One spot left for the Canes in 2020: Who’s it for?

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Less than four months into his UF career, Class of 2020 OL signee Issiah Walker has entered the transfer portal. While the reasoning behind it is unclear, it’s an interesting predicament for the Canes as Manny Diaz is now in a position to land one of their most coveted prospects that they came up short on during this past recruiting cycle.

 

Walker was rated as the 15th-best OT in the country and 156th overall according to 247Sports. He was committed to South Carolina for a little over a year before re-opening his recruitment last July. From there, it was a heated battle between Florida and Miami. Walker even made frequent visits to Coral Gables, forming a good relationship with coach Diaz and then-OL coach Butch Barry. Walker committed to the Gators in October and enrolled in the spring. 

 

Miami now has an interesting choice to make because Houston junior OL Jarrid Williams also entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer. The 6’7”, 305 pound lineman received a medical redshirt in 2019 but his best season came in 2018. Williams blocked for an offense that ranked 5th in the nation in scoring offense and seventh in total offense. His quarterback that year you may ask?

 

D’Eriq King, one of Miami’s newest transfers and the presumptive starter at quarterback in 2020. 

 

With the 2020 recruiting class and three transfers, Miami currently has one spot left for any new player this year. It essentially comes down to this: do you go after the talented but younger Walker, where he’ll have four years of eligibility and add to the OL depth in the long-term? Or do you opt for a more win-now situation with Williams, who has the talent and the familiarity with the offense and personnel?

On top of that, former coach Mark Richt took loyalty and the value of the U very seriously when he was top dog. There were several cases of players who spurned Miami during the recruiting process but had interest in transferring to Miami later on. Richt refused to give them any thought. 

 

One that comes to mind was former four-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes, who signed with Ohio State in 2017. He saw action in only two games before deciding to transfer. While he was heavily considering Miami after talking to some of his former high school teammates, Richt was not having it. It’s a new coaching regime now but it is something that Manny Diaz should consider with Walker. At times during Walker’s recruitment, Walker flirted enough to make the Canes think they were getting the hometown benefit and were bound to land his signature.

 

I’m sure the positives about Williams I listed are almost guaranteed. However, when it comes to competing with the Alabama’s, the Georgia’s and the Clemson’s, one of the advantages they have over all of the other Power 5 teams is depth. The only difference between the 1’s and 2’s on their respective rosters is experience. The depth is a result of those coaches having elite recruiting classes coming in every year. This increases competition in practices and lets players know that if you slack, that five-star recruit can come in next year and steal your starting job. Walker would be here not only for 2020 but for at least the next three years.

 

Tank for…Taulia?

 

Okay so there really isn’t any tanking involved with this. But another bit of transfer news worth monitoring is Alabama sophomore QB Taulia Tagovailoa and his decision to enter the portal. If that name carries a little bit of familiarity, he is the younger brother of the newest QB for the Miami Dolphins: 2020 5th overall pick Tua Tagovailoa. 

 

Taulia served as the backup quarterback in Tuscaloosa this past year as a freshman and completed 9 of 12 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. And to ease any concerns that he was a take for Nick Saban just because of his last name, he was ranked the 5th-best pro-style QB coming out of high school in 2019. So yeah he’s no fluke.

 

He was slated to be the backup again this year but with top recruit Bryce Young coming in, it makes those possibilities a little more foggy.

 

It’s no secret that the Tagovailoa family fancies the city of Miami but I would consider their.reunion to be unlikely for two reasons. 

 

For one, Miami already has a QB in for this class in Tyler Van Dyke. The second reason is, as I previously mentioned, the more pressing need is currently on the offensive line. Just a reminder that Miami only signed two offensive linemen in the past cycle.

 

The only way I see Taulia making the move would be if Diaz can work the numbers or pull off some magic by somehow counting him towards this upcoming recruiting cycle in 2021.

 

10 Reasons the Miami Dolphins Throwbacks Must be Permanent

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For the better part of two decades, watching the Miami Dolphins play football has been like watching old people fuck. But that might have mercifully changed after the Dolphins went and did the most un-Dolphins thing possible: They drafted the best quarterback in the 2020 class: Tua Tagovailoa (HOLY SHITROCKETS, RIGHT?). And now, after waiting a whole week, Tua finally announced that he’ll be wearing No. 1.

So what’s the next move for the Dolphins? Oh, that’s an easy one. What’s next is that they need to make the throwback uniforms a permanent thing. That’s it. That’s all. Bring back the old uniforms and call it a day.

Here are the 10 reasons why the Dolphins need to stop fucking around already and start wearing the throwbacks from now until the sun supernovas:

10. They’re Classic NFL
When you think about NFL teams with rich storied and winning traditions, you immediately think of teams like the Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Dallas Cowboys. These teams have been the epitome of greatness, tradition, and winning since the dawn of the league. Each of those teams has its own rich history and has become iconic to the NFL. And yet, for as long as those teams have been around, they’ve never once screwed with their look. The Steelers are known for their gold and black colors and still have that stupid logo that inexplicably appears on only one side of the helmet. The Cowboys have tweaked their look a few times, but never to the point where they’ve completely abandoned it — it’s still the classic royal blue and antebellum white with a big star on a silver helmet. Washington won’t even change their ludicrously racist name, let alone their colors and logo, but for some shit-headed reason, the Dolphins decided to toss their original badass colors and menacing dolphin logo from their greatest years for a weird dolphin and the colors of the swimming pools at a Sandals resort.

