WEBVTT - Drive Time: May 21 OTA Practice Recap 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:04.120 To on the move, going deep, speedless, peace, do hell. 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:10.400 From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex, 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:14.680 This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield. 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:19.440 He's got my hands in the playoffs. 0:00:25.880 --> 0:00:30.080 What is up Dolphins? And welcome to the Drive Time Podcast. 0:00:30.480 --> 0:00:33.320 I am your host, Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:36.559 we got to watch the Miami Dolphins play football. Yeah 0:00:36.600 --> 0:00:39.760 it's May. Yeah it's in shorts. Yeah, the quarterback and 0:00:39.800 --> 0:00:42.479 a handful of other guys like Tyreek and Waddell and 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:45.879 Ramsey and Tron and Big Zach Seeler and lots of 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:48.280 other guys weren't out there. But it is football in 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:51.120 the month of May, So what more can you ask for? 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:54.400 We'll break all the training camp style podcasts down here 0:00:54.440 --> 0:00:57.680 for you guys. Talk about how Jody Fortson popped, how 0:00:57.800 --> 0:01:01.280 Jordan Brooks adds a demeanor to this team that it much, 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:05.680 very much needed, How Patrick Paul looked fantastic, how Malik 0:01:05.880 --> 0:01:09.880 Washington was as advertised, how Ethan Bonner to me seems 0:01:09.920 --> 0:01:12.520 like yet another diamond in the rough at dB and 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:15.840 so much more. From the Baptist Health Studios inside the 0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:21.000 Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drive Time podcast. 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:26.520 I think as time has gone on with these camp, training, 0:01:26.520 --> 0:01:31.360 camp or OTA podcasts, I've better developed my craft of 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.680 telling you guys the story from the day. I felt 0:01:33.720 --> 0:01:36.280 like last year was the real jump for me, and 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:38.880 coming back today, I kind of feel like we're on 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:41.200 another level, almost like the Dolphins planning to be on 0:01:41.200 --> 0:01:44.120 another level, and you're number three of Mike McDaniel. Don't 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:46.760 get me wrong. The heart of these episodes is to 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:49.480 tell you exactly what happened out there on the grass. 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:52.080 And I will put my own ability to observe and 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:55.400 report on a live football practice up against anybody, especially 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:57.880 anybody out here until Kyle gets here, that I have 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:02.240 some competition, But I think the real skill is getting 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:06.000 questions to those that know on those same topics so 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:08.480 you can have some real weight to your words. Right, 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:10.920 I'm not gonna pound my chest and tell you guys 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:12.760 I'm the end all be all. I want to give 0:02:12.800 --> 0:02:15.320 my thoughts and then confirm from the PhDs we talked 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:17.720 to every single day. Right, That sound good. I did 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:20.360 tweet some notes after practice. You'll hear a lot of 0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:24.040 those with additional context. But the reason I put this 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:27.520 disclaimer out there is that I noticed most of the 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:30.440 comments or feedback I got on the Twitter thread was 0:02:30.520 --> 0:02:33.840 asking about players that I failed to mention. So while 0:02:34.160 --> 0:02:37.760 I feel my skills to evaluate a practice live without 0:02:37.800 --> 0:02:40.560 replay or tape are as good as anybody out here, 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:43.080 or as good as they can be, the truth is 0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:45.600 you cannot see everything, and so if you don't hear 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:49.200 a player reported on, I either didn't solely focus on 0:02:49.240 --> 0:02:51.639 them because you have to make choices when there's ninety 0:02:51.639 --> 0:02:53.919 players out there. It's easier in season than it is 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:56.320 in training camp, or they just didn't make a play 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:58.800 that jumped out to me. More likely the former, with 0:02:58.880 --> 0:03:01.560 a little bit of the latter's trinkled in. But you're 0:03:01.600 --> 0:03:04.160 not going to watch ninety guys in a ninety minute session. 