Tag: todd grantham

Todd Grantham can help Saints defensive line return to form

Todd Grantham can help the #Saints defensive line return to form. A former Gators player loves the hire, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

With several positions open on the defensive coaching staff, the New Orleans Saints have made their first hire. Per ESPN’s Chris Low, the Saints have hired former Florida Gators defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to be a defensive assistant. What position exactly he will hold has not yet been released. 

The Saints currently have openings at defensive coordinator, defensive line coach and secondary coach. While Grantham has experience as a coordinator, it seems unlikely that the term “assistant” would refer to that position in particular. It sounds likely instead that he ends up working on the defensive line, in the secondary, or at another position such as defensive analyst. 

Grantham’s defenses at Florida underwhelmed in terms of numbers. In his last full season (2020) his group ranked 83rd in the nation (9th in the SEC) in total defense allowing 428.0 yards per game, 71st nationally in run defense (10th in the SEC) surrendering 170.5 rushing yards per game and 90th across the country (8th in the SEC) in pass defense allowing 257.5 passing yards per game.

While those numbers may not inspire much confidence, it is worth considering the season he recently spent as a defensive analyst for Alabama head coach Nick Saban and that the Saints defense is in good hands led by head coach Dennis Allen. It’s also important to keep in perspective the circumstances of the 2020 football season.

What is impressive about Grantham is his connection with his players. This is an important element for the success of position coaches in the NFL and a particular emphasis on the Saints coaching staff. “Coach Grantham is a defensive line specialist,” former Gators defensive back Trey Dean told me Friday. He continued, “He is a great coach, one of the best defensive coaches. That’s a great addition for (the Saints) to add.”

Dean’s acknowledgement of Grantham as a defensive line specialist is especially interesting knowing New Orleans has an opening in that room. Ultimately, we will have to wait and see where the Saints’ new coach will land on the staff, but the process has begun in refilling spaces vacated by former co-defensive coordinators Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard. No matter what role Grantham assumes, top Gators draft prospects like Dean, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and edge defender Brenton Cox become names to watch in this year’s NFL draft.

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Tracking New Orleans Saints coaching staff changes, hirings, and interviews

Tracking New Orleans Saints coaching staff changes, hirings, and interviews: Instant analysis on every move

It took a little while longer than expected, but the New Orleans Saints have finally gotten involved with this year’s hiring cycle and begun making changes to their coaching staff. Dennis Allen’s crew needs all the help they can get after stumbling into a 7-10 finish last season, and the Saints are hard at work meeting with candidates to fill vacancies on his staff.

Check this space often for updates and instant analysis on each reported coaching change, hiring announcement, and scheduled interview. We’ll be keeping up to date on everything coming out of New Orleans as Allen looks to retool his coaching staff for 2023:

Former Florida DC heads back to NFL for assistant coach job, per report

There were rumors floating around about a possible return to the collegiate ranks, but it looks like those may have fallen through.

Former Florida football defensive coordinator [autotag]Todd Grantham[/autotag] was run out of Gainesville back in 2021 after a season that saw the Gators absolutely collapse on the defensive side of the ball. While that year’s coaching staff was ultimately cut by season’s end, the once-respected DC was the first of the dominoes to fall.

However, that was not the end of the road for Grantham as he quickly found a spot in February with the Alabama Crimson Tide as an analyst during the 2022 season. Now, it appears that he’s returning to the National Football League — he spent 11 years in the NFL as a defensive line coach before returning to the college level — as an assistant with the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN’s Chris Low.

No specifics have been offered yet on the role Grantham will fill on Dennis Allen’s staff, but it’s a reasonable assumption that it will be in a similar capacity to his previous sideline duties.

The Saints are in need of a defensive line coach after losing co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, so the move makes sense at its foundation. Grantham is the fourth member of Alabama’s coaching staff to join the Saints in the last year after offensive line coach Doug Marrone, along with strength and conditioning coaches Matt Rhea and Matt Clapp, were added to the staff.

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Report: Saints hiring Alabama analyst Todd Grantham as an assistant coach

ESPN’s Chris Low reports the Saints are hiring Alabama analyst Todd Grantham as an assistant. He spent 11 years in the NFL coaching defensive linemen:

This is an interesting move. ESPN’s Chris Low reports that the New Orleans Saints are hiring Alabama Crimson Tide analyst Todd Grantham as a defensive assistant coach — Grantham previously served as the Florida Gators defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021, and he spent 11 years in the NFL as a defensive line coach before returning to the college level. It remains to be seen if that’s the role Grantham will fill on Dennis Allen’s staff, but it’s a reasonable assumption.

