Dolphins Head Coach Cam Cameron provides a regular column for MiamiDolphins.com giving Dol-Fans a unique behind-the-scenes look at the team. This week, Cameron answers fans questions.
In addition, Coach Cameron will occasionally answer questions from Dolphins fans in his column on Miamidolphins.com. Please click "Ask the Coach" to submit your questions.
September 18, 2007
Q. Coach: I’ve recently been made aware of the tremendously long hours you put in during the season. During the few hours when you don’t work or sleep, how do you unwind?
Matty Vincent
Amelia Island, FL
Cam Cameron: I really challenge my staff to be thorough and efficient in the time they have because, at some point, you need rest. Most of us have wives and families we raise and we need to respect that. I don’t really have ridiculous hours in my mind. However, I do always have a quiet time every morning where I spend time by myself for about 30 minutes. I also do that at night. Other than that, I try to spend as much time with my family as possible.
Q. Coach: How long do you have to give the play to the quarterback through his headset and when it shuts off, is there a way to signal in additional information?
Bob Levy
Roanoke, Va.
CC: My goal is always to get the call in to the quarterback with at least 24 seconds left on the 40-second clock. By the time he breaks the huddle, he should be at the line with at least 12 to 14 seconds left. As long as I get my call in about 16 seconds, I know the quarterback will always get the play on time. Then we have hand signals if we need to get him more information. We don’t have wrist bands any more. If we need to, though, we can also just holler the play in.
Q. Coach: I was intrigued by how Denver beat Buffalo last week with the offense running off the field and the kicking team running on the field with the clock running. It looked like a fire drill. Do you practice this and how long much time do you need on the clock to work that switch?
Mark Rogers
Miami, FL
CC: Absolutely, we practice this. We do it all the time. We call it run-on field goal. Eight seconds would be the limit, but that would be very difficult and everything has to happen just right to make it work in that short of time.
Q. Coach, I live in Puerto Rico and I’m a huge Dolphins fan. Are you aware of the numbers of Dolphins fans around the world and how so many of us live for the day the Dolphins return to the playoffs?
Mario Rodriquez
San Juan, Puerto Rico
CC: Yes, I’m very aware of it. I spent time in Europe this off season with Wayne Huizenga and Bryan Wiedmeier and Jason Taylor and I saw it there. I know we have a tremendous fan base all over the world. We just appreciate your support and we know you are there.
Q. Are we going to continue to see you take a lot of fourth down gambles and how much of those are just gut feelings?
Sid Andrews
Atlanta, Ga.
CC: You don’t want to get carried away or feel like you create an expectation to where you have to do that. It really comes down to the match up of the team you’re playing. There is a little bit of a gut feeling, but at the same time you have to feel like it’s a play that has a realistic chance of working. That usually relates to the match up, scheme-wise and personnel wise and then you just take a calculated risk.
Q. Coach: You had 23 new players on the opening day roster this year. Did you come in anticipating that kind of turnover or did it just evolve that way?
Wally Carlysle
Plantation, FL
CC: Looking back at some of the places I’ve been, my experience is that there wasn’t enough turnover right away. I know any time you are brought into a new situation where they haven’t won as much as they’d like, you need to make changes. Now, you need to make change as part of an evaluation process. You don’t make change just to make change and the changes we made here are for people that we think can help our locker room and help elevate our play on the field. So the bottom line here: Change was going to be made.
Q. I’m intrigued by the fake reverses you run. Do you do this to set up a real reverse or to take one of the linebackers out of the play?
Lillian Rodgers
Jacksonville, FL
CC: Both.
Q. Coach: I noticed that the Dolphins called “heads” at the start of the game against Washington and “tails” at the start of overtime. Is this your call or how do you determine how this is handled?
Barbara Fisher
Long Island, N.Y.
CC: I leave that up to the captains. They say tails never fails, but who knows?
Q. Coach, I know you often took advantage of LaDainian Tomlinson’s passing ability in San Diego. Did you find out in training camp which of your position players can throw the ball and is this something you are reluctant to do because it takes the ball out of the quarterback’s hands?
Bill Jones
Coral Gables
CC: In no way are we reluctant to do it. We have a number of guys who can throw the ball. A lot of these guys were high school or college quarterbacks. Marty Booker, for example. However, LaDainian is a pinpoint passer. Every time he throws it, it’s right on the money. And he’s a great decision maker so you never second-guess yourself. We’ll have some guys we can utilize in that way. I’ve got to learn to trust some guys to do it. You never want to call that play just to be clever.
Q. The Dolphins have had more head coaches in the last seven years than in the previous 33 years combined. Can you please ease our fears and tell us that you are planning to stay here for a long time?
Wanda Zeller
Coral Gables, FL
CC: As we all grow together and get to know each other, I’m getting to know our fans and everyone here with the Dolphins. I made some statements early on about the priviledge of being the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and I take that very seriously. My statement then is the same as my statement now: My goal is to be here one year longer than Don Shula, and I’m not backing off on that.
Q. Coach: Of the qualities that Trent Green possesses, what is the one quality that you feel is most important to his success and why?
Geoff Marrow
Orlando, FL
CC: For our team, it’s leadership. Along with leadership, it’s poise. That’s what our offense needs. We have some young guys out there, especially up front. They need leadership and the quarterback position starts with leadership. Especially on the road in this league, you’ve got to have a guy with great poise and let it rub off on everybody else. Trent is that guy.
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