 

9. They’re Menacing AF
When you see the Dolphins’ old color scheme, you can’t help but think of the 1972 Dolphins and their dominant, face-obliterating ways. Those old teams would step inside an opposing teams’ asshole and make themselves right at home. It was synonymous with HERE COMES THE PAIN. The classic solid orange stripe going down the center of an eggshell-colored helmet, the white pants with thick stripes, the dark aqua jerseys, the large numbers with orange borders — it all harkens back to the days when Miami was a team to be reckoned with. That tradition was passed down to the Marino Era and again to the bone-crushing Jason Taylor-Zach Thomas years. Those color schemes made other teams hurt and bleed and shit themselves. The current uniforms make other teams confused, wondering if they’re in a generic football commercial where the NFL didn’t allow official licensing to be used.

 

8. They’re the True Colors of the Dolphins
Think back to every amazing memory as a Dolphins fan (or, if you’re too young, YouTube them and then cry into your pants) and they all feature the Fins wearing their old uniforms and colors. The ’72 Perfect Season; the Super Bowl victories, Dan Marino putting a flamethrower to the passing record book, the defeat of the 1985 undefeated Bears on Monday Night Football; the Spike Play; the AFC Championship game against the Steelers in the Orange Bowl; the Clayton-Duper connections; the Hook & Ladder play; the A.J. Duhe game; Leon Lett on Thanksgiving; Jason Taylor removing Tom Brady’s testicles during his Defensive Player of the Year season. All of these moments featured the throwbacks. These uniforms are the Miami Dolphins. The most iconic moment for the recent uniforms is when the long snapper hit Brandon Fields in the face with a football.

 

7. The Old Logo Looks Like an Actual Dolphin
The old logo featured a menacing dolphin wearing a football helmet and jumping through a blazing hoop (or maybe it’s the sun?). Menacing porpoise, football, fire. Simple. The current logo looks like maybe it’s a porpoise, though one can argue it can also be a whale, with dead soulless eyes, sort of, maybe, breaching the water, because it’s probably run out of breath. It also kind of resembles a dildo.

 

Don Shula

6. Because The Memory of Don Shula Deserves Better
It’s a no brainer that the Dolphins are going to have their players wear a patch honoring Don Shula after he passed away earlier this week. But it’ll be an insult to the memory of man who was the paradigm of excellence if that patch is sewed onto those current middling Aquafresh uniforms. For 25 years, Don Shula’s Dolphins made us all feel that ever elusive feeling year after year: Hope. As opposed to the feeling the current Dolphins give us of having a baby raccoon jammed up our collective assholes and telling us we like it. Don Shula deserves better than to have his initials slapped onto these hideous things.

 

5. The Current Uniforms Represent Mediocrity
It’s simple: these current uniforms represent a large steaming pot of broiled ass, which is what the Dolphins have been the entire time they’ve worn these hideous things. These new-look logo and colors were unveiled in 2013, which came right in the midst of the worst era in franchise history. While the throwbacks conjure feelings of a rich winning tradition, these current uniforms conjure feelings of being murdered in the face every year for the rest of your miserable football-watching life until you die utterly alone like the sack of shit your mother always said you’d amount to. These uniforms represent everything that has gone wrong with the Dolphins. They represent a team that can’t score more than ten points a game and can’t finish better than 7-9 year after year after year. These uniforms don’t know what a playoff game is.

 

4. They Don’t Look Like Something SeaWorld Employees Would Wear
The throwback uniform and color scheme look like football. The current uniform and color scheme look like something SeaWorld employees wear while they make enslaved orcas jump through hoops for tourists. The old menacing dark aqua color has been replaced with a crystalline pool-colored aqua scheme that screams OOWWW DON’T HURT ME, FOOTBALL PERSON. What you want in your team colors is something the other team will fear and something fans can embrace and be proud of. Instead, we have guys suiting up like they’re about to go make sea lions ride on skateboards for fish. The current logo looks like an aquarium exploded.

 

3. They Just Feel Right, Aesthetically
Look, we understand that team success has everything to do with talent and zero to do with uniform colors. Still, when you watch this team play in these colors, your asshole automatically puckers up because you just know this team is about to get destroyed by Derek Carr en route to a 7-9 record and zero playoff appearance. You look at any player wearing the old colors, and you KNOW that guy fucks. Look at those three up there. You can’t tell us they didn’t FUCK. Because they did. It’s just the way those old uniforms work. It’s science!

 

2. Look At That Sexy MF Up There
Look at him. Drink him in. You can’t look away, can you? That right there is the living embodiment of a thunder clap from the gods. And that uniform is the armor of an elite gridiron warrior that would go on to shred the NFL record book so badly, they still show his beautiful face on TV every time a current quarterback reaches some kind of milestone — 20-plus years after he retired! That’s the uniform of excellence, of badassery, of a team that was an absolute freight train of devastation, cockpunching opposing teams with their football prowess, littering the field with the decaying corpses of Steelers, Patriots, Bills, and Jets and telling any and all those who opposed them to go and fornicate with farm animals. These current Dolphins have ruined football in this town. Did they have to ruin the way the team looked too? There was simply no reason for the Dolphins to change their uniforms in 2013 outside of wanting to make more money through merchandising. But there are other ways to make money with merchandise that doesn’t include urinating all over the only thing this team has left: tradition.

 

1. Because TUA IS HERE NOW
We have gone from Vegetable Lasagna toe-thumbs to, in all likelihood, Dan Marino’s true heir. And he’s finally chosen his jersey number. Let’s not start this new era of hope by draping these unicorn shit stain-colored middling as fuck uniforms on the new Chosen One. The Miami Dolphins currently have the most badass motherfucker at QB since The Right Arm of God roamed the land wrecking all of the ass. Tua deserves to play in a uniform that screams LOOK UPON MY WORKS AND DESPAIR, and not like he works at the Seaquarium Lolita tank.

