Should Don Mattingly stay or go? It will be up to Derek Jeter

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Don Mattingly is about seven weeks away from doing something no Marlins manager has done; complete his contract.

Matting signed a four-year deal to manage the Marlins in October 2015 after splitting with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will leave Miami having managed more games than anyone else in Franchise history, passing former manager and current third base coach Fredi Gonzalez.

Mattingly joined the Marlins with a young team filled with promise in 2016 but a tragic boating accident killed their best pitcher and after the 2017 season, the franchise exchanged ownerships and a new plan was put into place.

While the last two seasons have been spent at the bottom of the National League, the Marlins young players have shown improvement and the farm system has been built up from the one of the worst to one of the best.

Mattingly said he wants to remain the Marlins manager and be there for the eventual turnaround, whether it be in 2020 or beyond.

“I’d love to be back, especially if they want you back,” Mattingly said. “You don’t want to be anywhere that you don’t feel like it’s the best situation. You don’t want to get in the way of anything. If they think they want to go in a direction, then that’s something you just deal with at the time.”

That decision will have to be made by Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter. He said on Wednesday at Marlins Park that he plans on addressing Mattingly’s status before this season ends.

“To be fair to Donnie, it’s something that we need to talk about sooner rather than later,” Jeter said. “We have touched base, and we’ll continue to talk.

“Donnie has done a good job. But then again, we’ve got to sit down, like we do with coaches every year as well, and ask, ‘How can we get better?’”

Both Jeter and Mattingly spent their entire playing career with the New York Yankees and were recognized as legendary captains during their careers. 1995 was Jeter’s rookie season and Mattingly’s final season. Ironically, 24 years later, the power dynamics between the two have switched.

Kershaw dominates Marlins

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The Miami Marlins didn’t stand a chance the moment Clayton Kershaw entered the mound.

The longtime ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers struck out ten batters, including the first seven he faced and allowed only two hits, cruising to a 9-1 win on Wednesday.

“Sometimes you get in that groove early,” Kershaw said. “I really don’t care how we get the outs as long as I’m efficient with it. Tonight I was able to get ahead and did a decent job with fastball command.”

Harold Ramirez hit a two-out single to right field in the fifth inning to break up Kershaw’s bid for a perfect game.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner left after 90 pitches and a double. He seems to be on his way to a fourth with a 12-2 record and a 2.63 ERA in 21 starts.

“Obviously Clayton doesn’t want to come out of any game, especially when you feel as good as he did tonight,” Roberts said. “He wasn’t stressed at all. Tonight was as good as I’ve seen with all his pitches, mainly his fastball.”

The dominant performance earned Kershaw his 165th win, tying Dodgers Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.

“Any time you’re mentioned with Sandy it’s special,” Kershaw said.

Justin Turner and Corey Seager each hit a home run off Elieser Hernandez in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

Edwin Rios, who is from Miami and played college ball at FIU, hit a home run in the fourth and sixth inning.

“Just felt great being back at the 305, where I went to school,” Rios said. “It was awesome just hearing the fans yell FIU, when I was on deck.”

Hernandez pitched six innings and gave up six runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts.

“I give a lot of credit to them,” said Hernandez, who struck out seven, through an interpreter. “They did a great job. Their lineup is strong, and all the mistakes I made, I paid for them.”

Curtis Granderson hit a pinch-hit homer off in the ninth inning to avoid the shutout. The Dodgers have won all five games against the Marlins in dominating fashion but to Don Mattingly, the glass is  half full.

“The games with L.A., in particular, I think they’re good because they kind of let you know where you’re at,” the Marlins manager said. “They’re one of probably three teams, maybe four, that legitimately — if they don’t win the World Series, they’re going to look at it like it’s a bad year.”

Walker Buehler (10-2, 3.08) will be tasked with securing the season series sweep on Thursday, while the Marlins will counter with Caleb Smith (7-6, 3.71).

Kalen Ballage

Kalen Ballage rushing full speed towards Dolphins starting RB job

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Kalen Ballage is getting a rare opportunity with Kenyan Drake down with an injury. The Dolphins are going to need a running back, so he’s responding to the call by making play after play. His speed and acceleration caught the Tampa Bay Buccaneers off guard both days they held joint practices, resulting in several touchdowns. That level of production does not go unnoticed, and it’s clear head coach Brian Flores is enjoying noticing them.

“Oh, I saw them.” He said during his Wednesday press conference.

