5 Storylines HBO 'Hard Knocks' Is Sure to Follow in Miami Dolphins' Preseason

It wasn't their first choice, or even their second, but the crew of HBO's "Hard Knocks" has their team for 2012: The show will follow the Miami Dolphins through training camp and the preseason, according to a report by Bob Wolfley of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

There should be no shortage of interesting storylines on South Beach when the cameras start rolling. Here's a look at a handful of items to watch for when "Hard Knocks" hits the airwaves on August 7th.

Rookie Head Coach Joe Philbin

He may not have the personality of the last head coach featured on the show (Rex Ryan of the New York Jets), but this year marks a "Hard Knocks" first, as the show will spotlight a rookie head coach for the first time in Joe Philbin.

It's rather interesting that a first-year head coach would agree to do the show in the first place, and watching Philbin attempt to implement his new game plan for the Dolphins under the camera's watchful eye will be intriguing, especially if any problems arise.

And really, don't they always?

The Battle Under Center

The Miami Dolphins looked to the future at the quarterback position in April's NFL draft, selecting Texas A&M signal-caller Ryan Tannehill with the eighth overall pick.

Tannehill will battle 2011 starter Matt Moore and recently-signed veteran David Garrard for first-team reps in training camp. While the rookie will given an opportunity to win the starting job, nothing is set in stone according to what team owner Stephen Ross recently told the NFL Network.

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"I don't think they're going to rush (Ryan Tannehill) into anything," said Ross, asked simply about life with Tannehill on his roster. "He's going to have to win the starting job. I think Matt Moore will probably be the starter, and I wish him the best."

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There may well be no position battle more interesting for Miami in 2012 than the one at arguably the most important spot on the field in the NFL.

Who Will Step Up at Wide Receiver?

OK, so maybe quarterback isn't the most interesting position battle on South Beach after all.

The departure of Brandon Marshall in a trade with the Chicago Bears leaves the Dolphins woefully thin at the wide receiver position as we head into the 2012 campaign.

The team added rookies such as sixth-round pick B.J. Cunningham and undrafted free agent Jeff Fuller (a teammate of Tannehill's at Texas A&M) to complement veterans Davone Bess and Brian Hartline.

However, no wideout on the Miami roster gained more that 550 yards in the NFL last season. How the pecking order at wide receiver shakes out may have just as big an impact on the battle at quarterback as the play of the passers themselves.

Installation of a New Defense

The "Hard Knocks" storylines won't be confined to the offensive side of the ball in 2012, as the team is also installing a 4-3 defensive scheme under new coordinator Kevin Coyle.

The effect that the new defensive front will have on the likes of Cameron Wake, who will be making the switch back to defensive end this year, will have a significant impact on the team's fortunes this season.

However, inside linebacker Karlos Dansby doesn't think the switch that will be that difficult for Miami. In fact, the ninth-year veteran sees big things on the horizon for the Dolphins this year, telling The Miami Sun-Sentinel that "As a team, I'm expecting us to win the AFC, period. Point blank."

Lauren Tannehill

Not all the storylines that "Hard Knocks" focuses on each season take place on the field, as one of the things that makes the show great is the glimpses it offers fans into the personal lives of players and coaches.

With that said, there's almost certainly going to be no shortage of camera time for Lauren Tannehill. The wife of the Dolphins' young quarterback has been the toast of the town ever since turning heads at the NFL Draft, and you can bet that the aspiring model will turn a few on HBO this fall as well.