Quickie Camp Notes, Day 5

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DAY 5

– Some ominous clouds on the horizon. Does Flores take them into the bubble? We might find out today. Doesn’t strike me as a “bubble guy”
– Coach Flores comes in for what should be an eventful presser.
– It’s up to Minkah, whether he plays every down this year- Coach Flores
– The easy decision was to do nothing and hope that things get better (Flaherty firing)- Coach Flores
– Googs is a guy I had targeted for my OL coach- Coach Flores
– It was a hard conversation (with coach flaherty) , but I went with my gut- Coach Flores
– We want tough, smart Offensive linemen that can communicate- Coach Flores
– (On QB battle) I think it’s an ongoing competition, but Ryan Fitzpatrick is leading the way- Coach Flores
– Leadership, efficiency, rapport with teammates is why Ryan leads the battle- Coach Flores
– You know how they say…”first to show up, last to leave”?…..well, first player out for warmup….Ryan Fitzpatrick
– Today has been an Audio and Optics disaster for Josh Rosen, and practice has not started.
– Fitzy and Rudock out here, Rosen is not. So far
– Josh Rosen joins 10 minutes later.
– Special Teams work to start practice. Team warmup soon thereafter.
– 11v11 snap work to start.
– New starting right side of line? Calhoun at RG, Davis at RT?
– Shaq Calhoun reminds a bit of Harry Galbreath. Remember him?
– Will Holden gets work at 1st team RG as well.
– A nice cool Breeze comes in. Pleasant weather today.
– Michael Dieter now in at 1st team LG. Tunsil, Kilgore and Davis the constants.
– WR warmups have been consistently strong, tight since the start of Day 3. Hurns influence?
– No Kiko Alonso today. Undisclosed reason. (Later revealed to be injury) (We knew that)
– Fitzy throwing WR warmup. Rudock throwing RB warmup. Josh Rosen on scout team duty.
– Wilkins/Godchaux. Consistent pairing.
– Rudock with a dime 25 yards out to the back flag of the end zone…Jakeem. drop.
– Team work coming.
– Fitzy to Cox out on the flat on a rollout…..Jerome Baker …BOOM. Chandler Cox is going to remember that.
– Fitzy completes 18 yard in cut to Stills. Sharp stuff.
– Josh Rosen into triple coverage. Pick…dropped.
– If you are afraid to throw picks in practice, you will throw 4,000 of them in the regular season..Rosen is not trusting what he sees.
– Special teams work.
– TJ McDonald calling out assignments……on kick return team. That was Walt Aikens job last year.
– 7v7 time.
– Sharp stuff Fitzy. Moved Bobby McCain from single high with his eyes. Quickly went back right to a seam route to Gesicki. Good play by TJ McDonald/ Jerome Baker to break it up.
– Jaryd Jones-Smith at 2nd team LT now. Color me impressed.
– Hit the Benny Hill music. Fitzy just tried to throw out of the pistol with an empty hand. Fumble.
– There are a lot of fumbles. Drake puts one on the ground.
– Josh Rosen completion! And THATS ANOTHER MIAMI DOLPHINS 2ND AND 8!
– Special teams work. Kick returns from the jugs gun.
– Chris Reed at RG now…..Dieter at LG. Reps at Guard distributed evenly.
– Think of some pretty wild personnel groupings. Yep. Busted coverage, Fitzy finds Parker for big gain. Better pass, he scores. Led him too much toward the sideline.
– Uneventful Rosen stint in 11v11.
– Practice over.
– Fitzpatrick gets some work in after practice.

Practice MVP: Jaryd Jones-Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jerome Baker
Struggled: Josh Rosen, Chris Reed

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@UptownReport) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Miguel Rojas homers on third straight day, Marlins take series over Arizona

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Just because the throwback teal jerseys were stashed away in the storage closet for another year, doesn’t mean the magic went with them.

A two-run homer by Miguel Rojas capped a six run second inning that carried the Miami Marlins to a 11-6 win at home over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.

Rojas has hit a home run in three consecutive games. The shortstop is the third player in Marlins history to hit a home run in three straight games from the lead off spot. Hanley Ramirez and Cliff Floyd were the other two to do it.

The Marlins took the series 3-1 and have improved to 10-9-1 in their past 20 series. They started the year 1-10-3.

“We’re playing better, and we’re looking forward to what we can do from now on,” Rojas said.

