Tua Tagovailoa should have competition to push him for the Miami Dolphins starting job next season

Pressure Point: Opening at New England perfect gauge for Miami Dolphins

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No NFL team relishes making a road trip to New England — certainly not for the past couple decades. For the Miami Dolphins, facing the Patriots at Foxborough in Sunday’s opener is the perfect challenge to begin one of the most important seasons in franchise history.

The Buffalo Bills are the team to beat in the AFC East, a bona fide Super Bowl contender. But the Patriots are the best gauge for where the Dolphins stand right now and what was achieved during the offseason.

It will be tough as hell. It always is going into Gillette Stadium.

And that’s the point: It will give an indication if the Dolphins really are moving beyond rebuilding mode into not only attaining but being capable of advancing in the playoffs.

It is a prime opportunity for Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins to shred the doubters and begin the season with a significant statement.

The Patriots are coming off their first losing season (7-9) since 2000, their first missing the playoffs since 2008.

Patriots aim for bounce back

Worse, for Bill Belichick, he had to watch Tom Brady win the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. Then he got busy retooling his roster, doling out more than $150 million guaranteed in free agency with particular attention to fortifying a substandard offense, especially the receiving corps and line. Then he went all in on rookie quarterback Mac Jones (drafted 15th overall) and cut ties with Cam Newton.

Most of the so-called national experts are already ranking the Patriots above the Dolphins, who went 10-6 in 2020 and narrowly missed the playoffs.
Nine of 11 of ESPN staff members are picking the Patriots in the opener. Home-field advantage certainly factors into that. But what about the Patriots starting a rookie quarterback in his first NFL game?

Already national sentiment is favoring Jones over Tua Tagovailoa, who preceded him at Alabama.
Michael David Smith, of Pro Football Talk, wrote: “I’m looking forward to the Mac Jones–Tua Tagovailoa quarterback matchup, one in which I see Jones coming out on top.”

The offseason has been rife with silly Tua drama, from a flurry of interceptions in one OTA practice to concern now that him not being voted offensive captain indicates he’s not a leader.

Tua can lead on field

Wide receiver Mack Hollins, who was voted offensive captain, said this week, “Just because you’re a quarterback or just because you’re this doesn’t mean you have to be the captain or you have to be this.

“Tua is an excellent leader, an exceptional leader. The transformation he’s made from last year to this year is incredible. I think you all have seen that in how calm he feels in the pocket now versus last year.

“If you put a clip side-by-side, the changes he’s made are really night and day. That goes to leadership. It’s not like his arm magically got 10-times better. It goes to his confidence, his ability to lead and feel comfortable in the huddle.”

Brian Flores puts Dolphins quarterback controversy to rest

Tagovailoa will have a chance to add validity to all of that on Sunday. He will be on the spot to do so.

He certainly has a lot to prove. Based on what he showed in training camp and two preseason games, I’m confident in Tua — that he will distinguish himself, that the Dolphins can win with him. That he will prove to be the leader of the offense that they need.

And that over the course of the season his performance will provide a serious dose of “Shut the F up” to the critics.

He has more play-makers to work with now. I can’t wait to see No. 6 overall pick Jaylen Waddle unleashed in the regular season.

Offensive line Dolphins’ biggest question

To me, the key to the Dolphins’ success this season — the No. 1 area of concern — is the offensive line. The Dolphins have invested heavily in trying to build that unit with five picks since 2019 on the roster. It remains a bigger question mark than Tagovailoa.

If GM Chris Grier and Co. got it wrong with those players, that will stunt the progress on offense.

The defense is already good enough — the Dolphins allowed the sixth-fewest points in 2020 — and has every reason to be better this season.

Scanning the roster, the lack of star players is undeniable. But there is more quality depth than the Dolphins have had in years.

The 10-6 season gave credence to Grier’s roster building and to coach Brian Flores’ system. But taking the next step to elite will be tougher.

Standing in Miami’s way in the division are those formidable Bills and likely improved Pats.

Certainly, Tagovailoa and the offensive line have to perform a lot better than in the past. But the same can be said for much of the roster.

Dolphins’ mission clear

Judging from all the predictions, there’s not a lot of belief in these Dolphins. It borders on disrespect.

It’s up to them to change the conversation.

If you’re embarking on a mission of “Shut the F Up” in the NFL, can’t think of a better place to start than at New England.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Led by Boca native Michael Pratt, nomadic Tulane a potential AAC contender

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As a Group of 5 program with minimal success in the face of the No. 2 team in the nation, if victory is unattainable, the next best thing is to win respect. 

Tulane fell to No. 2 Oklahoma 40-35 but has come away as a team worth respecting this season. The Green Wave entered the season aiming for a fourth straight bowl appearance but their performance on the road has broaden aspirations. 

