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volume of everything you do on offense is a lot different (than the college game). It all boils down to fundamentals and technique." Bullen worked his way up the coaching chain in a hurry and learned from some of the best in the business. He assisted O'Keefe and former defensive coordinator Norm Parker at Iowa, soaking up knowledge to help him land a job in the NFL. "In a lot of ways, the program with the Dolphins under coach Philbin feels a lot like Iowa under coach Ferentz," Bullen said. "The cornerstones of each program are the same: Hard work, fundamentals, and execution. From that regard, it feels similar. I'm thankful for my training under coach Ferentz, coach O'Keefe, and coach Parker. Those guys preached the same things we are doing in Miami." When Philbin was hired as head coach of the Dolphins, he used Iowa connections to fill his staff. He knew the type of coach he would be hiring if they had learned from Ferentz. In Philbin's opinion, Ferentz is one of the best in the game. "He understands the game and has a great football mind," Philbin said. "He relates extremely well with players and coaches. That's a real strength of his. "The third thing is his patience and persistence. When we went there (to Iowa in 1999), we understood it was going to take a while to get things rolling. He never lacked confidence, he never panicked, and he believed in what he was doing. He stuck with it and the results speak for themselves." O'Keefe was part of those results that made Iowa a perennial Big contender. Even though he is thousands of miles away in the NFL, he keeps tabs on his former employer. Ken O'Keefe, Miami Dolphins wide receivers coach "It's a program with a lot of pride," Philbin said. "It's been fun seeing guys over the years on opposite sidelines. I sent Dallas Clark a text the other night because I watched his game-winning catch (against the Panthers in overtime). It's been fun to keep those relationships." Philbin, O'Keefe and Bullen may have traded in the Midwest winters for South Beach, but they will always have fond memories of their Hawkeye background. Iowa City is a special place, but they each had the pleasure of working for a special head coach in Ferentz. Without his guidance and leadership, the three former Hawkeyes wouldn't be working together at the highest level in the sport they love. "We try to watch as much as we can," O'Keefe said. "The greatest invention now is the . I can watch everything the Hawks do. I can even fast-forward through the defensive part and get right to the offense." Even though he has been away from the Iowa program for 10 years, Philbin stays in contact with former players and members of the coaching staff. 14 Charlie Bullen, Miami Dolphins defensive assistant