An Extensive Look at the Importance of the Center Position and Samson Satele

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve long believed that having a strong Center is one of the keys to having a successful team. I also believe that we have found another in a great line of Centers with the recent drafting of Samson Satele last year. In this article, I will outline why the position is important, our history at the position, scout Samson Satele, and give my views on what the future holds for him at the Center position.

Part I: The Importance of Center

I believe that Center is the most important position on the football field. No other position is as demanding both physically and mentally, next to perhaps QB. This is due to the complexity of the position in three areas, pre-snap, snap, and post-snap.

• Pre-Snap: Next to the Quarterback, the Center is responsible for the majority of pre-snap reads. First and foremost, he is responsible for calling out blocking assignments on all plays for the rest of his offensive linemen. Also, while the QB is often looking at the secondary to determine what alignments they are in, the C is looking at the front seven, determining who may blitzing, who may be dropping into coverage, who may be stunting. Like the QB, the C needs to be cerebral. He needs to have a complete knowledge of the team’s blocking schemes, as well as a comprehensive understanding of defensive alignments.

• Snap: The Center is the only player on the foot ball field, offense or defense, who is guaranteed to touch the ball on every play. The QB-to-Center exchange is the most fundamental of football plays. It’s also the most important. If the exchange is fumbled, the results can be disastrous. Playoff games have been lost due to botched snaps.

• Post-Snap: As the center of the offensive line, the Center is the man responsible for blocking the defense at the point of attack. No other offensive lineman is asked to do as much as the C. On running plays, he will often be asked to take on a linebacker, or pull. He will also be asked to block mammoth nose tackles and quick defensive ends. On passing plays he is expected to pick up blitzers or chip on fast 4-3 DTs. In the process he is expected to create a pocket in which the QB can step up and make plays. Without a strong man at center, the defense can wreak havoc in the middle, causing problems for the offense all day long.

Part II: The History of Center for the Miami Dolphins

Center has always been a position of strength for the Miami Dolphins, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s. As laid out in Part I, I believe C to be an integral position, so it’s not too surprising to me that the team’s came during these same time periods. Let’s take a look at the history of this position in Miami:

• 1970s: When you think of the 70s Dolphins teams, there’s really only one name that comes to mind at Center. From 1970 – 1979 the Miami Dolphins turned to Jim Langer as their starting C. Langer was unique in that he was a converted college MLB. Perhaps no other center in the NFL was as consistent as Langer - for a 6 year tear he owned the All-Pro C position, from 1973 – 1978. Part of a dominating line, Langer was arguably the best of a triumvirate of linemen that also included Larry Little and Bob Kuechenberg. Langer was known as a fierce blocker and hard worker, paving the way for runners Kiick, Csonka, and Morris. Langer was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.

• 1980s: In 1980, Don Shula took Center Dwight Stephenson of Alabama in the second round of the NFL Draft. After waiting for his turn, Stephenson took over as a starter in 1982, and was an All-Pro by 1983. With Stephenson and company protecting him, QB Dan Marino was able to reach new heights, particularly during his record-shattering 1984 season. In fact, with Stephenson manning the position, the Dolphins gave up the least sacks in the NFL for 6 straight years – this despite Marino’s concrete-footed reputation. Also, like Langer from the 70s before him, Stephenson was an All-Pro for consecutive multiple years, from 1983 to 1987. Stephenson’s career was cut short due to injury, but he was recognized by the Hall of Fame in 1998.

• 1990s: The 1990s saw Miami attempt to replace Stephenson with two players, Jeff Uhlenhake early in the decade and Tim Ruddy later in the decade. Neither player had the same type of success as Langer or Stephenson before them. Not surprisingly, the franchise itself failed to reach the same heights as were seen the 70s and 80s. Uhlenhake can be best summed up as a journeyman, as he started for several years, from 1989 – 1993, but his tenure was unremarkable. Ruddy experienced more success than Uhlenhake, but his moderate play was average at best. Never an All-Pro, Ruddy was elected to the Pro Bowl in 2000 as an alternate, which is a nice way of saying he was second place in a biased beauty contest. Like Langer and Stephenson, Ruddy was plagued with knee problems and eventually forced to retire.

