Phin Phanatic
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Miami Dolphins next head coach needs to do better with his OC

By Brian Miller

MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 23: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins calls a play in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 23: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins calls a play in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Dolphins have made nothing official but if reports are accurate, Brian Flores will be the Dolphins next head coach.

For the Miami Dolphins Brian Flores may not be the best option, at least according to many opinions on  the subject including my own, but he does represent a fundamental switch for the team.

One task that Brian Flores will need to take care of however will be to stabilize the offense with a solid offensive coordinator. There has been some rumor that Jim Caldwell may be a target for his staff.

Brian Flores is a defensive coach and we will address the needs there in another article shortly but the offense has struggled statistically over the last decade and a half. Bringing stability to that side of the ball will help Flores succeed.

Miami seems to change their offensive coordinator almost annually. What makes it even worse is the fact that teams have been run by offensive minded coaches since Cam Cameron.

  • 2007: Cam Cameron  2008: Dan Henning  2009:  Dan Henning  2010:  Dan Henning
  • 2011: Brian Daboll  2012:  Mike Sherman  2013:  Mike Sherman   2014:  Bill Lazor
  • 2015:  Bill Lazor  2016:  Clyde Christianson  2017: Clyde Christianson  2018:  Dowell Loggains

Since 2007 the Dolphins, under offensive minded head coaches, have employed 7 offensive coordinators. Seven in 12 seasons is a lot.

In the last 16 years the highest Miami has ranked in points scored was in 2014 when the Dolphins finished the season ranked 11. They have been in the top half of the league only twice.

One problem that the Dolphins have had, which is a glaring obvious one, is that through all those years the quarterback has changed almost as often. The carousel at the position continues to revolve. Ryan Tannehill was supposed to be that guy and for the better part of seven years he was.

Unfortunately the growth of Tannehill never became anything but average. That was a hinderance to the growth of the offense. So was the lack of attention to the offensive line. Will that finally change as well? Maybe.

A popular rumor that made its way around social media after the firing of Adam Gase was that he did not think the Dolphins needed to put emphasis on the guard positions. His offense wasn’t reliant on the interior trench. After failing for his first two seasons the Dolphins added Josh Sitton.

Flores will get the benefit of what should be a decent offensive line if Grier can add another guard and re-sign Ja’Wuan James and maybe find a new center if Daniel Kilgore has too many questions.

For the most part though the offense isn’t nearly as bad as the defensive side of the ball. There is talent at running back and wide-receiver. Undeveloped talent at tight-end and the offensive line can be better if healthy. Then there is the quarterback.

Flores along with whomever he tabs as his OC will have to work with Grier to solve a problem that has plagued the Dolphins since Dan Marino was “forced” into retirement. Find a quality long-term quarterback.

For the Dolphins and Flores the offense needs to be better. They need to score points and they need to have stability with the coaches in charge. Perhaps with Flores being a defensive guy that might just happen.

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