Tag: Coaching Search

Houston Texans need to hire 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans for these 3 reasons

@johnhcrumpler lists three key reasons why the Houston Texans should hire San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as their next coach.

The Houston Texans completed their interview with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on Friday evening.

Ryans is much better known to Texans fans as Houston’s 2006 second-round pick from Alabama. His rookie campaign featured 155 total tackles and saw Ryans crowned as NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The linebacker was All-Pro in 2007, had two Pro Bowl appearances in 2007 and 2009, and featured in the team’s first ever playoff victory in the wild-card round against the Cincinnati Bengals before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.

Now, nearly a decade later, Ryans is primed as a top candidate to potentially replace Lovie Smith and serve as the young, innovative coach that the Texans have been searching for each of the last three seasons. The coordinator for one of the NFL’s best overall units has a multitude of options, but there’s reason to think Houston could be a perfect fit for Ryans.

Former Lions coaches spinning on and off the coaching carousel

Keeping up with former Detroit Lions coaches spinning on and off the NFL coaching carousel

The first couple of weeks of the offseason is prime coaching carousel time around the NFL. While the Detroit Lions have yet to make any additions or subtractions from their own coaching staff (not yet, anyway!), some former Lions coaches are spinning on and off the coaching carousel.

Former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz has been hired as the new defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns. Schwartz takes over in Cleveland for the fired Joe Woods. He was the Lions head coach from 2009-2013 and has spent time as the DC in Buffalo and Philadelphia since leaving Detroit.

On the other side of the carousel, the Los Angeles Chargers have ended the ride for offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi after the team’s playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lombardi was the Lions’ offensive coordinator in 2014 and part of 2015 before being fired for making an offense featuring Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick unimaginably boring.

Schwartz’s successor as Detroit’s head coach, Jim Caldwell, has yet to land a new coaching home. Caldwell has interviewed for the head coaching positions in Carolina and Houston already.

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Mike LaFleur parts ways with Jets, should draw interest from the Saints

Bad teams let go of good coaches all the time. Much like Kyle Shanahan once left the Browns, Mike LaFleur has left the Jets — and the Saints should give him a call, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

One team’s fired coach could be another team’s treasure. While the New Orleans Saints don’t currently have a coaching staff position available, there is a chance they open up a search at offensive coordinator this offseason. If they do, one of their top candidates may have just hit the market in former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. 

The New York offense ranked No. 29 in scoring, No. 25 in total yardage, No. 30 in EPA/play and No. 26 in offensive DVOA. So what make LaFleur a candidate for consideration? Truth is, here’s a lot of context to be considered around what went wrong in the Big Apple.

The Jets’ quarterback situation was dismal through the year bouncing from Zach Wilson to Mike White to Joe Flacco and back again. None of those signal callers have inspired much confidence aside from Flacco much earlier in his career. Additionally, a running back that can do it all is pivotal to LaFleur’s scheme. Once rookie back Breece Hall was ruled out for the season with injury, everything changed for LaFleur’s offense. 

There’s precedent for this success, by the way. Kyle Shanahan is now the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers but before that, he made a leap from the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator position to the same role with the Atlanta Falcons. His numbers went from the No. 27 scoring offense and ranking No. 23 in total yards to the No. 1 scoring offense while filing in at No. 2 in total yards gained in a matter of two years. Once he found the personnel he needed to fully execute his system, things leveled off. The same could happen for LaFleur while the Saints roster is under reconstruction at major positions like quarterback.

Bother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, Mike comes from the Shanahan coaching tree. We gave our thoughts on 49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik as another possible target a few days ago. We did so with the example of LaFleur’s success (before things fell apart) with the Jets as positive evidence. His scheme is one that fans would love to see in New Orleans and does a lot of what they asked to see from the Saints this year. 

