Dolphins DC Vic Fangio knows Brandon Staley’s defense, but his priority is game-planning for Chargers offense

David Furones, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Carline Jean/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/TNS

MIAMI GARDENS — The last professional task Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had before joining his new organization was assisting the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense in preparation for the Kansas City Chiefs defense in the past Super Bowl.

It was a two-week gig before the tenured defensive mind and head coach of the Denver Broncos for three seasons began his new job.

With Fangio’s knowledge of the Los Angeles Chargers defense and familiarity with coach Brandon Staley, an understudy of his for three seasons before Staley’s NFL coaching career really took off, it wouldn’t be farfetched to think Fangio can offer offensive assistance in a similar capacity. Especially with the struggles the Miami offense had in their last trip to SoFi Stadium, where the Chargers’ plan of jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage and taking away the middle of the field marked trouble for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

But, as Fangio’s title indicates, the defensive coordinator is zoned in on leading the Dolphins defense in a very difficult task of containing quarterback Justin Herbert and the rest of the high-powered Chargers offense Sunday.

“Not too much,” Fangio said Thursday of his involvement in offensive prep for Staley’s defense.

However, new Miami defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Renaldo Hill, who was Chargers defensive coordinator the past two seasons, can and has offered guidance this week.

“If there’s anything to be had that way, he’s a better source than I am,” Fangio said.

Tagovailoa said Wednesday he has communicated with Hill and used him as a resource leading up to the regular-season opener, and he added that simply going against Fangio’s defense throughout training camp has helped.

Fangio gave Staley his start in the NFL before the 40-year-old made his fast rise to the head coaching ranks. He hired him from a role as defensive coordinator at Division-III John Carroll as outside linebackers coach in Chicago when Fangio was still coordinating the Bears defense in 2017 and 2018. Staley accompanied Fangio when the elder coach got the head job in Denver in 2019. Before you know it, Staley was Rams defensive coordinator in 2020 and got the Chargers job the next year.

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“It’s been fast for him,” said Fangio, who was 61 when he started his first season as a head coach. “But he’s done a good job wherever he’s been, and he’s been deserving of it.”

It’s his defense getting ready for the Chargers offense as the top priority for Fangio. He has playmakers at every level of the defense, but some jobs in the secondary are still in flux.

Either Brandon Jones, who has missed time in training camp recovering from last year’s knee injury, or DeShon Elliott can start at strong safety opposite Jevon Holland at free. The boundary cornerback in the nickel aside from starters Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou is also up for grabs between Eli Apple and rookie Cam Smith.

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Fangio said he’ll work all those players competing into different defensive packages Sunday, but his comments on Apple and Smith might be telling regarding who’s ahead.

On Apple: “He’s done a good job with picking up the system. He’s a pro, knows how to approach things. So good level of trust there.”

And Smith: “I think it’s still a work in progress.”

Fangio knows his defense has its work cut out for itself Sunday against Herbert. While the coach was with the Broncos, he split four meetings, 2-2, against Herbert and Los Angeles in 2020 and 2021.

“The guy’s just highly talented,” Fangio said. “Obviously, he’s got great size, got a big arm but yet he throws the ball with touch, throws a very catchable ball. Can throw it anywhere on the field — short, intermediate and deep and real deep. Very elusive. He’s a good scrambler. He pulls it down and runs. He’s fast. He’s a complete quarterback.”

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Fangio also praised the Chargers’ talented, deep receiving corps that has size and speed between Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer and first-round pick out of TCU, Quentin Johnston — all between 6-foot-1 and 6-foot-4. It’ll test the Dolphins’ depth in the secondary, which opens the season without prized offseason acquisition Jalen Ramsey, recovering from meniscus surgery on his left knee.

Dolphins defenders have trusted Fangio’s teaching since he arrived.

“One of the smartest coaches I’ve ever been around,” linebacker Jerome Baker said. “He doesn’t (just) know it. He’s seen it. The knowledge he has is pretty much incredible.”

As far as preparations for LA’s successful plan from a year ago, one drill seen Thursday during a brief media viewing portion of practice involved Dolphins receivers working to escape press coverage at the line.

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