One of the main reasons why is the emergence of Boca Raton native Michael Pratt. Prior to joining the Green Wave, Pratt led Deerfield Beach High School to the Florida Class 8A Semifinals as a senior in 2019.

The freshman quarterback made his debut last season in a year that doesn’t count towards eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic. After taking the reins in Week 3, he finished the year with 1,806 yards passing and 20 touchdowns, the most among any true freshman quarterback in the nation. He also scored eight touchdowns on the ground. 

With Pratt under center, Tulane went from 2-4 to 6-4 going to its third straight bowl game. The Green Wave offense scored at least 21 points or more each game throughout the season.

Pratt was practically the entire offense against the Sooners last week, throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns while leading the Green Wave in rushing with 34 yards and a touchdown. An argument could be made that he out-dueled Heisman Trophy frontrunner Spencer Rattler, who throw form 304 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. 

The Sooners led 37-14 at halftime and normally a score like that in Week 1 would mean it’s time to hit the clicker and find a more compelling game. Tulane outscored Oklahoma 21-3 in the second half to nearly pull off the comeback. 

For not winning by a higher margin, Oklahoma dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 in the rankings this week.

“That was one of the hardest hitting teams, one of the most physical teams I’ve played,” Rattler said after the game. “They came out there, and they played great, better than us, for sure. They wanted to win more than us. You could tell it.”

Tulane has gone from one crazy season to the next. After a year that kept fans away from the stadium, Tula has yet to play in their home turf due to Hurricane Ida. The opener against Oklahoma was supposed to be in New Orleans and this week’s game against Morgan State has been moved to Birmingham, Ala. 

“It’s an unusual story what we’re doing right now,” Tulane head coach Willie Fritz said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “We’re in a hotel and I don’t know how long were going to be here. We’re well taken care of, and I think I’ve mentioned it the other day in our team meeting, I told the guys that I haven’t been in a hotel this nice until I was over 40 years old, I mean this is a nice place here this Sheraton. We’re getting feed well and everything else, but we are a bit disconnected from what normal is right now. We just want to get better and its easy for me to do that, but I must convince a bunch of 18–22-year old’s that every day we got to get out there and focus, concentrate, and get better.”

Assuming the Green Wave dispatches their FCS opponent on Saturday, the next true test will come at Oxford against No. 20 Ole Miss. Even if that game also results in a close loss, Tulane could go into the American Athletic Conference slate with every game seen as a winnable one. 

No. 7 Cincinnati is seen as the favorite to run the table and win the conference title again but it might have competition this time around. 

Hurricanes Flub Their Lines in Opener

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The stage was set.

The once proud Miami Hurricanes were going to take on Goliath, a college football dynasty, at its peak.

We were under no illusion of victory. That was a bridge too far.

But we certainly were reasonable in assuming Miami would try and get some punches in. When I go to a Fast and Furious movie, I don’t expect to see some sort of life changing move a la Schindler’s List. But I do expect Vin Diesel and cars.

I didn’t get that on Saturday. I got Gigli.

The biggest crime the Hurricanes committed on Saturday wasn’t that they were outclassed, although they were.

The biggest crime the Hurricanes committed on Saturday wasn’t that they missed tackles, although they did.

The biggest crime the Hurricanes committed on Saturday wasn’t that they were physically dominated, although they were.

No, to a certain extent, sans the missed tackles, a lot of that was expected.

The Hurricanes crime on Saturday was they were boring. Everyone knew it would take something extraordinary, other-worldly for Miami to win that game. So, you expected them to throw the kitchen sink at Alabama.

Instead, we got run plays on 3rd and 7, we saw no trick plays, we saw very vanilla offense and defense. Miami didn’t just get destroyed by Alabama, they set up to get destroyed, accepted their fate. They capitulated. I wanted them to empty the clip, and instead they waved the white flag.

I wanted Tony Montana telling Alabama to say hello to our little friend, and instead I got the lawyer from Jurassic Park abandoning children in an unsuccessful attempt to save himself. The lasting memories of this game for Canes fans will not be the displays of brilliance from Alabama, but the shameful cowardice of the Hurricanes’ approach.

The Shame of It

The saddest part of the game was actually the 2nd half, when the Canes opened up offensively and defensively. Granted, the game was over. Granted Alabama had taken their foot off the gas. But they were plays to be made, and Miami made some of them. They drove multiple times, they scored, they played some defense.

Some dubious officiating is likely what prevented the Hurricanes from playing an even second half (or maybe even winning it) on the scoreboard.

Of course, context matters. Had the game been moderately competitive, you knew Alabama would always be able to crank it into high gear and pull away. So certainly that the Hurricanes play making started after the game was essentially over was far from a coincidence.

