The Phinsider

A couple of days ago, the Miami Dolphins hired assistant coaches Phil McGeoghan and Lou Anarumo as they continue to build head coach Joe Philbin's staff. McGeoghan left his position as the USF wide receivers coach to take the Dolphins position as an assistant receivers coach. Anarumo was hired out of the Purdue defensive backs position, but it was not yet clear if he would be filling the same role with the Dolphins.

Today, the Dolphins officially announced both hires, appointing Anarumo as the team's defensive backs coach. They also added an additional assistant coach, Ken O'Keefe being hired as the team's wide receivers coach. O'Keefe has spent the last 13 seasons as the offensive coordinator at the University of Iowa.

When he was introduced as the Dolphins head coach, Philbin asked at his introductory press conference who his coaching influences were. He replied:

"Well, the biggest influence I probably had was when I went to Worchester Academy in the Fall of 1979 and one of my classmates, my next door neighbor, State Senator (Jack) Hart from South Boston is over here today with my family. But there I was fortunate to be coached by Kirk Ferentz, who some of you guys know the head coach of the University of Iowa. Mike Sherman, who was the head coach at Texas A&M most recently, but was also the man responsible that gave me the opportunity to coach in the National Football League. Ken O'Keefe, the offensive coordinator at the University of Iowa. I worked with all three of those men at different places along the way. I worked with Coach O'Keefe at Allegheny College. We won a National Championship. I worked with Coach Ferentz at the University of Iowa. We were fortunate to win the only time in Iowa history that went undefeated in the Big Ten Conference. And then I worked with Coach Sherman where we won two division championships up in Green Bay. That was probably the most impactful year that I had and those were some of the men that inspired me in the coaching profession. And obviously, my last six years with Coach (Mike) McCarthy in Green Bay have been fantastic. He's an excellent football coach and a great human being so that's been a great experience for me as well."

The hiring of O'Keefe means Philbin has hired two of the four coaches he mentioned as his influences to be on his staff - O'Keefe as the receivers coach and Sherman as the offensive coordinator.

O'Keefe began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the University of New Haven in 1976. In 1978, O'Keefe was hired by Worcester Academy, where he worked with Sherman, at the same time that Philbin was a student at the prep school.

After spending 1985 at Fort Worth Country, O'Keefe was hired as the offensive coordinator for Allegheny College in 1986, being promoted to the team's head coach position in 1990. He reamined at the shool until being hired by Fordham in 1998 as a head coach, followed by his move to Iowa as the offensive coordinator in 1999.

While serving as the head coach of Allegheny College, O'Keefe hired Philbin to be his offensive line coach and offensive coordinator from 1990-1993. He again worked with Philbin at Iowa from 1999-2002, when Philbin served as the team's offensive line coach.

During his time at Allegheny College, O'Keefe led the team to six North Coast Athletic Conference championships in his eight years with the school (1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997) and one Division III National Championship (1990). He was recognized as the American Football Coaches Association Division III Coach of the Year in 1990, and won the conference Coach of the Year recognition four times.