Parker again with the impressive PC. Haven’t felt this kind of energy on the defensive staff since— I can’t really recall.
Landry had Stautner and Stallings and could take command seamlessly at any point of that whole side of the ball. I never got to see him when he was young, only growing a young talented team after the big stars from the 1971 team left. Hit the jackpot with Ed Jones, Harvey Martin, and Randy White.
Waanstedt had a lot of good young coaches on his staff, and maybe that’s the closest comparison, but where Waanstedt had this college energy and experience, Parker is bringing this teaching factor in and influences from all kinds of pro coaches and if anything might have even more energy. Jimmy traded for a bunch of guys Brandt was too stubborn to find, drafted well thanks to extra tries from the Herschel trade, and made the most of the best players from Landry’s teams that weren’t yet over the hill like Bates, Norton, He nines, and Jeffcoat. They fixed the defense in short order, hitting the jackpot with guys like Casillas and Haley.
Parcells was only here long enough to coach up situational football and throw together a longterm blueprint that other ‘fixit’ people realized. We were lucky we hit so big in that 2005 draft to combine with his FOBs. That formed the bedrock of decent but flawed defenses in the late 00’s.
Quinn brought in the experience from Seattle and his Atlanta days and had his own kind of competence, but he didn’t have the youth and young, competent staff. It was more like he had guys who could implement his schemes that generated pressure and caused turnovers but sacrificed stoutness and steady coverage technique.
I’m feeling none of that compromise from Parker. He wants to stuff the run, rush the passer, stifle receivers, cover TE’s, grow young leaders, and create a culture of innovation— basically do it all and do it all well.
Really excited to see what takes shape. We’re only missing 1 or 2 difference-makers on the pass rush and in coverage, thought it seems we have a plethora of above average pedigree.