Dolphins coach Adam Gase has a revolutionary idea for minicamp
Football coaches crave practice time. If you read anything claiming this or that problem with the game is because training camp practices have been restricted a bit, odds are it's coming from an angry coach who feels the need to be on a practice field every waking moment.
That's why new Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase's approach to rookie minicamp is really interesting. There won't be any practice.
Instead of getting on the field, as all other teams do, the new Dolphins will be in a classroom setting learning everything from schemes to nutrition, Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero reported. They won't go out on the field to practice any plays, which must give some coaches the shakes.
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Instead, Salguero writes, the Dolphins will do "life labs" to teach players about things like nutrition, financial planning, sports science, and dealing with the media. They'll also learn football stuff too, they just won't be putting on helmets and practicing it on the field.
The reason seems to be that Gase understands that rookies who have been training for the draft and traveling to meet teams are already a bit worn down, so perhaps this will save them from from wearing out late in the season.
It's a smart idea, and it's surprising he and the Dolphins are going to do it. The NFL is a very conservative league that generally rejects any new ideas. The notion that less practice could be better will get mocked in some circles. But Gase's idea makes sense, and the rookies will probably appreciate the rest.
We'll see if the idea catches on outside Miami. Probably not. Coaches love practice too much for that.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
