FOX: Spagnuolo or McDaniels + Pioli

[OconRecon]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8970870...coaching-update

 

CLEVELAND — Name after name is being linked to the Cleveland Browns — some true, others not so much.

 

Bill Cowher? Yes, absolutely. The Browns would love to lure the Super Bowl winning coach to Cleveland with a blockbuster contract and full authority, but those close to Cowher are split on whether or not he actually makes that jump.

 

Marty Schottenheimer? False! Despite a recent report linking the former Browns, Chiefs and Chargers head coach to his old team, top-level brass has no interest in bringing him back for an encore. The more likely names to place here in case Cowher rebuffs their offer are Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in a possible package with New England personnel guru Scott Pioli.

 

 

Spagnulo is this year's Jason Garrett, the crown jewel of assistant coaching prospects. Unlike Garrett from a year ago, however, Spagnuolo will likely take a head coaching post in the coming month or so. Loved by players, Spagnuolo has tremendous respect among his coaching peers. He also is as far from a politician as one can find in this league.

 

McDaniels and Pioli could be an interesting combination since Pioli has long been considered the pretty girl at the prom of NFL personnel people. However, to date he has shunned finally hitting the road. McDaniels led the NFL's most prolific offensive attack a year ago in the Patriots' record-breaking season.

[JewDago]

i'd take either of those scenarios. i like spags' style on D and would like pioli to come here for the FO. mcdaniels' offensive style concerns me, but i'm sure he's flexible enough to pound it when needed.

[Guest Aloysius]

Here's a nice clip of Spagnuolo working with his linebackers at the Eagles' '05 training camp:

 

[OconRecon]

Nice clip. I can see why players like him as he speaks to them respectfully and constructively. In those clips, no senseless belittling, which most players don't like.

 

He seems to have the fire that's needed. And who wasn't impressed with the Giants D in the Super Bowl last year?

[damajuki]

Great stuff, Alo. Thanks for posting it.

 

I don't nothin' about NFL coaching, but I like how Spags comes off here.

 

I like that he seems to educate, not just yell. I like that he's encouraging but tough. I like that he seems self-confident despite being a relatively small man among very large men.

 

But y'know what I like best? I like how he refers to his players as "men". It might be a cliche, but it seemed genuine. I would think that respecting guys as men and professionals goes a long way.

 

[Eastlakeian]

I agree Spags is this years Jason Garrett but what happened to Jason Garrett? Watching the Cowboys last night they made note that Dallas runs the most simplistic offense in the NFL. Is this why there's been no more Jason Garrett love fest? I love the Philie/Spags style defense but he's only a second year assistant. If were going the assistant rout I think I'd rather have someone who's done it for longer period of time who's been through some adversity and success. Tennessee seems to get the most out there players is there anyone from Jeff Fishers staff that would make a good candidate? Or what about Rex Ryan they have been good for years.

[Guest Aloysius]

No problem, Juki.

 

@ Eastlake: I think the difference between Garrett and Spagnuolo is that Spags has been able to replicate his first-year success with a very different group of players. He can't get enough credit for leading a borderline top 5 defense despite losing Strahan, Umenyiora, and Gibril Wilson. That, I think, reflects very well on his coaching ability.

 

I'm definitely in favor of sticking to a 3-4 defense. But if anyone's going to tempt me into supporting a switch to the 4-3, it's Spagnuolo.

[JewDago]

despite the 4-3 being what he knows, i think spags is a smart enough guy to tailor his scheme to the personnel he has and not try to put someone where they don't fit.

 

he used a d-line of, basically, 4 DEs to win the super bowl. i'd trust him to figure out what to do with our guys. i, too, want to stick with the 3-4. we've almost got the guys and i've been a 3-4 guy since i started running it in madden in 2001. biased? yes. but we would be even worse on D if we tried to switch to a 4-3 with our current personnel.

[YtownBrownsBacker]

I agree Spags is this years Jason Garrett but what happened to Jason Garrett? Watching the Cowboys last night they made note that Dallas runs the most simplistic offense in the NFL. Is this why there's been no more Jason Garrett love fest? I love the Philie/Spags style defense but he's only a second year assistant. If were going the assistant rout I think I'd rather have someone who's done it for longer period of time who's been through some adversity and success. Tennessee seems to get the most out there players is there anyone from Jeff Fishers staff that would make a good candidate? Or what about Rex Ryan they have been good for years.

 

The Titans DC, Schwartz will also be a hot prospect this year. Spags learned his defensive system under Jim Johnson at Philly and after todays game Reid and Johnson may end up looking for work next year.

 

What I like about Rex Ryan is that he is a tough, hard nose coach, but the defensive guys like playing for him. Plus, maybe he can bring suggs with him.

 

Do you realize how many teams may be looking for coaches this year? Browns, Cincy SF, KC, St. Louis, Oak, Lions, SD, Bills and you could even see, Wash, Dallas and Philly....................That could be a lot of new coaches.

