Do on Remove Glum Deep Speedways Past Hell.
From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is drive time with Travis Wingfield.
He's kind of my Heavin's in the playoffs.
So the bye week is here, got any fun plans for it?
We're here, no, literally, just staying here, getting the body right, being with the family. Obviously, little little weather adversity coming our way, so making sure the dogs are saved.
Family is good. So we're just sticking around so.
As you guys can see by now, my guest Todays Dolphins full Back here on Dolphins HQ from the Baptist Health Studios. And I'm glad to hear you're staying around because I wanted to ask you a question about the value of the bye week for a team who has you mentioned it? I mean, it feels like a year's worth of adversity of these first few weeks of the season, just kind of how this league goes sometimes. What do you think the value is of a bye week four
team that is in the Dolphins position right now? Newish quarterback kind of found your footing on Sunday. What's the value of the bye week right now? Yeah.
I mean there's so many different points of the bye week, and when you start the season you're like, oh, this is a really good bye week. Timer you wish it was later in the season. Everyone's like schedule peaking. I don't really think you can tell what's a good or bad bye week until you're kind of in the middle of it.
Obviously, we need to get healthy, we need.
To reframe, readjust focus on our fundamentals technique. So we got some extra work this week, which has been good much necessary for our team just to continue to improve and get better. So I think the real benefit of the bye week you're going to see on the back end with the residuals of all the work and intentionality that you approach that bye week with. Because it really doesn't matter if it's in the middle of the season,
earlier or late. You have to have the right guys in the room to make it worth it it right.
So and from that standpoint, I mean, we saw Tyler Huntley got his first win for his hometown Dolphins. Really cool to see that, do you you know, as the bye week it kind of to your point, it differentiates when it's valuable, Like you don't know until it gets here, right, do you kind of feel like this is a good time for it?
Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know my body, I'm excited for it. I know that a lot of guys just need that mental reset. You go through training camp in the start of the season isn't where we want it, but you finish on a little bit of a high note. Obviously there's a lot of things we want to still improve on, so there's a lot of like really good mindset going on of like, Okay, we won, but it's
still not that finished project. We're still chasing something and we can use this by week it's going to be purposeful, a reset, re energize for this twelve week stretch that we have down the end of the season. So yeah, I think a lot of guys are going to be able to find value in this one.
Yeah, sounds great. Before we go forward, I want to kind of go back a little bit to the game on Sunday because I personally loved seven consecutive running plays to close off a game winning drive. I can't imagine many teams have done that. I mean, it's usually you have to get through through the air.
Little bit.
I'm wondering if you can take us in before that first of the seven plays, Like, you guys are right around midfield. I think you had just gotten a defensive pass interference to move the chains and get you back on schedule.
Can you take us in from.
Whether it's the captain's perspective, whether it's you know, Tyler the quarterback communicating to you, what's the mood and the conversation like in that huddle before that run of runs get you guys into the end zone.
Yeah, I think you know, I can bring it all the way back to getting the ball in the twenty yard line. We had Braximbarius had a great bluff on a punt return instead of the ball being on the five to start the drive or on the twenty, and you kind of felt like we had a lot of momentum this entire game. We're moving the ball, but we haven't finished in the end zone yet. And Snoop comes into huddle and he's like, immediately, guys, we need to get in the end zone. Like this is a non negotiable.
We can't keep kicking these field goals. We need to finish in the paint. So from that twenty yard line, you go through it. You have some ups and downs. All of a sudden, you get into that third and long we're putting together a drive. Raheem gets that pass interference call and you just feel that opportunity, like we need to take advantage this right now. We got a gift. Obviously it was a penalty, but hey, we're at midfield.
We need to finish this thing. And for seven straight runs to kind of tone set you have Jalen Wright Raheem going back and forth, being able to overcome a couple of those penalties, seeing those long runs, seeing the outside zone, inside zone, the diversification of the run game. Really showing those seven plays was a lot of fun. It was definitely a statement that our team needed to make sevent team play drive in a very critical part
of the game. I think it was really cool to see the offense when the rubber met the road to be able to take advantage.
So you kind of led me into my next question that I was so excited to ask you about, and I wrote down these notes about like I kind of just threw out some numbers because you played I think your highest was that your highest snap total in your career.
It's all like it, Yeah, it feels right. Okay.
So first before that, you handed the ball of the referee. I think the last time, one of the last times you scored, and you spiked that ball like eight feet below the surface in Detroit, right like you slammed that thing into the end zone. We were joking about as Seth and oj you know them from the postgame show. We were joking like, I don't think he has any energy left to spike out football.
Is that the case?
Yeah, I think the last three or four plays that drive, like my body just took over and it was you listen to the call and you just go execute. So I like scored, it didn't really even click, and I'm like, where's the oxygen?
