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Dolphins coach Sparano speaks about defense: ends, corners, linebackers
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Dolphins coach Tony Sparano speaks about defense: ends, corners, linebackers:
About defensive end Kendall Langford: "I thought Kendall put together a really solid year for us last year. I thought he got better and better. He did have sacks early in the season. To be honest with you, one of his sacks came, I remember it clearly, and there was a mental error out there. It's hard for those defensive linemen, I think, to get sacks in what it is that we do. It's more outside linebacker driven probably than anything else. But that being said: Kendall, I think has developed some pretty good pass rush moves right now. He's working real hard on it. He is a guy that I think can provide pressure on the passer. So if we get on in this we'll see. I've been impressed with what I've seen so far."
About defensive end Lionel Dotson: "As far as Dotson goes and how realistic it is that he may get on the field. I mean he's certainly a contender out there right now to be a guy that is in the mix. He's competing. And this kid competes real hard. He's changed his body an awful lot from when he first came in here. I mean when we drafted him he was an undersized guy to be honest with you. He's right now hanging around 290 pounds and he's kept it. So we're pleased with that. He's gotten a lot stronger. He's an explosive kid. So he's going to be a guy that's going to compete. He'll play an awful lot in the preseason and we'll see where it goes."
About the outside linebacker competition: "It's a good problem to have. To have those kind of decisions. I've said this before, that will we have those kind of [tough] decisions. The outside linebacker position is one of them. We're doing a good job right now. I think the coaches are doing a nice job of getting these guys reps in different situations as we go on in practice here. There's nobody really that has more reps than the other guy. So even the young guys, the seventh and eighth person, I mean there's eight of them right now and the seventh and eighth person have maybe the difference of 10 reps between the first and seconds. So we're getting an opportunity to see a lot of them because of the different packages that we're in right now out here in the substituted defenses. So it gives us a chance to evaluate them a little bit. They're all doing some pretty nice things. There will be some hard decisions. No doubt about it. But pressuring the passer, doing all those things and how they attack the run game will be the deciding factor."
About Sean Smith working with the first team: "We wanted to not give him too much time to really think about the whole thing. So we just put him in there this morning and told him that he's going to get reps in the first group. I think everybody there knows that they're competing and we wanted to see him versus maybe some better people there and see what he did today. Watch him down there make a couple of plays in the red area. So I was happy with that. But we've got a long way to go."
About Sean Smith in general: "He's been getting better and better each practice and getting his hands on more footballs. He is playing a little more confident. He had a real good practice yesterday. So as he starts to progress a little bit we just want to see him versus better people. So every body’s kind of going to get an opportunity a little bit here to get some reps with that group and it was his day today."
About defensive end Phillip Merling: "Well Phil's done a nice job. I have seen him come along pretty well right now. I see him a little bit more physical right now in there. He's playing a lot stronger. A little bit more confident. In the beginning at this time he was kind of, I don't want to use the word awkward, but he was a little bit awkward out there at this time. Spent some time on the ground. You know kind of had to find his legs. Going through a little bit of period in the weight room that was different than what he was use to. And right now I don't see him on the ground. He's done some really good things from a pass rush stand point so I have been impressed that way. Consistency I think with Phil is the key. So keeping him consistent. Making him understand on a day to day basis what it takes to be in the first huddle and just to find out whether or not he really wants the bulls eye on his back is going to be important as we get on in this. There's some good competition at that position as well as I mentioned before with Randy Starks, with [Tony] McDaniel, so I mean there's some good people there and Phil's got to come out here and he's got to play consistent. For a young guy to do that it takes some maturity."
About the importance of a No. 1 receiver: "It's important to me to have a clear number one receiver but honestly there's a long time between now and the time we play so when you say training camp I'm assuming you mean the big training camp down the road. At that point yeah, I'd like to find a number one guy. A clear number one guy that Chad [Pennington] feels comfortable with and that we feel comfortable with that's going to be able to come up with the big play in those kind of situations. But I like our receiving group right now. I really do. I think there's some, and I said this before, I think there are several contenders there right now to be a number one guy but there's an awful lot of football ahead of here and there's an awful lot of opportunity out there for some of these guys to show us that they can do that."
