You're listening to the Miami Dolphins Podcast Network.
This is Drive Time with Travis Wingfield. Back to throw to a looking clips about.
The wide Dolphins touchdown Tyrequel, unpelievable, just blue.
Fire for a second time. Don't know where he was going right away.
I want to hit that man.
I'm gonna help you.
Someone will keep on the bandwagon.
Wattle, Wattle to.
A shotguns, back to throw, looking at them.
Up fires touchdown.
It's Waddle his sixth touchdown.
Paradom of this day.
Drive Time with Travis Wingfield begins.
Now check your pulse eno for O What is up?
Dolphins?
And welcome to the Drive Time podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins Podcast Network, covering your team.
Your Miami Dolphins.
How's it going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, it's our Football Friday Show, taking.
A bit of a different course this year.
We're gonna hear from head coach Mike McDaniel, who addressed
the media on Friday. Plus we're gonna hear from David Faronos of the Sun Sentinel taking a look at Dolphins and Chargers, kind of giving you a camp and preseason recap We'll also hear from some of the guys in the locker room, Cater Kohu, Robert Hunt, We'll hear from Tuatungo, Bai Loa, and Mike White, and we'll finish up the podcast with Kyle Krabs talking the weekend in college football from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is the Drive Time podcast. That's another Miami.
Dolphins go ahead and kick this off with some media availability here from head coach Mike McDaniel, who addressed Toron Armstead's availability or lack thereof, potentially in the game on Sunday. I want to go ahead and make it perfectly clear this podcast will most likely come out before the injury report comes out, So for an update on that, by the time you guys hear this probably will be out.
Go check out my Twitter timeline at Wingfield NFL for the latest Dolphins injury report for Sunday in Los Ange, Angeless.
As for what.
Coach had to say about toront Arfseett and how close he potentially is returning to action and getting the work in, let's go to here. Let's go ahead and hear from head coach Mike McDaniel.
Here's here's what we'll say. Especially I'm sure you guys have talked to Tron. I know his expectation has has been the entire time to to play week one and if he has the final say, if Chris, Chris Greer and the Boys decide to fire me and make him the head coach today, he'll definitely be playing. However, you know, want to take a look at him this this afternoon and really kind of make a concrete decision for Sunday. So I think by today we'll have an answer for Sunday.
And the literally the only reason, uh there's even a debate is because it's my job to protect players from themselves, and it's my job, with the aid of all sorts of well intentioned, very well schooled individuals, is that we do what's best for the Dolphins for the entirety of
the season. So we you know, going through that process making sure that there won't there continues to not be setbacks, more that we're trying to do something for the long haul, and we'll assess it today and see where that leaves us.
I just thought the whole process of how coach is going through that and how the team is, you know, deciphering whether or not it's best for Toronto player or not was worth hearing whether or not he does player or not. So there's coach talking about his star left tackle and all pre season we saw Kendall Lamb play in that left tackle position.
And a player that I've been talking about in the podcast.
Whether it's training camp, whether it's games, whether it's his reps from a season to go, albeit just thirty two, but mostly what he says in his media availabilities and just kind of how confident he is and the lessons he's learned from a nine year pro career here in
the National Football League. I think Kendall can play man and I'm looking forward to seeing him get a chance, if he does get that chance, to prove it and show you what he's kind of progressed here towards Coach touched on the progression that Kendall has made from his first year here and how he's talked about it all the time, how in this offensive line group you're doing an ultimate trust fall because everything you've learned as a pro is kind of being rewired to do the opposite
for how you play the position. And he talked about the progression Kendall had from year number one to year number two within this system, and that's kind of been the entire theme of the off season on this podcast, right talking about how that second year breeds familiarity that kant Neuty can potentially breed better success for the offense. Hopefully that's the idea at least, And so for Kendall Lamb to get that second year of knt Nuty and
familiarity could be a big boon for him. Here's coach talking about how comfortable he feels if Kendall Lamb is the left tackle on Sunday against the Chargers.
Kendall's a great example of a guy that has found a place on a team that had been through some trials in his career. But I mean he last year, he made an impact so early in the room about how he goes about his business. He uses every slight that's happened to him to his advantage, not disadvantage. And he uh, he's he's a core core piece of the
locker room at this point, which says a lot. So my confidence is high just because I see better than I hear, and he's shown me as consistent really as anybody, what I can expect, what his teammates can expect from him, and that's a that's a guy that there's nothing more important to him than what he needs to deliver on
for himself and his teammates. So anytime he's on the field, I get excited for because he's he's he's been down the rigors of the NFL journey for a player that's not, you know, a lottery pick, so to speak, and he's coming out a better version then he went in.
