Coach McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Coach McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Give everybody a second. Super wild card day. Yeah. Can’t wait to see what’s in store here. So you gave a a good comprehensive answer right after the season about the drop in plays uh passing plays 20 plus yards more. You mentioned we have to take advantage of what defenses are not taking away. So obviously a lot of vertical passing game is execution. That being said, how much schematically can you do to get that part of your game which was so key 2022 and 23 back in your game? How much time did you spend thinking about that and working on that this offseason? No. Um, specifically, uh, you can, uh, tweet this to the the opponents. We haven’t worked on it at all, and I don’t plan on doing anything down the field. Um I think all things uh still what is still true is that um plays don’t stand alone and um you have to um a lot of times vertical passing game uh has to do with uh your your pockets, your run game, things that um have to be on point. um specifically when you walk into the stadium um you know defenses are ready to prepare your you know uh speed and prepare to defend it and make you earn it. So um there’s a lot of execution that goes into it. Um what we do know is that um until we we uh threaten um people in different ways that they’ll try to take that away. Um so much of our focus has been both on those throws that you that you crave um as well as um every other aspect of the game because you know our team likes faster drives and shorter drives as well that equal points. So, I think um you know, it’s all related to uh but not exclusive to that that uh down the field passing because you have to control the line of scrimmage and give guys um a reason to defend um uh space that’s lower um uh or closer to the line of scrimmage. And when when you do that, um things will open up. So, on that front, we heard uh from Jordan Brooks that Tyreek was catching touchdowns at Monday’s practice. How have you seen him come along from the oblique and also how have you seen the uh rebuilding of the chemistry going with Tua? Well, I think um really overall the what can be said about you know any of our leaders um and and and how they’re communicating expectations um and then how people are more invested um toward each other. uh if you’re you can um exemplify that by you know uh Tyreek Hill’s ownership of his of his job and his commitment to his teammates. So um there’s uh you know a as we kind of forecasted um that extra investment um helps guys be uh a little more connected um specifically uh the way they need to be. So there’s um yeah, there’s been a lot of growth across the board. I think um the captains and the leadership council uh have uh there there hasn’t been a day that they’ve allowed to go by that um you know the the standard is firmly uh to be on time to press conferences. Just kidding. Um the the standard is uh that you focus on that day and practice um means something different to to our guys now. I think um it’s it’s more meaningful. There’s a a closer intensity um to that of a game, which is the whole point. Um, and I think uh there there’s been growth from um Tyreek and Tua to um you know uh uh our center with a rookie guard or a um a a new person on our team or it can go you can talk T dot or um and Jordan Brooks. there’s a lot of connectivity in that um in a team sport where 11 people um are in charge of one result, it’s super important that they’re connected and uh um all all of the things that they’ve done I think have been a positive investment. His oblique is coming along well. Yes, it is. Um it is uh uh you couldn’t tell by that he had a fresh oblique. No. Um I think that uh yeah the the the process has been um uh very good where there has been like as we’ve talked about um there’s opportunity on the other side of the adversity of him not playing where our offense is um distributing the ball in different ways and forcing forcing execution um in other ways. Well, as long as the the player who’s out is preparing on the heels of really really good tech technical work, um he can come back and and not only be healthy, but be better um suited to do his job. You know, I think um Tua put on Tua put on a clinic last year after he got hurt when he came back for Arizona and Buffalo that he played his best football. Um putting forth a from a captain’s position, you know, what it looks like to be out but still be in. Um and uh so the today um like several guys um we are managing that ramp up um where he’ll uh you’ll probably see him in team but you won’t see him in Indie that is that is calculated um because his Indie is so good that he’s going to do indie in team is where is and that’s the same for a couple guys um that we are ramping up for week one. like how much on like maybe a personal level do you enjoy the transition from training camp to now the chess match of game planning for someone? Um well I think every year um there it’s exciting for different reasons. this particular year. Um, you know, the the game planning it, you know, for week one, um, there’s always the problems that the opponent presents specifically like the like the Colts. Um, and and you know what I’ve talked about what Lou does is is is challenging. Um, but when you’re game planning through the technique and fundamentals of your players that and you know what what it is, it’s it’s it is fun to get get into the routine of of the um specific assignments that you’re going to ask guys to do against their specific opponents. I think it’s actually um on the heels of the probably the last two weeks of training camp. It’s it is a sigh of relief for the players in some way, shape or form because you have the whole playbook at your disposal for you know the you know once you get past