Speaker 1: He's going to go. You won't go today as a concussion.
Speaker 1: He's going through a concussion protocol right now. Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1: you can talk to Malcolm, But how big a lift
Speaker 1: is it for Sturge just to to kick the way
Speaker 1: he's in the last few weeks. We've had a lot
Speaker 1: of confidence in him. I think when you look around
Speaker 1: the league, I'm not sure anybody's one hundred percent, you know,
Speaker 1: I think and uh, but when we watch him in training,
Speaker 1: we watch him in practice, he's really sound mechanically. UM.
Speaker 1: So we felt, you know, in terms of our situation
Speaker 1: after losing a great one in Cody when he came in.
Speaker 1: I think he's done everything we've asked him to do.
Speaker 1: Um And when you watch kind of the kicks he's missed,
Speaker 1: there some reasons for its snap hold, some of those
Speaker 1: things that weren't always just Caleb, it's the whole operation.
Speaker 1: I think we've got that straightened out. But he's done
Speaker 1: a really nice job and we've got a lot of
Speaker 1: confidence in him and hit a big one against Dallas.
Speaker 1: That fifty three yard was a huge one for us
Speaker 1: at that point in time. I'm sure he had a
Speaker 1: rough start. How about the fact that he was able
Speaker 1: to cut it. Yeah. Again, like I talked about, sometimes
Speaker 1: it's the whole operation. I think a lot of the
Speaker 1: blames sometimes just goes on the kicker. But you know,
Speaker 1: if the snap isn't exactly what it needs to be,
Speaker 1: or if we don't get the laces out of the way,
Speaker 1: sometimes it's not always on the kicker. And I think
Speaker 1: we cleaned up some things in the operation aspect of it,
Speaker 1: and he's kicked the ball really well in the last
Speaker 1: couple of weeks. So along those lines. Last year, Petendant six,
Speaker 1: a lot of it had to do with special teams
Speaker 1: early partinularly, you guys were exceptional this year. Now so much,
Speaker 1: what do you see? I disagree. I think our special
Speaker 1: teams are playing very well. What I see right now
Speaker 1: is people aren't kicking the ball to us, so we
Speaker 1: haven't had returns because we've played some kickers that are
Speaker 1: kicked it. We really I can't remember the last time
Speaker 1: we took a ball out. You know, we took one
Speaker 1: out in the Saints game for four year game and
Speaker 1: then we didn't get any other after that. And I
Speaker 1: think people have kicked away from Darren, so we Darren
Speaker 1: hasn't got an opportunity to get going from that standpoint though.
Speaker 1: But I think our coverage has been pretty good with it,
Speaker 1: except from the one on the kickoff turn. But I
Speaker 1: think our punk coverage has been outstanding. And we had
Speaker 1: a block way back in the Dallas game in game too,
Speaker 1: so one film. Has the coaching change for the Dolphins
Speaker 1: been apparent? I knew it, um. I think they played
Speaker 1: harder when when Dan Dan took over early in those
Speaker 1: first two games. You know, when you watch him against
Speaker 1: the UH in the Texans game, you know when the
Speaker 1: Tennessee game, Um, you know. And I think there's just
Speaker 1: been some subtle changes, but nothing really drastically. You look
Speaker 1: at what they were doing in the games before that happened.
Speaker 1: She watched their offense, so maybe crossly over watching them.
Speaker 1: But how much is Billy from from here? I don't
Speaker 1: think very much. You know, I think Bill has his
Speaker 1: UM offense. It's probably more similar to what he was
Speaker 1: doing when he was at Virginia than what he was
Speaker 1: doing when he was here. He thought that two years
Speaker 1: was best player in the draft. Would you think of
Speaker 1: the old teammate there playing? Yeah, we were high on
Speaker 1: Jarvis suit though. I think he's an outstanding receiver and
Speaker 1: um done a really nice job, catches the ball extremely
Speaker 1: well as a dynamic returner as well, does a really
Speaker 1: good job on puny returns for them. But who really
Speaker 1: hired him? Also? How much is running two tight ends
Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks helped ignite the running
Speaker 1: game and create balance on the offense in general? Um,
Speaker 1: I don't know if it has to do with running
Speaker 1: two tight ends. I just think a lot of times
Speaker 1: and we get that question all the time. We run
Speaker 1: certain things because it elicits certain things out of the defense.
