Dolphins Coaching Hires Signal Youth Movement

Dolphins Coaching Hires Signal Youth Movement

It seems like new Dolphins’ Head Coach Jeff Hafley had a clear goal in mind when hiring his assistant coaches in his first season with the team.

Add young coaches with an extensive background in college football.

Mission accomplished for Hafley.

With his staff near complete, the majority of Hafley’s staff coached in the college ranks within the last decade.

New assistant Al Washington was a prominent defensive staffer at Notre Dame last season.

Jahmile Addae, Miami’s new cornerback coach, was a defensive back coach for the University of Miami and the University of Georgia earlier this decade before making a move to the Buffalo Bills in the last two seasons.

Matt Applebaum, Miami’s new assistant offensive line coach, spent last season as the offensive line coach at Boston College.

Numerous other defensive assistants, including incoming defensive coordinator Sean Duggan, spent time with Hafley at Ohio State in 2019.

This to me signals that a youth movement in Miami is on the horizon.

Hafley is clearly looking for coaches who can teach younger players, as evidenced by their extensive experience in the college ranks.

This off-season, Miami will look to shed some of its bigger contracts, which include Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa, Bradley Chubb, and possibly Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The lack of veteran leadership will thrust many rookies and second-year players into bigger roles, requiring these former college coaches to prepare these younger players to play early.

Along with the loss of veteran leadership, the young talent on the roster will have no veterans to lean on during practice.

These young coaches add an extra benefit as well.

With so many recent college players, they should be able to give Miami a leg up in scouting ahead of the NFL Draft.

It is a good year for that, too, with Miami having five top 100 picks in April.

Washington, Applebaum, and Addae will bring an added benefit of their own as well.

The three most recently coached at Notre Dame, Boston College, and Miami.

Well, the Fighting Irish should have some prospects that interest the Dolphins at positions of need in Malachi Fields and Eli Raridon.

For Applebaum, he coached projected day 2 offensive tackle, Jude Bowry.

Lastly, Addae should be able to use his contacts with the Hurricanes to gain inside information on the many University of Miami players who fit the Dolphins’ positions of need.

While it seems the Dolphins’ assistants do not have much NFL experience, it seems that was by design of Hafley.

In the coming years, those assistants should help Miami go from bottom dwellers to hopefully a perennial contender in a loaded AFC.