Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Since we’re taught not to assume anything in journalism and since Tua leads the league in interceptions, I guess we probably should ask you, will he take all the first team practice snaps this snaps this week and will he be your starter for the next several weeks barring injury? Yeah, he’s going to take the snaps this week and he’s going to um be our starter this week and uh my expectation is that uh we don’t um throw 10 picks. And with the four offensive linemen who are eligible to return off IR, any of those designated this week to return, do you anticipate? Um not this week. And how about Sanders? H Sanders as well. Not this week. Do you have a Darren Waller update you can offer us? Um it was uh um soft tissue. Uh it’s a situation that probably um it would be uh uh living in hope to see him um in the upcoming next week g next week’s games. Um but uh you know he’s he’ll he’ll be diligent and um this this means a lot to him. So, um, but that that’s kind of where I’m at with it right now, um, with the information I have. Mike, you said the tape doesn’t lie. What did the tape show after last night’s loss? Um, there’s uh, uh, we are 100% uh, at losing football games that we don’t play complimentary football in. um that that it was um as much as the easy answer for one player or um uh one position. Um there was a there was an immense amount of uh well in there was the appropriate effort and there was the want to um the disciplined of uh uh that it takes to to know your assignments inside and out and execute your assignments inside and out. Um uh that that was that was lacking at many times. There was plenty. Um, you know, I would love to, uh, you know, you give credit to the victor. Um, and, uh, but the tape left me, um, uh, I I don’t really have an opinion on the two teams against each other because we didn’t we didn’t participate in the game. Uh, in my opinion, um, it was not because people were disinterested. Um, uh, quite the contrary. uh the 11 penalties for 100 yards um and being out of position um but wanting to be in position um that’s a lot of times what that that comes down to. So um you know I think uh it was a very um very direct um uh meeting that um guys had to face face the truth of the opportunities um that that we didn’t take advantage of and how um you know all 31 teams that you play you’re minus four 11 penalties, 100 yards. Um you don’t need need to tell me who the opponents are or what teams are playing. Um you’re you’re you’re going to lose that game. So um I’m not sure if there’s uh statistics out there that would support it. I’m sure there’s something close to it. Uh you don’t um that that’s not how you win football games. and uh and and the team had to uh embrace that reality um uh and hard truth which is important for all of us. Mike, this is it’s not the first time that you know we’ve heard the you know guys wanted to but they didn’t execute or they wanted to do too much in search of making a play instead of doing their actual assignment. And in your opinion, why has that continued to be an issue here? Well, I mean, I’m uh obviously that’s where I’m trying to get down to the bottom of, you know, you have a you have a spirited practice week that’s um that things occur and then um if it was patternized, I could be in front of it. Um the the the issue at hand is that this is a um game played by human beings and you don’t um you know sometimes you don’t know uh that someone’s illprepared for uh something until uh you know you can’t get every look um or every you know every defense that they have or every offensive play that they have versus every coverage or versus every And So, you’re counting on um people’s minds to be in the right place. I think uh again, the the the easiest way to kind of um uh each game’s unique into its own. This one felt um a little a little bit like uh the the season started where we we lost some lessons that we’ve learned. Regardless, it’s like um you know, I it it’s a bottom line business that um I it annoys the heck out of me to to verbally answer that question. um uh not the question itself but what I have to offer um which is uh you know the the nuances of um coachto player uh relationship and the and the players taking practice week to the field. um you know the you you you would love to have answers um for that uh um and we wouldn’t be in this position in the first place but you know I think uh you you just have to be clear honest and direct with with guys and they have to um do a great job of not minimizing their contribution um to the uh failed uh attempt You know, it’s a the biggest thing is you can’t um you can’t run away from the the one and six any individual u and and however you think it it’s playing out or if you think you’re doing your your job correctly um and and pushing off responsibility to other players um or other positions or other phases uh there’s uh you’re not you’re not going to get the desired result. So, um the the big focus with me for uh for our team this week is that um guys get at least 1% better every day at their own jobs. And um collectively the the if you um care about uh you know your football, you care about your teammates football, you care about the all the things that you know people talk about caring about, we have to do. Um and uh I I think the there’s not going to be words that are going to uh satisfy both the team, organization, fan base. words are at this point like um you know I would love to put a muzzle on like we need to we need to fix things and fast um and it’s everyone including myself and starting with me um and and you move on from there uh because you know we’ve we’ve played one one game of complimentary football and we have one win um everything else. Uh I don’t I don’t care uh at this point the wise. I just want um uh the direct focus and the corrections. And um and you do that by working, not talking. What will go into the what will go into the uh decision each week on the back of quarterback is are you going to make more of an effort to see what you’re getting, Quinn? No. Uh no, I think um you know I make a a a very calculated intentional effort to um observe each each player every week. Um I think uh again LA last week um based upon you know the game plan situation and Quinn um uh more than anything uh you know it it kind of uh you know created uh an opportunity where I thought um uh with conviction and uh you know I