Rojas has emerged as the leader of the Marlins during this season and recently the team has where his bat takes them. Miami has won five of their last seven games after getting swept by the Dodgers in Los Angele. Rojas said the team came together on the flight from LA to Chicago before their Series with the White Sox.

“I think the flight after the series in L.A., we created a special bond after that flight,” Rojas said. “We had a delayed flight. Everybody on the flight, we got together. It was a special moment for me. As a team, we bonded together. We’re letting the negativity [go], and we’re looking forward to what we can do from now on.”

Brian Anderson also hit his second home run in two games. He leads the Marlins with 15 homers on the season. The Marlins started celebrating their home runs in the dugout by posing in front of the camera with the “deal with it” sunglasses.

With the trade deadline approaching, the Marlins will have to ask themselves whether or not a high level prospect worth potentially breaking up what is being built.

 

Miami Dolphins

Dolphins coach Brian Flores fires his first

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The Miami Dolphins still haven’t played their first preseason game under Brian Flores. But he’s already making it clear that he will not hesitate to make changes, even if they are changes to his original direction.

The first of note was today’s firing of offensive line coach Pat Flaherty.

Here’s how it played out on Twitter:

Here’s how our Chris Kouffman (@CKParrot) of Three Yards Per Carry viewed the move:

It should be noted that this came after a particularly brutal performance by the offensive line in practice. There’s not much talent there other than left tackle, so any coach will have trouble. But that group has been overmatched so far by another group (defensive line) that isn’t loaded with stars either.

How was it viewed elsewhere?

Accountability is key, apparently. What a welcome change.

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Jordan and Mallory Heirs to “TE U”?

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The Miami Hurricanes continue Fall camp this week.

Head coach Manny Diaz and the Hurricanes program opened practice to the public again Monday.

 

One group that the fans will want to pay attention to is the tight end corps.

A name you will recognize from the past is hoping to continue their family legacy after a tough start.

While others will look to make their own name at “Tight End U”.

 

No Sophomore Slump in Sight for Jordan

Brevin Jordan leads the tight end group entering after a outstanding campaign as a true freshman. The 6-foot-3, 245 pound Jordan earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2018 and once again is on that watch list going into this season.

Jordan finished the year with 11 starts and was second on the team in both receptions (32) and touchdowns (4).

One of those touchdowns put the spear in FSU.

His size and athleticism are a nightmare for opposing defenses, and if he can build chemistry with whoever starts at quarterback, he could be special.

He is coming off a knee injury but all indications are he should be at full speed once the games count.

 

Another Playmaker in the Wings?

Some names are practically impossible to live up to, no matter how great you may be.

Michael Irvin is one of those names.

His son Michael Irvin, Jr. has been at Miami since 2016, but has struggled to leave his own mark on the program yet.

After little playing time as a freshman, mostly on special teams, he saw action in 12 of 13 games in his sophomore season.  He finished that year with nine receptions for 78 yards but was poised for a larger role as an upperclassman.

A knee injury completely derailed his 2018 regular season but he did manage a return in the Pinstripe Bowl to end the year.

Right now he is inline to be the backup to Jordan based on tenure, however he should be looking over his shoulder.

Irvin, Jr. may be in the mix some as the season rolls on, but does not have the same upside as Jordan or Will Mallory.

If he can stay healthy and continue to contribute on special teams, he may earn more reps on offense along the way.

 

Don’t be Shocked When Mallory Awes

Will Mallory looks the part.

Standing at 6-foot-5 he has the stature to feast in the red zone.

With the skills to finish plays and the size to get in position, Dan Enos has to be excited to let him loose.

 

Enos’s offense is known to be tight-end friendly based on his previous tenures, and Mallory compliments Jordan well as they each bring something different to the table.

Mallory could be seen as more of a deep threat up the seams, with Jordan a bit quicker over the middle and crossing.

He could be a great safety valve for the quarterback as well, with the ability to move the chains and make something happen after the catch.

If Mallory can get ahead of Irvin, Jr. on the depth chart his potential is immense.

Next up will be the wide receivers then we’ll wrap up the offense with the offensive line later in the week.

Follow us on Twitter for more Miami Hurricanes news @SportsWaveDave and @5ReasonsSports.

Make sure to subscribe to the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive Hurricanes content all season long.