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:07.280 That's just how it goes. Now. With all that said, 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:11.079 I will also say this, when one isn't out there, 0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:14.440 the quarterback, I kind of like how undistracted I am 0:03:14.480 --> 0:03:16.960 by that, And by that I mean I always have 0:03:17.080 --> 0:03:19.919 these intentions to be totally comprehensive. I think I am, 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:23.000 but I like to see what QB one does because 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:25.280 he kind of drives this whole damn bus, doesn't he? 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:28.040 Without him? We ain't going nowhere, baby, So I tend 0:03:28.080 --> 0:03:30.239 to have my eyes wander a little bit back towards 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:33.280 the quarterback and the offense and just see how they 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:36.840 really control the practice under his command. So today, for 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:39.480 really the first time, I mean there was, you know, 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:43.280 the Jacoby Brissett end season practice days that I would 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:46.160 choose to forget if I can. But going back to 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:49.040 my first training camp here in twenty nineteen, that was 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:51.360 when I thought some of my best work happened because 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:55.040 I was focused on Monentrey Hartage, the undrafted rookie safety 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:57.720 at Northwestern a post, trying to watch what Ryan Fitzpatrick 0:03:57.760 --> 0:04:00.440 did on every single drop back. And so I do 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:02.320 have some stuff on the quarterbacks here today, but I 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:05.080 spread the love a lot more than I think usual 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:08.360 with the starter of being not out there so full transparency. 0:04:08.400 --> 0:04:10.000 And so that's where we usually start here on the 0:04:10.000 --> 0:04:13.200 podcast with how the quarterbacks performed into a tongua bai loa. 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:16.080 But I'm going to start today's position, or today's podcast 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:20.800 rather with the position widely considered the quarterback of the defense. 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:24.120 And I'm talking, of course about linebackers and Jordan Brooks. 0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:27.479 Very proud of myself for beginning on defense, and as 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:29.359 I am well aware, I have a bias towards the 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:32.240 offensive side of the football. Fun fact about myself, I 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:34.440 used to be a high draft pick and pick up 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:36.720 football games back in the day. And the big part 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:39.719 of that was, you know, plus athleticism for a skinny 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:42.640 white kid, but also I would get picked highly because 0:04:42.640 --> 0:04:45.239 they wanted me on their team to design offensive plays, 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:47.919 because that's kind of what I did so good times. 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:51.200 I think everyone favors one side of the football, and 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:53.679 I'm a big fan of offensive football. So the first 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:57.360 thing I noticed was during individual drills. And I usually 0:04:57.360 --> 0:04:59.400 watch these a little bit closer and OTAs in the 0:04:59.440 --> 0:05:02.360 first couple camp before I get a little bit fatigue 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:05.360 by training camp. But I'm watching individual drills and I'm 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:07.800 watching Jordan Brooks, who was built like a house. Like, 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:09.560 first of all, he's number twenty, which I kind of 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:13.280 forgot about, which just kind of just kind of hit 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:15.479 me like, like, who the hell, who's that safety? But no, 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:18.760 it's Jordan Brooks, the middle linebacker, and the things that 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:22.520 he hits feel the build of a house when they 0:05:22.520 --> 0:05:25.839 get hit by that house. He's compactly explosive. And also 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:28.720 this isn't football, but he also is basically a replica 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:31.520 of how I built my players' accessories and create a 0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:34.360 player mode and Madden like drip, I think is what 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:37.039 they call it. Don't quote me on that, but how 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:39.560 about