Tag: derick hall

Roc Bellantoni set to re-join Auburn coaching staff

Hugh Freeze’s latest hire has previous experience with the program.

Auburn Football has called upon an old friend to fill the EDGE coach vacancy.

[autotag]Roc Bellantoni[/autotag], who served as EDGE coach and special teams coordinator under [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] during the 2022 season, is heading back to the Plains after a two-year stint with Tom Herman’s staff at Florida Atlantic. On3’s Justin Hokanson reported this news.

He joined Auburn’s staff in 2022 after serving as special teams coordinator at Utah State. He has also coached at Washington State, Buffalo, Villanova, and Eastern Illinois. Bellantoni spent the last two seasons as FAU’s defensive coordinator. Last season, FAU finished No. 10 in the American Athletic Conference in points allowed (30.3) and No. 9 in yards allowed per game (416.7).

During the 2022 season, Bellantoni coached [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], who would become the defense’s top pass rushers. The duo ended the season in the top two in pressures created. Hall led the team with 47 pressures (28 quarterback hurries), and Wooden was next in line with 35 pressures (24 quarterback hurries). Both players were taken in the top four rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.

Similar success is possible for Bellantoni in his second stint as Auburn’s EDGE coach. [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returns to the unit after making 81 stops with eight sacks and a forced fumble during his first two seasons on the Plains. Freshmen [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] had great first seasons and will be key players on defense again this season.

The future at the position is bright as well. Five-star freshman [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] is set to join the program in the fall, and Auburn also added former Sam Houston EDGE rusher [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] from the transfer portal to add depth.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

2 Seahawks defenders closing in on ending 5-year team drought

2 Seahawks defenders closing in on ending 5-year team drought

The Seattle Seahawks put forth a dominant performance against the Chicago Bears in Thursday’s 6-3 Week 17 victory, clinching a winning season in 2024. The Bears were limited to 179 total yards of offense. Their rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 122 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. Williams was also sacked on seven occasions by a haunting Seahawks defense. Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde routinely overwhelmed the line of scrimmage and Chicago’s lackluster offensive line.

And with that triumph, two Seahawks defenders inched nearer to ending a five-year drought. Leonard Williams was his usual dominant self, recording two sacks. Sophomore EDGE Derick Hall also accumulated a quarterback takedown. Williams now has a team-high 9.0 sacks this season, and Hall isn’t far behind, with 8.0.

The Seahawks haven’t had a double-digit sack artist since 2018, when both Frank Clark (14.0) and Jarran Reed (10.5) achieved that feat. Williams and Hall could end that drought against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18, a game everyone hopes will decide the NFC West.

Williams recorded his ninth sack after Dugar’s tweet. The veteran defensive linemen is extremely likely to reach 10 sacks against the Rams next weekend. Hall would require two sacks, making it possible, but a little less likely.

Boye Mafe (9.0), Darrell Taylor/Uchenna Nwosu (9.5), Carlos Dunlap (8.5), Jamal Adams (9.5), and Rasheem Green (4.0) led the Seahawks in sacks over the previous five campaigns. As you can see, most of them came painfully close to double-digit sacks while falling just short. Williams and Hall possess legitimate opportunities to end this five-year drought next Sunday.

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3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Bears in Week 17

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Bears in Week 17

The Seattle Seahawks may require a victory versus the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football to keep their postseason dreams alive. Unlike their previous two matchups, the Seahawks are considered heavy favorites against a lackluster Bears squad. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for Mike Macdonald’s defense.

Seahawks force 3 turnovers

The Seahawks did not force a single turnover in their Week 16 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. Jarran Reed did record a strip-sack, but the Vikings recovered. Meanwhile the Bears committed two turnovers in their latest outing. Look for Macdonald’s opportunistic defense to tempt the Bears into multiple turnovers.

Leonard Williams dominates

The Bears’ offensive line is a disastrous unit. Left tackle Braxton Jones was one of their more effective blockers, but recently suffered a season-ending injury. The interior has especially struggled to protect rookie quarterback Caleb Williams this season. Leonard Williams is capable of dominating Chicago’s guards and centers alike. Look for the veteran Williams to gain constant entry into Chicago’s backfield.

Bears are held to 17 or fewer points

The Bears are averaging a 26th-ranked 18.9 points per contest. Interim head coach and offensive play caller Thomas Brown has not improved the offense since replacing Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron. The Bears have scored 17 points or fewer in three consecutive contests. Seattle’s scoring defense should take advantage of this bounce-back spot.

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3 improved Seahawks we’re thankful for this Holiday season

3 improved Seahawks we’re thankful for this Holiday season

The Holidays are a time for self-reflection and positivity. The 8-7 Seattle Seahawks have endured an inconsistent season. Entering Week 17, Mike Macdonald’s club requires help to re-steal the NFC West division from the Los Angeles Rams. Despite the disappointing situation they currently find themselves in, several Seahawks players have showcased improvement throughout this campaign.

We’ve identified three in particular we’re thankful for this holiday season.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has developed into the Seahawks’ go-to playmaker this season. After an up-and-down rookie campaign, JSN currently leads the offense in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,089), and catching touchdowns (six). Smith-Njigba has already destroyed his rookie-season receiving line (63-628-4). His ascension has been a terrific development for Ryan Grubb’s offense.

