Mike McDaniel September 9 Takeaways

Checking out the key points of Mike McDaniel's media session before Miami Dolphins practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex

Head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the media before the Miami Dolphins headed out to practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Friday.

Here were the highlights from McDaniel's press conference:

-- First question deals with Liam Eichenberg and what qualities McDaniel saw in him to put at left guard, and McDaniel says the 49ers had targeted him when he was there and had targeted him as a guard. Eichenberg, of course, started at guard last season for the Dolphins before moving to left tackle. Where he would fit as an NFL player was a topic of conversation heading into the 2021 draft. McDaniel said he and his staff had a gut feeling about Eichenberg belonging at guard based on his college tape.

-- McDaniel says the fact there was practically no movement along the starting offensive line comes from the fact the coaches had a gut feeling about where each player belonged and the players then proved them right and earned those jobs.

-- When it comes to injuries, McDaniel has been tight-lipped since becoming Dolphins head coach and that applies with Eric Rowe and Andrew Van Ginkel, who he says we can assume will be limited but declines to reveal anything further. The reality is the official injury report with a game status designation will come out later Friday, so the idea of "competitive advantage" seems overblown when we're talking about revealing information we'll find out in a few hours.

-- McDaniel reveals something popped up with Raekwon Davis at practice Thursday and suggested the Dolphins wouldn't use him in the game if he wasn't right, which certainly seems to make sense.

-- Asked whether he wants to go into a game with a specific run-pass ratio, McDaniel suggests it comes down more to game circumstances. He does say he ideally would like to get mid-20 to 30 runs, but you also can't force that to happen.

-- With kickoff now just two days away, McDaniel is asked whether he's allowed himself to think about what it's going to be like Sunday for his first game as an NFL head coach and he says he did that during the couple of days off around Labor Day weekend. Adds that the focus now, though, is strictly on the work immediately at hand.

-- McDaniel says there are always only two teams he worries about, the Miami Dolphins and the opponent they're about to face.