his football? And they did this this drill, this 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:41.560 play action running chase thrill where you had to get 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:43.480 downhill and get to a certain spot and touch one 0:05:43.480 --> 0:05:47.920 of the trash cans that replicates the offensive lineman. There's 0:05:47.960 --> 0:05:49.320 a joke there, but we're not going to use it. 0:05:49.400 --> 0:05:52.000 And then would have to play the run, recognize the 0:05:52.000 --> 0:05:54.160 pass game, flip the hips, and get depth back into 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:57.279 the hook zone where they'd roll this workout ball across 0:05:57.279 --> 0:05:59.159 the field and they had to locate it and go 0:05:59.240 --> 0:06:00.920 cut that thing off. Often he would cut it off 0:06:00.920 --> 0:06:03.880 so quickly and the change of direction jumped off the 0:06:03.920 --> 0:06:06.920 practice field so consistently that I was just like, who 0:06:07.000 --> 0:06:09.360 the hell is number twenty? Who is that guy? It's 0:06:09.440 --> 0:06:12.440 Jordan Brooks. It was nice too, because for a little while, 0:06:13.000 --> 0:06:15.400 I just I didn't know who that was, and I 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:16.960 thought it's gonna be this is gonna be one of 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:19.320 the rookies that I haven't had a chance to watch yet. 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:21.520 But then of course turns out same guy that I've 0:06:21.520 --> 0:06:23.839 been raving about on tape the entire summers or this 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:27.800 entire spring. So it's it's nice to get your priors confirmed, right, 0:06:27.800 --> 0:06:29.880 even if it's by yourself. I asked him about that 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:32.960 drill after practice and how this offense and the direction 0:06:33.080 --> 0:06:36.200 of offenses in twenty twenty four forces linebackers to have 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:38.320 that flexibility and to be able to get to that 0:06:38.320 --> 0:06:41.200 part of the field to be valuable. Here's Jordan Brooks 0:06:41.200 --> 0:06:43.200 on the importance of being able to defend the hook zone. 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:46.000 And you know, they do a bunch of you know, 0:06:46.040 --> 0:06:49.279 play action. We got to play the boot routes, you know, 0:06:49.320 --> 0:06:52.000 the special routes and all that, and so that's why 0:06:52.000 --> 0:06:53.160 you're seems drilling isn't here. 0:06:53.320 --> 0:06:55.400 And to do that you have to play together as 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:57.840 a linebacker corps. Right. So here's what Jordan Brooks said 0:06:57.839 --> 0:07:00.880 about coming out to these voluntary ota and why it 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:01.920 was so important to him. 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:03.719 For me, it's like I got to get to know 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:06.359 the guys that I'm playing with, get to know the system, 0:07:07.720 --> 0:07:09.880 and let them get to know me, and so it 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:11.880 was important that I'd be here. It was mandatory for me. 0:07:11.960 --> 0:07:14.440 So I'm glad I came. I'm enjoying it. 0:07:15.000 --> 0:07:17.280 You just get the sense that there is a room 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:20.000 full of leaders here. And we'll hear from McDaniel on 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:22.200 David Long in a bit. Let's go ahead and hear 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.960 about building that chemistry together from Jordan, because I thought 0:07:25.960 --> 0:07:29.120 that chemistry showed up early, you know, on a one 0:07:29.160 --> 0:07:31.360 to one day a day one type of play where 0:07:31.400 --> 0:07:33.120 you have to defend this in the league, the slat 0:07:33.280 --> 0:07:36.880 the slant flat combo, where Brooks and Long are working 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:40.080 together on this slant flat and Brooks is head up 0:07:40.120 --> 0:07:42.800 over the receiver. He re routes the receiver then falls 0:07:42.840 --> 0:07:44.440 into the flat and if you guys aren't familiar with 0:07:44.520 --> 0:07:47.920 that is slant flat essentially basically takes a wide receiver 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:50.960 who slants inside to the formation inside of the defense, 0:07:50.960 --> 0:07:52.680 and then the flat route is just a route that 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.440 runs basically parallel to the ladt scrimmage, either a yard 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:57.080 or two behind it or yard and two in front 0:07:57.120 --> 0:07:59.000 of it. Slant flat, it's one of the first plays 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:00.760 you install and you have to find out how to 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:03.560 communicate it, to pass it off, to properly defend it. 