Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Don’t ask Drake about his workload
Running back just wants role on in helping team to win
DAVIE — Under previous coach Adam Gase, Miami Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake’s workload would fluctuate from averaging 18 carries per game in the last five weeks of 2017 to having just 7.5 attempts per outing in 2018.
So as players look to determine what role new coach Brian Flores envisions for them during organized team activities — and how new offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea will utilize skill position players — Drake says he’s up for whatever the coaches decide is best for the team.
“That’s really up to them to decide,” said Drake. “I put myself in the best situation to help win games — so whether that’s catching the ball, whether that’s running the ball, whether that’s playing special teams, whatever they want me to do — that’s what I’m going to do.”
Drake, a third-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016, said on Tuesday, when pressed by reporters, that team success is more important to him than his workload or what his role will be this season.
“I would like to win a lot more games,” said Drake. “That’s my most important thing — whether I get the ball five times or 25 times, if we’re winning games, everybody’s going to get the accolades that they want.
“All in all, we went [7-9] last year and people had good stat seasons. I had over 1,000 [total] yards, almost double digits in touchdowns — you know, whoop-deedoo. We didn’t go to the playoffs.
We didn’t win enough games.”
The former Alabama standout rushed for 535 yards on 120 carries in 2018 (a 4.5 average) — all which were down from his sophomore season in 2017 — but he blossomed significantly as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Drake had 53 catches for 477 yards and five receiving touchdowns. In 2017, he caught 32 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown.
After 35-year-old Frank Gore, who is now with the Buffalo Bills, outrushed Drake last year in Gore’s lone season with the Dolphins, Drake is now the veteran of the running back corps.
Flores has taken notice of Drake early on.
“He has a lot of skill and he’s working hard and he’s doing a lot of the things we’re asking him to do,” Flores said. “I think he’s obviously athletic, good hands, fast, elusive. He’s a good player. Working with him has been good.”
Veteran center Daniel Kilgore believes the current coaching staff is helping Drake take the next step.
“He can take his game to another level,” Kilgore said. “I think this staff has really challenged Kenyan. I think he’s ready to come in and showcase what he can do and get better. He’s had a pretty good campaign so far, so hopefully he takes on that task even better.”
Drake said that while a lot of new wrinkles are getting installed in the offense, he looks to establish a work ethic that will transcend into the season.
“It’s May, so we’re not going to win any games today, but the things that we do right now is going to give us a platform that we need to launch ourselves into the season,” he said. “My work is going to speak for itself. The work that I put in on and off the field is going to equate to the success that I have on the field.”
In addition to Drake, the Dolphins also have Kalen Ballage, who rushed for 191 yards on 36 carries as a rookie out of Arizona State last year. Miami drafted Myles Gaskin out of Washington and fullback Chandler Cox out of Auburn — using seventh-round picks on each this year. The Dolphins also recently signed former Miami Hurricanes standout and Cincinnati Bengals back Mark Walton.
“I like our backs. I do, but again, it’s still early,” Flores said. “Without pads, you can’t see them protect, you can’t see them run with power, you can’t see how elusive they are. You can see a little bit of it without the pads on, but with that position there’s so much contact that without the pads, really what it’s about is different alignments, the pass game, just kind of understanding the protection system.”