Dolphins Coaching Decision: Staff Thoughts, Edition Four
By Brian Miller
We are winding our staff thoughts on the impending coaching search and present for you this afternoon, our final four staff thoughts on the Miami Dolphins next head coach. The Dolphins will take the field for the final time in two days and Monday, Stephen Ross will officially begin making phone calls and setting up interviews for his vacancy. Please scroll the site to read what our other staff members have to say regarding the head coaching search.
On Monday, join us for a very special look at the head coaching search. Here is our final four.
Matt Patrick
Who I want for HC:
Jon Gruden. The Dolphins need to change their “cultural” mindset of being a conservative, run-first team. The players and rules have changed to benefit those teams with high powered offenses. In this league, you need to consistently score over 30 points per game if you want to even be in the Super Bowl conversation. After spending the last few years in the booth watching QBs like Brees, Rodgers, Brady, and Manning, he realizes the importance of scoring touchdowns vs. kicking field goals. Gruden has incredible passion for the game and his intensity is unmatched. He is a proven winner that players respect and will follow. Gruden will also make it priority number one to address the glaring QB issue that has been haunting the city of Miami since Dan Marino retired.
Who I think will be the next HC:
Rob Chudzinski. Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross publicly announced he is looking for another young Don Shula to come in and lead this team. From the available up-and-coming young coordinators out there, the 44 year old Chudzinkski is at the top of the list. He has had a successful track record as an offensive coordinator with the Browns and now with the Carolina Panthers and he appears to be very effective developing young QBs. His stock has been rising each week and Ross will do what it takes to secure this young talent before another team does.
Stephen Deyerle
Who I want to coach the Dolphins:
Mike Nolan: I have two reasons for this. First, hiring someone in house means there will be less turnover from a player standpoint. Second, with the possibility of getting a new QB in the draft, I think the most important hire we will do this off-season is hiring someone to coach up that QB. Mike Nolan has a previous relationship with Norv Turner, the man I would choose to develop a young offense.
Who I think the Dolphins will hire:
Jeff Fisher. Big name, had success with the Titans, and Ross will think he can sell tickets. Fisher would probably be my third choice behind Nolan and Rob Ryan. I kind of want Ryan because it would likely add plutonium to the Dolphins-Jets rivalry.
Andrew Watson
I would like to see Jay Gruden as our next head coach.
He is young and energizing and has the tiger blood needed to endure the building of the roster. He has the resources and family lineage with a brother John that has coached successfully in the NFL and a father who has scouted for decades in the NFL for the SF 49ers. Jay Gruden isnt going to burnout on the job after a few unsuccesful building seasons and his pride will not be so hurt by growing pains that he decides to walk away from an unfinished job like Jimmy Johnson, Nick Saban and yes I will include BIll Parcells from the front office. These media darling seasoned coaches do not have the heart left to endure the building of the roster whereas Jay Gruden is young, was a former Quarterback and has past success with developing rookie quarterbacks ( Andy Dalton). His inexperience is his greatest asset because he has more upside and potential for greatness than the retreads that will be summoned during the interview process. The Dolphins have to ask themselves, when Don Shula received his big break as a head coach for Baltimore, was he a household name or a young and hungry unproven coach? Take a risk to be great!
The Dolphins will hire Brian Billick as their next head coach.
They will make this choice after failing to land John Gruden, Bill Cowher and Jeff Fisher. These retreads were never the right choices but with an image driven owner. Dolphins Owner STEPHEN ROSS will continue to SACRIFICE the pursuit of FUTURE ROSTER DEVELOPMENT and long term success FOR MARKETING opportunity with the hiring of A SEASONED AND SALTY BURNED OUT COACH that will mortgage our future for a quick turnaround that includes signing overpriced free agents and trading away draft picks. Brian Billick is the safe choice and one that will soon fizzle out and lose his zeal and energy for building a roster for success. Brian Billick will be chosen by default and this hire will be sold to the Dolphins fans like it was their ultimate choice. This choice of Billick will also allow Ross Yes Man Jeff Ireland to stay on and remain in control of the draft. Overated Carl Peterson ( Did the Chiefs ever go to the superbowl?) and Irelands presence are the main reasons the bigger named coaches walked away from the opportunity. So its Billick by default and not by first choice.
Sol Ridgeway
Who I want to Coach the Dolphins: Pete Carmichael or Mike Grundy
The reason I picked two is, because I believe that the quarterback the Dolphins get needs to be paired with the coach. If the Dolphins trade up to get Andrew Luck or fall to Landry Jones then Carmichael’s success with the Saint’s and Drew Brees would fit perfect, but if they get Robert Griffin III then I would get a college style coach like Mike Grundy of Oklahoma St. Both are young and have earned the shot.
Who I think will Coach the Dolphins: Rob Chudzinski
I think that Ireland will pick someone that would allow him to keep control of the team. I think that it is a safe pick and if we know anything about the Dolphins under Ireland, they are all about safe.