Dolphins Coach Adam Gase Rips Players for Not Studying

“If you can’t remember it you should be in the NFL,” Adam Gase said after the Dolphins’ 40–0 loss.

A visibly frustrated Adam Gase addressed the media Friday after the Dolphins’ humiliating 40–0 loss to the Ravens and repeatedly expressed displeasure with his players’ preparation habits. 

“I don’t think it’s a retaining information thing,” Gase said. “It’s we’re not putting the work in. That’s what it comes down to. If you can’t remember it you shouldn’t be in the NFL.”

Gase said players are not putting in enough time learning their assignments on their own and are attempting to absorb the information only in team meetings. The result is an offense that looks lost. 

Gase wasn’t as disappointed with the offensive line but “you’ve got to get the other guys to know what to do.”

“The running backs, we never blocked the right guy,” Gase said. He continued to harp on the poor play of his running backs, saying they have to “stop trying to hit home runs all the time.”

“How about take the four or five yards you’re going to get?” Gase said. “It comes down to everybody doing their job. If we start doing that, it might help. That’s on the running back. Do your job. It’s not hard.”

The problems with players not studying have persisted throughout Gase’s two seasons with Miami, he said, and he’s “fed up with it.”

By yards per game and yards per play, the Dolphins are the worst team in the NFL—and by a significant margin. They’re averaging 4.1 yards per play (0.3 yards worse than the Ravens) and 252.4 yards per game (27.4 yards behind Baltimore). In Thursday’s game, albeit without quarterback Jay Cutler, Miami managed just 196 yards of total offense and averaged just 2.3 yards per carry.  

“I’m pissed,” Gase said. “I’m tired of this. I’m tired of the offense being awful.”

The problem does not extend to the defensive side of the ball, Gase said, but he warned that the offensive struggles won’t end unless the players take more time to learn the plays. 

“It’s not on defense,” Gase said. “Defense is fine. Special teams we seem to be alright. ... Offensively, it’s a joke. You’ve got too many guys that don’t want to take it home with them. Until our best players actually put forth some effort, it’ll be s---.”