LaFleur blends precise short and intermediate attacks (taking what the defense gives them) with a heavy infusion of misdirection. That includes pre-snap motion, play flow misdirection and more. Just go watch one of the Jets’ early-season games and you see it. The way he then continued to maximize the skills of rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson despite the quarterback carousel deserves praise as well. Now imagine what he could do with Wilson’s former teammate in New Orleans, Chris Olave along with rising star Rashid Shaheed.

Early in the season, the Saints and Jets were on opposite sides of the spectrum when it came to pre-snap motion. With the New Orleans ranking near the bottom of the NFL (31) and the Jets in the top ten (9) in pre-snap motion rate. Additionally, the Saints were caught being a bit predictable with their motion at the snap as well. Moving players post-snap on 31% of their run plays and on only %1 of their passing plays per ESPN’s Seth Walder. Not ideal. Motion should not be ignore in today’s NFL and it is clearly a part of LaFleur’s DNA which could benefit the Saints if they open up an offensive coordinator search.

New Orlean is also uniquely positions to answer the running back issue LaFleur was presented with thanks to one of the league’s best in Alvin Kamara. The former offensive rookie of the year could go from massively underutilized in 2022, to having an offense built around his skills set in 2023. Don’t let the Jets’ end-season offensive rankings fool you. LaFleur is a solid play designer, play caller and schemer. He’ll need to learn how to adjust with his personnel when injuries do inevitably happen and the Saints would need to invest in their running back room around Kamara. But that’s something both should be looking to do this offseason anyway.

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Report: Texas in contact with Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari

Texas has reached out to one of the top coaches in college basketball.

Texas is beginning an unexpected men’s basketball coaching search after Chris Beard was fired due to legal allegations.

The Longhorns have reportedly made contact with Kentucky head coach John Calipari about the Texas vacancy. 247Sports insider Travis Branham reports Calipari is intrigued by the job.

Landing the Hall of Famer would not be cheap for Texas. Calipari is the highest-paid coach in the nation and has a lifetime deal with Kentucky.

Despite so much success with the Wildcats, the past few seasons have not been as kind to Calipari. Kentucky has not made it out of the round of 64 since 2019 and is 10-5 and unranked this season.

Regardless, Calipari would be a splash hire for Texas. He is a former national champion, proven recruiter and player developer.

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Hugh Freeze to hire former Auburn wideout Marcus Davis to coach receivers

He played wide receiver at Auburn from 2013-16 and is now set to coach the receivers.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is reportedly set to bring back a former Auburn player to complete his coaching staff. According to a report by Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live, he is set to hire [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] to coach wide receivers.

Davis coached wide receivers at Georgia State in 2022 and at Hawaii in 2021. This will be his second coaching stint at Auburn, he started his career as an offensive analyst and strength and conditioning intern for Auburn in 2018. He was then promoted to assistant director of player personnel and player development for the 2019 season.

He left the Plains in 2020 to become a graduate assistant at Florida State before getting his first on-field job at Hawaii in 2021.

David, a team captain in 2016, caught 83 receptions, 650 yards, and three scores in four seasons as a player. He is the third former Tiger to join Freeze’s staff as a coach, joining Cadillac Williams and Zac Etheridge.

His hire completes Freeze’s 2023 on-field coaching staff:

  • OC: Philip Montgomery
  • RBs: Cadillac Williams
  • WRs: Marcus Davis
  • TEs: Ben Aigamaua
  • OL: Jake Thornton
  • DC: Ron Roberts
  • DL: Jeremy Garrett
  • LBs: Josh Aldridge
  • DBs: Zac Etheridge
  • DBs: Wesley McGriff

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Bryan Harsin takes the top spot of an undesirable year-end list

Harsin’s tenure ended at Auburn before the end of the 2022 season. How did On3 view his season?

It is no secret that the end of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s Auburn tenure — the whole era for that matter — will forever be a dark chapter in the history of Auburn football.

