Sherman hired Joe Philbin, now the head coach of the Dolphins, as an assistant offensive line coach in Green Bay in 2003. Sherman was the Packers’ head coach and Philbin was working at Iowa.
In returning the favor, Philbin hired Sherman to be the Dolphins offensive coordinator, but he should be a natural fit. They share the West Coast offense roots Philbin plans to build his scheme around and the 57-year-old Sherman is considered a very good teacher of quarterbacks. He came with a ringing endorsement from
Aaron Rodgers, who played for both coaches.
The quarterback-needy Dolphins might now give stronger consideration to a few available options—free agent
Matt Flynn of the Packers and Texas A&M senior Ryan Tannehill, who played the last four seasons under Sherman with the Aggies.
Kevin Coyle was named defensive coordinator. Coyle, 56, has been a college defensive coordinator at multiple stops but for the last nine years was the Bengals cornerbacks coach.
“They are exactly what I am looking for in terms of leadership, character, and teaching ability,” Philbin said. “They are both very passionate about the game of football and the players they coach, and that enthusiasm is evident in the meetings rooms and on the field. They are excellent family men and I’m thrilled they are joining the Dolphins’ football family. I can’t wait to get started to work with them.”
• New Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said one of his sons helped convince him to pursue his first head coaching position.
The opportunity first came to pass when Philbin interviewed after the end of the regular season. Then his 21-year-old son died, with the funeral held two days before Green Bay’s loss to the Giants in the Divisional Playoffs on Jan. 15. Philbin, the Packers’ offensive coordinator, had returned to the team on game day and was in the press box.
“I was dejected. I came home Sunday night (after the game) and really the TV hasn’t been on in our house for a week. The Miami Dolphins maybe have hired a coach, I had no idea,” Philbin said. “And I walked down and I was talking to my son, Tim, and I saw he was kind of dejected and he asked me, ‘Dad what are the Miami Dolphins doing?’ And I said I have no idea what they’re doing. You’re going to go after the job are you? I said I don’t know what I’m going to do.
“I was dejected on a lot of different fronts. He looked at me and said, ‘You better go after that job. Your son, Mike, would want you to go after that job.’ And so that was kind of the start of me kind of getting back, get moving again.”
Miami indeed remained interested, with Philbin being asked back for a second interview along with interim coach Todd Bowles and Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.
“I think he really impressed me just listening to him, his organization, his plan, how he would execute it and make us a winner as fast as possible,” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said. “I really believe that people that work in great winning organizations learn how to win and that’s what it’s all about. That’s the primary reason and who he is as a person and what he’ll do for this organization the reasons why Joe Philbin is the coach of the Miami Dolphins.”
Philbin has never been a head coach at any level, although he did calculate that he has been in the profession for 10,061 days.
And his hire will only fuel speculation that Miami will make a run at Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn in free agency. Philbin did not address the quarterback situation specifically during his introductory press conference, but did touch on his offensive philosophy.
“I think it’s a mistake to just take the Green Bay Packers playbook and plop it out on the table here in South Florida,” Philbin said. “So one of the things in coaching, one of your responsibilities in coaching is to put your players in the best position to succeed. So we got to learn more about our players and learn what they do well. We got to hide what they don’t do as well, extenuated the positives.”
While head coach Mike McCarthy called the plays for the Packers, Philbin is a respected offensive mind credited with making strong halftime adjustments. He joined the Packers’ staff in 2003 as an assistant offensive line coach after spending 19 years coaching at the college level. Green Bay promoted him to offensive coordinator in 2007.
Wide receiver
Greg Jennings credited Philbin with running offensive meetings and pregame walk-throughs. He had the majority of the duties of top offensive coaches, including direct interaction and game-planning with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The recent death of his son sent shockwaves through the Packers’ organization last week. But Philbin returned to the team in time to coach from the press box during Sunday’s loss to the Giants.
“He’s a special, special human being,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday. “What Joe has gone through, and what his family has gone through, obviously tough is not the proper word. … His ability to come back meant a lot to all of us. It was not expected, it was not asked of him. But Joe’s a class act?. I think he would make an excellent head coach.”
According to the NFL Network, Philbin is open to keeping Bowles and part of his defensive staff. However, Bowles has also interviewed for the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy, and could have other opportunities.
“At this point and time, obviously we have some candidates in mind; however, we haven’t made any decisions on who those people are,” Philbin said. “And as we move forward in the process, we’ll be making those decisions.”
Philbin is the Dolphins’ seventh head coach since the start of the 2004 season.
NOTES, QUOTES
• It’s no secret the Dolphins have plans to upgrade the quarterback position either through the draft or free agency in 2012.
But a report in the Miami Herald on Monday, with information from two sources with direct knowledge of the team’s offseason plans, indicated that the Dolphins’ ultimate goal is snagging Colts quarterback
Peyton Manning should, of course, he be cleared medically and become a free agent.
Manning missed the entire 2011 regular season after undergoing neck surgery in September. He could become a free agent if the Colts choose not to exercise a $28 million roster bonus due on March 8. Indianapolis owns the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, which is a virtual certainty to be Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.