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:06.200 And so these guys did that with Jordan Brooks head 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:08.120 up over the receiver, which I think was a tight 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:10.520 end this case, because Brooks covered tight ends all day 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:14.400 and was fantastic at it. And David Long falls into 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:17.280 the flat coverage or no, rather Long picked up the 0:08:17.320 --> 0:08:19.240 slant and Brooks fell into the flat and they were 0:08:19.320 --> 0:08:21.200 just to beat off. They weren't quite together on that, 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:24.040 and they got together after the play. They quickly discussed it. 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:25.880 I couldn't hear the conversation from the stands, but you 0:08:25.920 --> 0:08:28.320 could see them discussing it. And it happened again later 0:08:28.640 --> 0:08:30.960 and they locked it down. I mean, that is football practice, 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:33.400 one on one. You learn, you apply, you get better. 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:36.320 I cannot wait to watch these guys chemistry grow. In fact, 0:08:36.679 --> 0:08:38.719 Jordan Brooks talked about how important it is to have 0:08:38.800 --> 0:08:41.640 the linebackers playing on a string together. Here's Brooks on 0:08:41.679 --> 0:08:43.880 the importance of chemistry with David Long and the rest 0:08:43.880 --> 0:08:44.720 of the linebacker corps. 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:48.199 That's important. I mean, any linebacker that you played where 0:08:48.200 --> 0:08:49.400 you got to be on a string with each other, 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:52.840 and this is the time to get that chemistry going 0:08:53.000 --> 0:08:56.520 between David and I and so that when the season 0:08:56.559 --> 0:08:57.120 comes we can't to. 0:08:57.120 --> 0:08:59.679 Gore and running some more linebacker notes from practice, he 0:08:59.720 --> 0:09:02.120 would on a delayed blitz and he sees this lane 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:03.960 and runs down it, and it's it's what you've seen 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:05.880 from the Seattle tape, I mean, And if it's not 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:08.360 what I talked about on the upcoming Friday edition of 0:09:08.480 --> 0:09:10.800 Draft Time with the great Ted Win breaking down the 0:09:10.840 --> 0:09:15.240 Anthony Weaver defense here in Miami, it's the exact glove 0:09:15.440 --> 0:09:17.760 like fit with regards to running the a gaps, the 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:21.800 gap between the guard and the center and basically utilizing 0:09:21.880 --> 0:09:24.080 pick stunts from a guy like a Zack Steeler for instance, 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:27.200 to create runs at the quarterback, and he hits them 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:31.320 so explosively. He was also, like I mentioned earlier, matching 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:33.760 tight ends and seven on seven and they could not 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:36.320 cover it didn't matter who it was. Even the impressive 0:09:36.400 --> 0:09:39.000 Jody Fortson couldn't get off of him. But where Fortson 0:09:39.040 --> 0:09:41.400 did have the opportunity was his height and the ability 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:43.319 to elevate and get the football off the top shelf 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:47.480 as it were. But what that throw requires is absolute 0:09:47.559 --> 0:09:50.800 precision with massive risk if you are not precise with it. 0:09:50.920 --> 0:09:52.800 So that's a play that I think you can live 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:54.800 with if the Bills want to try to ripshots to 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:57.360 Dalton king k down the scene with Brooks right underneath, 0:09:57.559 --> 0:09:59.719 and if Josh Allen, who can be can be a 0:09:59.800 --> 0:10:04.600 rid a bit risky there. If the ball's six inches 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:06.640 off where it's supposed to be, it can get tipped. 0:10:06.640 --> 0:10:08.640 And that's how you get turnovers, kind of like in 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:10.000 the wild Card game a couple of years ago, and 0:10:10.040 --> 0:10:11.959 we turned them over several times to keep us in 0:10:12.000 --> 0:10:14.360 the game when our offense couldn't do jack stuff. So 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:17.720 that was my probably most impressive player of the day 0:10:17.800 --> 0:10:19.600 for the combination of how he played on the field 0:10:19.800 --> 0:10:23.600 and just kind of the demeanor he established their post practice. 0:10:23.840 --> 0:10:25.400 I want to go ahead and get to the offense here. 0:10:25.480 --> 0:10:27.280 Let's go ahead first though, and take a real quick 0:10:27.360 --> 0:10:29.160 break and come back and do that. We're going to 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:31.680 tie this together the linebacker position. I promise you don't 0:10:31.679 --> 0:10:33.439 want to miss this next segment of the Draft Time 0:10:33.520 --> 0:10:36.719 Podcast OTA number one practice recap right here on the 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:39.240 Draft Time Podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you 0:10:39.320 --> 0:10:42.920 by Autnation. So let's go ahead and get to the 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:45.959 offense here. And the big takeaway for me today was 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:48.520 something I have been harping on all off season, and 