Speaker 1: So what we're trying to get out of the defense
Speaker 1: is really kind of based on what they do. So
Speaker 1: you watch and do they match, don't they match? And
Speaker 1: kind of how that matches up? Jason Peters will practice today?
Speaker 1: What percentage of the time do they use Landry in
Speaker 1: the slot? A lot? You know, they move him around
Speaker 1: because he's a versatile player, but you know he's he's
Speaker 1: primarily um, you know where he's most dangerous. I think
Speaker 1: he's in the slot. Nelson's good, you know again, it's
Speaker 1: it's how does he progress through the whole week of training? Um,
Speaker 1: he did good yesterday and he'll go back out today.
Speaker 1: But well, he's somebody we have to monitor in terms
Speaker 1: of where he'll be. Um, you know, he was good
Speaker 1: last week early and then you know, I think kind
Speaker 1: of the being out on the field kind of warmed
Speaker 1: down a little bit. But he was good yesterday, says
Speaker 1: he feels good today. So we want to see how
Speaker 1: that Cosey always he knows that. I mean, that's what
Speaker 1: That is a very admirable quality with Nelson and we
Speaker 1: love him for it. But um, you know, we have
Speaker 1: to kind of watch him with our eyes to be
Speaker 1: able to say where he is. But you know, the
Speaker 1: same thing after he got injured, he said he was
Speaker 1: going to play that Monday. You know that. But it's
Speaker 1: an awesome quality for him to have. But we got
Speaker 1: to be um smart in terms of how we handle
Speaker 1: him on the run on the ground too. They kind
Speaker 1: of need the life that week. Well not really, No,
Speaker 1: I think he may have had a reverse or two,
Speaker 1: but not I mean it's not a couldn't I don't
Speaker 1: think he has any doesn't have double digit carries or
Speaker 1: anything like that. I mean, they've got a real good
Speaker 1: back in Lamar Miller that that they run him. That's
Speaker 1: the guy you gotta really focus and concentrate on we
Speaker 1: Last week, UM coach Schmer said Demarcat Orry wasn't as
Speaker 1: healthy at the beginning of season is he is Now's
Speaker 1: the same thing he said about earths too well. I
Speaker 1: mean Zach came off an injury, and I think what
Speaker 1: Sherman was talking about his DeMarco missed a game against
Speaker 1: the Jets, So obviously he missed a game for US,
Speaker 1: you know, early in the season. UM. But obviously Zach
Speaker 1: coming off the core muscle injury, hadn't had an operation
Speaker 1: during preseason and you know, really didn't get cleared until
Speaker 1: the Wednesday or Thursday or even Friday. I don't remember
Speaker 1: exactly what day was of the Atlanta game. So I
Speaker 1: think Jack's just starting, you know, we mentioned that last week,
Speaker 1: is starting to get back, UM kind of to where
Speaker 1: he was before the injury. So last week last week,
Speaker 1: Jordan Matthew said that if he was in Sam shoes,
Speaker 1: he doesn't he doesn't know how much he would trust
Speaker 1: himself after having a few years dropped. But how much
Speaker 1: does a game like Sunday helped really young receiver being
Speaker 1: confidence wise? I guess I think that's a question for
Speaker 1: Jordan but I think Sam has never not had confidence
Speaker 1: in Jordan. That's why he continues to throw the ball
Speaker 1: to him. Nor do we That's why we didn't, you know,
Speaker 1: we continue to play him. I think Jordan's a heck
Speaker 1: of a player. He's worked very hard at UM, you know,
Speaker 1: addressing you know, a couple of drops there. I thought
Speaker 1: he played a really good game against Dallas, and hopefully
Speaker 1: he can build upon that. UM because he's a duel threat.