[YtownBrownsBacker]

despite the 4-3 being what he knows, i think spags is a smart enough guy to tailor his scheme to the personnel he has and not try to put someone where they don't fit.

 

he used a d-line of, basically, 4 DEs to win the super bowl. i'd trust him to figure out what to do with our guys. i, too, want to stick with the 3-4. we've almost got the guys and i've been a 3-4 guy since i started running it in madden in 2001. biased? yes. but we would be even worse on D if we tried to switch to a 4-3 with our current personnel.

 

Spagnola seems to be a coach that molds a defense around his players and doesn't make his players fit his system. that being said, I believe that our defensive personnel (who should be here next year) are better fitted for a 4-3 then a 3-4. Jackson is a prototypical MLB and would surely prosper in a 4-3. We have 3 very good DT's in Rogers, Williams and R. Smith all solid pass rushers in a one gap system. Wimbley is a DE and will never be a dominate OLB in a 3-4 system. Hall and Peek are basically DEs also. Leon Williams would make a nice WSOLB. so, switching to a 4-3 you would need a SSOLB and a dominate pass rushing DE. If you stay with the 3-4 you need a ILB and a pass rusher that you have to convert to a OLB, so we continue to have players playing out of their natural positions.

 

Sometimes trying to fit players to the wrong scheme doesn't let them play to their potential.

 

[JewDago]

Spagnola seems to be a coach that molds a defense around his players and doesn't make his players fit his system. that being said, I believe that our defensive personnel (who should be here next year) are better fitted for a 4-3 then a 3-4. Jackson is a prototypical MLB and would surely prosper in a 4-3. We have 3 very good DT's in Rogers, Williams and R. Smith all solid pass rushers in a one gap system. Wimbley is a DE and will never be a dominate OLB in a 3-4 system. Hall and Peek are basically DEs also. Leon Williams would make a nice WSOLB. so, switching to a 4-3 you would need a SSOLB and a dominate pass rushing DE. If you stay with the 3-4 you need a ILB and a pass rusher that you have to convert to a OLB, so we continue to have players playing out of their natural positions.

 

Sometimes trying to fit players to the wrong scheme doesn't let them play to their potential.

having wimbley play DE worries me. i think he'd get handled regularly by OTs. he may never be a dominant OLB, but i don't think he'd be a great DE, either, unless he puts on some serious muscle.

 

hall might be able to handle it. i don't know how strong he is, but i think it's something he could do. peek's never getting on the field. dude's perenially injured. counting on him to contribute is a waste of time.

 

you're right about our tackles. they're all solid pass rushers in a one-gap system. rogers has just been so good in the 3-4. he has been monstrous for us. putting him over center is so disruptive; i'd hate to see our D lose that element, though some 4-3 alignments keep a DT shaded to one side of the center to dictate a C/G double-team.

 

leon williams is too effing dumb. he's got all the physical skill in the world, but counting on him to react to a situation is a wash. he'll get beat all the time. unless he's blitzing or covering someone, i don't see him having much of an impact. in a 4-3, where he'd play the weak side and be responsible for the RB coming out of the backfield, i think we'd get torched on screen passes all the time.

 

some guys are natural fits at 3-4 OLB, like demarcus ware, joey porter, lawrence taylor or shawne merriman, guys that are fairly fast but also strong for their size. if we stick with the 3-4, it's up to our FO to find them and not pick one-dimensional speed rushers like wimbley.

 

you're absolutely right about d'qwell being a 4-3 guy all the way. that he's playing well while being somewhat miscast in the 3-4 is a testament to just how good he really is. he'd have monster years in the 4-3, but i think he'd also have very good years with a thumper next to him inside and a healthy d-line in front of him.

[Sez.EJ]

I gotta stick with my hometown boy "y-town" here.. gotta consider Schwarts, he has been the coordinator in Tennesee for 10 years or so under fisher.. he has been under a few other top coaches too. He is ready... I look at miami and I am amazed at how a change at GM and coach can make such a swing in just one year.. with PENNINGTON!!!!! I would have bet against that happening EVERY TIME... amazing job by both.

[NW Ohio Brownie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Pioli the brother-in-law of Mark Shapiro? And didn't Shapiro try to lure him the last time we had a GM search?

[OconRecon]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Pioli the brother-in-law of Mark Shapiro? And didn't Shapiro try to lure him the last time we had a GM search?

 

Close. They're good friends.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=home

 

Shapiro, who graduated from Princeton University with a history degree, has a baseball background. His father, Ron Shapiro, is an agent who has represented Hall-of-Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and the late Kirby Puckett.

 

He also has ties to the National Football League. His best friend is Scott Pioli, vice president of player personnel for the New England Patriots. Pioli introduced Shapiro's sister Julie to her future husband, Eric Mangini, then an assistant with the Baltimore Ravens and now coach of the New York Jets.