Change creates some of the most interesting story lines of our lives. People are often defined by the way they respond to drastic, life altering changes. In the same vein, businesses and organizations are defined by this very season as well. The Miami Dolphins are in a peculiar situation that I have never experienced. For the first time in my many years of being a fan of this organization, they are admitting that they have done everything wrong. Talent evaluation, coaching hires, and hierarchy within the organization are just a few of the big mistakes that come to mind.
We have felt the frustration of lacking an identity for years. These frustrations often boil to the surface when we play a team that has an identity. Successful teams such as the Patriots, Ravens, and most recently Bears come to mind when speaking on identity. By an identity, I’m talking about a team that comes into a game with a purpose and an extremely specific plan. Having an identity helps you deal with failure in a proactive way. Often during Adam Gase’s three-year tenure with the Dolphins, it was obvious that we were lacking in this department. If I were stripping a roster from top to bottom, I think my vision for this Dolphins team would fall in line with those of the Bears, Texans, Cowboys, and recently what the Ravens are doing with Lamar Jackson. This identity includes a big, aggressive defense that can play multiple fronts and match up on the back end coupled with a quarterback on a rookie deal with resources put into solidifying an offensive line. These are all run first offenses with quarterbacks who stress defenses with their legs and possess the ability to convert third downs in unconventional ways.
Now that I’ve established the identity I’d like to see, I want to discuss my choice for our next head coach. I’ve battled with this decision since we parted ways with Adam Gase but feel like I’ve settled on the guy that best fits our needs. One of my biggest pet peeves when evaluated a coach is this; whether you come in as an “offensive guru”, a “defensive mastermind”, or a “special teams wizard”, your self-proclaimed side of the ball better click on all cylinders. Adam Gase was an “offensive guru” and his unit ranked 17th, 26th, and 28th in points per game during his tenure. Worse than that, that same unit ranked 24th, 25th, and 31st in yards per game with Gase coaching. Pair that with his inability to fix the quarterback position or have a somewhat respectable defense, and you’ve got an unemployed coach. This brings me to the candidate that I think would thrive in our young organization in need of a fresh start. Kris Richard, who is currently the Cowboys defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator for the defense, would be a home-run for this organization. The guy who brought together Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” and in 2015 was the defensive coordinator for the leagues number one defense. He is a fiery 39-year-old coach and former player who commands great respect in an NFL locker room. Richard’s current Cowboys teams, as well as, his former Seahawks teams both possess the tough, physical blueprint that needs to be brought to Miami. He will be tasked with finding an offensive coordinator that he trusts to fulfill his blueprint. This organization needs a spark, and I think it’s Kris Richard.