 

Chris Joseph (@ByChrisJoseph) is a host of the Five Reasons comedy podcast, Ballscast. He’s written about sports and movies for Deadspin, Miami New Times, CBS Sports, and several other outlets.

Jaillet’s Journal: Frank Gore still moving the chains after 15 seasons

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I was 10 when Miami Hurricanes football legend Frank Gore was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. I am now 25. My age puts what Frank Gore is doing into a bit of perspective. The running back signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets on Tuesday, continuing his accomplished, 16-year career in the NFL.

When you look at his statistics, they are truly impressive. His statistics aren’t numbers that will make you think he is the greatest running back ever. Rather, it’s his consistency and ability to get the job done that is most impressive. As a rookie with San Francisco in 2005, he rushed the ball 127 times for 608 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2006, he would be selected to the first Pro Bowl of his career. Gore rushed for 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns. From 2006-2009 he would record at least 1,000 yards rushing. Those four years would be considered a great career for any running back.  Gore was able to accomplish the feat again from 2011-2014. The fact that he was able to put together to separate packages of 1,000 yard seasons is impressive in of itself.

Gore a unique treasure in evolving National Football League

Over the years, Gore has not scampered for these yards. He doesn’t magically weave around these holes or dance before he hits them, like Le’Veon Bell. He runs into them head first, and bulldozers his way over defenders. He is a bit of a relic in today’s National Football League. That physical, rugged brand of running is becoming a lost art.

It seems like more than ever, running backs are relying on their offensive lines to create perfect running lanes for them, with the lanes being free of defenders and anybody that might touch them. That is not the case with Gore.

If anything, it would be safe to say that he has welcomed the challenge of defenders over the course of his career. Particularly when he was younger, he would often create contact. Once that happened, the defender would be at his mercy.

It’s impressive to think that he has played this style of football for 15 years in the National Football League. It’s also impressive to think that he was making defenders miserable for quite some time before entering the professional ranks.

Frank Gore makes his mark

He made his college football debut on September 1, 2001. In what was a star-studded Hurricanes backfield that included the likes of Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee, Gore had to prove himself. He ran the ball six times for 15 yards in that contest, and didn’t really give the college football world much to think about.

He would make an impression by the end of his freshman year however. He would finish the season with 62 carries for 562 yards and  five touchdowns. ACL injuries derailed his 2002 season.

However, he was able to put together  solid 2003 and 2004 seasons, and was able to find his way to the NFL Draft with the same physical running style he would go on to make famous in the NFL.

He would wrap up his Miami career with 1,975 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in three years of work. The rest as they say, is history.

Frank Gore has put together a career that would make most players envious. Now, it’s all gravy from here. It seems like he has found the fountain of youth. It is certainly going to be fun watching a legend take the field once again.

Craig Davis interviews Don Shula during a promotional appearance in 2014.

Pressure Point: Don Shula demanded the best from everyone

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There was a time when the scariest situation for a young sports writer in South Florida was to be confronted by The Jaw.

When Don Shula singled you out for his wrath it left an impression. That stalwart chin — often described as chiseled granite — boring in is among the images that stand out about the legendary Miami Dolphins coach who died Monday at age 90.

The first time Shula directed it as me was during the Woodstrock era, that quarterback void after Griese and before Marino when Shula was piecing it together with David Woodley and Don Strock. He heard me asking questions in the locker room aimed at getting an indication of which QB might be starting that week.

“What-a-ya getting at?” he thundered.

Shula exerted total control over his football team and in his view that extended to the media covering it as well.

I reflected on that last December at Hard Rock Stadium during the celebration of the 1972 Perfect Season when Larry Csonka talked about his former coach.

“It was his way or the highway when it came to dealing with other men,” Csonka said. “He’s sort of like a marine drill sergeant. There is no rebuttal. If he didn’t like what I was doing, I would have been blocking for O.J. [Simpson] in Buffalo the next day. We had a clear understanding. There were no ifs or buts. That may be truly missed today.”

Nothing but football

Thus, it could be viewed as a badge of honor to be chewed out by Shula. It was a challenge to cover him, and you had to operate within his parameters. Questions had to be direct, confined to a matter of the moment and by all means never ask him to speculate on anything.

If you met his standards, you could learn a lot from a Shula encounter. I made sure of being prepared once before a rare phone interview that he surprisingly agreed to, arming myself with carefully worded questions. The session proved most enlightening and enjoyable.

But during his coaching days, it had to be all about football. Everything else was outside his narrow tunnel of focus.

That was evident in the classic Shula story about being introduced to “Miami Vice” star Don Johnson during the height of the TV show’s popularity and thinking he was meeting a real detective.

I was stunned when Shula mentioned it during an interview while filming a commercial for a car dealership in 2012.

“I told him, ‘You guys are doing a great job cleaning up Miami. Keep up the good work. If there’s anything we can do, let me know.’ I didn’t know who he was, I was just so consumed with football,” Shula said, his jawing jiggling with laughter at the recollection.

Miami sports world mourns passing of Don Shula

Legacy of Perfect Season

Yes, Shula was a lot more fun to interview in retirement.

While still coaching, he didn’t even like talking about his accomplishments, so focused on adding to them.

But afterward, the legacy of the Perfect Season meant everything to him. And there was no secret how it was attained.

“I worked them four times a day,” he said that day in 2012, of the demands he put on his players through grueling training camps. “They didn’t know what hit them. They complained about it. Then we won our first game. Then we won again, and they started to say maybe there is something to hard work and success.”

In today’s NFL, coaches are greatly limited in practice time on the field.

But it took more than work ethic and pushing players to the max to amass 347 wins and two Super Bowl titles (yes, he also lost four times in the big game).