It makes sense that Ballage is pushing himself with Drake out. At the start of training camp, he was the one who worked with the starters, only to eventually be overtaken by the Alabama speedster as the days went on. It appeared that Drake was ready to lock down the starting job, at least until these joint practices with Tampa. All of a sudden, he, QB Josh Rosen and WR Preston Williams are getting chances to work with the starters after being stuck under the veterans.

“I think young guys have to be able to come out here and make plays.” Ballage said Wednesday. “This (isn’t) college anymore. It’s not high school. In my opinion, age doesn’t really matter. I think you just come out here and if you can ball, you can ball. I think that’s a big part of it.”

He’s doing a good job of impressing the coaches, and those touchdown runs included good execution across the board. That’s precisely what coach Flores is looking for in his players.

“They all work together. It’s 11 guys.” He said. “If you put 11 guys in and they execute their responsibility, you’ll get a good play. Kalen did a good job of making a guy miss, and that’s how you get long runs, receivers blocking corners and secondary players, and that’s how you get long runs. It takes everybody.”

At this point, it’s impressive that Kalen Ballage is able to do as much as he’s doing. The Dolphins offensive line is an absolute mess, so these touchdown runs are a testament to the home run capability Ballage has in him. It also acts as a demonstration for what the offense itself is capable of.

“It’s something that I’ve always known.” Ballage said. “I think that it gets the best athletes and the best talents in space, gets them the ball and kind of puts the rest on us to make plays. I think that that’s something that’s real important.”

Ballage’s opportunity to showcase himself stands to last a while, especially since Kenyan Drake has to wear a walking boot for an undisclosed amount of time. While coach Flores isn’t really concerned, indicating Drake will be ready for week one of the regular season at the latest, it doesn’t bode well for Drake with Ballage running full speed towards the starting job.

Kalen Ballage has had his struggles, but they appear to be past him. Back in college, he felt extremely underused. In his rookie season, he sat behind Drake and veteran Frank Gore. He appears ready to take charge, and he has a chance to prove it on Friday.

Canes Junior, Derrick Smith enters transfer portal.

Surprise News: Smith Enters the Portal! Depth at Safety Not a Concern.

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The portal strikes again. Yet this time, this one was a bit of a surprise. With just 11 days away before the week 0 game against that team up in Gainesville, junior safety Derrick Smith tweeted yesterday that he is no longer a member of the Canes football program and has decided to enter his name in the transfer portal. Smith was thought of as a significant contributor this season in the secondary.

Smith was Showing Out!

Smith started his career at safety and then made the move to striker last season. With Romeo Finley’s return and the emergence of Gil Frierson, Smith made the move back to safety. He showed tons of promise in camp and was on track to get plenty of playing time. That looked even more apparent after a strong showing in the Canes first scrimmage. 

 In a recent article by Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald, safeties coach Ephraim banda was quoted as saying “You know, I think he did a really good job in the off season of spending a lot of time in the meeting room and just getting extra work”. Coach Banda also went on by saying “I think he improved in the weight room and really dedicated himself in that area and really bought into [strength and conditioning] Coach Feeley.” 

 Why the Sudden Change?

With all that being said, Smith was going to have a hard time unseating Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall as the starter. Those two have had really good training camps and have solidified their starting roles. That ultimately may have been the deciding factor in Smith leaving. 

 The other factor may have been the recent arrival of USC transfer Bubba Bolden. The highly touted transfer and former high school teammate of Tate Martell and Brevin Jordan, comes in late, but with high expectations. It seems as though Bolden has been able to come in and catch on quickly. 

My final theory could be, the strong push this fall by the infamous Robert Knowles. Could he have been threatening Smith for his playing time? I have a feeling we will be seeing him on the field a lot (biting my nails as I write that). 

 The Future Looks Bright!

Although the transfer comes as a surprise to all of us, especially the timing of it, many do not seem to be too concerned. With guys like Bolden and even freshman Keontra Smith, the depth at safety looks promising. Look for Keontra to now play a bigger role as a backup and on special teams. 

What does concern me, however, is that more and more kids are transferring at the first sight of adversity. Sure, the Canes have benefitted from the transfer portal, but it has also hurt them. One thing is for certain, entering the portal does not guarantee you a starting job anywhere. Chances are, you will have to fight for your spot anywhere else you go. What the portal giveth, it can also taketh away. 

 

Follow us on Twitter @jazzsantana and @5ReasonsSports for all your Miami Hurricanes news.

