Inside The Huskies

Fast-Starting Gaskin: 'I Have a Lot to Prove in this League'

The former University of Washington running back is drawing a lot of attention with the Miami Dolphins.

Dan Raley

Fast-Starting Gaskin: 'I Have a Lot to Prove in this League'
Fast-Starting Gaskin: 'I Have a Lot to Prove in this League' /

Myles Gaskin, following his second consecutive strong outing as a Miami Dolphins running back, was asked the requisite respect question: 

Has the league greatly underestimated you?

After all, his inquisitor pointed out, you finished as the 14th-leading rusher in NCAA history at the University of Washington.

Gaskin wouldn't take the bait. New league. Doesn't compare. 

"I have a lot to prove in this league," he said. "I don't think the second part of what you said has anything to do with anything else in college. College is college. I never even thought about college since I left college.

"But yeah, I've got a lot to prove to myself, to this team."

At the same time, Gaskin acknowledged in his post-game interview session that he's done some good things after leading the Dolphins in carries and rushing yards for each of the first two games. It's a matter of sharing.

"It feels good but it's running back by committee," he said. "I had some great runs. Jordan [Howard] got the touchdown. So I think it takes all of us week in and week out."

Gaskin now has nine NFL games on his resume. Against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, he rushed for 46 yards on 7 carries and rang up another 36 yards on 6 receptions in the 31-28 setback at home. He turned up on five series He's gone from the No. 3 tailback to the backup.

Even with 0-2 start, Gaskin, whose parents were at his game on Sunday, said there were positive signs with the Miami offense.

"Yeah, I think everybody took a step in the right direction," he said. "Obviously we need to do more as an offense converting all those big third downs. It takes everybody, but I think we took a step in the right direction getting better as an offense."

Finally, he was asked how does the Dolphins offense take the next step forward?

"Got to watch the film first before I can answer that question, but definitely just prepare, prepare, prepare for the next week and learn from the mistakes we did have," Gaskin said. "Just communicate as a team what plays we like, what plays we didn't, what plays we can get better at, such things like that."

As a second-year NFL player, he's sounding more and more like a veteran. 

What they should have asked Gaskin and didn't: Do you foresee becoming the starting running back any time soon?

You can follow Gaskin on Sports Illustrated's AllDolphins website at /nfl/dolphins/

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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