PHILBIN MAKES SPLASH WITH COORDINATOR HIRES

One week after landing the Dolphins head coaching position, Joe Philbin has been hard at work interviewing the previous staff and potential new candidates. Today, Philbin filled the two biggest positions on his staff by naming Mike Sherman the offensive coordinator and Kevin Coyle the defensive coordinator. Sherman replaces Brian Daboll, who is rumored to be moving on to Kansas City and Coyle replaces Mike Nolan who left to become the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator.

Just hours after taking the Dolphins head coaching job last week, the rumors of Philbin targeting Sherman as his offensive coordinator began. There was one problem that held up a possible re-union of Philbin and the former Green Bay Packers head coach. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coaching search was still going on and Sherman was rumored to be the front runner. Luckily for Philbin and the Dolphins, the Buccaneers made a head scratching hire of Greg Schiano which made Sherman available. Miami moved fast as they brought Sherman in yesterday for an interview and one day later signed him to a contract.

Sherman joins the Dolphins after a four year stint as the head coach at Texas A&M University. Prior to to his time with the Aggies, Sherman spent five seasons as the head coach of the Packers and two years running the offense for the Houston Texans. Sherman was a highly sought after coach not only for the Buccaneers head coaching job, but for other open offensive coordinator jobs. The Cleveland Browns reportedly had Sherman at the top of their wish list but had to make other plans after he took the Dolphins job.

Coyle, who was first reported last Saturday as a candidate for the defensive coordinator position, joins the team after spending the past 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals as defensive backs coach. While Coyle doesn't bring the buzz factor that Sherman does, he is also a well respected coach throughout the league. Just last year the Philadelphia Eagles wanted to hire Coyle as their defensive coordinator but the Bengals denied permission to speak with him. Current Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer interviewed with a few NFL teams about head coaching positions, including the Dolphins. It was reported that if Zimmer took a head coach job elsewhere, that Coyle was going to be promoted to Bengals defensive coordinator. Zimmer didn't land a head coaching job, which was great news for Philbin.

The rest of the coaching staff should be in place rather soon after the hiring of both coordinators. Kacy Rodgers, last year's defensive line coach and Darren Rizzi, last year's secondary coach are rumored to be returning to their posts for next season. Other names that have been rumored about joining the staff are Mark Duffner, the linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tom Rossley, the quarterbacks coach for Texas A&M and Jim Hostler, the wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. 

                         TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE FINHEAVEN FORUMS!