 

Check out the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive insider content.

 

Go Canes! Read more

Manny Diaz leading the culture change

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On December 30, 2018 the Hurricane program was flipped on top of its head.

The head coach, Mark Richt, retired abruptly after 3 seasons and a 26-13 record. The 2018 season of his tenure was very dark, coming off a 10-3 season the previous year.

The Hurricanes had high expectations that they could not meet. Many factors went into this such as; bad QB play, the offensive coordinator’s play calling was terrible, and the team stopped believing in Mark Richt.

Miami then turned to Manny Diaz 18 days after he had taken a head coach job at Temple. The job Diaz has done is already exceeding expectations. He’s bringing back the Miami culture and has rejuvenated it.

The main reason why is because Manny Diaz understands what it takes to coach the Hurricanes. It is by far one the hardest jobs. It comes with many expectations, as well as distractions for the players who go to the University Of Miami. Diaz has brought new energy, swagger, and belief in the program, hence his hashtag in recruiting #TNM ( The New Miami) .

Players committing left and right shows that they believe in the Diaz culture in Miami. This is a real turnaround that brings back the Miami Hurricanes every fan loved in the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s. I think Miami has the right guy, a young coach with energy.

Most importantly he understands the Miami culture, because he’s born and raised here. He also went to the U so it’s  a match made in heaven in my opinion. Hurricane fans gear up and watch Manny Diaz culture change. Let him work his magic through the good and bad during his coaching tenure.

Miami Hurricanes – Is Offensive Line Biggest Question Mark?

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It has been an exciting and clarifying week for the Miami Hurricanes football team.

Thankfully the clarification has kept Hurricanes social media, especially Twitter, in mid-season form.

 

Manny Diaz named Jarren Williams the starting quarterback on Monday to much celebration and debate.

Now that QB1 is finally out of the way, the focus shifts back to other position battles.

Hopefully offensive line coach Butch Barry can find the right formula before August 24th. Barry is in his first year in Miami after being on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff last year.

With the regular season set to open in less than two weeks, an important group is still coming into focus.

 

The once dominant offensive line at Miami has been mired with inconsistency for several years it seems.

Plenty of talent has been available, but cohesiveness and stability in the group has been an issue.

Corey Gaynor will be the starting center and developing chemistry with Williams will be crucial.

Gaynor improved as last year progressed and hopefully the redshirt sophomore can continue to grow and anchor the line.

Donaldson Moving Left?

Navaughn Donaldson impressed in 2018 and was asked to do a lot by the previous coaching staff.

He showed versatility as he started multiple games at both right guard and right tackle.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and listed at 345 pounds, he helped lead many massive gains on the ground last year.

His strong work continued in pass protection as well and Miami was better in the six games he started at right tackle to start the campaign.

Donaldson’s ability and willingness to shift along the line gave him valuable experience and he will need to be a force inside again this season.

He may end up at left guard which will be important since the blind side spot is still a question mark. The former freshman All-American is perhaps the most talented of the group.

Shuffling Deck Continues

Left tackle is an interesting spot to predict to say the least.

Freshman Zion Nelson from Sumter, SC has put himself in the mix for a starting role.

After putting on over 50 pounds, Nelson has transformed from a low rated prospect to a contender for the most important spot on the line.

His path to the Miami Hurricanes program was not direct, only a last minute de-commit from Appalachian State sent him to Coral Gables.

The fact he is in consideration for starting left tackle shows his dedication and ability.

Nelson will have to hold off Tommy Kennedy, Jr., a redshirt senior grad transfer from Butler University.

Kennedy signed with the Hurricanes in December, 2018 and was at the time projected to be the future starter at left tackle.

However after a lackluster spring his role is uncertain.

The step up in competition may be a factor for Kennedy.

Need the Right fit for Right Side

On the right side of the line the tackle spot there is also a question. Kai-Leon Herbert and John Campbell have both been getting reps with the ones.

Campbell, a redshirt freshman, was a highly rated recruit from Orlando and is listed at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds. He appeared in four games last year for the Hurricanes.

Herbert is a redshirt sophomore who played at American Heritage in Plantation. A consensus four-star prospect out of high school, the former Michigan commit changed course. He could slot in as a swing tackle or backup at the guard spot as well.

Cleveland Reed is another to watch in the guard race, the 6-foot-3, 313 pound bruiser was another highly coveted prospect out of Fort Meade, Florida. He had offers from top programs such as Clemson and Ohio State.