Take, where's the sideline? We're going for two? Am?
I in?
Am? I not?
In? Like there was so much going on that I was like, the last thing I was worried about was the celebration to get.
Back to the sideline literally get ruth the defense on. So sometimes on the show we make fun of my like pee wee football playing days, and I was telling the guys, like my first touchdown I scored, we like didn't throw the ball down the field. You're young and so I was a flinker and they would throw there was a screen in the playbook for me, and they would call around the goal line and I was like, this is my chance to score my first ever touchdown. And I know it's not the same thing, but I
am curious if there's a parallel to that. When you get that full back dive called the two yard line, are you like as giddy as twelve year old Travis.
Was, I would say so, and it's like, listen, these opportunities are very few, very far in between. You got to be able to capitalize on it when it happened. So I was glad that there's a little crease there to hit. And yeah, I felt like twelve year old Travis just right around after celebrating and scoring.
I'm glad that you did well. I was probably the shortest track you took the entire day, because one of the thing I wanted to ask you about was again, you know, forty two snaps in the game, I felt like you operated fifteen different motions. You had like ten different run schemes. To your point, I mean you talked about inside outside zone like I saw duo, I saw like pinpoll, like there was everything in the run game,
you know, played multiple different positions. When you get your your I don't know if it's a binder or what the game plan when they give it to you, like, Alex, this is your plan for the week. When you see all that, like how do you process that? How do you prepare for a week where you know you're going to be doing so many different things.
So a couple of years ago, I was getting those game plans and I was extremely overwhelmed.
I was stressed out.
I'm looking at this entire call sheet, trying to memorize both directions, every single play, making sure I knew my assignment. And now you're three in the system. It's like, all right, here we go. Could be a big time game, could not be, depending on the flow of it. But you're
absolutely prepared for it. So it takes some time to get there, but I think they're there's a lot of confidence in a running back room right now, and go through the play sheet, and it really doesn't matter across this entire offense, like is it throw the ball fifty times? Is run the ball fifty fifty times? It doesn't really matter. Just being prepared for your number to be called and executing. That's what that's what makes those celebrations so special.
Yeah, it's cool to see, man. I get the sense that maybe some of your presence in that huddle can kind of produce a calming effect for the rest of the guys because your experience, of course, where he's been here that time as well in Devon's in year two and Jalen the rookie looks pretty damn good in that game as well. I'm curious because do you think that time in the offense has helped you kind of be able to adjust on the fly, Because we were gonna show some plays here and break it down, but it
didn't happen for us. There was a play where, like I think you it was Jalen's run off the left right after the pass interference call, and you like sprung him for a pretty big run up the left sideline and you like kind of chipped it was either the tight end of the tackles, man, was that something that you know you're going to do in the play or is that like a on the on the fly adjust type of movement.
Yeah, So with those techniques and like you said, when you have more experience in the system, being able to feel how a defense plays can completely change my entry point, can completely change my technique. And for a running back, a full back, tight end tackle to all get these reps and to see the multiplications of the defense and be able to all see the same thing without hesitation hit it in the same spot. I think that's what was so cool about that play because my entry point
could be four different places depending on the defense. The technique of the tight end in the tackle could be seven different things depending on the adjustments pre snap to post snap. And for Jalen to be running fast, never breaking stride to see it and hit it. I think those are the little glimpses of the potential of the offense that we're really chasing to try and replicate to be able to do it down after down.
Yeah, it's so funny to watch it on tape because I can hold the down button and just fast forward and slow motion and see all these things. It's like, these guys are doing this at full speed. It's got to be so difficult to see on the fly like that.
And you allude to kind of finding something on that drive and within that game, and that's where I want to go next, because you know, if you go on social media, it's like run the ball, run the ball, and wants to run the ball right, And the Dolphins did it on that drive and they won the game.
Run the football. I'm curious do you think, whether in that drive or throughout the course of the game, do you feel like you kind of I don't want to say found something, but you think there was maybe a little bit of a oh, this is working really well. We can have more success doing this going forward.
Yeah, I think that you look at that drive.
You have a seventeen play drive that's going to give any offense confidence, right and to be able to have the work that we put in this entire offseason to show up in glimpses. I think it validates the process we're on. It validates the work that we're trying to chase and we're developing and growing into as an offense. So it's motivating in the fact of, Okay, we're on the right track, but it's also motivating on the other side, like we need to do this more often.
And I think, you know, I go back a couple of weeks ago.
