Miami Dolphins begin their highly unusual offensive project on Sunday. What key people say
It’s unusual enough to employ co-offensive coordinators at the NFL level, even more rare to do it on a team, like the Miami Dolphins, that has a head coach with a defensive background.
No NFL team in at least 15 years has done precisely what these Dolphins are doing: Using co-offensive coordinators without the head coach calling the plays.
Brian Flores’ grand experiment begins Sunday in New England (4:25 p.m., CBS), against his former boss Bill Belichick, one of the best head coaches and defensive minds in NFL history.
It’s a challenge that new co-offensive coordinator Eric Studesville said he relishes.
“You love the competition of going against somebody else, particularly the best at doing something,” Studesville said.
Flores’ decision to replace Chan Gailey — who left after one season — with two internal candidates (Studesville and co-offensive coordinator George Godsey) meant quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the returning offensive players didn’t need to learn an entirely new system, though there are some differences.
The Dolphins have more speed at receiver — with Will Fuller (suspended for Week 1) and Jaylen Waddle — and that will impact the playcalling. A greater trust in Tagovailoa also is expected to make the play-calling less conservative and more aggressive. Expect more run-pass options.
Receiver Mack Hollins said the Dolphins’ 2021 offensive system is “similar” to Gailey’s in 2020.
“It goes down to wording,” Hollins said. “Wording is a little different. It’s so similar. Just a different word for it.”
Myles Gaskin characterized it differently in May, saying “it’s definitely different. A whole new playbook.”
Though the Dolphins have declined to clarify this, Godsey appears to be calling the plays — based on the fact he’s on a headset, in the press box, with his lips moving before offensive snaps. But Studesville (positioned on the field) is heavily involved, particularly in the run game.
Flores said quarterback coach Charlie Frye relays the call to Tagovailoa before plays.
How has the system worked in three preseason games?
“It’s gone well,” Studesville said. “There’s always things we can do better. We’re always evaluating after games, how we should streamline things or make something cleaner.”
What does Studesville want this offense to be known for?
“We want to be known as a tough, physical group that is smart and that is going to execute at a high level and play with great effort,” he said. “Everything is centered around what gives this team the best chance to win. It’s an unselfish sort of concept. Yet there’s a high level of accountability for each of us involved in the offense. That’s what I hope people see when they look at us.”
This is Godsey’s second chance as an offensive coordinator. The Houston Texans’ offense finished 22nd in scoring in 2015 and 28th in 2016 during the two years Godsey held the coordinator position there, but Godsey had subpar personnel at quarterback (Brock Osweiler, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett) and running back.
But Godsey’s experience as a playcaller was limited to 19 games during those two seasons. After three games in 2016, coach Bill O’Brien took over playcalling duties, ultimately parting ways with Godsey after that 2016 season.
The 42-year-old Godsey - who finished his college career as the most accurate passer in Georgia Tech history and played one season in the Arena Football League - on Tuesday declined to discuss how meaningful it is to have a second opportunity to be an NFL offensive coordinator.
But Studesville, 54, expressed gratitude for his first offensive coordinator job after 24 years as an NFL running backs coach, with Chicago, the Giants, Denver, Buffalo and Miami. (He continues to coach Dolphins running backs, while Godsey continues to coach the team’s tight ends.)
Studesville was defensive coordinator at Wingate (1994) and Kent State (1995 and 1996) and went 1-3 as the Denver Broncos’ interim head coach in 2010.
When Flores informed Studesville about his promotion last spring, “the first emotion,” Studesville said, “was realizing the increase in responsibilities and the opportunity you’re given and you appreciate the fact Flo has entrusted you.”
After graduating with a physical education degree from Wisconsin-Whitewater, Studesville was a graduate student at Arizona in 1991 and planned to become a college professor and not a coach.
“I wanted to do research on the body and how it affects sports and performance,” he said. “[But] I missed the game of football and [then-Arizona coach] Dick Tomey gave me an opportunity to see if this is what I wanted to do. I decided this is what I wanted to do. This is all I wanted to do since 1991.”
In jointly crafting game plans, Studesville and Godsey will see more of each other on game weeks than perhaps their immediate families.
“We get together every morning, then other times throughout the day he comes in my office, I come in his,” Studesville said. “We talk multiple times a day on many different topics.”
And if he thinks of a play he wants to use that week?
“Sometimes you get up from your desk and go in there and draw it on [Godsey’s chalk] board,” Studesville said. “Sometimes he draws it on my board. There are drawings everywhere. We’re constantly talking and bouncing ideas off of each other.”
Together, they will try to jump-start a Dolphins offense that ranked 22nd in yards (339.0) and 23rd in yards per play last season. Based on preseason games, it won’t be surprising to see a mix of run-pass options, shotgun, short passes, play-action and more deep throws than a year ago.
How much they will use the hurry-up remains to be seen; Godsey wasn’t tipping his hand on that on Tuesday, though Tagovailoa generally played well when Miami went up-tempo last season.
“There are some new pieces,” Godsey said when asked if wrinkles have been added to the offense. “Everybody has a role, whether it’s normal downs, third down, red area, two minute, four minute. We’re trying to maximize everybody’s abilities as much as possible.
“We have some guys with some speed. Hopefully we can get those guys the ball in space and make plays.”
This story was originally published September 7, 2021 at 12:12 PM.
