Loggains excited about working with Tannehill
New coordinator aims to improve QB coming off injury.
Ryan Tannehill might not have any familiarity with new Dolphins offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, but Loggains has a pretty good handle on what he’s getting into with his new quarterback.
He began scouting Tannehill in advance of the 2012 draft, when Loggains was the Titans’ offensive coordinator and Tannehill was a prospect at Texas A&M. Tennessee wasn’t really in the market for a quarterback after taking Jake Locker the year before, but Loggains liked what he saw and has followed Tannehill’s career since.
“I’m excited about working with him,” Loggains said Friday. “He’s a guy that’s got a lot of physical traits, and Adam (Gase) thinks a lot of him. I’m excited when the offseason starts to get in the classroom and start grinding on the field and doing those things to help him get better.”
Quarterback looms large for the Dolphins this offseason.
The Dolphins believe Tannehill will be fully healthy by spring after losing last season to a knee injury. Assuming that proves true, the next step is for Gase, Loggains and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree to develop him into a franchise-changing quarterback.
To this point, Tannehill hasn’t been that. He’s been good at times, but not great. The upside, though, is that he seemed to be turning a corner under Gase in 2016.
Not only did he post career highs in passer rating (93.5), completion percentage (67.1) and yards per attempt (7.7), he displayed a mobility that Gase believes is an absolute necessity for quarterbacks in the modern era. That’s another challenge for Tannehill in his recovery from the knee injury.
Loggains also will be tasked with grooming the talent behind Tannehill, which could include a high draft pick this year. The Dolphins will select 11th overall, and they’ll vet quarterback prospects like Baker Mayfield over the next three months.
They can also consider re-signing current backup David Fales, a 27-year-old in whom Gase sees great potential.
Fales has bounced around three franchises since being drafted in the sixth round in 2014 and has appeared in three regular-season games.
Gase promotes WRs coach: Shawn Jefferson’s climb up the Dolphins’ coaching ladder isn’t taking much time.
The Dolphins announced a handful of changes to Gase’s staff Friday afternoon — many of which were already known — but the surprise was the promotion of Jefferson, 48, from wide receivers coach to assistant head coach/offense.
Darren Rizzi is the associate head coach and special teams coordinator, ranking above Jefferson.
The other moves confirmed included the hiring of Loggains as offensive coordinator and Jeremiah Washburn as offensive line coach.
Ben Johnson, last year’s assistant receivers coach, will be the receivers coach.
Clyde Christensen, last year’s offensive coordinator, will be director of football and player development.
The team is not bringing back secondary coach Lou Anarumo, a one-time interim defensive coordinator; running backs coach Danny Barrett, and defensive line coach Terrell Williams.
Jefferson just completed his second season with the Dolphins. He played in the NFL for four teams over 13 seasons before spending eight years starting in 2005 on the Lions’ coaching staff. From 2013-15, he was the Titans’ receivers coach.
He can be unconventional, as evidenced by the day in 2016 when he stepped onto the practice field wearing shoulder pads and challenging receivers to smack into him during a drill. He also teases receivers with nicknames. He calls the 5-7 Jakeem Grant “Strawberry Shortcake” and “Mighty Mouse.”
In his playing career, primarily with San Diego and New England, Jefferson caught 470 passes for 7,023 yards and 29 touchdowns.