The Saints needed a defensive line coach after losing co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to the Atlanta Falcons this offseason (he also worked with that same position group), so this move makes sense. Grantham is the fourth member of Alabama’s coaching staff to join the Saints in the last year after New Orleans brought in offensive line coach Doug Marrone and strength and conditioning coaches Matt Rhea and Matt Clapp.

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Check out where ESPN thinks Florida’s future defense ranks

Will the new coaching staff lead Florida to an elite defense over the next few years? ESPN like UF’s chances.

If you like way-too-early predictions and projections, ESPN’s latest ranking of future defenses might interest you. Georgia made it clear in 2021 that defense is king, at least for now, and it’s worth taking a look ahead at which teams have the most talent on that side of the ball.

Before we dive into it, let’s take a look at exactly what’s being measured in these defensive rankings. It’s impossible to know exactly what a team is going to look like over the next couple of years, but ESPN has opted to take the current rosters and look as far ahead as 2024 to get the job done. Returning players, incoming transfers and expected NFL departures are all factored into these rankings. Still, those changes can continually affect a program if they come up consistently.

With that being said, ESPN has Florida at a respectable No. 21 on the list after finishing at No. 12 last year. The drop is hardly surprising considering the disaster of a defense the Gators have fielded over the past two years. Let’s not forget that defensive coordinator [autotag]Todd Grantham[/autotag] was the first domino to drop in the collapse of the Mullen regime. [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] and [autotag]Zachary Carter[/autotag], two key contributors over the last two seasons, are also gone via the NFL draft.

“Florida is one of the tougher teams to project after so many changes, on both its roster and the coaching staff. But the foundation on defense, combined with a promising start to recruiting, vaults the Gators into the rankings for the first time in this year’s FPR series.”

Co-defensive coordinators [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] and [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] have plenty of talent to work with in 2022 and showed promise by nabbing five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] among a handful of other blue-chip recruits in a short cycle.

[autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. are the players to look for up front, and “the development of others will significant” as well. [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] leads a young group of linebackers, including freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag], and the secondary has some returning talent in [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag], [autotag]Rashad Torrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr.[/autotag] [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] is also coming back from an injury that kept him out all of last year.

That leaves Florida sixth in terms of future defenses in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama take up Nos. 2-4 on the list, in that order, after reeling in strong recruiting classes year after year. If [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] can keep up the early success he’s had at Florida bringing in young talent, then Florida should start to close the gap between No. 21 and those three schools in the top five.

At the very least, the goal should be to get above Kentucky (No. 18) and start creeping up on LSU (No. 9). There’s a real feeling that Florida can reclaim the title of DBU over the next few years with former LSU defensive backs coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] in tow. The recruiting class of 2023 should have a huge impact on the Gators’ future defense ranking.

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Best Twitter reactions to Buffalo Bills’ selection of Florida CB Kaiir Elam

Here are the best Twitter reactions to Florida cornerback being drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the 23rd overall pick.

The Buffalo Bills drafted Florida cornerback [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] to pair opposite of their star defensive back Tre’Davious White with the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday. He was also the first Gators player to hear his name called.

Elam was a lockdown corner the past three seasons under former Gators head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] and defensive coordinator [autotag]Todd Grantham[/autotag]. He recorded 78 career total tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, five interceptions, 20 pass deflections and a fumble recovery. In his final season with Florida, Elam tallied 29 total tackles, 1.5 for a loss, one pick and five pass deflections in only 10 games.

He came to the Swamp as a four-star recruit, the 48th overall prospect and the sixth-best player at his position in the 2019 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

It’s exciting for Elam and for Gators fans because he joins a Super Bowl-contending team right away. The Bills came up just short in the AFC Divisional Round versus the Kansas City Chiefs.

Here are some of the best Twitter reactions to Elam getting selected in the first round by the Bills.

Which Florida football opponent in 2022 has biggest trap game potential?

Here’s the game the Gators need to make sure they’re up for this fall.

Florida football’s spring practice season concluded just a week ago, opening the schedule for a long summer until the Gators’ gridiron gang returns to the Swamp next fall. Despite the lengthy layoff, it certainly is not too early to start looking toward the opponents slated for the 2022 campaign, especially now that many teams’ uncertainties have become well-known.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports undertook the task of determining the biggest trap game for every Southeastern Conference school this coming season, including the Florida Gators — which was no easy assignment. Here is who he thinks the Orange and Blue need to look out for during the fall.

