Dolphins Camp 2012: Quarterback David Garrard
(On the start of training camp) – "Just the first day is exciting. It's exciting to have the fans out here. I'm sure they were happy to see a little bit of football again. You know, it's not games and that kind of stuff, but just the fact that we're back out practicing and getting ready for games is exciting to them. It's exciting to us as well, especially myself having taken last year off due to my back. It was great to be back out here with a team, a team that wanted me. To be feeling healthy and healthy enough where I feel like I'm ready to roll."
(On how the tempo of OTAs and mini camps prepared him for today's practice) – "Yeah, you know, I'm glad we did have OTAs because we do practice fast. We have a fast tempo throughout the whole practice. We've got to be leading the league right now with most snaps in practice (laughing), so it's pretty cool to see how many snaps you can get off. I like the tempo and, as fast as we are going, coaches continue to say that we've got to go even faster. When we get up to the speed that they like us to be at, it's going to be a two-minute drill the whole time."
(On if he has something to prove to the NFL or Jacksonville Jaguars) – "I put all that in the past. I'm just excited and I have something to prove to myself – something to prove that I can come back from back surgery and still get out and perform and still get out and show myself that I can still play in this league. This has been a dream of mine ever since I was seven (years old) and I want to continue that dream. My biggest dream is winning a championship, so you've got to be on the field or on the team to even be close to being able to do that. So I'm one step closer to that.
(On Matt Moore receiving first-team reps) – "It just means that he opened with the one-snaps today. They had to give it to somebody and they gave it to him. That's fine. We're going to continue to battle throughout training camp, so I'm not reading anything into OTAs or into the first day of training camp. We've got a lot of snaps left and we've got some games to play. Those will be more of the deciding factors than just who led in training camp with the ones."
(On Ryan Tannehill not being at practice today) – "Yeah, you know if he was any other rookie that didn't know the offense, it would be definitely tough on him, but he knows most of the offense. I think just not being out here with the guys is probably the toughest thing for him, but I'm sure once he signs his contract, it's not like in days past where guys were trying to get 50 million dollar guaranteed, that kind of stuff. I'm sure once they iron out the little details, he shouldn't be too long I wouldn't think, but I'm not his agent or the GM or anybody trying to negotiate his contract. But he'll be fine. Like I said, for him, coming from this offense in college, that's a big plus for him."
(On his chances of winning the starting quarterback job) – "I think my chances are pretty good. I don't think they would have me here or even say that it was open competition if my chances weren't good. I know I can still play. I've just got to continue to prove it on the field and that's what's going to be the deciding factor is how we perform on the field. The quarterback position is the one position that you can clearly see most of the time who should be out there. As long as I continue to do my job and do what I can do and play my best, then hopefully that's enough."
(On if it's hard to ignore the cameras for Hard Knocks) – "No, I've actually been through them before back in 2004. They weren't quite as much in my face, but I got used to them then and you get used to them now. After a few days with them running around poking a camera in your face, you can actually talk to them and tell them, 'Maybe not right now.' Or if you just keep going on doing what you're doing. You don't have to act. It's not acting. It's not like we've got to put on a show for the cameras. We just do what we do and, if that was a good byte for them, then great. If not, they'll just find something else to plug in there. So it's all good with them."