But there were 2 parts that went into that, and only one is that Alabama naturally let up. The other part? Miami didn’t actually try to threaten Alabama until the game was over.

As the game unfolded, you saw our players put in a position to fail, and compete their butts off. Rallying to tackles, almost oblivious to the score. Late in the game. The effort was there, the pride was there.

What was lacking was basically everything the coaches are responsible. When the Canes weren’t missing tackles and blocks, their defensive leader was getting ejected for a brain-dead, completely unnecessary targeting penalty that was so difficult to actually accomplish it looked like he was trying to get ejected. You can’t blame the player, though. Because it’s never one player, and it’s never the same one. It’s always multiple players exhibiting committing similar mistakes. When it is a one off, that could be a player. When it is systemic, that’s the coaches.

The players wanted to rise to the moment, but the coaches did not give them the ability to even attempt to do that.

Never Again

This has been a rolling pattern for Manny Diaz’s Canes…poor preparation when there was additional time to prepare, big game yips, blown out at the critical moment.

Some of that is the opponent, but most of it rests squarely on the coaches’ shoulders. Whatever they’re doing is not working.

This can’t happen again. Manny Diaz’s administration is teetering. You’d have to bury your head in the sand to not have doubts. But he has 11 games to right the ship. The task in front of him is arduous. He needs to win enough to arrive at the big stage (the ACC Championship game, likely against Clemson), then deliver on that stage. Not necessarily win, but at least show the team has a clue, that they are capable of competing against college football’s elites.

Miami’s test on Saturday was not to beat Bama, but to prove they belonged. They didn’t do that. To say, “well Bama does this to everyone” is to jettison Miami to the scrap heap of college football, defining them as an also ran. If that is the desire of this school, this fan base, then so be it and we’ll stop pretending we’re trying to “Build Champions.”

But if not, then the next time Miami enters this stage, they must show they at least belong on the field. Otherwise, administration-level changes need to be made. The sands in the hour-glass are truly accelerating, time is short. The sun is setting on the historic remains of a once proud program.

For Miami to pass the test in their next go ’round, they actually have to show up to take it. Against Alabama, the coaches decided they weren’t good enough to do that.

The best way to guarantee a loss is to quit. –Morgan Freeman

The players certainly didn’t quit on Saturday, but the coaches appeared to do so before the game even started, never preparing to win. You only get so many chances, and Miami can’t afford to waste any more.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports and generally covers the Miami Hurricanes. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

Accept This as the new Standard for the Miami Hurricanes

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The standard set two decades ago by the Miami Hurricanes football team is unrealistic today.

Fans who are old enough to remember the last great era of Hurricanes football have been waiting.

And waiting.

Year after year, preseason expectations soar.

While season after season, the final results crash and burn.

The fact of the matter is, the Miami Hurricanes are just another team in college football.

Just another mid-tier ACC team.

Which at this point in the Manny Diaz era should be expected.

Preseason accolades fuel evasive goals and status, like the facade of Miami entering the game ranked 14th in the country.

An arbitrary, vaguely assigned numeric value which means absolutely nothing.

Stop buying into it.

Treadmill of Coaching Mediocrity

Since Larry Coker’s last season in 2006, the Hurricanes have had three full time coaches prior to Diaz.

Randy Shannon (28-22)

Al Golden (32-25)

Mark Richt (26-12)

Richt’s record at Georgia from 2001 through 2015 was a stellar 145-51, and he led the charge for the new indoor practice facility at Miami.

Shannon would eventually lose control of the program, while Golden’s tenure took it completely off the rails.

Both saw scandal and poor on-field play undermine almost any positives.

Richt brought stability, pedigree, and a foundation of structure from a career competing against the top coaches in the SEC.

Enter Diaz, who like the names before him can recruit at a high level.

His record sits at 14-10, a similar trend to Shannon and Golden.

How soon is too soon to overreact?

Miami has shown so far in his tenure that they are several rungs below the upper echelon in college football.

Good news…so is almost every other team in the land.

Protect Your House

When Miami left the Big East after the 2003 season, the ACC was supposed to be their playground.

The Hurricanes decimated opponents in the Big East, leaving a catastrophic wake as their namesake implies.

However since joining the ACC, Miami has become just another team bowing at the alter of Clemson.

Richt took the Hurricanes to their only ACC Championship appearance, where they were summarily destroyed by Clemson 38-3.

Supporters of the Hurricanes should not expect the team to compete with the likes of Alabama.

When the memory of giving up 62 points to North Carolina is still vivid.

However, all is not lost in Coral Gables, as one game does not make a season.

Especially one few thought Miami had any prayer of victory in to begin with.

