Dolphins coach McDaniel retaining at least six assistants, possibly more, from 2021 staff
Mike McDaniel’s 2022 Miami Dolphins coaching staff will have at least six members of the 2021 Dolphins coaching staff, potentially more.
McDaniel — who disclosed in a WQAM radio interview Friday that he’s retaining defensive coordinator Josh Boyer — also is keeping defensive line coach Austin Clark, linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, cornerbacks coach Charles Burks and special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, according to a source.
So four of the six primary 2021 Dolphins defensive coaches are staying under McDaniel.
Miami parted with defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander for reasons that are unclear, and outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard took the same job with the Baltimore Ravens.
Meanwhile, Eric Studesville — who was the Dolphins’ co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach this past season — will remain on staff as running backs coach.
Studesville has 21 years of experience as an NFL running backs coach and is well respected in the league. With the Dolphins, he helped developed Myles Gaskin, who has exceeded expectations as a seventh-round pick.
Though the Dolphins averaged just 3.5 yards per carry last season (31st in the league), that was partly a result of deficient offensive line play.
Studesville and McDaniel both have worked for the Denver Broncos, but their time there did not intersect. Studesville, 54, went 1-3 as Denver’s interim coach in 2010 after owner Pat Bowlen fired Josh McDaniels.
McDaniel is expected to move toward a running game with zone blocking concepts, which often includes horizontal running plays where backs run to a certain point, then make a cut and burst downhill.
That system worked very well during McDaniel’s tenure as the 49ers’ run game coordinator from 2017 through 2020 and as their offensive coordinator last season.
Studesville has experience working in different schemes during his years as a running backs coach for the Bears, Giants, Bills, Broncos and Dolphins. He was Miami’s running backs coach in 2019 and 2020 before also taking on the co-offensive coordinator title last season.
Studesville is not expected to retain his co-offensive coordinator title.
McDaniel reportedly is interviewing several candidates for that role, including Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London and former New Orleans Saints receivers coach Curtis Johnson, who also has coached for the Chicago Bears and University of Miami, among others, in a long career.
George Godsey — who shared the offensive coordinator role with Studesville and called the Dolphins’ plays last season — took a job as the Baltimore Ravens’ tight ends coach.
Former 49ers tight end coach Jon Embree will hold the same position with the Dolphins, according to a source, and former Dolphins receiver Wes Welker will coach the team’s receivers.
Still unresolved — besides the offensive coordinator position — is the offensive line coach. Lemuel Jeanpierre, the incumbent at that position, hadn’t been informed of his status as of early Friday morning, according to a source.
On the defensive side of the ball, McDaniel is retaining coordinator Boyer, who called the Dolphins’ plays in every game in 2021.
“Coach Boyer, he’s done a great job disguising plays, all-out blitzes,” defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah said in December. “We kind of went back to our old thing, but I’m glad he’s switching it up and giving offenses different looks, confusing them.”
Linebacker Jerome Baker said in December that “Josh is doing a great job of coming in and having a great game plan and just putting us in position to win.”
Three other Dolphins defensive assistants also are being retained: Clark, Campanile and Burks.
Clark joined the Dolphins as linebackers coach in 2020 and moved to defensive line coach in 2021. Several defensive linemen have credited Clark for pushing them hard. Christian Wilkins’ play improved significantly under Clark’s direction in 2021.
Campanile joined the Dolphins as linebackers coach before the 2020 season and has helped the development of Baker, who ranked among the NFL linebacker leaders in pressures during those two seasons. Baker has said he appreciates that Campanile asks him for input, including the assignments that he’s most comfortable handling.
Campanile and Leonard also helped developed edge players Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel.
Burks was a coaching assistant with the Dolphins in 2019 and 2020 and promoted to cornerbacks coach in 2021.
The Dolphins finished 16th in the league in passing yards permitted (227.7 per game) last season and the unit was especially strong over the final half of the season.
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 2:34 PM.