About Ted Ginn’s preparation: “Ted Ginn, right now, if you said to me tell me the player that is probably, in seven practices that we've had, whatever it is, seven, eight, that has impressed you most in his growth out there, I would say Ted Ginn is in the top two. Right now. Just with the way he's handling himself out there. The way the whole offense has started to slow down for him a little bit for him that way. I really have seen him be, in some situations, pretty dominant. So you can see his confidence is really at a high level right now. He's running better. Playing a little bit stronger. So and really understands what's going on around him. I mean even handling kicks back there I've seen a little big different guy. So I've been impressed with what Ted has done right now. He's another guy. You know consistency. The opportunity to do it over and over again the right way. He's a guy that I've seen in the last several practices come out here with a clear purpose to get better each day."
About having big cornerbacks: "I think a big part of our philosophy, when I say our philosophy, me, Bill [Parcells], Jeff [Ireland], has always been to have big corners. It really has. So I mean we like big corners. In fact we'll take smaller corners in some situations off the board. And they might just be good players for other people just maybe not for us. So we kind of really wanted to have big corners. It's something that we believe in. They're a little bit more physical and you can do maybe a few more things with them in some situations but I would also say yes. To answer your question. Randy Moss, now Terrell Owens. Those type of people in this division. Just know Terrell, just being with him and how he approaches some of the smaller corners, there's certainly have a history versus Randy, in those type of situations you better have some big strong people that can compete against these guys because they're big, strong, physical receivers that can't take over a game in those situations and I think that you need to be prepared when you're playing against them and of course for us, our division is first and foremost."
About Matt Roth: "I think his upside right now is very good. What I think about Matt Roth is: I see tremendous progress from where we were at any point last year. Even at the end of the season to where we are right now with him. First of all from a mental standpoint. Some of the things that required an awful lot more reps in-season last year for him because it was always the first time, maybe, somebody was attacking him this way or this way. He was kind of learning on the fly. As we get out here right now we've thrown an awful lot at him from a formation standpoint. His recognition, his recognition in coverage, his recognition with formations has been outstanding right now. It's almost old hat for him right now. So it's kind of one of those type of things. I think he's done a really good job that way to the point where he's starting to perfect his skills now. He's not thinking out there. He's not worrying about what's happening at the line of scrimmage and what's going to happen if this movement takes place. So I'm starting to see more progress with his hands, his punch, his pass rush, all the things that we were hoping to get from him. He's taken the next step that way. Again, with Matt Roth it's never going to be a question of helmet and t-shirts. In other words, what you see out here right now is a pretty good indicator of what you're going to get when you get out there in the season because he's not one of those guys that's really putting his toe in the water."
About defensive end Lionel Dotson: "As far as Dotson goes and how realistic it is that he may get on the field. I mean he's certainly a contender out there right now to be a guy that is in the mix. He's competing. And this kid competes real hard. He's changed his body an awful lot from when he first came in here. I mean when we drafted him he was an undersized guy to be honest with you. He's right now hanging around 290 pounds and he's kept it. So we're pleased with that. He's gotten a lot stronger. He's an explosive kid. So he's going to be a guy that's going to compete. He'll play an awful lot in the preseason and we'll see where it goes."
About the outside linebacker competition: "It's a good problem to have. To have those kind of decisions. I've said this before, that will we have those kind of [tough] decisions. The outside linebacker position is one of them. We're doing a good job right now. I think the coaches are doing a nice job of getting these guys reps in different situations as we go on in practice here. There's nobody really that has more reps than the other guy. So even the young guys, the seventh and eighth person, I mean there's eight of them right now and the seventh and eighth person have maybe the difference of 10 reps between the first and seconds. So we're getting an opportunity to see a lot of them because of the different packages that we're in right now out here in the substituted defenses. So it gives us a chance to evaluate them a little bit. They're all doing some pretty nice things. There will be some hard decisions. No doubt about it. But pressuring the passer, doing all those things and how they attack the run game will be the deciding factor."
About Sean Smith working with the first team: "We wanted to not give him too much time to really think about the whole thing. So we just put him in there this morning and told him that he's going to get reps in the first group. I think everybody there knows that they're competing and we wanted to see him versus maybe some better people there and see what he did today. Watch him down there make a couple of plays in the red area. So I was happy with that. But we've got a long way to go."
About Sean Smith in general: "He's been getting better and better each practice and getting his hands on more footballs. He is playing a little more confident. He had a real good practice yesterday. So as he starts to progress a little bit we just want to see him versus better people. So every body’s kind of going to get an opportunity a little bit here to get some reps with that group and it was his day today."