Related:

Miami Hurricanes RB Group Full of Promise, yet Unproven

 

 

 

 

Miami Hurricanes RB Group Full of Promise, yet Unproven

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The Miami Hurricanes kick off fall camp Friday with the regular season less than a month away.

Like the quarterback group, the running back position has many questions along with high hopes.

Whoever is under center (or in shotgun if you’re Tate Martell), they will need a strong running game to lean on.

Go Deejay, ‘Cause That’s my DeeJay

DeeJay Dallas is a good bet to be the top back on the depth chart in week one, and rightfully so.

After a sensational sophomore season where he led the team in all purpose yards and played in every game, Dallas looks to build on that and lead a young running back corps.

As the only upperclassman, his role as a proven leader could pay dividends.

 

A good chunk of those yards he accumulated were via kick and punt returns, it remains to be seen the workload Dallas will see in that role. He was able to break 100 yards three time last year, despite never carrying the ball more than 17 times in a game. With just 10 receptions last year, that could be an area of improvement for Dallas in a new system. He also slimmed down a bit from last season which may help him gain some quickness in the open field.

Harris Looks to Build on Strong Finish

One player to watch who could earn a steady diet of carries is Cam Harris, who continued to improve as the season progressed. Standing at 5-foot-10, Harris clocked in at around 190 pounds last year.

Strength Coach David Feeley will probably be happy with his offseason as he added 15 pounds according to the official UM roster.

If Harris can pick up where he left off in 2018 it will be interesting how the snaps get divided with Dallas as the season unfolds.

Harris will be the primary backup as Lorenzo Lingard works his way back into the fold.

Lingard Could be Lightning in a Bottle

One of several intriguing skill position players is sophomore Lorenzo Lingard.

The 6-0, 202 pound Lingard was one of the most coveted recruits coming out of Orange City, FL and showed why in limited action as a freshman. Lingard had a 64-yard scamper for a touchdown against Savannah State and averaged eight yards per carry in that small sample.

 

A track star out of high school, his breakaway speed is a known commodity After a leg injury derailed his freshman season, it will be encouraging if he can stay healthy and earn more reps as the season progresses.

Dallas will likely get the call early and often, with Harris as the prime backup and Lingard situationally.

Special teams is a place where Lingard could get some more playing time as well.

Each brings their own skill set and abilities to the table, and every game will be its own story. If one back has the hot hand it could change the landscape quickly.

Make sure to check out the 5 Rings Canes Podcast for exclusive Miami Hurricanes content.

 

Related:

Miami Hurricanes – QB’s in Spotlight as Camp Nears

 

 

 

 

Dolphins

Quickie Camp Notes, Day 4

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DAY 4

– Not a cloud in the sky. Hot as hell of course.
– Shaq Calhoun and Isaiah Prince get a warmup together. Jakeem Grant and Kenny Stills. There are themes to these pre-practice warm ups.
– No change to PUP list. We “assume” there are no changes from yesterday. (Haven’t gotten our injury update yet)
– No Coach Flores availability today.
– PUP guys remain the same. Chase Allen OUT today.
– Far field work today.
– Some football players are big. Jaryd Jones-Smith is bigger. He’s distracting in person.
– Linebackers doing Indy drills with those giant exercise balls. There is something you don’t see every day.
– Indy drills.
– QB warmup goes off good. Rosen has been 1,000 times better the last two days with his warmup regiment.
– Sharp indy work from the WR’s. It’s not always like this. Good looking team today.
– Give me 53 Jakeem Grants. Watching practice would give you a stroke.
– No Special Teams work so far. Looks like lite work in pads today.
– You can tell that Allen Hurns has had success in the NFL before. Lock as the slot guy? So far, it looks that way.
– Matt Haack taking snaps as a punter…..and throwing several pass routes. I have been watching camp practices since the Shula days. Never seen a punter doing a full pass warmup.
– Not much going on today.
– Tunsil, Reed, Kilgore, Davis, Mills…since day 1. Could change. Michael Dieter is a worthy prospect. Noticeable.
– 11v11. Finally.
– Nate Orchad gets blocked into Fort Myers. Ballage runs past. Big gain on the left side.
– Josh Rosen sails one over the head of Isaiah Ford.
– Fitzy nearly pick sixed by Jerome Baker.
– This was an awful 11v11 stint.
– This is new. 1v1 at the goal line.
– Special Teams work for the first time today.
– 7v7 time.
– This is discouraging.
– From the 15 now. Rosen checks down. Rosen hits Ballage on the wheel route for a TD. Ballage laid out for it. Ball had to be delivered hot. Safety was there. Good stuff finally.
– Jaryd Jones-Smith is at RT on 2nd team. Doing well. There is no pass rush of note.
– HEY! BIG HEAD DON SHULA MASCOT IS HERE.
– First sack of camp! Rosen had nothing. Left side of 2nd team line collapsed.
– The sunny way to look at this: This is a running team. They might be really good at it too. QB play just not there. Yet.
– Defense is just beating the crap out of the Offense, save for a few moments.
– Entire defense made to run to the T.N.T. wall. Looked like an alignment/substitution issue.
– They set up 5 trash cans to represent the offensive line for some defensive drills. There is a joke in there somewhere.
– Andrew Van Ginkel. Good at football. Been strong at the point of attack, holds ground, sticky tackler.
– Entire offense made to run to the T.N.T. Wall. Good. Stay there.
– This is a bad practice. It Happens.
– 2nd team offense can’t gain a yard on the ground.
– Bad practice.
– T.N.T. WALL count: Defense 2x, Offense 1x.
– It’s finally over.
– Offensive assistants hold court.
– REMINDER: NO PRACTICE TOMORROW, MONDAY. They and WE are back at it on Tuesday.

