the last time you stepped up for a coach like that it was for Joe freaking Philbin......your rep about who should be a HC on this team is seriously flawed at this point
What exactly did you expect him to accomplish? You reference Dallas Thomas but overlook the fact that because of him, Turner and Fox(a hand Campbell was dealt) they weren't able to consistently establish the run. Not to mention falling so far behind in games because this defense couldn't stop anyone that they were forced into passing situations. Let's also not forget that we lost one of best defensive players for the rest of the season and are so devoid of talent at multiple position groups that it will take 2-3 years to rebuild this roster. Did people really expect Dan to come in here with a team record of 1-3 and make the playoffs or even go 8-8? Without even an offseason to put his coaching staff, culture, systems and leadership in place? Really? Honestly, I didn't expect him to win more than 2 games with the roster we had. I'm not saying that Campbell deserved the head coaching job but I do think it's comical that people can so strongly believe that he didn't deserve the job while a guy who lead the 21st ranked offense got the job who has accomplished nothing as a head coach got fast tracked for the job.
That is such a deceptive and idiotic stat. I'm not calling you an idiot, Im just tired of seeing it spewed around. He led an offense that lost its top HB and only legitimate WR threat, and Cutler still had his best year as a pro since entering the league. Marshall went to the Jets, Jefferey was injured a large chunk of the year, and he made a backup HB look just like Matt Forte somehow. That team had a million reasons to score about 10 points a game. What he did there was actually borderline incredible.
Dallas Thomas was terrible, but who should Campbell have started in his place? Not only was the starting OL shaky, the depth was horrendous. That's not Campbell's fault. I think that he did make a concerted effort to run Lamar Miller more, but the team's penchant for slow starts made that task harder. I did like how Campbell used him more than how Philbin did, I'll give him that. I like Campbell, I'm fine with Gase, but Campbell is probably thinking that he deserved the HC job and then he'd go out and hire an OC like Gase to run the offense. But could he find one as good as Gase, there's the rub. Campbell wanted to make a great offensive mind his offensive coordinator and remain as the figure head leader of men, the Dolphins went straight to the source and took the great offensive mind, hoping that he'll become a great leader of men.
It was a really rough scenario for Campbell. The more I think about it the more it seems like the interim position was only an audition for Campbell if he took it and made it so. He wasn't just asked to lead the team but also clean up someone else's mess. It can't be easy to be given the reigns to a team that has spent weeks and months preparing under and for someone else's leadership and game plan. The playbook was written by someone else. The more I look back the more I think the best plan in that scenario, comes from realising that rise or fall it has to happen because of your choices, your actions, your plan, not someone else's, and so, as hard as it might be, to work, even progressively, to throw out the old playbook and re-write it. Maybe not all at once, that might not be practical, but to look at the team and decide what it is you believe this team needs and needs to be, and make that happen to the best of your ability. That's not an easy decision at all, but the more I think about it, it's the only decision to make, because there would be nothing worse than doing what you think someone else wants you to do and then failing because of it. Maybe Gase will keep him on, but again, that should be because Gase truly wants it, not because it's a nice thing to do. Same for Campbell.
Im divided on this. I think Campbell did a hell of a job. Really. He took over a team in complete disarray and took it back to some level of respectability. You can say thats nothing if you want, and its true that we have a high pick in the draft. BUT for the situation that he was thrust into how much more do you think he could have done? Our offensive line was horrible, and just when things were turning around his best defensive player and one of the leaders goes down in Wake. This is a team that simply doesnt have enough talent to have an offensive identity. We cant pass block well enough to be an effective unbalanced pass offense and we cant run block well enough to have much consistency in the run game. Also he inherited (IMO) a great third down back as his starting RB. A guy like Lamar Miller is great if you have a road grading offensive line but we dont. IMO Miller is WAY over rated by dolphins fans because all they remember is his big runs. They are great, and can change a game, but they forget all the runs where he goes down on first contact and doesnt run downhill with consistency unless there is a gaping hole. IMO the reason Miller was not given more touches is that he simply isnt physical enough to be a feature back. I dont follow football league wide nearly as much as I used to but I dont remember an NFL team that fired its HC, DC, and OC all in the same season. Lets be honest, when you first that many people in the middle of the season you cant bring in quality people to replace them, so you have to promote your best options from withing. Which Cambell did, and I think they did better then the guys they replaced. But lest be honest, if we let them go, other teams arent going to be beating down their doors to make them coordinators somewhere else. And thats where a lot of your X and O coaching comes in. A hc can provide direction and leadership but most HC's are not the ones detailing out and building the gameplan on both sides of the ball for every game. Thats on the coordinators. All that being said, I'm not disappointed that he didnt get the HC gig. IMO he isnt quite ready to be a HC yet, doesnt mean he isnt a bright coach, doesn't mean he wont be a really good HC someday. To me he is a very bright young guy that will bring a lot of value to whatever organization he ends up in. And for that reason I hate to lose him. Much like a rising young player who is maybe still undervalued and hitting FA. If he and Gase hit it off, he is willing to stay, and realizes he need more time before being another team is going to offer him a HC job then I would like to keep him. It might be in his best interest to go to another team though. One that isnt in a possible rebuild mode with a first time HC.
I really like Campbell but it's obvious he was in over his head. Look no further than the end of thr half when the fins had a timeout left and they complete a pass inside the 5 and instead of taking a timeout (such a common sense move that my gf was confused by it ) he let's 15 secs run off the clock only to spike the ball, run 1 more play and end up with no points and a timeout in his back pocket. I don't care how much experience or lack thereof you have if you have to be told to take a timeout in that situation you have no business on the sidelines of a high school game, let alone a nfl game. I'll take my chances on Gase over someone I know isn't right for the job.
He wanted the job. Understandably he's upset and disappointed like any of us would have been in his situation. I hope once he moves through these emotions that he feels comfortable enough to stick around and gain more experience here. Guys got promise.
To say that DC didn't get a fair chance or only a cursory interview is bs. He had his whole tenure as a Dolphin to make his case. The management team knows him well. They got to see what he would or could do with a HC opportunity. They knew that he was stuck with a playbook that wouldn't have been his and they knew that there was a mess to clean up. The reality is that with their knowledge of who Dan is and what he showed they didn't feel that he would be able to perform.
Campbell won't return, per Rapoport on Twitter. https://twitter.com/rapsheet/status/686930839683239937
Borderline incredible? Ohhhh the superlatives. Btw, how do you know that was all Gase's doing? How do you know Langford didn't possess the talent or skillset to make the best of it?