Below are Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s comments made to media this morning — McBreviated. A summary of his answers for those short on time or patience for the overwhelming supply of verbiage. The “transcript” and summary are from today’s media pre-practice media availability.
(NOTE: I am posting these before the official transcripts are available online using a Youtube transcript creator. I don’t edit what the generator creates, save pretty much names being incorrect. I both read the text and listen to the presser to summarize McDaniel’s responses.)
Q: We saw Kader (Kohou) limp off on Saturday. Do you think it’s going to be a while or a short-term thing?
“Um we’re kind of uh it’s a day-to-day evaluation um with some uh you know swelling. So um we’re uh we we’re a couple evaluations away um from um in the next couple days. Uh so we’re really just taking a day-to-day and see where it’s at, but um uh good spirits and he’s and uh the team’s good.”
McBreviated: Kohou has some swelling but the injury doesn’t seem severe and seems day-to-day.
Q: Is there a concern it would be something that could sideline him into the season?
“Uh I mean if there would be concern it would be um completely made up. Um there’s uh quite literally I I don’t um have the information to lean in any way. So my um optimistic I’m optimistic that I know nothing.”
McBreviated: A McDaniel-esque answer that says, I don’t know, but I’m optimistic because nobody has informed me otherwise.
Q: What stood out to you about new signees Mike Hilton and Jack Jones?
“Well, you know, we’ve been um you know, uh considering those those two individuals for for a while and you know, I think you know, timing um with regard to where our our group group was and uh you know, I think uh our our young guys um really uh are starting to develop earned confidence, actual real confidence based upon what they’re doing on the field. Um, and I think they they they know um you know where their coaches and and where I’m at with that. And so um uh they’re big boys now and in come some some some other competition to to now you get to not only evaluate those players that you feel very good about, but you get to evaluate um how those other players react to that and where their game goes because this is a um it’s a very a very cool opportunity for all those guys involved. Um Mike and uh Jack in particular uh are both both guys that are um very thirsty for the opportunity and uh um guys that are are uh right now um working within the locker room and becoming part of the team.”
McBreviated: Said they have been considering both for a while, the younger players seem to have made enough progress where its time to bring in some new competition and see how they stand up.
Q: What it a relief to ‘get some business done’ with Minkah (Fitzpatrick) and how have you seen him take on this new role with his new team?
“You know, I understand or I really understand the individual players. Um, you know, I’m I’m heavily invested in each and every guy. So, I get pumped um anytime um business happens. I get even more pumped when you know the the specific individual um shows me doesn’t talk to me but shows me that he understands the critical factor in professional football and that um any you know all things must be justified by the football play. So, whatever whatever um whatever the contract is, whatever is going on, um the most important thing is that our team is getting better at football and the focus is on that. So, uh you know, I’m most pumped because um I I think it was a situation where we’re playing football. Minka was um steadily learning uh this this defense and and um taking command in his leadership role and a bunch of people are like, “Oh, there is business going on. He got something done.” I think that’s the way um that football teams win this league. Uh and so I’m happy about that.”
McBreviated: McDaniel says he’s “pumped” when players get paid (in kind of a weird way). He said that Fitzpatrick has been a guy of action, not talk, and that Fitzpatrick’s focus stayed on football, learning the defense and becoming a leader on his new team while the contract talks were going on and never made a word about it or let it stop his or the team’s football progress. It may have been a very subtle parting dig at how Jalen Ramsey handled his similar situation a year ago.
Q: What are the skills that has made Mike Hilton an effective slot corner and please talk about your feelings on the addition of Jack Jones as well.
“Well, Mike Hilton for me um comes with some uh some scars from the other side of the ball. So, uh you know, playing playing him uh playing against him in years past, it was he was the one one guy in the defensive backfield that, you know, realistically and from a physicality standpoint, you’re like, I wish they wouldn’t be in nickel. I wish he wouldn’t play. I wish he wouldn’t be on the field. I wish he’d have a linebacker on the field. That’s how convicted he would play and um and and how physical he uh he he plays the game from the defensive back position. So, um you know, had fired up that that he was an option. We’ve been we’ve been talking for a while. So, uh, but my exposure, um, going against him, um, uh, led me to find out, you know, what type of guy and and how many people, um, you know, texted me, um, weave, Chris, um, you know, when we signed him, um, attesting to, you know, what type of guy he was, which which we had already gotten, um, gotten the information. So, that that to be verified. awesome to add to the locker room. Jack is um in a really cool spot. Um have had multiple conversations with him um including one uh at 6 a.m. today in the special teams uh special team coordinator’s office um about uh seizing opportunities and um uh choosing to define um your name and legacy by your actions. Uh I think uh the you know he’s eager um to to really compete. I like that about him. Um and uh I think he knows you know like all the guys that are coming to this team, you can’t help but feel the the standard with which the locker room moves and operates and holds each other to. So, um I I think uh all those guys know that to um thrive on this team, their first job is to assimilate and uh stay in line with the order that is uh that that is on the on the grass that we take um true and dear to our hearts.”