Practice MVP: Andrew Van Ginkel, Akeem Spence, Davon Godchaux
Struggled: The entire Offense.

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@UptownReport) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Marlins trade Sergio Romo to Twins, resembles 2003 Adrian Gonzalez trade in reverse

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The Miami Marlins were always expected to move some of their expiring contracts before the July 31 MLB Trade Deadline and the first domino fell on Saturday.

Closer Sergio Romo was traded to the Minnesota Twins, along with minor league pitcher Chris Vallimont, for first base prospect Lewin Diaz. This sounds a lot like when the Marlins traded Adrian Gonzalez and two other minor leaguers to the Texas Rangers for Ugueth Urbina in time for a 2003 World Series run, only this time it’s in reverse.

Led by rookie manager Rocco Baldelli, the Twins are in first place year of the American League Central and just got the bullpen boost they need to secure their spot in the playoffs. In an odd, unique way, the team lead by a 37-year-old manager acquired a 36-year-old pitcher. Romo racked up 17 saves in Miami to go along with a 3.58 ERA in 37⅔ innings.

“They’re in a really, really good position to make a playoff push. That’s exciting. It’s super fun baseball to play,” Romo said after the Marlins’ 9-2 loss to Arizona on Saturday night. “But kind of mixed feelings based on the fact I get to leave a bunch of dudes I’ve grown to love. Cool dudes who allowed me to be myself.”

Did the Marlins get the next A-Gon? Diaz is ranked the Twins’ No. 30 prospect by MLB Pipeline at the time of the trade. This season he slashed .290/.333/.533 in 214 at-bats in Single-A Fort Meyers and .309/.348/.602 in 123 at-bats in Double-A Pensacola. He’ll report to Double-A Jacksonville, which means him moving his bags from one clubhouse to the other since they’re currently playing each other this weekend. 

“We felt like we maximized an expiring asset and were able to add, in our opinion, one of the most productive, impactful power hitters in all of minor league baseball,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said of the Romo deal after the game.

Vallimont might be the true cost of the deal. He went 6-7 with a 3.16 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 105.1 innings pitched over 19 starts in Single-A this season.

