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1979 Miami Dolphins
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Record: 10-6-0, Finished 1st in AFC East Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 341 points (21.3/g), 11th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 257 points (16.1/g), 4th.
Differential of 84 points (5.2/g), 4th.
Expected W-L: 10.6-5.4.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +1 (0.1/g), 12th.
Coached by Don Shula (10-6-0)
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1979 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Bob Griese | 34 | 12 | 12 | 176 for 310, 2,160 yards, 14 td, 16 int, & 11 rushes for 30 yards and 0 td | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 4th pick / 1967 |
| RB | Delvin Williams | 28 | 5 | 13 | 184 rushes for 703 yards, 3 td, & 21 catches for 175 yards and 1 td | San Francisco 49ers / 2nd / 49th pick / 1974 |
| FB | Larry Csonka | 33 | 11 | 16 | 220 rushes for 837 yards, 12 td, & 16 catches for 75 yards and 1 td | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 8th pick / 1968 |
| WR | Duriel Harris | 25 | 3 | 14 | 42 catches for 798 yards, 3 td, & 1 rush for 20 yards and 0 td | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 80th pick / 1976 |
| WR | Nat Moore | 28 | 5 | 14 | 48 catches for 840 yards, 6 td, & 3 rushes for 22 yards and 0 td | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 78th pick / 1974 |
| TE | Bruce Hardy | 23 | 1 | 14 | 30 catches for 386 yards, 3 td | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 247th pick / 1978 |
| LT | Bob Kuechenberg | 32 | 9 | 16 | Philadelphia Eagles / 4th / 80th pick / 1969 |
|
| LG | Ed Newman | 28 | 6 | 16 | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 156th pick / 1973 |
|
| C | Jim Langer | 31 | 9 | 9 | 1 fumble recovered | |
| C | Mark Dennard | 24 | Rook | 7 | 1 fumble recovered | Miami Dolphins / 10th / 274th pick / 1978 |
| RG | Larry Little | 34 | 12 | 14 | 1 fumble recovered | |
| RT | Mike Current | 34 | 12 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 58th pick / 1967 |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Vern Den Herder | 31 | 8 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 230th pick / 1971 |
| NT | Bob Baumhower* | 24 | 2 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Miami Dolphins / 2nd / 40th pick / 1977 |
| RDE | Doug Betters | 23 | 1 | 14 | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 163rd pick / 1978 |
|
| LOLB | Kim Bokamper* | 25 | 2 | 13 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 19th pick / 1976 |
| LILB | Steve Towle | 26 | 4 | 16 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 143rd pick / 1975 |
| RILB | Rusty Chambers | 26 | 4 | 16 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | |
| ROLB | Larry Gordon | 26 | 3 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 17th pick / 1976 |
| LCB | Norris Thomas | 25 | 2 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 257th pick / 1976 |
| RCB | Gerald Small | 23 | 1 | 16 | 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 4th / 93rd pick / 1978 |
| SS | Tim Foley* | 31 | 9 | 15 | 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 55th pick / 1970 |
| FS | Neal Colzie | 25 | 4 | 16 | 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Oakland Raiders / 1st / 24th pick / 1975 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Uwe von Schamann | 23 | Rook | 0 | 21 of 29 field goals & 36 of 40 extra points | Miami Dolphins / 7th / 189th pick / 1979 |
| P | George Roberts | 24 | 1 | 0 | 69 punts for a 40.2 average, 1 blocked | |
| PR | Tony Nathan+ | 23 | Rook | 0 | 28 punt returns for a 10.9 average and 1 td | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 61st pick / 1979 |