I think you get talked about short yardage worries right in the preseason, everyone wanted to figure out the short yardage issues and it's like, man, we just have to execute, and like you look at the guys in the room, and we have that potential and we've done it on tape. Now you string long drives like that together. That gives confidence in the room like this is what it needs to look like. And then there's a standard to that, there's accountability to that, and I feel like that's what
the entire locker room's kind of built around. So anytime you're able to put that on film, put it on tape, it's like, Okay, this is possible. We've done it. Now we need to do it again, and we need to improve on it. So I think that's where it gets a lot of confidence in being able to run or pass the ball.
You truly are as good as your last rep, right, because last year that was an issue. You know, quote unquote issue. Game one, you executed a thing, two of them right, two fullback dies for a first down, So then it's like, Okay, it's solved. But then you don't get them a couple of times, and now it's like they can't do it again.
Yep, It's yeah, what have you done formul lately, but that's performance based industry and that's what we're trying to improve on.
For sure, we love to hear that.
It's good to hear, it's good to see it be successful in the game. And you know, kind of going back to that moment in the huddle and whatever you said to the guys and Tyler's said to the guys, I'm curious because you take this captain role very seriously. I know you do. How does the role of the captain change or maybe evolve when things are going well versus when you're on a losing streak.
I think the leadership styles are always going to change, and that's just being a human being. That's just being a real person with emotions and a standard and goals that we're all trying to chase. So I think the vulnerability in leadership is truly speaking your mind and building trust with the guys based on the work that you provide, the accountability that you are going to be consistent in what you do, leading by example.
I feel like that's where things are going great.
Yeah, everyone can lead, but when things are going tough, how vocal are you going to be? How consistent are you going to be. Are you going to lead by example? Are you going to kind of go into that shell? So I think there's a lot of challenges in leadership and being a captain, but consistently showing up, trusting your process,
trusting yourself, trusting your teammates, that's what's getting tested. And if you can continue to man just have faith and believe in the process and the system in place, that's where things smooth out.
And over time.
You're kind of see these jag it starts this season, but we're still trending in the right direction.
I think earlier you had mentioned talking about having the right guys right for the bye week to be impactful.
I know this team.
I mentioned it in this offseason, like I feel like the Dolphins are gonna to make some tough choice on who they have for captains because they have so many of those guys that kind of personify what it is to be a leader and a captain. What are those conversations like with the rest of the captains, whether it's after a winn or loss. How has that process been so far in twenty twenty four.
I think it's been dynamic and you're seeing guys find the voices in a number of different ways, and it doesn't necessarily have to come after success on the football field on game tape. It's being able to trust that you see something or feel something and it needs to be said and addressed, and having a group of guys that are listening and like having those hard conversations that
in previous years and previous organizations and previous situations. Right, a lot of guys human nature, it's to just man, I don't need to address this. I need to wait until until this moment and then I can speak up on it. I think we're getting to a place where there's a lot of continuity amongst those leaders and the captains to be able to say, no, we need to fix things now before it becomes a bigger issue, before
you know, things get out of hand. So those tough conversations with the captains leadership council, I think that's been a big, strong stronghold of our team that can really help right this ship and make sure that we're all aligned in the locker room moving forward.
Yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense, and I kind of want to dig in further that further into that because I kind of am fascinated by as conversation because again, and this is like fans speak, right, if something goes wrong, the general notion is like replace, people make changes, wholesale changes. But that's just not how this league works or how really anything in life works. And I always make this point my podcast, like they can just come in and improve and execute butt or
to your point about the short yardage. So I'm curious what that looks like when you are struggling, when things aren't going your way and you have to come together as a team and try to find what those answers and solutions are. Because to your point, it's a long season.
Man.
We've seen teams start off one in three or zero and four and make the playoffs or vice versa.
So it's a long season.
It's like, how do you approach that from the standpoint of like, it's tough right now, but we have it in us and we just have.
To put the work in.
Yeah, it's always funny because there's a lot of opinions on what the problems are or what they should be, or how to fix them. And when you get into these discussions and you're trying to problem solve, and you got a lot of people that care. At the end of it, it's like, doesn't really matter what the problem is.
Like if you have enough people on the team that are saying, Okay, I have my one eleventh on this team, and I need to get a little bit better in this area, and I'm going to fix this, and you get a collection of fifty three guys that are doing that, it doesn't really matter what the problem is. You have a collection of individuals that are solving problems together, right,
And I feel like that's the approach of man. You can you can have a clicker and go in slow motion, fast forward, you can do whatever you want to try and figure out what a problem should be and then figure out a solution.
But the end of the day, it's showing up and doing the work.
