jackass
01-25-2007, 12:19 PM
I feel pretty good about this so far.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
BY MIKE GARAFOLO
Star-Ledger Staff
Tom Coughlin didn't take very long, didn't meet with very many and didn't look very far in finding his new defensive coordinator.
Yesterday, Coughlin hired Steve Spagnuolo, an assistant coach for the last eight seasons with the Eagles after 15 years as a college assistant (including two at Rutgers). Spagnuolo, 47, had never been a coordinator at the NFL level, but he has been tabbed to replace Tim Lewis, who was fired on Jan. 11 after three disappointing seasons in East Rutherford.
Spagnuolo impressed Coughlin during an interview on Sunday -- the only in-person interview Coughlin conducted, though he said on a conference call yesterday that he "spoke to many people over the phone."
It's not certain how many candidates Coughlin spoke to, but he likely had a chat with Jim Mora Jr., who accepted a job as the Seahawks' assistant head coach/secondary coach on Sunday. Dom Capers, Coughlin's defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, agreed to a contract extension to remain with the Dolphins before the team even hired a head coach (though he reportedly didn't sign the deal until Miami hired Cam Cameron).
The problem is that the Giants' current situation doesn't offer much security for proven coordinators. Coughlin was given a contract extension through 2008, but he's actually guaranteed only one more year as head coach. The extra year was added so he wouldn't be perceived as a lame duck.
But that's exactly what Coughlin is right now. And he has only one year to shed that label, which is why it seemed likely from the start that he would have to settle for an unproven coach looking to make a name for himself as a coordinator.
Still, Coughlin doesn't feel like he has settled.
"He's been with (Eagles defensive coordinator) Jim Johnson and that outstanding defense for a number of years," Coughlin said. "His philosophy is an aggressive philosophy."
That mentality should please two current defensive players, who said yesterday that they were hoping Spagnuolo would be aggressive in his schemes and game plans.
It appears he will be. When asked about his defensive philosophy, Spagnuolo pointed to Johnson's blitz-heavy system.
"That's obviously going to be the bulk of what I am and what I do because I believe in it. It's been successful," he said. "But I will pick pieces and parts of where I've been in a lot of different places."
In those places, which include the World League and NFL Europe, Spagnuolo sometimes coached a 3-4 defense. But it doesn't appear he will change the Giants' current four-man front because the Eagles' scheme is a 4-3 alignment. Lewis' defense was primarily a 4-3, but included a few 3-4 fronts.
Coughlin said the defense's alignment is "based on personnel." Right now the coach, the new coordinator and newly appointed general manager Jerry Reese haven't had a chance to discuss personnel at length. In fact, Coughlin and Reese are at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., while Spagnuolo will be spending the rest of this week packing up in Philly and moving up the Turnpike.
As for the current defensive staff, Coughlin said he expects all of the position coaches to return.
"I think we have an outstanding group of coaches," Coughlin said. "One thing that was a huge plus is I have a great sense that (Spagnuolo) will work very well with our current coaches and that the transition for him will be smooth."
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
BY MIKE GARAFOLO
Star-Ledger Staff
Tom Coughlin didn't take very long, didn't meet with very many and didn't look very far in finding his new defensive coordinator.
Yesterday, Coughlin hired Steve Spagnuolo, an assistant coach for the last eight seasons with the Eagles after 15 years as a college assistant (including two at Rutgers). Spagnuolo, 47, had never been a coordinator at the NFL level, but he has been tabbed to replace Tim Lewis, who was fired on Jan. 11 after three disappointing seasons in East Rutherford.
Spagnuolo impressed Coughlin during an interview on Sunday -- the only in-person interview Coughlin conducted, though he said on a conference call yesterday that he "spoke to many people over the phone."
It's not certain how many candidates Coughlin spoke to, but he likely had a chat with Jim Mora Jr., who accepted a job as the Seahawks' assistant head coach/secondary coach on Sunday. Dom Capers, Coughlin's defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, agreed to a contract extension to remain with the Dolphins before the team even hired a head coach (though he reportedly didn't sign the deal until Miami hired Cam Cameron).
The problem is that the Giants' current situation doesn't offer much security for proven coordinators. Coughlin was given a contract extension through 2008, but he's actually guaranteed only one more year as head coach. The extra year was added so he wouldn't be perceived as a lame duck.
But that's exactly what Coughlin is right now. And he has only one year to shed that label, which is why it seemed likely from the start that he would have to settle for an unproven coach looking to make a name for himself as a coordinator.
Still, Coughlin doesn't feel like he has settled.
"He's been with (Eagles defensive coordinator) Jim Johnson and that outstanding defense for a number of years," Coughlin said. "His philosophy is an aggressive philosophy."
That mentality should please two current defensive players, who said yesterday that they were hoping Spagnuolo would be aggressive in his schemes and game plans.
It appears he will be. When asked about his defensive philosophy, Spagnuolo pointed to Johnson's blitz-heavy system.
"That's obviously going to be the bulk of what I am and what I do because I believe in it. It's been successful," he said. "But I will pick pieces and parts of where I've been in a lot of different places."
In those places, which include the World League and NFL Europe, Spagnuolo sometimes coached a 3-4 defense. But it doesn't appear he will change the Giants' current four-man front because the Eagles' scheme is a 4-3 alignment. Lewis' defense was primarily a 4-3, but included a few 3-4 fronts.
Coughlin said the defense's alignment is "based on personnel." Right now the coach, the new coordinator and newly appointed general manager Jerry Reese haven't had a chance to discuss personnel at length. In fact, Coughlin and Reese are at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., while Spagnuolo will be spending the rest of this week packing up in Philly and moving up the Turnpike.
As for the current defensive staff, Coughlin said he expects all of the position coaches to return.
"I think we have an outstanding group of coaches," Coughlin said. "One thing that was a huge plus is I have a great sense that (Spagnuolo) will work very well with our current coaches and that the transition for him will be smooth."