Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin has moved quickly to ensure his top lieutenants will be longtime, accomplished coaches and also close allies.

Former NFL head coach Mike Sherman and Cincinnati defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle – who possess a combined 69 years of experience – are poised to be named the Dolphins’ offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, barring any unexpected last-minute issues, multiple sources said.

Though nothing had been signed as of Thursday evening, Philbin wants to hire both, and both want to be here.

Sherman, who met with Philbin on Thursday, had been a finalist for the Tampa Bay head coaching job that was filled by Rutgers’ Greg Schiano on Thursday. The Bengals were expecting Coyle to take the Dolphins’ job.

Philbin has longstanding relationships with both men. Not only did Sherman hire Philbin for his first NFL job (with Green Bay in 2003), but he also was Philbin’s former English teacher.

Coyle has known Philbin for years and reportedly attended the funeral for Philbin’s son, Michael, who drowned Jan. 8.

Sherman’s offenses, led by Brett Favre, were very good during most of his six years as Packers head coach, breaking franchise records for rushing in 2003 and passing in 2004. He went 57-39 as Packers coach but was fired after an injury-plagued 4-12 season in 2005.

“I have a lot of respect for Mike Sherman as a coach, as a person,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told a Milwaukee radio station this week.

Sherman, fired last month as Texas A&M’s coach, finished 25-25 in four years there but oversaw an offense that ranked seventh among 122 FBS schools in total yards this season (490 per game). The 2011 Aggies, led by draft-eligible quarterback Ryan Tannehill, finished 18th in passing offense, 24th in rushing offense and 11th in scoring (39.1 points per game).

Combining his six years as Packers coach – along with two years as an NFL offensive coordinator elsewhere – Sherman’s offenses threw a lot more than they ran in seven of those eight seasons. A lot of that had to do with personnel, considering Favre’s presence in Green Bay. With the Packers, Sherman’s teams averaged 35.3 passes per game, 27.2 rushes.

By comparison, the Dolphins averaged the exact same number of passes and runs (29.3) under coordinator Brian Daboll this past season.

Sherman, 57, was the offensive coordinator for two NFL teams – 1999 in Seattle (9-7) and 2007 in Houston (8-8). Those teams, which had Jon Kitna and Matt Schaub as their respective quarterbacks, finished 12th and 14th in total offense and each attempted over 100 more passes than runs.

But Sherman is flexible and adjusts to suit his personnel. His 2003 Packers ran more than they threw and last year’s Texas A&M team was generally balanced (537 passes, 507 runs).

When Sherman graduated from Central Connecticut State, where he played on the offensive and defensive lines, he initially became an English teacher and assistant coach at Stamford High in Connecticut and Worcester Academy in Massachusetts, where he taught Philbin.

As for Coyle, he has 35 years of experience – the last nine as the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. During that time, Cincinnati ranked in the top quarter in the league with 160 interceptions.

Before the Bengals, he served as defensive coordinator at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (1981), Holy Cross (1986-90), Syracuse (1991-93), Maryland (1994-96) and Fresno State (1997-2000). Coyle’s 1992 Syracuse defense led the nation with 24 interceptions. Last year, the Bengals denied Coyle, the chance to interview for Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator job, but they have not stood in his way with Miami.