Former American Heritage, FAU kicker making noise in camp

DAVIE — Greg Joseph didn’t even start kicking a football until the end of his junior year at American Heritage High School.

Yet, there he was on Friday night, lining up for a 54-yard field goal for the Dolphins, in a preseason game at the Carolina Panthers.

Joseph had plenty of leg. And plenty of accuracy.

“It felt good coming off the foot,” Joseph said Sunday. “It’s awesome. It’s a pretty surreal feeling.”

Joseph moved to Boca Raton from Johannesburg, South Africa at the age of 7. Watch the NFL? Sure, a bit.

“But I’ve really been a fan of Manchester United my whole life,” he said.

Joseph is an undrafted free agent who stood out at Florida Atlantic, and he’s hanging in a competition with seventh-round pick Jason Sanders.

“I’m competing against me,” Joseph said. “It doesn’t matter what Jason does. Obviously we’re both here for a reason. But at the end of the day it’s me vs. me. And I’m focused on what I can do to make myself better.”

Joseph has one advantage in the competition. He considers Cody Parkey a mentor.

Parkey, the Dolphins kicker last season and a Jupiter High graduate, and Joseph have trained together.

“Mindset advice,” Joseph said of his time with Parkey, a fan favorite who left via free agency for Chicago.

Joseph and Sanders are now sharing a locker. This is not uncommon for rookies during training camp and the preseason.

But Sanders, who seems quite serious and focused, was in no mood to joke about who is neater.

“No, no,” Sanders said. “You’re not going to bait me into any of that.”

All that will matter is who makes the most kicks, in the preseason and in practice. Sanders if 5-for-6 in the preseason, missing his 50+ opportunity.

Joseph is 2-for-2, connecting from 54 and 48.

“I’m going to take it as far as I can,” Joseph said. “Each time is still a cool experience. I’m not taking it for granted. I take it for what it is. I make sure to take it in. Take in the moment. Take a deep breath. These are awesome experiences. And memories I’ll never forget.”

Gore ready to play: Sitting out practices and preseason games is harder than it sounds. Running back Frank Gore, entering his 14th season, hasn’t enjoyed watching from the sideline even though he knows it’s for the best.

Gore was mostly an observer during offseason practices and didn’t play in either of the first two preseason games. Miami does not want him to take any unnecessary contact, and coach Adam Gase isn’t worried about him being rusty when he hits the season.

“Do I need to see him? I don’t,” Gase said when asked if he wants Gore in with the first-string offense Saturday against the Ravens. “But he’s driving me insane right now. ... I know he wants to go out there and do something.”

Gore is an anomaly among NFL running backs and still looks like an impact player at 35. In his 30s, he’s aver- aged 1,037.4 yards per season and 3.9 per attempt without missing a start. In Indianapolis last season, he ran for 961 yards and three touchdowns.

That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident, and he reluctantly acknowledges the value of preserving his body.

“It’s been tough this camp not getting the reps I’m used to getting,” he said. “I was the guy, but I know that I have to believe in my coaches and they feel that you get reps by watching, and when I do get my reps, I go 110 (percent) and that will help me out in the long run.”

If he plays Saturday in the third preseason game, it’ll be a major mile-marker for him. Gore grew up here and played at Coral Gables High School, then starred at the University of Miami. This would be his first time playing for a South Florida team since leaving the Hurricanes after the 2004 season.

“I’m going to be nervous; I’m going to be happy,” he said. “I’ll be out there with my teammates and it’ll be home and my first time live in my Dolphins uniform.”