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:50.599 go figure. And I'm not going to sit here and 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:52.959 point to one of my five thousand tweets about the 0:10:53.040 --> 0:10:54.959 team and cherry pick one or two of them approve 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:57.480 how I'm the smartest man alive. You know, I tweeted 0:10:57.480 --> 0:10:58.920 it back in two thousand and four. The Dolphin they 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:00.720 did to prepare for the bracket cover on Wild Tigeking 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:02.800 twenty twenty four by adding more path catchers, I wold 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:04.800 write once again, I'm not gonna do that. And the 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:07.640 nice part about this is what do I always say? 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:10.240 The most satisfying thing in this job that happens to 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:12.400 me personally is when I try to convey something to 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:14.680 y'all and then the coach or player goes on record, 0:11:15.120 --> 0:11:17.240 essentially confirming that you don't have to do it yourself. 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:19.360 If you're good enough at at others will do it 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:21.680 for you. Take note of that, right. I can think 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:24.360 back to the combine, you know, talking to the draft 0:11:24.400 --> 0:11:26.400 experts about the wide receiver class and telling some of 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:28.040 them like, I think it's a big need for the Dolphins. 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:29.559 They were like, what are you talking about, dude. I'm like, 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:32.000 you know, Reak and Waller great, but got to have 0:11:32.080 --> 0:11:34.319 more than two, baby, and talking about, you know, the 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:36.600 same thing when Odell Beckham when he visited the Dolphins 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:38.480 and talking about him when he signed here to the Dolphins, 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:40.800 breaking all down for you guys after the fact, and 0:11:40.840 --> 0:11:42.559 having him on the podcast talking about it to you 0:11:42.679 --> 0:11:45.559 guys straight from his mouth, on top of John Smith, 0:11:45.600 --> 0:11:47.800 on top of Jayleen Wright and his ability to play 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:50.200 all over the formation or expand what Devon a Chan 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:52.840 can do as a route runner or drafting Malik and TODJ. 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:55.240 Washington on day three. I want to go to this 0:11:55.320 --> 0:11:57.160 answer here from Coach when he was asked about the 0:11:57.240 --> 0:12:01.800 Odell Beckham addition, because didn't even practice on Tuesday, but 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:04.079 it does give us a lot of confirmation on those 0:12:04.160 --> 0:12:07.240 thoughts about his ability to take advantage of the space 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:10.520 that is created by Tyreek and Waddle. But he didn't 0:12:10.520 --> 0:12:13.599 stop there. He essentially explained the thinking of continuing to 0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:16.079 load up at the skill spots in twenty twenty four. 0:12:16.200 --> 0:12:19.040 You start a program with an offense, and you have 0:12:19.160 --> 0:12:22.439 certain skill sets, and in this particular circumstance with the 0:12:22.520 --> 0:12:27.120 Miami Dolphins, you know, we it wasn't like I had 0:12:27.280 --> 0:12:32.839 previously coached a pairing like we have it wide out 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:37.640 and and kind of how defenses would would respond to that. 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:44.440 You learn over time different different ways that defenses will 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:48.040 really try to attack you and where they could be vulnerable. 0:12:48.440 --> 0:12:55.040 And I think, you know, having as many players in 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:59.480 the past game participate and distribute the ball, you know, 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:02.040 takes to another level of offense. And you know, I 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:03.000 see him as part of that. 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:06.560 And so there's that with the newcomers. And again, tomorrow's 0:13:06.600 --> 0:13:09.120 podcast was written and recorded on Monday, but damn it 0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:11.920 if this stuff does not bleed over into today, and 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:14.160 I just think it's perfect, but wanted to be upfront 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:17.120 in case there's a little bit of redundancy from today's 0:13:17.120 --> 0:13:19.199 show and tomorrow. But there was a question about the 0:13:19.280 --> 0:13:22.480 schedule this year, and Coach's answer sort of turned my 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:24.960 attention right back to that, let's go ahead and play 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:27.840 this audio. And he was asked about your schedule release takeaways. 