The times Shula impressed me the most were when he had to adapt in the face of adversity. Get funky outside his comfort zone.

Adapting to win

Most famous was while coaching the Colts in 1965 when he had running back Tom Matte playing quarterback due to injuries to Johnny Unitas and backup Gary Cuozzo.  Shula simplified the offense and had the plays written on Matte’s wrist band. The improvisation worked in a 20-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams to force a playoff.

The situation was similar in 1993 when Shula was seeking his record-breaking 325th win at Philadelphia. Dan Marino was out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon and backup Scott Mitchell left in the third quarter against the Eagles with a shoulder injury. Rookie Doug Pederson came in and made some key third-down completions to seal the historic win.

“It reminded me of the Matte days,” Shula said with a chuckle afterward.

Shula best showed his adaptability in switching to a pass-happy offense with Marino. The Dolphins won their Super Bowls on the ground with Csonka, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick pounding the ball behind a dominant offensive line.

One more title eluded Shula

Unfortunately, Shula the general manager let down Shula the coach in his later years. He was unable to construct a defense or rushing attack to give Marino the support needed to win.

So the Dolphins wasted the Marino years, and a career-capping championship eluded Shula.

But when you’ve won more games (347) than anyone else and forged the only undefeated run to a Super Bowl title, there isn’t much cause for regret.

My last face-to-face encounter with Shula was at one of his Shula Burger restaurants in the week leading to the Super Bowl in 2014.

It was the end of the Dolphins’ season of Bullygate. In discussing that debacle, Shula was reminded of the 1992 incident in which defensive lineman Alfred Oglesby was taped to a tree outside the Dolphins’ training camp at St. Thomas University by teammates.

Oglesby had missed practice after a night out drinking and fabricated a tale about being kidnapped at gunpoint to cover his tracks. When the truth came out, Shula rescinded the privilege of veterans going home at night instead of staying in the dorms on campus during training camp, prompting retaliation against Oglesby.

In Shula’s recollection, he was the one who cut Oglesby loose, although reports at the time indicated it was another player who did so after 30 minutes. Nonetheless, the incident broke the tension that hung over the team for several days.

“I think anything like this brings the team together. It’s much better than silent resentment. It’s just jock humor,” Shula said.

Shula was a coach for a different time, and in his world the team always came first and all that mattered was what contributed to winning. No one had the formula down better than he did.

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

Jaillet’s Journal: Trevon Hill, Jeff Thomas look to aid retooling Patriots

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As a new crop of players gets ready to make marks with their respective NFL teams, a pair of former Miami Hurricanes will be looking to make their mark in New England. Defensive end Trevon Hill and wide receiver Jeff Thomas will be taking their talents to Foxboro.

Hill brings Miami Hurricanes toughness to New England

Following his transfer from Virginia Tech, Hill made a decent impact for Miami in 2019. He played in 12 games, recording 27 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He was a solid piece on the Hurricanes defensive line last season.

With the way New England has always been constructed, Hill should definitely be able to find a place with New England. The Patriots have solid depth pieces in Lawrence Guy and Deatrich Wise Jr. However, Hill could add depth at the position. New England defensive ends traditionally are a huge part of a Bill Belichick-led defense. They need to be athletic, and know where to go at all times. In particular, Hill’s athleticism could make for a natural fit in New England.

Thomas looks to make a name for himself among new receiving corps

Thomas is certainly in an interesting situation himself. With the Tom Brady era closing in New England, Thomas finds himself a part of a new offense. Furthermore, the offense does not have a ton of depth at the receiver position. Thomas will be able to bring his playmaking ability to the offense.

Last year, he caught 31 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns for the Hurricanes. Those numbers were a bit of a dip from his 2018 production. That year, he caught 35 passes for 563 yards and three touchdowns.

New England does not have a ton of depth at wide receiver. Currently, they have Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, and N’Keal Harry as their main receivers. They did pick up Marquise Lee via free agency. Provided he stays healthy, he could figure to be a big part of the equation at receiver.

Other than that, there is not much depth for the Patriots at the position. As far as I’m concerned, the players that are able to step up and be successful will be able to find playing time. Thomas certainly has all the tools needed to be successful. At the very least, he will give ( in all probability Jarrett Stidham) another option to throw to, at least for training camp.

Hill and Thomas will undoubtedly have chances for a retooling New England team looking to sustain moderate success. They are certainly far from Miami, but it will be interesting to see them navigate the professional ranks. With the way the New England roster is constructed right now, both of them could make their mark at Gillette Stadium.

Malcolm Perry

Fresh Perspective: Malcolm Perry offers Dolphins creative opportunities on offense

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It’s clear that Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores enjoys versatility in his players. Many of the 2020 draft selections made by Miami have the ability to play more than one position. But perhaps no one offers more versatility – and room for creativity – than seventh-round draft pick Malcolm Perry out of Navy. Usually, players would have to serve for a certain amount of time before moving into the NFL. But recent changes have allowed him to pursue his NFL career beforehand.

“It means a lot. It means the world.” Perry said. “As a kid growing up, this is a dream come true for sure, so just choosing that route and then everything unfolding in a very fortunate sequence for me with the rule being changed. It means a lot because I know a lot of guys that I played with in the past who didn’t get the opportunity, but definitely had the talent. It means a lot to be in this position and I’m very fortunate.”

Now all that’s left is to determine what Perry’s role will be with the Miami Dolphins.

While playing at Navy, Perry quickly turned himself into a jack of all trades. In his four years at Navy, as a rusher, he ran for 4,359 yards and 40 touchdowns on 614 attempts. As a quarterback, his numbers are significantly less impressive. It wasn’t until 2019 when he started throwing the ball on a more regular basis, throwing it 86 times with 48 completions. Those completions resulted in 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns.