About defensive end Phillip Merling: "Well Phil's done a nice job. I have seen him come along pretty well right now. I see him a little bit more physical right now in there. He's playing a lot stronger. A little bit more confident. In the beginning at this time he was kind of, I don't want to use the word awkward, but he was a little bit awkward out there at this time. Spent some time on the ground. You know kind of had to find his legs. Going through a little bit of period in the weight room that was different than what he was use to. And right now I don't see him on the ground. He's done some really good things from a pass rush stand point so I have been impressed that way. Consistency I think with Phil is the key. So keeping him consistent. Making him understand on a day to day basis what it takes to be in the first huddle and just to find out whether or not he really wants the bulls eye on his back is going to be important as we get on in this. There's some good competition at that position as well as I mentioned before with Randy Starks, with [Tony] McDaniel, so I mean there's some good people there and Phil's got to come out here and he's got to play consistent. For a young guy to do that it takes some maturity."
About the importance of a No. 1 receiver: "It's important to me to have a clear number one receiver but honestly there's a long time between now and the time we play so when you say training camp I'm assuming you mean the big training camp down the road. At that point yeah, I'd like to find a number one guy. A clear number one guy that Chad [Pennington] feels comfortable with and that we feel comfortable with that's going to be able to come up with the big play in those kind of situations. But I like our receiving group right now. I really do. I think there's some, and I said this before, I think there are several contenders there right now to be a number one guy but there's an awful lot of football ahead of here and there's an awful lot of opportunity out there for some of these guys to show us that they can do that."
About Ted Ginn’s preparation: “Ted Ginn, right now, if you said to me tell me the player that is probably, in seven practices that we've had, whatever it is, seven, eight, that has impressed you most in his growth out there, I would say Ted Ginn is in the top two. Right now. Just with the way he's handling himself out there. The way the whole offense has started to slow down for him a little bit for him that way. I really have seen him be, in some situations, pretty dominant. So you can see his confidence is really at a high level right now. He's running better. Playing a little bit stronger. So and really understands what's going on around him. I mean even handling kicks back there I've seen a little big different guy. So I've been impressed with what Ted has done right now. He's another guy. You know consistency. The opportunity to do it over and over again the right way. He's a guy that I've seen in the last several practices come out here with a clear purpose to get better each day."
About having big cornerbacks: "I think a big part of our philosophy, when I say our philosophy, me, Bill [Parcells], Jeff [Ireland], has always been to have big corners. It really has. So I mean we like big corners. In fact we'll take smaller corners in some situations off the board. And they might just be good players for other people just maybe not for us. So we kind of really wanted to have big corners. It's something that we believe in. They're a little bit more physical and you can do maybe a few more things with them in some situations but I would also say yes. To answer your question. Randy Moss, now Terrell Owens. Those type of people in this division. Just know Terrell, just being with him and how he approaches some of the smaller corners, there's certainly have a history versus Randy, in those type of situations you better have some big strong people that can compete against these guys because they're big, strong, physical receivers that can't take over a game in those situations and I think that you need to be prepared when you're playing against them and of course for us, our division is first and foremost."
About Matt Roth: "I think his upside right now is very good. What I think about Matt Roth is: I see tremendous progress from where we were at any point last year. Even at the end of the season to where we are right now with him. First of all from a mental standpoint. Some of the things that required an awful lot more reps in-season last year for him because it was always the first time, maybe, somebody was attacking him this way or this way. He was kind of learning on the fly. As we get out here right now we've thrown an awful lot at him from a formation standpoint. His recognition, his recognition in coverage, his recognition with formations has been outstanding right now. It's almost old hat for him right now. So it's kind of one of those type of things. I think he's done a really good job that way to the point where he's starting to perfect his skills now. He's not thinking out there. He's not worrying about what's happening at the line of scrimmage and what's going to happen if this movement takes place. So I'm starting to see more progress with his hands, his punch, his pass rush, all the things that we were hoping to get from him. He's taken the next step that way. Again, with Matt Roth it's never going to be a question of helmet and t-shirts. In other words, what you see out here right now is a pretty good indicator of what you're going to get when you get out there in the season because he's not one of those guys that's really putting his toe in the water."
Transcript provided by the Miami Dolphins.
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