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:30.080 I don't think I've heard a coach ask that before, 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:31.679 but I'm glad he was because it gave us this 0:13:31.800 --> 0:13:34.319 great SoundBite. The last couple of sentences here where was 0:13:34.320 --> 0:13:35.439 where I really wanted to focus. 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:39.440 Well, if you're wanting to change the narrative, you're going 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:44.760 to have an opportunity. I think I don't really worry 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:48.280 too much about things that you know, it's pretending like 0:13:48.400 --> 0:13:51.559 I have any idea what's good or bad. I know, 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:55.920 if you're if you're playing the right competitive football, you'll 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:59.840 always have unique challenges to your to your schedule. If 0:13:59.840 --> 0:14:02.679 you're playing the right type of football, you'll have primetime games, 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:06.319 which kind of you know, uh, you can have short 0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:10.040 or long weeks, all of those things, you know. I 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:16.280 think we've found a way to develop our team, you know, 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:20.440 both years, and I'm firmly expecting that same thing again 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:23.000 this year. I think that the opportunities down the stretch 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:27.960 of the season are are one ones that this team 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:29.840 at that point in time will be thirsting for. 0:14:31.080 --> 0:14:31.240 You know. 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:36.560 That's that's that's something that you know. When when I 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:38.040 saw the schedule, it was pretty excited. 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:40.720 Just to make it clear, we've found a way to 0:14:40.760 --> 0:14:43.480 develop our team both years, and I firmly expect the 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:46.320 same thing this year. The opportunities down the stretch are 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:48.440 ones that I think this team will be thirsting for. 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:51.040 I keep thinking about that because on the show tomorrow, 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:54.640 I'm going to talk about year three trends from McDaniel's 0:14:54.680 --> 0:14:58.120 previous stops, the incumbent growth of certain players, and McDaniel 0:14:58.640 --> 0:15:01.040 really drove that point point home there at the end 0:15:01.120 --> 0:15:04.080 to me. And it's not just skills like further honing 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:06.560 in on coaching points like running to daylight or getting 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:09.480 upfield and not trying to go sideways against zone coverage 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:12.240 on defense that you know provides tangible improvement on the field, 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:16.040 but rather the mental fortitude required to compete in tough 0:15:16.160 --> 0:15:19.120 environments and in big games when the chips are against you, 0:15:19.320 --> 0:15:22.200 like I don't know, twenty five degrees below temperature, with 0:15:22.360 --> 0:15:24.680 your starting defense half of them being on the sideline 0:15:24.960 --> 0:15:26.760 and half of the offense getting back together for the 0:15:26.800 --> 0:15:29.520 first time for a practice in over a month one 0:15:29.600 --> 0:15:33.400 time before that game, in those conditions, and man, I 0:15:33.560 --> 0:15:36.320 just think that there's a certain mindset, a certain mentality 0:15:36.320 --> 0:15:38.840 that's gonna come with some of the additions. Like a 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:41.680 guy like Jordan Brooks who just has and this is 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:45.880 a seth levitism some ish to him, right, family friendly podcast. 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.760 Otherwise that's a different ism there for you. But I 0:15:48.920 --> 0:15:51.280 noticed that when I met Jordan for the podcast here. 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:52.480 I notice that when I say hi to m in 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:54.360 the hallways around the building, I noticed that today and 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:57.080 talking to him at his media availability and how he 0:15:57.240 --> 0:15:59.440 kind of reminds me a little bit of Jalen Ramsey 0:15:59.680 --> 0:16:02.920 in the sense that nothing is going to divert his mind, 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:05.040 and not even a media availability or a what's up 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:07.920 in the hallway from his singular focus, and that focus 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:10.800 is the game of football, building camarader with his teammates 0:16:10.840 --> 0:16:13.600 and doing everything he can to make the Dolphins into 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:18.000 a winner. I like to be very, very very careful 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:19.720 with player comparisons, and I want to make it clear 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:22.800 that I'm not comparing their games here, but it reminds 0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:24.800 me so much as you go back to Baltimore and 0:16:24.840 --> 0:16:28.000 try to find, you know, crossover and analogs. 