Coaches hired

[prowler2k8]

Wow, after a write-up like that, it makes me wonder why the Texans got rid of him. Anyone care to elaborate on what happened to Smith in Houston?

[HSCBandit07]

Link??

[J-Vic]

Wow, after a write-up like that, it makes me wonder why the Texans got rid of him. Anyone care to elaborate on what happened to Smith in Houston?

His team was 22nd in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed.

[prowler2k8]

His team was 22nd in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed.

Well, that explains it. I sure hope he's a better LB coach than he was a DC. One has to wonder about Fox's mindset with these choices. Their resumes are not too impressive.

[top dawg]

So far I haven't really given any credence to the John Fox wants yes men philosophy, but perhaps there is an elephant in the room.

Are we going to be better. Did Fox run some people away, only to leave us in a pickle? Does he really no what he's doing?

I'll give 'em a chance to see what they can do, but I was expecting a better pedigree. This doesn't look pretty, but it is Foxy.

[scpanther22]

i think some people fresh from the college ranks would have been better...but fox always wants veterans over new blood......even if they suck

[Mr. Scot]

Info from a google search on Smith from his time with the Dolphins under Nick Saban: link

Title:Defensive Coordinator College:Fresno State NFL:18th Season Dolphins:First Season Richard Smith was named the Dolphins' defensive coordinator by Head Coach Nick Saban on March 2, 2005. Smith comes to the Dolphins with 17 years of NFL coaching experience on his resume including the last two with the Detroit Lions, when he served as that team's assistant head coach/linebackers. Two of those 17 seasons were spent working alongside Saban,as both were on the Houston Oilers staff from 1988-89. Before joining the Lions in 2003, Smith spent six seasons (1997-02) with the San Francisco 49ers, where he coached the team's linebackers. During that time, four of his linebackers were selected for the Pro Bowl; Julian Peterson in 2002, Winfred Tubbs in 1998 and both Ken Norton, Jr. and Lee Woodall in 1997.

And a pic...

He sounds (and looks) like a guy with the kind of high-motor "drill sergeant" mentality that I've been hoping we'd go after in position coaches. Guys with that sort of personality sometimes make better position coaches than coordinators.

I'm happy with this one for now.

[Mr. Scot]

Milus page from the Rams site: link

He's coached Deltha O'neal and Dexter Jackson, among others.

I've heard of him, but I'm not as familiar with his name as I was with Smith. I remember seeing him on the Rams site when I was checking out one of their other coaches (I forget who).

[panthers55]

Pedigrees are for dogs not football coaches. Some of the guys with the best pedigrees don't work out. Other guys like Belicheck, for example, fail at one system and succeed at another. Other guys have great success in one setting but struggle somewhere else or at a different level.

It is about the system, personnel, administrative support, environment, philosophy and a number of other factors. What a guy did for the Gianta few years ago or did for the Houston Texans last year doesn't necessarily equate to what they can do here.

As for Smith,of course, he would want to coach here. Look at what he has to work with. And our DB coach will get a lot of help from Meeks. Both guys are solid veterans and I expect will do fine. I found it interesting that Smith wanted to simplify the defense which is what we tried to do as well after Trgo made it so complicated. Seems we may be going to a "do fewer things but do them very well" approach next year.

[Mr. Scot]

David Scott on the new hires: Observer

And the Panthers.com article: Panthers hire two defensive coaches

If you want to look for positive, you have here two guys that don't appear to have previous connections to Fox. Thus it appears they are indeed going with "outside the box" thinking, which is what many of us hoped.

[Brooklyn Bully]

One used to work for the NYG? Figures.

[Mr. Scot]

One used to work for the NYG? Figures.

Under Tim Lewis, long removed from John Fox. Fox's DB coach in NY was Johnnie Lynn.

[magnus]

Also of note, per KFFL the Titans are going to give their DC job to Chuck Cecil, so it looks like Dave McGinnis may stay put in Tennessee for now.

Dave McGinnis was never an option for a lateral move.

The two they hired are fine, they're quality moves. I preferred others, but I won't praise or damn them.

[Mr. Scot]

Dave McGinnis was never an option for a lateral move.

The two they hired are fine, they're quality moves. I preferred others, but I won't praise or damn them.

I actually think he might have looked at taking one (conceivably still could elsewhere) with no upward options possible, similar to what Marvin Lewis did a couple years back.

Wan't commenting so much on the fact that he isn't here though as the fact that it looks like he isn't moving at all. A Tenessean article said it looks like Chuck Cecil is getting the DC job.

Most interesting that they went with an outside guy rather than old Fox cohort Mike Haluchak for LBs.