| KR | Tony Nathan+ | 23 | Rook | 0 | 45 kick returns for a 22.6 average and 0 td | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 61st pick / 1979 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | Charlie Babb | 29 | DB | 5 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Memphis | 2/4/1950 | 7 | Miami Dolphins / 5th / 129th pick / 1972 |
| 78 | Carl Barisich | 28 | DT-NT | 11 | 0 | 258 | 6-4 | Princeton | 7/12/1951 | 6 | Cleveland Browns / 11th / 281st pick / 1973 |
| 73 | Bob Baumhower* | 24 | NT | 16 | 16 | 261 | 6-5 | Alabama | 8/4/1955 | 2 | Miami Dolphins / 2nd / 40th pick / 1977 |
| 7 | Guy Benjamin | 24 | QB | 4 | 0 | 210 | 6-4 | Stanford | 6/27/1955 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 2nd / 51st pick / 1978 |
| 46 | Don Bessillieu | 23 | DB | 16 | 0 | 200 | 6-1 | Georgia Tech | 5/4/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 5th / 134th pick / 1979 |
| 75 | Doug Betters | 23 | DE | 16 | 14 | 262 | 6-7 | Montana,Nevada-Reno | 6/11/1956 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 163rd pick / 1978 |
| 47 | Glenn Blackwood | 22 | DB | 11 | 0 | 187 | 6-0 | Texas | 2/23/1957 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 8th / 215th pick / 1979 |
| 58 | Kim Bokamper* | 25 | DE-LB | 14 | 13 | 245 | 6-6 | Concordia (MN),San Jose State | 9/25/1954 | 2 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 19th pick / 1976 |
| 31 | Norm Bulaich | 33 | RB | 9 | 0 | 218 | 6-1 | TCU | 12/25/1946 | 9 | Baltimore Colts / 1st / 18th pick / 1970 |
| 81 | Jimmy Cefalo | 24 | WR | 16 | 3 | 190 | 5-11 | Penn State | 10/5/1955 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 81st pick / 1978 |
| 51 | Rusty Chambers | 26 | LB | 16 | 16 | 218 | 6-1 | Tulane | 11/10/1953 | 4 | |
| 20 | Neal Colzie | 25 | DB | 16 | 16 | 200 | 6-2 | Ohio State | 2/28/1954 | 4 | Oakland Raiders / 1st / 24th pick / 1975 |
| 39 | Larry Csonka | 33 | RB | 16 | 16 | 237 | 6-3 | Syracuse | 12/25/1946 | 11 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 8th pick / 1968 |
| 71 | Mike Current | 34 | T | 16 | 16 | 274 | 6-5 | Ohio State | 9/17/1945 | 12 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 58th pick / 1967 |
| 27 | Gary Davis | 25 | RB | 15 | 3 | 202 | 5-10 | Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo | 9/7/1954 | 3 | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 174th pick / 1976 |
| 83 | Vern Den Herder | 31 | DE-NT | 16 | 16 | 250 | 6-6 | Central College (IA) | 11/28/1948 | 8 | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 230th pick / 1971 |
| 63 | Mark Dennard | 24 | C | 16 | 7 | 253 | 6-1 | Texas A&M | 11/2/1955 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 10th / 274th pick / 1978 |
| 77 | A.J. Duhe | 24 | LB-DE | 13 | 2 | 247 | 6-4 | LSU | 11/27/1955 | 2 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 13th pick / 1977 |
| 25 | Tim Foley* | 31 | DB | 15 | 15 | 194 | 6-0 | Purdue | 1/22/1948 | 9 | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 55th pick / 1970 |
| 79 | Jon Giesler | 23 | T | 16 | 0 | 262 | 6-5 | Michigan | 12/23/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 24th pick / 1979 |
| 50 | Larry Gordon | 26 | LB | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-4 | Arizona State | 7/8/1953 | 3 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 17th pick / 1976 |
| 61 | Cleveland Green | 22 | T | 16 | 0 | 265 | 6-3 | Southern | 9/11/1957 | Rook | |
| 12 | Bob Griese | 34 | QB | 14 | 12 | 190 | 6-1 | Purdue | 2/3/1945 | 12 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 4th pick / 1967 |
| 85 | Jeff Groth | 22 | WR | 4 | 0 | 176 | 5-10 | Bowling Green | 7/2/1957 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 8th / 206th pick / 1979 |
