On importance of the offseason, Schottenheimer rumor

This blog for weeks has been taking routine and well-planned detours from what is currently happening with the Dolphins every game week because, as I wrote in my column in today's Miami Herald, what is about to happen this offseason is a lot more important and exciting than what is currently happening in season.

Please check the column because it gives some insight as to what owner Stephen Ross wants to accomplish this offseason.

Along those lines, I caught ESPN insider Chris Mortensen speculating on the Dolphins coaching search last weekend, warning advising Miami fans not to be surprised if New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer ended up a solid candidate for Miami's soon-vacant head coaching position.

With all due respect to Mortensen, one of the best in the business, I would say ain't no way that is a serious thought.

Yes, I know Brian Schottenheimer is the son of former Chiefs head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Yes, I know  Marty is a long-time favorite of Carl Peterson, who is part of Ross's advisory committee and a trusted confidant to the owner.

But not even the Dolphins are this dumb.

The young Schottenheimer's body of work hardly merits a head coach look yet. In fact, he's more likely to get fired as the Jets offensive coordinator than hired as Miami's head coach. In New York this week, critics have renewed calls for Schottenheimer's firing.

Schottenheimer is under such fire that head coach Rex Ryan had to come to his and quarterback Mark Sanchez's defense Monday. He's under such fire that the team had to make him available to the media so he could explain his thinking and play-calling, following the Jets loss to the Giants on Saturday.

"I have a huge amount of confidence in both guys there's no doubt," Ryan said.  

"As far as Brian Schottenheimer goes, shoot, we'll just keep working side by side and shoulder to shoulder and we're trying to find a way to beat Miami."

The Jets are terrible 27th in the NFL in total offense. And that is with Schottenheimer getting help from consultant Tom Moore, the former Colts offensive coordinator who was brought in when the season began and and was brought this month because his work was obviously not complete.

Nope, doesn't sound like a guy the Dolphins will be hiring as head coach this season. Man's got to prove he's rocking the OC job before he gets the big promotion to head coach. And the young Schotty isn't rocking his current job just yet.

Comments

[Nobody's Fool]

YG DB FOOL

Fountain of false truths, misguided guesses, and endless philosophical bs.

Notice the pattern, he buddies up with posters just enough to draw them in, then he instantly starts trying to make them feel like an idiot by ridiculing their posts.

[HAWK1052]

Next we will hear about Rob Ryan being the new dolphins coach. I say we name Mel Kiper head coach to make the sports writers happy. Maybe they will write something good about the dolphins then.

I am convinced the Dolphins will screw this coaching decision up. The big name coaches won't come to Miami, so we will hire a retread from the distant past. Dan Reeves anyone?

[Hayden Fox]

Mando...stop calling Brian Billick a retread. He has many rings as Cowher and Gruden. He has a better career record than Gruden and was even straight up with Cowher lifetime.

[DevilsAdvocate]

This is a similar argument for not interviewing Daboll for HC as some have suggested. At 5-10, he has only made watching losses more exciting than Henning did. HC interviews should be earned and not tossed around as politically correct favors.

[Frank Moore]

Billick is the ultimate example of "anyone can be a good coach if he's got good players". Ozzie Newsome is the reason why the Ravens have excelled for the majority of the last dozen years.

[Kris]

DA....taking a shot @ me early in the morning.....good....it keeps me on my toes.....

[Lance]

Couldn't agree with Frank Moore more (I had to).

[Kris]

All I can say is this....

If you don't explore all you options.....then you haven't explored all your options....

Dabolls schemes are solid....and it has been 10 years since I have seen so many WRs running so free in a dolphins uniform.....

In your opinion Daboll is not HC material.....in mine....he is to valuable to let go....

We may be sitting on the next big thing.....

[dusty bottoms]

daboll better be long gone next year

[AndyNJ]

Good morning guys and Happy Holidays,

I seriously doubt young Schotty would be Miami's next coach. In my opinion Ireland and Ross will stick by what Ireland said as far as wanting a guy :"who has been in the trenches". Sparano was in over his head way too much as a head coach.