The Atlantic Coast Conference could be down this year, as both Clemson and North Carolina already have losses as well.

Realistically, ACC championship game appearances on the regular should be one of the first goals.

The Hurricanes are building a talent base, but are lacking the cache to compete with the chalk of college football.

First they must start winning the games they should, easily.

Starting with Appalachian State.

Take care of the ACC pack, then extinguish a rebuilding UNC team like a Category 5 monster.

Peak late instead of early.

While far away from programs such as Alabama and Georgia, Miami is still on the precipice of being an ACC contender.

Which is all anyone could ask of them at this point.

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Tua Tagovailoa should have competition to push him for the Miami Dolphins starting job next season

Dolphins 3 keys to the Season: Offense

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As the Miami Dolphins prepare to begin the regular season, hopes are undeniably high among the fan base.

So with this in mind, here are the three keys to offensive success this season.

Possession and Scoring

In 2020, Miami was one of the NFL’s fastest-starting teams. In the first quarter of games, the Dolphins outscored opponents 103-55. The +48 point differential in the opening frame was the second best in the NFL.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins were third in the NFL in first-quarter scoring, averaging 6.4 points.

The 2020 Dolphins offense was one of Miami’s most productive offenses in recent years, despite having several rookie starters. The unit averaged 339.0 yards per game, the highest since 2014. 

Miami gained 345 first downs, which was tied for the second-most the team’s had since at least 1991 and was the most since the 2014 season. The Dolphins also recorded their best time of possession (31:16 average) since 1999.

If the Dolphins can continuously get out to fast starts with a brand new offense that looks to score early and often this season it will stress opposing teams to score and make mistakes.

Sort of like the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mike Gesicki and the TE Unit

The tight end unit was the most productive group in Dolphins history. TE Mike Gesicki led the TE room with 53 receptions for 703 yards, and six touchdowns. His 703 receiving yards were the fourth best among all tight ends in 2020 and trails only Randy McMichael in Dolphins History.

The Tua to Gesicki connection will be one of the most important things to watch out for this season. An offseason together should have both Tua and Mike in sync. Along with former TEs coach George Godsey as the co-offensive coordinator, the offense could be predicated on getting Gesicki moving the chains early and often.

The rest of the tight end group compliments Mike Gesicki really well. Durham Smythe is primarily known as the run blocker of the group who will look to be a key blocker in the RPO game. Smythe can also catch as an in-line tight end. He had 26 receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Furthermore, Adam Shaheen is more of a red zone threat who hauled in 12 catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Lastly, the TE room is rounded off with third round rookie Hunter Long. At Boston College last season, Long was actually their leading receiver. And finally, Cethan Carter, who was signed as a free agent looks to be a fullback in personnel groupings.

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Running game and the OL

Obviously, Miami has one of the youngest offensive lines in the NFL. They made history last year against the Cincinnati Bengals as they started three rookies on the offensive line. First-round pick Austin Jackson, second-round pick Robert Hunt, and fourth-round pick Solomon Kindley combined to start 37 games last season and allowed 34 sacks, finishing 15th in the league. In spite of that, there’s still lots of room for improvement.

The Dolphins injected more youth into the offensive line this season, drafting Liam Eichenberg in the second round who looks to play right tackle this season. Michael Deiter won the center job, not that it was a competition anyway. Jesse Davis rounds it out as the 6th man– he’s the oldest player on the line at just 29 years old. Undoubtedly, he’ll start at right tackle until Eichenberg is deemed ready.

Despite missing six games last year, RB Myles Gaskin was very productive in the games he played in 2020, finishing in the top 10 in scrimmage yards per game. Gaskin averaged 97.2 scrimmage yards per game. To put it another way, he’s better than he’s given credit for.

RB Salvon Ahmed played in only five games last year and had the franchise’s two best rushing performances by an undrafted rookie. Ahmed gained 85 rushing yards in his second NFL game against the Chargers. It was the most rushing yards by an undrafted rookie in Dolphins history. He then beat that mark against the New England Patriots as he rushed for 122 yards, the team’s first 100 yard rushing performance since 2018.

In summary, the best way to help Tagovailoa this season is for the OL to protect him better than last year. The OL will need to open up holes in the run game. Austin Jackson struggled in the preseason and needs to go back to form in the regular season. The right side combo of Robert Hunt and Jesse Davis/Liam Eichenberg should provide stability on Tua’s blindside and continue to pave the way for the run game.

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Miami Looks to Their King for Salvation

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The kick to open the 4th quarter was low, but hooked over the bar. Chris Dunn, the NC State kicker, celebrated wildly after nailing the 53-yarder. Those celebrations included gesticulating wildly at the Hurricanes’ bench imploring them to fellate him. And as well he should. The kick put NC State up 10, with a Win Probability of 85.7%. Surely, the Wolfpack had the game.