Speaker 1: I think there's it's a little bit different than facing
Speaker 1: like an Eli, you know what I mean. Obviously he
Speaker 1: lies so talented throwing the football, but you're focused on
Speaker 1: that part of him. You're not worried about Eli taking
Speaker 1: and tucking it and running on you. With Ryan, you
Speaker 1: have to I mean, he he actually played receiver before.
Speaker 1: He wasn't when he was biding his time. He went
Speaker 1: into Texas A and M as a quarterback. But then
Speaker 1: while the other starter was playing, they got him on
Speaker 1: the field because he was so athletic as a receiver,
Speaker 1: then brought him back and continue to play him at quarterback.
Speaker 1: So that the fact that he can do both. Um,
Speaker 1: you gotta be real conscious of where you are in
Speaker 1: the rush lanes. And they actually have design quarterback ground
Speaker 1: similar to play in Carolina with Cam It's it's more
Speaker 1: like going in against a CAM than it is against
Speaker 1: going against an ELI. What quality do you think about
Speaker 1: Jordan Hicks running as fast as he did? What quality
Speaker 1: I got Hicks alloted to hit the ground running as
Speaker 1: fast as he did this year? You know I've said
Speaker 1: it before. He's there's just a maturity to Jordan when
Speaker 1: you're around him. Um. You know, the compliment I gave
Speaker 1: him and is that he never acted like a rookie.
Speaker 1: He came in here, you know, with the mindset of,
Speaker 1: you know, not starry eyed, like hey, what's going on
Speaker 1: and where am I supposed to be where? You know,
Speaker 1: he just had a maturity to him, and you didn't
Speaker 1: know he was a rookie the way he kind of
Speaker 1: carried himself. He just, you know, was very purposeful in
Speaker 1: his work ethic and his preparation in terms of what
Speaker 1: he wanted to do. Um didn't look at it and say,
Speaker 1: hey we got Demiko and Michael and Keiko and all
Speaker 1: these other guys I'm never going to get on the field.
Speaker 1: It's he prepared like he was going to be on
Speaker 1: the field and when he got his opportunity, he ran
Speaker 1: with it to the Jordan Atthews last year, and you
Speaker 1: see some of the same trades, the same qualities, and
Speaker 1: those two guys and how they approach things in the
Speaker 1: rookie years I do, I mean, and the Jordan's another
Speaker 1: guy that never acted like a rookie. I think Walter
Speaker 1: Thurman when he got here in the off season, was
Speaker 1: surprised that Jordan was a rookie because of how he
Speaker 1: carried himself. He is, I didn't know that guy was
Speaker 1: a rookie. He goes like he's only been every year.
Speaker 1: I mean, the way he carries himself. They both act
Speaker 1: like veterans. There's a maturity to both those guys. Both
Speaker 1: real smart guys. Both really just kind of have everything
Speaker 1: in order, both on the field and off the field.
Speaker 1: So and it shows in terms of their play. So
Speaker 1: Hi less buddy, got buddy, what's the setup at safety
Speaker 1: with an Alcolm Jenkins not practice today? Um Marigos? Who
Speaker 1: else play safety? Walter Thurman, whoever is in there. It's
Speaker 1: no big deal. I think he should be back tomorrow,
Speaker 1: So I'm not We're not concerned about that. So um, yeah,
Speaker 1: he's playing inside defensive tackle playing the three technique form.
Speaker 1: I think, yeah, you know they're using him as an
Speaker 1: inside kid. He's obviously the guy we gotta you know,
Speaker 1: there's two guys you gotta know about him, and you
Speaker 1: got no bove urn. You know that there are two
Speaker 1: dynamic players, one on the edge and in one inside,
Speaker 1: but um using them in a similar manner. Gain, I
Speaker 1: don't be honest with it. I mean, he had seven
Speaker 1: seven sacks. He was playing at a really really high level.
Speaker 1: It's it's it's obviously tough when anybody gets injured. UM,
Speaker 1: but when you watch tape of those games when he
Speaker 1: was playing, he was, he was playing, he was outstanding.
