Upon taking over the Miami Dolphins, Jeff Hafley promoted Bobby Slowik from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator. The Kyle Shanahan acolyte would essentially keep a similar offense to Mike McDaniel in place, just under a new head coach.
Then, the Dolphins went out and inked Malik Willis to a three-year contract, giving the dual-threat QB his first real shot at a starting gig after flashing in a backup role in Green Bay. Slowik said Tuesday that while Willis’ running ability adds an extra dimension, the offense continues to have the same fundamentals.
“It’s always a balance. Again, that’s at every position,” he said. “We have some core beliefs and fundamentals that we really want to make sure we do. I’m sure coach Hafley has talked about it. I believe in keeping the defense off balance, I believe in running the football, skewing as close to fifty-fifty on first, second down as you can. So there’s core tenets that are always going to be there, and then everything beyond that, you really are working within your scheme to fit the guys you have.”
At the end of his stint in Houston, Slowik got skewered by fans and the media for, at times, leaning heavily on the run game, particularly on first downs — even when it became predictable to defenses.
Willis adds a dimension to the offense that Slowik didn’t have in Houston with C.J. Stroud. The OC, however, noted that the 26-year-old quarterback is more than just a scrambler.
“[He] can spin the ball all over the field, can throw the ball everywhere, can run, obviously, can use his legs,” Slowik said. “He’s tough, but honestly, what I’ve enjoyed the most so far is getting to know him. The person is really fun to be around. He’s really energetic. He infuses everybody with a lot of energy.”