The problem with that logic is you can’t put a percentage on D’Eriq King. He immediately responded, leading his troops back. But the most impressive thing was the completeness. On one possession it was the wild, darting scamper for 28 yards to set up a score, having seemingly been trapped multiple times. It was then that we knew D’Eriq wouldn’t be denied.

On the next possession, with the lead sliced to 4, and the Canes on a make or break drive, the Mighty King was sacked. 2nd and 18…no problem as he completed a 35-yard pass. A few plays later, on 3rd and 7, he completed the winning TD, a 54-yard strike. And that’s the thing, whether on the ground or through the air, D’Eriq was there. In an iconic performance, he was transcended football, etching his place in the program’s history.

He was not merely a quarterback or a football player or a student athlete…he was a force of nature, a superhero….OUR superhero.

The Search for the Quarterback

We always hear about Miami searching for the successor to Ken Dorsey, a 20 year hunt for the next great Canes QB. The problem with that is that many really good QBs have come through here since Dorsey graduated. I believe that now as much as I dreamed of them elevating this program when they were here.

So why is D’Eriq King different?

At a glance, he’s not. But then you see him play. He has that divine spark.

I admittedly took a while to realize what we had here, precisely because we’ve overall had fairly solid QB play even has the program has waned. But that NC State game was an awakening. It’s like listening to all the talent coming out of Motown and realizing they are really special, and then hearing Diana Ross and realizing you’re listening to a completely different entity. This is someone that sits among the most talented, and elevates above that.

D’Eriq plays QB like Picasso paints, starting with a blank canvas, and ending with a masterpiece, while onlookers are forced to wonder what they just witnessed, struggling to explain it, awed by its presence. So perfectly different.

But here’s the other thing….he’s more impressive off the field.

When D’Eriq King transferred to Miami, we knew we were getting at the very least a solid college QB with success in an up-tempo offense that new Offensive Coordinator Rhett Lashlee promised to bring. What we didn’t know we were getting was an elite-level human being. Since setting foot on campus, D’Eriq King has elevated the standards of the program not just on the field, but off it. He conducts himself in a manner fitting a person many years his senior, becoming the positive face of this program.

In one short year, he has forever put his stamp on this program, setting the standard by which we expect our leaders to conduct themselves. Something has been off about this program for quite a while, and King’s presence goes a long way towards righting this ship.

The Last Full Measure

On Saturday, Miami will head into a seemingly unwinnable game. Alabama is unparalleled in college football. They just cycle through NFL talent, repeatedly winning conference and national championships. No one gives Miami much of a chance.

And on paper, they shouldn’t. Much like the Chris Dunn, they should assume it’s over. Why even play the game?

But they forgot…we have D’Eriq.

The Miami football program was built on improbabilities. So what’s one more improbable outcome? What’s to stop them from them mustering one more miracle for a miracle program…magic from the Magic City?

That’s what King has restored to the 305. Hope. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. We’ve seen this program do extraordinary things, against long odds. And we’ve seen D’Eriq do so as well.

The meandering road travelled by D’Eriq King, where COVID granted him an extra year of eligibility, where a knee injury threatened everything, by to end up leading this program at this moment is the stuff of fairy tales. Improbable in its own right. He shouldn’t be here to lead Miami, but he is.

Everyone expects Miami to get killed. D’Eriq is there to win.

And when he takes that field, leading his team out through the hallowed smoke, that simple U which elicits so much emotional pride in all of us adorned on his helmet, he represents all of Miami. He takes our hopes and dreams with him, our program, on his diminutive frame. He’s up to the challenge, and we’re privileged to have him in our corner.

Miami’s King.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports and generally covers the Miami Hurricanes. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

Tua Tagovailoa should have competition to push him for the Miami Dolphins starting job next season

Dolphins fans need Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones story instead of Watson saga

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Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones will take center stage in Week 1 as Dolphins visit Patriots. With the release of Cam Newton, the Patriots ushered the Mac Jones era in with brute force.

The Patriot Way!

Nobody will feel sorry for Bill Belichick on the Miami sideline, as Brian Flores and his defense will set sights on the statuesque Mac Jones. So now perhaps the media can focus on an interesting story of two Alabama quarterbacks. Competitors from the same college team now competing at the highest level.

Instead of this:

The Watson situation has cast a pall over an otherwise triumphant preseason for both Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. Miami finished the exhibition season in spectacular fashion, with a roster for the most part intact and ready.

Jones got his first shot as a starter at Alabama when Tua suffered his hip injury during the 2019 season. When Tua departed for the NFL in 2020, the reins passed to Jones who took full advantage. Now they meet again in what should be the first of many matchups to come.

