South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
New QB coach has experience with Tua
The Miami Dolphins have yet to name a new offensive coordinator.
But Brian Flores will add at least two more assistant coaches from the college ranks to his Dolphins coaching staff on offense, including one who has a previous relationship with Tua Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins announced Saturday that Charlie Frye will join
Miami as the team’s new quarterbacks coach. He replaces Robby Brown, who is out after joining the Dolphins last year.
Frye will get his first NFL coaching job on Flores’ staff after spending the past two seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central Michigan under Jim McElwain.
Frye was also a coach who helped Tagovailoa during the Elite 11 quarterback event for top high school prospects in 2006, an event in which Tagovailoa won most valuable player honors before he attended Alabama.
“He has great chemistry with him and understands how to craft plays around his skills,” NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks said of Frye and Tagovailoa on Twitter. “Don’t underestimate the value of that previous relationship and connection.”
In another post Brooks said, “Frye is one of the best teachers
and communicators that I’ve been around. He is OUTSTANDING with young QBs and he simplifies the game in a way that makes it easy for them. A+ hire with Tua’s long-term development in mind.”
Frye, a former third-round pick, played five seasons in the NFL for Cleveland (2005-07), Seattle (2008) and Oakland (2009), starting 23 career games at quarterback.
Another addition reported Saturday: Jordan Salkin, who will come to the NFL after one season as quarterbacks coach at New Mexico and three seasons at the University of Texas.
Salkin’s hire with the Dolphins and the position he’ll be coaching is not yet official. But it will likely be on the offensive side of the football, perhaps as assistant quarterbacks coach. The move was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.
The Dolphins’ moves come during a week in which they promoted Lemuel Jeanpierre to be the team’s new offensive line
coach.
Since the season ended, Flores has parted with former offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, offensive line coach Steve Marshall and Brown, who saw his role reduced as the season went on last year. Defensive line coach Marion Hobby also left after two seasons in Miami to join the Cincinnati Bengals.
With the Dolphins searching outward for position coaches, it may seem likely the team could promote either tight ends coach George Godsey or running backs coach Eric Studesville to be the new offensive coordinator.
It is also possible the Dolphins have another outside candidate in mind for the position who is still going through his season with one of the four remaining playoff teams.
Both Godsey and Studesville and former Chargers quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton interviewed with Flores for the job. Hamilton also reportedly interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for their vacant coordinator position this past week.
Three others reportedly interviewed for the job as well, but 49ers assistant Mike McDaniel, Steelers quarterback coach Matt Canada and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott decided to stay with their current teams.
Hiring coaches without NFL coaching experience is not new for Flores, who added linebackers coach Anthony Campanile and defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander from the college ranks last season.
Like Jeanpierre, Flores also promoted Josh Grizzard from within to be the team’s wide receivers coach after serving as a quality control coach for three seasons. And Flores promoted Josh Boyer to be defensive coordinator last year after he served as the cornerbacks coach the previous season.
Flores also hired former high school football coach Curt Kuntz, who joined as assistant defensive backs coach and led the team’s third-down defensive meetings last season.