At the end of the day, it's having the right people to problem solve together, to figure out how are we going to make it through and not splinter and come closer together through adversity. Because I don't really think it matters what the problem is. You look back the past few years. You know, last year, I remember the Chiefs dropping the ball all the time, right, And it was like in the beginning of the year that was their struggle and they fixed it, and they figured it
out that was their issue. They solved it, they stayed together and they they went on a run. And I think we have issues that we're dealing with right now, and every team is the teams that can solve those problems together, stay tirer together through those tough times. Hit stride November, December, January. Those are ones playing in February, and that's our goal. So I don't think anyone has
to shy away from that. I think it's how are we going to problem solve and move forward together so we have ourselves a chance to be playing our best football in December and January.
Well, it sounds like we have the right leadership and have the right guy on the show here to talk about it here, and I want to pivot to something else. I think makes you the right guy to have on the show for us right now, because I've been kind of doing this on the show and the podcast a little bit here talking about the league almost pivoting to more of a ground game, and again a seven, you know, seven consecutive runs for a touchdown to win a game.
It just does not happen anymore. But we're seeing more and more of it across the league, and you know it's the too high shell, all the stuff that you know defenses are gonna take away the deep ball. But the run game is back, man like, teams are running the football really well. What's your take on.
All of that.
It's a the league is very cyclical, and you talk about problem solving or figuring out what problems a defense or an offense presents. For the past handful of years, it's been how much speed can we get on the field, how many how many guys can we spread out. Defense reacts by saying, okay, we're gonna have nickel and dime, and that's how we're gonna practice.
We're gonna practice.
Running sideline to sideline, and then all of a sudden, it's like you start to realize, man, the personnel might not be the same as it was five years ago.
Maybe we can run the ball.
So I think it's this big cyclical operation where the run is trendy and it's up and then all of a sudden it's the passing game. And I think it's very funny how the league works like that, how life works like that. So just being able to do either when the game is whatever it is. We're throwing the ball bunch, we're running the ball bunch to be able to execute no matter what that game has to offer. I think those are the teams that are going to be most successful.
We've seen championship teams that have had, you know, forty to forty four wins and nine to three wins like it just happens for the course of the year. As we continue this conversation, I'm curious, what was your freshman year a Wisconsin was twenty.
Six, twenty fifth, twenty fifteen.
Yes, how do you think the full back position from that time to now has changed? It's a tough question, I think, but.
It is a tough question. I mean, in college I can tell you exactly what it was. It Wisconsin, there was a full back position. It was Derek Watton, myself. And now we look at the Badgers right now, Big ten football, they retire the full back position right so it hurts my heart a little bit. They're doing a great job right now. It's the I think it's the Dairy raid they're calling it, and they're putting up big numbers. They beat up my guy, Rahemostertz, Perdue Boilermakers sure last week.
So the full back position there a little bit out of style. But here I think hole you check's done a great job. We had James Devlin, those types of guys in the AFC East, big neck roles, and now we're kind of seeing that versatility style of it. C J Ham and pat Ricard being over three hundred pounds being able to get out in space and do what he does for Derrick Henry.
So there's always some guys. It's always working it through and.
How the Judgs put Solomon Thomas into their formation as well, the big defensive talking about the football as well. Let's go ahead and close with this the Ingold Family Foundation. It's well documented you've done so much good work with that, just off the top. Why is that such an important part of your life and really your entire character.
I think this platform opportunity of lifetimes only there for the lifetime of the opportunity, and being here with the Dolphins and such a great organization, I know it's not forever.
So while I'm here, while I'm doing the very best I can as a fullback of this team, I want to be able to be a voice for those kids in foster care that are been adopted, just to advocate for them, to be able to create really cool experiences with them with this organization in the Ingold Family Foundation, to be able to partner and do really special things for those kids, to make them feel seen, heard, believed in all the things that I felt like I was
able to have with my forever family, my adoptive family.
Yeah, it's a very special thing of doing. Man, And just real quick Forrea, get out of here. Can you tell the folks about the what do you call it? Promotion? You're doing something where yeah, go ahead and take us home on that.
Yeah.
So we got a gifts and Gold fundraiser campaign. So I'm dipping into the pockets a little bit now. Every thirty yards that the offense puts up, I'm donating one hundred dollars to this playground campaign over at SOS Children's Village.
It's in Coconut Creek.
They're going to build out this really really cool playground for these kids.
It's going to be happening kind of during that end of the year.
They had to tear down the last playground and we're going to build one together this year. So we're fundraising all the thirty yards. Every single week, I'll put out something to be able to say, you know what, this is how much money I donated. Anybody can hop in donate thirty bucks themselves, get some Lululemon swag, be able to rep out the foundation a little bit, and help some kids, be able to have some very fun memories on a playground of the Coconut. Now.
I want to see the thirty yard wheel go out to Alcanco on the next Sunday and.
At one hundred yards straight to the campaign.
Kicked me times three, alexn Go Dulph, I feel the best man.
I appreciate it. H