Quickie Camp Notes, Day 3

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DAY 3

– Today is about fundamentals, technique- Coach Flores
– You can never forget about the physicality of the game, most important- Coach Flores
– Wants to see blocks engaged, blocks defeated- Coach Flores
– Time is important. Don’t waste any of it. Be efficient with it- Coach Flores
– 3 PUP guys remain inactive. Everybody else is active.
– Preston Williams warms up with Kalen Ballage. Those two are friendly.
– Practice starts with special teams.
– Weather is rather pleasant. Clear skies.
– This coaching staff really cares about procedure, getting the pre snap part of football right.
– QB warmup goes much better for Josh Rosen today. Good on the 10 yard snap throw. Driving it better. This is a proper warmup. I don’t know what he was doing the first two days.
– This is a good looking WR group. No issues with the construction of this unit. Preston Williams is noticeable to all.
– Albert Wilson moving with no restrictions. Probably has to get into game shape, just like last year. (He had a slow start to camp last year as well.)
– Pass warmups….sharp. both QB’s. No complaints.
– Gesicki runs a perfect 8 yard out. Rest of the guys …you can nitpick.
– It’s early of course, but it’s obvious that Rosen and Grant have timing issues
– 1v1…..Xavien is Xavien.
– Preston Williams just beat Xavien Howard badly on a 18 yard out.
– Jakeem Grant in this format (1v1) is un-coverable. So I won’t bother telling you what he is doing. You know..
– Adolphus Washington . Get used to the name. Pretty steady, ton of effort. Sound in technique. Just a few snaps…but good start.
– More 1v1. Brice Butler, nice back shoulder throw from Rosen. Josh Rosen looking better.
– Xavien Howard sniffs out a back shoulder throw from Rudock…..pick.
– Tank Carradine at RE. Sheds. Blows up lead run his way. Tunsil, O’Leary combo block failed.
– 11v11, Rosen too high to Preston Williams on an in cut. Good coverage by Eric Rowe.
– Eric Rowe has been in on at least 4 positive plays for the Defense. The Defense is getting over today.
– More Special Teams work. More than a usual NFL training camp practice.
– I think the staff is trying to sort out who can, and cannot play on special teams, early in camp.
– DeVante Parker…..nevermind. He is….
– At some point, this has to be real with DeVante Parker? You said No? ok.
– Ryan Fitzpatrick struggling with touch into the end zone. Eric Rowe, Xavien Howard dominating.
– Josh Rosen is not following through to finish. His mechanics are not good. Sloppy.
– Good reps here. Rosen quick on check down. Rosen to Horn on an over route. Pretty sharp stuff. Best two reps of camp for Josh.
– Chris Reed and Laremy Tunsil, pretty stout in pass pro. Not making anything happen in the run game.
– Daniel Kilgore reaches the second level on a lead to the right, springs Kenyan Drake.
– Josh Rosen with impressive touch on a wheel route to O’Leary. Best throw for him all camp.
– Hurns beats David Rivers on the release from Slot. TD from Rudock, 5 yards out
– Back to indy drills.
– Daniel Kilgore has been a star today. Involved in every positive play. Erasing interior push.
– More special teams work.
– Install portion of practice. Shhhhhhhhhh. Cloak and Dagger time.
– Kiko Alonso, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jerome Baker…in……Fitzy throws a pick on a go route to Eric Rowe. Rowe having a good one. Giving up nothing. Targeted plenty.
– Josh Rosen with a terrible decision. Sometimes the play call gets beat. Check down. Tries a risky pass into a tight covered window. Incomplete. You got coverage underneath, your primary is trailed, and the high safety is keying the route. Patrick Mahomes, Dan Marino, can make this throw. Maybe. DISASTER is waiting if you attempt this pass. He attempts it anyway. That one is going to stand out in film. Great play call on the “D’s” part. Gotta tighten up decision making Josh.
– Make no mistake, Josh Rosen has not been perfect, but he has definitely been the best QB on the field today.
– Charles Harris swims inside Laremy Tunsil, blows up a lead left.
– Left side of the offensive line getting beat up. Chris Reed …uneventful practice. Kilgore- Davis combo getting yards for the backs.
– More special teams work to end practice.

Practice MVP: Daniel Kilgore, Eric Rowe
Struggled: Laremy Tunsil, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Chris Reed

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@UptownReport) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Trevor Richards begins bullpen stint as Marlins shuffle starting rotation

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Trevor Richards began his new role as a reliever after throwing a shutout inning allowing only one hit with two strikeouts during the Miami Marlins 3-2 walk-off win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.

Richards (3-12, 4.62) was known for having an above average changeup and opened the season as the No. 2 starter. However the past two months have felt like the dog days of summer for him. He hasn’t won a decision since June 2 at San Diego. He made it past five innings only twice since that date.

July was a disaster for Richards. He allowed 14 earned runs in 15 innings over three starts prior to the move to the bullpen. It’s noticeable that his fastball-changeup combo isn’t conducive for multiple go-arounds against the opposing lineup but it’s much better being concentrated in an inning over multiple games.

“The bullpen is obviously a little bit different,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “Most guys out there are [throwing] two pitches, with a third in there somewhere. There are more two-pitch guys out of the bullpen.”

