The past few days, FanHouse noted that Dolphins' tight end coach Mike Mularkey had assumed the play-calling duties during the Jets game. Since Miami is winless this season, you know how that experiment went, but here's the thing: first-year head coach Cam Cameron had been calling the plays the previous 11 weeks. And now, after conflicting reports, Cameron's not willing to concede that he granted Mularkey the job.
''It's a collective effort,'' Cameron said when initially asked about Mularkey's new responsibilities. ``I can't, at any time in my coaching career, remember where I called every play.''Weird. According to the Miami Herald's Jeff Darlington, multiple sources reiterated yesterday that Mularkey did call the plays against the Jets.
But three minutes later, during another response on the topic, Cameron said, ``There is not a magic play-caller here other than me. I'm the guy that calls the plays and is accountable to the plays that are called.''
At 0-12, this seems like an odd battle to fight. Sure, Cameron's background is as an offensive coordinator, and to acknowledge that he can't even do that would be tantamount to admitting failure, perhaps. But as Don Shula pointed out, the head coach has a lot more to do than just game plan, and adding that responsibility to the job description usually ends badly.
To Cameron's credit, the offense has outperformed the defense this season, despite losing Ronnie Brown and recycling through three quarterbacks. It's not much, but what do you want, the Dolphins haven't won a game since 2006.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-07-2007 @ 8:29PM
Desides said...
"Weird."
Not weird. Mularkey is universally hated among the Dolphins fanbase for his ass-backward playcalling in 2006. The fact that Cameron turned over playcalling duties means he's trying everything possible to get a win, but the fact that he turned them over to Mularkey means he can't come out and say it--enough people already loathe him.
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12-08-2007 @ 12:03AM
dolphinsswillreturn said...
I'd like to make a few comments on the Cam and current team situation:
1. It doesn't appear to me that his system is faulty, it requires quality players to execute it with all players contributing but it's a fact that our best players are out Does anyone really expect us to do anything with those currently in there? Please....when they gave traded away Chambers it became absolutely clear that the ownership, mgmt and coaches conceded to a losing season, let's not be naiive here, it became obvious that the team was and will be in full rebuild for some time to come.
2. You really have to wonder if what happened to him in San Diego has devastated him so badly from which he has yet to be able to recover and focus.
3. here to me is the biggest factor as to why the Fins find themselves in this current situation and why they have not been a playoff team for some time:
The blame has to land squarely on the OWNERSHIP and MGMT. When you see a team that is constantly changing coaches, QB's, general mgrs and players like a revolving door there is no possible way to develop any consistency whatsoever. Everyone seems to forget that the NFL is first and foremost a business! I was a season ticket holder for 9 yrs. driving almost 250 miles each way to the games and finally got fed up with the OWNERSHIP and gave up my excellent seats. I still follow them in hopes of something improving on a consistent basis but do not have unrealistic expectations due to the OWNERSHIP. Wayne, please sell the team! Please!
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12-08-2007 @ 3:29PM
Desides said...
"The blame has to land squarely on the OWNERSHIP and MGMT."
For what? Under Huizenga, every single head coach has quit prematurely. Even Wannstedt, who Huizenga notified would not be given a contract extension after 2004, quit. The worst you can say about Huizenga is that he allowed Dave Wannstedt to stick around too long, but Wannstedt is the last coach to take the Dolphins to the playoffs.
The problem with the Dolphins right now is seven years of bad drafting. I suppose the phrase "bad things come in threes" holds true with this franchise, because the central villains of the Dolphins' current situation are Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannstedt, and Nick Saban.
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12-08-2007 @ 3:54PM
Saban Cannot Coach In The NFL said...
Why would all these coaches quit when they have an incredible opportunity in their hands? Maybe there was too much MEDDLING by certain very influential people formerly associated with the team? So, then from your comments, you are saying the OWNERSHIP hired the wrong coaches? Well then, either way it is implied that improper OWNER decisions were made. Clearly it is not truly committed to winning or just makes very bad hiring decisions and and or possibly refuses to reign in the long-rumored meddling if indeed it is a complaint of merit.
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