Def. Cord. discussion (1 Viewer)

[fanway]

I like derek mason, study under vic fangio at stanford

 

[Ti Rider]

Todd Grantham is my first choice - has NFL experience and successfully oversaw the transition of the Georgia Bulldogs' Defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Exactly what the Saints need now.

Kirby Smart is my second choice....he is only second because he has coordinated a D that is overloaded with talent (something he won't have with the Saints). Still young and aggressive yet with years of experience running a 3-4.

Further down my list are the old NFL retreads - Romeo Crennell my third choice due to his age and contract status. Eric Mangini might be worth a shot if the others can't hired.

Finally here are my thoughts on a name that keeps coming up - Ed Donatell. He isn't a good fit for the following reasons -

In his two prior DC stints (2000-2003 Green Bay, 2004-2006 Atlanta) he ran a 4-3. He has never coordinated a 3-4.

He has only been a position coach in 3-4 D's.

He's never overseen the transition from the 4-3 to a 3-4 and then built a Defense. He'd be starting from scratch with the Saints.

Because of these reasons Donatell would be an experiment. With Brees window closing the Saints don't have time for experiments. They need someone who can quickly assemble then coordinate a 3-4 Defense. Someone who has done it before like Todd Grantham.

 

[Saints 318]

I say next mouth we will have a new DC

 

[thegoldenapple]

Finally here are my thoughts on a name that keeps coming up - Ed Donatell. He isn't a good fit for the following reasons -

In his two prior DC stints (2000-2003 Green Bay, 2004-2006 Atlanta) he ran a 4-3. He has never coordinated a 3-4.

And if you also consider the results from those stints as DC, it doesn't seem like he'd really make an impact.

And I'm with you on Grantham.

 

[Outbackjack]

I thought some had posted on here Grantham's less than stellar defensive ranks......year after year after year. I don't get the blind love.

Am I wrong?

 

[phil413th]

I like Mike Singletary

 

[thegoldenapple]

I thought some had posted on here Grantham's less than stellar defensive ranks......year after year after year. I don't get the blind love.

Am I wrong?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Grantham

^{That history doesn't sound too bad. The only bad mark is with the Browns but when are the Browns ever not a bad mark? The Browns are also a bad mark for Belichick. He did good things for Indy, Houston, and Dallas and has done good things for Georgia.}

 

[Darkhorse985]

Romeo Crennel. He is the most proven NFL 3-4 available. We have a window of 3-5 years to compete for a championship with Brees. I don't want any college coach experiments or positional coaches without a strong 3-4 background.

 

[thegoldenapple]

Romeo Crennel. He is the most proven NFL 3-4 available. We have a window of 3-5 years to compete for a championship with Brees. I don't want any college coach experiments or positional coaches without a strong 3-4 background.

I honestly don't think Grantham fits as a "college coach experiment" seeing as he has 10 years experience coaching on NFL teams (roughly half his coaching career). Most of that was as d-line coach but he also had a shot as D-coord. That shot came from Crennel and that means that Grantham learned under Crennel and looking at what he's done at UGA shows that.

Calling him a college experiment ignores half of his total coaching experience rather less what he actual did during that time.