Tag: Ronald Curry

Ronald Curry interviewed for the Saints’ offensive coordinator vacancy

Ronald Curry interviewed for the Saints’ offensive coordinator vacancy last week. The longtime assistant coach is in the mix:

This was expected: New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Ronald Curry interviewed for the team’s open offensive coordinator job, as first reported by the Times-Picayune’s Luke Johnson, with CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adding that Curry met with Saints brass to discuss the opening a week ago.

It makes sense to consider an internal candidate as respected as Curry. He’s been with the Saints for eight years and has climbed the ladder from working with the wide receivers to quarterbacks to playing a key role in the overall structure of the offense. He’s highly-regarded outside the building, too; Sean Payton tried to take Curry with him to Denver last year. He also interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their offensive coordinator job in the last hiring cycle.

Does that make him a favorite to get the job? Not so fast. The Saints have interviewed half a dozen candidates from the Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan coaching trees, all of whom would bring something new to the table. We’ll have to wait and see who ultimately lands the job, but Curry doesn’t have an inside track just because of familiarity. The Saints have expressed a desire to go in a new direction offensively. They must follow through with it.

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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.

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Saints can’t afford to not make a change on offense amid historically-poor streak

The Saints can’t afford to not make a change on offense amid their historically-poor streak. They haven’t averaged so few points per game since 2005:

It’s tough to win football games when you can’t put points on the board, and it’s past time the New Orleans Saints address it. It’s time offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael step down into a lesser role, which is what he’s wanted all along. Dennis Allen’s failure to recruit a new play caller led to Carmichael taking a job he wasn’t prepared for, and the results speak for themselves.

The Saints haven’t scored more than 21 points in 10 straight games, going back to last season. Whether it’s Derek Carr, Andy Dalton, or Jameis Winston at quarterback Carmichael has not been able to get the offense moving and driving into the end zone. Carmichael is the common factor.

They’re averaging just 13.8 points points per game this season (not including Rashid Shaheed’s punt returned for a touchdown, and the ensuing extra point kick) which is the lowest since their 14.7 per-game average in 2005. That happened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and led to sweeping organizational changes.

A team with so many weapons like this one shouldn’t struggle to score points. A receiving corps boasting Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed with Alvin Kamara, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau in the mix shouldn’t be struggling to score twice per game. Carmichael’s latest version of the offense has lost more turnovers (5) than they’ve scored touchdowns (4).

Dennis Allen deserves a lot of the blame. He may have a defensive background, but he’s the head coach, and he’s responsible for putting all of these people in their positions. He couldn’t replace Carmichael (assuming he even tried) in the offseason. He got the quarterback he wanted. Most of those skills position talents we just rattled off have been acquired during his tenure. This is his vision of the team, and it’s a squad that can’t even average 14 points per game, much less 23 points each week (which is league-average).

There’s a tough conversation centering on Allen’s own job security and future with the team. But don’t count on a change in-season. The Saints haven’t fired a head coach during the season since 1980, which was a long time and an ownership change ago. The only realistic “major” change would be demoting Carmichael and giving someone else the opportunity to call plays.

But who? The team has gushed about passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry at every opportunity. He’s called plays in two preseasons now. He may not be a better choice than Carmichael in that role, but he can’t be much worse. And there’s also the specter of Jon Gruden lurking around the team. Carr’s former head coach got more out of him than anyone else in the NFL, and we can’t rule out the possibility that the Saints would add him to the staff if they get truly desperate. Gruden comes with a lot of baggage, but so did Deshaun Watson, and Allen did everything in his power to go get him when he had the chance.

Change is inevitable. The only questions about it are when it will happen, and how it will manifest. Allen is running out of time to come up with an answer.

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Dennis Allen says Derek Carr, some starters won’t play in preseason Week 3

Dennis Allen says Derek Carr and some starters won’t play in preseason Week 3. Allen won’t be the defensive play caller, either:

The New Orleans Saints aren’t taking any risks in their preseason finale — after Friday’s practice session at the Caesars Superdome, head coach Dennis Allen said that quarterback Derek Carr and several starters will sit out Sunday’s game with the Houston Texans. Allen added that Jameis Winston will start the exhibition game at quarterback, with rookie draft pick Jake Haener rotating in to relieve him.

