Report: Miami Dolphins Expected to Hire BC OL Coach Matt Applebaum
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)
Publisher
Mike McDaniel was introduced as the Miami Dolphins’ new head coach Thursday, and he’s already making additions to his staff. One of those is expected to be the hiring of Boston College offensive line coach Matt Applebaum, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Applebaum turned down an NFL coaching offer last season, according to BC head coach Jeff Hafley. He hasn’t been in the league since he was an offensive assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014.
Applebaum oversaw a BC offensive line that reeled in a horde of preseason accolades each of the past two seasons, was undeniably talented—at least individually—yet underperformed as a unit.
In 2020, the Eagles struggled to adjust to a zone blocking scheme that was part of Frank Cignetti Jr.’s offensive system. They were also jumbled up after Tyler Vrabel suffered a shoulder injury ahead of the season, resulting in a rearrangement that put Zion Johnson at left tackle, Vrabel at right tackle and Ben Petrula at right guard. While they improved as the year wore on, BC still finished the season 118th nationally in rushing offense.
This past year, BC’s O-Line was much better in the run blocking department but posted a 72.2 Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade—1.8 points lower than the year before and 5.3 points lower than the unit’s 2019 grade. Even though the Eagles were third in the ACC (and tied for 42nd nationally) in sacks allowed, they gave up more than 100 pressures for the second season in a row.
Of course, part of BC’s pass protection issues were rooted in the offense’s inability to move the ball downfield without starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who missed six games with a season-threatening fracture to his throwing hand.
And it’s important to note that BC’s O-Line paved the way for the 19th Eagle to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground in a season, running back Pat Garwo III. BC finished 2021 ranked 61st in the country in rushing offense (164.3 yards per game) and was significantly more explosive on the ground than it was the year before.
The Eagles could have as many as four offensive linemen selected in this year’s NFL Draft. Johnson and center Alec Lindstrom are 35th and 221st, respectively, in ESPN’s 2022 prospect rankings. Vrabel and Petrula have surfaced on some Day Three mocks. BC hasn’t had at least two O-Linemen selected in the same draft since 2015 (Ian Silberman and Andy Gallik).
All four of those prospects, notably, were brought in by Steve Addazio’s staff, either through high school recruitment or the transfer portal. But Johnson—the No. 1 guard on ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s board—started his career at Davidson, where Applebaum was the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator during Johnson's freshman season.
If hired away, Applebaum will be the second assistant Hafley will have to replace this offseason. Keep in mind, Hafley retained his original staff last offseason.
In late January, he brought aboard Notre Dame tight ends coach John McNulty to be BC’s new offensive coordinator once Cignetti was hired away by Pitt.
It looks like the Eagles will not only have four new starters up front but a new face coaching them, too.