like day nine um of training camp and uh and you don’t know what’s coming and you you’re responsible for rules uh game plans, you get kind of tight um tightened down to what you need to focus on. Um and that’s always fun. Um, you know, plus the the week one’s always fun because um have you guys ever noticed that uh um results don’t ma match uh preseason predict predictions? That’s because a bunch of people are working in the offseason. It’s fun to see um how that shapes out um week one specifically. Uh will Darren Waller be one of those guys that kind of ramps up in practice with no limitations this week? Um, and I guess as a followup, when you guys first brought him in, how prominent a role did you envision him having in the offense? Well, I think um, so the second question or the first question, um, his, you know, we’re we’re being very, uh, intentional with how we practice with Darren. Um, to do right by the Dolphins and do right by him. Um I I there we have not pressed the threshold of three days consecutive intentionally. Um and tomorrow’s practice is third down follow followed by the uh red zone emphasis. So um uh an intentional uh it was intentional for him. You won’t see him today. Um but that’s not because of a setback. Uh I think kind of along the lines of uh the conversation about Reek. Um you know, I’ve been fortunate enough being in the NFL a long time and as a result found there’s been multiple different ways um for players at different positions to impact the game. Um, and you know, the the intentionality of bringing Darren here was real, but we’re also working um, you know, through the process of uh, playing good football, not depending on Darren. Um, so what does that mean? That means just like the situation with um you know Tyreek Hill where he’s um the him not being on the field allows for other evaluation and and growth of the team although it doesn’t per uh uh you don’t perceive it immediately as ideal. There’s there’s good residuals. Um and Darren’s the exact same way I think. um in that uh there’s stuff that we’re working on that we feel very comfortable with. Um and uh while uh he adds a significant um value to our team um I think our team feels very strong um as as we’ve practiced without him. So he’s a he’s a residual gain um I think to coaches and players. So, as we work through that um and and his assimil assimilate assimilation back into um professional football from uh from the sofa, he’s done a great job protecting um uh protecting uh what we need him to protect, which is work, challenge himself um to to not uh put himself in uh um in harm’s way with overcooking. Uh you you know, fast guys love to show how fast they are and and you’re you’re trying to have a long season vision and he’s very um locked into uh the game plan and um we’ll uh you know, we’re only going to use him as um a blocker. So, make sure you tell the Colts that. you have uh quite a few rookies who stand to have a pretty good impact on this game if they perform well. Um what sort of message do you give them in terms of managing their emotions, the welcome to the NFL moment, all the things that go into a rookie first? Well, week one is challenging for veterans. So the, you know, my message has been um to the veterans that they’re they’re on double duty for, you know, you you need to go to uh you need to go to the game and channel all of the things that we’ve focused on and play football and they need to set the example for the rookies because the rookies have on top of that, it’s their first NFL game, not just of the year. um with a packed stadium that is um only cheering um you know when the result doesn’t fall in your favor. That’s a different atmosphere. Um the the you know we’re very intentional by the guys that we brought um here that we thought you know there might be an opportunity to earn uh you know significant planning time or a starting role. Um and we did that for a reason. That being said, um I I don’t I I I I don’t really put it on the rookies for the rookies to uh um just assimilate into the National Football League. Uh there’s a standard that needs to be set and and uh veterans um have that much more on their plate with regard to how and what they focus on when you’re preparing for an opponent. Um, and it’s not um anything uh unfortunately guys, it’s not anything that you guys um write or where it’s at or it’s about um our jobs as they relate to each other and executing um to the standard that that we’ve um created um within this locker room and put forth on the practice field each and every day. I wanted to ask about a specific Ricky Ali Gordon just what are your goals for him this season? You know, I was doing some research and I saw that all the dope award winners, if they of the last decade, if they play one game have at least 900 yards in one season. So, I’m just curious what your Oh, man. What’s your uh my serious smarts? This smells like a fantasy football question. I may or may not have drafted all Uhhuh. Yeah, dude. I can and I appreciate your creative um nature and um you know I I think as a I’m employed by the National Football League. Um, so you know, I’m not against fantasy football and I don’t mean to um, you know, I apologize to anybody out there who um, I I’m not helping their team, but yeah. Um, I I uh I Olly Gordon’s a rookie who’s doing a great job and who knows how much he’ll get used. will probably not it probably won’t be an intentional and um uh yeah, he’ll I know he’ll have um uh zero plays or all the plays, zero yards or all the yards or somewhere in between. Mike, I’m wondering how much um offensive carryover there will be from last year’s game with with you with both of these teams considering you got key players, they’ve got a new tight end, you’ve both got new quarterbacks, you’ve got new guards. I don’t think Jonathan Taylor