Defensive Coordinator Candidates

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Which is weird, right? I guess if the new DC is going to ask Jerry to pay his guys, Jerry wants some sense of who he’s throwing his money at, but are there any football people in the room with substantive questions?

I'm guessing Schotty at least is allowed to sit in the room. But he may be asked to write the questions down so that Jerry can ask them.
 
Schotty is there I'm sure, but I wonder if McClay is also. I'd guess he is, but who knows.

It reinforces the idea that Jerry is really the HC and he has two coordinators.

My guess is McClay is as well. From what I hear the room may be packed with a lot of guys. Jerry is all about "concensus" opinions. Of course if it works out Jerry will claim he is the man who made the decision. When it's Eberflus suddenly he talks about "Schotty was a part of the decision too"
 
Was Leonhard on the field during Victor Cruz's infamous 99-yard touchdown in 2011? Yes. Did he make the most of his interim head coaching opportunity at my beloved alma mater? No. Does he play with Barbies in his free time? Hard to say. You can do better, Jerry.


Did seeing those players again trigger you?
 
A few interesting nuggets on Leonhard as I've digged in a little more on him:

-As far as his time in the NFL goes, Rex Ryan is the guy who really shaped him. That's who he broke into the league as a starter with in Baltimore, then he followed him to the Jets where he started for several years on top defenses, and once he got away from Ryan he was never really a consistent starter again. Throw in his time under Joseph and if I had to guess his schematic philosophy will be very similar to those two, which means unpredictable blitzes and simulated pressures from all angles out of a base 3-4.
-During his time at Wisconsin he sent several guys to the NFL who weren't elite talents but have developed into very steady, disciplined players who have played better than their pure physical talent would indicate, most are hybrid 3-4 LB types:

Nick Herbig, Leo Chenal, Andrew Van Ginkel, Keeanu Benton and Zack Baun

Outside of the Watt's Wisconsin has had almost no notable defensive players in the NFL, I'm not sure what it means exactly but my guess is that Leonhard has an eye for developing average talents into disciplined contributors who play beyond their talent.
 
Is Leonhard the board fave? I’ll take anyone who would move to a more 3-4 scheme which I feel would be best with the current defensive roster
 
I'm afraid Leonhard won't be available, though. I didn't realize it had been so many years since Joseph had been a HC, so he might well get another shot.

And I'm note hopeful on Flores because he might get a HC job or just stay where he is.

Anyone will be a positive over Eberflus, just hope we actually get the best of what's left.
 
I'm afraid Leonhard won't be available, though. I didn't realize it had been so many years since Joseph had been a HC, so he might well get another shot.

And I'm note hopeful on Flores because he might get a HC job or just stay where he is.

Anyone will be a positive over Eberflus, just hope we actually get the best of what's left.

The timing with Joseph is an unknown, I doubt Leonhard would sit around waiting for a week to find out what happens with Joseph if we offer him the spot in the next few days.
 
The timing with Joseph is an unknown, I doubt Leonhard would sit around waiting for a week to find out what happens with Joseph if we offer him the spot in the next few days.

Yeah and I don't think the odds are that high for those guys.

Leonard may be my top pick. I'm not usually a big 3-4 scheme vs 4-3 scheme guy but this team feels built for the change. We have a glut of DTs who can man those 3 spots. Clark, Osa, Williams and even Solomon Thomas feel like great fits to fill out that 3 man front. I think EZ is a perfect fit for 3-4 OLBer. Hell much of what he did in college his hand wasn't on the ground. You can compliment that with a number of guys in this draft. Bailey would be perfect but I there are others too like Cashius Howell, Height, the Oklahoma kid.

In the end you basically need an end and a LBer no matter what. But a 3-4 feels like it takes advantage of our talent better. And I like the idea of a bright young guy to fit that spot better than someone who has been a head coach and might struggle in terms of dynamic with Schotty.
 
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We should have a good idea of the situation within the next week.

If they haven't hired anybody by about next Monday or Tuesday and the Broncos are still playing we'll know it's Leonhard. If they continue interviewing these position coach types I think it's with an eye on a potential Leonhard staff.

It'll also be telling if Leonhard isn't doing any other interviews, which I'd guess he won't until after the game unless it's today or tomorrow.

I think there's a decent chance Flores could still happen if he doesn't get a HC spot, so I'm curious to see what happens there with a potential interview over the next 4 or 5 days.
 
DMN wants us to hire the Hurricanes' youngish DC.
 
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