Dolphins coaches address position switches, players struggling and other pointed questions
Ten timely questions and answers with Miami Dolphins assistant coaches, who spoke to reporters for the first time in training camp Monday:
▪ Why did the Dolphins suddenly move Liam Eichenberg from right tackle to left guard nine days ago and will that be his 2021 position?
Offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre said this was done to give Eichenberg experience at guard — he said they know he can play tackle — and that he has the “skill set you want inside” but doesn’t know if he will end up there permanently.
“We’re not sure where he’s going to go,” Jeanpierre said. “It’s cool going to Chicago this week [for joint practices Wednesday and Thursday and a preseason game Saturday]. That’s a really good front, really good defense. This week answers a lot of those questions for me .. to know where you’re going with [Eichenberg]. Knowing where he’s going to be best is too early for me to say.”
But co-offensive coordinator Eric Studesville has liked what he has seen: “Liam is doing a nice job inside.”
▪ We have seen Christian Wilkins open with the second team — behind Zach Sieler — more than he has played with the starters in camp. Are these starting lineups based on packages or is there a genuine Sieler/Wilkins competition for a starting job?
“There’s a daily competition between all our guys to become Miami Dolphin starters; that’s not just Zach and Christian,” defensive line coach Austin Clark said. “Specifically those two, really fired up about them.”
▪ So are you trying to light a fire under Wilkins by playing him some with the second team?
“No, we’re trying to get guys reps in practice, working all kinds of combinations,” Clark said. “That’s all it is. It’s going to be by game plan. All these guys are going to play. Christian has done a nice job. Showed up in great shape. Used his hands a lot better in the run game. Starting to develop his pass rush arsenal.”
▪ What’s the deal with cornerback Noah Igbinoghene? Why has the former first-round pick played on the third team at times and struggled some in camp?
Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander said Igbinoghene must improve “just the consistency of executing fundamentals and techniques to put him in position to make plays. There will be ups and down and times you get beat. How you respond to that is important. He’s got the physical tools. He’s got the want to. It’s consistency.”
▪ What’s going on with guard Solomon Kindley? How has he gone from 13-game starter to playing with the third team and second team?
Jeanpierre insisted that Kindley has not done anything wrong and that his conditioning is fine. He never gave a precise answer for his demotion besides wanting to see different players with different groups.
“I don’t think there’s an issue that holds Solomon back at all,” Jeanpierre said. “If you see some of clips, Solomon is still Solomon. One thing he will do is [be] really aggressive.”
▪ What’s going on with receiver Lynn Bowden, who has had an uneven camp, including a couple of drops?
“It’s trying to take that jump in Year 2 and focus on details and little things that ultimately lead to bigger plays,” receivers coach Josh Grizzard said. “Not making the same mistake twice, which he does a fairly good job of. He’s a gamer. Going against Chicago and Atlanta [in joint practices and games the next two weeks] is what brings out the best in him. I’m excited to see him next week.”
▪ Michael Deiter has been the starting center — ahead of Matt Skura and Cameron Tom — for all 10 days of practice. What has he done to earn that role and Jeanpierre’s trust?
“He’s done well, works hard, he studies,” Jeanpierre said.
▪ So how is it going to work with co-offensive coordinators? Who will call the plays?
Both coordinators, George Godsey and Studesville, declined to answer that or say what voice will be in Tua Tagovailoa’s headset or who will be upstairs during Saturday’s game in Chicago or during the regular season.
“There’s a competitive advantage if you know any information,” Studesville said in defending the secrecy.
But both stressed that all the assistant coaches will be involved in the game plan.
“Everyone’s voice is listened to and at some point you make a decision,” said Godsey, who declined to discuss his bout with COVID-19 that sidelined him for a week. “Eric and I talk a ton. We do everything together.”
As Studesville said of Godsey: “We talk first thing every morning and multiple times throughout the day. One of the last conversations at night is talking to him before I leave. But it’s not just me and George.”
The playbook is sizable — it began as a “big encyclopedia,” Studesville said — and Studesville said the goal is have a diverse playbook that leaves defenses on their toes.
▪ Is defensive coordinator Josh Boyer concerned about the large number of long passing plays allowed by his secondary in camp?
To an extent. “We can’t have mental errors and busted coverage,” Boyer said. “We’ve had some of those.... The ones they complete, we go back and look at those. Are we competitive and playing with fundamentals and techniques? If the answer is no, we’ve got to go back and fix that immediately.”
▪ Assistant coaches are not told not to discuss injuries or timetables for players to return. But is there a concern that receiver Will Fuller is missing so much camp?
Studesville suggested not: “I don’t know when we’ll see him. We’ll see him when he’s healthy. Will is doing everything he can to get back on the field. He’s a veteran player, so he’s done a lot of these things. He will pick it up just fine.”
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 5:25 PM.
