Defense Coordinators

[RustyBourneHorse]

Sounds like you'd want someone else. But let me ask you: Would you rather have Ryan of Flus back? I ask this because Ryan did interview for the DC job before Zim in 24.

And Rex usually has great defences, and Schotty learned under him, so I think he would be the likely option. Plus, I think Rex would be a good choice for us.

 

[Bigdog]

1. Jim Schwartz - DC Browns. - If they clean house and don’t promote him, he’s the best there is. Three top ten defenses are in his coaching tree
2. Brian Flores - DC Vikings - they would have to clean house and he’s suing the NFL, so he’s a million to one long shot but he’s terrific
3. Jim Leonhard - Asst HC/Defensive pass game coordinator - Broncos - if we can’t have Vance Joseph, give me one of his guys - this is my ideal choice if I can’t luck out with Schwartz
4. Rob Leonard - D-Line coach/run game coordinator - Raiders - Vegas players love him. Worked under Flores.
5. Christian Parker - DBacks/passing game coordinator - Eagles - very young, “phenom” type talent. Risky, but he’s been under Fangio
6. Dave Merritt - DBacks - Chiefs - five time champion on Soagnuolo’s staff. In his 50s but great at developing secondary talent
7. Al Harris - I only put him here cause you’ll see his name a million times. I wouldn’t hire him. Our defense wasn’t good last year with him and in my opinion, Chicago’s success, including their DBs, is due to Dennis Allen

love the list and Leonhard is coaching a defense that is good with really no name players beyond Surtain. Maybe they have some name players and I just not paying attention to them.

 

[cowboyfan4life2]

REX RYAN

There is a reason no one is hiring him.

 

[Doomsday77]

The first check box is always going to be:

Do you have a prior connection to the Cowboys?

Second question is...Do you know how to say, "Yes sir"?

 

[Ironicalicon]

And Rex usually has great defences, and Schotty learned under him, so I think he would be the likely option. Plus, I think Rex would be a good choice for us.

Ryan doesn't f around. Overshown, for one, would be beastly in his D.

 

[exciter]

Sounds like you'd want someone else. But let me ask you: Would you rather have Ryan or Flus back? I ask this because Ryan did interview for the DC job before Zim in 24.

Ah,
So they didn't make a completely stupid decision then , so they should now?

 

[Cowboy_svt]

Monte Kiffin will be here next season courtesy of jerruh



(i just now realized he passed away, rip)

 

[Majic]

Good list! Brian Flores would be my first choice but like I said a while back ago. I doubt jerry hires guy who sued the leauge in any capacity. Jim Schwartz would be perfect as well, Id like to have a defensive coordinator that won't be leaving anytime soon for a head coaching spot. Id like to have continuity and allow them to establish their type of players they want here.

Mary Kay Cabot (Browns beat reporter)said recently he might well be under consideration for head-coaching job

 

[visionary]

Moving forward who should we keep an eye on as a future defensive coordinator for this team? What kind of scheme should they run based on the current roster? I doubt Eberflus makes it to 2026, so just trying to gain some knowledge from some of our much smarter Zoners.

Matty Eberflus
Heard this guy is the bomb

 

[Majic]

Brian Flores, if you could get him. If not Rex Ryan

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Ryan doesn't f around. Overshown, for one, would be beastly in his D.

Exactly, and that's what we need, and the man knows trenches.

 

[Carson]

Oh look. Steve Wilks was hired. I am sure he will be their guy

 

[gimmesix]

My #1 choice would be Raheem Morris, assuming he is let go from Atlanta.
Jim Schwartz would be in consideration if he is let go from the Browns.

I'm always more interested in those coaches who were great defensive coordinators who are fired because they weren't great head coaches, or great DCs who move on because of a head coach change. I prefer proven guys over trusting our front office to find an up-and-comer.

 

[heir]

Before getting a HC position Schotty kept a list of up and coming assistants from around the league. The list was made from input from other people he new and spoke to in the college and NFL ranks. This is what lead to Klayton Adams and Conor Riley being hired.

IF, and that may be a big if from some of the fans and myself included, Schotty is the coach going forward, the organization should allow him to pick from that list of names and see if they can get a new and innovative young coach he can come and coach this defense. It very well may be someone most have not heard of. No Rex Ryan, or any other blowhard retreads. This is how a real organization would handle it......

So obviously, I expect the Rex or Joe Whitt Jr or someone else the owner is comfortable with and the cycle will repeat itself.

