Gus Bradely vs Wade Phillips

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Skin'EmAll]

Mannys take on Gus Bradley...



Gus Bradley would not be a great hire for the Redskins as defensive coordinator

According to reports, Gus Bradley is apparently atop the Washington Redskins defensive coordinator list following the decision not to retain Joe Barry. While the former Head Coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars appears to be a hot-name among Redskins fans, I personally have my doubts about how good a hire it would be. But before I paint a gloomy picture, lets discuss why Bradley garners much respect.

Serving as coordinator in Seattle, Bradley coordinated perennial top-ten defensive units. The Seahawks ranked ninth in 2011 and fourth in 2012. His success as a coordinator in those seasons helped propel him to the gig with the Jaguars. While that tenure historically went terrible (14-48 in four seasons), the Jaguars defense did rank sixth in the league this season. Whether or not that ranking truly reflects the tier of defense Jacksonville fielded this season is up for argument.

"When you know you've arrived is when a defense starts dictating the outcome of a game," said Gus Bradley late last season. "That's the mark of a really good defense." Obviously, the Jaguars only won three games, so draw your own conclusions.



Anyway, Bradley has ties to key staff members in the Washington Redskins' organization. I mean, he's a top candidate, of course he does. Bradley knows coach Jay Gruden and team president Bruce Allen from his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006-2008 where he served as the Linebackers coach. Of course, General Manager Scot McCloughan is also familiar with Bradley from his days with the Seattle Seahawks. So there's clear ties that could make Bradley a viable option for the team.

However, I remain skeptical.

While Bradley did have major success with the Seahawks in 2011 and 2012, let's be honest, that was Pete Carroll's mold. You don't even have to speculate to know that as fact. Bradley's only other "foundation" as a coach pretty much came from Monte Kiffiin with the Buccaneers where he learned the Tampa 2 system. Bradley initially implemented that system with the Seahawks when hired by then head coach Jim Mora Jr. in 2009. After that debacle of a season, the Seahawks hired the glamorous former USC Head Coach Pete Carroll who immediately brought his mold of a defense.

What we now know as those buzz word positions like "LEO" and "OTTO" - that came from Pete Carroll. He has a system he believes in with a specific idea of players that fit the mold. Obviously Bradley was a part, but not the reason of Seattle's rise on defense in 2011 and 2012.

One of the things I continue to hear from people who have followed or covered Gus Bradley is that he's a rah-rah guy who lacks disciplinary skills. That was one of the issues some Redskins players alluded to Joe Barry having the past couple seasons in Washington. The Jaguars were a heavily penalized team throughout Bradley's tenure. They even had two players ejected in a game this past season.

"That's a reflection of me as a head coach," Bradley said after rookie cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive tackle Malik Jackson were ejected. "It's a reflection of our discipline. It's a reflection of how our culture is and how we talk and how we handle things."


What you're getting with Bradley is a rah-rah guy who lacks disciplinary skills and needs a talented defensive roster to have success. That does not sound like a defensive coordinator the Redskins need. What the Redskins need is a guy who can develop talent and make the most out of what he has. They need a guy who can instill a clear direction and discipline. We'll discuss a few guys who could have those qualities in the coming days.

While I know I shouldn't fall in love with the first option at DC, I do feel this article is somewhat one sided.
Unless I'm overlooking something, Sherman, Chancellor, K.J. Wright, Maxwell and Malcolm Smith all turned out to be late, late gems in the draft...with a LOT of the credit going to Gus.
When Gus went to Jax, the emphasis in the draft appeared to be on offense, while FA was focused on defense.

Until his final season, i think its fair to say he had 2nd-3rd string starters with the exception of Posluszny and Cyprien. And his offense was awful, even 2015 was considered a fluke. Gus Bradley, whether it's his fault or not...NEVER got any Elite talent to work with in JAX. He will have above average talent in D.C. and could be able to get some of the defense to perform at an elite level within the system.
just my thoughts.