Dolphins head coach Nick Saban spoke with the New York media via conference call Wednesday afternoon. Saban, now in his second year in Miami, is in the midst of a quarterback shuffle.
Joey Harrington started last week against the Patriots after Saban sat Daunte Culpepper due to a lingering knee injury the Pro Bowler sustained last year with the Vikings.
"This is something that we're going to go on a day-to-day and a week-to-week basis, to try to see how he progresses," Saban said. "I think he's anxious to work hard to try to get back in this season and we certainly would love to have him back."
On the front seven and how they played the run…
We have a veteran group up front; we have some size. This is second year in this particular system and scheme, so I think they understand it a little bit better. Certainly, last week against New England, we played the run fairly well because we thought they were a pretty good running team. We've done a pretty good job in that regard for most of the year and it's because of the knowledge and experience that we have with that group.
On Joey Harrington starting because Daunte Culpepper is hurt…
Daunte's situation is what it is. The number of times that we got sacked and he got hit, I saw a guy was making tremendous progress to getting back to the player that he was and because of the hits I was afraid that he was not going to be able to sustain and probably get something else, more injured. We need to get his mobility better so he can have the kind of escapability that he once had, and be the kind of elusive player that he once was. It's as simple as that. We put him on a rehab program, as well as a practice, simulating a training program for football. He does participate in practice to try and get him a little better, a little stronger and a little more explosive in his quickness, initial moves and acceleration, which doesn't seem to be the same. He can run fine straight ahead and once he gets going. Those are things that we think he needs to continue to improve on and I think he agrees with that.
On the possibility that Daunte will not return this season…
I don't think anybody is ready to make those kinds of predictions about the future. This is something that we're going to go on a day-to-day and a week-to-week basis, to try to see how he progresses. I think he's anxious to work hard to try to get back in this season and we certainly would love to have him back. Daunte Culpepper being the Daunte Culpepper that he once was a player is certainly a guy that we'd love to have as our quarterback here.
On Ronnie Brown's season…
Ronnie has played extremely well for us, he hasn't had the production that he would deserve to have because we have struggled somewhat offensively to develop consistency running the football and being able to execute, even though I thought that we did a little better job last week at New England, not necessarily in running the ball but in being able to execute and do some things with some better timing and the offensive line protected a little better. We gave ourselves and the quarterback a chance. If we can create that kind of balance in our offense, it might help our running game as well and that would help Ronnie tremendously.
On Joey Harrington…
Joey is a guy that has 40 something starts in this league. He has arm talent and he's accurate. He's a smart guy, he's a good decision maker and he has a good understanding of what to do with the ball. Because of some of the quick passing game that we used last week, I think it was to him and to us and it took a little pressure off the offensive line.
On having to build Harrington's confidence up after his years in Detroit…
Joey's comments after our Buffalo game, when there was some disappointment shown by the way we played offensively by our fans and there were some chanting about Joey, his statement to the media showed what kind of leadership and some of the things that he learned by the experience. He said "I'm here to support the guy who is out there playing and we're going to do everything we can to make it work for him, because I've been in a situation like that before." He's actually matured and grown up because of that experience. He's been a really good leader on our team and handled thing extremely well here.
On Chad Pennington…
I'm from West Virginia, I've never played against him, but my step-dad is from Huntington and my mom and him went to a lot of Marshall games and they love Chad Pennington. I got a lot of reports, but I always watch West Virginia and Marshall to see how they're doing. I think Chad Pennington is an outstanding player, he's very accurate with the ball, and he makes smart decisions. We have a lot of respect for their receivers and they've done a good job of being productive and making big plays this year and he's done a really good job of managing the offense and throwing the ball in the right place. He's been through a lot, from an injury standpoint, trying to comeback last year, getting re-injured, and coming back this year. Even though we have to compete against him, it's good to see a guy that I know that's invested that much in it, have some success for his team and doing a good job from his team.
On what he saw in Coach Mangini that he offered him a position last season…
I didn't think there's any question about the fact that Scott Linehan who was our offensive coordinator last year, a guy we wanted to hire on offense and went to St. Louis as a head coach and is doing a well this year, and did an outstanding job for us last year, and Eric (Mangini), one year removed from when we wanted to bring him in here, certainly proved to be an outstanding coordinator with New England and they've had so much success there and now he's doing a really good job as a head coach. Eric is a really bright guy, he understands football, he's been in a great system for a long time with a great coach in Bill Belichick and obviously we both come from the same tree, root system, professionally and philosophically and I think he's done a really good job there.