played last year, but how much will last year’s film help scouting for this game? Um well scouting I think it it helps for players to um uh know individual opponent a little bit um relative to okay I played against that guy. Um there are a lot of moving um parts to it. Uh it’s a very different team um uh from from our standpoint the Miami Dolphins. um and as as I’m sure it’s very different um for the Indianapolis Colts. So, you know, both teams are are trying to grow and um you know, they you have different players in the mix um to to try to um institute that or or facilitate that. um that we did play a game um last year Indian Indianapolis and I think that’s probably where the the carryover stops. Um you know that’s a funny thing but it boils down to the same thing that I’ve been talking about all offseason. It’s 45% roster turnover across the league. So, um it’s uh not that I’m undercutting predictions, but it’s I find it hard to predict um thing that that that’s why week one’s so fun. Um and if if you’re trying to stand on last year’s business, you’re probably going to get um a rude awakening, some humility, and have to go back to the drawing board and um you know, because the NFL reminds you that uh it’s all about what you’re doing today. Um and uh nothing um you can’t you can’t rely on yesterday’s work um for for today’s uh um output. Speaking of just the output, curious with it being game week, how much of a heightened feel or sense of things do you think that the players have this week maybe versus training camp being that you know it is finally week one? Yeah, I mean you you um don’t get into football to practice and meet. Um although you know my meetings are great and very fun and um the uh and hopefully very um uh uh there’s a lot of information and and uh uh things gathered from those and practices and building camaraderie. But you do it you do it for these moments. There’s 17 known opportunities a year and they’re all very very special. Um, so to to say that there’s not a an energy of excitement, I mean, you get to play a game for four quarters um that you’ve prepared for a lot. That being said, I’m hoping to have as minimal of a a adjustment from where we our our current pulse or arresting um operation. Our standard um if done right is closer to that of a game and a game week. The practice energy uh the way we play football um hopefully is as close to um you know regular season practice week and the game is possible. Um but you know there’s there’s nothing that replicates um you know 17 opportunities for um uh a you know 160 plays that that end up in a black and white win or loss like amongst 48 act like that. It is a it is a um energy and and you know it’s why everyone uh it’s the dream. So uh recognizing that that’s on uh on our uh fingertips is very exciting. But um hopefully each and every player and coach is solely worried about today. Um because as you guys have heard me um spew or spew before, you can win games on Sunday on Wednesday. So um that’s that’s the the biggest thing is what we’re trying to do is focus on our football and making sure that our standard is upheld or uh increased and nothing in the opposite direction. Um, and I’ll I’ll I’ll be excited for Thursday, then Friday, then Saturday, Sunday. Now that we can finally ask you about another team’s players in a game. Uh, Colts obviously have a new starting quarterback under center. Daniel Jones has a lot of tape with the Giants. I don’t know if he actually played in Minnesota, but what do you expect him to bring to this Colts offense considering it’s really the first time we’ll get to see him? Well, I think uh you know, you’re expecting to see someone’s best and anytime you have um a guy go uh you know, nothing was handed to him. He earned he earned his job. Um there’s you know, you know, on the horizon is you’re going to get his best um foot forward and you know, they’re they’re excited to do things tailored to his skill set. um I’m sure and and um some things that we’ve seen him do, some things we haven’t seen him do. That’s part of the the deal. But um you know, I think the biggest thing is uh there’s um a certain amount of conviction that a person brings toward his game when he’s gone uh he’s gone into a situation where it’s a competition. He’s earned the job. um you that just earning the job creates confidence. Um I’m expecting to see the best version um that that I’ve seen. Uh and uh the the only thing stopping him from um you know being the best player on the field is the 11 people that he’s going against and we have a tough uh job in front of us but one that I think that uh guys are excited about because of the challenges he presents in his game. When it comes to Riley Patterson, uh, obviously Jason Sanders, you were very comfortable with him, knew him very well. With Riley, do you rely more on Craig Aerman or or do you go on what you’ve seen from him, feel? How is that going to work out? What’s the dynamic? You know, I think um the everything that I’ve seen of him thus far, he’s given me no reason not to um fully and trust. Uh that’s why he has the he has the job. and um Ox and um you know Jake and Joe and really the the whole team has I think made sure that he doesn’t feel like um he’s anything more than one of the you know 48 um and um in in those situations uh that where you you have a a a guy come to your team um you never make it his team to save. He’s here to do his job. He’s done his job um uh outstanding since he’s been here. So, he it’s exciting for him to have the opportunity. Um you know, and al albeit uh at Jason’s expense, um it is still an NFL opportunity that he’s very much deserving of. Um and uh we we feel um very confident in everything he’s done with us thus far. Cool.

Coach McDaniel meets with the media

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