Zach Charbonnet

No. 2 running back Zach Charbonnet has been the unsung hero of the offense this season. Preferred ball carrier Kenneth Walker III has been nursing ankle and calf injuries in recent weeks. The sophomore Charbonnet leads all Seahawks skill players in touchdowns with nine (eight rushing, one receiving) through Week 16. In a recent opportunity to lead the backfield, he rushed for a career-high 134 yards and two scores.

Derick Hall

The third and final member of John Schneider’s excellent 2023 draft class to make this list, Derick Hall has flashed legitimate improvement as a pass rusher this season. After playing a part-time role as a rookie that had many questioning the value of his second-round pick status, Hall has exploded in 2024. The former Auburn standout is tied with Leonard Williams for the team-lead in sacks with 7.0 quarterback takedowns.

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Watch: Seahawks snag back-to-back interceptions in the first quarter

Watch: Seahawks snag back-to-back interceptions in the first quarter

The Seattle Seahawks have had an explosive first quarter, and it has been fueled by the defense forcing turnovers. The Cardinals drew first blood with an opening drive touchdown, but that was where their highlights ended in the opening frame.

On Arizona’s second possession, quarterback Kyler Murray threw a dart directly to Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV. It was the first interception Jones has snagged as a Hawk.

One play later, Geno Smith found Jaxon Smith-Njigba to give Seattle the lead.

The fireworks did not end there for Seattle’s defense. On the Cards’ ensuing drive, pressured by linebacker Derick Hall, Murray tried to escape pressure. Unfortunately for him, his hurried pass landed in the waiting arms of safety Coby Bryant.

Two weeks ago, Bryant won NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his interception and subsequent touchdown return. While this didn’t make it back to the house this time, the Seahawks still took advantage by finding the end zone five plays later behind the legs of Zach Charbonnet.

Be sure to follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter today for more live updates, analysis and highlights during the game.

Is this Uchenna Nwosu’s last chance to stick with Seahawks?

Is this Uchenna Nwosu’s last chance to stick with Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks activated EDGE Uchenna Nwosu off IR on Thursday. Nwosu will play against the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s Week 14 NFC West showdown. This upcoming stint may represent his last opportunity to prove he should stick with the Seahawks for the foreseeable future.

It’s been a difficult period for Nwosu since recording a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2022. The former USC standout missed more than half of the 2023 campaign due to a pectoral injury suffered in Week 7. The 2024 season has welcomed more challenges.

Nwosu suffered an MCL sprain in the preseason finale that kept him sidelined for Seattle’s opening four regular-season contests. The Seahawks never placed him on IR and he healed slightly slower than expected. Nwosu made his 2024 debut against the New York Giants in Week 5, but that only lasted 20 snaps. He exited with a thigh injury and was placed on IR. He’s been absent since.

Nwosu hasn’t been consistently healthy since 2022. Since then, the Seahawks have wisely invested premium resources into the EDGE position, signing Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year contract worth more than $51 million, and drafting Boye Mafe and Derick Hall with back-to-back second round picks in 2022 and 2023. All three of those rushers have produced in Nwosu’s absence.

Nwosu is technically signed through 2026, but he doesn’t possess any guaranteed money remaining on his contract moving forward. General manager John Schneider could release Nwosu from his deal in the offseason and save nearly $15 million versus the 2025 cap if he designates the transaction as a post-June move, according to OverTheCap. The dead-cap charge would be a manageable $6.5 million. If the Seahawks wanted the funds immediately, a pre-June move would penalize them $13 million in dead money while creating $8.4 million in immediate financial flexibility.

The Seahawks are currently scheduled to be $6 million over the 2025 cap. That qualifies as the third-worst cap situation of any team in the league heading into the offseason. It’s a minimal amount that Schneider should easily navigate, but it makes creating funds via releasing players a borderline necessity.

Hall and Mafe are long-term pieces on affordable rookie contracts. Jones is signed through just next season and is an alternative potential cap casualty, buy why would the Seahawks choose to release Jones over Nwosu when the former has been healthy and productive? If Nwosu wants to make this a difficult decision for Schneider, he needs to stay available and impactful down the stretch of the 2024 campaign.

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Seahawks defense set tone with dominant first half vs. Cardinals in Week 12 win

Seahawks defense set tone with dominant first half vs. Cardinals in Week 12 win

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense put forth a dominant showing versus their NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s crucial 16-6 Week 12 victory. Mike Macdonald’s defense was firing on all cylinders early. It turns out they set the tone during the opening half of Sunday’s triumph.

The Seahawks pressured Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray on nine of his 20 dropbacks (45%) throughout the first half, according to advanced data collected by ESPN Research. That represented the highest pressure rate Murray has faced in a first half in the last two seasons. He predictably struggled under duress, going two-of-six for 27 yards and three sacks on those plays.

