Chad O’Shea – February 15, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea
(Conceptually, what is your vision for an NFL offense in terms of strategy? I know you come from the Patriots system where you guys were pretty multiple in terms of what you were doing, but how do you create that? How do you create that as an offense conceptually?) – “I think that you have a foundation and some core beliefs that you have offensively, but I think the key is to do what your players do well. It’s our job as a coaching staff to identify what are the skillsets of the players and how can we utilize that skillsets to be a productive offense. That’s why we don’t talk about specific scheme. We talk about being multiple. We talk about being able to adjust. That’s a word that definitely is an important part of our offense is the ability for the coaches to adjust in the way we think as far as our scheme, and our players to be able to adjust and might be able to adjust weekly depending on what we need to do to win the game.”
(You guys – meaning the Patriots – had the benefit of having QB Tom Brady who had been there, I think, 18 years in the same offense. Obviously, that allows you to build off that offense and build off the quarterback. How do you do that with a younger quarterback or a new quarterback or a rookie quarterback?) – “I think that there are challenges that are built in any time you start a new offense, regardless of what position might’ve been a strength in previous offenses. I think that there are challenges, but I also see those challenges as being very rewarding. I think that the quarterback position is obviously only one position on the offense and there’s a lot of positions that really go into the planning, go into the philosophy of the offense and ultimately what you want to be. It’s definitely a process. Obviously we have a new staff here that is going to familiarize ourselves with our current personnel, and we’re currently in the process of trying to still learn our personnel as well as learn the personnel that’s available in the draft process and free agency. At the same time, we’re putting together our core playbook and some of our ideas that we’ve had from different places as we merge them to build what we’re going to call our own offense.”
(You talked about looking at your personnel of this team. Obviously, when you were coaching with the Patriots, you were watching the defense; but now that you’ve been able to look at the offense, what do you see in terms of what’s here that you feel like you can build on?) – “The first thing I’ll say is that although being in New England, we were concentrating – because I was an offensive coach obviously on the defensive personnel for Miami – it’s hard to not recognize being a competitor and being in the division those players offensively that we have looked at just by being in the division. So, I definitely had some familiarity with those guys. I have a lot of respect for them for what they’ve accomplished. We’re still in the process of that right now. Obviously, we haven’t been here very long together as a staff. We’re still in the process of our evaluation of those players. I’m very excited. It’s an exciting part of the process to identify who are your guys you’re going to be working with, because ultimately what’s most important is how we utilize the players that are here. The most important players are the ones in our building right now.”
(What are your thoughts on QB Ryan Tannehill – you’ve obviously played him for seven years – in terms of what he can do, strengths and things he needs to improve on if he’s going to be here?) – “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ryan. Obviously, because we’ve been in the division, we’ve had the opportunity to have exposure to him and I’ve always had a lot of respect for his competitiveness. As it is with our entire roster right now, we’re just trying to do a lot of catch up to try to look at the personnel at all positions and really identify … Again, there’s a lot of strengths on this offense. But I definitely have had a tremendous amount of respect for Ryan and what he’s done competitively within the division.”
(Outside of the competitiveness, what traits does QB Ryan Tannehill do or have that you say, ‘This is something I can build on?’) – “I don’t want to get into specific traits, weaknesses or strengths. I think, again, this is an ongoing process. Ryan has been somebody that has been a problem for us defensively at New England because of his athleticism and being able to be somebody that can not only throw the ball but be able to extend plays. And I’m speaking for somebody that’s been on the other side of this that’s had to compete against him, there’s definitely some traits that he has that are unique that maybe the next guy doesn’t have. I would say that he’s one that we always had a lot of respect for when we played him defensively at New England.”
(Speaking generally about quarterbacks, moving forward what do you envision a ‘Chad O’Shea quarterback’ looking like?) – “I think the most important thing in our quarterback moving forward here, whoever that is, is that we want great traits in that player. The intangibles are most important to us. Obviously, leadership is very important – work ethic. Some of the traits that we’ve identified and we’ve done this as a staff here this week is to try to identify traits in each position that we want to be proud of as a Dolphins player on offense. I think that the quarterback position is a unique position because there’s a lot of pressure that goes on with that positon and he has to be your greatest ambassador on your football team. He carries the message that you want to have offensively. He obviously carries the ball with him as far as on every down. The intangibles to us on offense at that position are important as they are other positons. We try to identity what characteristics are most important to each positon moving forward here and I think it starts with the traits of the players.”
