The Miami Dolphins are looking for a new defensive coordinator, and according to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the team plans to interview current linebackers coach Anthony Campanile for the coordinator spot.
The #Dolphins are planning to interview LBs coach Anthony Campanile for their vacant defensive coordinator job this week, source said. A former long-time college coach at Michigan and BC, Campanile has impressed in Miami.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 23, 2023
Campanile last worked as a coordinator when he served as the co-defensive coordinator at Boston College a few years back. He’s been with the Dolphins since 2020.
In his first season with Miami, Campanile’s contributions as a linebackers coach helped the Dolphins finish sixth in the league in points allowed per game (21.1). The squad had three linebackers with over five sacks each.
In the 2021 season, the Dolphins defense finished with 48 sacks, just one sack shy of the team record.
If Campanile were to move up the ranks from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator, he would certainly be tasked with trying to get the Dolphins defense to regain the level of dominance that fans generally expect.
The defense for the team definitely took a step back in the 2022 campaign, but key injuries played a role in those struggles.
Next season, Miami’s pass rush figures to be a real strength. It will be interesting to see what kinds of moves the team makes in the offseason to try to strengthen other position groups on that side of the ball.
Although the Dolphins’ 2022 season ended in a tough playoff defeat, the fact that the playoff drought for the team ended should not be forgotten. That is even more exciting given that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel managed to lead the team to the playoffs in his first year on the job.
With a lot of coaching jobs left to fill for the Dolphins, the people who are ultimately hired for those roles should give fans more insight into what direction the team will take going forward.
In the 2022 season, the Dolphins definitely took a step forward. In the 2023 campaign, the goals will surely be a lot higher. The future seems bright in Miami.