Next, we get another update from coach on a player who's been working so hard to get back from an injury that cost him a big chunk of the twenty twenty two season. He finally ditched the red non contact jersey a couple of weeks back and just continues to look on track and progressing towards Week one. Let's go ahead and hear from coach McDaniel and how confident he is and Brandon Jones' ability to get back into the defense here in Week one and play against the Chargers.
You know, that's first and foremost, that was our priority in assessment from him from his from this whole offseason, because again you're trying to You're trying to make sure that you're coming back the best version that you possibly can and that's a process. So we're very very attentive to the physical part of that, and I can I'm very happy with Brandon. I'm very happy with the training staff because I think for a normal timeline purpose, he's
done everything he could and more. And I feel very good about his physical ability to play within the defense. And for him, you know, it's trying to make up the reps in that are lost live in that process, in a in a new defense. You know, it's not linear. When it clicks, it clicks, and each and every day he's been getting better and better at getting to that
click spot. So I'm I'm very happy with where he's at because he's a big part of the team that's a very impactful play and you know, I feel pretty confident, as confident as one can be in the game of football, that we've done right by him and the Dolphins with our progression that will continue as his uh he gets caught up.
I want to end here at coaches media availability this question. I asked him about a clip from his childhood lifelong friend Dan soder A great comic who actually comes through here quite a bit. Go check him out with Daniel improv when he is in town here in South Florida. But he told a story about playing techmost super Bowl against Coach when they were children, And he went on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast and told us this story about playing Coach in Techmobiles.
He would be the Falcons and he would is such a memory for me because I got so angry. He would always switch to Dion Sanders and drop Dion all the way back. So no matter what play I picked, when I threw it, he would break on it with d On. He would pick it almost every time, and as he was running it back, he would look at me and go brid And it's like after the first two you're like, okay, you know, like that kid frustration.
We're like.
To try to not be and he's like.
That is the most coach response I've ever heard in my life. So I wanted to ask him about that, and you're gonna hear Coach give his little impression of his younger self. Here's McDonnel talking about playing Techmobile with a great Dan Soda.
In terms of developing football passion, it's probably uh you know, right, you know, as I think I got my first video game as a reward for straight a's right, and so whenever those reports maybe it was first grade or something, you know, I once I got my hands on video games. That was a game changer. And U that, you know, at Techmo, super Bowl, college Football, all those games, I
spent way too much time. And it's probably why I was able to, you know, at the time when we were talking about with Dan Soder, I was four foot ten in seventh grade, right, and probably didn't have that much to talk crap about just in general and life. So video games are a nice outlet. Being good at Techno super Bowl allowed me to you know, lay off some steam probably on my my taller, uh more manly looking friend. Hey listen prime Time now it's real. And
it was obnoxious. And then then I would get upset that like dude, you don't want to play anymore, Like come on, man, this is like two games. I'll be a different team that would be the Raiders and have Bo Jackson do the same thing.
Not sure I've loved the story more so far and coaches one and a half years here with the Miami Dolphins. Let's go ahead and turn things now to my guest that I welcome into the podcast today. David Fronas from the Sun Sentinel talk in all things Dolphins and Chargers ahead of the game on Sunday and joining me today on the Draft Time podcast. Is a writer for the Sun Sentinel. You can find him on Twitter at David Fronas. Underscore important for the innerscore.
Right of course, otherwise you're never gonna find it. Some type of my name is not like it drops down on a menu or something.
But yeah, right, I mean I think I was on Twitter in like twenty sixteen, so I mind's winfled NFL like real original, right.
I think some Spanish someone in Spain took David.
Farronas before me.
But then I think it was available one time when I looked later, but I already had it.
So what are you gonna do?
It's gonna cost you a pretty penny and to get that name probably back at some point anyway. David joins us here today talking some Dolphins, Chargers and really camp in preseasons where I want to start with you because we have a chance to be out here. You know, a unique perspective that a lot of fans don't get because we get to see all the practices and just.
Kind of start there for a week one game.
Here, what's your biggest takeaway you had, David from either the preseason training camp just the lead up to Week one here, boy, just.
