Miami Dolphins Right to go for Experienced Head Coach at Season’s End

The bye week in round five of the regular season couldn't have come at a better time for the Miami Dolphins.  A team in total disarray, it was widely reported that Joe Philbin had lost the locker room after defensive players ignored instructions to play soft in practice the day before Miami's game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The thought process was that this would allow Ryan Tannehill time to develop rhythm with his wide receivers and tight ends.  Then matters were made even worse with Ryan Tannehill's outburst against linebacker Chris McCain. Philbin must have known the end was near.

But that's now in the past.

The Dolphins roster now has now 12 games to resurrect what they have left of the season, and maybe even their Miami careers, under the tutelage of interm head coach Dan Campbell.

For right now, Campbell is an excellent choice, and the complete opposite of Philbin.  For all Philbin's calm persona and meticulousness, he was never a players' coach and, right now, the players need a players' coach. They need a guy who can fire the team up. Campbell will do just that.

However full-time head coach he is not.  There's no questioning Campbell's leadership and potential. In time, he could very well be the head coach that fans in Miami have yearned for. In fact, he could make an excellent offensive coordinator for the Dolphins next season. But casting him into the full-time position will be like throwing him to the wolves.

And Miami have trodden down this path before, with only one winning season to show for among their previous three head coaching hires.  Cam Cameron, Tony Sparano and Joe Philbin were all rookie head coaches, but ultimately failed to deliver. The truth is, there are not many Mike Tomlin's out there. Successfully turning a talented coordinator into a fully-fledged head coach can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

For now, Miami needs a makeover in 2016 to go with their shiny newly renovated stadium. A proven, veteran head coach needs to be hired to turn the tide and display the toughness to deal with such a high-pressured and demanding job. And above all, they need to rejuvenate Ryan Tannehill and Ndamukong Suh. A winning mentality needs to be implemented.

The only question is, are Miami's top brass ready to hand over the keys?  Will they allow someone to restructure the coaching staff and the front office?  That's the million dollar question.

Alex Parish is an Associate Editor at The Phinsider. Be sure to follow me on Twitter@AlexParish89.