Collier crossing the line in Miami

HOUSTON -- Joel Collier has gone over to the dark side. How else could the father of the Dolphins' new offensive coordinator look at his son's ascension to the role of chief architect of Miami's offense when he himself spent most of his adult life trying to stop offenses in their tracks?

Joe Collier was one of the finest defensive coordinators in NFL history, architect of the best defenses the Broncos ever put out on the field. For 20 years he ran those defenses, and he did the same in Buffalo and briefly in New England, as the Patriots' original defensive backfield coach in 1960-61 and then as defensive coordinator under Dick MacPherson in 1991-92. Those last two years he got to share with his son, who was assistant running backs and wide receivers coach.

Eventually both Colliers would leave New England, the younger for the Dolphins after a stint in the Patriots' scouting department and the senior for retirement.

After 10 years in Miami, the last six as running backs coach, the son is getting his chance to call his own plays for the first time. It is an unusual story, because pro football is not a business where things are passed down from father to son, at least not in this sort of way, although Joel recalled a time when, just maybe, this all began.

"I was 8 or 9 and I was like every kid," he recalled. "I was very guilty of drawing up double reverses and fumblerooskies and asking my father to give them to [Denver coach] Red Miller. When I got this job, my dad called and told me he had about 16 pages of that stuff I'd drawn up. He wanted me to use them next season."

"He's worked hard for this," the elder Collier said. "He's worked under some good coaches -- Mac, Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannstedt. I think he's ready. All I told him was to remember you'll have your ups and downs calling plays. You can't let your emotions get into it. "You can't get frustrated. You just have to go on to the next play. If you let your emotions into it, you'll make a mistake.

"We've talked a lot over the years about coaching so I think I've passed on to him what I've learned. Now he's on his own and it's a big step but I think he's prepared for it."

Collier replaces Norv Turner, who left to take the Raiders' head coaching position. Turner is considered among the game's most innovative offensive minds, so it will not be easy to replace him. But Collier inherits an offense built around the powerful runs of Ricky Williams and the risk-averse philosophy of Wannstedt, who believes in defense, running the ball, and more defense.

"We have a dilemma here," Collier said. "We'd like to cut Ricky back a little bit, but if he's not running well, you tend to say, `Give him a few more shots,' and if he is running well, you think, `Why take it out of his hands?'

"I think he carried a little too much last year but that was my fault. I didn't take him out enough. He ended up with more carries than he needed. I think if I can cut him back a little, his yards per carry will actually go up. Maybe we can get him outside a little bit more, too. That's my hope. It's easy to say but it's hard to do once the games start."

That's true of every aspect of the job Collier is about to embark upon.

"No one really expected this," Collier said. "It just happened. I knew it was an opportunity, but you have to have a little self-doubt about it until you do it, unless you're Brian Billick."

Collier is not anything like the cocky Billick. But even with some understandable anxieties, Collier can feel safe in the knowledge that he has the pedigree to do his job and do it well in Miami -- even if he ended up on the wrong side of the ball.

Something fishy here

Multitasking is all the rage these days, but all it did was outrage some of the Panthers' staff early in Super Bowl week when they looked up at their practice and saw the Dolphins' new head of football operations, Dan Marino, on the sideline looking at their 17 potential unrestricted free agents working out. The Panthers did not make a formal objection, but it did not go unnoticed. Marino, who technically is still a CBS studio analyst but has been named to the personnel job in Miami, was also on the security list to attend the Patriots' practice the following day but did not show. In fact, none of CBS's pregame talent came to watch the Patriots' workout. A Patriots spokesman said he was unaware whether Marino's appearance had been vetoed by Bill Belichick, but his presence in the dual role of club executive and TV personality created a bit of discomfort for both teams last week . . . Parcells was involved in a nasty bit of business with Dallas wide receivers coach John McNulty, who was being wooed by new Giants coach Tom Coughlin because he had served under Coughlin in Jacksonville. McNulty went to Parcells and asked if there would be staff changes and whether he would be one of them; if so, he wanted to go elsewhere. McNulty has told friends that Parcells assured him his job was safe. Several days later, Parcells called McNulty to inform him he'd changed his mind and hired Todd Haley as wide receivers coach. McNulty was taken aback and called Coughlin to inquire about his opening. Coughlin informed him that he had hired Mike Sullivan, another ex-Jaguars assistant, 10 minutes earlier. Coincidence? Perhaps, but some people who know Parcells said they doubted it . . . If Doug Flutie wants to play football next fall, it may have to be in Canada. Although the move has not been made, sources in San Diego said Flutie will not be back with the Chargers. The 41-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner is being wooed by Ottawa and Toronto of the CFL and has indicated he would consider going north of the border again to keep his career alive. Earlier in the year, representatives of the Calgary Stampeders also were in San Diego, scouting Flutie . . . Super Bowl Week questioning reached a new low last week when Patriots safety Rodney Harrison was asked the strangest place he and his wife had had sex. Harrison was nearly speechless (which is saying something for him) before saying, "How can you ask a question like that? That's pretty personal." Fortunately for the inquisitor, Harrison didn't decide to treat him the way he intends to treat Stephen Davis this evening.

Going fourth

As with most everything he does, Belichick has a scientific study to consult when he considers what to do on fourth down. "It depends on the circumstances and the situation," Belichick said. "Playing in New England, the weather's a factor. The wind's a factor. The field goal range is a factor. Sometimes you get into those positions where it's too far for a field goal and too close to punt. It's fourth and not that long so what are you going to do?" Sometimes he's going to consult a study done by the University of California. "The study was called `Go for It!' " Belichick said. "Again, a lot of it depends not just on the situation but on how you feel your team is in that situation relative to the other team. Their stats were done with a million random teams in a million random situations, but that's just not the way football is. Football is your team against their team." . . . Former Patriots quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Larry Kennan has in recent years made his living as head of the NFL Coaches Association and quarterback consultant to players coming out of college. He was in Houston this past week doing work for the coaches' union but has been busy over the last few months working with former Tom Brady nemesis Drew Henson, the ex-Michigan quarterback who is leaving the New York Yankees organization to enter April's NFL draft. Kennan was hired by Henson's agent, IMG's Tom Condon. Kennan has some mixed loyalties in the situation because he is also tutoring Eli Manning, the Mississippi quarterback many scouts believe will be the first player taken. But Kennan believes Henson could go in that spot instead. "There's no doubt in my mind people will fall in love with him when they see his workouts," said Kennan. "I have no doubt he'll be the first or second pick in the draft. He has a great arm and he's a bright guy." Kennan insists Henson is a ready student who has applied himself to film study as well as the passing drills Kennan used for so many years with quarterbacks such as Drew Bledsoe. But Henson may never even enter the draft if the Houston Texans have their way. General manager Charley Casserly wisely claimed Henson's draft rights a year ago and has until April to sign him. That's not going to happen because of the presence of young David Carr on the Houston roster, but the Texans have decided to allow other teams to work Henson out beginning next month and then will try to trade his rights. Henson also has yet to buy himself out of the remaining years of his contract with the Yankees, which reportedly is worth $12 million. Because there was always a strong chance he might end up in the NFL, the Yankees included a buyout clause . . . Soon the issue of the salary cap will arise again, and at the moment the Patriots are in reasonable shape. New England has $78,622,241 projected as its 2004 commitment for salaries, with the cap expected to be $79 million. That leaves no room to pay draft choices or sign free agents, so adjustments will be made. There are several likely victims, with Willie McGinest, who's on the books for $5,671,100, and Troy Brown, who will count for $5,146,434, the most likely. Brown does not expect to be back next season and McGinest isn't sure what his future is. Cornerback Ty Law, whose cap number leads the team at $9,457,365, also anticipates a stormy negotiating session before the team decides whether to release him or offer him a new deal. Law's cost could be significantly reduced simply by guaranteeing all or a large portion of his base salary of more than $5 million because under league rules that transforms it into a bonus that can be spread out over the remaining years of the contract. If Law also adds years to the deal (for a price), it further reduces his number. So if you hear that the Patriots couldn't afford to keep Law, don't believe it. Law's figure is nearly one-seventh of the entire projected cap. Then again, Brady will carry a cap number next year of $8,374,350, up by more than $5 million from this year's $3,323,450. Wonder if anyone is going to suggest he take a cut for the good of the team . . . Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith is the inquisitive type, but apparently not yet a citizen of the world. This week he was being interviewed by a Danish television reporter when he asked, "Where the hell is Denmark?" The reporter told him, "Europe," and Smith asked how long a flight it was to Houston. When told it was 13 hours, Smith said, "I wouldn't make that trip."

Material from personal interviews, wire service reports, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.