Coach McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Coach McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

It’s very clearly deep blue. There’s a lot of internet debate about it. Is it black? Is it pitch blue? Is that blue? Salt. Salt. So, I wanted to ask you about why the decision from you guys part ways with Cam Smith now as opposed to waiting it out longer with him on NFI. Yeah. Um, as far as the details and the particulars of NFI, I’m not going to get into that. Uh, uh, realistically, it was just the, um, best thing, uh, for the Dolphins. Um, and I think, uh, it’s also, um, the best thing for for Cam. So, um, unfortunate you you don’t see it going out that way, but, um, we also live, uh, in in a team sport and we got to do what’s best for the team. He’s not going to join the practice squad. No. How would you categorize his timing? Um time I the there there’s a lot that goes into that. Um uh I I think you know hopefully it’s um uh a the bedrock of um what what his future holds, you know. Um I I I wish him the best. Um but um it was uh it wasn’t it didn’t um play out the way you you see it when you invest like that in a player. Um but that that’s part of the the league and the process. You and you got to do what’s best for the team. Athletic. He had long arms. As a rookie, I saw him make a bunch of instinctive pass breakups. It seemed very promising. Is the lesson here that a player has to have more than just physical tools that there has to be a professional maturity element? Um I don’t uh you know I think um that what you said is absolutely true in in um you know a lesson for all players is uh the the line at the NFL everybody in the NFL has talent. Um and you know I think uh uh there without without a doubt we we pushed forward um all efforts and and it didn’t work out. Um so uh you know maybe that’s a lesson he learn he learns from it. I don’t know. Um but that what you said is is an absolute for sure in this league. Mike, can you give us an update on Tyreek Hill? Is he out of the hospital? How’s he doing? Um, so he’s uh doing well. He’s in the hospital. He was there last night. He’ll um he’ll spend the night again tonight for uh precautions. Um so he has the the finest care. Um and and there’s been um you know a a plethora of teammates that have uh made sure that their their guy is good. um as well as a you know above and beyond training staff or head trainer was at um you know at the hospital with him with uh when he had surgery. So um he’s doing well and um starting a long road to recovery. Do you believe that college chemistry can help at the professional level between quarterbacks and wide receivers? Um yeah, I think I think any sort of um any sort of thing that uh you know subconsciously um makes a uh thrower more confident um that he knows what’s going to what the player is going to do and or the uh the player being u the receiver being more confident um in the type of ball that generally goes his way. I think um all all time spent um you know w with with players playing football um can be beneficial uh and it furthermore is very specifically more beneficial when there’s time on task with something similar. So, um, what if you’re in a new offense with, uh, uh, that you obviously weren’t together in in college, but there’s some kind of similarities to certain things, you it can enhance some conviction um, for sure. And, uh, you know, help the, um, reception process occur by both the accuracy and the conviction and catch. Ready to be a wide receiver, one in the NFL? Yeah, I think he’s uh we’ve we’ve looked at him um uh as a wide receiver one. I I think that it’s it’s not necessarily a change from the the way we approach it and the way we see it. Um and you know, I think he’s uh he’s done a fantastic job um you know being uh an elite receiver playing with another elite receiver. um the uh I I don’t see as far as his game he he’s very very much ready for um you know this this moment as he’s uh he has seen himself as a one and we’ve we’ve approached it the same way. So, um, he’ll there there shouldn’t be really an adjustment for for Jaylen Wadd, um, because he himself he himself stands alone. I think sticking with the receivers, Malik Washington was kind of a de facto wide receiver for you this summer when Tyreek and Jaylen were hurt. Uh, how did that performance, how did his performance in the summer, do you think, prepare him for what his role is going to have to be here moving forward? Well, I think um like him uh we found a a lot about um a lot of players uh offensively, but him in particular, you know, you uh there were some opportunities that he probably got some routes that otherwise he might not have got with Tua. Um and you know I think that has helped him um be a uh you know someone that we feature in our offense because he you know at every juncture he’s really risen to the occasion. So, um I know that that time was very beneficial in terms of um you know to uh relying uh in practices um in joint practices um in a competitive situation and move the ball where it’s third down um and you you pick a ISO route um for Malik and whether it’s a um you know regardless of the what route you call he’s able to um come