Why the Miami Dolphins coaching staff will determine the 2022 success

The Miami Dolphins have a lot of talent and finally, that talent is on both sides of the ball but this season will fall on the shoulders of the team’s coaching staff.

While the systems being run are important, we have to understand that coaching will take this team to the next level. Players can only do so much and if they buy into the scheme it will most certainly help.

In years past, we have talked about the lack of execution by the players and in many ways blamed them for the failures of the team. That will most certainly change this year because of the talent that is on the roster.

If we look at this year’s coaching staff we see an almost complete change on offense. That is going to be the key to how this offense moves the ball, controls the clock, and even how much Tua Tagovailoa grows in his third season.

Mike McDaniel

The system that is being employed by McDaniel will have an emphasis on the run and the Dolphins added quite a bit of speed to the unit this off-season. McDaniel is showing support to the players and earning their respect. That is a great start but if the Dolphins can’t win that support will wane as the season moves along.

The bigger issue facing McDaniel is that he will be calling the plays offensively. Is this too much for a first-time HC to handle? I don’t think that it is but he will make mistakes throughout the season as coaches do. He just has to hope that they are not made at critical times.

Matt Applebaum 

Applebaum could play the most important role on the roster. He is charged with elevating the 32nd ranked offensive line. While the Dolphins added Terron Armstead, he can’t be counted on for all 17 games and will miss a few as he has over his career. That means the backup needs to play well.

At center, the Dolphins are weighing the options of a street free agent, Michael Dieter, or Connor Williams. Williams is a solid guard but is he a center? That is a big question that will need answering because the Dolphins will need a guard on the left side of Wiliams plays the line caller.

Of course, there is also the right tackle situation which only improves with the release of Jesse Davis. In reality, there are as many questions at RT as there are anywhere else.

Josh Boyer

Boyer takes over completely for Brian Flores who had his finger in everything that was the Dolphins’ defense and now, there is no hiding from his shadow. Boyer is tasked with continuing the Dolphins’ defensive domination that woke up in the second half of the last season.

The Dolphins coaches are all about proper technique as seen in this Omar Kelly posted tweet where Channing Tindall needed to repeat a drill.

If Boyer can’t continue the Dolphins’ defensive drive, Miami will regress quickly on that side of the ball because talent will only take the team so far. The good news is there is no reason for Boyer not to succeed if he sticks with what he knows and runs the defense the way he has the last two seasons.

Overall

Miami is talented but if the coaches can’t put these players in a position to win or schemes that fit, the Dolphins are going to struggle and with the schedule they have, it could put a burden on the team to make the playoffs or even challenge for a spot.

This year more than any other, talent isn’t a problem. Yes, there are gaps in the roster. Linebackers could be better, questions along the right side of the offensive line, the running back unit could be a little more tweaked, and of course, Tua Tagovailoa has to show quality development but all of these issues are on the coaching staff because they believed they have what they need to compete. In other words, they made the roster, now they need to coach it.