The Miami Dolphins protection got here into coaching camp with a bonus over the offense based mostly on continuity and familiarity.
The Dolphins saved just about your entire protection intact, together with coordinator Josh Boyer, whereas the offense has a variety of new gamers, new schemes and a brand new coach operating it.
Boyer, nonetheless, has come away impressed with how tough new coach Mike McDaniel’s offense is to defend by 5 coaching camp practices. It’s one thing the 2 have brazenly mentioned with each other.
“All the way back to the spring,” stated Boyer forward of Monday’s drills, “we’ve been talking philosophy, scheme, things that we view defensively that may hurt their scheme or things that they view offensively that may hurt our scheme. And then, ultimately, it comes down to execution. It’s been good to have the back and forth and have those conversations.”
Boyer broke down the challenges of dealing with the outside-zone blocking scheme that McDaniel, offensive coordinator Frank Smith and offensive line coach Matt Applebaum are putting in.
“First of all, they’re going to test our edges,” stated Boyer. “You obtained to do job of setting your edges, and when you try this, if they will get you transferring laterally, that places creases within the protection. And then, clearly, they do an important job of marrying the play motion with the run.
“You’re trying to stay square. You’re not trying to run lateral. Then, all of a sudden, it’s a pass, you got to get back to your drops. It puts a lot of stress on a lot of players in different positions.”
They emphasis on blocking at large receiver has been felt.
“Everyone talks about Tyreek [Hill] and Jaylen [Waddle], their speed, them getting down the field, but those guys are doing an outstanding job blocking,” Boyer stated. “They’re making it really hard for us defensively to tell whether it is run or pass. All those things. They try to put you in a run-pass conflict, which good offenses are going to do.”
Dolphins line of defense coach Austin Clark sees this yr’s offensive line, albeit with pads but to come back on in camp, as an enchancment from having his group face that unit.
“What Mike and Frank and Coach Applebaum is doing with the offensive line is phenomenal,” Clark stated. “They make you check every gap. You have to play with great eyes. You have to play with great hands. They’re firing off the ball. it’s been great for us.”
Boyer appreciates having his protection stay largely intact from the sturdy end to 2021.
“There’s continuity on this staff, so that puts us at a starting point where we feel like we can get the installation where we want,” he stated. “The players, there’s a familiarity there, so we can kind of increase that installation. The additions and the tweaks to things we’re doing that we think will help us, they happen at a much more rapid pace. For new guys or guys that are coming in, that learning curve is a little bit steeper. That gives us a good opportunity as coaches.”
Practice in pads
The Dolphins obtained by their fifth observe of coaching camp on Monday, that means Tuesday shall be their first set of drills in full pads.
“We’ve been in the locker room talking about it,” stated nostril deal with Raekwon Davis after Monday’s observe. “We’re itching for it. [Tuesday] is that day. It’s here.”
After offensive playmakers have been allowed to seek out area and end runs the place they’d have most likely already been down if defenders have been tackling to the bottom, the physicality of observe will start to see an uptick.
“We’re excited. It’ll be nice to get out here and really kind of start going and see what everyone’s made of,” stated defensive deal with Zach Sieler. “We’re in the trenches every day. It’s why you play football.”
It will mark the following step in McDaniel’s offense, new to Miami, dealing with a longtime protection that has expertise taking part in collectively.
“Just looking for both sides of the ball making plays,” Davis stated. “I know they’re going to get a couple good plays. I know I’m going to get a couple good plays. Just making each other better.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com