up and make a play that I think um you know it was an important uh you know sophomore off season for him and he definitely took advantage of it. Um which is why uh him and you know a lot of these guys um won’t blink because of the time on task um in a situation uh uh this off seasonason similar to the one we have now. Kind of following up on on that, you mentioned sophomore offseason. When do you usually see either that that big jump or maybe the light bulb turn on for guys? Is it that that sophomore off seasonason or maybe the going into third the you um you know each player is unique. I would say probably the strongest the biggest jump you generally see is going into uh we’ll just stay on pattern going into your junior year. Um but he, you know, Malik had always been accelerated in his um ability to play um within in an NFL atmosphere to a um NFL standard uh at a high standard. Um, you know, it’s not many rookies that uh are drafted in the sixth round that catch a um you know, what would uh end up being a game-winning corner route against uh uh against a um a very good opponent in the Los Angeles Rams. um when you’re two and six and you’re trying to get a win. Um not not many guys are cut from that cloth where they can have that competitive greatness that young. So he’s he’s always been ahead of the curve in that way. um he he was able to carve out um you know, a place within uh our offense as a rookie um you know, for a reason and he just he he didn’t take he hasn’t taken a um a step back from consistent development. Uh and because of that um he’s we we’ve he’s been more of a feature this year and um we’ll have some more opportunities now. Among all the wide receivers available, why was Cedric Wilson the choice? Well, um it was two twofold. Um uh his uh consistency and uh playmaking ability and um ability to play with or without the ball. Um uh he he he played to a high standard here. And then as we we looked at all all of his tape since um he hasn’t lost a step in our opinion. So, um, he he is a I thought it was a a very great fit. He, um, uh, he I’ll just get ahead of it. He won’t practice this week. He, um, we we have all the intentions of practicing next week. He, he had a, uh, um, a couple weeks ago, he had a minor procedure that we were very aware about, aware of. Um, and so we we thought it’d benefit us to uh get him in um early so he can shake off um what he knows of the uh playbook and learn all the new stuff since he’s been here. Um so he’ll be ready to practice next week. It looks like Julian Hill’s off to a pretty good start this season. What have you noticed from his growth coming into the new season? Um he uh you know I think in the National Football League you have to continue to um evolve your game. Um whether people are patting you on back or whether you’re um uh working through noise. This guy doesn’t um stop progressing. He he he was a we were able to make plays off of his um displacement uh on the line of scrimmage um with our ball carriers um you know early from when he got here and I think he’s he’s really um owned his point of attack stuff. were able to run um run the ball uh a ton right off his blocks as well as um uh you know doing a great job uh in in zone defense utilizing his his uh fierce competitor competitiveness and his kind of how he goes about the game. He’s he’s a violent player and he’s found a way to um utilize those skill sets um from blocking and uh uh in his in his pass game. And he had a um a major a major reception um that he got um more more yard or got all the yards available and some um on our uh last scoring um our last field goal. uh that was monumental in the game. So, uh been very happy with his development and we we definitely needed it. I want to ask you about Zack Cer, how what you saw from him in terms of handling the disappointment of that penalty on on against the Bills to this past week where much better game he’s in the back field. Man, it can’t say enough about the dude because, you know, I I think it speaks to him that um I think all of us in this room knew exactly how he felt without asking him. We didn’t have to go ask him. Um like how you know was he was he upset? Obviously it it um for him a guy that um you know is our our signature um you know captain so to speak of how how you go about your business and worry about the things that you can control. And then for him to um lead by example this past game. I thought he did a unbelievable job of playing um to his skill set within the scheme and you know I think it it was second or third quarter I can’t remember exactly but there was a a series where um his opportunities um uh showed itself. uh he had teammates doing their responsibilities and I he he pretty much um was the point of attack uh tackler um on uh uh a series that u I think it was the series that led to the scramble. So he he uh the scramble touchdown. So he really really came through um in his play but also his leadership. Um, I I can’t say enough good things about him. Um, and I can’t say I was surprised either. Um, but it’s it it’s why Cer is who he is and um, why he’s so important to us. You’ve just passed the month mark since Russell Douglas was signed. Just wanted