DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -Burned and berated in the Miami Dolphins' most recent exhibition game, rookie defensive back Jason Allen says he's learning from his mistakes.

Sometimes the lessons come at top volume - such as the sideline scolding Allen received from coach Nick Saban after giving up a touchdown pass.

``I understand coach Saban,'' Allen said Monday. ``He's doing his job. I don't think I was doing my job.''

Fooled by a faked handoff, the Dolphins' top draft pick hesitated and let a receiver slip behind him for a 48-yard score Saturday at Tampa Bay. TV cameras caught Saban as he stomped onto the field to meet a glum Allen and accompanied him toward the bench, screaming and slapping his hands together.

What did the coach say?

``Actually, I really don't know what happened, to be honest, because I was so hot at myself,'' Allen said. ``I don't know what he said. That's the reason my feelings don't get involved in it - I'm more upset at myself than he's upset at me.''

Immediately after the game, a more composed Saban sought out Allen for a discussion before leaving the field.

``When I get on players, it's not personal,'' Saban said. ``It's tough love. I care about him. I want the guy to do well. The good news is he understands that. ... Maybe I could do it a better way, but it's because I care about the player and I know he is a better player.''

Allen said Saban was upset that he made a mental mistake.

``My eyes were on the backfield on a play-action pass, and I bit on the run, and that's not my responsibility,'' Allen said. ``I have to get the mindset that there are 10 other guys on the field. If you're going to make plays, let plays happen by being in the right place at the right time, not by trying to force things.''

Taken with the 16th pick in the April draft, the former Tennessee star knows he's off to a rocky start in the NFL. He missed the first 10 days of training camp because of a contract holdout and has been struggling since to catch up. Because of a rash of injuries at cornerback, the Dolphins have played him there and also at safety, forcing him to learn two positions.

Allen was at safety in the first exhibition game, when Jacksonville connected on touchdown passes of 50, 62 and 55 yards. He was at cornerback against Tampa Bay when beaten deep by Edell Shepherd.

``When I first got to Tennessee, it was kind of like the same thing,'' Allen said. ``I got there and guys were like, `Where'd they get this guy? Is he on scholarship?' Because everything was all new for me. I didn't know what to do until I caught onto the system.''

Allen has repeatedly said he has no preference what position he plays and is even willing to shuttle between cornerback and safety. The Dolphins want to evaluate him at cornerback, and he may play there Thursday at Carolina, but he'll likely be a starting safety when the season begins Sept. 7 at Pittsburgh.

Allen said his goal this week will be to show that he has absorbed the lessons of the first two games, including Saban's tongue-lashing.

``I'm glad it happened early in my career, so I can look back at this in two or three years and say, 'Man, I can remember when I was a rookie and this happened to me,''' he said. ``It's just a learning experience.''

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