It’s a smart play. Carr was effective in his lone drive to open the preseason two weeks ago, dicing up the Kansas City Chiefs’ first-string defense and driving a Saints offense that looked like itself for the first time in years. There isn’t anything for him to gain against a Houston Texans squad missing several key contributors with injuries in a game that won’t be reflected in the win-loss column. An untimely injury could derail this team’s season.

So who else could watch this one from the sidelines? The Saints have rested starters like Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Ryan Ramczyk recently to preserve them for the regular season, and that’s likely to continue again on Sunday.

One player to watch: Alvin Kamara. The star running back will open the season with a three-week suspension, so the team may want him to get some work early on to stay fresh, as was their approach with former Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata before his 2021 suspension.

Allen highlighted one other change to their preseason game prep — he won’t be on the headset as the defensive play caller. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods will have the mic in this game, giving him an opportunity to try some different things and run the unit himself. Passing-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry will call plays offensively again this week, having taken over Pete Carmichael Jr. in their last preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers. Preseason games are great learning opportunities for the players on the field and the coaches on the sidelines. Hopefully everyone makes the most of it.

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Jameis Winston will start at QB vs. Chargers and play the full first half

HC Dennis Allen announces Jameis Winston will start and play first half vs Chargers. This may mean Derek Carr is done for the preseason | @southexclusives

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen shared with team reporter Erin Summers that Jameis Winston will be getting the start at quarterback in their second preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers. After a strong showing on the first drive of the first preseason game and a heavy workload in two days of joint practices with the Chargers, this may indicate we won’t see Derek Carr for the rest of the preseason.

The Saints have another pair of joint practices with the Houston Texans next week, so a repeat of this week’s approach is likely. Carr gets multiple reps against an opponent’s first-team defense in practice and makes the game itself less necessary. It’s a smart approach.

Winston will most likely get the full first half to himself before passing it off to Jake Haener. Another wrinkle, per Summers’ report: both quarterbacks will be receiving play calls from passing game coordinator Ronald Curry. Pete Carmichael will be the gameday play caller in the regular season. The Saints like Curry and he seems to have a bright future in the NFL. The preseason is the perfect opportunity for him to develop his craft in a very low-risk situation that mimics a regular season game. This could come in handy this season in a pinch or in the future for Curry.

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Former two-sport UNC star Curry heading into eighth season with Saints

Two-way star Ronald Curry, who played both football and basketball at UNC, is now entering his eighth year with the NFL’s Saints.

If you ever had the chance to watch Ronald Curry suit up at UNC, you know how good of an athlete he was.

Curry played both football and basketball as a Tar Heel. He started all four years (1998-2001) at quarterback and finished his collegiate career among UNC’s career statistical leaders – sixth in total career offensive yards (6,236) and career passing yards (4,987). Curry also started 27 times at point guard for the hardcourt Heels, helping them to a Final Four appearance in 200.

Curry also had a solid career as an NFL wide receiver, catching 193 passes for 2,347 yards and 13 touchdowns across seven season with the Oakland Raiders.

Still in the NFL, Curry is now entering his eighth year on the New Orleans Saints’ coaching staff.

Despite playing professionally as a wide receiver, Curry is the Saints’ Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach. This is Curry’s third season as quarterbacks coach, after working primarily with wide receivers during his first five seasons in the Bayou.

Curry’s work has primarily been with former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, the top pick in the 2015 NFL Draft whose Tampa Bay Buccaneers career didn’t quite pan out. Last year, the Winston-led Saints offense improved to 16th in passing yards from dead last in 2021.

Earlier this year, Curry also served as offensive coordinator for the Reese’s Senior Bowl National Team.

Before he was quarterbacks coach in New Orleans, Curry helped Michael Thomas (149 receptions, 1,725 yards) break the NFL receptions record and Saints’ receiving yardage records. Curry’s work with Thomas was so impressive that Thomas was named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

The top high school QBs of all time: East region

That inlcudes the eastern region, where some of the greatest pro quarterbacks of all time played their high school football.

