Satele earning teammates' trust

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http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080610/SPORTS/806100343

Satele earning teammates' trust

BY CARL KOTALA
FLORIDA TODAY

Respect was never an issue for Samson Satele.

As the first Miami Dolphins center to start all 16 games as a rookie, he commanded it simply by his role in the offense.

But as he prepares to enter his second NFL season, Satele senses something else from the rest of his teammates on the offensive line.

"They respect me and they trust me," he said. "Last year, I respected them and I trusted them, but I didn't feel like I got their trust. I got their respect, but the trust factor has a lot to do with the O-line because you've got five guys up there."

Of the five players who figure to start up front for Miami this season, Satele is one of only two returners -- and the only one who will play the same position.

Vernon Carey, who played left tackle last season, will move to the right side to make room for No. 1 overall pick Jake Long. Justin Smiley, a five-year-veteran free agent pickup, will start at one of the guard spots. The other one is up for grabs.

"He's really smart," Smiley said of Satele. "I was lucky enough to play with a really smart center in Eric Heitmann, who was a Stanford guy, in San Francisco. Samson sees the coverages and a lot of other things that a second-year guy, you wouldn't expect from him. We're pretty lucky to have him in the middle.

"He's definitely got our trust. He (makes the line call) and I'd bet 99.9 percent of the time, he's right on it. And he's usually always in good position. He plays with good leverage. It's really helpful for a guard because you want to know, if a guy slips off you inside, that the center's going to be right there to help you. He's always in the right position."

Mike Maser, Miami's new offensive line coach, would like to see a little more consistency from Satele.

After watching tape of the rookie from the University of Hawaii, Maser saw a player who certainly has the ability to play at the NFL level, but needs to be more effective from snap to snap and game to game.

"I saw a guy who could do it one day and the next day he couldn't do it," Maser said. "I'm looking for a guy who does it every day. That's the first thing we've got to do. We've got to get to a point where we're consistent in what we're doing."

Aside from Maser, the biggest influence on the way Satele plays this season could be the guy he's going to line up against in practice every day.

As the offensive line coach in Dallas last year, new Dolphins coach Tony Sparano was told by a number of his players coming off the field that Jason Ferguson (6-foot-3, 310 pounds) was a tough guy to move.

That's Satele's job now.

"It helps a lot," he said of facing Ferguson. "I mean, look at the guy. He's a big guy, and he moves quicker and faster than what I can do. He knows the snap count and he knows the defense real good because he came from Dallas.

"I've got to get this offense down. Once I get it down, he's all mine. . . . Don't put that on there."

Ah yes, Satele's personality. It's starting to come out after a quiet rookie season. During a goal line drill during this weekend's mandatory minicamp, Satele was slapping helmets, butts and offering words of encouragement to his teammates.

He was even reminding rookie Shawn Murphy of Utah State, that Hawaii won big when the two teams played during Satele's senior season.

"He's been giving me some grief because they beat us by about 63 (actually, it was 63-10) my junior year," Murphy said. "We gave them a better game my senior year, but he wasn't there. My junior year, when he came up to Utah, they just beat the pants off of us."

Though Miami's offense itself may be different in 2008, Satele is starting to play more on instinct rather than having to think through the plays too much as he admittedly did last year.

Combine that with an offseason that included lifting weights and long distance running to improve his cardio and Satele could be ready to take the next step up in play next season.

"I like his athleticism. I really do," Sparano said. "I think he's an athletic center. He's a smart guy in the middle and you have to be both to play in the middle; no doubt about. If your center is not intelligent and he's not athletic you don't have a chance.

"I think in our division, with the people he has to play against you don't have a chance. He's not afraid of hard work in the weight room and I think that's important because there are some big people that he is going to play against in this division, and the center is going to have to go out there and be able to compete each week for us."

Ferguson has already told Satele the two are going to make each other better this season. And those were exactly the kind of words the second-year pro wanted to hear.

"That's my thing," Satele said. "I want to be consistent. I want to be the best. I've got to get ready for this first guy, Kris Jenkins (of the New York Jets). I've got a guy out here working me. One day, I'll get him. One day, he'll get me. If that's what (Maser) is talking about -- consistency -- I'll try to beat him every day. That's my goal. I'll try to beat Ferguson up every day. But it's a give and take out here."