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A pretty fascinating tale if you look at it. The backup in Jones, who waited for his time while Tua was front and center. It was actually Jones who took Alabama wire-to-wire for a National Championship.

Although Tua’s relief performance in 2018 was one for the ages.

So both come in with pedigree and moxie, arriving at this moment in different yet overlapping ways.

This should be one of the leading storylines heading into the 2021 NFL season, at least in the AFC East.

But instead, fans of the Dolphins have been made to wait and wonder.

Now finally, it appears the Watson saga on and off the field may be confined to the great state of Texas.

If so, let’s embrace a nice and easily palatable story of two Alabama quarterbacks facing each other instead.

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Manny Diaz’s Date With Destiny

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In a way, Manny Diaz embodies everything about Miami generally, and Miami football, specifically. The eponymously named son of a former mayor of Cuban descent enters a pivotal third year as captain of Miami’s ship with the daunting task of arresting a 20-year slide and restoring one of college football’s elite programs to their rightful place at the top of college football.

One of the interesting things about Diaz’s path to head coach at Miami is that it is simultaneously extremely unique having never played and having attended rival Florida State while also mirroring one of Miami’s more recent head coaches (Randy Shannon).

Shannon, a Miami-born formerly successful Defensive Coordinator with a fondness for discarding assistant coaches, famously failed at Miami. So how and why will Diaz succeed where 4 previous head coaches have failed? And why is it of paramount importance that this hire succeeds?

Smarter than the Average Bear

Sports narratives are often driven by masculine traits being viewed positively. With some merit. Toughness, strength, fortitude are necessities if you’re going to be successful in football, which often resembles gladiatorial combat as much as a game.

And when those qualities extend to the head coach we view decisiveness and consistency as strengths, and hesitation and erraticism as weakness. But did you ever stop to think about how those qualities could possibly lend themselves to success in the event that the person exhibiting those seemingly strong qualities is actually incapable of performing the job with which he’s tasked? Decisively wrong is actual weakness.

The 4 previously failed Miami head coaches dating back 2 decades have all embodied those winning qualities to some extent, and yet failed because those character traits were being exhibited by someone who was ill-suited to doing the hard work of maintaining or rebuilding the program. Where does Manny Diaz fit on this scale?

The reality is we don’t know. He has certainly eclipsed the low bar Al Golden set when he tried to simultaneously enrich a bunch of yes men while attempting to unwind the soul of the program. But that is hardly a measuring stick for Diaz.

Because for Manny, incremental improvement this year won’t be enough. He has one of the best QBs in college football leading his offense. He has personally taken ownership of a fledging defense that imploded last year in embarrassing fashion.

Diaz made this year the inflection point when he named himself Defensive Coordinator. He can’t very well come to us at the end of an unsuccessful season with D’Eriq King having played his final season at Miami and say, “my bad, I guess I needed an independent Defensive Coordinator.”

I don’t think anyone knows if that was the right move, but there was an inherit nobility in putting his neck on the line. Diaz put the responsibility on himself. There can be no scapegoat, no fall guy. He succeeds or fails on his own merit, absent any ability to apportion blame elsewhere. Manny Diaz broke with his predecessors by exhibiting bravery where others showcased venality, often putting personal gain and relationships above the program.

It might ultimately hasten his exit, but there is little doubt that in betting on himself, Manny has performed the ultimate Miami move, full of bravado and self-belief, he has decided that the best way to lead the program back to the top is to do so personally. It’s bold and decisive…and so we wait to see if that is a strength or a weakness in Diaz’s case.

Why Manny Matters

Ultimately, Diaz will be judged on his record as all coaches are. But in particular, for Miami, Diaz’s success extends beyond the field. Because in Manny Diaz the Hurricanes have more than just a son of a Miami, they have the embodiment of the person we want to lead this program. While Dabo Swinney, who has a $93 million contract, railed against the idea that some players might get some breadcrumbs, Manny took the opposite track. When social strife swept the country last summer, Manny was there, with his players.

In a sport where players are often treated as mere chattel, a means to an end, vessels to be used and disposed of, we should not take Diaz’s empathy for granted. Nor should we dismiss his frequent coaching changes as merely an attempt to save his skin. It’s actually easier to blame the players or keep an assistant coaching buffer between himself and responsibility. In fact, this is often portrayed as positive, when a coach does not fire assistants, standing firm with his people.

But do we ever consider that from the players’ perspective? They have 4 years to play college football. How is it positive to keep an unqualified, undeserving coach on the payroll and waste those players’ careers? It is positive through the lens of the old boys club, where there is a symbiotic relationship between the coaching fraternity and the coverage of it, that leads to stability, and financial gain at the expense of players.

