Miami Dolphins McDaniel faces first HC challenge, build a coaching staff
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins press conference is over. Mike McDaniel is done being paraded in front of the media. It is time for him to get to work and his first task is important.
In between constant film study of his new roster, Mike McDaniel is tasked with his first real challenge. Hiring a coaching staff that shares the same vision on both sides of the ball. Hiring a staff that includes teachers as much as coaches. People he and the players can relate to.
McDaniel has to figure out the offensive side of the ball more than the defensive side. At least for now if he opts to keep the defensive staff in place. On offense, he needs a lot more than he currently has.
The coaches inevitably doomed Brian Flores and Adam Gase and Joe Philbin, and even Tony Sparano. McDaniel has to succeed where the others have failed. Each of his predecessors found gems and good quality coaches but they also failed at finding coaches that shared the same vision for the team.
Offensively the Dolphins have been a disaster for two decades. Quarterback is a big reason for that but coaching has been incredibly bad on that side of the ball. Gase, Philbin, and Sparano were all offensive coaches and aside from the Wild Cat season in 2008, the offense has never been consistent.
This is where the offensive minded McDaniel will need to get it right and who he adds to the staff will determine if he will find success or failures. McDaniel said he will call the plays but he also said that it will be a collaborative effort to come up with the game plan and that he wants his coaches to be involved.
He will be only the 2nd head coach in 20 years to call his own plays. Adam Gase did, miserably. Will this be different? Probably to some degree. McDaniel comes from a coaching tree that includes Kyle Shannahan, Zac Taylor, and Sean McVay. All three call their own plays.
McDaniel said today that he has learned and paid attention to all of the coaches he has worked with and worked for. He has learned from each of them. Now, he will need to stand up in the front of the room and both learn and teach his first staff.