I think the main reason Ireland stuck around is Miami has lost a lot of close games the past 2 seasons. I think Ross has been advised and is thinking if he had a top tier coach who made some better in game calls in those close games the outcome could and should have been different. The thinking is Ireland has supplied enough talent even though it hasn't been at QB or on offense as a whole. With that being said Ireland has to know his job was definitely reviewed and it wasn't a given he would be back.

I think if it holds true that Ireland will lead the search or at least play a part in it he will go with a proven guy who has coached in the NFL as a head coach before. He won't go with an unproven assistant because Miami went that route and it has not worked.

[dusty bottoms]

daboll the next big thing is hilarious, good riddens to him. maybe worst ocord ive ever watched inside the 20

[Kris]

Bush is a 1,000 yard back....who would have imagined that....and he went over 1,000 yards in week 14.....after a very slow start....

Marshal.....1,000 yards receiving....in week 14......and more TD drops than I can count....

DT.....when healthy looked good.....

Winning games (in blow-out fashion) with a back-up QB.....who only joined the team about 10 days before the season starts...

Henne even looked much improved over the 1st few weeks....

Need I go on.....

Feel free to make any corrections.....or add to my list DA.....

[Kris]

daboll the next big thing is hilarious, good riddens to him. maybe worst ocord ive ever watched inside the 20

Posted by: dusty bottoms | December 27, 2011 at 08:39 AM
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What a short and biased memory you have dusty........

Have you forgotten Henning already.....I highly doubt it......

[DevilsAdvocate]

Kris, glad you felt that left hook. I was hoping to knock over a few heads with that one.

My opinion is to leave people where they can do most good and not exercise the Peter Principle.

[dln265]

Lots of hand-wringing over the head coach decision, but the choice is meaningless unless a franchise QB is found soon after.

[dusty bottoms]

henne looked awful as always, glad hes gone. dt had one or 2 good games, bad fragile draft pick. marshall always at 100 yards, bush has been a very nice surprise. winning games vs awful teams bills twice, oak, kc, wash. none of those teams have a winning record other than the garbage raiders at 8-7. lost to any real teams we played. couldnt hold a 17-0 adv at half vs pats.

[Kris]

Prior to THIS season.....Miami never blew anybody out...not even the worst teams...

[DevilsAdvocate]

What we have seen since the TriFuckedUs took over, is only one or two good quarters per game, and too rarely a complete game, and only then against poor teams. NGE (Not Good Enough) as evidenced by our worst 3 year record since the inception of the team.

Time to flush and move on.

[dusty bottoms]

blew out? could care less if they win by 1 or 40. they are still a 5-10 football team, thats worse than last year

[Kris]

Dusty....all of those things are true....but put them into CONTEXT......

Daboll has done a lot with very limited time....very impressive in my opinion....

And I got news for you dusty.....

WE ARE ONE OF THE WORST TEAMS.....

So a victory in blow-out fashion makes it even that much more impressive....

[DevilsAdvocate]

'Team' is not even the appropriate word to describe this cast of characters who can't even properly evaluate their own talent.

[NY "G"]

kris,

I'm not picking on you kris but with all due respect this team and ALL the people that Sparano and Ireland brought in for the coaching and staff MUST GO.

Daboll is to valuable to let go??????

We may be sitting on the next big thing?????

If we are going to turn this team into champions why would you think that the Browns reject and a soon to be Dolphin reject is any of the above?

Because they won a handful of games? I'm sure that did not gave you hope for the future as the future with any of these clowns is more of the same.

Collectively they ALL are losers and losers for the last 3 years straight.

Daball will be gone and not worthy of even doing what he is now. Just ask any Browns fan how much they loved that reject.

This team, Sparano and Ireland have NO Business being HC or GM. The GN is a Scout occupying the GM office. Sparano is wearing diapers. Hell.. even Parcells knows when to bail out on those two losers. ANYONE they hired on the coaching staff is as good as what the HC and Ireland are. NO GOOD, inexperienced and no vision.

Many of these so called wonders were provided a chance to go through the ranks and hopefully you find a gem. He is NOT the gem.

This team REQUIRES a leader who is proven and a disciplinarian like Cowher.

We have tried ALL the so called BEST collage Project coaches and they ALL failed. We have went with JJ and failed.

Our Best chance is to bring in someone that fully knows what it means to WIN.