Giving me the open book to to say whatever I want. I gotta go to Jelen Phillips. I mean, he had such a tremendous camp. Just to watch how consistently he got home those pressures. I think that that's that we always talk about with him, that pass rush win rate. It's really going to start to turn into some sacks this year. We're gonna see him probably get into those double digits that've been we've been waiting to see Jaylen
Phillips get too. Through the first two years of his career, he was really consistently beating whoever was in front of him. And I mean he was my team player of the camp really.
So okay, So maybe boys orange jersey in game number one?
Yes, Yeah, Well, the Dolphins gonna bring back those orange jerseys from two thousand and three or whatever it was.
I might have to Roger might not like that too much. Roger could tell might might have something to say about that, but yeah, he was. He was dominant in practice. I had a stat that I would try to read off sometimes on the show and it's like two wordy. He had like the most pressures in a certain amount of seconds that didn't result in sacks. And I think that this year they have a chance to potentially turn more of those pressures into sacks.
Is you're an.
Acronym for that? Like you got those weird ones in baseball?
There's something weird, but I can't make a word out of It's not English, so we're gonna mess out on that. So you know, my favorite part about Week one is trying to find out, like what teams are. We don't really know what teams are, like, we have our our ideas and predictions from training camp. But is there an element to this team that is new or maybe a little bit mysterious to you that you're most intrigued to find out about Come Sunday, Yeah, I think you got
to go to Vic Fangioe. The team transforms its defense, so switching over from the more aggressive, the press man and blitz heavy packages that Josh Boyer had previously, and then now you're gonna see more of those, the variety of his own defenses that that Vic Fanjo plays, although he'll mix in the man coverages as well, but the two high shell, the quarters cover six and.
All those things, and really a defense that will limit a lot of the big plays that the offense opposing offenses are trying to hit, and then also put his own defenders in positions to make big plays on their end. So thin that'll be exciting to watch. I wish we had Jayalen Ramsey did. Does he play in it early in the season, But something tells me he's gonna be beating that timeline to recovering. We're gonna see him in this defense.
Man.
That's that's gonna be a nice little whenever it happens mid season, late season booing the Dolphins get to the defense, and like you said, Fangio is just I can't wait to see what he does too, because it's it's such a mystery and we don't know what exactly is gonna look like, especially with the year off.
And drawing up extra coverages.
Kind of the same question for you here, because again, like this is what makes this game so far. I think it's the best game on the schedule this week. Maybe Buffalo and the Jets is right up there as well. But there's so many storylines in this game. What's one that you're really focusing on, Whether it's you know, Ronaldo Hill coming back to the Chargers, or like you mentioned, Fangio's first game, what's your favorite storyline for this game?
Yeah, well, obviously the coaching matchup between Mike McDaniel his offense and Brandon Staley his defense, and we saw last year that one went Staley's way. The defense for the Chargers had it schemed up well, pressing receivers, making a difficult on Tyreek Kill and Jilen Waddle taking away the middle of the field where likes to be so effective.
So what counters does Mike McDaniel have that's gonna be interesting to see and finding ways to get to it to find those targets both in the middle and on the outside. And if the run game gets more involved. I wrote about that just today that I want to see the run game also given more touches to Raheem Mostert and and even though we don't have Jeff Wilson to start the season, but the guys, the other guys
behind Savon Ahmed and Devon a Chanin. Maybe those rookies and Chris Brooks who made this roster as an undrafted rookie after a fine preseason, So which one of those guys are gonna be involved in this game plan? And Mike McDaniel has said he wants to run the ball more, so I want to see if that's true going into Week one against the Chargers run defense that returns from last year that wasn't very highly ranked, and obviously in past defense they have a J. C. Jackson coming back
this year. Joey Boso wasn't playing in last year's game. He's going to be there. So that combination of him and Khalil Mack on the edges for them against the Dolphins tackles, that'll be a big.
Thing to watch.
So maybe if the run game can kind of counter that a little bit.
I'm glad you plugged your piece. Thats the whole reason we have you on here to kind of get the folks to know more of the local riders here than to do such good work for us here on the
local beat. Let's go ahead and take our first break right here and come back on the other side and talk more with David from from the Sun Sentinel Drivetime podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation back here with Sun Sentinel writer David Fronas and a special guest appearance from Renzo Shepherd on the podcast Dolphins pr man. Just walking through the room here, No big deal. We're kind of taking up other people's space as well.
