MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.: Mike McDaniel typically refers to his time in Washington as one of the vital formative durations of his teaching profession.
As an offensive assistant and later huge receivers coach underneath Mike Shanahan, McDaniel was capable of construct the aggressive consciousness and offensive ideology that he at present makes use of as the pinnacle coach of the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins.
Not solely did McDaniel study underneath one of many NFL’s most revered offensive minds in Shanahan, however he labored alongside different younger wunderkinds who’ve gone on to have success as head coaches.
On one teaching workers, there was offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, at present the pinnacle coach of the NFC-West main San Francisco 49ers; tight ends coach Sean McVay, who led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl victory simply two seasons in the past; quarterbacks coach Matt LeFleur, now teaching the Green Bay Packers; and McDaniel.
“It’s funny how life works out,” mentioned McDaniel, whose time in Washington lasted from 2011-2013. “I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to be in that competitive atmosphere of coaches that were trying to all make a name for themselves in one way, shape or form.”
McDaniel has made a reputation for himself relatively shortly after taking on in Miami final season, whether or not for his tendency to go viral for his fast wit and quirky idiosyncrasies, or for the fast offensive success that he’s ushered in on a Dolphins staff that for many years was largely identified for its protection.
Sunday, McDaniel will return to Washington for the primary time as a head coach when his Dolphins (8-3) face the Commanders (4-8).
Creative play calling and an elaborate speeding assault have turn into McDaniel’s calling playing cards as he has tweaked and enhanced components of Shanahan’s scheme that he realized in Washington. There, McDaniel helped develop a system made up of parts of the unfold offense seen generally in faculty soccer for quarterback Robert Griffin III, and that offense completed first within the NFL in speeding in 2012.
“Mike Shannahan didn’t mandate that we go on a clinic circuit,” McDaniel mentioned. “Kyle (Shanahan)’s acumen and the entire staff problem solving, quite literally thinking outside the box at that point in time … all of those things kind of set a foundation of opening your mind, having assets, as you will, and finding a way to not fit people into something, but fit the play, the scheme, what you’re trying to do around the talent that you have. To have that happen to me at that age, I just don’t know any other way.”
The Dolphins have led the NFL in a number of offensive classes all season with a excessive-flying offense that makes use of pace to unfold groups each horizontally and vertically down the sector, in addition to pre-snap motions and shifts to assist get receivers open. They’re averaging 430.5 yards per recreation, 6.9 yards per play and 145.2 yards speeding.
“Through studying Mike (McDaniel) and Kyle (Shanahan) and their years together, obviously, that was an integral part of what they did,” mentioned Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith earlier this season. “And coming here and us collecting and knowing how we both see and attack the defense, movement and shifting made complete sense, because that’s the only way you can sometimes get a true understanding of what they’re trying to do or attack a certain part of their defense.”
Washington is now led by coach Ron Rivera, whom McDaniel additionally has a historical past with.
When a younger McDaniel was simply out of school and on the lookout for graduate assistant jobs within the NFL, he despatched letters to coaches all around the nation. Rivera, McDaniel recalled Monday, was one of many first coaches to reply.
“He didn’t give me a job,” McDaniel added jokingly, “but I have a lot of respect for him.”
Rivera expressed the identical degree of respect for the Dolphins’ coach.
“He’s a very bright, very sharp young man. He really is,” Rivera mentioned. “When people do things like that, they take the initiative, it goes back to that old saying that I was told back in the day when I wanted to get into coaching, and that is, ‘They’re not going to send a limo, so go get the job.’
“And that was my mentality, and I was very impressed with that. And that’s why I responded. He took the time and the least I could do is take the time to respond to him. And it’s kind of proven it because he’s turned into a heck of a football coach. He’s done a great job.”
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
