Tag: coordinator

Saints ST coach Darren Rizzi leading onside kick rules change proposal

Successful onside kicks have become a rare thing in the NFL, but Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi is working to reverse that:

Successful onside kicks have become a rare thing in the NFL as health and safety-minded rules changes cut down on opportunities for teams to design a clever play, but New Orleans Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi is working to reverse that.

Rizzi workshopped a proposal with other special teams coordinators around the league (namely the Dallas Cowboys’ John Fassel and Chicago Bears’ Richard Hightower, per the MMQB’s Albert Breer) to present to the NFL competition committee with hopes of making the game’s third phase more exciting while keeping player safety in mind.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, their proposal would limit onside kick attempts to situations in which teams are trailing in the fourth quarter, as well as requiring them to declare their intentions before trying it. But they would be allowed to use old-school unbalanced formations, giving the kicking team a numbers advantage in recovery.

This is one of several ways in which the NFL is trying to relitigate kick returns after their last wave of rules changes essentially nullified them; we’ve never seen so few kicks returned or onside kicks recovered in the history of the game. Pelissero adds that other aspects of the proposal include more limitations on when and where players can move before the kick is touched, as well as increasing the distance gained from a touchback to 35 yards.

Still, if these rules already existed we’d be without one of the most memorable plays in Saints history: “Ambush,” the surprise onside kick to start the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIV.

The NFL has written itself into a corner by coming down so hard on kick returns. More rules changes could help, but they’re just as likely to continue whittling the play’s impact on the game even further down. Having experienced special teams coaches like Rizzi at the forefront may be good for the process, but the results will speak for themselves.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Chiefs extend contract of special teams coordinator Dave Toub

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub was the latest assistant coach to earn a contract extension after the #Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory.

After extending defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s contract earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs locked in yet another assistant coach to a long-term deal on Friday.

Longtime special teams coordinator Dave Toub was the latest coach to earn a new contract, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Toub’s new contract will keep him in Kansas City for the next three years and will ensure that the Chiefs maintain continuity on their coaching staff as they endeavor to win their third consecutive Super Bowl next season.

The veteran coordinator has been a fixture on Kansas City’s sideline since Andy Reid’s tenure with the Chiefs started in 2013. Before his time in the NFL, Toub coached the Missouri Tigers for more than a decade between 1989 and 2000.

His continued presence will be a valuable asset for Kansas City in the coming years as the Chiefs look to build their budding dynasty for the long term.

Losing Phil Galiano could be a big hit to the Saints special teams units

Losing Phil Galiano would be a big hit to the Saints special teams units. Only one team has allowed fewer return yards since he was hired:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are interviewing Phil Galiano for their open special teams coordinator job on Tuesday — and losing him could be a big hit to the New Orleans Saints kicking units.

Galiano isn’t a big name in New Orleans. He’s worked as the assistant to Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi since they were both hired in 2019, rarely speaking to the media or taking the spotlight. But they have both played a key role in maintaining the Saints’ excellence in the game’s third phase.

We tend to think of special teams as being all about kicking field goals and punting the ball away. But it’s a real team effort. Finding the right players who can get downfield in a hurry and limit returns is critical. And Galiano deserves some credit for helping the Saints outperform the rest of the league in that phase.

Since Rizzi and Galiano arrived in 2019, the Saints are the only team in the NFL to allow fewer than 1,000 punt return yards (998) and 2,500 kick return yards (2,350). Only one team, the Washington Commanders, has given up fewer total return yards with 3,103 to the Saints’ 3,348. The other 30 teams in the NFL have all allowed 3,500 or more.

Here’s how they all stack up:

It’s possible the Buccaneers end up hiring a different candidate for their special teams coordinator opening. At the same time, there’s a chance Galiano could leave for the promotion. If he does exit this isn’t a loss that Saints fans should overlook. Hopefully Rizzi already has an idea of possible replacements should he need to hire a new assistant.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Bucs to interview Saints assistant Phil Galiano for special teams coordinator job

The Buccaneers will interview Saints assistant Phil Galiano for their special teams coordinator job. He’s been a big part of their success in the game’s third phase:

Another key New Orleans Saints assistant coach could be going to a division rival. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will interview Phil Galiano for their special teams coordinator opening on Tuesday.