While some states are better known for producing great athletes than others, the truth is legendary competitors can come from anywhere. That includes the schools in the east, where more than a few of the greats played their high school football.

As the 2023 high school football season and opening Super 25 nears, we’re looking back at the best players of all time, beginning with the quarterbacks.

To create this list, we selected QBs who played at schools in the following states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Virginia, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine. This format follows our breakdown for Super 25 football regions—East, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West.

 

Saints passing game coordinator Ronald Curry attending NFL coach accelerator program

New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Ronald Curry is attending the NFL’s upcoming accelerator program:

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This is a cool opportunity for Ronald Curry. The New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator is one of 40 participants at this year’s NFL Coach Accelerator program, having been nominated as someone with the potential to become a head coach someday. It’s based off of the front office accelerator event that Saints assistant general manager Khai Harley attended in 2022.

Here’s what the NFL said of the program in a public press release:

The Coach Accelerator aims to increase exposure between owners, executives, and diverse coaching talent, providing ample opportunity to develop and build upon their relationships. In a change to the nomination process this year, clubs were able to nominate those from outside of their organization.

The 40 participants this year are attending based on their high potential to be considered for a Head Coach position in the future. Sixteen of the participants will be returning from the May 2022 Accelerator cohort.

In addition to networking, further development of the participants is a critical component of the accelerator, with curated content sessions scheduled that will further engage each participant on the advancement of their executive leadership skills and business acumen.

Curry isn’t the only coach with Saints ties to participate in the event — former Saints defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator Kris Richard is also one of the 40 invitees, though he hasn’t taken a new job after splitting with New Orleans earlier this year.

So this is a good stage for Curry to continue to raise his standing around the league. He’s steadily climbed the ladder in New Orleans after coaching receivers and quarterbacks to continue adding to his responsibilities. If he continues to do well, he shouldn’t be long for New Orleans.

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Broncos coaching staff update: DC interviews, OC drops out

Vance Joseph and Kris Richard are DC candidates, Ronald Curry is no longer an OC candidate, and Klint Kubiak has left to join the 49ers.

Fans waiting to see the Denver Broncos’ finalized coaching staff under new head coach Sean Payton will probably have to wait at least until next week.

On the defensive coordinator front, Vance Joseph has been released from his contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and he is expected to interview with the Broncos today. Joseph is also expected to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles for their DC opening.

Denver also recently interviewed Kris Richard for its DC position, according to NFL Network, but Rex Ryan is considered the favorite to get the job.

Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, Ronald Curry is expected to remain with the New Orleans Saints after drawing interest from the Broncos as an offensive coordinator candidate.

In addition to seeking a new OC, Denver will also need to hire a new quarterbacks coach after Klint Kubiak left to join the San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos seem unlikely to fill all of their open positions this weekend, so the process is presumably set to drag into another week.

In the third phase of the game, Denver is expected to add Ben Kotwica as the new special teams coordinator. Mike Westhoff will presumably join him in a senior special teams role.

We are tracking all of the team’s coaching changes on this page.

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QB coach/passing game coordinator Ronald Curry to stay with Saints for 2023

QB coach/passing game coordinator Ronald Curry to stay with Saints for 2023, won’t join Buccaneers or Sean Payton on Broncos after interviewing for OC jobs:

Here’s some good news for the New Orleans Saints: KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson first reported that quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Ronald Curry is expected to remain with the Saints in 2023 after interviewing with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos for their offensive coordinator vacancies. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill confirmed that Curry will stay in town.

Curry, 43, is a coach on the rise who started his Saints career working with receivers before moving to quarterbacks, and now he’s responsible for managing multiple position groups in fine-tuning the passing attack. He called plays in a preseason game last summer and should continue to see his role expand in New Orleans.

Hopefully, anyway. Pete Carmichael struggled to maximize the talent available to him last year and some fresh insight is needed offensively. It’s tough to make waves with a backup quarterback and without three of your top five receivers (Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, and Deonte Harty missed most of the season with injuries) but Curry’s background as a position coach and familiarity with his players should be a resource the Saints draw from more heavily moving forward.

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