think the coaching staff agreed that Quinn in this particular game gave us the best uh shot to if he had to come in. Um, moving forward, uh, you know, I think we’ll have um I I don’t anticipate I’m hoping it’s not a week toeek thing. I’m um uh we will have uh it will be competitive this week and at the end of the week I’ll I’ll uh let you guys know who the who the backup is and um you know the in the hopes that that somebody grabs and takes. Um, but you know, I think you you have to be willing to do um whatever it takes for your uh that that’s the best thing for your team. Um I was very u proud of of Zack understanding that this was not um a wholesale change. This was for this game and um all things are on the table um moving forward in their competition and and uh we’ll we’ll settle that on the field um and uh move on from there. like when it comes to dissecting games with Tua after after a game, how how does it work with you guys? Does he do you guys meet one-on-one? Does he compile notes, tells you what he likes, doesn’t like? Do you guys meet one-on-one a lot during the week or is it strictly team specs? Um, no. The uh so sometimes it’ll be in the position room, sometimes it’s uh in front of the group, and sometimes it’s direct one-on-one. in this case. Um, you know, I thought it was important for us to watch the uh, you know, um, the really the offense together. So, we we watched um, uh, the pass game together this morning. um and had direct uh direct communication about uh the es and flows of of the game and how we can we can both improve for each other because to me um you know that uh specifically um when you’re having or when you go through a performance like that um you know I never I I don’t see it as a you know all on a a player or all on coach. It’s a working relationship and we both have to get better together. Um because the uh that’s not good enough. So um you know it it ch I change the the exact tempo of it um depending on the the nature of what needs to be coached and um you know how how uh how much with a fine tooth comb do I have to go through each play or is it a group of plays um you know positive or negative whatever whatever it takes to um you know get players to play their best and um you know, so I’ve uh I have no problem changing up the formula um and adapt um whenever that’s necessary. So um probably the third or fourth time that we’ve done it this year, but it was very important we did it on this game. Mike, obviously you have long-term goals at the start of the season, whether that’s postseason, certain number of rushing yards, passing yards, etc. Just when those goals become start to become less and less attainable, just how do you keep guys motivated? Well, I think uh you uh you you hope you have the right people that that stay motivated considering we are um we’re paid professionals and this uh we are we’ve played seven games um in a guaranteed 17 game season. So, you know, the the feelings, the emotions, the the you know, whatever expectation like, you know, who who really cares. Um, at this point, the the idea is that um you’re right in the heat of uh uh games that you’re that are very much meaningful to the to each player, coach, staff member, and organization. Um, and so that there shouldn’t be much more um motivation than that. That uh that was a an embarrassing um effort. And so what do you do with an embarrassing effort? You uh uh want to get back to work and and and put a different product on your name. So, um I I think uh for game eight, uh you know, I’ I’d be extremely disappointed if guys were lacking motivation. Um regardless of how difficult um it may seem like that, uh that you know, you you have a job to do, so we need to go do it. Mike, did you have any discussions with uh Steven Ross yesterday when he got back? And and then I know you answered this part yesterday after the game, but so much outside noise swirling around about your future and a lot of other people. Just how are you how are you handling all that? Well, like I said before, um I don’t I don’t really I I I have a um there’s a piece of me that’s from from an integrity standpoint that I that I just refuse to um to go into that world of of speculation when when I’m currently uh um holding the job. I think that’s kind of irresponsible. Um I do recognize uh and you know the the hard part is um the residual consequences I think of you know other other staff members, players just the uncertainty of that. Um but at this point I don’t think um anybody uh really is is focused on um any of that now. uh you got to focus on winning a game. Um as far as talking to Mr. Ross, talked to him right after the game and we talked about the game and it was uh uh you know there was a lot to talk about um within that that particular game that that outing. Um definitely didn’t see it playing out that way. So um you know we we talked about that and then we um then I came here off the off the plane. So, um yeah, that’s that’s I can’t speak on all the uh you know, all the speculative things that um aren’t real. Uh as far as far as um we’re operating um we we have a lot of a lot of things to focus on. Um and uh none of which is uh speculating on speculation. with some of the pre- snap confusion. Um I guess how do you fix that with players at this point in the season not knowing where to line up outside of the huddle? And do you have an understanding from them on why that keeps happening? Well, um regardless, you have to be ready for everything. So, uh that that’s uh there’s no excuse. Um the the I think um bottom line is you have to have to be clean in that area. Um, I think the uh the vulnerabilities of um all the all the substitution and alignment were kind of uh spotlighted uh as the game went on and uh we had a couple guys go out with um uh injury and I think that’s a huge part of the game that people have to be prepared for and I don’t think we were adequately prepared for that um which led to some uh you late in the play clock and timeout um situations that um I I I try to avoid at all costs. So um that I uh that wasn’t good enough amongst many things and we will uh we will be addressing that starting um well it was already addressed but we’ll be practicing that um on on Wednesday um as we uh you can’t do anything about the past. You can only take what you have and improve upon it.

Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media

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