Falcon Fanatic Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Lets look at all the options for defensive coordinator candidates that have been thrown around on the board and see who is the best qualified to get us to the next stage. For fun I even threw in Todd Grantham because I saw where someone foolishly threw his name out there.Jack Del Rio – 1 year as a defensive coordinator in Carolina – 2nd ranked defense in the league that year 2002 (7-9 record) – Head coach in Jacksonville (2003 – 2011) - No playoff victories as coordinator and only one playoff victory as a head coach against two playoff losses – No Super Bowl victories as defensive coordinator or head coach Mel Tucker – 1 year as a defensive coordinator in Cleveland – 5th ranked defense in the league that year 2008 (4-12 record) – 3 years as a defensive coordinator in Jacksonville – 2009 (7-9 record), 2010 (8-8 record), 2011 (5-11 record) Two victories over the lowly Colts – Interim head coach of Jacksonville for five games this season (2 wins and three losses) - No playoff victories as coordinator or interim head coach - No Super Bowl victories as defensive coordinator or interim head coach – Didn’t even call the defensive plays the first two years in Jacksonville Steve Spagnuolo – 2 years as a defensive coordinator in New York (Giants) – 2007 (10-6 record), & 2008 (12-4 record) – Three playoff victories and one loss as coordinator – One Super Bowl victory as coordinator Mike Singletary – 0 years as a defensive coordinator – 0 playoff or Super Bowl victories as a coordinator or head coach. Mike Nolan – 4 years as defensive coordinator in New York (Giants) – 1993 (11-5 record), 1994 (9-7 record), 1995 (5-11 record), & 1996 (6-10 record) – 3 years as a defensive coordinator in Washington – 1997 (8-7-1 record), 1998 (6-10 record), & 1999 (10-6 record) – 1 year as defensive coordinator in New York (Jets) – 2000 (9-7 record) – 3 years as defensive coordinator in Baltimore – 2002 (7-9 record), 2003 (10-6 record), & 2004 (9-7 record) – Head coach in San Francisco (2005 – 2008) – 1 year as defensive coordinator in Denver – 2009 (8-8 record) – 2 years as defensive coordinator in Miami – 2010 (7-9 record) & 2011 (6-10 record) – Two playoff victories and three losses as coordinator - No Super Bowl victories as defensive coordinator or head coach Todd Grantham – 3 years as defensive coordinator in Cleveland – 2005 (6-10 record), 2006 (4-12 record), & 2007 (10-6 record) – 0 playoff or Super Bowl victories as a coordinator Synopsis: Out of our six candidates only 3 of them (Del Rio, Spagnuolo, and Nolan) have even been to the playoffs. Del Rio and Nolan have losing records as coordinators in the playoff and have no Super Bowl appearances. Spagnuolo is the only one to have a winning record and a Super Bowl ring as a defensive coordinator.Arthur Blank needs to spend whatever it takes to get the best candidate which is Spagnuolo and not let him go to Philly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeytonMannings Forehead Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Gracias for the time and effort, but just as an aside, I wouldn't put much stock at all in the record. The people that do the hiring don't. As a coordinator, you are just a cog in a much larger machine with moving parts way beyond your control from salary cap issues, injuries, offensive production, etc. You really don't even have much say in the talent you have to work with on your side of the ball. I like to look deeper at a guy and the body of work he's put together with what he's had to work with. I won't dispute that Spags is probably the best name on that list, but he's not the best fit (that has to be taken into account) and he's not coming here anyway.Tucker is really the best guy on that list for what the Falcons want to do. He's always been able to put solid to very good pass defenses on the field despite injuries and talent. And he gets production out of everyone on the field. That, and he's got the right fiery demeanor that the players love, while not being afraid to dig in their a$$ and he won't have the ego of a Del Rio -- who rubs his guys in all the wrong way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Tzu 7 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Instead of record would it be possible to list defensive rankings?Also I had no idea Mike Nolan had been a DC in so many places. He must have done a decent job to keep getting jobs. Edited January 11, 2012 by Sun Tzu 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peyton Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I think Nolan would be a great choice. He's never been the coordinator on a team that has the kind of offensive fire power this one has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Negatorris Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Del Rio seems likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Roland Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Its funny how no one has mentioned "Mike Smith" taking over the defense!!!! We were told this guy was a great defensive mind coming here. So what happened.... ? I guess the answer is the past 4 yrs : )congrats to Barry Larkin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeytonMannings Forehead Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Its funny how no one has mentioned "Mike Smith" taking over the defense!!!! We were told this guy was a great defensive mind coming here. So what happened.... ? I guess the answer is the past 4 yrs : )congrats to Barry Larkin!I actually mentioned it in two different threads. Tim Lewis gets the perfunctory title of DC, doing the legwork doing the week, assisting Smith to the way Mike Pettine does in NY with Rex Ryan, and Smith calls the defense on Sundays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smittylo Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 i will put a write in vote for Raheem Morris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butudontseeme™ Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Doesnt Nolan typically employee a 3-4 defense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Roland Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I actually mentioned it in two different threads. Tim Lewis gets the perfunctory title of DC, doing the legwork doing the week, assisting Smith to the way Mike Pettine does in NY with Rex Ryan, and Smith calls the defense on Sundays.i'm ok with it... i have to look back and see really what mike smith did as DC... was he the man or a puppet following orders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zodiac Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Forgot Manny Diaz bro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarterback Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 To **** with the continued rotation of fired coaches from this team or that. I say let's go get Kirby Smart right now!Did you see that NFL defense on display last night that roadblocked LSU? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GENERALZOD Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Excellent information Falcon Fanatic, thanks!Whoever the Falcons sign as DC or OC for that matter "In the near future because I don't see the Falcons retaining MM's services as OC", I hope it's someone who can utilize the talents of the Falcons team that they do have right now to the fullest and build instead of dismantling the team to start over because that would only waste time.The Falcons have some talent on defense and offense already in place, the way they've been utilized IMO has been the most frustrating thing of all, the Falcons record reflects that. That being said :I don't wanna see a complete rebuild at all, I don't think that's going to happen at all based on a few comments lately by Mike Smith.Falcons need somebody who can take the team to the next step with the playbook and approaches, no more of this conservative play it safe ideology where the playbook and the schemes go. I've been thinking a lot here lately about who the replacement coaches might be and who might be a good choice. There's some very good names being thrown out there, but I get the feeling if they haven't been successful on defense in the 4-3 then they probably don't belong in Atlanta as a defensive coach. No reason to throw away the last 4 years, just have somebody in the know tweak it and build.JMO............................ Edited January 11, 2012 by GAFALCONFAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeytonMannings Forehead Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) i'm ok with it... i have to look back and see really what mike smith did as DC... was he the man or a puppet following orders?That's the $64,000 question that you're liable to get different answers from depending on who you ask. It was definitely Del Rio's defense when they were in Jacksonville. How far that extended, I'm not 100% sure. I used to watch a lot of those Jag games back in the day because I loved that defense -- one of the more underrated ones of the decade -- and I don't remember seeing Jack with a playcall sheet in his hand while Smith was there, but...Another thing to think about is that both men came up in the Ravens organization and learned that defense from Marvin Lewis. Both were there when they won the Super Bowl in 2000. So, even if it was Jack's deal, he brought a guy in in Smith who knew it just was well as he did, and who would run it the way he learned it in Baltimore. Smith did the same thing when he came to Atlanta, in grabbing BVG to keep the continuity. That's why I don't see Spags as a realistic choice. His fire zone scheme is wholly different than anything Mike Smith has ever done defensively. Tim Lewis, Tucker or even Del Rio makes more sense. Edited January 11, 2012 by PeytonMannings Forehead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shockerfalcon Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 OP I see you neglected to included spags hc record like you did with the others. I'm sure you meant too though. Anyway I agree with peytons forehead it's unlikely we get him and Tucker would be the better fit and he does have an impressive and proven track record of getting the most out what he's given to work with. Also I would love to know defensive rankings as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeytonMannings Forehead Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 To **** with the continued rotation of fired coaches from this team or that. I say let's go get Kirby Smart right now!Did you see that NFL defense on display last night that roadblocked LSU?Not to undermine that scheme, because Saban is a defensive genius, but Alabama has an all-star team on defense stocked with 1st round draft picks. Smart's not going to work with that overwhelming level of talent in Atlanta. Could be BVG all over again. Not that I'm down on Smart, I'd just like to see him prove his bonafides away from Saban first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Roland Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 That's the $64,000 question that you're liable to get different answers from depending on who you ask. It was definitely Del Rio's defense when they were in Jacksonville. How far that extended, I'm not 100% sure. I used to watch a lot of those Jag games back in the day because I loved that defense -- one of the more underrated ones of the decade -- and I don't remember seeing Jack with a playcall sheet in his hand while Smith was there, but...Another thing to think about is that both men came up in the Ravens organization and learned that defense from Marvin Lewis. Both were there when they won the Super Bowl in 2000. So, even if it was Jack's deal, he brought a guy in in Smith who knew it just was well as he did, and who would run it the way he learned it in Baltimore. Smith did the same thing when he came to Atlanta, in grabbing BVG to keep the continuity. That's why I don't see Spags as a realistic choice. His fire zone scheme is wholly different than anything Mike Smith has ever done defensively. Tim Lewis, Tucker or even Del Rio makes more sense.as long as del rio could work under smith..... it will be interesting tomorrow to see what is said at the presser.... good info thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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