Official JIM CALDWELL/new staff thread

[Microwahevo]

What troubles me most about it is that when an offensive HC undertakes play calling duties, he ought be sure that he has someone running the defense who has been there before and knows what he's doing. An experienced head coach of the defense. Caldwell did the opposite and hired a first timer.

Not completely true. He was the D-coordinator at Florida in '10. Here's some more about his coaching history:

"Austin has spent 10 of the last 11 seasons as a defensive backs coach in the NFL, including stints with the Seattle Seahawks (2003-05), Arizona Cardinals (2007-09) and most recently with the Ravens (2011-13). All three of those teams played in a Super Bowl while he was on staff. The Ravens won it last year.

Austin has had a strong record coaching the defensive backs in Baltimore. The Ravens finished 12th against the pass last season. They were 17th in 2012 and fourth in 2011.

Last season, Austin’s starting cornerbacks in Baltimore, Lardarius Webb (second) and Jimmy Smith (14th), both finished in the Top-15 in the NFL in pass defenses with 22 and 16, respectively.

He mentored three Cardinals defensive backs to the Pro Bowl as Arizona’s defensive backs coach (2007-09) including cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, safety Antrel Rolle and safety Adrian Wilson. His Cardinals secondary also led the league in interception-touchdowns (six) in 2007.

He also spent four seasons coaching defensive backs at Michigan and will continue to run the 4-3 defense."

He has worked with some of the best DBs in the league, year in and year out. I like his experience in that category. True, he doesn't have extensive experience as a D-coordinator, but he has done it before. And his defenses/players have had success, for the most part, so I don't expect to see a huge decline, if any, from our D, especially our secondary.

 

[gandydancer]

Not trying to spin the hire in any fashion... I just know that every coach that has any worth at some time took the same path. Is Caldwell seeing the DB's as their biggest weakness and going with someone he trusts???

Those names in Micro post are pro bowl claiber players. Was it the coach making the players or the players making him look good?

 

[Old Lion]

We definitely need guys who can teach how to play in the secondary. If we had to make him DC to get them I say fine. Our guys flat out do not know how to play secondary. They are physically talented, they just do not know what they are doing.

 

[black_magic]

The lions have hired Vice Lombardi's grandson, Joe Lombardi, as their offensive coordinator. Previously Served as the QB coach of the New Orleans Saints.

 

[black_magic]

Putting a guy who has worked with Sean Payton and Drew Brees on a daily basis can only be a good sign. Im liking the support staff that Caldwell is putting around stafford. Interesting to see who they hire as their QB coach.

 

[black_magic]

I didnt like the hire at first. But day by day i'm starting to like it more and more. His press confrence was amazing, and the support staff that he is putting around stafford is what I like. The staff he is hiring are masters at what our weaknesses are ( if that makes any sense). The offensive coordinator was a QB Coach, and a good one at that. And the DC that he hired was a Secondary Coach, and from what i've read, a good one as well. Bill Sheridan is a very good LB coach as well.

 

[broncosmitty]

Dude coached The New Jersey Hitmen. I knew there was a reason I kept my XFL ball for all these years. (Is there a need for a QB coach? What's Lombardi going to be doing if Caldwell is calling plays?)

 

[Rollingthndr]

Dude coached The New Jersey Hitmen. I knew there was a reason I kept my XFL ball for all these years. (Is there a need for a QB coach? What's Lombardi going to be doing if Caldwell is calling plays?)

Glorified QB's coach.

 

[RobBase]

This is something I would do on Madden. I love it.

 

[Old Lion]

The bigger question is why haven't the Packers picked him up? Vince made the Packers not the other way around. Without Vince the Packers would have never survived as a franchise and GB would still be a podunk fishing town

 

[broncosmitty]

Isn't GB still a Podunk fishing town?

 

[gandydancer]

Putting a guy who has worked with Sean Payton and Drew Brees on a daily basis can only be a good sign. Im liking the support staff that Caldwell is putting around stafford. Interesting to see who they hire as their QB coach.

It does look good on paper. Should help him immensely. However as a leader if he does not take accountability, all the learning will be for not.

Accountability is #1 attribute in my book for leadership. Stafford has fingerpointability...

 

[gandydancer]

Isn't GB still a Podunk fishing town?

Not sure of this, I do hear they have some big tuba players though.

 

[jdwills126]

Lombardi new Lions OC!

Well if the name means anything he is the Grandson of Vince Lombardi.

Worked with Brees in NO!

He sounds like a glorified QBs coach with a new title to get him away from the Saints! To me this is a definite wait and see. Could be gold could be over his head.

 

[jdwills126]

The real question is who calls the plays?

I would hope Caldwell has enough sense to let the OC call plays from the box. I do not have a lot of faith in Caldwell calling plays from the sideline. I think a guy with a better view and video makes the better calls…that is minus a Manning or Brady on the field.

 

[jayfan]

14m[/ame]

Nice to see.

 

[jayfan]

Detroit Lions coordinator Teryl Austin aims to install aggressive, multiple-front defense | MLive.com

Not surprised that Austin's talking about multiple fronts. That's what they do in Baltimore. Nice that we'll be mixing it up a bit.

 

[gandydancer]

Detroit Lions coordinator Teryl Austin aims to install aggressive, multiple-front defense | MLive.com

After reading this article. I would say you may see it from time to time. Depends on what influence Washburn has on Austin.

Austin sure seems dead set against settling in vanilla fronts like Gunther. Like the idea of more blitzing. This then puts pressure on making the DB's better which Austin has done well over the years.

 

[lionstop1]

No reaction now?

(Laughs)

I can't figure you guys out at all. Nobody has anything to say about grabbing Lombardi from the Saints staff? I thought i would get on here and find all kinds of stuff. I think its a great hire-new guys bring innovative ideas to the team. Things are shaping u IMO, just draft Watkins in April.

 

[VulturesRule]

Looks like a great pickup from the Saints. His experience indicates he should contribute to Stafford's progression from being a raw talent QB to a poished, professional QB. This is the type of staff addition that will bring some excitement to the Lions.