• 2000s: Ruddy’s reign of mediocrity would come to an end in 2004 with the promotion of Seth McKinney to starter. McKinney would start from 2004 to 2005 for Miami, but like the others before him, was unremarkable. McKinney would leave the team in 2006, placing the starting duties on Rex Hadnot. Hadnot struggled moving to the Center position, and at the end of 2006 the team decided to draft Samson Satele to man the position.

Part III: Samson Satele Scouting Report

Based on the games I watched last year, it became clear to me that Satele was one our best draft choice. What set him apart from others in the rookie class is that he was ready to go on Day 1. The other first-day picks all needed time to develop (or, in John Beck’s case, are still developing). Not Satele, who became only the fourth Dolpins rookie offensive lineman to start all 16 games of the season. Watching Satele, he was consistent throughout the year, something that I don’t remember seeing at Center in a long, long time. Here’s my thoughts on his performance, at year-end:

• Strengths: Arguably Satele’s greatest asset is his fundamentals, which are superior. He has great technique, particularly in the passing game (not surprising based on his experience at Hawaii). He is also an intelligent player, which is key to pre-snap reads and offensive line adjustments. Satele isn’t fast insomuch that he is quick. This allows him to hit blocks on LBs in the running game. In fact, Satele surprised with this last year - prior to the injury, Ronnie Brown was on his way to an All-Pro year, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, which was nearly a full yard improvement from the previous year. He has also benefited from experience, starting for 4 years in college and now 1 year in the NFL. While not a requisite for the position, I believe that Satele possesses a mean streak that fits his personality and style well. Another way to phrase this would be “high motor.” This helps him overcome his lack of size against larger DTs and DEs.

• Weaknesses: As I see it, Satele possesses few real weaknesses. Coming out of college, there were concerns regarding his run blocking, but I feel he more than answered those during the course of the season. He could stand to add size, as I am somewhat concerned about the potential for injury, but Miami has had tremendous success with undersized Centers in the past. His aggressiveness does sometimes lead to mistakes, such as overpursuing his blocks.

• Evaluation: Overall, Satele was our most consistent player during last year’s impossibly tough 1-15 season. Despite being asked to snap to multiple QBs, despite offensive line shuffling, and despite loss after loss, Satele still came through with good performances. He was tremendous in the passing game, solid in the run game, and enjoyable to watch, all the way around. While it appeared that other folks were giving up, Satele never gave me that impression, playing hard despite what the scoreboard said. Alos, I really liked the fact that for such a cerebral player Satele is, above all, physical, which is perfect for an offensive lineman. Based on his current skills and development, I believe that he will continue to improve over the next 3 to 4 years, and may eventually develop into our first All-Pro since Stephenson.

Part IV: The Future of Samson Satele

Some, like Dr. Z, have suggested Satele might be a better fit as a Guard. I’m not one of those people, because I believe Center is just too important. In a perfect world, I would like to see Samson man the C position for the next 5-6 years, or longer. Injuries, as I see it, are the only thing that could possibly slow him down and prompt a move to Guard. Not surprisingly, injuries are also responsible for ending the careers of Langer, Stephenson, and even Ruddy. If there is any concern over injury, I would be open to moving him to Guard – providing that we can find someone of his caliber or greater to replace him at Center. This would help to prolong his career and stabilize the G position.

With the hiring of Tony Sparano and Mike Maser, it’s clear to me that Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcells are clearly focusing on making the offensive line one of the team’s greatest strengths. As the anchor of the existing line, which is admittedly in flux, working with these two coaches can only help to improve Satele’s play. , as both Sparano and Maser have done well with other units on other teams. I believe that Satele’s attitude will be a good fit for Maser’s vocal coaching style, which should produce tangible results.

Based on all of this evidence, it’s clear to me that Samson Satele’s future is at Center for the Miami Dolphins. He possesses the intangibles required for such a complex and important position, from both a physical and mental standpoint. He’s the heir apparent in a line of strong centers. He’s got great fundamentals and a terrific motor. If there are not injury concerns, my preference would be to leave him at C. Working with Sparano and Maser will only serve to improve his already stellar play. I believe he will be a solid player for years to come, perhaps even an All-Pro before all is said and done. All told, the future looks bright at Center for the Miami Dolphins.