This would be a promotion for Galiano, who has worked as the assistant special teams coach to Darren Rizzi the last few years, so the Saints cannot block it. That was the case last year when the Atlanta Falcons hired New Orleans’ defensive line coach and co-coordinator Ryan Nielsen for their defensive coordinator gig (though he’s since joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same role).

Galiano, 46, has worked for the Buccaneers before; he was an assistant special teams coach on Greg Schiano in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He’s also held the title of special teams coordinator at the college level with Penn State. The Saints’ kicking units have ranked among the best in the league since he and Rizzi joined the squad in 2019 and his departure would be missed.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Texans QB coach Jerrod Johnson schedules second interview with Saints

Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson scheduled a second interview with the Saints, meeting team brass in person on Saturday:

This could be big: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints are meeting Jerrod Johnson for a second interview on Saturday, this time speaking with him in person following a virtual interview earlier this week. He’s a candidate for their open offensive coordinator position.

Johnson, 35, has been a hot candidate as teams work to look for their new play caller. He’s also interviewed with the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles.

A highly productive quarterback at Texas A&M, Johnson has risen quickly through the coaching ranks as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers (under Kyle Shanahan) and Indianapolis Colts (under Frank Reich). Before joining DeMeco Ryans’ staff on the Texans, he was an assistant quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings under Kevin O’Connell. He’s worked closely with some of the most successful head coaches in the league and could be a good fit with the Saints.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Falcons to hire Raheem Morris as head coach, complicating Saints’ OC search

Falcons to hire Raheem Morris as head coach, which could complicate the Saints offensive coordinator search:

The Atlanta Falcons are reportedly zeroing in on Raheem Morris as their next head coach — the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator worked as Atlanta’s interim head coach during the 2020 season, and led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers more than a decade ago.

Now that’s newsworthy in itself. But Morris landing a head coach job of his own, much less in the NFC South, could complicate the New Orleans Saints’ search for an offensive coordinator. Morris has worked closely with Rams quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Zac Robinson in recent years and he could be joining Morris on the Falcons. They’ve obviously found success working together before.

If that’s the case, the Saints could lose out on their best-qualified candidate for offensive coordinator to a division rival. Just like New Orleans, Atlanta offers Robinson the opportunity to get out of Sean McVay’s shadow and call his own plays while running the offense under a defensive-minded head coach. But the familiarity with Morris might make a difference. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones characterized Robinson as “a strong candidate” to join Morris in Atlanta.

Still, it’s not like the Saints and Falcons are Robinson’s only suitors. He’s interviewed with many teams for their offensive coordinator openings this cycle and he could just as well go somewhere else. Still, with this being the most important hire Dennis Allen will make in his three years as head coach, it’s not a decision the Saints can afford to get wrong.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

5 things Kalen DeBoer must do in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

The five most important acts Kalen DeBoer must complete in his first day as Alabama’s head coach

Replacing [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] was going to be an impossible task, but it feels like landing [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] is as good as it gets.

DeBoer is a proven winner with a 104-12 head coaching record. He is coming off a national title game appearance in just his second year with the Washington Huskies. He was reportedly athletic director Greg Byrne’s top target and the sides worked hard to get a deal done with almost no leaks.

DeBoer should be celebrated and enjoy the new promotion, but first thing in the morning we gotta get to work. Name, image and likeness licensing and the transfer portal have changed the game and allow you to essentially revamp your roster overnight, but DeBoer will have his work cut out for him. Many of the guys in the Alabama program came here because they wanted to play for Nick Saban, keeping them is going to require a sales pitch and a vision.