Right now.
It's here.
I believe this is a quote.
Food is here, So not for you guys, just from me and David in the building here. But uh, David, One of the reasons I like having you guys on is because the more eyes, the more ears we get on the show the better.
Because you know, so much happens.
At practice, in a locker room, in a media, a press conference, whatever it is. Do you have a moment from this week, whether it was open locker room, coach at the podium, to whatever it might have been. Was there a moment from this week that was your favorite so far?
You know, it's always cool to see a coach at the podium, and Mike McDaniels so great in this media setting,
So I mean, really it really brains our day. It's this is an enjoyable thing to come to work to you know, I can't complain my job when when a lot of people are you know, you're they're tuning in to watch the live stream, a lot of fans are tuning in, And this is what I get to attend on a normal basis, and Mike McDaniel makes it an enjoyable experience, always got something to say when he walks
right in today. This is being recorded on a Friday, where his first Friday press conference, it's a little bit lighter attended by the media, but I think, yeah, yeah, right right, so calling us to tried and true, and I posted a little video clip of his opening remarks of how excited he was to find out what we
had to ask him on a Friday press conference. I think in the locker room it's a lot of that one on one time that you get with players, are really getting to know them and then just seeing what kind of intricate things you can figure out about the game from those those moments in the locker room into a spoke at the podium earlier this week too. One answer that was kind of cool from him was talking about Justin Herbert.
Those two guys, those two quarterbacks are.
Always going to be compared because one was drafted number five, one was drafted number six in the twenty twenty draft. But sort of just seeing how he said I fan over him sometimes and the way he gets the ball out his arm strength, So that was kind of cool to see just one quarterback showing a lot of respect to another. Yeah.
Like I said, storylines are a plenty in this game, right, and that's just one of them that you I thought that might be where you go. But I mean there's so many to pick from that you didn't choose a bad one either at all there, So.
Yeah, so got it in.
Yeah, definitely did. That's a true proyd there, getting every talking point in. David, appreciate your time today, man.
Thanks Lonon, thanks for having me.
Let's take our last break right there and come back on the other side and finish up with some audio from the locker room cater coo who Robert Hunt will hear from Tuatungueovailoa and Mike White plus another guest, Kyle Krabs, breaking down the weekend that is coming up in college football.
All that.
Next Drive Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. Let's go ahead now, and get to some of my player interviews in the open locker room this week, I wanted to talk to a couple of guys if they're going to be integral to the
Dolphins route to victory. Of course, we know the Chargers feature a slew of good playmakers and among their five eligibles on any given play with Mike Williams, with Keenan Allen, with Austin Eckler, Josh Palmer, Quinton Johnston, They're pretty deep there.
So I wanted to talk to a guy who he know.
Plays inside outside, does a little bit of everything on this Dolphins defense. Cater Kohu talking about Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. Here's the Dolphins cornerback and my chat from Thursday.
Mike Williams, he just kind of have to be physical with him.
He's like a bigger guy and stuff like that.
He has good jump ball and stuff like that, so you just have to be ready for that. Noing like what they're trying to use him as and stuff like that. Keenan Allen, he's like an inter mediate kind of get out of his breaks and stuff like that. He wont He's obviously like their best ride runners, So when you're going up against him.
You have to be ready for anything. Double moved, jerk rouse and stuff like that.
Keenan, I mean Mike Williams, if he starts going deep, he just like he's a bigger guy, you know what's coming. And then with Edan Alley, if he's going deep, I feel like you kind of still have to be in that great.
Area like he might snap it down or he might you going.
They have a new system this year with Kellen Moore and then obviously there they don't play their stars in the preseason. How do you prepare for a team when and you don't really have tape what they might be for the season.
Uh, you kind of have to go back and just like watch.
Like how they kind of try to use them last year, and then you kind of have to go back and then watch I mean preseason they don't play their starters, but they kind of use the same kind of system.
And then you always have to go back and watch where.
The officer coordinator came from and kind of try to just match up stuff like that.
So that stuff.
Yeah, so how do you know this defense is new and you guys are installing a new system. I'm gonna gonna see it in action for the first time in a real game. How would you kind of measure where you guys feel comfort level in this new defense.
We feel real comfortable.
We feel like BIG's gonna put us in a position to make a lot of players and stuff.
