On Friday, the Miami Dolphins sent out a press release to announce their 2022 coaching staff.
And while this is just a formality, Dolphins fans have become very interested in their favorite team’s coaching staff.
Why?
Well, former head coach Brian Flores may have had back-to-back winning seasons in Miami, but a lot of fans will never forget him for his inability to build a coaching staff.
Flores’ offensive staff was one of, if not the worst offensive coaching staff in football last year and ultimately was one of the reasons he was fired at the end of the season.
The Miami Dolphins should be happy with Mike McDaniel’s coaching staff.
Then Miami hired former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to be their next head coach. Hiring McDaniel made a ton of sense, and it was just the time of “swing for the fences” hire Miami needed.
McDaniel is the definition of boom or bust, though he passed his first true test with flying colors.
That first test was building a coaching staff fans could appreciate and a coaching staff that could help the talent on the team reach their full potential.
Obviously, these are just names on paper, but McDaniel did a great job from the looks of the names on the paper.
Here is the list of McDaniel’s coaching staff with their positions in parenthesis:
Frank Smith (offensive coordinator), Matt Applebaum (offensive line), Darrell Bevell (quarterbacks/passing game coordinator), Jon Embree (assistant head coach/tight ends), Josh Grizzard (quality control), Chandler Henley (assistant quarterbacks), Lemuel Jeanpierre (assistant offensive line), Mike Person (offensive assistant), Aldrick Robinson (offensive assistant), Kolby Smith (offensive assistant), Eric Studesville (associate head coach/running backs), Wes Welker (wide receivers), Josh Boyer (defensive coordinator), Mathieu Araujo (assistant defensive backs), Anthony Campanile (linebackers), Austin Clark (defensive line), Steve Ferentz (assistant linebackers), Steve Gregory (safeties), Derrick LeBlanc (assistant defensive line), Sam Madison (cornerbacks/pass game specialist), Ty McKenzie (outside linebackers), Ryan Slowik (senior defensive assistant), Patrick Surtain (defensive assistant), Danny Crossman (special teams coordinator), Brendan Farrell (assistant special teams) and Dave Puloka (head strength and conditioning).
The Dolphins added a nice little stat, saying, “McDaniel’s staff includes more than 300 years of coaching experience, including 183 years at the NFL level.”
Let’s grade Mike McDaniel’s coaching staff with all that being said.
Offense
Frank Smith (offensive coordinator): Frank Smith was the run game coordinator/offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers this past season. Miami did not need a big name at offensive coordinator because Mike McDaniel announced he would be calling plays already, but Smith is still a fantastic hire. He cares about the offensive line, a spot Miami really needed to improve.
Grade: A
Matt Applebaum (offensive line): Matt Applebaum spent the last two seasons as Boston College’s offensive line coach. Miami’s offensive line was atrocious last year, and they really needed an upgrade. While this is an upgrade, I would’ve liked to see someone with more NFL experience.
Grade: C
Darrell Bevell (quarterbacks/passing game coordinator): Darrell Bevell was the offensive coordinator and interim head coach in Jacksonville last season. Bevell has tons of experience in the NFL, coaching Brett Favre, Russell Wilson, and Matthew Stafford. I do not think Bevell is a great OC, but I think he’s an elite quarterbacks coach. This was one of my favorite hires.
Grade: A+
Jon Embree (assistant head coach/tight ends): Jon Embree has 29 years of coaching experience and helped coach George Kittle into the star he is today. This was just a solid hire all around.
Grade: A
Josh Grizzard (quality control): Josh Grizzard is back after coaching the wide receivers last season. He takes a demotion, but I don’t see that as a bad thing.
Grade: B
Chandler Henley (assistant quarterbacks): Chandler Henley was an under-the-radar hire because he coached the offensive line last year for the Atlanta Falcons. Now he’s an assistant quarterbacks coach, which will likely help Tua Tagovailoa understand his protection.
Grade: B+
Lemuel Jeanpierre (assistant offensive line): Lemuel Jeanpierre is back, and fans weren’t happy. Personally, I love the move. He wasn’t ready for the job he got, but he took a step back and gets to learn. It takes a real man to admit your faults, and he did that.
Grade: B+
Mike Person (offensive assistant): Mike Person is a former NFL offensive lineman who played in Mike McDaniel’s scheme in San Francisco. You can’t hate that idea of him helping out!
Grade: B+
Aldrick Robinson (offensive assistant): Aldrick Robinson is also a former NFL player that recently retired. He played for McDaniel in Atlanta, and again you can’t hate this idea.