[Kris]

I can guarantee you that the Browns fans are also complaining about a meaningless win over the Dolphins.....

Let me introduce you to the mirror.....

[dusty bottoms]

im not impressed about blowing buffalo out, sorry. id be impressed if we were 10-5 instead of 5-10. daboll i hope is gone, get someone in here who will be aggressive for the entire length of the field.

[ericatl]

All I have to say about Brian is we Hired an OC to become head Coach a few yrs ago!!! Anyone?? Cam Cameron was his name. We all know how that turned out.

With that said there is no way this bunch will get it right!! We need an ownership change. How do we get that? Make this team a financial liability and Ross will run like his butts on fire

[dusty bottoms]

21 st in league in scoring (awful) almost dead last on third down conv,awful

[NY "G"]

Schottenheimer is NOT worthy of an interview.

enough said on that loser. Put HIM in the same class as our loser Daboll.

[Clue]

kris, your an idiot as usual with your moronic comments, were 5 and 10 there's nothing improved. IDC if Reggie ran for 500 or 1000 yards stas are useless when your not winning.

[NHFINSFAN]

Current Draft Order:

1. Rams
2. Colts
3. Vikes
4. Bucs
5. Jags
6. Browns
7. Skins
8. Fins

If the Skins, Browns, Jags & Bucs all WIN this week...and we LOSE, we are guaranteed a top 5 pick.

We must get ahead of the Redskins in order to have a shot at either Luck or RG3.

Good news is the Rams have overtaken the Colts for #1. And all early reports say the Rams are looking to deal away that pick.

[AndyNJ]

On Daboll,

He has had his moments this year finding favorable match ups with Marshall and Bush and has definitely played a role in career journey men and back up Matt Moore playing good football at times. But all in all there is absolutely NOTHING that I see that merits Daboll an interview as a HC.

I actually prefer to see the offense under a new system once again next year. Miami's offense had its moments but has been very inconsistant. I know Daboll wasn't on the field but it seemed like as games went on Daboll was figured out. Miami started several games hot and should have won their offense stalled far too often. This has a lot to with the players but blame goes around plenty for a 5-10 team. IMO Daboll shouldn't be around next year as OC let alone HC.

[Kris]

NY G.....

I read your stuff.....so I know how you feel....you should read mine....then you would understand where I am coming from.....

You don't have to blow up the WHEEl to improve a pon the invention of the wheel......

That's what I an saying....

[DevilsAdvocate]

Perpsective is to wind back 4 years ago when the TriFuckedUs took over and ask, would you have found it acceptable that after the first year the next 3 would go straight down hill - every major coordinator replaced OC/DC/ST, HC replaced and still no resolution to the QB problem?

How else does one spell 'disaster'?

Too say we are showing improvement at 5-10 is kind of like saying a category 5 hurricane could have been worse.

[dusty bottoms]

nhfin skins wont beat philly so that menaingless win against them earlier when fools were glad we won has killed us. if we want rg3 and i dont, i want luck, we will have to trade up for either one. call the rams after sunday and start the bidding

[dusty bottoms]

and nhfin your draft order is wrong right now, colts have first pick, rams second. but i think colts will beat jack and rams will end up with first pick

[Kris]

DA.....

Would you say the offense hasn't improved....cause that's what were talking about....

[dusty bottoms]

it def hasnt improved enough kris, WE ARE 5-10

[Kris]

I got news for you men....going from 31st to 21st in offence... That's pretty dam good... In a stele shortened year...with a back up QB....and a 205 pound back who we ALL said couldn't run between the tackles....

You guys may think you from 31st t 1st over night....or even over the course of 1 season....it doesn't work that way....Daboll has a system.... And it seems to work....

[dusty bottoms]

3RD DOWN CONV IS HUGE AND WE DROPPED FROM 40 TO 31 PERCENT THIS YEAR.

[dusty bottoms]

we didnt go from 31st to 21st, quit making things up. we went from 21 to 19th

[Clue]

thia system kris speaks of, and we still suck in the red zone.

[dusty bottoms]

argument is pointless anyways, daboll is gone and good riddens. and we used a backup qb last year also, henne is horrible

[Kris]

Actually dusst....with the exception of giving up 1few point this season....they are a mirror Image of last year....

