A secret recipe?
Flores remains guarded on play-calling process as team prepares for week of practices, home exhibition with Falcons
The Miami Dolphins and coach Brian Flores seem dedicated to proceeding without revealing how their offensive plays get called under their co-offensive coordinator setup with George Godsey and Eric Studesville.
After the Dolphins, including the two offensive coordinators, were saying they were still figuring out how they would get plays down to their quarterbacks in the week leading up to Saturday’s preseason loss at the Chicago Bears, Flores was asked about that process in a Sunday follow-up web conference with reporters.
“We’ve got a system in place. We know how we’re handling that situation,” said Flores, as Miami now prepares for a pair of joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons before Saturday night’s home preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium. “I thought it went well [Saturday], and we’ll just continue to handle it the way we’ve talked about handling it internally. Continue to go the way we planned to do it, really, since George and Eric became the co-OCs.”
Pressed, then asked if he did not want to reveal if one, two or three people are involved in calling plays, Flores was frank.
“No, I don’t want to reveal,” he said, before quipping, “It could be six people.”
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said after Saturday’s exhibition that quarterbacks coach Charlie Frye was giving him the calls, but it’s unknown what steps occur before the call gets to Frye, if Godsey, Studesville or both are involved. Studesville was seen
on the sideline at the game, with Godsey overhead in the booth.
“I think it’s working really good,” Tagovailoa said Saturday. “I like who Charlie is. I’ve known him for quite some time. I think he’s a really good coach. He’s personable. A lot of the guys on the team like him.”
Flores wrapped up the Chicago week as the Dolphins now host Atlanta for joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday before a 7 p.m. kickoff in Miami Gardens on Saturday.
“We had good competition in practice. It’s good to see a different group, different schemes, different concepts,” Flores said. “They got good players. I think that was good for us to see that in a practice setting and then compete with them in a game. I think it’ll only help us.”
Traditionally, the third preseason game out of four is the “dress rehearsal,” where starters play deeper into the contest, but with three games in the exhibition season this year, Flores has not yet decided if that second game this week, as the penultimate one, would serve that role.
“We’ll talk about next week’s preseason game in a few days,” Flores said. “We’re a little ways away from that.”
Among the late scratches ahead of the preseason opener against the Bears were both starting cornerbacks, Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. Flores said Sunday all were getting rest, but he did say wide receiver Allen Hurns is “dealing with something.”
“He’s just kind of rehabbing and taking it one day at a time,” said Flores.
Flores said early reports indicate tight end Cethan Carter is day to day with his apparent knee injury after a pile rolled into his left leg as he was run blocking on Saturday.
The Dolphins are also hopeful to return rookie offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg to practice after he exited at the end of Wednesday’s joint practice with the Bears before missing Thursday drills and the Saturday preseason game. Dolphins blockers struggled on Saturday against the Bears’ defensive front.
“Liam’s day to day and working his way to get back out there,” said Flores, who saw the second-round draft pick out of Notre Dame play multiple positions on the offensive line before sitting out. “Saw him at left guard, seen him at right tackle. I think Solomon [Kindley] did a nice job [Saturday], so we’ve got some good competition over there with Liam, but we’re going to play the best five.
“They all got some versatility. Liam has some versatility, having played tackle and guard. … The most important thing, for us, is to get him back out there, and wherever he plays, he plays. He’ll have an opportunity to compete.”