Grade: B+
Kolby Smith (offensive assistant): Kolby Smith is another former player, but he has been on Miami’s staff the last two seasons, and McDaniel decided to keep him on board.
Grade: B
Eric Studesville (associate head coach/running backs): I think we can all agree that Eric Studesville as co-offensive coordinator was a disaster. He agreed too, which is why he took a demotion to associate head coach and running backs. However, this is the best move for him and the Dolphins. He is a solid running backs coach.
Grade: A
Wes Welker (wide receivers): Wes Welker doesn’t need me to talk him up for you to be pumped about this hire.
Grade: A+
All and all, how can you hate this offensive staff? It seems McDaniel is putting a heavy emphasis on the offensive line, which is obviously smart. The Dolphins will be much improved on offense, and it starts with the coaching staff.
Overall Offensive Grade: A
Defense and Special Teams
Josh Boyer (defensive coordinator): Josh Boyer was one of the only hires that made me worry. I do think Boyer is a good coach but is he a good defensive coordinator? Well, we will find out in 2022, as he no longer has Brian Floes micromanaging him. We will see if that’s a good or bad thing very quickly.
Grade: C+
Mathieu Araujo (assistant defensive backs): Mathieu Araujo is the former defensive coordinator at Yale and has coached defensive backs since 2017. He is a solid coach to have on staff.
Grade: B+
Anthony Campanile (linebackers): Anthony Campanile is back as linebackers coach, and I am sure Jerome Baker is happy. Campanile has helped coach Baker up, and Miami will likely be adding a new young linebacker this offseason.
Grade: B+
Austin Clark (defensive line): Austin Clark is also back in his name role as defensive line coach. I like keeping Campanile and Clark to help keep continuity with Boyer. Miami’s defensive line was awesome last year.
Grade: A
Steve Ferentz (assistant linebackers): Steve Ferentz is back too, and this time as assistant linebackers coach.
Grade: B
Steve Gregory (safeties): Steve Gregory is also back, but with a promotion to safeties coach. Gregory worked with the secondary last year and is a former NFL player.
Grade: B
Derrick LeBlanc (assistant defensive line): Derrick LeBlanc has 21 years of college coaching experience, and he has a great track record of his players getting drafted. He will help with the defensive line, which will surely help.
Grade: B
Sam Madison (cornerbacks/pass game specialist): Sam Madison needs no introduction; this is an awesome move by McDaniel.
Grade: A+
Ty McKenzie (outside linebackers): Ty McKenzie has five years of coaching experience in the NFL and is a former NFL player.
Grade: B+
Ryan Slowik (senior defensive assistant): Ryan Slowik will be jumping from coaching high school in Florida to a senior defensive assistant job for the Miami Dolphins. However, he also has 12 years of coaching experience in the NFL, so I enjoyed this hire.
Grade: A
Patrick Surtain (defensive assistant): Just like Madison, Patrick Surtain needs no introduction. McDaniel getting these two back together, but this time to coach the secondary is AWESOME!
Grade: A+
Danny Crossman (special teams coordinator): Danny Crossman is back as the special teams coordinator, and I see nothing wrong with this. He has 20 years of NFL coaching experience, and this will be his fourth as the Dolphins special teams coordinator.
Grade: A
Brendan Farrell (assistant special teams): Brendan Farrell stays on too with Crossman, and this will be his fourth year in the same position as well. I don’t hate either of these moves.
Grade: B+
This will all come down to one big thing; Will Josh Boyer be able to lead the defense? Who was calling plays last season when Miami’s season was saved? I do not think it was Boyer, so we will see how this works out. I am going in with an open mind, though, and I can’t wait to hopefully see this defense take a step forward.
Overall Defensive Grade: B
Overall Grade
All and all, I think Mike McDaniel did an awesome job filling out his coaching staff. McDaniel will be calling the plays on offense, so I wanted to see him hire people that could help teach his scheme and plays to the players, and I think he did that.
Miami’s offensive staff has a run-heavy offensive line feel to it, and how can you hate that? Spot the ball and play smash-mouth football, and then it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is! But don’t also let the run-heavy offense distract you from the Wes Welker hire. Welker has been climbing up the ranks and is regarded as one of the bright offensive coaching minds in the NFL.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again, the defensive staff will all lay on Josh Boyer’s shoulders. They will go as far as he can take them, and we will find out how far he can take them. I understand the continuity aspect of it all, but let’s just hope Miami kept the right coach to keep that continuity.
Miami did hire Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison to coach one of the best secondaries in the NFL, which is so awesome and pulling at my childhood heartstrings.
I do enjoy McDaniel’s staff, though, and I am excited to see what they can do in free agency next!
Overall Grade: B+