The Marlins have built a lot of depth in starting pitching since the change in ownership. So much so that it’s almost better to put a couple of them in the bullpen rather than bringing in a new reliever.

“As an organization, we’re compiling starters,” Mattingly said. “Starters are getting closer and closer to the big leagues.”

Elieser Hernandez (1-4, 5.24) returns to the rotation to start on Sunday. He last started on July 4 at the Nationals, and his last appearance was on July 20 at the Dodgers, giving up four runs in two-thirds of an inning. As a starter, he is 1-3 with a 4.05 ERA. In 26 2/3 innings, he has 32 strikeouts and six walks.

On the same day, Pablo Lopez will be making his rehab assignment in Double-A Jacksonville. He was placed on the 10-day injured list for a right shoulder strain. His last start was June 15 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He’s scheduled to throw three innings or 45 pitches and eventually reach 90-100 pitches before being reinstated, similar to Caleb Smith’s rehab process earlier in July.

“He’s got to be built up as a starter,” Mattingly said. “He’s not going to be back at 60 pitches, and tax your ‘pen. We’ll get him built up to 90-100 pitches.”

Hernandez will likely return to the bullpen once Lopez gets reinstated from the IL. Richards has recently been receiving trade interest before the July 31 trade deadline and with enough young pitching to last for years but a need for hitting, it wouldn’t be a stretch to believe that a member of the Opening Day starting rotation would be traded in order to bolster the lineup and balance the team out.

Should none of the young starters be traded by September, Mattingly hinted at a six-man rotation. While against the notion of limiting pitchers innings over the course of the season, he noted that it is behooving for the team to give the starting pitchers an extra day of rest while allowing more opportunities for other pitchers to make their case for next season.

Sam Eguavoen story header

Dolphins LB Sam Eguavoen making most of rare opportunity

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When players from other leagues make the jump to the NFL, there’s a shock that goes through their systems. The NFL is faster, tougher, more difficult than where they came from, and even the most talented players sometimes fail to make the cut. In the case of former CFL linebacker Sam Eguavoen, that jump isn’t holding him back so far. For the second straight day, Eguavoen lined up with the starters on defense, even over former second-round pick Raekwon McMillan.

“We’re just rotating guys around,” Eguavoen said after practice. “I’m just blessed for the opportunity to be in the NFL. You know I come from the CFL, it’s a different ballgame and I still got a lot to learn. We’ve all got a lot to learn, especially with the new defensive scheme.”

 

Being from the CFL, Eguavoen is used to a much larger field to play on. It also means that offenses have more chances to get a first down, so stamina is tested. There’s been a lot of adapting he’s had to in a very short amount of time. Eguavoen had other offers to play elsewhere, but he ultimately chose Miami because of the opportunity that presented itself.

“They’re a team I felt like they’re in the rebuilding process,” He said. “It’s just a new opportunity, everybody’s starting from ground zero. Just to build a bond with the guys out here.”

True, Eguavoen has a good shot to make the Dolphins roster since the team is trying to regain their footing after a purge. But with new regimes comes new schemes, and it’s a complicated one that head coach Brian Flores is looking to install. On top of getting used to the NFL’s structure, he’s having to figure out how to handle the responsibilities being thrown at him.

“We’re running multiple styles of defense,” He said. “So it’s probably just playing on the edge more. You gotta learn to really use your hands, and it’s first contact being on that line of scrimmage. It’s quick contact, and I’m used to being off the ball. So mixing it up, being off the ball and on the ball, that’s probably the biggest shock I had.”

Clearly, he’s gotten over the shock fairly well. Being inserted into the starting lineup is no small feat. But with his background, Eguavoen is remaining humble, and his main goal is to just stick where he is, having worked his way from the bottom to the top.

“It’s not just signing with the Dolphins, it’s just the opportunity to be in the NFL.” Eguavoen said. “But I’m glad that I came here. I’m glad that they paid me up, it was Miami. My thought was to not be distracted out here, just focus in and try to be the best linebacker … it was hard, mentally. Not gonna lie. It was hard playing in a so-called ‘lower league.’ It’s kinda like ‘dang, I miss a tackle out there, I’m never gonna make it to the NFL.’ It’s truly hard on you mentally, but I just stuck with it, stayed to the grind … I did what my coaches said out there, I focused on what I had to, and God blessed me with this opportunity.”