Dan Campbell breaks out Oklahoma Drill during first Dolphins practice
Dan Campbell didn't waste time during his first practice. He broke out the Oklahoma Drill right away.
After being handed the keys to the Dolphins on Monday, Dan Campbell's first real chance to change how the team operates came on Wednesday -- his first practice with the team. When Campbell got the job, previously held by Joe Philbin, he talked about changing "the culture" in Miami.
He started by running the Oklahoma Drill on Wednesday.
According to reporters in attendance, Campbell gathered his players in the middle of the field. He split the team into offense and defense.
New #Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell brings his team to the middle of the field for contact one-on-ones. pic.twitter.com/rspbHuOvUt
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerNFL) October 7, 2015
Now it looks like they're doing the Oklahoma Drill. What am I watching???
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) October 7, 2015
Then, the players lined up for the Oklahoma Drill, which involves players going one-on-one against each other and using full contact in a confined space to stop the ball carrier.
#Dolphins going at it mid-practice. Campbell wants hitting, and he got it. pic.twitter.com/HcYR3u4j9h
— Chris Perkins (@chrisperk) October 7, 2015
Though the drill is considered a football tradition, some NFL teams no longer use the Oklahoma Drill, due to its physical nature. According to Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald, Philbin never ran the drill. Somewhat recently, the Bengals used the drill during training camp, as Marvin Lewis typically ran it on the first day of camp. However, even Lewis cancelled it the past couple of seasons.
Furthermore, it's rare to see an NFL team run the drill during the season, considering staying healthy can be one of the biggest reasons for success.
But it appears that Campbell is pulling out all the stops as he tries to fix a broken team. Seriously, he's trying everything.
Dan Campbell just held sacrificial ritual at midfield in which practice-squad player was offered to Football Gods. Miami trying everything!
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) October 7, 2015
That's a joke, obviously.
The Dolphins' first game under Campbell won't come until Oct. 18, when they travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans. Hopefully, the Oklahoma Drill doesn't damage any of their players in the meantime.
