How come no clamors for the D to make huge improvements.....

[Kris]

Dusty....you think we were the 21st ranked France last year.....

[dusty bottoms]

d sucked like always to, can never close out a game . zero pass rush. glad nolans gone also.

[dusty bottoms]

u brought up daboll, thats the only reason we were wasting time on the clown and not the d

[Kris]

Yes dusty...I did....and I defended my position.....

Overall we stink bas a team.... But our offense is much improved in this strike shortened season.... With a back-up QB......

[NY "G"]

kris,

The "D" needs a LOT of improvement.. I'm with you there.

What makes me shake my head is that Parcells drafted I believe at least 11 deep an entire crop of D and we still need to make repairs.

it comes down to who is teaching these young kids? Who is coaching these kids and who is responsible for their lack of production?

When we have coaches who are wearing diapers our record clearly shows that 3 years strong.

If we keep all of the same, history will repeat itself as nothing changes.

We need a HC with vision to build the "D" and "O" with that coaches mindset to win and win with killer instincts.

[dusty bottoms]

its not much improved, in fact its improved by 2 yards a game if u go off stats like u like to do. top 5 worst in league at 3rd down and red zone. and your backup claim is worthless , both are backups but everyone knows moore is better than awful henne

[DevilsAdvocate]

Kris

Only one stat matters. How you get there is irrelevant. Plenty of winning teams don't have the prettiest stats, I believe NE's D is rated very low. I can't see hanging my hat on any stat when the L column is larger than the W column.

[Kris]

@ the end off the day....all I said....is that he deserves an interview.....

And he does....IMO.....but Ross has the final say on that.....

Since Dabol's name hasn't surfaced on any reports.....he probably won't get one.....

But I still think he deserves one...

[dusty bottoms]

no doubt the draft picks have been horrible. misi pick was horrible, gronkowski going 2 picks after him.

[dusty bottoms]

kris u have to be drunk, there isnt a team in the nfl who would give one second to thinking daboll could even think of being a head coach

[Kris]

Dusty.....which team thought Sporano was HC material.....I can think of one.....

Didn't u here..."he is the hottest coaching prospect" on the market.....

[ajdczar]

What's wrong with Rob Ryan?

[dusty bottoms]

hilarious nobody would of ever hired garbage sparano either, parcells just wanted to bring a couple puppets with him

[dusty bottoms]

let daboll go coach some cfl teams offense next year, seeeeeeeeeeee yaaaaaa daboll and good riddens

[dusty bottoms]

whats wrong with him? well he needs a haircut, hes a idiot, hes been awful for dallas.

[dolfnman]

Wanstache's statement as to why they didn't pick up Drew Brees, was that Drew Brees is not a big improvement from Jay Fiedler. Words that will live in infamy and one of the stupidest non-moves by a coach!

[AndyNJ]

NY G,

I agree with you that this team is 5-10 and there is nothing to me that says Daboll should be even thought of as a HC and I'm sure Kris was "just saying" but no way no how anyone in the NFL thinks Daboll is some hidden gem!

Not ganing up on you Kris but just my opinion.

But my thoughts on Ireland initially is he MUST go and I hate his guts lol. After some crtical thinking you really have to wonder how much control he ever had while Parcells did some of his worst work in Miami.

This was Ireland's first offseason and he has given Miami Pouncey who seems like at the very least a good offensive linmen and at best a really good possible pro bowl caliber someday, he brought in Reggie Bush and Bush has delivered, and even though he passed on Demarco Murray which everyone else did too he brought in Daniel Thomas who has looked very impressive (Cleveland, Houston) at times when healthy. Gates wasn't worth spit as a rookie but he has beaten coverage a handful of times but the QBs couldn't find him and Charles Clay is productive in small doses.

Sure he is an arrogant jerk and I still can't believe how he was so disrespectful to Dez Bryant but lets give him another year and see what he does.

[NY "G"]

Listen...

Ross was stuck with who Huizenga brought in. Parcells, Ireland, Sparano, Sparano's son, Brian Cox and all the rest of the crap.

Ross has his enema which he shall insert after the Jets game. Ross will purge all the left over Parcells crap and start fresh with HIS people.