New Miami Dolphins QB coach and the new offensive co-coordinator discuss Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa’s new Dolphins mentor worked with him when the young quarterback was a prep prodigy, helping develop his skills at the Elite 11 high school QB camp.
And the qualities that Charlie Frye saw from Tagovailoa a half decade ago still impress him today in his first few months as Dolphins quarterbacks coach.
“I thought he had a quick release; he was accurate with the ball,” Frye said on Monday in his first news conference since being named to the Dolphins staff. “I loved his demeanor, how he interacted with the guys on his team, and how thirsty he was to learn.
“Today, I see a lot of the same things. A more mature quarterback that’s had experiences, but he still has the same quick release and accuracy. And the way he interacts with his teammates all add value to playing the position.”
New co-offensive coordinator George Godsey on Monday said he expects a jump from Tagovailoa in Year 2.
“It’s Tua’s second year in the NFL, so we’re expecting to see a jump from him being able to retain information,” Godsey said. “Identifying fronts, IDs, coverage; that will be a big difference from Year 1 to Year 2.”
Frye, meanwhile, also values having former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett as a backup.
“The quarterback room is special,” Frye said. “There are a lot of things talked about and sorted through and ideas bouncing off each other. Those two guys are working really, really well together.
“Jacoby has been successful as a starter. He’s competitive. He’s willing to learn. He can give Tua those same things we talked about — the things that happen in the game, where I put my eyes versus this blitz. Things that are hard to draw up on a chalkboard.”
Frye, who replaces Robby Brown, was selected by the Browns in the third round of the 2005 draft after a stellar quarterback career at Akron.
Frye, 39, played five years in the league — three with Cleveland and one with Seattle and Oakland — and finished with 17 touchdowns, 29 interceptions, 4154 yards passing and a 69.7 rating.
“I had a journey of playing in Cleveland where I was starter and being traded to Seattle where you were a backup behind Matt Hasselbeck and Jim Zorn. Finished my career in Oakland with Tom Cable and Hue Jackson and [quarterbacks] Jason Campbell, Bruce Gradkowski.
“You accumulate things you learn along your journey whether it be playing or learning from guys that play at a high level, that you’re able to take from your greaseboard or the paper and apply it to the perspective of playing the position.”
Since his playing career, Frye was offensive coordinator at two Florida high schools, director of player development with the Florida Gators, wide receivers coach at Ashland College and then offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the past two years at Central Michigan, where coach Jim McElwain gave him considerable responsibility.
“Being in a position where Mac let me kind of run the offense and try different things whether it be the run pass game gives you perspective on how things are supposed to be run,” Frye said.
What helped mold Frye as a coach and motivate him to pursue that as a profession?
“The things I was able to learn during my time in Seattle, learning from Mike [Holmgren], Jim Zorn, Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace and processing how you would have done things differently when I was in Cleveland.
“You accumulate all this info and you want to apply it. When I get done, I want to apply this to whoever is next in line. I thought it would be Elite 11 and high school ball. The fire, I couldn’t put it out.”
Now he’s getting a chance to coach at the highest level of the sport, one he didn’t necessarily expect.
“This afforded a great opportunity to come back with Flo [Brian Flores],” Frye said. “You accumulate the knowledge and want to pass it on to the next generation of guys.”
THIS AND THAT
Lemuel Jeanpierre, who was promoted to replace the dismissed Steve Marshall as offensive line coach, said new center Matt Skura “brings experience, character, grit. I hold character very high. He’s working great, asking questions.”
He said Skura is “playing multiple positions.” Guard would be an option, but there’s a clear need for him at center.
Skura lost his starting job with Baltimore last season because of snapping issues.
Asked how he would help Skura if those snapping issues resurface, Jeanpierre — a former NFL center — said: “Like in golf, you’ve got to know your rhythm and first be able to identify your mistakes. We don’t make excuses. We just rep it. Multiple reps over and over again.
“Even after practice,... you want more snaps to be preventive. Because I played it, I will talk to him, try to see some things. Sometimes you want to move the ball to the center of your nose; you might be off…
“There are many things that could have affected him. So far this year when he’s been in at center, he’s been good. He’s been snapping like crazy; that’s the type of guy he is. He took that very personal, had a chip on his shoulder. He’s working on it. I will be preventive and so will he.”
Michael Dieter and Cameron Tom are among others working at center.
▪ Eric Studesville, who remains running backs coach in addition to being co-offensive coordinator, wouldn’t go as far as to call Myles Gaskin the starting running back but praised his growth.
“The big thing about Myles going from Year 1 to Year 2 is his growth in football and how dependable he became,” Studesville said. “I see those same things progressing. He’s prideful, he’s professional, he works at it. He wants to be a really good player. Myles is going to put his best foot forward and give you everything he has and that gives you a chance.”
▪ Special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Danny Crossman, on new punter Michael Palardy, who missed last season with a torn ACL sustained last offseason: “He had a nice career going in Carolina. Has done some nice things since he’s been here. Hopefully he’s 100 percent healthy and picks up where he left off.”
The Dolphins had contract talks with incumbent punter Matt Haack but never struck a deal and then signed Palardy. Haack signed with Buffalo.
Crossman declined to compare Palardy and Haack but said of Palardy’s skill set: “He’s hit for average, hit for net, hit for hang time, has a good tool set.”
▪ Crossman indicated that receiver Jaylen Waddle and safety Jevon Holland will be involved in the competition for return jobs, as expected. Both were outstanding college returners.
This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 12:42 PM.