to get your overall evaluation of the quarterback unit so far. Um, yeah, I’ve I’ve been he he’s exceeded um, expectations in my opinion. I I I didn’t really know um uh how great of a teammate he was um until being on a team with him. Um but you really saw, you know, I thought he was um there was a there was a bunch of uh playmakers this past Monday night um that were able to contribute. Uh but you know I I I I saw him as you know one of the um top three guys at uh in the unit. Um as far as like the guys who had the best game. He really um uh played within the scheme, played physical, um did not hesitate, uh was able to show up um around the ball in the pass game and made his presence felt on some uh zone vice tackles that were very important in the game. So, he’s uh he’s been a a fast teammate um and a guy that uh I think you’d have to remind um a lot of the guys that he he’s newer um because uh him and there’s a handful of guys that got here um just in August um that really rose rose to the occasion, made some plays for us with him being at the the cream of the crop of that of that c group really. There’s a report out that the charge against Ryan Crow was dropped. Is there any change or update in his status with the team? No status change with the team. Um we we won’t even bridge that until the league is done um with uh their process. Coach, this offseason, Devon Chan talked about leaving yards on the field last season and how he wanted to approach that this year. How how would you kind of assess his progress in that area? It would be a I would assess the question um to be very timely um because I thought he uh he’s always been adept at um you know uh taking advantage of space and getting close quarter and um open space yards. Uh but I thought uh this pass game was his best performance um maximizing every opportunity given. He he really um uh uh was on his his his uh tracks, all of his all and and really coming out of the blocks um at the snap putting pressure on uh uh really all players in the front. Um and then and didn’t hesitate um uh you could tell he was seeing the game or he was seeing the defense very well. And there was a there was three or four plays that he made um within the scheme that I hadn’t that I hadn’t seen um within the scheme and I’ve been in the scheme for two decades, you know, so he had he had some good things to build upon for where he wants to go um in his game. Uh he has high expectations and I thought um it was uh his best uh performance thus far. last game took a hit to the head. One, what was your reaction in that moment and two, just to see that he was okay after taking that? Um, I I was very happy um that he he broke the pocket to the left. Um it was uh third third and eight. we have a um and that that was the the supreme challenge that we extended toward towards him of uh there’s the sticks um can you illuminate the space but um prioritize what the team needs you to prioritize and him sliding um was you know he he kind of um took the bull by the horns and you know I I think once I saw him um you know, get underneath that vice and and slide. Um, you know, I I I think I was um I was excited. I think I think I was pumped. I I I I would have expected him to do that. But when you um uh see your expectation come to life, um you know, I was I was proud of his understanding and and really I kind of just knew where he was at. Um he he had already shown me a a ton of different signs during the course of the game, but I knew how locked in he was um because the uh the making that decision is critical um to the team and uh uh our our games moving forward. So, I’m glad he kept himself available and the the uh the other little, you know, the um contact uh doesn’t necessarily make me um nervous. It’s uh it’s the direct contact that would have um I would have got a little nerved up. So, it was a it was a great um teammate experience that I saw him do what I thought he would do. Last question. Do you um keep track of run pass or someone you ask someone to remind you cuz throughout the last game it was kind of like even almost the whole game. Is that something that you remind yourself on paper? Do you write like don’t forget to run on your play card or I I uh um I know I don’t know to the number but I but I know um you know uh as a as a play caller I I kind of have a I guess uh a tick chart in my head um that I can kind of feel if if I’m balanced or not. Um and you know that that in conjunction with um the plan going into the game and what the defense is presented presenting us, you know. Um I if if it’s not close to 50 50/50 um after three drives, it’s because there’s a an adjustment um based upon uh the opponent and our players. But generally um run past conflict is the best way uh to um keep the the defense on the heel on their heels uh thereby getting um earned yards in in the run or run or pass game. So I try to stay as close as I can um each and every game. when when I get away from it, it’s because um there’s a there’s a a reason that right, wrong, or indifferent. Um I think gives us a better chance in in that uh particular game.

Coach McDaniel meets with the media

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