Kiffin officially hired as DC

[dbair1967]

Cowboys name Monte Kiffin DC


Updated: January 11, 2013, 1:47 PM ET
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- Three days after firing Rob Ryan, the Dallas Cowboys have hired Monte Kiffin as their new defensive coordinator, according to sources.

Kiffin, who turns 73 in February, resigned as Southern Cal's defensive coordinator last month after spending four years on his son Lane's staffs at USC and Tennessee. He spent 26 years as an NFL assistant coach, including a 13-year run as Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator before returning to college football in 2009.

When he left the Trojans he cited a desire to return to the NFL.

The Buccaneers finished in the top 10 in total defense and scoring defense in 11 of Kiffin's 13 years and won the Super Bowl in 2002. He was one of the architects of the Tampa-2 system that many teams employ today and was able to build his defenses around Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber, John Lynch and Simeon Rice.

Kiffin will have to re-tool a defense that has been in a 3-4 scheme since 2005 and might lose outside linebacker Anthony Spencer to free agency.

He will also likely have to re-work the coaching staff. Defensive line coach Brian Baker, linebacker coach Matt Eberflus, secondary coach Jerome Henderson and assistant secondary Joe Baker are all under contract but, according to sources, will have to re-interview to remain and have been granted permission to speak with other teams.

Ryan was fired Tuesday after a two-year run. The Cowboys finished 19th in the NFL on defense and allowed a franchise-record high 5,687 yards and forced a franchise-record low 16 turnovers. The defense was hurt by injuries, losing Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Barry Church, Kenyon Coleman, Jay Ratliff and Orlando Scandrick for significant parts of the season.

 

[dbair1967]

How does Dallas personnel fit Monte Kiffin's scheme?

January, 11, 2013

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

Rob Ryan’s 3-4 is out at Valley Ranch, about to be replaced by Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme.

How will the Cowboys’ personnel pieces fit into Kiffin’s puzzle?

Here’s a breakdown with the help of former Cowboys scouting director Larry Lacewell, whose relationship with Kiffin dates to their days as rival assistant coaches at Oklahoma and Nebraska in the 1970s:

DEFENSIVE LINE

The big question is whether the Cowboys keep Anthony Spencer as a bookend for DeMarcus Ware. That’s a financial issue, with Spencer due $10.6 million if the cap-strapped Cowboys use the franchise tag on him again and primed to get paid big bucks if he hits the market after his career year.

“I don’t know if I would,” Lacewell said of keeping Spencer. “I think I could find another guy that was a pretty good player. In my opinion, I’d rather look for a 4-3 guy. I think a rookie can come in. The mental end of it is so much easier than the 3-4 [for defensive end/outside linebackers].”

Lacewell has no doubt that Ware will be a dominant defensive end in Kiffin’s scheme despite the fact that the perennial Pro Bowler will miss the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Lacewell has little concern about increased wear and tear on Ware as a down lineman, adding the fact that Ware won’t have to drop in coverage might keep him fresher by limiting the amount he has to run.

“He should be similar but better than [Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney],” Lacewell said. “He’s much stronger and bigger.”

Lacewell, who Jerry Jones brings to training camp every year to help evaluate the defensive personnel, also believes Kiffin’s scheme will greatly benefit Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher.

Ratliff would primarily be a 1-technique defensive tackle, shading the center and shooting the gap. Lacewell compares him to La’Roi Glover, who made four Pro Bowls playing that role for the Cowboys when Mike Zimmer ran a Kiffin copycat scheme in Dallas.

“I think it’s going to prolong his career,” Lacewell said of Ratliff, a 31-year-old whose streak of four straight Pro Bowls ended when injuries limited him to six games this season. “And I think it’s going to add misery to the offenses.”

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Hatcher would be a 3-technique defensive tackle, playing over the outside eye of a guard. Hatcher, who has 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons as a starting defensive end, would get a lot of one-on-one matchups with guards.

“I think Hatcher would be an outstanding 3 because he can run,” Lacewell said. “He can really fly. He’s going to be able to use his athleticism.”

Sean Lissemore could contribute at both defensive tackle spots. Tyrone Crawford, a third-round pick out of Boise State last season, has potential to play the 3-technique tackle and would be a candidate to start at defensive end if Spencer leaves.

“Monte’s going to love Lissemore and Crawford because they’re try-hard guys who can run,” Lacewell said. “Kiffin is all about speed. They don’t have to be huge guys, but they have to be able to play hard and run.”

LINEBACKERS

Plug Sean Lee in at Mike and Bruce Carter in at Will and pray that the Cowboys’ blossoming stars can stay healthy.

Lacewell on Lee: “I think he will be absolutely great. He’s already great, but when you become a Mike [in a 4-3], that means you’re a whole-field player. In the 3-4, you’re a half-the-field player a lot of times. It’s just going to add to his greatness.”

Lacewell on Carter, whose speed probably reminds Kiffin on Bucs legend Derrick Brooks: “Oh my gosh, I think he could be a great Willy. Speed guy, can come off the edge and rush the passer, drop back in coverage, really do it all.”

Dan Connor, Alex Albright and Kyle Wilber are among the in-house candidates to be the Sam linebacker. Lacewell is intrigued by the intelligence and toughness of “that big, white guy,” aka Albright.

