The NFC West's Newest Hotshot Head Coach

by John Morgan on Jan 20, 2009 3:06 PM PST

I sensed a lot of dread from Seahawks fans when Saint Louis signed Steve Spagnuolo. Just two seasons after attaining his first major coaching position, defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, Spags spun a brilliant Super Bowl scheme into a head coaching position. The NFL is overrun with hotshot coordinators. Each season elevates at least one. It wasn't long ago Mike Nolan and Romeo Crennel were do-no-wrong second bananas with bright futures.

Spagnuolo coached two straight top ten defenses, but is inexperienced identifying talent: coaching talent and player talent. His time in Philadelphia as linebackers coach was marked by mediocre defenses and forgettable linebacker play. He was still with the Eagles when New York drafted Justin Tuck. The benefit of finding a top five defensive end talent in the third round cannot be understated. Spagnuolo inherited a still dominant Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora in his prime, an entering his prime Mathias Kiwanuka and an emerging Tuck. His genius was finding a package that fit them all. With apologies and admiration for the simplicity and effectiveness of Spagnuolo's package, that's not genius at all.

It's impossible to say if Spags will or will not become a great head coach, but I hardly see a reason for dread. The Rams need a team's worth of talent and are as far from contention as any team in the NFL. Spagnuolo could be a genius and still fail.

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John, which one of the new coaches this season do you like the best?

by MFAN on Jan 20, 2009 3:16 PM PST reply actions

Josh McDaniels, Jim Caldwell and to a lesser extent Raheem Morris

inherit very good situations and will probably be perceived as good head coaches. I’m not sure which one I like best—does Mora count?

by John Morgan on Jan 20, 2009 3:49 PM PST up reply actions

McDaniels getting Cutler, Marshall and Royal

could make for a scary Bronco offense next year.

NEEDS MORE FREEDOM!

by Scruffy Lefty on Jan 20, 2009 6:44 PM PST up reply actions

and do not forget the immortal Tony Scheffler

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Jan 20, 2009 6:53 PM PST up reply actions

They already had a scary offense.

It’s their defense that needs blowing up and rebuilding.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 20, 2009 7:14 PM PST up reply actions

Mora counts.

by MFAN on Jan 21, 2009 3:40 PM PST up reply actions

I like Mora and his eye for coaching talent.

I don’t think Mora is a genius, but he seems like a good leader.

by John Morgan on Jan 21, 2009 4:01 PM PST up reply actions

I'm optimistic about Mora.

So this is encouraging to hear.

by MFAN on Jan 21, 2009 4:05 PM PST up reply actions

Talent (or lack thereof) is a big determinant behind coaching genius.

The guys who are “geniuses” in college are the guys who are the best recruiters.

Spags + a bad team will be no more daunting than Jim Haslett + a bad team.

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Jan 20, 2009 3:49 PM PST reply actions

Haslett once was a "defensive genius"

by John Morgan on Jan 20, 2009 3:50 PM PST up reply actions

in the same way that Romeo Crennel was once considered not only a defensive genius

but also had “a pulse”

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Jan 20, 2009 3:55 PM PST up reply actions

Blitz Blitz Blitz!

by dlinsley on Jan 20, 2009 4:10 PM PST up reply actions

I'm worried because a Rams team throwing the kitchen sink at us every snap stifled our offense.

Now imagine them with a coach who actually knows where and when to blitz. And it’s irresponsible to say Spags didn’t have a role in developing Tuck, and it would be unwise to think Chris Long and Adam Carriker won’t improve tremendously under his tutelage.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 20, 2009 4:21 PM PST reply actions

Don't worry. Holmgren is gone.

The A gap blitzes that have killed us for the past couple years should be easily countered. It’s still a mystery as to why Holmgren had so much trouble adjusting to them.

by dlinsley on Jan 20, 2009 4:27 PM PST up reply actions

It's possible Spagnuolo developed Tuck

but it’s impossible to know. Honestly, I’m a little suspicious of the entire concept of “developing” a player.

by John Morgan on Jan 20, 2009 4:47 PM PST up reply actions

I don't disagree it's impossible to know, but

why the suspicion over player development? Obviously it’s not set in stone, but it’s no coincidence that QBs under Holmgren have become really good, for example.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 20, 2009 4:51 PM PST up reply actions

Charlie Frye and David Greene sure as hell didn't

Nor did Ty Detmer and Mark Brunell didn’t succeed until after he left Green Bay. I think an eye for talent is lot more important than developing talent. I’m not sure how you even qualify a coach’s ability to develop talent, but I know that seldom do players suddenly get worse when a coach leaves. Whatever it is they developed seems to act awfully independent of their influence.

by John Morgan on Jan 20, 2009 5:00 PM PST up reply actions

I mean starters.

Favre, a bust shipped out of Atlanta. Hasselbeck, a 6th round pick who was practice squad fodder. Wallace in his extended audition this season, someone people still insist is really a WR. The case can be made that they were already talented innately, but I contend Holmgren had something to do with recognizing their talent and molding it into something. Also, weren’t we proclaiming that Trufant’s 2007 was partly because of Mora’s coaching being responsible for his improvement?

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 20, 2009 5:13 PM PST up reply actions

I didn't proclaim that

and Hasselbeck wasn’t practice squad fodder, he was trapped behind Brett Favre. Green Bay traded quite a bit to get Favre and Seattle traded quite a bit to get Hasselbeck.

I don’t think Wallace is a wide receiver, but I know he’s not a very good quarterback.

by John Morgan on Jan 20, 2009 5:28 PM PST up reply actions

Be that as it may.

He certainly played like a serviceable starter, which is impressive considering he’s 5’ 9" and he’s Seneca Wallace. Someone gets credit and I believe its Holmgren.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 20, 2009 6:23 PM PST up reply actions