The Miami Dolphins are in the middle of their training camp, where the players are learning the techniques that the team’s new coaching staff would like them to use when they take the field for the first time in Week 1.
With Jeff Hafley taking over, the Dolphins secondary, which is almost completely new, will likely get some extra coaching points, as that’s where Hafley worked before rising up to defensive coordinator and now head coach.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Hafley actually revealed one trait of defensive backs that he hates to see.
“Yeah, I don’t ever want to stay blocked,” Hafley said. “If you ever show me a corner who’s engaged with the receiver and he’s letting that receiver block him and he stays blocked, that’s not okay with me. Like that drives me absolutely crazy because all that is, is toughness and a mentality that there’s no way a receiver is going to stay on me and block me. So you need to learn how to block release and leverage the ball and get to the ball.
“I think when you look at a football team in general, the way I view a defense is when I turn on the tape, whether it’s our team or another team, if the corners are physical and they’re tackling, it’s usually a pretty tough team. It’s like when I watch wide receivers, if I’m watching a tape and wide receivers are blocking down the field and they’re getting after DBs and linebackers and defensive ends, it’s usually a sign that’s a pretty tough team. So corners who stay on blocks, that’s not okay with me”
Miami’s had some great tackles from the secondary in the past, and under Hafley, it appears that the whole group will have to play that way, or they won’t play at all. Luckily, it seems like they have plenty of guys who are looking to shed blocks and get to the ball.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley reveals CB trait that ‘drives him crazy’
Reporting by Mike Masala, Dolphins Wire / Dolphins Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Masala, Dolphins Wire | USA TODAY Network
