Dolphins Have A Winner In Up-And-Coming Head Coach Adam Gase
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – It's been a long time since Miami Dolphins fans have felt this confident in their head coach.
Adam Gase is one of only three coaches in the NFL under the age of 40.
Despite his age, Gase has quickly become established as a brilliant young mind among NFL coaches.
In his first season with the Dolphins, Gase led the team to it's first playoff berth since 2008.
Now the team has high expectations for the present and the future and there's a big reason players are confident about reaching lofty goals this season. It's their head coach.
In just one season he won them over with his football know-how and sense of fairness.
So now in year two hopes his team reaps an even bigger reward.
Gase recently sat down with CBS4 Sports Anchor Jim Berry for a one-on-one interview.
Jim Berry- So when you look at this team, and if someone were to ask you what is the personality of the 2017 Miami Dolphins, what is your answer?
Adam Gase- I think there's a few traits that I see right away, and some of it is a carryover, but I see you're more mature team. I do see a relentless team, I see the team that just no matter what happens when adversity hits they don't give up and I witnessed it firsthand where you're starting quarterback goes down and knocked the wind out of everybody that day. I don't think I've ever heard our practice be more quiet than what it was that day. I mean you could hear a pin drop. There just wasn't a lot of talking. Just very awkward for football practice and the next day we came out and it was our best practice of the year.
JB- Jay Cutler said that you guys hit it off right away. That's because your personalities are so similar which made me wonder that if the role was reversed, what kind of quarterback would you be?
AG- I'd be not as athletic as what we have in our building currently. You know it's we do have very similar personalities and think that the Jay Cutler that's perceived and in the public through the national media, it's a little different than what I experienced over the last 11 years 12 years and you know he's always been good. When I have been around him we had a great year I saw guy that changed from the time he was 24 to all of sudden he was in his 30's. Now him being kinda that mid-30's range, you know it's a different guy.
JB- Going back to OTA's, when we talk to Jarvis [Landry], talk to Ndamukong [Suh], and the first thing out of their mouth is, "we are not afraid of the Patriots." Jarvis says "we are going to sweep the Patriots." It's like they had a New England obsession. You think that's a healthy thing?
AG- I think a lot of times when they are asked that question, they try to answer honestly. When everyone focuses on that game, they are going to answer the question They are not going to shy away from it. I encourage our guys to focus on what we are doing right now, that's the biggest thing for us. Really, we have a long way before we get to that point because we play them so late in the season.
JB- But do you like the fact that your guys set a higher standard?
AG- It's very encouraging when you come into to a season and guys are not resting on what happened the year before and they really embraced with how we have been talking about its starting over and nobody cares what you did last year.