One of the key coaching moves this offseason was the Dolphins bringing in Vic Fangio to be the team’s defensive coordinator.
With Fangio turning 65 on Tuesday, head coach Mike McDaniel was asked during his Monday press conference about the effect Fangio’s had on the team so far.
“I think that Vic has been absolutely phenomenal for the players, coaches, and organization,” McDaniel said. “It kind of fits exactly with what I saw from the beginning. I saw a lot of synergy [with] him and I, ironically. I think a lot of people are like, ‘Huh,’ when I say that, but the way we approach football, the way that our fundamental philosophies of how to teach accountability towards the player and then in the requisite, accountability necessary from players to do what we’re asking them to do, the commitment to absolutely the best fundamentals and technique that you yourself can really come up with over a lifetime of football. He’s delivered on that tenfold.
“I think that it’s been cool to offset, we have quite different musical tastes. So sometimes I incorporate some of his music into team meeting situations — I promise you the players know exactly whose musical tastes those are when they’re being played, but I think that’s important to have. It just kind of speaks to the broader scope and vision of what this organization can be which is cut from many different cloths — there’s one sole commitment and that’s to winning football games and really empowering players with the best tools that they can have.”
The Dolphins finished last season No. 18 in yards allowed and No. 24 in points allowed. If Fangio’s scheme can improve those numbers, the Dolphins should be in a position to contend in a competitive AFC East.