He began his Auburn career as the “out of left field” hire. He was not the most popular name of the search, as he came to The Plains from Boise State with minimal experience coaching football in the south. In his first season, the Tigers began 6-2 with a win over a top-10 Ole Miss team. However, following that game on Halloween weekend, the season took an ugly turn. Auburn lost its final five games.

During the offseason, he was the target of a coup attempt. Though he survived, the issues within the program remained. In Year 2, Auburn lost to Penn State at home in blowout fashion and had lengthy winning streaks against Arkansas and Ole Miss end.

In addition to the on-field product, Auburn fell behind in recruiting.

Harsin was dismissed on Halloween, two days after Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

His time in Auburn was anything but pretty, which is why he takes the top spot of an undesirable year-end list.

On3 recently released its assessments of second-year coaches, from worst to first. Several coaches received a good grade, including Tennessee‘s Josh Heupel and Kansas’ Lance Leipold. Harsin kicked off the rankings by having the worst performance of any second-year coach.

Jesse Simonton of On3 sympathized with Harsin, but also wrote Auburn was more motivated to play following his departure.

For more than a year, Auburn essentially treated Bryan Harsin like the kid in “Toy Story” who tortures Woody with a magnifying glass. It was wholly unfair to Harsin.

But setting aside all the ugly and unfounded rumors surrounding Harsin and his family, the former Boise State head coach did an awful job at one of the premiere programs in the country.

Harsin lost five straight games to end a disappointing Year 1, and things only got worse this fall. After a pair of victories over cupcakes — including a way-too-close for comfort 24-16 win against San Jose State — the Tigers lost 6-of-7, with their lone win a Yakety Sax overtime victory against Missouri.

Harsin was poor recruiter (Auburn wasted a historic set of prospects from the state of Alabama in 2022), motivator and leader. It said a lot that the second he was gone, the Tigers suddenly started playing inspired and united.

Harsin’s Auburn career ended 9-12. After his dismissal, interim head coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] led Auburn to a 2-2 record, which ended its season 5-7.

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Report: Auburn Football nearing deals with respected coordinators

Reports surfaced Sunday that Hugh Freeze is nearing deals with two experienced, successful coordinators.

Auburn fans have been intrigued by [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s recruiting efforts since taking over the head coaching job on Nov. 28.

While recruiting has picked up steam, fans have gotten antsy by the lack of news surrounding coordinator hires. Those worries may have been put to rest Sunday evening.

Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports has reported that Auburn is nearing a deal with Baylor defensive coordinator Ron Roberts for the same role.

Roberts’ defense this season allowed 137 yards per game, which is third-best in the Big 12, and was fourth in the Big 12 in overall yards allowed with 370 yards per contest. Roberts’ top defender at Baylor this season was Al Walcott, who recorded 81 stops, ten of which being for loss.

The move comes as a bit of a surprise, as he was also linked to the open defensive coordinator position at Arkansas as late as Saturday. Roberts has been a coach at the college level since 1997, with stops at Texas State, Louisiana, and Baylor. He also served as head coach for Southeastern Louisiana and Delta State.

Soon after the news of Roberts’ hire was reported, Brandon Marcello of 247Sports broke the news that Auburn is targeting former Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery for the offensive coordinator position.

He was recently fired as head coach of the Golden Hurricane but is known for his stellar offenses under Art Briles at both Houston and Baylor. During his first and only season as Houston’s offensive coordinator, Montgomery led quarterbacks Case Keenum and Blake Joseph to 1,000-yard passing seasons.

At Baylor, Montgomery coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III. Griffin passed for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns during his Heisman-winning season in 2011. Baylor quarterbacks Bryce Petty and Nick Florence also had 4,000-yard passing seasons under Montgomery’s leadership.

The hires of Montgomery and Roberts become the sixth and seventh outside hires of the new Hugh Freeze staff. [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Christian Robinson[/autotag], and [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag] have been retained from Bryan Harsin’s staff for on-the-field roles.

