Continuity Among Miami Dolphins' Coaches Should Improve 2009 Performance

(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

If the Miami Dolphins are to be successful in 2009, retaining both offensive and defensive coordinators will provide players and coaches with the continuity the team has lacked over the last decade.

Unfortunately, as the Dolphins changed head coaches over the last 10 years, they also went through offensive and defensive coordinators. Teams need to develop stability among players and coaches, and the Dolphins had to install a new scheme every other year.

This year, the only major change to the coaching staff is at offensive line, where new offensive-line coach Dave DeGuglielmo will bring a new attitude to the unit.

Sparano enters sophomore campaign in Miami

Tony Sparano’s rookie season as an NFL coach didn’t start well as the Dolphins sputtered to an 0-2 start. But he kept his cool, made adjustments, and his attitude won over the locker room—and brought in a division title.

Sparano began his coaching career in 1984 at the University of New Haven, where he spent four seasons teaching the offensive line. After serving in a variety of offensive positions, Sparano got his first head coaching gig at New Haven, where he worked from 1994 to 1998, before entering the NFL.

His rise to fame begun as a Dallas Cowboys assistant from 2003 to 2007, when he served in a range of offensive roles under Bill Parcells and Wade Phillips. Yet his first start in the NFL was with the Cleveland Browns in 1999, as an offensive-quality-control coach.

Despite Sparano never holding a head coaching position above Division II at the University of New Haven, Parcells saw enough of him while at Dallas to know he was an NFL-caliber head coach. Parcells was proved right, as Sparano led a 1-15 team the year before, to an 11-5 record and division title.

Sparano’s instinct to go for it on numerous fourth-down attempts helped reinforce to his Dolphins players that he believed in them, which resonated throughout the locker room and spurred the team to its success in 2008.

However, a rookie head coach needs good assistants with plenty of experience to have success, and Sparano’s staff had plenty of NFL seasoning to rely on.

Henning brings decades of experience to offensive

An NFL coach for nearly 30 years, offensive coordinator Dan Henning’s creativity and expertise allowed the Dolphins’ offensive to be more successful than the talent would allow in 2008.

With 28 seasons of NFL coaching under his belt, Henning is the most experienced coach on Sparano’s staff.

Henning’s stint in coaching began in 1968 as he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida State University. His first taste of the NFL came in 1972 as the quarterbacks and receivers coach for the Houston Oilers.

Over the years, Henning has seen just about every type of offensive and defensive scheme, as he as worked as a head coach, assistant head coach, quarterbacks coach, receivers coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL and in the college ranks as well.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?