Scaife Adds More Versatility

Rounding out the candidates on the right side is sophomore DJ Scaife. Like Donaldson, Scaife played extensively at both guard and tackle in the 2018 season as a freshman. He projects more as a natural tackle which would allow Reed or Herbert to drop inside to guard.

Scaife was the starting right tackle in the Pinstripe Bowl and is the frontrunner to hold down that spot again this season. Given the lack of experience at other interior positions his versatility may be needed as the season wears on.

 

Predicted Week Zero Offensive Line

LT: Nelson

LG: Donaldson

C: Gaynor

RG: Reed

RT: Scaife

 

The Hurricanes really struggled to score points last year.

It will be imperative that Barry and OC Dan Enos get this talented group to be a cohesive unit. Especially with an inexperienced quarterback under center.

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

Check out the 5 Rings Canes podcast for exclusive insider content.

It’s all about The U!!!

 

Dolphins-Buccaneers Joint Practice Notes DAY 2

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DAY 2

– LB Terrill Hanks comes off limping. Looks headed to the locker room. Something happened during warmup.
– Devante Parker and Kenyan Drake have been added to list of non-practicing players today.
– Hanks back out during stretch. No locker room.
– Fitzpatrick working with the 2nd stringers during warmup. We’ve moved back outside for whatever reason.
– Second string OL still Prince at RT, Fuller RG, Reed C, Holden LG, Sterup LT
– Orchard back with the 2nd string during warmup. Couldn’t see if Ledbetter was with him. That seemed rotational yesterday, anyway.
– Patrick Graham running some drills for the DEs.
– Charles Harris just shed the sled dummy so hard it almost hit Graham, “Oh damn Charles, you can throw it at me I’ll take it.”
– Perriman beats McTyer in 1v1.
– Godwin beats Xavien Howard in the end zone.
– Jomal Wiltz gets a win, Jalen Davis gets a win, overall, brutal 1v1 session.
– Kenny Stills and Fitzpatrick connecting with each other on 2nd unit.
– BIIIIIG run Ballage. Showed hella speed making that angle disappear. TD
– Preston Williams as gunner on punts. Defeated by the double.
– Preston up again as a gunner. Much better. But not as competitive as Armstrong or Wiltz.
– Headed inside. Monsoon breaks out, outside.
– Jesse Davis with a pretty good rep on Nassib.
– Jaryd Jones-Smith with a good rep as well.
– Isaiah Prince is responding today.
– Pit drill goes the Fins way today.
– Jaryd Jones-Smith is getting work in place of Jordan Mills at LT on 1st unit.
– Mike Evans a TD over Eric Rowe.
– Irwin open in the end zone. Fitz missed him.
– Preston Williams back on punt returns now. Why not?
– Preston Williams finally flubbed a punt return. Not bad for first try.
– First string defense stuffs the Bucs offense while the first string Miami offense nicely executed three in a row. Short pass to Ford, Ballage gain, and a tough catch thru a hard hit by Hurns.
– Rosen’s first string work was very decisive. Quick reads. Quick throws. Sharp.
– Bullet over the deep middle to Isaiah Ford by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
– Nick DeLuca with the pick.
– Kalen Ballage takes a RB screen to the house. He plays and looks fast.
– Jaryd Jones- Smith remains with 1st team.
– Chris Lammons still with the 1s. The first string D just allowed a huge in to the perimeter. – Rosen hesitated on a pass to Stills, not on the same page.
– Ryan Fitzpatrick a nice tall one for Brice Butler. Looks good running those square ins.
– Rosen failed to pull the trigger on a rollout last snap of goal line, first string work. Stills was open for a beat. He knew it.
– Jerome Baker breaks up a 50:50 ball in the end zone.
– Preston Williams al.ost makes a highlight catch on a fade in End Zone by Fitzpatrick. Had it. Couldn’t finish.
– Tweet: One of the biggest storylines here is Jaryd Jones-Smith stabilizing the line somewhat by stepping in for Jordan Mills at LT.
– Anthony Johnson of the Bucs just finished up team portion by catching a touchdown over the middle with Torry McTyer in trail.
– Rosen all day to throw. Took too long and threw a near pick trying to get it to Preston Williams.
– Mike Evans with a big catch over Xavien Howard that could’ve put him in the end zone.
– Touchdown to OJ Howard. Over Bobby McCain.
– Ryan Fitzpatrick just barely overthrows Brice Butler on a deep ball.
– Trent Irwin couldn’t get much separation on Sean Bunting there. Ran an out and Fitzpatrick threw it just wide.
– They just ran the same thing. This time connected. Other side of the field.
– Fitzpatrick begins to cook in the hurry up, Flag down. Walks them back.
– Fitzpatrick another no look pass to Nick O’Leary off the scramble. Big play. Big conversion.
– Aaron Monteiro let up a sack on 2nd down. That’ll hurt.
– Fitzpatrick getting a free play with 0:00 on the clock. Hail Mary. Incomplete.
– Fitzmagic pulls one out of his hat by finishing scrimmage with a bullet to Trenton Irwin just over the goal line. Fit between so many defenders the ball looked like it apparated.
– Nick DeLuca has sacks two practices in a row out here. And a pick. He’s got something.
– Cornell Armstrong saw that the whole way, breaks up and nearly picks off a pass in the end zone on the out.
– Rosen appears to get whistled for a sack and didn’t like it. Hurried into next play and holds ball forever. Finally dumps to Ballage.
– Minkah Fitzpatrick steps in front of a pass for the pickoff. Jerome Baker nearly got there on the speed rush.
– Practice Over

Practice MVP’s: Jaryd Jones-Smith, Kalen Ballage.

Chris Kouffman (@ckparrot) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Jordan Yamamoto learning from losing

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Jordan Yamamoto became the second member of the Miami Marlins’ return package from the Christian Yellich trade and got to a hot start. He became the third starting pitcher in franchise history to begin his career with at least four consecutive victories, joining Livan Hernandez (9-0 in 1997) and Anibal Sanchez (4-0 in 2006).

Then he faced the Los Angeles Dodgers and everything changed.

After wining a home series against the San Diego Padres, the Marlins traveled to Los Angeles with Yamamoto toeing the rubber on July 21. The rookie run face first into the buzzsaw that is the two-time defending National League champions and allowed five runs in four innings, including two of the Dodgers’ three home runs.

That started a five start slump in which he has gone 0-4 with an 8.28 ERA. Against the Dodgers on Tuesday he lasted five innings but only got two strikeouts and gave up four runs including back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, leading to a 15-1 disaster of a series opener at Marlins Park.

“The Dodgers are a great lineup,” Yamamoto said. “Everybody knows that. But at the end of the day, it’s kind of a good test for all of us pitchers here and the whole team, just in general. At the end of the day, they’re a playoff team. We’re trying to get to that point where people look at us and are like, ‘They’re a playoff team.’”

Home runs have been his main downfall, as he has allowed eight during that five-game stretch. Being a rookie, the rough stretch was bound to happened and during a rebuilding year in which the postseason is not in reach, learning from losing is a vital part of taking the next step.

“It’s always a learning experience, from losing,” Yamamoto said after making his 11th big league start. “It [stinks] to lose. But at the same time, you still learn a lot about yourself and your team in those hard times.”

“I think Jordan actually was OK,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “I feel like, actually, his last three have been good. He was aggressive.”

In the midst of losing, Yamamoto is at least winning the respect of those who beat him.

“Yamamoto, I think this kid has got some good stuff,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He can pitch, but we got to him. Credit to our guys.”

Homer happy Dodgers dominate Marlins

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The Los Angeles Dodgers entered Miami needing one more win to reach the 80-win mark.

They reached that bench mark by unloading a barrage of bombs to fry the Miami Marlins 15-1 on Tuesday.

The Dodgers added to their National League leading home run total with six homers. Los Angeles also has the highest winning percentage with a home run in the National League at .731.

“It was as good a night as we’ve had all year, and that’s saying a lot,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Just a relentless approach.”

Will Smith hit two home runs, one in the fourth inning right after Corey Seager hit his 10th of the season and another in the sixth inning. Since being given the starting catcher role on July 27, the rookie catcher has knocked in a hit in 11 of 14 games, going 16-for-45 (.356) with 10 runs, seven doubles, six homers and 20 RBIs in his second big league stint.

“It’s special to be here,” Smith said. “It’s a special team. Eighty wins already, but we’re trying to work for those last couple wins at the end of the year.”

“He’s taken it and run,” Roberts said. “He really has. Most importantly, behind the plate and his relationship with the pitchers, with [pitching coach Rick Honeycutt] as far as gameplanning. Just in the batter’s box, he’s really continued what he did in Triple-A. To see that maturity, the confidence, it’s very rare, especially when you’re playing with a team that is trying to win a championship. For him, it just makes us that much better.”