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:29.280 To win. 0:16:29.560 --> 0:16:33.000 Coach Weaver in Baltimore was able to inject or I guess, 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:34.800 the entire defense. He was a D line coach. But 0:16:34.920 --> 0:16:38.840 when that defense was able to inject Roquan Smith into 0:16:38.880 --> 0:16:41.920 the defense, and it changed everything for them. A one 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:44.240 point eighty from a defense that struggled earlier that year 0:16:44.280 --> 0:16:46.360 and got you know, four hundred and seventy yards post 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:48.680 on them from a certain lest handed quarterback to players 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:50.560 for the Miami Dolphins. And then he gets there and 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:53.760 they suddenly can't get that no one can score on them. 0:16:54.080 --> 0:16:55.800 I just get the sense there's some of that here 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:58.640 with Jordan Brooks, and it's it's not just him. Anthony 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:00.760 Walker had himself a pick in pre where he peeled 0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:03.080 off into the hook zone, elevated and got his hands 0:17:03.120 --> 0:17:04.960 on a throw from Mike White, tips it straight into 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:06.639 the air and pulls it down for the pick. And 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:10.159 if you know anything about Anthony Walker, he too is 0:17:10.240 --> 0:17:12.440 all business. And then there's the incumbent, one of my 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:15.160 favorite damn players in the whole league in David Long. 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:17.120 And I've been saying this since even before we signed 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:19.359 him as a player that I liked in the twenty 0:17:19.440 --> 0:17:22.760 twenty three free agency class. I feel pretty damn vindicated 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:25.240 for that affinity, for what he did on the field 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:27.200 last year. And then we come out and see that 0:17:27.280 --> 0:17:29.040 he was in the orange jersey for the first time 0:17:29.160 --> 0:17:32.560 or in the first practice on Monday, and then McDaniel 0:17:32.680 --> 0:17:35.000 was asked about that player and why he earned the 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:36.600 orange on day number one. 0:17:36.800 --> 0:17:45.560 I thought this phase two he embodied kind of the 0:17:45.640 --> 0:17:49.119 way to go about your day to day operation to go, 0:17:50.600 --> 0:17:53.720 you know, kind of if you want something, go, go, 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:58.240 get it. And you know, David felt after last season 0:17:58.320 --> 0:18:02.200 he had more to offer to the Miami Dolphins team, 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:07.440 and instead of just talking about it, he lived that 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:11.679 every single day. I think all this teammates feed off him. 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:14.520 He's a leader for us, and you know, I was 0:18:15.040 --> 0:18:16.720 just happy that his playlist didn't suck. 0:18:17.040 --> 0:18:18.720 Like I said this in March, I'll say it again. 0:18:18.800 --> 0:18:22.240 On paper, this is the best linebacker linebacking corps the 0:18:22.280 --> 0:18:24.320 Dolphins have had in a long long time. And Brooks 0:18:24.359 --> 0:18:29.000 and Long to me are a perfect balance of speed, blitz, position, interchangeability, 0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:31.960 downhill skills with a change of directions to get vertical 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:35.720 block defeaterers, and most of all, just perfect scheme fits 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:38.119 for what we think Anthony Weaver wants to do. And 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:40.520 then you've got Walker who brings the juice between the tackles, 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.639 some quality hook zone presence that understands playing on that 0:18:43.840 --> 0:18:47.440 string with Brooks that he talked about earlier in the show. 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:50.320 And that's all before you get to a couple of 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:52.800 guys that have made plays on you know, on special teams, 0:18:52.840 --> 0:18:55.639 and Duke Riley and hopefully some channing tendall in there 0:18:55.680 --> 0:18:58.320 as well. This room has everything, and I'm fired up 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:01.320 for I think it's a really impressive top to bottom 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:04.840 group of guys that can provide depth, that can do 0:19:05.000 --> 0:19:08.200