McBreviated: Playing against Hilton in the past, McD would say to himself ‘he wished the other team weren’t in nickel’ because he’s like having another linebacker on the field. He stated that after they signed Hilton, they received good feedback about what type of player and person he is. As for Jones, reading between the lines is required. He mentioned talking to him earlier in the morning (6am) in the special teams coordinators office. He threw in a line about ‘you can’t help but feel the standard in the locker room,’ which sounded a bit forced, but basically Jones’ issues from the past are in the past as long as he moves forward the right way in Miami. He used “assimilate” and “stay in order” in his response, which is noteworthy.
Q: From an offensive perspective, what challenges does Hilton present?
“I think um you know it’s not just the run game, it’s the physicality that it does show up in the run game um as well as reroutes, but you’re you’re talking about um uh to be able to uh laterally adjust, get hands on receivers to make sure that the um you are you’re stopping the the vertical um uh the vertical momentum of an offense while also being able to utilize quick trigger keys. Uh is and and be able to have the mindset to go fit the A or B gap like a linebacker to have the the quickness and football instincts to do it. Um so that you’re and utilizing your quickness and yeah, you’re generally outmatched in size in the box. Well, um the one thing that that can really um balance that out is decisive quick uh leverage um player with strength and tenacity. Um it’s a they’re there they’re there always problems talking about um the the original um Winfield and um you know you go um uh to the barbers and nickels that can play um in in the box and are a problem because they they utilize their short stature and and firmness. So, um, to have those guys, uh, that are coverage players that can add to your physicality, um, I think that there’s a snowball effect. So, fired up with that.”
McBreviated: Hilton succeeds on getting his hands on receivers and slowing them down, while instinctive enough to still fill either run gap. Despite being outsized inside, Hilton gets it done with quickness and grit. He’s a nickel who can play in the box, which McD says can be a problem for offenses.
Q: Patrick Paul, what’s his progress, what’s your report on him?
“Um, Patrick’s been, um, doing great. Uh, because, uh, he has to. Um, otherwise he would be miserable because of you go on the grass against our edges. Um, there’s no days off. So, uh, you know, I think his growth, um, uh, has been, uh, monumental. I think he’s one of the guys that, um, you can feel, uh, a different energy, um, based on earned confidence. Um, he’s he’s uh, you know, like all the all the guys in the front seven, they’re very eager for the pads to get on. Um, however, they’re they’re training how to uh use appropriate technique so that you can play football without pads um from a physical standpoint. So, his games really developed. He is um he is really um one of the one of the pillars of deliberate practice I think. Um so, uh where that lends his game is always positive. Um, which is why each and every day that he goes out and competes is a valuable day for his ascension.”
McBreviated: Mike thinks Paul has been doing great. –“monumental.” He’s ready to get in pads but has been using this time before the team is in pads to work to work on and use appropriate technique so that he can “play football without pads (but still) from a physical standpoint.” Words hard at practice. McDaniel seems pleased.
Q: How has Quinn Ewers looked?
“Quinn Ewers is doing great. Um, rookie uh rookie rookies develop at different speeds. Um uh but regardless of their development um you know I think with with Quinn it it starts with you know a quarterback’s a leader of of men and and he has uh you can tell he has a there’s a a personality trait within him um that that really gra teammates gravitate to. So doing well with that. Um because I I bring that up because as a rookie a lot of times it’s hard to see those things because rookies I mean it’s embedded in failure. You you mess something up to learn something and guys kind of get quiet and uh lose their confidence. Quinn um has learned um very smart um really really starting to grasp timing and stuff. Um, but I think the whole quarterback room in general, um, I think Quinn’s really benefited from Zack, uh, really developing and and then on top of that, you know, Tua leads the charge. So, I think those guys are all um, pushing each other to to grow as as players. And I and I think um you know realistically Quinn’s development um is is all him but it’s as much as uh coaching and uh from the quarterback coaches and and Zack and Tua um is him as well. It’s they’re they’re creating a good environment um that he has to keep up with because uh the other two are rolling.”
