I give you some of the insight gained on the Miami Dolphins coaching search in my column in Saturday's Miami Herald. Please check out the column as it, plus the posts that were up first on the topic previously, are a good launching point for this topic.
But as the column appeared in print editions and space there is sometimes tight, I could only give you some of the insight. You want more. You deserve more.
Here's more:
An interesting issue the Dolphins face is the possibility of having to weigh hiring a lesser candidate earlier or waiting later for a better candidate. How could this possibly happen?
Consider that, for example, Mike Shula and Josh McDaniels are going to be in the playoffs with the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots respectively. Hue Jackson will similarly be in the playoffs with the Cincinnati Bengals. As will enjoy a window during which they can be interviewed. But because the Panthers (14-1) and Patriots (12-3) are favorites to go deep into the playoffs, and because the Bengals (11-4) may surprise, the Dolphins may not be able to name Shula, McDaniels or Jackson early if one is their choice to be the next head coach.
And what is the problem with this?
The problem is the Dolphins have done a lot of early work in this search process to get out of the gate quickly and beat other teams looking for head coaches to some punches. The Dolphins really want to get this done so that the new head coach can start to put together a strong staff as quickly as possible. And, having the new coach put together a strong staff, a big deal for the Miami braintrust.
So if Shula and McDaniels or Hue Jackson get deep in the playoffs or to the Super Bowl, that might actually work against them. Being more successful could hinder their chances.
And if an assistant vying for the Miami job is on a team that is not in the playoffs, such as Chicago's Adam Gase, thus making him available to be hired earlier, he might become more attractive to the Dolphins than a higher-rated candidate because he can more quickly begin the process of putting together a stronger staff. And remember, in putting together a staff, an early start is best because the best coaches get jobs quickly.
So that's a consideration.
Here's another consideration: Keep in mind the possibility of Doug Marrone. The former Buffalo Bills and Syracuse head coach made an unexpected move when he left the Buffalo Bills after the 2014. He did so expecting to get a head job elsewhere but did not despite going on a couple of interviews.
He is a candidate to interview. And one thing he definitely brings to the table is the possibility of hiring Jim Schwartz as his defensive coordinator. That's correct. Schwartz may be a head coach candidate around the league but he's not a definite hire.
And if he's not hired as a head coach, he will be Marrone's defensive coordinator in 2016 if Marrone gets a head coaching job.
In that regard, Marrone would check a valuable box for the Dolphins: He'd bring at least one very good coordinator, one that has already been a head coach. One that had the Bills as the No. 4 defensive in the NFL in 2014. The Bills are the No. 16 defense in points allowed this season.
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