Most concerning is his completion percentage. At only 51.3 percent, it’s clear that for one reason or another, Malcolm Perry struggles to find his target on throws. However, in all fairness to him, the Buffalo Bills currently have their franchise QB in Josh Allen, who only had a 56.2 percent completion stat while at Wyoming. So while it is undoubtedly a concern, it should not disqualify him from ever throwing the football.

So as a quarterback, his skills are subpar. As a running back, his production is undeniable. In 2019 he even ran for over 2,000 yards for the Navy Midshipmen. That is not an easy task no matter what level of competition you face.

Then at the combine, Perry decided to make one more change, working out as a wide receiver, where more focus was placed on his ability to catch instead of run.

“I played wide receiver at the combine. That was my main position. That’s what I’ve been training for the whole time, but the willingness and I think I have the ability to go other places if need be.” Perry said. “Going into it, I think my skills kind of translate to that position pretty well. And it was where I was most uncomfortable as a player. I felt pretty natural at running back, if I needed to make that transition. I just wanted to be as good as I could at my weakest position transition that I thought. So, that’s what I’ve been training for, that’s what I was projected to play at the next level; but obviously, like I said, I’m open to anything. I just wanted to practice there and felt like my skills translated there the best.”

As of now, the Dolphins have Malcolm Perry listed as a running back. That puts him in a room that now consists of Jordan Howard, Matt Breida, Kalen Ballage, Patrick Laird, Myles Gaskin, and De’Lance Turner. It’s all but a given that Howard and Breida will be the two main running backs going into the season. As for Laird, he’s quickly become a fan favorite and found ways to produce when others (Ballage) could not. If Perry wants to stick as a running back, he’ll have to show he can contribute in other ways.

Or, he could simply be used in an entirely unique way.

Fans will remember the infamous wildcat offense as the reason the Dolphins managed to bring down the New England Patriots all the way back in 2008. Bill Belichick – for the first time in forever – found himself dumbfounded and helpless to stop Miami as Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams teamed up to embarrass the seemingly invincible Patriots with their gimmick offense.

But as time passed, the wildcat became more and more of a novelty. Teams caught on to the pattern and were able to bring it to a screeching halt. Since then, other teams have only used it sparingly, and rarely with much success. The Dolphins attempted it last season with Kalen Ballage taking snaps with mixed results. However, possibly the biggest reason for its regression is there’s a rarely used element of the wildcat.

Passing.

Undoubtedly, the image of Taysom Hill comes to mind. The New Orleans Saints gadget player recently signed a rather lucrative contract just for his versatility. He’s not a pure quarterback, as much as he may want to be. But during the rare times he gets to throw, teams are seldom expecting it. Hill being on the field usually means a run or a reception. Him throwing it rarely crosses defensive minds.

Is it a completely fair comparison? Most likely not. Hill is quite a bit larger than Malcolm Perry, weighing in over 30 pounds heavier and nearly half a foot taller. However, that just means Perry can’t be used as a power player. He needs to base his game more on speed and agility.

If Malcolm Perry has the potential to become Miami’s own version of Taysom Hill, then all bets are off for the Dolphins offense. Miami can bring back the wildcat properly, run the read option, have an emergency backup quarterback, and even save a roster spot if it’s deemed he’s needed elsewhere. Kalen Ballage’s one niche will no longer be exclusively his.

Perry will never become a franchise quarterback. That much is obvious. But the possibilities with his ability to throw the football are endless. Smart NFL coaches know how to utilize players like Perry. Many analysts and scouts projected him landing in New England. Everyone knows how Bill Belichick likes to sneak in some Julian Edelman passes.

But once again, Brian Flores shows how much he knows thanks to his time under Belichick’s regime. Instead of allowing Perry to fall into Belichick’s hands, he and GM Chris Grier used a late draft pick to ensure his spot on their roster. Now it’s up to Flores and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to get the most out of Perry’s diverse skillset. If they’re smart, which they seem to be, then Dolphins fans should be very excited for some highlight reel plays. It may take some time, but anyone who’s waited this long can wait a little longer.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

NFL Draft indicates a fading Miami Hurricanes tradition

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The legacy of the University of Miami football program is in the hands of the many players who entered the National Football League and became legends. Since the 1980’s, the Hurricanes have been known and celebrated for mass producing NFL talent year in and year out.

The 2020 NFL Draft has proven that their proud tradition is fading. The Hurricanes used to be part of the Sunshine State’s big 3 with Florida and Florida State but it seems as if they are closer to Florida Atlantic and Florida International.

Florida has sent at least one player in the top three rounds of the draft. Miami was never mentioned in the first two days. Hurricane fans had to wait until the fourth round to see four-year starting linebacker Shaq Quarterman’s name be called but not before FAU and FIU saw one of their players be selected.

Who would have imagined there would be a time where Florida Atlantic would have a player drafted before Miami? Who would have imagined there would be a time where Florida International would not only have a player drafted before Miami but also a quarterback drafted higher than any Hurricane quarterback in the 21st century?

Probably the same people who thought Miami losing to FIU would never happen.

This is actually the second consecutive year that Miami has been behind their South Florida rivals in the draft. The last time the Hurricanes have seen one of their own selected in the first round was in 2017. Even when the Hurricanes won 10 games and went to the Orange Bowl, it didn’t result in a player drafted in the first round.

The Hurricanes finished the previous season 6-7 with three straight losses to FIU, Duke and Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl. Four players were drafted this year but in the later rounds where players usually don’t make it past the preseason. Miami always seems to be the winners on National Signing Day and have made recent waves in the transfer portal.

The program needs to return to the point where they develop professional talent in order to return to gridiron glory.