SECONDARY

Lacewell laughs at the suggestion that the major investments the Cowboys made in press-man corners last offseason make Kiffin’s scheme a strange fit.

“I get tickled to hear people say, ‘We’re wasting these great corners!’” Lacewell said. “Well, where were they?”

That’s a not-so-subtle reminder that the Cowboys ranked 19th in passing defense last season despite signing Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal and trading their first two picks to move up to sixth overall and select Morris Claiborne.

Lacewell said Kiffin asks his corners to play “much more man than you think” despite being based on his Cover 2 looks. Whether they’re playing man or zone, the corners play press a lot, which Lacewell figures plays to the strength of Carr and Claiborne.

When the corners do bail into zone coverage, their mission is to take away the outs and comebacks. That puts pressure on the safeties to cover the post.

And, well, that could be a problem.

“The one position I don’t have clear in my head for them is the goddamn safety,” Lacewell said. “I don’t know who it is. I don’t know who the hell it is.”

Asked specifically about Barry Church as a strong safety, Lacewell brightened up a bit: “He’s kind of a Kiffin guy.” Nobody is saying Church is the next John Lynch, but he is tough and smart, two of the ex-Bucs great’s best attributes. However, Church is also recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, so the Cowboys would be taking a big risk by counting on him.

Asked specifically about Gerald Sensabaugh, well, Lacewell was lukewarm.

“I’d say they’re more in hunt of two safeties than any other position,” Lacewell said.

If the Cowboys' front office agrees with Lacewell, Texas' Kenny Vacarro could be a fit in the first round.

 

[Theebs]

jesus.

thanks a lot lacewell.

jerry is going to draft 4 safeties now.

 

[dbair1967]

lol

 

[Jon88]

Glad to finally get rid of the 3-4.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I can't believe he's say Ratliff would be a 1-tech. I'd think he'd be a 3-tech and we need to find a bigger 1-tech. (Why did Brent have to be such an idiot?)

Also funny about the "big white guy" aka Albright.

Kind of interesting that he doesn't like Sensabaugh and thinks we might need two safeties.

 

[Theebs]

oh hey look, how original. The only ones dumber than espn 103.3 ..pft

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk

Well, if Jerry Jones ever decides to swap Jason Garrett for Jon Gruden, Gruden won't complain about the team's defensive coordinator.


Retweeted by Tim MacMahon

 

[junk]

I thought Gruden and Kiffen weren't on great terms? Maybe that is what you meant

 

[Theebs]

prediction.

after the skins have a down year next year haslett will take the fall.

Snyder being the copycat that he is, will promote moore to coordinator and run the tampa 2.

skins fans will tell us there version is better.

 

[Theebs]

I thought Gruden and Kiffen weren't on great terms? Maybe that is what you meant

me?

I don't know what terms there on, that happened so long ago. Tampa was 9-3 in 08 and lost the last four straight and missed the playoffs.

the players quit on kiffin and gruden that's all I really remember. I have never really heard that gruden dislikes kiffin tbh in a way that would keep them from working together again.

 

[cmd34]

Fuck me.

I'm officially not thrilled for next season. The guy wasted so much talent on defense at USC the last 2 years. I am glad about the move to a 4-3 and the idea they may actually upgrade at Safety.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

Kiffen has accumulated enough knowledge to write multiple football 101 threads. He won't pigeonhole anyone on d into a bad fit. If anyone knows how best to utilize our top heavy d its him.

 

[Theebs]

Fuck me.

I'm officially not thrilled for next season. The guy wasted so much talent on defense at USC the last 2 years. I am glad about the move to a 4-3 and the idea they may actually upgrade at Safety.

hang in there its going to be all about the assistants. Hopefully we get some good ones.

the downside to this to me besides his age is that jerry hired him, it appears jerry drove this bus which means the defensive coordinator reports to jerry not Jason the head coach. No way that can be good.

I really hope we hire an offensive coordinator this coming week.

 

[Theebs]

Tim MacMahon ‏@espn_macmahon

Had Mike Zimmer not been under contract, Cowboys would have thought long and hard about making him top DC target.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

Dan Connor, Alex Albright and Kyle Wilber are among the in-house candidates to be the Sam linebacker. Lacewell is intrigued by the intelligence and toughness of “that big, white guy,” aka Albright.


^^ thank you outside counsel

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Tim MacMahon ‏@espn_macmahon

Had Mike Zimmer not been under contract, Cowboys would have thought long and hard about making him top DC target.

I'd say more than "thought long and hard about it". I'd say it would be a done deal. (Unless Mike didn't want to come back.)

I'd still watch him for HC next year if Jerry actually fired Garrett, which I have my doubts about.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

I don't think either side wouldve done that.

For Jerry it'd be admitting a mistake and for Zimms it's another lateral move

 

[dbair1967]

oh hey look, how original. The only ones dumber than espn 103.3 ..pft

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk

Well, if Jerry Jones ever decides to swap Jason Garrett for Jon Gruden, Gruden won't complain about the team's defensive coordinator.


Retweeted by Tim MacMahon

Or the offensive coordinator. Callahan is also a Gruden guy.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

lol

dbair not giving up

 

[superpunk]

whatever we'll see how it goes. Not excited or bummed or anything just want someone to get results at this point. We have enough pieces on D that we should be able to plug in scrubs everywhere else and have a top 10 D without even trying. Get it done.