Miami is quieter now, and loud voices calling for the Miami Dolphins to make coaching changes are silent for the moment. The thirst for someone with the Dolphins organization to lose their job, has been quenched as the business and activities of running a professional football franchise move forward. Joe Philbin was fired as Miami's head coach earlier this week, and his job has gone to the young now former Tight End Coach Dan Campbell and perhaps it is because of Campbell's outwardly intensity and tough talk, combined with the firing of his more laid back predecessor, that the angry fan base has traded its rage for the hope of a new beginning under the new young coach. The Dolphins also went on to fire Defensive Coordinator Kevin Coyle on Thursday and promoted defensive back coach Lou Anarumo to the coordinator position. Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannebaum however, seems to for the moment at least, be keeping his job, but it was Tannebaum's prioritizing of the defensive tackle position while virtually ignoring the offensive line, that has rendered Miami's offense quite inoffensive.
Going back to basics is never a bad idea, and when Dan Campbell promised a tougher and more physical approach to practice during his introduction press conference, everyone in Miami loved what they heard. The team held its first practice under the new coach on Wednesday and according to reporters at the facility, there were significant changes as Campbell delivered on his promise. The Oklahoma Drill was brought back for the first time since before the Joe Philbin term, and to the relief of fans and team alike, there were no reported injuries after a practice which was characterized by the interim coach as “violent”. This is news welcome by many because the Dolphins had failed at doing basic tasks like blocking and tackling well and too often runners and receivers for the opposition left a trail of would-have-been tacklers in their wake.
The long term plan for the Dolphins however, is a bigger mystery than their short term goal of returning to tackling and blocking 101. Just four years after Miami moved from a ground and pound pro-style offense to the West Coast Offense, no one can tell outside the upper management tiers of the front office, if the Dolphins will go back to a more pro style offense. It would not make sense to even entertain the notion, but team owner Stephen Ross has kept close ties with former Dolphins' “Guru” Bill Parcells years after the former coach left Miami and now seems to be relying on his advise during this time of change. The problem is, Bill Parcells has always favored pro style schemes over the finesse of the WCO, and the Dolphins have been filling vacant team roster positions, with players more fitting for zone blocking. The only left over assistant from the Parcells era from not so long ago happens to be the same person who has now assumed the role of interim coach Dan Campbell, and adding to the somewhat uneven mix, is the fact that during the off season, Ross hired another former Parcells disciple in Mike Tannebaum. New players were signed or drafted to fit into former coach Philbin's offensive vision during the last four years, while many pre-existing players were cut or traded out of the team. Going back to the ground pound would require, another retooling of the team with players fitting the scheme yet again.
Now the thirst for blood and rolling heads has been quenched in Miami, and while the new fresh approach by the interim coach has been well received even by the minority who did not call for the lynching, the fact that Tannebaum sits at the top of the organization's football hierarchy, should be more concerning to the fans than the lack of discipline and basic dysfunction in the locker room and on the field performance. Moving forward, Miami's management and coaching staff, do not appear to have a consistent sense of direction at this point. Stephen Ross' lack of football knowledge which continues to lead him to questionable advise, has probably hurt the team more than poor blocking and tackling. Ross' interest along with the misguided fan base, would be better served if the Dolphins could find a good General Manager with a good football mind, to whom full control of the team could be delegated to.