Say what you will about Diaz, but no one will ever accuse me of being a member of that club. From inventing the Turnover Chain, to giving players multiple chances within reason, Diaz has exhibited that blend of sternness, empathy, and freedom that allows players to be themselves while also looking out for their well being.

In the grand scheme of things, none of that will matter. If Miami doesn’t win big soon, Diaz will be looking for a new job and Miami will get back on the coaching treadmill. But wouldn’t be nice if once, just this once, someone that displays empathy and cares actually succeeds? Wouldn’t it be nice if the good guys finish first? Would that it were.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports and generally covers the Miami Hurricanes. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

Could DeVante Parker be the odd receiver out?

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On Tuesday August 24th, the Miami Dolphins announced they had waived WR Isaiah Ford, waived/injured WR Robert Foster and placed Lynn Bowden Jr. on injured reserve, ending his season.

 

The WR room currently consists of:

-Devante Parker

-Will Fuller

-Jaylen Waddle

-Albert Wilson

-Jakeem Grant

-Preston Williams

-Mack Hollins

-Kirk Merritt

-Malcolm Perry

-Khalil Mclain

-Kai Locksley

 

While the WR room and the roster as a whole is not set in stone yet as things may change throughout the week leading up to cutdown day.

 

I expect a move by the Dolphins to trade one of these  Wide Receivers off for compensation, here’s who:

 

Devante Parker

 

We all love Devante Parker, when he’s healthy, the team has slated him as the primary WR on the field. Since 2015 Parker has 298 receptions, 4212 yards, and 22 touchdowns; furthermore the bulk of them coming in 2019. 

 

However, Parker has shown an inability to stay healthy; his lone season was in 2019. Tua has shown he’s able to place the ball to Parker efficiently and is a weapon to be used. And yet, Parker has been in a red-no contact shirt at practice multiple times for fear of another injury. If the Dolphins fear of another injury to Parker what could it mean about his availability for next season?

 

The Dolphins have good depth in the WR room to not be reliant on Parker, so why keep him?

 

Miami could trade Parker for assets, especially for the offensive line if help is needed, as it appears it may be. There are several receiver-needy teams that could use Parker as a weapon on the outside, such as the Saints and the Lions. The Dolphins could reel in an pass protector or a mid round draft asset for Parker.

 

Also, Miami has a potential out after this year with Parker but it comes with a steep cap around $12 million. The Dolphins would be able to shave his salary off the books to potentially extend tight end Mike Gesicki or defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.

 

Or maybe give Xavien Howard a new contract at the end of the season, after restructuring his deal to keep him happy for this camp.

 

The Dolphins have not been emotional in roster decisions. It has been all about business since the Chris Grier era.

 

Modern day offenses are changing before our eyes. Parker may be a great contested catch type of WR, but we know that is not Tua’s biggest strength. 

 

Instead, what Tua may need could be WR’s who can be contested catch guys, but win their battles separating from the defender and gaining yards after catch. After all, that is who they brought in with Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle.

 

There are several WR’s next season that can fill the DeVante Parker role next season in the draft. Some of these guys could be but not limited to: Zay Flowers (BC), Ty Fryfogle (Indiana), Jalen Tolbert (S. Alabama), Reggie Roberson Jr. (SMU) and Christian Watson (NDSU).

 

Not to mention, Preston Williams, Mack Hollins and Kirk Merrit could fill DeVante Parker’s spot on the roster and make him expendable.

 

This could happen between now and the trade deadline, or not at all. But if it does, don’t be stunned. 

 

Follow new Five Reasons Sports contributor @HussamPatel on Twitter. 

Goldie’s NFL Rundown: Who Wins the QB Battles?

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With the NFL season right around the corner, a handful of teams still haven’t decided on a week one starter at quarterback. The quarterback is the most integral member of the football team, so let’s take a look at who these teams should turn to at QB come week one:

 

Patriots: Cam Newton vs. Mac Jones

Throughout the first two weeks of preseason both the rookie and the vet have looked sharp. In the Patriots 35-0 win over the Eagles, Newton looked much more like Panthers Cam Newton than he did all of last season. Newton went 8-9 with 103 yards and a TD, but what impressed me most was his athleticism in the pocket. He showed good command of the offense and threw the ball accurately to receivers.  However, the rookie came in and had a very impressive showing in this game also. Jones threw for 146 yards on 13 completions on 19 attempts. His statline should’ve been stronger too had it not been for multiple drops by Pats receivers. Jones looked comfortable in an NFL setting, which is a great sign for Pats fans moving forward. That being said, I’d still give week one and the majority of this season to veteran leader Cam Newton. He’s had a year to learn the system, and he actually gets OTAs and a preseason this year to fine tune the offense before the regular season. I think the feeling in Foxborough should be that Cam is the guy for this season but Mac Jones is the Quarterback of the future. Let Newton mentor Jones for a season, let Jones develop for a year and see what Cam can do for another season. ‘

