Tua Tagovailoa on McDaniel: “I’ve never been around a coach like this”

Tua Tagovailoa is coming out of his shell a bit and the Miami Dolphins can thank head coach Mike McDaniel for making it happen.

Tua spoke with the media following practice on Thursday and was asked several questions about his performance and his new head coach. Tua said that McDaniel will just “pop in” when Tua is lifting weights or walking down the hall or even in a meeting room. Tua says that McDaniel is making a concerted effort to bring him out of his shell.

Tua told the media that it is very different for him. That he has never had a coach like this before. He said that his father was always tough on him as was his high school coach and of course Nick Saban at Alabama. As for Brian Flores? Well, we all know what that had to have been like.

The comments came up because Tua was asked about his practice performances and he responded that he has been pretty hard on himself about pre-snap lineups to other issues as they begin to form McDaniel’s system. Tua said that McDaniel will tell him that “It will be o.k. that it is only May and June”.

Tua will get better in the system as the system itself forms and the players get on the same page. It isn’t easy to do through OTAs and mini-camps when there are no pads and most of the meetings are class and film work.

For Tua, it’s a step in the right direction. He knows about the ambient noise that surrounds him. The Dolphins’ communications staff, according to Tua, keep him abreast of what is being said about him in the media. While he doesn’t appreciate them telling him, they let him know so he can be prepared to deal with the media.

Overall there is a lot to learn and it is far more important that Tua learns the reads, the routes, the pre-snap motions, and alignment rather than worry about hitting Tyreek Hill in stride deep down the field. At least for now, in June.