DeBoer has coordinator positions to fill, open roster spots and several other issues to attack. He has limited time to do so. Here are the five most important things DeBoer must do on his first day as head coach of the Crimson Tide:

Anonymous NFL players rank Saints’ Darren Rizzi as a top-5 special teams coordinator

An NFL Players Association of anonymous players ranked New Orleans Saints assistant Darren Rizzi as a top-5 special teams coordinator:

An anonymous poll from the NFL Players Association surveyed more than 1,700 players, asking them to rate their offensive, defensive, and special teams coordinators on a scale from 1 to 10 — and the NFLPA has already released the top-five at each spot, with the full rankings to come in the offseason.

Just one New Orleans Saints coordinator made the cut for the top-five: Darren Rizzi, their special teams coordinator. A longtime assistant with the Miami Dolphins before he came to New Orleans, Rizzi is respected for his ability to connect to his players and put them in position to win. Rizzi interviewed for the Saints head coach job when it became available in the wake of Sean Payton’s departure from the team, and he added the title of assistant head coach in 2022 under Dennis Allen.

So what were the exact items on this questionnaire? NFLPA president JC Tretter told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that these were qualitative ratings with “all encompassing” criteria. Pelissero quoted Tretter as saying “Guys in the Top 5 list pretty clearly appeal to almost everybody in their locker room.”

Another former Saints assistant was also recognized by his players as a great coach: Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who came up on the New Orleans staff working with the secondary under Allen and Payton. He’s repeatedly received interviews for head coach openings around the league and he might be in line to run his own team in the near future.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Dennis Allen says Ronald Curry addressed offense at halftime vs. Jaguars

Dennis Allen says Saints passing game coordinator Ronald Curry addressed the struggling offense at halftime vs. Jaguars

It’s no secret that the New Orleans Saints offense didn’t do enough with the opportunities they were given on Thursday night — especially in the first half, when they managed to score just six points against a couple of Jacksonville Jaguars touchdowns.

They went into halftime facing a steep deficit in a high-stakes situation. The team needed leaders to step up. And Saints head coach Dennis Allen shared a message from passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry after the break.

“It’s all about execution,” Allen told Amazon Prime Video sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung. “It’s like R.C. said in the locker room to the offense, ‘Let’s go out there and make plays that we’re capable of making.’ That’s what it’s about.”

Now, that doesn’t exactly sound like a big rah-rah speech or fire-and-brimstone sermon, but it’s notable that Curry was so vocally involved. Saints fans have been calling for Curry to have a shot calling plays instead of offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael early and often this season. Curry has been repeatedly spoken of highly by other members of the coaching staff and he’s called plays in each of the last two preseason series, so he has some experience.

The offense might not be better with Curry at the controls, it’s theorized, but it can’t be worse. Maybe Curry is more involved already than we’d be led to believe. Or maybe Allen’s comments shouldn’t warrant such a deep dive.

What’s important is that the team do what they can to win this Jaguars game, and Allen has a list of areas they can improve in the second half: “We’ve got to win situational football. Third down, red zone, we’ve got to be able to score points. We’ve got to be able to convert on third down, we’ve got to be able to kick a field goal. I mean, it’s the little things like that we’ve got to be able to do to give ourselves an opportunity to win a game.”

Facing a two-score deficit and the threat of a losing record for the first time this season, it’s obvious that pressure is building for Allen and his staff. This isn’t the outcome the Saints expected when they hired him last year or pursued his choice of quarterback this offseason. He’s running out of time to return the results they anticipated.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Packers coordinators speak coming out of the bye week

Adam Stenavich, Joe Barry and Rich Bisaccia spoke to the media coming out of the Packers bye week.

Green Bay Packers assistant coaches Adam Stenavich, Joe Barry and Rich Bisaccia spoke with the assembled media on Monday coming out of the team’s bye week.

The Packers are 2-3, riding a two-game losing streak and preparing to play the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Matt LaFleur will talk to the media on Wednesday.

Here’s all the important things said by each Packers coordinator on Monday: