Liam Eichenberg adapting to Dolphins 'completely different offense'
MIAMI GARDENS — “Do you have any interest in the offensive line?” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel asked the media this week. “Am I boring you?”
Another Dolphins season means another season of discourse about the offensive line.
While the front office bolstered the unit with the signing of Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead and guard Connor Williams, the development of the young linemen will be one to watch in 2022.
One of them is second-year pro Liam Eichenberg, who’s looking to improve off of an up-and-down rookie season.
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Operating under McDaniel and looking at film from his prior destination with the San Francisco 49ers, Eichenberg knows it’ll be a different scheme.
“I mean it’s a completely different offense, as you guys can probably tell from watching San Fran’s film,” Eichenberg said. “It’s just different. New coaches, new style, new scheme. I’m kind of just focusing on now, focusing on the present and trying to improve every day, trying to learn the offense the best that I can.”
Playing mostly left tackle last season, replacing 2019 first-round pick Austin Jackson, Eichenberg was moved around the line throughout the season. That is still the case so far at OTAs.
“Yeah, I think it’s just about understanding the offense as a whole,” Eichenberg said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re at as long as you understand the Mike point, understand the scheme and what’s happening, you should be able to play any position. So wherever they need me.”
Eichenberg trusts McDaniel and this new offense. Of course, it helps when you have a friend who has been through McDaniel’s system. 49ers offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey and Eichenberg are friends from their time at Notre Dame.
“This offense does well for offensive linemen. My buddy McGlinchey loves it,” Eichenberg said. “I’m just happy with what’s happening here. We’ve got a lot of guys that showed up for OTAs and are working hard.”
Eichenberg said the big takeaway he took from his conversations with McGlinchey about McDaniel’s scheme was running off the ball in every situation.
Matt Applebaum is the new offensive line coach, replacing Lemuel Jeanpierre who is still a part of the program as the assistant offensive line coach.
When asked where Eichenberg can be most effective along the line, Applebaum said that he doesn’t have a definitive answer.
“I just think Liam is a talented young offensive lineman that’s ascending," Applebaum said. "I think he can be a productive player at multiple positions.”
The scheme will be different under McDaniel and Applebaum, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the technique changes. Eichenberg said that the presence of Jeanpierre is the result of that.
“It’s more about the scheme is different,” Eichenberg said. “Obviously we didn’t do a lot of wide zone last year. It was mainly inside zone. Lem [Jeanpierre] is still there and still coaching hard. I’m happy he’s still here. He’s going to be a big part of this club going forward.”
With OTAs underway, the focus for Eichenberg and the rest of the offensive line will be to mesh together as they prepare for training camp and the upcoming season.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Liam Eichenberg adapting to Miami Dolphins offense under Mike McDaniel
