Eric

Studesville

Studesville spent 2022-25 serving as the Dolphins’ assistant head coach and running backs coach under former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. According to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, over the past year, Johnson has mentioned multiple times that he is fascinated by McDaniel’s creativity in the run game. Lieser did not elaborate on which tactics Johnson is interested in learning more about, but a cursory PFF data review shows the Dolphins used lead run concepts at the league’s third-highest rate (32.5 percent) last year, while Johnson’s Bears used them at just a 14.6 percent rate. Adding some of the creative — and successful — concepts that Studesville learned from McDaniel can only be viewed as a good thing for Bears RBs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.

Studesville has been the Dolphins’ running backs coach since 2017. He was also a co-offensive coordinator for the team in 2021 and has been an associate head coach since 2022. With the explosiveness that Dolphins running backs like Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane have shown, Studesville has received interest from the Titans for their offensive coordinator position. The Titans just hired former Bengals OC Brian Callahan as head coach and are looking to build out their offensive staff as the team rebuilds its roster.

Studesville co-coordinated the Dolphins offense in 2021 with George Godsey, and before that worked with the Broncos as a running backs coach. He was also the interim head coach for the Broncos in 2019 and got an interview with the Giants for their head coaching vacancy in the 2018 offseason. Showing that he could be an effective coordinator would be a big step for Studesville’s prospects to become a head coach.

Studesville has served as the Dolphins RBs coach since 2018. He also served as the team’s co-offensive coordinator in 2021, alongside George Godsey. Studesville will no longer have offensive coordinator duties, but he will retain his position as a positional coach. McDaniel recently spoke on the importance of running the ball and winning the time of possession battle, so Studesville may retain a fair bit of influence on the offense.

Both Godsey -- Miami’s tight end coach -- and Studesville -- the team’s running backs coach -- get promotions and will combine to fill one of the league’s last offensive coordinator openings. It’s an odd arrangement but one that keeps both coaches in the organization and at the head of an offense captained by an inexperienced and sometimes-shaky QB. Both coaches had success with their respective positions in 2020: Myles Gaskin emerged as a reliable every-down running back while Mike Gesicki shined as an explosive pass catcher who creates mismatches in the secondary. Godsey and Studesville will now be tasked with developing the team’s Tua-led offense to match the caliber of Miami’s excellent defense.

Studesville was fired from his post as the Broncos’ RBs coach and interviewed for the Giants’ head-coaching gig shortly after. He was never thought to be a serious candidate. In Miami, Studesville will rejoin coach Adam Gase after the two worked together in Denver. Kenyan Drake is Studesville’s next project.

Studesville, 50, was fired by Denver on Monday. He spent the last eight seasons in the Broncos’ organization and served as interim head coach for four games in 2010 after Josh McDaniels was fired. He went 1-3 but is viewed as one of the better RBs coaches. Studesville previously coached Giants RBs from 2001-2003. He’s a long shot but does fill the Rooney Rule for the Giants.

Studesville was going to interview last week, but it had to be rescheduled because of weather. He seems like a long-shot, but he did serve as the interim coach for the Broncos at the end of 2010 and has been a candidate for other lead jobs in the past.

Studesville was fired from Denver earlier this month. He interviewed for the Giants’ head-coaching job but was never a serious candidate. The Dolphins had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league despite a strong final month from Kenyan Drake. Studesville has also been linked as a possible offensive coordinator for wherever Josh McDaniels lands.