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PFF: Top 5 Defensive Coordinator and Position Coaches

ckparrothead

ckparrothead

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This is fairly simple. I'm attributing it to Pro Football Focus because it utilizes their Overall Ratings and Snap Counts, but the rest of it was compiled by myself.

All I did is sum the PFF Overall Ratings at the three position levels on Defense (DL, LB, DB), and divide that into the sum of snap counts for each position. Then I sorted it down to make sure that it goes into a ranking, and marked the Top 5's. I also added up the DL + LB + DB rankings to make a DC rating, and sorted that so that you could see Top 5 total defensive units.

It just asks the very basic question...whose units and players are performing THE best right now in the NFL?

Here they are:

Team - Defensive Coordinator (Rating)
1. San Francisco - Vic Fangio (10)
2. Cincinnati - Mike Zimmer (16)
3. Baltimore - Chuck Pagano (18)
4. Dallas - Rob Ryan (19)

Team - Defensive Line Coach(es)
1. Cincinnati - Jay Hayes
2. Dallas - Brian Baker
3. San Francisco - Jim Tomsula
4. Philadelphia - Jim Washburn
5. Oakland - Mike Waufle

Team - Linebackers Coach(es)
1. Detroit - Matt Burke
2. Baltimore - Dean Pees and Ted Monachino (OLBs)
3. Jacksonville - Mark Duffner
4. Washington - Lou Spanos
5. San Francisco - Jim Leavitt

Team - Secondary Coach(es)
1. Cleveland - Jerome Henderson
2. San Francisco - Ed Donatell and Greg Jackson (Asst.)
3. Tennessee - Marcus Robertson and Curtis Fuller (Asst.)
4. Pittsburgh - Carnell Lake
5. Seattle - Kris Richard and Rocky Seto (Asst.)

Note: You will notice I stopped the Defensive Coordinator list at 4 guys instead of 5. This is because there was a really wide gap in the formula result from adding up the respective DL + LB + DB rankings of the #4 defensive coordinator (Rob Ryan - 19) and the #5 defensive coordinator (Dick Jauron - 29). There was a cluster of about 5 other defensive coordinators that came out with similar total unit rankings as Jauron. They were Seattle's Gus Bradley (32), Detroit's Gunther Cunningham (34), Jacksonville's Mel Tucker (36), Minnesota's Fred Pagac (36), and the Giants' Perry Fewell (37).

This would be a pool of guys from which you'd draw your favorite assistant coaches. The defensive coordinators listed could all be considered for Head Coach positions.
 
There are some QUALITY coaches on this list.

Ed Donatell has a hell of a resume. He coached a great Broncos secondary that won two Super Bowls. He then coordinated a great Packers defense that led the league in takeaways over his three years and went to the playoffs all three times, with two NFC Championship Game appearances. He went to Atlanta as defensive coordinator and turned a unit that ranked #32 in yards and #30 in points into a #14 unit in both measures. The unit was #18 and #15 in points the other two years. He coached the Broncos secondary under Nolan in 2010, and of course the secondary was the best unit. For Jim Harbaugh to pull Ed Donatell in as DBs Coach was an outright coup.

And if you look at Jerome Henderson's history and you watch his secondary in Cleveland play, I don't know how you can NOT be inrtrigued with him. His players consistently play far better than they have a right to play. His secondary with the Jets in 2008 was incredible. His secondaries with the Browns have been good and are probably the best in the league this year, a year where it's harder than ever to be a secondary coach. He's developed guys like Darrelle Revis, T.J. Ward and Joe Haden. He's worked as a Director of Player Development and even worked as a Vice President at a bank just before he came back to the NFL (he played 8 years). I think he played under Belichick with the Patriots.
 
some nice names on the list. On my potential HC list, I thought about both Fangio and Pagano as potential candidates. But Fangio just came back as a DC in the pros (and his last stop before that was less than stellar in Houston), and this is Pagano's first year (plus, Baltimore DCs are good every year).

I also think I mentioned Carnell Lake as a potential DC. I understand this is his first OFFICIAL year as a position coach, but he was an All-Decade performer while in Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau's defenses in the 90's.

CK you gonna make a list for the offensive side?
 
The guys that stick out to me as Defensive Coordinator candidates would be (in no particular order):

Ed Donatell
Jerome Henderson
Dean Pees
Jim Leavitt
Lou Spanos
Mark Duffner
 
Thanks CK but I don't think many on this board really care to think about a current coordinator as our next head coach. Unless those coordinators some how have the last names of Gruden, Cowher, or Fisher. They don't want a REAL coaching search, they just want to hire the big name because, well, he's got the biggest name.

I'm going to go put on a fireman's coat now because the heat is about to come my way.
 
Thanks CK...interesting indeed. But i doubt the fins consider anyone on that list seriously for the HC position(especially a defensive coach). It would seem their heart is set on gruden and cowher(the only defensive option) for the next HC gig.

As far as development of Revis and Hayden...i'm not sure im willing to give the secondary coach much credit for it. Those players were very good in college i got a chance to see hayden put the work on Julio Jones 1 on 1.
 
I highly doubt that Ross will go with an unheralded coordinator to replace the current regime. He is all about flash and will look to make a flashy hire, imo. Even if it is ultimately the wrong decision, I see him pushing hard for Cowher or Gruden.
 
I doubt the fan base would get excited over any of these names except Ryan.
If Ross is determined to keep Ireland he could take a chance with one of these up and comers but the last three head coachs have had zero head coaching experience and that hasn't worked out well. This time I think he goes for a big name with a few playoff wins on his resume.
 
Great job...very interesting.
I would like to see Cowher or Gruden with a few of those names hired away with big $$ to become their assistants or coordinators.
 
SkapePhin said:
I highly doubt that Ross will go with an unheralded coordinator to replace the current regime. He is all about flash and will look to make a flashy hire, imo. Even if it is ultimately the wrong decision, I see him pushing hard for Cowher or Gruden.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%. I would like to see some of the aforementioned coaches come in as assistants in Miami, namely Donatell and Henderson (our starting corners need some serious coaching!!)
 
It seems like the trend is to go with a DC if a team drafts a QB in the first round during a coaching change, and it seems to work in most cases.
 
Nicely done Chris.

Just out of curiousity, and I DONT want him as a HC, but where does Nolan rank on that DC list, and where was he last year?

He is a terrible HC IMHO, and unless we see a night and day turnaround starting Monday Night, I don't think he stays next year, but I still like him as a DC.
 
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