 

[Cowboyny]

Moving forward who should we keep an eye on as a future defensive coordinator for this team? What kind of scheme should they run based on the current roster? I doubt Eberflus makes it to 2026, so just trying to gain some knowledge from some of our much smarter Zoners.

We need more of a modern, hybrid scheme that has the ability to change depending on matchup/opponent. Have to move on from this lousy, dinosaur scheme we have played in for many years when Monte Kiffin came over with Marinelli.

 

[Cowboyny]

1. Jim Schwartz - DC Browns. - If they clean house and don’t promote him, he’s the best there is. Three top ten defenses are in his coaching tree
2. Brian Flores - DC Vikings - they would have to clean house and he’s suing the NFL, so he’s a million to one long shot but he’s terrific
3. Jim Leonhard - Asst HC/Defensive pass game coordinator - Broncos - if we can’t have Vance Joseph, give me one of his guys - this is my ideal choice if I can’t luck out with Schwartz
4. Rob Leonard - D-Line coach/run game coordinator - Raiders - Vegas players love him. Worked under Flores.
5. Christian Parker - DBacks/passing game coordinator - Eagles - very young, “phenom” type talent. Risky, but he’s been under Fangio
6. Dave Merritt - DBacks - Chiefs - five time champion on Soagnuolo’s staff. In his 50s but great at developing secondary talent
7. Al Harris - I only put him here cause you’ll see his name a million times. I wouldn’t hire him. Our defense wasn’t good last year with him and in my opinion, Chicago’s success, including their DBs, is due to Dennis Allen

My 1st choice would be Flores with a backup plan of getting Leonard. Really like both defenses in Minnesota and in Denver. Harris would be the wild card as he has that history of creating a ton of defensive turnovers.

 

[KMY_Amber]

We need more of a modern, hybrid scheme that has the ability to change depending on matchup/opponent. Have to move on from this lousy, dinosaur scheme we have played in for many years when Monte Kiffin came over with Marinelli.

100% agree

 

[Cowboyny]

If Flores fails to land a HC job, if I was the Cowboys I would make him the highest paid DC and give him that assistant HC title. If he can turn around this defense, he would have his pick of what HC job he wants with the Cowboys national attention.

 

[StarOfGlory]

If Andy Reid decides to call it quits, the first call made should be to Spags.

 

[StarOfGlory]

OP also asked for thoughts on scheme. This is a previous post, so teams may have mixed up or down a spot or two, but to basic idea remains true.

Lots of talk about man vs zone, and it’s a fair enough topic to discuss. We needed more man coverage than we had early, this is true.

I personally think that maybe Eberflus base defensive schemes just aren’t very good and to make it worse, our talent is below average, at best.

All teams run more zone than man, significantly more.

• It seems that somewhere around 25% man coverage is average.
• Only a couple of teams run man at around 40%

We, as fans, saw our defense suck so bad that we all clamored to switch to man coverage, but honestly, that’s just because we knew Eberflus ran zone and we knew our defense sucked. Seemed logical to change something basic.

What does the league do?

• Guys like Dennis Allen, Kelvin Shepherd, and Jim Schwartz are up toward that 40% man coverage mark.
  • They run a lot of cover-1 which is man coverage with a safety deep. They have a good scheme and good players.
• The Browns (Schwartz) lead the league in passing defense using a ton of man
• The Bills are second and Bobby Babich runs lots of zone. They plan man at around 20% or so.
• The Texans, whose defense dominated the Bills recently, is the overall best in the league and their DC, Matt Burke, runs a really high percentage of zone. The thing is, their pass rush was ferocious.
  • They got 8 sacks and forced three turnovers.
  • They are third in the league in sacks, although no one is close to Denver, which runs a cover-2 zone variation.

The real bottom line is that you can have a good defense either way.

So, what do you need to have a good pass defense?

• More than anything you need great talent
  • You need DBs who can play zone and play it well. Thats what they’ll be doing most of the time.
  • If you want to use a lot of man, you need DBs who are good at both.
  • You need a scheme and players to generate terrific pressure on the QB (duh)
• You need a coach who is great at game planning and teaching his scheme, whatever that may be. “Man” is not a complete defensive philosophy.

If you are getting a guy that runs a good deal of quarters zone, you need speedy, instinctive LB’s to cover the area 3-8 yards behind the line to stop those quick slants and TE’s that like to leak into the underneath area of the zones. We have maybe one of those at best, and he’s not up to speed yet.