Other reported options for Miami include Packers backup quarterback and future unrestricted free agent Matt Flynn, or a possible trade in the draft to move up and select Baylor Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III.
New Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin has worked at length with Flynn while previously serving as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator, further fueling the rumor that Flynn could follow Philbin to South Florida for a chance to start.
• After missing out on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach job, Mike Sherman was in Miami for an interview to become the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator. Sherman was fired in January after four seasons at Texas A&M. Natural speculation would be that Sherman might push the Dolphins to consider Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is projected as a likely first-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com.
• WR
Davone Bess sprained the MCL in his left knee during the season finale, but his injury won’t require surgery. Bess is in a brace and is undergoing an intense rehab assignment. But the knee is stable and should recover fully in three months, unless he suffers a setback.
Bess produced the fifth highest punt return average (11.9) in team history. Nate Jacquet holds the team lead with a 12.5 average he set in 1999 on 28 punt returns.
• The irony of Tony Sparano becoming the Jets’ offensive coordinator is his team created the opening. In the final game, the Dolphins’ 19-17 victory knocked the Jets from the playoffs, prevented the kind of post-season warmth of their past two years and made an internal problem go public when receiver
Santonio Holmes refused to play. Brian Schottenheimer was forced out as the offensive coordinator, and now Sparano enters the picture, and will likely bring his ground-and-pound running style back to the Jets. What’s ironic is that Sparano will be joining forces with Rex Ryan, whom he clearly disliked during his tenure as the Dolphins’ coach.
• Despite the intent to become more of a passing team, the Dolphins averaged 124.2 rushing yards per game, and finished 11th in the NFL in rushing yards per contest.
• RB
Reggie Bush averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 2011, which was tied for the seventh highest single-season rushing average in team history. He’s tied with Joe Carter, who also averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 1984, and one spot behind the 5.1 yard per carry average
Ronnie Brown produced in 2007 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury.
• ”
Koa Misi is a guy who is going to be a very good player. I’m not willing to give up on him at all,” retired Dolphins pass rusher
Jason Taylor told WQAM’s Joe Rose when asked about Misi, his successor as the team’s starting strong-side linebacker.
• Brandon Fields finished the year with career highs in both punting and net punting average, but he also set a team record with his 48.8-yard average, which broke John Kidd’s record of 46.3, which was set in 1996. Fields improved on the net punting average record he already owned by producing a 41.1 average in 2011.
Quote Of Note: “I will say I’ve met more offensive players this year.”—Pass rusher
Cameron Wake when asked if he was covered differently this season, which featured a dropoff from 14 sacks last year, a Pro Bowl season, to 8.5 in 2011.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
With the reported hiring of Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, the Dolphins are going through yet another regime change, which means yet another rebuilding project, and there’s no telling what this blueprint will include.
Will it be a 4-3 defense, or a 3-4 defense? Will speed be a priority for the players on the roster, or will it be size and strength, the flavor of choice for the Bill Parcells regime?
The constant changing of the team’s front office has wasted plenty of draft picks this decade, and turned loose some drafted who have gone on to carve out solid roles for themselves elsewhere. The key is for Philbin and his soon-to-be-named staff to find suitable roles for the talent that’s in-house because the shelves aren’t bare in Miami.
Unit-by-unit Analysis
Quarterbacks: Starter—
Matt Moore. Backups—
J.P. Losman,
Pat Devlin. Injured reserve:
Chad Henne.
Moore led the Dolphins to a 5-5 record when he replaced an injured Henne as the Dolphins starter. It’s clear he’s a superior option to Henne based on his 87.1 passer rating, which blows anything Henne’s done the past three seasons away. Henne’s a free agent and it’s unlikely he’ll be re-signed. At this point, Losman is a journeyman who has one foot out of the league, and Devlin’s lack of arm strength likely means he’s a practice squad option at best in 2012.
Running Backs: Starter—Reggie Bush. Backups—FB
Charles Clay,
Daniel Thomas, FB
Lex Hilliard,
Steve Slaton,
Richard Medlin.
Bush silenced many of his critics rushing for 1,000 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. He proved if given an opportunity, if he stayed healthy, and if he was placed in the right offense he could serve as a featured back. Clay was dangerous catching passes out of the backfield, averaging 14.6 yards per reception. Hilliard was used as a lead blocker and short-yardage option. Thomas flashed ability at times, but his play was uneven all season. Slaton played sparingly, and Medlin was promoted from the practice squad in the season’s final month.
Tight Ends: Starter—
Anthony Fasano. Backups—Jaron Mastrud,
Will Yeatman.
Fasano got off to a slow start in ’11, but by season’s end he turned in one of his better NFL seasons, catching 32 passes for 451 yards and scoring five touchdowns. Yeatman, an undrafted rookie with a lacrosse background, is built like a towering athlete, but sparingly played this season before starting the final two games. Mastrud caught one pass in his second season with the Dolphins.
Wide Receivers: Starters—
Brandon Marshall,
Brian Hartline. Backups—Davone Bess,
Clyde Gates,
Julius Pruitt. Injured reserve:
Roberto Wallace,
Marlon Moore.