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Wesley McGriff expected to join Hugh Freeze’s staff

This will be McGriff’s third stint as a defensive assistant at Auburn after serving two different terms under Gus Malzahn.

The Crime Dog has returned.

[autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag], who served as co-defensive coordinator at Auburn alongside Kevin Steele in 2016, and returned as a defensive backs coach from 2019-20, is reportedly set to return to Auburn for the third time.

Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover reports that McGriff is expected to join Hugh Freeze’s staff as a defensive assistant. McGriff’s hire becomes the fourth outside hire that Freeze has made since being introduced as head coach on Nov. 29, joining [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] (offensive line), [autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag] (defensive line), and [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] (tight ends). [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag], and [autotag]Christian Robinson[/autotag] have been retained from Bryan Harsin’s staff.

The Tigers improved tremendously during McGriff’s first stint at Auburn in 2016. Auburn finished top-three in the SEC in scoring defense, rushing defense, and third-down conversions. Auburn’s strong defense played a role in Auburn’s berth in the Sugar Bowl that season. Auburn allowed 19.5 points per game in 2019 with McGriff as an assistant.

McGriff returns to Auburn after spending the 2021 season at Florida, and the 2022 season at Louisville.

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REPORT: Hugh Freeze to hire Ben Aigamaua as Auburn’s tight end coach

Ben Aigamaua is expected to follow Hugh Freeze from Liberty to Auburn.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is starting to fill his coaching staff.

[autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] is set to follow Freeze from Liberty and become Auburn’s tight end coach, according to Nathan King of Auburn Undercover.

The two have worked together for more than a decade. He played for Freeze at Lambuth, was at Ole Miss during Freeze’s entire tenure in a variety of roles, and coached tight ends at Liberty for the past four seasons.

His tight ends combined to catch 27 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns in the 2022 season.

Aigamaua is not the only coach Freeze is expected to bring from Liberty, Jeremy Garrett will be Auburn’s new defensive line coach.

[autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] is the only Auburn assistant coach officially retained by Freeze. He has been promoted to associate head coach in addition to coaching running backs. Secondary coach Zac Etheridge and linebackers Christian Robinson are expected to be retained but no announcement has been made.

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Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

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Four members of Hugh Freeze’s Liberty staff are expected to join him in Auburn

Hugh Freeze is in the beginning stages of constructing his first staff at Auburn.

Newly named Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has a busy few weeks ahead.

Not only does he have to build relationships with key recruits ahead of early signing day on Dec. 21, but he needs to build a strong staff to begin the rebuilding process for Auburn football.

He started by releasing several members of Bryan Harsin’s staff, including wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard, offensive line coach Will Friend and defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding. He has announced [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] will remain on staff as associate head coach and running backs coach. Freeze is also expected to retain cornerbacks coach [autotag]Zac Ethridge[/autotag] and linebackers coach [autotag]Christian Robinson[/autotag], although their new role is unknown at this time.

As for the staff he plans to hire, four from his staff at Liberty are reportedly making their way to The Plains, including one on-field staffer.

Freeze has hired [autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag] as defensive line coach. Garrett spent one season with Freeze at Liberty. Prior to his time with the Flames, Garrett served as an assistant defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. He coached former SEC stars Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney when the pair combined to record 25 sacks during the 2021 season. He also spent time at Vanderbilt, serving under head coach Derek Mason.

Three more former Liberty off-the-field staffers are expected to follow Freeze to Auburn.

According to Matt Zenitz of On3, Associate AD for football operations/chief of staff Matt Bevins, general manager A.K. Mogulla and director of recruiting analytics and operations Kennedy Harvey will also be hired by Freeze.

Freeze, who was hired Monday after a 28-day search, will continue to build his staff over the coming weeks.

“I have a list of every position and a lot of great candidates,” Freeze said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “There are some here, there are some (from) where I just came from, and they’re all around the country. I’m constantly getting texts.”

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