He's gonna always protect.
Us like he's he's he's like a football genius.
So it's like his preparation.
He has everything down to the numbers, like what's coming, what's what's coming on, what downs or what this and stuff like that.
So I feel like we're real confident and stuff like that.
We have like a lot of good players on our team, so you know, if you're just gonna have to go out there and compete, So we're really just real confident.
I think we all agree that a good showing from the Dolphins offensive line, particularly in the running game, would go a long way towards securing a one and oh start for what would this be the third consecutive season. If we were to get the game on Sunday, wanted to stop by Rob hunts locker and talk to him
about the running game, about playing alongside Austin Jackson. Here is Big Rob and my chat again from Thursday last year, A lot was made about the Chargers run defense going into that game, and we didn't really find success in the ground.
How do you think that that game.
Last year can possibly inform you for how to get success in the ground game this year?
I think they had a really good game plan for us, you know, And how was that for last game? For last year? Last game? I think we you know, I think we've be doing a lot of good things in camp and you know, in preseason on the ground and hopefully that can translate this Saturday.
How do you think how his preparation has been this week? What's kind of the mood around practice in the locker room?
How you guys feeling about game?
I put good, Man, We we know, we we we practicing the SF. Man, We're working hard, and you know, I think I think everybody's ready.
So you came in your rookie year with you know, Austin's you guys have obviously worked together on the right side.
Of the offensive line.
How nice has it been getting Austin back and working with him at that right tackle spot.
It's been pretty good, man. It's good to see him out there. Man, you know, Unfortunately he had a rough year injuries last year. But it's good to see him back.
Man.
He's flying around, he wants to he's working his ass off to you know, to get it going and get it get it rolling, man, And he looks good and I'm excited to play beside him.
That's what I got for you here.
So obviously a lot of the same offensive lines back, the running backs are pretty much the same.
You had the rookies in here as well.
But how do you think that continuity you guys were able to build up over the course of the ausseeson can benefit y'all up front this year with the running backs and the running game.
I think a lot, man, Because like I said, it's a second year in the system. We all kind of know what we're trying to do. We all get the gold that we're trying to do. And it's a standard man. It's the standards, especially in our room and the running backs. You know they matched as well, but standard, man. I think everybody, no matter who you are, first team, got thirst team guy, everybody at the same standard.
So that's a good thing.
Let's go back to Wednesday in QB one at the podium when he was asked about coach Fangio's defense and what it is particularly about that defense, which we know that Brandon Staley and Los Angeles runs an offshoot or a version off the branch or off the tree. I should say his is the branch of the Vic Fangio defense. Here's QB one talking about facing that defense in practice every day and how it's helped the offense so far.
Against his defense is tough in itself and understanding, asking him a lot of questions, asking their position groups, a lot of questions, trying to understand, you know, how their defense works together. Like I said, they really communicate out there to a point where it sounds like they're over communicating, which is something that I haven't haven't really seen, especially using the helmet cam. You know, you're trying to get
the cadence going. In some times the center can't hear because of all the noise going on in the background, and guys can't hear it as well. So going against his defense definitely helps in preparation for you know, Staley's defense. So we got to be ready and we got to understand the problems that they give us on certain plays, and he's got to keep moving forward with it.
One of my favorite things to discuss with a QB two, for instance, is how they support quarterback one, and that's exactly what Mike White talked about at his media availability this week in open locker room.
I think in the room we have a really good dynamic. Is we're just kind of a sounding war for two. Whatever he needs, whenever he has any questions, we kind of give him what we think and try not.
To step on anybody's toes.
I guess because he's he's played very well at a high level, so there's there's some things that he does a lot better than us, so we're learning from him more times than he's learned from us. But yeah, it's just having a good dynamic and and whatever he needs, we're there for him.
And that's the goal.
The whole room is getting QB one ready because in QB one playing well, we're winning, and when you're winning, everything's fun.
And we are going to end every Friday episode with Finn's draft in five talking about the college slate coming up this particular weekend. I used to break these games down on my own, but I thought, you know what, let's get someone who does this more full time this time of year and also.
Knows this Dolphins team as well as anybody else.
Kyle Krabs five minutes talking Dolphins Draft, Let's go, and a new segment here on the Friday. The Football Friday edition of the Draft Time podcast is going to be Finn's Draft in five.
With Kyle Krabs.