Speaker 1: He was as good a pass rusher I think in
Speaker 1: the first seven games of the season as there was
Speaker 1: in the National Football League. So I would think they
Speaker 1: would lose him. Uh, they would miss him a little bit.
Speaker 1: He was he was cameras playing at a really really
Speaker 1: high level. And it's it's an awful injury when you
Speaker 1: see it. Um, you know we've had one with Demiko
Speaker 1: doing it and it's just tough. But you respect players
Speaker 1: like that that play so hard. That's one thing about
Speaker 1: Cameron Wake When you turn film on how hard he
Speaker 1: plays the game. There's a lot of respect there. But um,
Speaker 1: I think anytime you lose someone that's that's dynamic, there's
Speaker 1: there's gonna be a little bit of a drop out
Speaker 1: there when American I haven't compared them to where they
Speaker 1: are in the past, and really, you know, our concentration
Speaker 1: has been on their last four games, and I think they, um,
Speaker 1: you know, we we have the utmost respect in terms
Speaker 1: of what they can do run defense wise. So I
Speaker 1: don't know where they were coming from before. We haven't
Speaker 1: faced him before, so I don't have anything to compare
Speaker 1: to what it used to be like. So us about fundamentals.
Speaker 1: He's been working on him practice. What are you seeing
Speaker 1: with him and Ryan Davy behind this year? I see
Speaker 1: them working on the fundamentals every day, just like every
Speaker 1: other position coach does with the players. Is there any
Speaker 1: specific observation you've had no Sam and some of the
Speaker 1: other guys on offense coming like the second half of
Speaker 1: the movie obviously, didn't you know that there's a chance
Speaker 1: that it struggles out of the gate where at least
Speaker 1: it is a well oiled How did you weigh that
Speaker 1: when you're making the decisions to make significant changes on offense.
Speaker 1: So short term versus long term versus thing. I might
Speaker 1: struggle early, but ultimately I think that it's worth a
Speaker 1: long term And I'm sure that was something that you
Speaker 1: think just exactly like that way. We may struggle early,
Speaker 1: but we're thinking long term. So how about for the
Speaker 1: actual season. I mean, did you have the thought that
Speaker 1: maybe that the season could be compromised because of No,
Speaker 1: I don't think our seasons compromise. Hip. With today being
Speaker 1: Veterans Day, how is your respect for the military influence
Speaker 1: your coaching career? Well, I think it should influence not
Speaker 1: just your coaching career, should influence everybody's lives in terms
Speaker 1: of we're allowed to do what we do right now
Speaker 1: because the men and woman that made sacrifices to defend
Speaker 1: this country and what this country stands for. And I
Speaker 1: think not only them, I think it's their families also
Speaker 1: that you know, the ultimate sacrifice a lot of them
Speaker 1: make in losing the love one or having a level
Speaker 1: one being stationed overseas while they're back here in the States.
Speaker 1: But I think we're all fortunate to day like this,
Speaker 1: and honestly, to me, I don't think it should be
Speaker 1: one day that we recognize the military in terms of
Speaker 1: the sacrifices they make, but it should be on a
Speaker 1: daily basis. When you get an opportunity, they just say
Speaker 1: thank you for what they do because they've done made
Speaker 1: a choice in their lives to do something, so they
Speaker 1: were allowed to do this. So average averaged about four
Speaker 1: and a half yards will carry after contacts to cows.
Speaker 1: Why do you think he's so successful in that category. Well,
Speaker 1: he's just a big, physical runner and I think you
Speaker 1: notice that on film, and one of the reasons we
Speaker 1: were attracted to him is his style of running. I
Speaker 1: think fits in terms of what we want to get
Speaker 1: accomplished offensively. Both him and De Marco or physical runners
Speaker 1: that you know, if the old adage, if the line
Speaker 1: can get us two yards, then the back can get
Speaker 1: us two yards, and then now we're second and six
Speaker 1: and we're moving in the right direction. So fits in
Speaker 1: our model, big physical back, tough, hard nose runner and
Speaker 1: doing a nice job hours