Pros/Cons of following assistant coaches? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Pros/Cons of following assistant coaches?

BeanGreen

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With all the names flying around for our OC, and position coaches, can somebody, or multiple somebodies, explain the strengths and weaknesses of the following coaches for me? I'd like to have some idea of what to expect from them and/or understand why they're seemingly such hot commodities.

Mike Shula (besides the obvious Shula connection)

Jason Garrett

Ken Zampese

Mularky - I know his playcalling last year was horrendous at times, but wasn't he the Steelers OC when they went to the Superbowl a few years back?

Thanks all!
 
I don't want to taunt you, but you should see the discussion we've been having in VIP where we have gone over the Coryell coaching tree with a fine toothed comb. That doesn't really reach Mularkey or Shula, but it certainly touches on Cameron, Garrett to an extent, and Zampese.

I'll give this a shot:

* Shula's plusses include running a successful program in Alabama, giving him real live head coaching experience. He seemed to do excellent work with Jay Fiedler (to the extent that Jay was really unhappy to see him leave) and with Brodie Croyle. His minuses include a not so great offense in Tampa Bay (though he also had very little talent to work with) and some issues people see with his play calling this past year in Alabama.

* Mularkey's plusses include the time in Pittsburgh, including the career resurrection of Tommy Maddox for one year. His negatives are pretty well known, though it's difficult to know how much of the struggles last year came as a result of asking him to run Linehan's offense without any guidance as to how it was run. He'd be asked to run Cam's offense, but Cam would be around to help him do that.

* Garrett's plusses include his tenure with the team and the opinion of people like Bill Parcells that he's going to be a great coach. He has also played in the Coryell offense Cam uses. If you ask me, the negative with him is the poor level of QB play this year.

* Zampese's plusses include his time in Cincy working to improve Carson Palmer's game and his time in that offense which isn't a Coryell offense. He should be familiar with what Cam is doing since his dad was one of the early branches of the Coryell tree. I'm really not familiar enough with him beyond that to say much more about him.
 
Shuls: Experience as a HC, didn't do too bad as QB coach when he was here, failed as OC in Tampa.

Jason Garrett: Experience playing in and coaching various offensive systems and schemes, incredibly smart, thumbs up from Parcells, only 2 years experience as a position coach.

Ken Zampese: Great pedigree, got the most out of Jon Kitna and built Carson Palmer from scratch, lots of NFL experience, lots of experience in the Air Coryell system(Cam's offense). Can't really think of any cons.

Mularkey: Success with Steelers as OC, HC experience, horrendous playcalling with us last season.
 
Good stuff guys, thanks. That helps a lot, but what is the Air Coryell system/coaching tree? And yes, I'm a little envious of the VIP right now...
 
It's an offensive system that Don Coryell "invented" which is really like a heavily customized version of the WCO. If I have it right I believe it goes from Don Coryell to Ernie Zampese to Norv Turner to Cam Cameron.
 
If you're interested, here's a great article on the history of the "Air Coryell" offense.

I don't know what type of offense Cameron will bring to the Dolphins, but here is a blog post on what he did for the Chargers.

Daunte Culpepper isn't the type of QB who uses a quick release, more the type who buys extra time with mobility. The WR corps as is does not have enough overall speed to adequate get down field either. It'll be interesting to see what they'll do during this off-season to meet those needs.
 
Great links '03. If that is what Cam is going to try and bring to our Phins, then that gets me fired up. But you're right, it looks like we might a number of missing pieces.

Thanks guys for all the info. Looks more and more like VIP is the way to go. Can you pay with Phin Dollars?
 
Thanks guys for all the info. Looks more and more like VIP is the way to go. Can you pay with Phin Dollars?

There may be some sort of tie-in at some point in the future from what I have heard, but not at this point. Obviously, it won't be a matter of giving up $36 in Phin Dollars even if that is possible.

In the mean time, the $36 really is well spent, particularly if you value this site the way I do.
 
I think Garrett is the only 1 of these 4 worth the OC position .... problem is that he will more than likely go to Dallas ...

Not sold on Shula, he did do a nice job with Croyle in AL ... but I just don't get too excited about college ... its a different game, and you win with athletes - rarely coaching ...

Does anyone really thing Bobby Bowden is truly a great coach ... come on now ...

Same with Pete Carroll .... get real ...
 
I think Garrett is the only 1 of these 4 worth the OC position .... problem is that he will more than likely go to Dallas ...

Not sold on Shula, he did do a nice job with Croyle in AL ... but I just don't get too excited about college ... its a different game, and you win with athletes - rarely coaching ...

Does anyone really thing Bobby Bowden is truly a great coach ... come on now ...

Same with Pete Carroll .... get real ...

I do or did.
 
I don't want to taunt you, but you should see the discussion we've been having in VIP where we have gone over the Coryell coaching tree with a fine toothed comb. That doesn't really reach Mularkey or Shula, but it certainly touches on Cameron, Garrett to an extent, and Zampese.

I'll give this a shot:

* Shula's plusses include running a successful program in Alabama, giving him real live head coaching experience. He seemed to do excellent work with Jay Fiedler (to the extent that Jay was really unhappy to see him leave) and with Brodie Croyle. His minuses include a not so great offense in Tampa Bay (though he also had very little talent to work with) and some issues people see with his play calling this past year in Alabama.

* Mularkey's plusses include the time in Pittsburgh, including the career resurrection of Tommy Maddox for one year. His negatives are pretty well known, though it's difficult to know how much of the struggles last year came as a result of asking him to run Linehan's offense without any guidance as to how it was run. He'd be asked to run Cam's offense, but Cam would be around to help him do that.

* Garrett's plusses include his tenure with the team and the opinion of people like Bill Parcells that he's going to be a great coach. He has also played in the Coryell offense Cam uses. If you ask me, the negative with him is the poor level of QB play this year.

* Zampese's plusses include his time in Cincy working to improve Carson Palmer's game and his time in that offense which isn't a Coryell offense. He should be familiar with what Cam is doing since his dad was one of the early branches of the Coryell tree. I'm really not familiar enough with him beyond that to say much more about him.

Outstanding post, thanks. Joining VIP as soon as me and my wallet sit at the computer at the same time.
 
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