Biggest trap game: versus South Carolina, Nov. 12

Admittedly, this was the toughest trap game to pick in the entire SEC this season given Florida’s well-balanced schedule and the fact no one really knows what to expect from the Gators during [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s first campaign outside of being a well-coached football team. The roster still has holes that need to be addressed — and will be according to Napier — ahead of fall camp in the transfer portal and there’s enough good teams on the slate that could critically affect where this team lands. South Carolina has only won once in Gainesville since the 2012 season and talent-wise the rosters are comparable. Florida needs to salvage consecutive losses to Texas A&M and Georgia with a win here.

He makes a good point about Florida’s robust schedule but perhaps undersells how difficult the Gators’ path will be, given that they open the season against a projected top-10 Utah Utes team, quickly followed by a Kentucky squad that could also prove to be a trap game. The “balance” kicks in when UF hosts USF and Eastern Washington in the third and fifth weeks before rolling off a slew of SEC matchups ahead of the FSU clincher in late November.

The Gamecocks will have Spencer Rattler at the helm, having come over from Oklahoma through the transfer portal, and will likely be a tougher matchup than the team that steamrolled UF in Columbia last season resulting in [autotag]Todd Grantham[/autotag] and [autotag]John Hevesey[/autotag]’s dismissal from the coaching staff. The Gators cannot afford to rest on any weekend this season, and most importantly, not against conference opponents at home.

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Todd Grantham officially joins Nick Saban’s staff in Tuscaloosa

Todd Grantham officially joins the Alabama coaching staff

Earlier this week reports began to surface that former Florida Gators defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham had been offered a position by Nick Saban on the Alabama coaching staff.

On Sunday, the hire was officially announced. Grantham will be joining Saban’s staff as a defensive analyst.

Grantham has over 30-years of coaching experience both in college and the NFL.

Grantham worked for Saban from 1996-1998 at Michigan State. Grantham coached the defensive line during the 1996 and 1997 seasons before being promoted as the associate head coach while also retaining his role as the defensive line coach in 1998.

Grantham also has plenty of experience in the SEC, holding the defensive coordinator position at Georgia and Mississippi State before his time in Gainesville.

Grantham is expected to join the team in Tuscaloosa this week according to the report.

Matt Zenitz of On3 reported the news of Grantham’s hiring earlier Sunday afternoon on Twitter.

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Former Gators DC Todd Grantham joins Alabama staff

Nick Saban is taking a chance on former Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham at Alabama.

Former Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will join the Alabama Crimson Tide as an analyst, according to a report from On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Grantham was the first domino to fall in the collapse of the Dan Mullen era at Florida. After two seasons of success with the Gators, his defense fell apart in the final two years of his stint at UF. Mullen ultimately fired Grantham after an embarrassing 40-17 loss to South Carolina in November before getting the ax himself later in the month.

While key injuries certainly played a part in Florida’s defensive collapse under Grantham, the Gators reached historic lows on his side of the ball in 2020. Mullen maintained that Grantham was a good coach even after the split, and Nick Saban obviously sees enough in him to bring him on board one of the most highly-respected staffs in the country.

This isn’t the first time a coach has gone to Alabama to rehab their career, and Saban knows Grantham from their time together at Michigan State. Of course, an analyst role is a major step down from being an SEC defensive coordinator.

The Gators won’t face the Crimson Tide in the regular season in 2022, but Grantham’s intel could come in handy if Billy Napier can get Florida to the SEC Championship in his first year as head coach.

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REPORT: Todd Grantham considering offer to join the Alabama coaching staff

This would certainly be an interesting hire by Nick Saban

Nick Saban has already made four additions to his coaching staff this offseason in Coleman Hutzler (special teams and OLB), Eric Wolford (OL), Travaris Robinson (CB), and Joe Cox (TE). The legendary coach may not be finished either.

A report from Football Scoop has indicated that coach Saban has offered a position on the staff to long-time SEC defensive coach Todd Grantham.

Grantham has been in coaching since 1990 when he became the defensive ends and inside linebackers coach for Virginia Tech. Grantham has had several stops both in college and the NFL. Grantham has held the defensive coordinator title at Georgia, Mississippi State, and Florida.

Grantham is known for his aggressive and attacking style on the defensive side of the ball and would certainly bring a lot of experience and knowledge to the coaching staff in Tuscaloosa.

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