You guys know who he is, the host of the Lockdown Dolphins podcast. Very good friend of mine comes down every summer for training camp, comes down a couple of times a year to catch a Finns game and also watch a bunch of college.
Football with Yo boy.
And he's here once again with us talking Dolphins potential draft.
And I call it that, Kyle, even though.
We're not really you know, I guess previewing the draft just yet. It's I think it's a little bit premature for that. But I used to do these segments on my own, and I thought I got so much going on with you know, current media availabilities and whatnot. Let's get someone that knows better than I do right now, because I typically cram for the draft towards the end
of the season and you're already in it. I love following your Twitter account and just seeing you do all your stuff with with college football and obviously for the Dolphins. So who better than Kyle Crabs to come on here and talk some twenty twenty three college football season.
We're gonna keep it to tight five. But before I start the time with Kyle, how you doing, man?
I'm doing great, and I feel a lot of pressure to make sure I deliver it tight five. Son, You're gonna get the best version of me in the spirit of Mike McDaniel talking about TUA this year, You're gonna get the best version of me that there's ever been.
In the same way, we have to pull coach off the phodium sometimes because he likes it. He enjoys talking too much. And that's that's kind of how this podcast goes most of the time. I always have my guest ten fifteen. Then it winds up being twenty five minutes. The podcast ends up being forty minutes long, and it devolves from there like.
It is right now.
So I'm gonna go ahead the timer and we're gonna fire this thing up. We're basically trying to get Kyle's view of the college football landscape this weekend as it pertains to potential Miami Dolphins fits and you know, we don't know what the needs will be and all that stuff, but just players that Kyle thinks might be fun in the Aquan Orange in the future should they declare for the draft. So the timer is going on after I finished this first question, and we're gonna start here.
This is more broad.
You mentioned, you know, Tua the best version of himself. We feel pretty good about our quarterback right now. But it's always fun for a draft class when the quarterback class is loaded and it looks like we have another instance of that this year, of course, to a part of what might be the best quarterback class of all time back in twenty twenty.
Twenty twenty one was supposed to be even better. Hasn't worked out that way.
Kyle, stack up this class compared to recent quarterback classes. Is it gonna be the big hype and live up to that hype or will it be maybe one that falls more by the wayside.
I think you'll see some of the names fall off just because you have like a dozen names that people are pointing to across all different programs, that potential first round pick gets tabbed on those guys. But I do think the top of this quarterback class is probably as good as we have seen since twenty twenty. As far as Caleb Williams, I know there's a lot of enthusiasm for Drake mayet North Carolina.
I think there has not been a.
Glow up that we've seen in the last couple of years like what bo Nicks has done. It we're going to last few years as well. The Pac twelve's got two other guys with SHITTERR. Sanders at Colorado and then cam Ward. I know we're big Koog's guys here on this podcast, and you know we've watched the number of Koogs games together, but that's about as toolsy as it gets.
So I look at this quarterback class.
I think it's potential to be the best quarterback class since twenty twenty. And as you said, for the dynamics of an entire class, the domino effect there gets really exciting.
I try not to do this too much on my Dolphins podcast, but you let into it there. So I'm gonna take my last question and put it here. First, if Washington State beats Wisconsin on Saturday after beating them last year in Madison, if they welcome into Martin stadium, Pullman Washington on a Saturday night and beat the Wisconsin back.
Do they deserve an invite to the Big Ten?
They're too good of a program to not get an invite somewhere else.
They will.
I think eventually they'll they'll find their footing somewhere.
Of course, we're kind of in this chaotic chapter right now of college football, but I think eventually Washington State's too good of a program to kind of get left out in the cold.
Altogether, I love the idea of the two man Pac twelve and just playing each other a couple of times a year, like doing the bare bones schedule and then forcing them to play a Pack twelve championship game between the only two participants in the conference.
I want to make a mockery of it because I.
Think it is kind of a bit of a stupid shakeup.
But I digress on that real quick.
Last WSU question, Cameron Ward, you mentioned him really good opening game against Colorado State.
Where do you think, you know, we have a lot of games left to play.
Where do you think he winds up getting picked when all things are said and done. It's a big projection, but right now, where do you think he goes.
Yeah.
I love the fact that we're getting a second year at Washington State after him playing it incarnate word and you see just how physically gifted he is. He might be the most creative quarterback in the class as far as handling pressure outside of structure, getting the ball out of his hands, making plays happen. I think a player that has his traits as a passer with how loose
his arm is, he's got good ball handling skills. That's kind of the model to these days, and I think that's a player that ultimately I'd be very surprised if he doesn't go.