(I know there’s been discussion about completion percentage, which is something which you value. Would you put that high on your list of things you want in a quarterback? Anything else high on your list?) – “I think that there’s a lot of things that you want in a quarterback, one of which is accuracy. Obviously, there’s a lot of things that go into accuracy, and I’d say it’s not just the quarterback. It’s the guys around him. It takes all 11 to be an accurate quarterback. I strongly believe that it takes great protection, it takes the receivers to be dependable and detailed and disciplined in the pass game to allow a quarterback to be accurate. I think sometimes the accuracy gets put just on the quarterback, but I think that it’s something that takes contributions from all positons to allow a quarterback to be accurate.”
(One of the things that Head Coach Brian Flores really believes in is changing what you do week to week based on the opponent. Is that a philosophy you share?) – “It absolutely is. Brian and I share a lot of the same philosophies, one of which is being very team-oriented. But offensively, our vision is to do whatever is required to be successful that week. We absolutely want to have a core set of things that we do well, but we’re also going to have the ability to adjust on a weekly basis. I think it’s important for the coaching staff to have the mindset that we need to be able to adjust and our players also need to adjust. That’s an important part of the offense is the ability to be multiple, to not be a specific scheme. But again, it goes back to we’re going to do what the players do well and what are their strengths? We always identify what they can do, not what they cannot do, and game plan or set up our offense according to that.”
(Do you believe it’s more demanding on the players? It requires more from them from a cerebral standpoint, perhaps?) – “I think when you have a multiple offense, it does require the players to spend extra time in preparation; but in the end, we’re doing what’s best for the players and we’re doing, most importantly, what’s best for the team. I think the players in the past, when we’ve been in a multiple offense, have always embraced that challenge, because in the end, they know that we’re trying as a coaching staff to do what’s best and put them in the best position to not only succeed individually, but most importantly, our vision is to succeed as a team.”
(I know Owner Stephen Ross has spoken about rebuilding, which typically means a younger roster. Have you and Brian Flores discussed WR Danny Amendola and whether you want him here because obviously you value him, but he’s an older player and you’re a team that’s going to go younger. Do you all know yet do you want him on the roster?) – “We’re definitely still in the process of the evaluation of our own team. Obviously now we’re in the evaluation of other free agents and now the college draft. I know that we’ve worked extremely hard where it’s an exciting part of the process here is to identify those players. Danny is one of the players that’s currently on our team that I have familiarity with. Danny has been a tremendous player for us in the past. I know he means a lot to a lot of people on this team and in the organization and one of which we hold in very high regard. But we’re still in the process of evaluating the entire roster and seeing what’s best for the Miami Dolphins.”
(Are there any players on your roster skill position-wise you’ve seen enough to even speak generally of beyond WR Danny Amendola obviously – among WR Albert Wilson or WR Jakeem Grant or TE Mike Gesicki or RB Kenyan Drake?) – “Again, we’ve invested a lot of time. The first thing we did is prior to any planning of scheme and what we’re going to be offensively, it was most important to identify what we’re working with. We spent a tremendous amount of time here this week and really evaluating our roster, especially the coaches that are not familiar with those guys (and) working with them. Obviously, we’ve had a lot of exposure … I’ve had exposure to them in the division and seeing them from afar and really had a lot of respect. I would say as a group, it’s a very exciting group for me looking at it and for our coaching staff, because there’s a lot of things these guys do very well. Not to talk in specifics, but I see the strengths of this group and I see there’s going to be a lot of things that we’ll be able to utilize and take advantage of what they do well and really put it a part of the offense to try to help us win.”
(With WR Albert Wilson, I know one of the things Adam Gase did was he was able to maximize his abilities by using him in the running game, all different ways. Do you hope to do likewise?) – “I think with the players, our philosophy on the players is we’re going to use every strength they have and utilize those. I know a lot of the players we’ve identified, speaking of the skill positions, have done a good job in a lot of areas. I think that that’s our job and that’s our responsibility as a coaching staff is to really identify those strengths and put that into action by what we ask them to do.”