On Coach Mangini being a gopher back in Cleveland…
I still get my own coffee, I don't even ask my secretary to get me coffee. I remember Eric being there, but I don't think he served me any coffee. We had some great guys there, him, Scott (Linehan), (Scott) Pioli, Schwartzy (Jim Schwartz), Phil Savage, I mean Bill could pick them now, I mean other then me he did a hell of a job picking them.
On Cedric Houston…
He's an outstanding player and a real asset to their team, if he's able to play, because he's a really good combination guy, he has a little bit of power, good vision as a runner and make you miss just enough and has enough speed to be dangerous. He's an outstanding player and I remember him the same way in college.
On it being dangerous in playing a team that got beaten badly the week before…
I don't think there's any question about that. I would say that I worry about and spend more time thinking about what our team needs to do, because really most games that we win and loss around really comes down to us and what we do and how we play and how we execute. When we get penalties for holding a guy we don't need to be holding when the ball could be first and one at the one and do stuff that we've done in games, when we execute pretty well, we have pretty good success. So it's more about what about what we do for our team and that what I'm focused on and that's what I try to get done for our players because what they're thinking, how they're preparing and what they're doing is certainly most important to how we play. We can't really control anything about how the other team plays. I just know that we have a lot of respect for the Jets as a team and we understand how sometimes you turn it over a couple of times early in the game and things get out of hand but that doesn't make you a team that's not capable. They really should have beat Indianapolis, probably, who's one of the best teams involved. That's the way it goes. Everybody is really evenly matched in this league, and you have to be ready to play every week and I know they'll be ready to play us.
On there being a sense of surprise at the 1-4 record…
We didn't do anything to create those expectations around here. You guys (the media) created most of them by what you said and did and what we did in the off-season and winning six games in a row last season. We have to earn those things, and we haven't played well enough to do that and I take responsibility for that. We need to get better; we need to be more consistent. It really doesn't matter where we are right now, what we're trying to focus on is where we want to go in the future and get things turned around because I think our team is more capable then what we've played in terms of success and the results that we've gotten.
On it being tough to get a new team to buy into your philosophy…
I think so, but I think that's the nature of the beast in professional sports. Guys, sometimes they want to buy, but I think its difficult for them to stay focused on it relative to all the things that are happening around them. It's not that they don't want to buy in; they just lose sight of what to do to buy in on a day-to-day basis, every week, every game, every practice. It is grueling for professional athletes, it's a long seasons, I think they want to do it and I think they have to be conditioned into it and I think that takes a little bit of time.
On why Coach Mangini's players in the past have bought into his philosophy…
Players ultimately respect you and do what you want them to do because of that respect that they have for your knowledge. Every player at any level respects someone who can help them play better and can enhance their chances of having a successful career. When guys are bright, good teachers, like Eric is, that's how they gain the respect of their players and that's how the players respond positively to them.
On whom Bill Belichick will be rooting for this week…
We're so far down and out, I would think us, but it's hard to say. Bill is a great friend and has done a tremendous job for a long time. He certainly taught me a lot and has been a real positive mentor to me and I certainly do appreciate it. You always want to do a good job when you play against a mentor like Bill. It was a tough game last week.
Wednesday Injury Report Jets
Questionable: FB B.J. Askew (foot), CB David Barrett (hip), WR Laveranues Coles (calf), RW Tim Dwight (thigh), RB Cedric Houston (knee), OL Pete Kendall (thigh) & OL Trey Teague (ankle)
Probable:*DL Dave Ball (hand), *RB Kevan Barlow (calf), *LB Matt Chatham (foot), *OL Anthony Clement (shin), *DL Bobby Hamilton (knee), *FB James Hodgins (knee), *OL Adrian Jones (thigh), *CB Justin Miller (hip), DL Rashad Moore (personal), *QB Chad Pennington (calf), *S Kerry Rhodes (thigh), *TE Sean Ryan (Chest), WR Brad Smith (thigh), *S Eric Smith (knee), & *DL Kimo von Oelhoffen (knee) & *RB Leon Washington (hip)
Dolphins Doubtful:WR Marty Booker (chest) & QB Daunte Culpepper (knee)
Questionable:CB Travis Daniels (knee), TE Justin Peelle (knee), & LB Derrick Pope (hamstring)
Probable:*TE Randy McMichael (ribs)
- Denotes players who participated in practice
