USA TODAY International Edition
Consistency key for Ajayi
DAVIE, FLA. There were times last season when Jay Ajayi was unstoppable. Historic, even.
While that was nice, the Miami Dolphins running back has a different goal this season: consistency.
“This is an important year for me to show that what I did last year I can continue to do and even exceed that,” Ajayi told USA TODAY Sports.
The Miami Dolphins running back was the fourth back in league history in rushing for more than 200 yards in a game three times, including in back- toback games in October.
But in other games Ajayi was hard to find, such as the season opener at the Seattle Seahawks, when he was absent, having been left home in South Florida as punishment from coach Adam Gase, or eight other games when he had fewer than 60 rushing yards.
Record numbers would be nice, but dependability and more 100- yard games would be even more valuable.
“I’m trying to get to that next level of knowledge, things like landmarks on routes and different plays. Knowing those little things will help me not have to think as much and be instinctual,” Ajayi said.
For the first time in his threeyear career, Ajayi has started training camp with a defined role as the No. 1 tailback, a role he earned after rushing for 1,272 yards and eight touchdowns last year.
He said his place atop the depth chart wouldn’t make him complacent — especially given Gase’s history of benching underperforming starters, including cornerback Byron Maxwell last season, and Ajayi’s Week 1 punishment last year — but said not competing for snaps has allowed him to take a different approach this preseason.
It also is allowing him to show Gase he is ready for a bigger role in the passing game. Ajayi had 27 receptions last season. Miami’s offense ranked 25th in thirddown conversion percentage, and Ajayi thinks he could play a big role in improving that ranking and helping quarterback Ryan Tannehill sustain longer drives.
“Then just my consistency without the ball, with my fakes, protecting the quarterback and catching the football,” Ajayi said. “Being a guy that is versatile. I’ve done that before in my career ( in college at Boise State), and I want to prove that I can do it again at this level.”