Dolphins opt to retain Josh Boyer as defensive coordinator

The Miami Dolphins revealed on Friday that defensive coordinator Josh Boyer would be retained for the position. This report comes shortly after the news broke that secondary coach Gerald Alexander would not be staying on the staff.

The decision to retain Boyer comes from a place of desiring continuity. Boyer was handpicked by Brian Flores in 2020 to run his defense after being on his staff as the defensive pass game coordinator & cornerbacks coach in 2019. By keeping Boyer, head coach Mike McDaniel hopes to keep the same level of defense that gave him fits in San Francisco.

“What I saw was a defense that I didn’t want to go against.” McDaniel said during his introductory press conference on Thursday. “What I saw was a collective group of people that I could, from the tape, I knew they loved football and that is such a key component that people undervalue because there’s so many dollars, there’s a lot of fame out there for players, but the teams that win, the people love football and you can feel it and it’s visceral.

“To win (seven) consecutive games, I think it was, (near the) end the season, you could see players playing hard. You could see a defense that again, I’m glad is our defense.”

There is some controversy surrounding the decision. Rumors are swirling that the defense’s sudden turnaround is because of Brian Flores taking over the play calling. However, many Dolphins players attributed the defense’s success to Josh Boyer, if only in part.

“I’ll say giving the offenses different looks.” DE Emmanuel Ogbah said when asked what Boyer had done to fix the defense. “That attributes to practice, just giving our offense different looks just to see how they react to it. Coach Boyer, he’s done a great job disguising plays, all-out blitzes. We kind of went back to our old thing but I’m glad he’s switching it up and giving offenses different looks, confusing them.”

The endorsement by Ogbah speaks volumes. He was asked for specifics into what Boyer contributed to the defense and that was his answer. What’s more, it heavily implies Boyer was still calling plays. For Boyer to give opposing teams different looks, he has to call the play in the first place.

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McDaniel further explained the decision during his interview with WQAM on Friday morning, when the news first broke Josh Boyer was staying.

“Here’s another simple formula.” He said. “I feel like if you’ve coached offense your whole career, one litmus test is if you are deciding what defense you play, how awesome would it be if you didn’t want to play that defense? For it to be the defense you have? And the defense was miserable. They crushed us in 2020.

“And I believe in their style. I think versatility is paramount. You say aggressive? I think every play is aggressive, I think when you’re playing a four-man rush, it’s aggressive. I think you do things that give your players an advantage and you keep offenses off balance. So our style of football is going to be aggressive but we might be rushing four, we might be rushing six. It’s the way we play, our fundamentals, how we attack blocks, the way we use our hands, the way we come off the ball, the way we tackle, the way we strike, the way we go after the ball. The list is long. But it’s an aggressive mentality that I really enjoy. And I enjoy the philosophy of the defense and case in point I don’t want to go against it. So why don’t you join us?”

With Boyer as the defensive coordinator in 2021, Miami’s defense was ranked 14th in rushing and 16th against the pass. Obviously, the numbers would have been better if not for the 7-game losing streak after Week 1.

The real reason behind the defense’s drastic drop off may never be known. However, if most of the personnel can stay the same, then at least there is a template to follow. Obviously, some players will leave. But the young core is now firmly in place. The very last quote from Boyer before the season ended offered insight into how he views the game of football.

“The reason I love football so much is because it really kind of relates or correlates to life.” Boyer said on Jan. 4. “Sometimes you get knocked down and all of us have experienced loss or tragedy, and sometimes you have to push forward and put your foot in front of the other for others. That’s why I like football because when you sign up for that, you’re a part of something that’s greater than yourself. We’ve got a lot of good guys, a lot of mentally and physically tough guys in our locker room. We’re excited about the challenge this week, for sure.”

The quote may have been before the Patriots game, but it still stands today. Miami’s players on defense are going to push hard to be successful. True, Brian Flores is gone now. But he would not have picked Boyer or let him continue his job from 2020 if he thought him incapable. Flores fired offensive coaches on a whim. It’s unlikely he would tolerate failure from his defensive coaches if he felt expectations weren’t being met.

Josh Boyer deserves at least one chance to prove he can be a good defensive coordinator. If the defense doesn’t play up to par, then McDaniel will have a new set of options to choose from in 2023. For now, give Boyer the benefit of the doubt and keep the scheme intact.

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

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