In the first two rounds. Okay, it's all said and done.
Yeah, I think there's upside a first round pick, but he's got he would have to, I think, really excel this year and blow it out of the water to get up in that stratosphere.
I just can't.
He definitely is. I just haven't seen him talked about in that same breath. I haven't seen him on the Senia Bowl, watch lift, things like that, and I expect him to get there eventually, but we'll see. I think having a good year in this loaded conference could certainly do a lot for him. In that regard, let's talk about the rest of the landscape this weekend. One massive game. Is it in Tuscaloosa or is it in Austin, I'm not really sure. Let's see it's at Alabama, so Texas Alabama.
But I'm looking at the schedule here, not really a lot of ranked on ranked matchups, But from a scouting perspective, who are some where are some games you're looking at that fans could have a pro on their schedule this weekend?
Is I'm going to go watch that game and find some prospects for myself.
Yeah, I definitely think there's some low hanging fruit with that Alabama Texas matchup. You know, anytimes it's those kinds of program powerhouses butting heads, you're going to get a lot of future NFL talent that's on the field together. I think an early game that stands out to me is Notre Dame versus NC State. Notre Dame really good offensive.
Line this year.
They've kind of had a step back over the last couple of years because they had a lot of youth. Well that youth is growing up now, so I look at Notre Dame and their offensive line talent and some of the linebackers that they have as a defense. That and a team that I'm excited to see go to
NC State and play. And then in the three thirty slate, I would look at Texas A and M coming to hard Rock Stadium and playing the Miami Hurricanes because I think the Kanes had a lot of talent between their safety duo, Leonard Taylor at defensive tackle, some of their offensive line. I know they had Jvon Cohen come in as a transfer. That's a matchup that I think, could you know one in each time slot, I think really give you a lot of value.
Good stuff though, Kyle, we got about forty seconds left here in the tight five. We're trying to keep it to give us a player that Dolphins fans maybe you haven't heard of, that you think has a chance to really put themselves in a good position with a good performance this week and a big time game that maybe in the future could potentially fit in the Miami Dolphins system. Well.
The versatility of Cooper Dejene defensive back from Iowa. They're playing Iowa State. It's a big time rivalry game. He made Bruce Feldman's Freaks List as far as his athleticism this year from the athletic and he plays all over the place.
So he's a really fun player.
But you got to mine your p's and q's because if you're not paying attention, you'll probably miss him because he doesn't line up in the same spot very often. He's really really fun, versatile defensive back.
Really good stuff, Kyle. We did it four fifty seven, real quick though. Last word here. Final score Sunday in Los Angeles.
Oh man, it's I won't tell you who wins because I think there's a lot of parallels between the teams, but I think this is going to be last possession type ballgame on Sunday.
Good stuff, Kyle, appreciate you man, lockdown Dolphins at grind the tape on social you're the man, buddy when you coming down first game.
Uh depends on if my wife cooperates and keeps our expected son to his due date or not. So we're trying to get a feel for that. In the midst of travel planes is tough, but definitely at least one in October and then I'll be down a few times later in the season.
Well, congrats number two. I can't tell you it gets easier it gets a lot harder. I know you know that, and looking forward to see you done here man. Appreciate you, buddy, thanks for having and away he goes. Fun episode there, talking to plenty of the guys, Coach McDaniel great as always, David Farnas, Kyle Krabs.
And a bunch of the players there as well.
All Right, the next time you all hear from me our flagship show, our Sunday Night slash Monday morning game recap. Actually we're going to publish these on Monday morning this year, so keep an eye out on all your podcast apps where we get your podcast to check out Dolphins caps every Monday morning here on the Drift Time podcast. That's
gonna be my time for today, though. You all have a great weekend and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. Go ahead and leave us a rating and leave us a review. Follow me on social at Wingfold NFL and the team at Miami Dolphins. Check out our other podcast here in the network, The Fish Tank with Seth Levitt oj McDuffie.
They have all kinds of great stuff coming here, guys. Is way this season.
The YouTube channel for media availabilities and Dolphins Today and much much more, and last but not least, Miami Dolphins dot Com Until next time.
Fins Up, Caroline Cameron, Daddy, He's coming.
