Perhaps the most consequential new coaching hire the Minnesota Vikings have made this offseason is that of Frank Smith, former offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under Mike McDaniel. Smith joins the Vikings as Assistant Head Coach, replacing the retired Mike Pettine who held that title last year.
Unlike Pettine, who was a defensive coach, Smith’s expertise is on the offensive side and particularly in the run game. Smith did not call plays under offensive head coach Mike McDaniel but was credited with helping in designing the Dolphins’ successful run game over his four years in Miami. Smith was let go along with McDaniel this offseason.
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Smith, a former starting center in college for Miami of Ohio, started in the NFL as Assistant Offensive Line coach under Sean Payton in New Orleans for several years then became tight ends coach under John Fox in Chicago for three years and then in the same role under Jon Gruden for three seasons with the Raiders. He then served as run game coordinator/offensive line coach under Bradon Staley with the Chargers for a season before being elevated to offensive coordinator under McDaniel in Miami.
Smith is credited with turning around Darren Waller’s career after the Raiders signed him off of the Ravens’ practice squad, helping him get over his addiction and converting him to tight end. Smith is also credited with coaching a shorter-armed Rashawn Slater to a Pro Bowl season as a rookie- the first rookie left tackle to make the Pro Bowl in a decade. Smith is a soft spoken but self-confident coach who McDaniel credited as being a great teacher.
As Assistant Head Coach with the Vikings, Smith is expected to take a leading role in developing the Vikings run game. While at Miami under McDaniel, the Dolphins employed a wide-zone-based run scheme but also operated primarily out of the shotgun formation. The Vikings have also run mostly a zone-based run scheme last season, but looked to have more success, on average, with gap scheme runs- duo runs or power runs off-tackle or outside. Additionally, among the presumed starting five this season- Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Blake Brandel, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill- only O’Neill graded higher as a zone blocker compared to gap blocking last season.
Smith is said to tailor scheme to the strengths of his players and run game plans weekly based on opponent. So, it will be interesting to see how he tailors the Vikings’ run game. The Dolphins with Smith as offensive coordinator shifted from a more wide-zone heavy scheme in 2023 that led the league in yards per carry to a little more of a balanced zone/gap scheme last season as teams began to figure out their zone-scheme runs after 2023. The Dolphins had the 4th highest yards per carry last season, despite having only the 27th-best PFF-graded run blocking. They had the 7th-best PFF-graded running backs. The Vikings had the 14th-best PFF-graded run blocking and the 13th-best running backs last year.
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The Vikings are bringing back both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason from last season but are rumored to potentially draft a running back with one of their earlier-round picks, according to Ben Goessling, local Vikings beat reporter with the Star Tribune.
The Dolphins with Frank Smith used a lot of motion in their run game to help blockers get better blocking angles and misdirection to get opposing defenses off-balance or out of position. They also have followed the trend of offenses using more heavy formations such as double-tight end sets or fullback-tight end sets to employ a more physical run game. Kevin O’Connell has been looking to improve the efficiency of the run game since he came to Minnesota, but has achieved only partial success last year, going from ranked 26th in 2024 to 11th in yards per carry last year. Frank Smith, along with a more mobile quarterback in Kyler Murray, and a healthy Christian Darrisaw, could help the Vikings move further up the rankings this season. The Cardinals ranked 2nd in yards per carry in Murray’s last full season with them in 2024.
Ultimately for O’Connell, having a more efficient run game helps create better conditions for an explosive passing game, if that helps bring a safety into the box or has linebackers and safeties more focused on defending the run, which can help make the play-action pass game more effective. Former NFL edge rusher Chris Long also mentioned recently in talking about the Kyler Murray trade, that playing against a mobile quarterback can also influence how a back-side edge rusher plays the run mentally. He said that on an inside handoff, he has the potential for a fake and a quarterback bootleg in the back of his mind that may make him hesitate a moment before crashing in to defend the run. It’s an interesting tidbit I hadn’t thought of before. It’ll be interesting if Kyler Murray is the starter if the Vikings put some of those bootlegs on tape to put some doubt into edge defenders in run defense. That could help with the success of inside runs.
We’ll see how it all comes together, but it would seem that Frank Smith’s experience should be helpful in developing the Vikings run game and potentially using Kyler Murray, or the threat of Kyler Murray, to the Vikings advantage as well.
Stay tuned.
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