Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel assesses progress of young offensive linemen, Tua growth and more
Ahead of the Dolphins’ seventh training camp practice on Thursday, coach Mike McDaniel was complimentary of the progression of young offensive linemen Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg.
“What we do from an offensive line standpoint, there is some trust fall,” said McDaniel, who added that Eichenberg had “ebbs and flows” as he played 10 games in 2022.
“Sometimes in the heat of battle you revert back to things that we don’t emphasize. ... He’s really taken a step forward. ... He’s been able to do some things we were unable to do in Year 1.”
On Jackson, McDaniel said: “He’s flashed some really good things, and there has been great teaching done by the defense when he hasn’t done things correctly. He continues to get better. He’s a better player than he was last week. ... We have a lot of competition across the board.”
McDaniel also said the entire offensive line room has benefited from the arrival of new position coach Butch Barry, saying he has a “diligent command of that crew. ... [The offensive line room has] got a really cool thing going there where they are working and owning techniques.”
McDaniel addressed these other topics:
▪ On defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who reported to camp and is set to play on his fifth-year option:: “Classic Christian. He goes about his daily business and gets satisfaction on earning things. I think his teammates appreciate that they know when he comes to work, they’re going to get his energy, and we’ve come to count on that.”
▪ On scripting certain defensive looks with coordinator Vic Fangio: [Pressures and blitzes] can happen organically [during] a nonscripted period.” McDaniel said much of it is preplanned so “coaches can prepare guys in general.” He added that there was a specific pressure period last week that “allows for us to work on stuff that gives us issues.”
▪ On what he’s looking for from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during Saturday’s scrimmage at Hard Rock Stadium: “In a scrimmage, you get to change the atmosphere. ... You just get a ramp up in the progression, and in those moments you want to see someone live in what they’ve been working on. ... The coaching development and scrimmage games [are] a wonderful opportunity to see where guys are because if anything changes from the plan or what we’ve talked about, you can bring it up.”
▪ On the benefits of Tagovailoa’s added weight: McDaniel said Tagovailoa has “more pitches in his arsenal” and is able to drive passes “with more command.”
▪ On the backup quarterback competition between Skylar Thompson and Mike White: “You have to be patient with the process and let it play out at that position because as soon as you predetermine one thing, the next day some guy’s lighting it up.”
▪ On reaching out to wide receiver Tyreek Hill before signing cornerback Eli Apple: “The players are the culture, and when you’re adjusting something that’s so significant to their lives, which is the locker room, we treat them like human beings. ... We think a lot about the residual effects of the whole development of the team.”
▪ On how the team picks the practice player of the day: “It doesn’t mean they were perfect or that they had the statistically greatest day ever. It’s about doing their job that day and how it affects the team.”
This story was originally published August 3, 2023 at 10:32 AM.
