Robert Hunt a Mainstay on the Dolphins Offensive Line
Robert Hunt was a bright spot on the much-maligned Miami Dolphins offensive line last season, so it makes sense that he very well could end up the only starter remaining at his position in 2022.
But Hunt still has to adapt to a new scheme under head coach Mike McDaniel and deal with all of the changes around him.
“I think we are all out there competing to try to win a spot,” Hunt said. “Nobody is settled in or penciled in at any spot. We are going out there competing and trying to get better and yeah, to try and have a better year than we did last year, paper-wise. I think we had really good guys in the room last year too; but no, I definitely think everybody is working to improve themselves and improve to be something that nobody expects us to be.”
The starting offensive line of 2021 had Liam Eichenberg at left tackle, Austin Jackson at left guard, Michael Deiter at center, Hunter at right guard and Jesse Davis at right tackle.
Terron Armstead will be the left tackle in 2022, so Eichenberg will have a new position, Conner Williams will play center or left guard after being signed as a free agent, and Austin Jackson has been working at right tackle after Davis was released in the offseason. .
HUNT’S 2021 SEASON
Hunt staying at right guard makes sense despite his experience at right tackle — another position of need for the Dolphins — from his rookie season. He finished last season with Miami’s highest PFF grade among their regular starters and only allowed two sacks.
Although Hunt allowed fewer pressures than either Jackson or Eichenberg last season, he allowed 18 more pressures than Williams, so there are still adjustments he can make to his game.
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One of Miami’s newest additions on the offensive line, Armstead, is helping Hunt and the other young players improve from last season despite not practicing during OTAs.
“Terron has helped a lot of our guys out, especially us young guys,” Hunt said. “He’s out there at practice working with some guys. He’s in the meeting room telling us what we can do, what he’s seen. He’s been doing this for a while so what he says, we definitely take heed and we listen to it because he’s done it. He’s been an All-Pro, he’s been to Pro Bowls, he’s been everything that we want to be in life pretty much. Everything Terron says, we take it in and we listen.”
Armstead is working with Hunt on “little technique stuff,” which Hunt is hoping carries over to the season.
HUNT ADAPTING TO NEW SCHEME
As for the scheme change, Miami is moving from a heavy inside-zone running scheme to a heavy outside-zone scheme under McDaniel.
Hunt doesn’t feel like there has been a big transition in responsibilities of the offensive line from last season. He has previous experience working in a similar scheme when he played for Billy Napier at Louisiana-Lafayette.
“I don’t know if there is a transition,” Hunt said. “We just work from last year from an inside zone to a duo to power. Like everything is going here and then people can get a beam on that. Right now, we are trying to make everybody defend the whole field. Guys are just trusting what the coaches are saying, putting down and we are trying to pick it up and we are just running off the ball. We try to run out and like I said, make them defend the field. We’re running way out here, in here, so we got them guessing, and it’s a beautiful thing. It’s the type of offense I ran in college. I respect it a lot. I love it.”
Another reason Hunt feels the scheme change is going well is because of how McDaniel connects with his players.
Hunt said it’s easy to tell McDaniel has the players’ backs and wants to win more than anything, not to mention his “swagger.”
“I’ve had some good coaches in my life,” Hunt said. “I can speak to Napier and all those guys. Mike (McDaniel) is just young. Mike is younger, and I feel like we can just relate to him. He’s good. He knows his (expletive), and we’ve just got to trust that. We are going to trust that.”
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