| 84 | Bruce Hardy | 23 | TE-WR-QB | 16 | 14 | 235 | 6-5 | Arizona State | 6/1/1956 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 247th pick / 1978 |
| 82 | Duriel Harris | 25 | WR | 15 | 14 | 179 | 5-11 | New Mexico State | 11/27/1954 | 3 | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 80th pick / 1976 |
| 36 | Steve Howell | 23 | FB-TE | 16 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | Baylor | 12/20/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 4th / 107th pick / 1979 |
| 37 | Mike Kozlowski | 23 | DB | 16 | 1 | 196 | 6-0 | BYU,Colorado,San Diego State | 2/24/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 10th / 272nd pick / 1979 |
| 67 | Bob Kuechenberg | 32 | G-T-C | 16 | 16 | 253 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 10/14/1947 | 9 | Philadelphia Eagles / 4th / 80th pick / 1969 |
| 68 | Eric Laakso | 23 | T-G | 10 | 2 | 285 | 6-4 | Tulane | 11/29/1956 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 4th / 106th pick / 1978 |
| 52 | Mel Land | 24 | LB-DE | 16 | 0 | 243 | 6-3 | Michigan State | 11/30/1955 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1979 |
| 62 | Jim Langer | 31 | C-G | 9 | 9 | 250 | 6-2 | South Dakota State | 5/16/1948 | 9 | |
| 86 | Ronnie Lee | 23 | T-TE-G | 16 | 2 | 265 | 6-3 | Baylor | 12/24/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 65th pick / 1979 |
| 66 | Larry Little | 34 | G-T | 15 | 14 | 265 | 6-1 | Bethune-Cookman | 11/2/1945 | 12 | |
| 53 | Bob Matheson | 35 | LB | 16 | 3 | 238 | 6-4 | Duke | 11/25/1944 | 12 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 18th pick / 1967 |
| 89 | Nat Moore | 28 | WR-RB | 16 | 14 | 184 | 5-9 | Florida,Tennessee-Martin | 9/19/1951 | 5 | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 78th pick / 1974 |
| 22 | Tony Nathan+ | 23 | RB | 16 | 0 | 206 | 6-0 | Alabama | 12/14/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 61st pick / 1979 |
| 64 | Ed Newman | 28 | G | 16 | 16 | 245 | 6-2 | Duke,Florida Atlantic | 6/4/1951 | 6 | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 156th pick / 1973 |
| 54 | Ralph Ortega | 26 | LB | 8 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | Florida | 7/6/1953 | 4 | Atlanta Falcons / 2nd / 29th pick / 1975 |
| 55 | Earnest Rhone | 26 | LB | 16 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | Henderson State | 8/20/1953 | 4 | |
| 4 | George Roberts | 24 | P | 16 | 0 | 181 | 6-0 | Virginia Tech | 6/10/1955 | 1 | |
| 48 | Gerald Small | 23 | DB | 16 | 16 | 192 | 5-11 | San Jose State | 8/10/1956 | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 4th / 93rd pick / 1978 |
| 10 | Don Strock | 29 | QB | 16 | 4 | 220 | 6-5 | Virginia Tech | 11/27/1950 | 5 | Miami Dolphins / 5th / 111th pick / 1973 |
| 45 | Ed Taylor | 26 | DB | 5 | 0 | 174 | 6-0 | Memphis | 5/13/1953 | 4 | New York Jets / 9th / 224th pick / 1975 |
| 41 | Norris Thomas | 25 | DB | 16 | 16 | 180 | 6-0 | Southern Miss | 5/3/1954 | 2 | Miami Dolphins / 9th / 257th pick / 1976 |
| 60 | Jeff Toews | 22 | G-T | 11 | 0 | 255 | 6-3 | Washington | 11/4/1957 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 2nd / 53rd pick / 1979 |
| 38 | Bob Torrey | 22 | RB | 7 | 0 | 231 | 6-4 | Penn State | 1/30/1957 | Rook | New York Giants / 6th / 145th pick / 1979 |
| 56 | Steve Towle | 26 | LB | 16 | 16 | 233 | 6-2 | Kansas | 10/23/1953 | 4 | Miami Dolphins / 6th / 143rd pick / 1975 |
| 5 | Uwe von Schamann | 23 | K | 16 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Oklahoma | 4/23/1956 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 7th / 189th pick / 1979 |
| 24 | Delvin Williams | 28 | RB | 14 | 13 | 195 | 6-0 | Kansas | 4/17/1951 | 5 | San Francisco 49ers / 2nd / 49th pick / 1974 |
| Team Total | 26.2 | 16 | 223.6 | 6-2.0 | 3.7 |