For the third time in three seasons, Dolphins coach Brian Flores is searching for another offensive coordinator following Chan Gailey’s resignation.
Earlier in January, there were six reported candidates, but all external options are now out of the mix. That leaves Dolphins running backs coach Eric Studesville and tight ends coach George Godsey as Flores’ top remaining candidates.
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The others: Chargers quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton was hired by the Texans. Matt Canada was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator by the Steelers. Mike McDaniel was also promoted from run game coordinator to offensive coordinator by the 49ers. Meanwhile, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is staying with the Tigers.
On Saturday, both Godsey and Studesville split play-calling duties during the Senior Bowl, in which the Dolphins/Flores-led National Team defeated the American Team, 27-24, in Mobile, Ala.
“We’re going through our process with the coordinator position,” Flores said last week. “Look, we’ve got very capable guys in Eric and George and a good, young staff. Putting together a plan is really not much of an issue. Those guys are doing a good job and we’ll go through the process.
“. . . I thought both guys did a nice job and I’m confident in all the guys on our staff. I thought they did a great job. We’re still working through the coordinator situation.”
Miami’s next offensive coordinator will have several tough tasks, including keeping up with the league’s offensive evolution, maximizing quarterback Tua Tagogvailoa’s skill set and building a scheme that best fits him and the rest of the roster.
During Tagovailoa’s rookie season — he took over during the bye week and went 6-3 as the starter — the Dolphins finished 22nd in total offense (339 yards per game), 20th in passing (233.5 yards per game), 22nd in rushing (105.5 yards per game) and 15th in scoring (25.3 points per game).
Despite the Dolphins finishing with 10 victories and falling one win short of the AFC playoffs, too often it seemed like the offense was a step behind the defense and that Tagovailoa didn’t thrive under Gailey. Another issue that plagued Tagovailoa was the lack of talented weapons around him, with Miami’s top receivers and running backs missing late-season games because of various injuries.
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With the Senior Bowl in the rearview mirror, Flores can now fully focus on hiring his third OC before the team’s attention turns to the NFL Draft, where the Dolphins have the No. 3 overall pick.
“We had a really nice, good week with these young players,” Flores said. “They really worked hard. A lot of them made really good impressions not only on our staff, but there were teams obviously from across the league. But we got to spend the most time with them. We saw them in meetings, saw them take things from the meetings to the walkthrough to the practice. I thought they all did well for themselves and then came out and competed today, so it was a good week.”
Flores could decide to interview more candidates outside of his current coaching staff, but that would extend the process, which has already lasted nearly a month. Gailey resigned on Jan. 6, just one day after Flores said he expected all of his assistants back for the 2021 season.
Tagovailoa’s best game of the 2020 season occurred in Week 9, when he helped direct an exciting, comeback victory on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Coincidentally, that game was Godsey’s first as assistant quarterbacks coach, with him filling in for Robby Brown, who missed the game because of COVID-19 protocols. Tagovailoa completed 20 of 28 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns and added seven rushes for 35 yards in the 34-31 victory. As the season progressed, Godsey remained in his role and closely assisted Tagovailoa on the sideline. Last week, the Dolphins announced they hired Charlie Frye as quarterbacks coach and parted ways with Brown.
Godsey, 42, boasts coordinator experience. He served as Texans offensive coordinator during the 2015 season under former coach Bill O’Brien, but his offense was far from spectacular. That season, Houston finished 29th in yards per game (314.7) and 28th in scoring (17.4 points). Still, Godsey has familiarity with Flores dating back to their days with the Patriots, where he started his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant in 2011.
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Studesville’s résumé consists of 24 years of NFL coaching experience, including stops as running backs coach with the Bears, Bills and Broncos. Although Miami’s scheme under Gailey struggled with emphasizing the rushing attack, Studesville, 53, has shown the ability to get the most out of the running backs. Former seventh-round pick Myles Gaskin emerged as the team’s lead tailback this season, and undrafted free agent Salvon Ahmed also showed signs of promise.
In November, Flores spoke about Studesville: “Eric’s phenomenal. He’s a phenomenal teacher, communicator. He’s been someone that I’ve been able to lean on. . . . I think he’s a great coach. I think he’s got a coordinator and head-coaching future. I think the players gravitate to him.”
Regardless of who Flores chooses, it’s clear the Dolphins must add more offensive playmakers, both via free agency and in the upcoming draft. Even as Deshaun Watson rumors continue throughout the offseason, with Miami linked as a possible destination, both the quarterback and offensive coordinator will need added firepower for the Dolphins to become a more complete team.
“Competition makes everyone better,” general manager Chris Grier said in January. “We always talk about upgrading the roster at all areas. There are places we want to upgrade at all parts of the roster. Obviously, having playmakers on offense and defense is what the great teams have, and that’s what we’ll keep doing here, trying to address issues on both sides of the ball.”
(Photo of Dolphins coach Brian Flores at the Senior Bowl: Vasha Hunt / USA Today)