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Title: Dolphins coach Sparano: Starters will play more Saturday Post by: DolFan619 on August 13, 2008, 10:07:14 pm http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/08/13/0813dolphins.html
Dolphins coach Sparano: Starters will play more Saturday By EDGAR THOMPSON Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Wednesday, August 13, 2008 DAVIE — Expect to see more than three carries out of running back Ronnie Brown or one catch each from wide receivers Derek Hagan and Ted Ginn Jr. Saturday night. With the season opener less than a month away, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said it's time to get more snaps and touches for the players the team will be counting on. "We know there's a bunch of guys that are here, that are going to be here and they need to play more," Sparano said today. "A guy like Hagan needs to take more plays in a row, Ginn needs to take more plays in a row right now." Sparano said left tackle Jake Long, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, also will play more at Jacksonville than he did in the exhibition opener against Tampa Bay. Sparano said he still is considering how much he will play new quarterback Chad Pennington against the Jags. "I'm not sure where I'm going to go with it," Sparano said. "We're going to take a long look at it, but it's going to be something comfortable. I don't want to put him in a situation where it's too much right away, or we ask him to do too much. "We'll have to see where he is tomorrow. That will be a deciding factor." But Sparano and his staff also will find themselves in a juggling act Saturday. Besides finding enough snaps for the projected starters, a number of players remain on the cusp of making the team's 53-man roster. "There's a bunch of bubble guys," Sparano said. "There is a lot of competition going on at certain positions we need to see and continue to evaluate." That includes special teams. Sparano was unhappy that Miami allowed 75 return yards on four punts during the 17-6 loss to Tampa Bay. The Dolphins also gave up 48 return yards on three kickoffs. "We'll put some different people in and get some different looks," Sparano said. "There's some bubble guys we need to see. There's some other guys that we're wondering if they can do more jobs right now. We need to see that via the special teams." Sparano said Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland would help him and his staff sort it all out. Sparano said Ireland, the team's general manager, typically watches practice film at night. When personnel decisions are involved, Parcells, the head of football operations, joins in. Early in training camp, Parcells and Ireland would sit down and evaluate players every few days. The team has three more weeks of practice, including three more two-a-day sessions, between now and the Sept. 7 opener against the New York Jets at Dolphin Stadium. |