Overall, the Seahawks’ surging defense limited the Cardinals to six points, 49 rushing yards, and 300 total yards of offense. A Seahawks defense that’s consistently struggled to defend the run this season held Cardinals running backs James Conner and Trey Benson to 26 yards via 11 carries (2.36 yards per carry).

Arizona’s offense went a combined three-of-13 on third and fourth down attempts. Murray threw zero touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked on five total occasions.

The Seahawks have held consecutive divisional opponents to under 20 points. Back-to-back victories over the San Francisco 49ers and Cardinals have the 6-5 Seahawks suddenly sitting atop the NFC West after all three of their divisional contenders lost on Sunday. Macdonald’s in-form defense is powering Seattle forward.

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Seahawks’ pass-rushing metrics through Week 9

Seahawks’ pass-rushing metrics through Week 9

The Seattle Seahawks are tied for 15th in the NFL in sacks with 21 quarterback takedowns through nine contests heading into this weekend’s bye. Mike Macdonald’s defense has taken a by-committee approach to rushing the passer. Three Seahawks defenders have produced three-or-more sacks, with Derick Hall (5.0), Boye Mafe (4.0), and Dre’Mont Jones (3.0) sitting atop the team leaderboard.

Leonard Williams (2.5), Tyrel Dodson (2.0), and Jarran Reed (2.0) aren’t far off from joining that club. Williams actually leads the Seahawks in pressures with 28, and Mafe (27), Hall (26), Reed (26), and Jones (25) aren’t far behind, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s been a team-effort for Seattle’s front seven this season.

The advanced analytics are in-line with these tangible results. The Seahawks have posted a league-average 41% pass-block-win-rate (PBWR) so far this season, ranking 17th in the NFL through nine weeks, according to data provided by ESPN Stats & Info. Seattle has been effective at getting after opposing passers.

Williams has posted 15 pass-rushing-wins out of 100 reps, also per ESPN. Williams’ 15% PRWR ranks third-best (tied with Calais Campbell) among all qualifying defensive tackles, trailing just Zach Allen (21%) and Chris Jones (20%). There’s no denying his production this season.

Applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks hasn’t been Seattle’s issue this season. The 4-5 Seahawks are entering a Week 10 bye. When they return, a productive, all-hands-on-deck pass rushing unit will attempt to aid other areas of struggle.

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Seahawks’ run-stopping metrics through Week 9

Seahawks’ run-stopping metrics through Week 9

The Seattle Seahawks have struggled to stop the run this season. Entering their Week 10 bye, the defense is currently ranked 27th in defending the run, allowing opposing offenses to produce 139.4 rushing yards per game. Missed tackles and gap discipline have been recurring issues across the front seven.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider recently made a notable change to the run defense. Schneider acquired linebacker Ernest Jones IV in a trade with the Tennessee Titans in exchange for 2025 draft-pick capital and fellow linebacker Jerome Baker. Despite losing to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9, their starting back Kyren Williams was limited to 69 yards and 3.1 yards per carry. Jones has already improved Seattle’s run defense.

The season-long metrics still leave plenty to be desired. As things stand, the Seahawks have posted a run-stopping-win-rate (RSWR) of 29%, 23rd-best in the league, according to data collected by ESPN Stats & Info. That ranking aligns with what Seattle’s undisciplined run defense has put on tape.

Opposing backfields are rushing for 4.8 yards per carry against Seattle’s defense. That’s tied for the sixth-most yards per carry average allowed by any defense in the NFL. Mike Macdonald’s unit has forfeited a middling nine rushing touchdowns this season.

The Seahawks must defend the run with better efficiency when they return from their Week 10 bye. Acquiring Jones has slightly pushed the needle in a better direction. Using the off-week to course-correct their gap-sound discipline issues could lead to more desirable results versus the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11.

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Seahawks DL Jarran Reed clears air after sideline dust-up with Derick Hall

Seahawks DL Jarran Reed clears air after sideline dust-up with Derick Hall

The Seattle Seahawks were embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, losing their Week 8 contest 31-10. Emotions tend to boil over when suffering such a lopsided defeat. At one point, those emotions boiled over when veteran defensive lineman Jarran Reed decided to address Derick Hall on the sideline following his critical roughing the passer penalty.

Reed claims the Seahawks had discussed how Bills quarterback Josh Allen is a well-known flopper that draws roughing the passer penalties. That was at the heart of Reed’s disappointment with Hall’s 15-yard penalty. The two defenders have since buried the hatchet, per recent comments.

“Emotions run high in football,” Reed told the media on Wednesday. “We talked about what [Bills QB] Josh Allen could do all week with the flopping. It was a boneheaded play, and I just wanted him [Derick Hall] to know that we couldn’t do that. It was a critical play in a critical time of the game. It created an explosive play, which is what we’re trying to eliminate. That’s all we were talking about. We’re just two guys who care about football. Look, D-Hall is my guy, he’s one of my friends on this team. We’re still cool. There’s no love lost, it just happens,” Reed concluded.

Hall leads the Seahawks in sacks this season with five quarterback takedowns. Reed has been effective, totaling 25 tackles, three for loss, and two sacks. The Seahawks need Hall and Reed to continue playing quality football for Mike Macdonald’s struggling defense.

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