Dolphins coach Brian Flores drafted the type of players he wants to build around.

Pressure Point: Dolphins’ draft will take time to gel

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Look beneath the joy of the Miami Dolphins landing Tua Tagovailoa, who they hope finally becomes the franchise quarterback they’ve been seeking, and what stands out from their very active 2020 draft is this:

Winning NFL teams aren’t built in a day. Not in an offseason. Not in a single draft, even when you have an inordinate number of picks as Miami did.

The Dolphins came out of it with an intriguing haul of talent. They made some inspired choices that may provide a foundation for success that has eluded this woebegone franchise for too long.

But don’t expect this crop of rookies to step onto the field as an instant playoff contender.

There has been an expectation evident in fans chatter that because they had amassed so many draft picks, including three in the first round, and had oodles of salary cap space this offseason that winning will come quickly.

That certainly doesn’t appear to be the assumption of coach Brian Flores and GM Chris Grier.

Their approach to the draft said as much.

Beefing up the lines

After picking Tagovailoa, the remainder of their selections — there were 11 total after a couple of trades — were focused on building strength up front, fortifying the offensive and defensive lines.

It was a wise objective because that is the foundation of any winning team, and much needed for units that last season couldn’t open a hole for a running or stop an opponent.

They added three big bodies to each line in the draft. Three of the first seven picks were on the offensive line.

They also added to an already well-stocked defensive secondary, which is primary to Flores’ defensive scheme.

Upside defines the Dolphins’ draft class

The draft strategy suggests that Grier and Flores are viewing this as a two-year process. Next year, when they have two picks in each of the first two rounds, they can prioritize adding playmakers to Tua’s arsenal.

In this draft, the objective was clear and I admire how they stuck to it. They resisted the temptation of trading up for one of the touted running backs, and then landed an established NFL back, Matt Breida, from San Francisco for a fifth-round pick, a reasonable exchange.

Trades net more help up front

I liked the trades to move up for Georgia guard Solomon Kindley in the fourth round (No. 111 overall) and edge-rusher Curtis Weaver from Boise State in the fifth round.

The latter seems like a steal at No. 164. He had 34 sacks in three years, a Mountain West record. As a matter of comparison, that is 3.5 sacks more than No. 2 pick Chase Young had at Ohio State, though not suggesting Weaver is the player Young is.

Tackle/guard Robert Hunt also seemed like a laudable inspired pick in the second round. Hunt was a mauler for Louisiana and could immediately vie for a starting job in Miami.

Experts differ greatly in their views on USC tackle Austin Jackson, the first lineman the Dolphins took at No. 18. He has great tools, but isn’t yet 21 and seems will require time to develop.

Meanwhile, it made sense to load up on big bodies — and defensive backs too — because not all of these players the Dolphins drafted will make it in the NFL. They never do.

Prior to the draft, Mike Sando of The Athletic presented an analysis showing that since 1993 only two teams have ever had more draft capital (based on a combined numeric value assigned to their picks) than the Dolphins took into this draft: the 2018 Browns and 1994 Colts.

The Browns came out of that draft with quarterback Baker Mayfield and some other productive players, but haven’t had a winning record in the subsequent two seasons. The Colts got Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk but not a lot of other impact from the ’94 draft.

Some choices questionable

Analysts are giving mixed reviews on the Dolphins’ picks. Some decisions were questionable. Such as, they could have had highly rated edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson when they took Jackson, regarded as a project.

The oddest move was the trade down from 26 to 30 in the first round that netted Noah Igbinoghene, a converted wide receiver but unpolished at cornerback. He’s an impressive athlete but doesn’t seem like a first-round talent. Obviously, Flores has a plan for him.

Georgia tackle Isaiah Wilson, a hulking 6-foot-7, 350-pounder was there for the taking. He went No. 29 to Tennessee.

But through it all, Grier and Flores stuck to their convictions, and they drafted the type of players that fit Flores’ preference.

“I think at the end of the day, we want to bring good players onto this team who will work and compete,” Flores said after the first round. “There is a lot to learn. … let’s just take this one day at a time and hopefully if we can string good days together, we’ll see some of the fruits of that labor.”

Flores gets his kind of players

It is up to Flores to mold the newcomers, including veterans signed in free agency, into a winning combination. Don’t be surprised if there are struggles along the way, and temper expectations for next season.

Even for Tagovailoa, who is expected to spend time as an understudy to Ryan Fitzpatrick.

But given what Flores accomplished in coaxing five wins in the last nine games of 2019 from a threadbare roster, he has earned a vote of confidence. He will certainly have a lot more useful pieces at his command in season two.

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

Hoop History: Reimagining The Magic Kingdom

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Here’s a frightening scenario for the 1990s-era Orlando Magic.

As we know, the Magic maneuvered a draft-night deal to acquire Penny Hardaway for Chris Webber and three future first-round draft picks. As a result, Shaq and Penny would become a formidable duo in the Eastern Conference, making it to the 1995 NBA Finals before Shaq would eventually leave for greener pastures (and three championships) in Los Angeles.

But what if the Magic didn’t do that deal? I know, this sounds like every other what-if involving a Shaq/C-Webb frontcourt. But how much further do theorists tend to go with this scenario? Usually they go on to say that the Magic boast a dominant frontcourt for the remainder of the decade, which is fine.

But there’s something beyond this that is overlooked.

With hindsight being what it is, which option would you have chosen?

Option A: Trade for Penny Hardaway and repeat history?

Or

Option B: Draft Chris Webber and let the chips fall where they might?

Here’s why, for the sake of hindsight, I would consider Option B. Proponents of the original timeline are justified in their thinking that a balanced team, where you have All-Star talent on the wings and in the post (especially in the 1990s). I personally believe in that need for balance as well. But what if I told you that you could still have that while securing arguably the most dynamic frontcourt since Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson?

Follow me on this one. Based on the record books, the Orlando Magic had two first-round draft picks in the summer of 1993: the #1 pick for the second season in a row and the #26 pick, which they received from the New York Knicks in a 1992 trade. For the record, the Magic would draft Dutch center Geert Hammink, who would play a total of 8 NBA games and score a total of 14 points in 27 total career NBA minutes. Legend.

Draft Picks Acquired by Magic | Orlando Magic

Let’s change history. One of the criticisms Shaq raised against Penny was that he wasn’t ready for the big stage, despite gaudy numbers in the 1995 NBA Finals. This would often be used by the big man in a trilogy of star guard comparisons involving Hardaway, the late Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade:

The difference between those three is in ‘The Godfather’ trilogy … one is Alfredo, who’s never ready for me to hand it over to him. One is Sonny, who will do whatever it takes to be the man. And one is Michael, who, if you watch the trilogy, the Godfather hands it over to Michael. So I have no problem handing it to Dwyane.

So we need someone that is not afraid to take big shots late in games.

Note: This is needed for two reasons—the first being that Shaq himself has admitted to not being a clutch player and the second being that Chris Webber, as great a power forward as he was in his prime, was not known for clutch plays (his career at Michigan notwithstanding).

So with both Magic picks in hand, let’s look at the 1993 NBA Draft. Assuming we’re smart and take Webber (and not Shawn Bradley) with the first overall pick, we’ll need to find someone that can make up for Penny Hardaway’s absence while also making sense.

Here is how the 1993-94 Magic’s lineup looked in our timeline.

PG: Penny Hardaway/Scott Skiles
SG: Nick Anderson
SF: Dennis Scott
PF: Jeff Turner
C: Shaquille O’Neal

Seems normal, right? Good. All is right with the world…until we look at Earth-2.

PG: Nick Van Exel/Scott Skiles
SG: Nick Anderson
SF: Dennis Scott
PF: Chris Webber
C: Shaquille O’Neal

That’s right. Nick the Quick is now a member of the Orlando Magic to kick off the 1993-94 NBA Regular Season! Congratulations! How did this happen? Van Exel, who had a solid 13-year NBA career, made the All-Rookie Second Team after his first season, and averaged 14.9 points and 7.3 assists a game in five seasons as a member of the Lakers, was drafted 37th overall that summer!

It’s safe to say that, after a variety of big shots and flashy play, the one-time All-Star certainly outplayed his draft position. So let’s say the Magic take him out of Jerry West’s hands at #26. Just like that, the Orlando Magic enter the regular season with a dynamic wing rotation and one of the most dominant power rotations in NBA history.

Would it have worked? I’d like to think so. With this lineup, you still have two excellent passers on the floor in Van Exel and Webber, as well as a capable passer in SHAQ. Anderson and Scott would continue to stretch the floor as they did on this Earth. In the 1990s, this lineup would remain lethal.

You could even argue that the Magic would become even more talented, allowing them to use the money they would have used on Horace Grant to deepen their bench even more and ensure that both SHAQ and Webber stick around after 1996 and 1997.

Beyond that, with the Eastern Conference aging and teams like the Knicks, Pacers, and HEAT with their own flaws, the Magic would be, like on our Earth, primed to dominate not just the conference, but the leagues until at least 2004. Perhaps longer, if the two behemoths down low are able to lessen one another’s load and the guards remain effective.

Note: This is, by no means, a deliberate shot at Penny Hardaway, one of my favorite players of all time. But it is interesting to wonder how things would have changed with different players.

Which now begs the question(s): with the Magic now boasting a lineup of Van Exel, Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott, Chris Webber, and Shaquille O’Neal, how does NBA history (as we know it) change? Does SHAQ still leave in 1996? Do they still reach the 1995 NBA Finals with Webber in the paint instead of Horace Grant? Where does Grant go?

Does he stick around with Chicago? Does he head to Los Angeles to play for the Clippers instead? Or Phoenix? Does this mean Danny Manning remains a Clipper? Could the Bulls (still without Michael Jordan) remain relatively intact? What does this mean for Dennis Rodman’s career? Do the San Antonio Spurs run it back with the legendary rebounder?

Could Grant Hill eventually join them in 2000 as Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott’s effectiveness begin to wane? The possibilities are endless! All these (and so much more) are questions that arise from just one major trade—a trade which would shape the history of the league for years to come.

Instead, we’ll have to watch them on TNT some nights (once this virus is gone). It could be worse.

Now both Shaq and Penny have since admitted that championships were likely had they stayed together. I don’t disagree with that in the slightest, but could the Magic have reached even great heights by keeping Chris Webber instead?

It’s something to think about.

—

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Boca Raton, Ricky J. Marc, J.D., M.S. is an alumnus of the Obama White House and Cornell Paris Institute, a former Legislative Aide with both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, and a graduate of St. Thomas University with a Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Sports Administration.

Ricky currently resides in Paris, France, is the host of the The RJM Experience (available everywhere podcasts are found), and is the co-host of the upcoming STICK TO SPORTS: A Sports Podcast (That Isn’t) podcast series.

Follow him on Twitter @RickyJMarc.

Miami Dolphins

Fresh Perspective: Upside defines the 2020 Miami Dolphins draft class

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The 2020 NFL draft has come to a close, and there’s a very distinct theme with the Miami Dolphins draft class.

  • 5. Tua Tagovailoa QB/Alabama
  • 18. Austin Jackson OT/USC
  • 30. Noah Igbinoghene CB/Auburn
  • 39. Robert Hunt OL/Louisiana
  • 56. Raekwon Davis DL/Alabama
  • 70. Brandon Jones S/Texas
  • 111. Solomon Kindley OG/Georgia
  • 154. Jason Strowbridge DE/North Carolina
  • 164. Curtis Weaver OLB/Boise State
  • 185. Blake Ferguson LS/LSU
  • 246. Malcolm Perry WR/Navy

Many people are assuming that this draft class is not good. There are very few instant impact players, clearly Chris Grier and Brian Flores don’t know how to draft. Well, those criticisms are half right. While it’s true that these players aren’t expected to make huge impacts right away, this draft is far from bad. In fact, in many ways, Miami’s 2020 draft was – for lack of a better term – inspired.

Instead of focusing on safe or popular picks, the Dolphins decided to forgo conventional wisdom and picked players who have much greater potential. Potential to become elite players.

Naturally, there is something to be said about finding players who are more guaranteed to work out. Players who are unlikely to bust will actually contribute in some way shape or form, which is important for a team trying to build a foundation on the backs of young players. However, Miami isn’t just trying to build a foundation. They want a strong foundation. Super Bowl caliber foundation.

Hence, the picks the Miami Dolphins made. They are in a very unique position, one that perhaps no team has ever been in. Yes, Miami drafted their franchise quarterback. No one can deny the talent that Tua Tagovailoa brings to the table. If all goes well, he will lead the Dolphins into a new era of greatness they haven’t seen since Dan Marino. But this is not an immediate transition. Certain people feel that the best thing to do would be to throw Tagovailoa into the fire immediately. But Miami has different plans, and it has everything to do with the philosophy Brian Flores brings to the franchise, which GM Chris Grier indicated they would bring to the draft last week.

“We’re going to go with the same process of how we’ve done things.” Grier said. “Our scouts have done a great job, as well as the coaching staff. We always talk about communication and that’s really key because to get those guys on the backend, it’s the coaches and scouts on the same page and everyone on the phone, talking to players and identifying players that can help us or see something that has upside for us to develop.”

There’s the word. “Upside.” The potential ceiling for a given prospect as opposed to how good they are at the moment of being drafted. Each and every player – except for Blake Ferguson, who’s a long snapper – has an incredible amount of raw talent that if properly developed, can turn them into elite level players. The Dolphins are in an extremely unique position where winning is not the main priority for 2020. This means that there’s no rush to get Tagovailoa onto the football field, and it means that Miami gets a free year to develop their new prospects and see what they can get out of them.

2020 is going to be another evaluation year, even more so than 2019. Last season was about stripping down the roster to remove the mistakes by the previous regimes. They released overpaid players, traded as many as they could for draft assets, and replaced them with young, cheap players with upside. The result of the new coaching staff was a revitalized DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki, with cornerback Nik Needham going from zero to hero as the season progressed.

That is the impact that a strong coaching staff can have. Players who no one expects to do well, suddenly look much better than they have any business to. This entire draft class matches that mentality.

Austin Jackson was selected 18th overall, a reach no matter who you ask by conventional wisdom. He has all the athletic tools you could ask for to be an amazing left tackle in the NFL, but his technique is subpar and he desperately needs to be coached up. Fortunately, the Dolphins can afford to spend that time tutoring Jackson and tweaking his game until he reaches the point where it’s safe to let him protect Tagovailoa in 2021.

The same goes for Robert Hunt. The offensive lineman out of Louisiana is a mauler who loves to take defenders to the ground and bully them no matter where on the line he plays. That sort of mentality hasn’t been present on the Dolphins offensive line since the days of Richie Incognito. But he sometimes gets too aggressive, and his balance can get thrown off because he focuses too much on overwhelming his assignment rather than simply following through on it. Aggressive is good. Overaggressive is not. Plus, a groin injury he suffered in 2019 hurt his draft stock as well, he’ll need to prove he’s healthy. Which, again, Miami can make sure of by simply monitoring him closely as the season progresses. There’s no pressure to keep him in if they feel they need to let him heal and learn in other ways.

Then there’s Curtis Weaver, who the Dolphins managed to trade up and draft with the 164th pick. Weaver was originally projected as a potential second round pick by some analysts, but he slipped due to his lack of motor and overall explosiveness as a pass rusher. He accumulated 34 sacks in his three years at Boise State, making him the All-Time Mountain West Conference leader in sacks. Production is definitely not an issue for him. There are, however, moments where he looks like he slows down and gives up on a play. That’s something that Brian Flores will need to fix. Again, he’ll have a year to see if he can draw the best out of him.

Rinse and repeat for the rest of Miami’s draft class, and suddenly it all makes sense. If, by some miracle, the majority of these drafted players develop into foundation type players, then the Dolphins will enter 2021 with a quarterback who’s had a year to sit and learn under a wily veteran in Ryan Fitzpatrick, and an offensive line that’s had a chance to play together for a year, ready for the task of protecting the franchise.

When that happens, the sky’s the limit for the Miami Dolphins.

To emphasize, there will be growing pains in 2020. There will be a lot of growing pains in 2020. However, that will actually be an exciting scenario to watch. Instead of being disappointed because expectations are insanely high, fans will get to watch the beauty of players learning and growing under a coaching staff that has shown the ability to get the best out of players. The more talent there is to develop, the better things will be. They will take their lumps with Ryan Fitzpatrick and maybe Josh Rosen for one year.

Then in 2021, there will be another round of free agency, another draft where Miami has two 1st and 2nd round picks, and a team full of players ready to do everything they can to not just make the playoffs, but win a Super Bowl.

And there’s a very good shot that Tua Tagovailoa will lead the Miami Dolphins there with a solid foundation lifting him up.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung