Miami Dolphins camp continues to focus on conditioning and discipline
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are back in pads today once again for day four of training camp and the focus of conditioning and discipline continues.
According to just about everyone in attendance at today’s training camp, running, running, and more running has been a focus today. Brian Flores has said that he wants a well-conditioned and well-disciplined team and he is making sure that happens.
While players are still being interchanged with first and second-team units, one common theme through the first four days is continuing to be consistent. This coaching staff does not want a bunch of players going through the motion. They want players that will be ready to handle the rigors of Sunday football.
The TNT wall, “Takes no Talent”, has been run to and touched as Flores and his staff work on discipline. Make a mistake, run to the wall. The idea is simple, you don’t need to be a top talent to make an impact. Considering you have to have the talent to be where you are at right now, that makes sense. This, however, is not another one of those “motivational” signs that have popped up over the years. This one serves a purpose.
It’s discipline and conditioning.
Flores has his team working hard on the fundamentals which we talked about yesterday and he is working in his playbooks and schemes. Through all of this, he is identifying the players that want to be there and those that are going through the motions. Bobby McCain said he hasn’t been in a camp that has run this much. That is a good thing.
Running doesn’t equal winning but if Flores wants to get the minds of his players on the same page, then he has to achieve what other coaches previously could not. Dave Hyde of the Sun-Sentinel wrote about this earlier. His article is behind a pay-wall but is worth the read if you have access or are under your free per-article allotment.
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In a nutshell that doesn’t do the article justice, Hyde talks about the team being on time and the importance of that self-discipline. Something he notes was missing through the Adam Gase and Joe Philbin years.
The Dolphins need to do something different and that means more than just running a fullback in the I-formation or which receiver is running slot routes and what running back is taking first-team reps. It is about the team and that is the focus that so far has been consistent through the first week of practice.
Flores is setting the tone and his coaches are following. On Saturday, rookie DT Christian Wilkins made a great play but never finished it. DC Patrick Graham gave him an earful. This is the focus that the Dolphins are bringing in 2019.
Knowing that Flores is paying attention to the bigger details and not so much about the gum wrappers is refreshing and while it may not translate to the field this year, it is setting the tone about how Flores will coach. It is a Don Shula type of camp and that is a nice change to see. Hopefully, it will indeed translate to Sundays.