Cody Bellinger also tied a career high with his 39th home run when he and Justin Turner teed off Wei-Yin Chen back-to-back in the seventh inning.

“Everyone wants to be great on this team,” Bellinger said. “That’s what we’re showing.”

The Marlins have given up 13 extra-base hits, the most in club history. Miami has also given up a home run in 15 straight games.

“It doesn’t feel good,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, “but it’s just one game.”

Dolphins offensive line

Dolphins offensive line in desperate need of improvement

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The Miami Dolphins offensive line seems to be in eternal purgatory. Year after year, coach after coach, the one constant is the Dolphins offensive line failing to protect quarterbacks or open holes for running backs. Numerous first round picks, expensive free agents, all for naught. The Dolphins offensive line can’t get it together no matter who they acquire or what they do.

Surely there’s some secret, some reason for Miami’s inability to field a strong offensive line. Is it the scheme? Is it bad drafting? Michael Deiter, is the Dolphins 2019 third round pick. He’s supposed to be a solid guard. So far, however, he’s struggling to keep up with the speed of the NFL. He has moments where he looks solid, and then falls on his face. Obviously, it’s still very early, and Miami will continue to develop Deiter throughout the season.

And the Dolphins seem willing to be patient.

“I think every experience they have is a good one.” head coach Brian Flores said of Deiter and fellow rookie guard Shaq Calhoun. “Every time they see over, under, diamond, odd, double mug, mug in the b-gaps – every time they see that, it’s a good experience for them and one that they can hopefully learn from and then the next time that it comes up, they know how to handle it. I think these situations for those guys, specifically the young guys, but really the entire line working as a group, this is good.”

Tuesday’s joint training camp practice acted as a learning experience for the entire Dolphins offensive line. Tampa Bay’s defensive line is solid, and features a familiar (and just as hard to face) individual in veteran defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

“He was doing Suh things.” Dolphins left tackle Laremy Tunsil said. “Everybody knows what Suh does.”

What Suh does is not hold back. He pulls no punches. Suh went after the young guards, giving them hell and showing them what it means to face an elite lineman.

“He’s a very good player, and I’m sure he’s got even more in the tank at times.” Deiter said. “Just having the opportunity, like the first snap, I look up and Ndamukong Suh’s standing there. It was kinda like, ‘that’s Ndamukong Suh. Are we sure that we’re ready to do this?’ It’s still football, he’s blockable, but he’s really, really good.”

Deiter admits that he feels he did some things well, but there were also a lot of things he did really bad. There’s still a lot he needs to clean up, and that’s going to take time. That also goes for the entire Dolphins offensive line. They need to be physical, like coach Flores wants of his team. That’s the entire point behind them adding a fullback to the roster, and the offensive line needs to be embody that philosophy.

“Just keep working. That’s the main thing.” Tunsil said. “It’s all new guys up there. People are playing different positions – Jesse (Davis) at right tackle, then we’ve got two rookies in there. Just keep improving and we’re going to come together as one. We’re going to watch this film later in the afternoon and get it down, improve our technique, improve our fundamentals and keep working.”

That’s all well and good, but the fact remains that the Dolphins offensive line can’t find a way to handle the basics of blocking. Offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo got so fed up with rookie right tackle Isaiah Prince that he forced the longtime Ohio State starter to stand in a corner for ten minutes. How bad do you have to be to get put in timeout by your coach?

“He’s a fiery, high-energy coach.” Flores said of DeGuglielmo. “I think we have a lot of coaches on this staff with that temperament. He, like myself, gets worked up at times. I think we all do for good and bad plays. That’s a good thing. We’re trying to stay on them, on the players. We try to help them improve and get better. Really, that’s on a play-to-play basis. I love hearing ‘Guge’ out there coaching his guys.

Miami wants to develop these young players. They want them to succeed in 2019. Success now means greater success in 2020, when the Dolphins actually start pushing hard again. Rumors of a trade for pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney (unfounded rumors) have fans excited. Trading for him would be a waste of draft capital, but he would be a huge free agent splash in 2020. The Dolphins will have the cap space to sign him too.

But if the offensive line doesn’t get its act together soon, all pretenses of not trying to tank go out the window. If Miami is serious about wanting to try and win every game, which coach Flores swears up and down they are, the line must improve.