(Talk about how much you’ll be bringing what you’ve learned over the past few years here and implementing that, because obviously what you’ve done in the past has worked very successfully.) – “I think there’s a lot of experience on this offensive coaching staff and there’s a lot of expertise. We have a veteran coaching staff offensively. I think we’ve all had things we’ve done in the past that we think can be successful moving forward. What we’ve done here recently is try to merge those ideas and have everybody’s philosophies come together. Certainly what we did in New England, we were fortunate to have a lot of success and we were fortunate to have really good players within that scheme, and there are certainly some things from New England that will show up here as part of our offense. And there are things that are going to show up from some of our other coaches that have been other places, that are also going to show up as part of this. I think of this as a collaborative effort. I think that you’re going to see an offense that is going to be multiple, an offense that’s built on the things we covet so much, and that’s being able to play team football and to be able to be fundamentally sound and do all those things right before we can do anything else.”
(You are going to have the opportunity to become a first-time offensive coordinator, first-time play caller. What is that challenge like and what do you think you’ve done throughout your career that has prepared you for that?) – “I think that there’s challenges that every job has regardless of the role. Certainly, there’s going to be challenges in our first year as a staff of working together and putting an offense together. I’m really going to rely on a very talented coaching staff around me. We have (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Coach (Jim) Caldwell who has done such a good job in a leadership position and I’m so excited to work with him and I’m so excited to work with the staff. I think some of the challenges that are built into being a first-year coordinator or first-year play caller, I’ll really benefit by having such talented people around me on the offensive staff.”
(What was it about Head Coach Brian Flores that made you say, “I want to leave what I have in New England to join him here in Miami?” I know you guys are friends and there are stories about you running stairs together. Where did that bond and kinship come from?) – “I believe in Brian as a leader. I think that what he believes and what I believe are aligned the same. His core beliefs and what he sees in a football team and what he sees in people are very similar to what I believe. It starts off with we’re aligned in that area. I have a great deal of respect for him a leader, as a coach. More importantly, I have a great deal of respect for him as a person. I have full confidence in his ability to lead the Miami Dolphins. I’m so excited to work for Brian and work with the coaching staff that he has assembled.”
(You worked with one of, if not the greatest, quarterback of all time. With the quarterback situation here in Miami up in the air and you as a first-time coordinator, what is your vision for your quarterback for the next year? What is your ideal that you want your quarterback to accomplish under your offense?) – “I think that we speak of the quarterback positon, but we’re really going to emphasize all 11 (players) on this. For the quarterback to be successful, it’s going to require those other guys to do their job. We’re going to talk a lot about individual accountability and that each person can only do their job and they can’t do the next guy’s job. The quarterback is one part of this. He’s a big part of it, because he’s obviously somebody that has a lot to do with your success or failures of the offense. We’re going to do the best job we can to support our quarterback with our players, with our scheme. I think that, again, it takes all 11. It’s not just solely the quarterback. We’ve definitely gone through the process of identifying what we need as far as the strengths, the weaknesses of what we currently have. I know that I see a lot of strengths. There’s a lot to work with on this team and I look forward to the whole process.”
(With what you’ve seen from QB Ryan Tannehill over the past few years playing him multiple times, is he a quarterback that you can work with and maybe mold him into the quarterback that we all…?) – “Again, I’m going to say we’re going through the process and the process is not complete. I think that there’s definitely … We’re still in the process of evaluating a lot of things. I know the quarterback positon is one that is very important to us and I understand why you would ask the question and it’s a great question; but I’m going to say that we’re still in the process of really … We have a lot going on. We have the playbook (and) evaluation of our own team. We’re still in the process of all that.”
(We heard a little bit about your role with the red zone with the Patriots. What exactly were you able to do in that scheme and what were you able to learn from that role?) – “I think that one of the things that as a staff we’re going to ask people to have different responsibilities, different coaches to have different responsibilities on the staff. I have been responsible for things in the past, one of which was red zone. We’re going to break the staff up different ways. We’re still in the process of doing that. We’ve been able to have success in the past in a lot of areas in New England, and a lot of it had to do with the players that were out there doing their job and really embracing the ability to have to adjust every week on specific schemes and those things.”
(We saw you guys were effective using the backs in New England. I guess the whole staff, but you as a whole, is that something that you hope to do?) – “I think the back is an important part of the offense. I think that the receivers … I think that the skill positon, obviously, is something that is an important part, but the backs in particular. I think it’s something that you look at the Dolphins roster right now (and) it’s exciting to look at the backs. Competitively playing against those backs in New England that are in Miami now, it’s been a group that has a lot of strengths and I can’t wait to work with them.”
(Miami Miracle, I guess that crosses your mind?) – “That’s right, for sure. Obviously, it’s hard to … I’ll never forget that one. I know this, I’m glad I’m here now; but that wasn’t a very enjoyable way to lose, for sure.”
