you see a dinosaur museum and you see a big T-Rex standing there and you just realize only 10 percent of it is the actual dinosaur. The other stuff is just made up. It just doesn’t make too much sense to me.”
(With DE Cameron Wake and DE Andre Branch at defensive end and you coming in, how do you look at your role on this defense? Are you looking to supplant one of those two?) – “Just do whatever the coach asks me to do. Whatever can help us win, that’s what I’m about. I put my pride to the side and just come in and put my work hat on and go to work. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do it. I’m not trying to come here and try to re-create what they’ve got here. They’ve got a winning system and (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase is doing something positive around here. I’m just happy to be here. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m just going to do it to the best of my ability.”
(What was your reaction when you were traded here? Obviously you were a very good defensive lineman with the Rams.) – “’Damn. What’s going on?’ I was at a charity event and then I just got a call saying ‘You’ve been traded.’ It was cool. (The Dolphins) were really after me in free agency and I was actually pleased just to get the chance to come here. If it was anywhere else, I probably would have been a little disappointed but the idea that you know a team wanted you the year before made it a little bit better.”
(You played a lot inside throughout your career. Is that a spot where you’re comfortable at?) – “Yes, I’m comfortable across the whole d-line. I’m the Swiss Army knife. Whatever you need me to do, I’m going to go out there and just get it done.”
(Who has been most receptive to your beliefs? Who has been intrigued? Who has been in the audience when you’ve held court?) – “I don’t know. I actually got some people to change their minds a little when I was in L.A. But I haven’t really broke the ice yet (here). The next person I’m going to work on is (Ndamukong) Suh. Suh might be a little receptive just to hear me out a little.”
(Why do you think DT Ndamukong Suh would be receptive to hear you out?) – “Because he just likes to mess with me on a daily basis, so I figure he’ll at least call me (dumb) and just tell me how stupid I sound. He’ll at least give me a chance to explain myself.”
(Is some of this stuff a legitimate off-field interest for you? Do you spend a lot of time researching and looking into things like this?) – “No. Honestly the dinosaur fossils I did, at one point in time, because growing up I never really followed it at all, even when I was in school. The older I got, I was just like ‘Man, this stuff is starting to seem more and more ridiculous to me.’ So I kind of did a little research on it and kind of made me definitely not believe in it.”
(So there is nothing a scientist could do to change your mind?) – “Absolutely not. (Late night talk show host) Jimmy Kimmel took me to a dinosaur museum. I’ve had other people take me to dinosaur museums and every time I went there it just made me realize how ridiculous the theory seems even more.”
(It can be lonely to have the beliefs that you do. Have you found that you get shunned a little bit?) – “No. It’s my belief. I wouldn’t expect anybody else to believe in them. I don’t really mind what anybody else thinks.”
(So you will believe that there are other life forces in the world that are not human…) – “Yes. I’m just saying in general, they could possibly be somewhere else. Some other type of life form. I’m not necessarily saying a human or a legit alien with two things coming out of his head. I’m just thinking there could be other life forms.”
(What do you think of the possibility of co-existing with aliens at some point? Like colonizing Mars was in the news this week.) – “That sounds pretty dope. I wouldn’t mind taking a trip to Mars and seeing how it looks over there.”
(Can you elaborate on why you think the moon landing was a hoax?) – “I just don’t think man ever went to the moon. I don’t think we’ve been back there after we went there, have we?”
(No.) – “Exactly. Why did we just go once and not go back? That doesn’t make too much sense to me.”
(They went like four or five times.) – “We went four or five times? Did we really?”
(Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16.) – “And we just went up there and chilled? I don’t know about all of that.”
(Why do you think it is that the scientific community will push stuff like the moon landing and dinosaurs? Is it an effort to control people? To control the message?) – “I don’t know why they do it. I guess for you all to just have something to talk about. I don’t really follow it too much to be honest with you. I just can’t see us going up to the moon and just chilling. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
(Do you think you can bring Head Coach Adam Gase to your side?) – “Yes, absolutely. If Gase just hears me out one time, he’ll probably feel where I’m coming from.”
(Are you kind of a skeptic in general? Like when you read stuff and watch…?) – “Yes. I’m just more so … If I haven’t seen it, I just think you can’t just go with it. That’s my whole thing.”
(But you haven’t seen a mermaid…) – “I know. I’m not saying there’s necessarily a mermaid out there. I’m just saying there possibly could be. There’s a lot of water we haven’t discovered yet.”
(So you’re challenging the assumption that there are not mermaids?) – “I’m just saying that we can’t say there are not mermaids. We find a different lifeform in the water every day, so that’s my whole theory.”
(Have Defensive Line Coach Terrell Williams or Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke told you that you’ll be playing some tackle? Have you done it so far in OTAs or have you been outside exclusively?) – “I’ve been outside for the most part. I’m pretty sure I might play a little inside this year too. Just with our scheme, the defensive ends move inside on some of the plays, so I could see myself playing down there a little. I don’t really necessarily know exactly what I’ll be doing. I’m just going to kind of figure things out as they go. Like I said, whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. I’m going to do it.”
(What do you believe is a key to helping the run defense and this scheme from the end position?) – “Basically setting the edge and constricting the lanes. That’s what I make my bread and butter on since I’ve been in the NFL. Not to try to boost myself, but I feel I’m one of the best run-stopping defensive ends in the NFL. That’s just point blank, period. I’m not going to come in here and tell myself I can be a third-down pass rusher over Cam Wake. That sounds ignorant. He’s the best left end in the NFL when it comes to getting after the ball. But I think we’re going to complement each other real well. I know if I can get teams to second-and-long, third-and-long, he’s going to come in there and do damage. That’s what it’s all about. Like I said, I’m not a ‘me’ guy. I’m a ‘we’ guy. I just want to help us build on what we had last year. That’s what it is.”
(You’re 32 years old, is that right?) – “Yes.”
(How much do you have left in the tank?) – “I have a lot left in the tank. Me personally, I still don’t think there’s a man in the NFL that’s going to knock me back off the line of scrimmage. Like I said, that’s not being arrogant, that’s just what it is.”
(How are you viewing this opportunity at this stage of your career? What do you hope to accomplish out of it?) – “I want to win. That’s the only reason I’m still playing. I’m not playing this game for self-accomplishments. I want to win some games and go to the playoffs and go far in the playoffs. That’s what it is for me. Like I said, I’m not trying to come in and reinvent what we’ve got going on here. I’m just trying to come in and just add to what we’ve got going.”
(There was something a little surprising done, as you know, with your contract, in which it was restructured and you get to be a free agent next offseason. Did it surprise you the Dolphins were willing to do that? Did you jump at that?) – “No, I brought that to their attention. The Dolphins didn’t necessarily take my last year off.”
(Why was that?) – “Just at the end of the day, I’m a little older. My goal is to finish as a Dolphin. I have no intentions of going (anywhere else). If I would have realized how much I loved this organization, I probably wouldn’t have considered (taking the year off). Since I’ve gotten here, (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase has been probably one of the … (Former L.A. Rams Head Coach Jeff) Fisher I was with for eight years, so you can’t really compare the two; but (Gase) reminds me a lot of Fisher. He’s definitely a player’s coach. He’s really about family and I appreciate him. I texted him yesterday and told him ‘I just thank you for the opportunity.’ It’s genuine and it’s real. I really have fallen in love with this organization. My teammates are awesome. Like I said, I’m happy to be here. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t say how thankful I am. It’s probably the best move that’s happened to me in my career so far, especially with the move from L.A. A lot of those guys, I was really close with; but I just love how this organization is really ran.”
