Gruden sees QB that has evolved

Tannehill made change from college to NFL

DAVIE — Maybe this week Jon Gruden will take the time to learn how to say Ryan Tannehill’s name properly.

Gruden, the Oakland Raiders coach, has been saying Tannehill’s name wrong since 2012 when the Dolphins’ starting quarterback filmed a draft special with the former “Monday Night Football” commentator, who called him “Tanny-hill” numerous times.

“He always pronounced my name funny. Tanny-hill,” Tannehill said, mimicking Gruden’s voice.

Just because Gruden can’t pronounce Tannehill’s name properly doesn’t mean he’s not a fan. In fact, this week Gruden acknowledged he respects the quarterback’s evolution from college receiver to respected NFL starter.

“I called him that on ‘Monday Night Football’ a time or two,” said Gruden, whose Raiders are off to a 0-2 start heading into Sunday’s 1 p.m. game against the Dolphins. “I knew a guy named Steve Taneyhill who played quarterback at South Carolina. You can’t fault me. I’m human like everybody else. But I know his name now for sure.”

Gruden has been intrigued by Tannehill since evaluating him in the 2012 draft proc-

ess.

During their 30-minute ESPN-produced quarterback special, Gruden commended the then-Texas A&M quarterback for his resiliency, athleticism and intelligence. Gruden warned Tannehill that he needed to prove he was durable to have success in the NFL.

“What impresses me the most about Tannehill is the impressive background,” Gruden said in the quarterback special. “He is a big, well-built young quarterback, and somebody is going to get keys to very good prospect.”

The Dolphins got those keys and have been patiently developing this seven-year veteran to the point where the Dolphins are starting to see a promising return in his third season with coach Adam Gase.

After two games, Tannehill possesses the eighthhighest passer rating (104.9) heading into Sunday’s game.

He’s competing a career high 72.5 percent of his passes for 398 yards and has thrown four touchdown passes with five sacks and two interceptions.

The Dolphins are 10-5 in the games that Tannehill has started with Gase as his playcaller, and Tannehill has averaged 7.71 yards per attempt and produced a 94.8 passer rating in those 15 starts.

Since returning from the left knee injury that forced him to miss 20 starts, Tannehill has led the Dolphins to nine wins in his past 10 starts, which is tied with Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz and Denver’s Case Keenum for the best mark by a starting quarterback in the NFL.

“If you can start running just a little bit of read option you can keep the defense honest,” Gruden advised Tannehill back in 2012. “When you combine it with the west coast offense, it’s scary.”

, Coincidentally, that is the exact offense Gase has built for Tannehill.

Tannehill has become the Dolphins’ all-time career leader in rushing yards by a quarterbacks, gaining 1,113 and scoring six rushing touchdowns on 228 carries. Last week he gained 44 yards on eight carries against the Jets. He averages 4.9 yards per attempt during his career.

“They make you defend every blade of grass. Tannehill’s scrambling ability is a winning edge for them. He can get out of trouble,” Gruden said this week. “They can create quarterback runs and do a lot of different plays with a quarterback that has this kind of athleticism.”

The one aspect of Tannehill’s performance Miami would like to see improve is his pocket presence and awareness. Last week, Tannehill was sacked four times during Miami’s 20-12 win over the New York Jets, and according to his coaches, Tannehill should have thrown the ball away in some of those plays.

“At the quarterback spot, we’re always going to take responsibility,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “Ryan needs to get the ball out, regardless. We don’t want to take sacks on first- and seconddown plays. We don’t want to take sacks on naked [bootlegs]. That’s a cardinal sin for us. We need to do a better job with that stuff.”