 

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49ers: Trey Lance vs. Jimmy Garrapolo

Of all the QB battles in this list, this one is the easiest decision in my opinion. The Niners should start Jimmy G and groom rookie Trey Lance for at least one season. One of the main reasons the Niners traded up and drafted Lance had a lot to do with the health of Garoppolo. When Jimmy G is healthy, the Niners have shown they are a very competitive football team. Many forget that Jimmy G led the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance just two seasons ago. The Niners led in the 4th quarter of that Super Bowl, so Jimmy G has already proven he can win with this team and this coaching staff. On the other side of the coin, Trey Lance hasn’t played football in over a year. His last season at North Dakota State was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although it’s no secret Trey Lance has immense raw talent, the kid needs more reps to become truly NFL ready. The Niners should look to keep the starting job with Jimmy G until he gives them a reason to take it away from him. 

 

Bears: Justin Fields vs. Andy Dalton

The Bears surprised some people by moving up in the first round of the draft to get Quarterback Justin Fields, but I think this was the perfect move for Chicago. Their QB room has been a revolving door for years now. So they got aggressive and went out and got a hard working midwest kid that fits Chicago’s culture perfectly. Fields was a stud at Ohio State, and Bears fans are praying that his raw talent will translate to the pros.  So the question is do they start Fields immediately, or let him develop for a season under Andy Dalton? In most cases, I would side with letting the Rookie develop under the veteran QB, but this Bears situation is a little different. Andy Dalton is in the twilight of his career, and he hasn’t shown much through two preseason games that shows he really belongs as a starter in this league. We saw this last season in Dalton’s time with the Cowboys too. He was put at the helm of that loaded Cowboys offense and still couldn’t produce results. Another thing working in Fields’ favor is the showing that the Rookie put on in his first preseason game versus Miami. Fields’ stat line was very solid going 14/20 for 142 yards and a TD through the air to go along with 5 rushes for 33 yards and a TD on the ground. His playmaking ability was evident in this game, while Andy Dalton looked old and weary. Dalton’s time in this league is quickly coming to a close, while Fields is eager to prove he shouldn’t have fallen out of the top ten picks.  It seems that Fields already gives Chicago the best chance to win games right now. Not to mention the fans have already started calling for Fields to be the starter. Both football wise and brand wise Fields is the answer this season for Chicago. Start the kid week 1!

 

Broncos: Teddy Bridgewater vs. Drew Lock

Denver brought in veteran QTeddy Bridgewater to create some very real QB competition for Drew Lock. There’s also been many rumors floating around about a possible Aaron Rodgers trade. I don’t buy into those too much, as it seems Green Bay is sticking with Rodgers for this season at least. With the Rodgers rumors squashed, this makes for a very interesting competition in Denver. Especially interesting because Lock looked better in preseason week one, while Bridgewater looked better than Lock in week two. Both have shown they can play in this league, but neither have taken the step to the next level. With all of that considered, expect the job to be initially given to Lock. It simply comes down to one thing: potential. Lock is entering his third season in the NFL. A third season for a Quarterback is looked at by many as a “prove-it” year. That’s exactly what the Broncos and Drew Lock are looking at this season. In his first two seasons, Lock has shown flashes of greatness, but hasn’t been able to put it all together. By about 8-10 games into the season, the Broncos should know whether or not Lock is the guy. If Lock fails to meet expectations early in the season it will be clear for Denver that it’s time to move on from Lock. The Broncos drafted Drew Lock, they should see it through for one more season. However, adding proven veteran Teddy Bridgewater to the QB room definitely adds even more pressure to 3rd year QB Drew Lock. That pressure is very necessary though, expect Lock to have a very short leash with Denver this season. 

 

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Saints: Jameis Winston vs. Taysom Hill

If Winston didn’t already have the job, he definitely proved he deserved it in his showing Monday night versus the Jaguars. Jameis solidified his role as starter by throwing two beautiful bombs to Marquez Callaway for TDs in the first quarter of this contest. Then Taysom Hill came into the game and the Saints offense struggled to move the ball. However, this doesn’t mean Taysom won’t see the field this season. Saints coach Sean Payton should continue to spot Hill in certain situations like he’s done for the past few seasons. Hill does his best work when he can catch the defense off guard, but when Hill comes in as a traditional every down quarterback the defense can do more to prepare. Jameis Winston gets the starting job, but Hill is definitely still an important member of this Saints offense.