Marshall turned in his third Pro Bowl season, but he struggled to bring in plenty of end-zone passes, and focus clearly remains an issue. Bess caught 51 passes for 537 yards and three touchdowns, but it was his least productive season in the NFL as a slot receiver. Hartline led the team with a 15.7 yards-per-catch average, but only scored one touchdown. He could use a few more opportunities per game considering he typically faces single coverage. Gates has speed, but the rookie doesn’t know how to use it yet. Wallace and Moore are two promising receivers who suffered season-ending injuries in their second season. Pruitt was called up from the practice squad and immediately became one of the strongest special teams contributors. The unit improved drastically with him serving as a gunner. But he didn’t run a single route.
Offensive Linemen: Startets—LT
John Jerry, LG
Richie Incognito, C
Mike Pouncey, RG
Vernon Carey, RT
Marc Colombo. Backups—OT
Will Barker, C/G
Ryan Cook, G
Ray Feinga, G/T
Nate Garner. Injured reserve—T
Jake Long, T
Lydon Murtha.
Tony Sparano worked his way up the NFL ranks as an offensive line coach, so it’s kind of ironic that the Dolphins have fielded a good offensive line in just one of his four seasons as head coach. The 2011 unit allowed 52 sacks, which was one sack shy of tying the franchise record for most allowed in a season. The worst thing about the unit’s struggles is the starting group featured four players—Long, Carey, Pouncey and Colombo—taken in the draft’s first round. The weakest link was Colombo, who struggled all season, and played like someone who should have retired two years ago. But the Dolphins never replaced him, or tried out any of the team’s other options like Barker. Lydon Murtha was a solid starter during the exhibition season, but he suffered a season-stealing foot injury in the final preseason game. Garner was a solid backup at guard, but struggled playing tackle. Cook sparingly played, and Barker and Feinga are players the coaches tried to develop, but never got on the field.
Defensive Linemen: Starters—LDE
Kendall Langford, NT
Paul Soliai, RDE
Randy Starks. Backups—
Tony McDaniel,
Jared Odrick,
Phillip Merling,
Ryan Baker.
Soliai serves as a pillar of granite for this unit. His dominance against the run explains why the Dolphins finished third in the NFL against the run, limiting opponents to 3.7 yards per carry. But Soliai’s a free agent, and he’ll likely command a contract that pays him more than $40 million over five years considering how difficult good nose tackles are to find. Langford, Starks, Odrick and McDaniel all have the talent to be upper echelon 3-4 ends with more playing time, but their constant rotation keeps everyone fresh, and allows this defensive line to own the line of scrimmage on game days. Merling still hasn’t proven he’s worth the 32nd pick of the 2008 draft, and Baker’s hustle and hard work kept him on an NFL roster for the second straight season.
Linebackers: Starters—OLB Cameron Wake, ILB
Kevin Burnett, ILB
Karlos Dansby, OLB Jason Taylor. Backups—ILB
Marvin Mitchell, ILB
Austin Spitler, OLB
Jason Trusnik, OLB
Ikaika Alama-Francis. Injured reserve: Koa Misi.
Wake’s numbers were down (42 tackles and a team-leading 8.5 sacks) from a pass rushing standpoint, but he was even more of a force against the run this season, and faced regular double teams. His presence lightened the load of everyone around him. Taylor, who retired at the end of the season, finished second on the team with seven sacks. Dansby and Burnett each contributed more than 100 tackles and at times made impact plays in 2011. Mitchell was the team’s top reserve, contributing 30 tackles, one forced fumble, one sack and one interception. Trusnik, Spitler and Alama-Francis’ only impact came on special teams.
Defensive Backs: Starters—LCB
Vontae Davis, RCB
Sean Smith, SS
Yeremiah Bell, FS
Reshad Jones. Backups—CB
Will Allen, CB
Jimmy Wilson, CB
Nolan Carroll, FS
Chris Clemons, FS
Tyrone Culver.
Davis had a solid season when he wasn’t slowed by a hamstring injury, contributing 43 tackles and four interceptions. He showed flashes of shutdown cornerback talent from time to time. Smith regressed from a technique standpoint and consistently got picked on by opposing quarterbacks. Jones unseated Chris Clemons as the starting free safety and struggled at first, but improved as the season went on. However, Jones did split playing time and starts with Culver, who served as the security blanket for this unit. Bell and Allen are both in their mid-30s and at times their age showed in their performance, but Bell did finish as the team’s leading tackler with 107 stops. Allen likely won’t be retained. Carroll and Wilson are two young cornerbacks that need developing, and they’ll likely compete to replace him as the team’s nickel cornerback.
Special Teams: K
Dan Carpenter, P Brandon Fields, KOR Clyde Gates, PR Davone Bess, LS
John Denney.
Carpenter produced his best season as pro, producing a career-high in punt average (48.8) and net punts (41.1), and placing 32 punts inside the 20. Fields made 29-of-34 field goals and had his best season when it came to touchbacks on kickoffs. Gates and Bess started out slow as returners, but picked it up as the season progressed.