McBreviated: Ewers seems to have a built-in leadership factor that is uncommon in rookies. “A leader of men” that teammates gravitate to. He’s starting to grasp the timing element of the offense and says both QBs working with Tua are “really growing.” Thinks Ewers is smart, the growth is “all him,” but the environment of the QB room pushes him and he’s keeping up.
Q: Reporter asked a question looking for an update on injured safety Dante Trader Jr. and CB BJ Adams.
“So, Trader um he had uh you know uh we’re we’re probably um more preparing for uh a situation where we can see him um compete and stay on the field um in those joint practices, you know. So that’s that’s kind of my measuring stick is I want to see him con like consistently be on the field and then not have a regression. So we are taking the time up until that, you know, I don’t want to compromise that. Um and and he is um he doesn’t have to uh convince his teammates that he’s all in. Let’s just say that. Um uh BJ’s doing well. Um uh it was uh one of those uh random uh football occurrences where you’re playing football and um you’re running chasing one receiver um and there’s a there’s some crossing patterns and there’s an unintended collision. Um he’s uh but he’s in the protocol and he’s doing well.”
McBreviated: With Trader, the injury is slowing his progress, so they want to get him healthy so that when he returns, he can move forward in learning without setbacks. Adams injury was a freak thing where there was an unintended collision and said “he is in the protocol and he is doing well,” meaning that his issue is a concussion (ACR: not sure if that has been previously reported).
Q: How important is the continuity of having Anthony Weaver here for a second season:
“Well, it’s a great great question in general, but you know the timing couldn’t be better because it’s National Anthony Weaver Day if you didn’t know. Um it’s his birthday. 45 years ago today he was birthed and now he’s um uh second year coordinating. Um really I think he’s finding his groove. Uh it’s, you know, we’re talking with some of the players um uh I want to say uh uh two days ago in a meeting talking about the the contents of the meeting um were things that maybe uh we felt like we were able to get to uh much later in the process um almost in season. So you want to talk about um there’s gigantic benefits not only from system consistency but you know the you know the reason Anthony Weaver’s here is because um from a you know one of the main reasons I would say is from an intentionality standpoint um he’s in this um profession to develop players passionately and gives everything he has to that process and uh there’s exponential return on that year too because guys guys really you can’t hide from that consistency. So um you’re consistent like that guys truly believe your motivations and um he’s able to access um connect and I think guys trust his intentions which are pure um more and more.”
McBreviated: This answer was a McD classic whole-bunch-o-nothing on a softball question. (“His intentions are pure.”). He stated that today is Weaver’s 45th birthday. In general, he said there are giant benefits from a scheme consistency aspect.
Q: Anything new on Brewer, Iffy and Waller?
“Um, Brew will uh will be um sprinkling in some uh walkthrough settings um this week. So, we’re progressing there. What was a if if he if he’s been positive um I you know um uh if it I’ve been saying you know week to week but um you know uh after a player day off uh who knows he’s coming soon um uh when that is um it’s not too far away. And then the last one, um, he’s, uh, he’s very active, um, in, uh, uh, in his working time with, uh, with John Embry. I feel great. Um, with, again, his the biggest obstacle with him was you had you have a guy that’s in tremendous shape, but, he hasn’t played football, and so we’re not allowing his shape to trick us into thinking he’s in football shape. Um, so we haven’t had any setbacks with that.”
McBreviated: Brewer will be working in walk-thrus, Ifeatu Melifonwu seems to be not too far away and Waller is working to get into football shape as opposed to being in “normal” great shape, and has been working with TE coach Jon Embree. He said he “feels great” in regard to Waller.
Q: Last day before pads come on, how do you evaluate guys without pads on, especially the day before?
“Well, I think you um you operate as though there there’s like an inherent um understanding that pads aren’t on, but you you really coach through technique and fundamentals um as they are on and and there’s all understanding there’s contact points and and um just just mass mass that this there’s things that change um when the pads are on um when you’re watching a padless uh play without pads. However, we try to minimize that gap. Um the players uh because of that are um you know pretty excited for pads to come on. Um uh we are the it’s hot, it’s sweaty, guys are frustrated, guys are physical, they’re competitive. Um pads are are something that I think they’ll embrace. Um but uh at the same time I’m very pumped about how we are approaching our padless practices. Um and and we really just try to minimize the difference between the two. Um because you can have tremendous gains of uh of technique fundamentals and how you play if you’re able to get as close to um padlike practices without pads. All right, shut him down. Thanks. All right, see you later. Make sure you guys hydrate.”
Aqua & Coral Report 