Falcons expected to name Mike Smith head coach

[jetsfan0099]

Originally Posted by niel89

sweeeeet. now Rex Ryan can come back to the ravens.

I heard the Jets are making a push to get Rex Ryan to be their DC next season.

And for Smith being the new HC of the Falcons. All I have to say is wow! Bad hire, Smith does nothing with the Jags. Jack Del Rio was the DC basically.

[BamaFalcon59]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Dimitroff comes off as a total idiot. I listened to his press conference and it was nothing but incoherent rambling. He looks like he's about 13 years old.

The Wiley comments are really interesting. It seems like nobody in Atlanta has a ******* idea what they are doing. Then again, I'm sure you'll reply with some outrageous and homerish remarks, as is your forte. Remember when you yelled at everyone for saying the Falcons would win less than 10-11 games, and then they won like 5? I do.

I get the same feeling sometimes but who knows. Reffering to noone knowing what they are doing. We have a 12 year old, a interfering owner, a jelous vice president of football opperations, a IMO bad decision at head coach, and are looking at a horrible offensive coordinator who has done nothing in the past 4 or 5 years and has always been predictable.

Originally Posted by mqtirishfan

Another season where 11 DEs have more sacks than him, and he only has 32 tackles?

Our other defensive lineman had like a total of 5 sacks. He was great.

Recently-fired Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey might not remain unemployed long.


We've learned Mularkey is in the process of deciding between offers to become the Bucs' quarterbacks coach or the Falcons' offensive coordinator. He met with coach Jon Gruden over breakfast in Mobile, Ala. on Tuesday and a decision is forthcoming.

Oh God. Man are we screaming 'breakout franchise'.



Sorry for being pessimistic. I do not like the Mike Smith hire, he was probably my third or fourth choice. I will get a better read on him during the press conference.

[bearsfan_51]

Originally Posted by Shiver

As for the Dimitroff press conference. Quite frankly I don't care that he isn't a polished public speaker. The only times you ever hear from the GM in situations like that mean that something bad happened; e.g, Rich McKay talking about the Michael Vick fiasco, the firing of a head coach, etc. I think the fact that he was the director of college scouting for one of, if not the best, drafting teams of this decade speaks for itself.

He was, at best, third on the totem pole in terms of the draft hierarchy, and doubtful had any decision making power whatsoever. Simply hiring people from good teams doesn't make your team good. The whole hire (particularly because it was done basically over the ******* phone) seems to be just that. Arthur Blank really has no idea what he's doing, but knows that the Patriots are a good team, so he hired someone from them.

And I'm not so much critiquing his public speaking ability, though that itself was laughable, but his ideas and philosophy were so blatantly obvious and he came off as really unprepared. Maybe he was purposefully giving vanilla answers, but he looked like a dear in the headlights.

[JagHombre22]

Originally Posted by jetsfan0099

I heard the Jets are making a push to get Rex Ryan to be their DC next season.

And for Smith being the new HC of the Falcons. All I have to say is wow! Bad hire, Smith does nothing with the Jags. Jack Del Rio was the DC basically.

and you know this because you are a Jets fan?

I guarantee you probably didn't even know mike smith's name until just recently...

Mike Smith is a great defensive coordinator...he's consistently had a top 10 defense even top 6 back to back years...he's due his shot...

expectations should be low for the Falcons this next season, just so Smith has a chance to exceed expectations...

[BamaFalcon59]

Not liking the direction. Dimintroff is unproven, Blank interferes, McKay is jelous, Mike Smith has not called plays since he was a college coach, and Mularkey is just horrible.

But Smith I am not sure on. Mixed reviews but I still like Rex Ryan and Spagnulio more. I love boths coaching styles in comparison to Smiths, and they called plays, and well Ryan seemed genuine about wanting the job.

Oh, and it is not a good fit. Man corners in a zone, deep zones for box safties (although they were improved), big defense guy for a small fast defense, a running predictable horrible offense for a team with no true RB and a good receiving corp and one of the best deep threats in the league.

[scar988]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Dimitroff comes off as a total idiot. I listened to his press conference and it was nothing but incoherent rambling. He looks like he's about 13 years old.

The Wiley comments are really interesting. It seems like nobody in Atlanta has a ******* idea what they are doing. Then again, I'm sure you'll reply with some outrageous and homerish remarks, as is your forte. Remember when you yelled at everyone for saying the Falcons would win less than 10-11 games, and then they won like 5? I do.

lol, you crack me up. I guess Bob Kraft looked stupid when he brought in Pioli, then Bellichick.

[Shiver]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

He was, at best, third on the totem pole in terms of the draft hierarchy, and doubtful had any decision making power whatsoever. Simply hiring people from good teams doesn't make your team good. The whole hire (particularly because it was done basically over the ******* phone) seems to be just that. Arthur Blank really has no idea what he's doing, but knows that the Patriots are a good team, so he hired someone from them.

Yes, but it can't hurt. It was either him or Tom Heckert and neither called the shots. It isn't as if they could have hired someone who did have decision making hierarchy. That's the only way to hire a GM is to give someone "final say" when they do not currently have it, unless their contract runs out. Unless you can name some alternatives that I don't know about I see no reason why it is a "bad" hire. That doesn't mean it's "good," because that will be determined in time.

[LonghornsLegend]

I too wanted to see Spags leave the nfc east, that would of made me happy :(

He really does a good job with the weapons he has and he's aggressive, gotta love that...Are there even any jobs left that could pursue him?

[BamaFalcon59]

Everyone just rubs it in. Giants fans are like in love with the man and everyone else praises him.

[Shiver]

Originally Posted by BamaFalcon59

Oh, and it is not a good fit. Man corners in a zone,

I looked up info on the Jaguars defense and that is simply not true. The Jaguars', in '06 anyway, matched Rashean Mathis against opposing #1 receivers 51% of the time, 7th most in the NFL. I remember watching NFL Matchup and they said that the reason the Jaguars have given Indianapolis trouble in the past is because they play physical with their receivers. They played soft a lot this year, but I think that was probably because they had so much inexperience and injuries.

deep zones for box safties (although they were improved),

They need to be replaced regardless.

big defense guy for a small fast defense,

And that is a problem, why? The Falcons have struggled against the run way too often on a perennial basis. To me physicality trumps finesse every day. You don't win in this league with a soft team.

a running predictable horrible offense for a team with no true RB and a good receiving corp and one of the best deep threats in the league.

Mike Mularkey, if anything, has a reputation of being pass happy. Hines Ward has his best seasons under Mularkey. The Dolphins threw way too much under him in '05.

[BamaFalcon59]

Originally Posted by Shiver

I looked up info on the Jaguars defense and that is simply not true. The Jaguars', in '06 anyway, matched Rashean Mathis against opposing #1 receivers 51% of the time, 7th most in the NFL. I remember watching NFL Matchup and they said that the reason the Jaguars have given Indianapolis trouble in the past is because they play physical with their receivers. They played soft a lot this year, but I think that was probably because they had so much inexperience and injuries.



They need to be replaced regardless.



And that is a problem, why? The Falcons have struggled against the run way too often on a perennial basis. To me physicality trumps finesse every day. You don't win in this league with a soft team.



Mike Mularkey, if anything, has a reputation of being pass happy. Hines Ward has his best seasons under Mularkey. The Dolphins threw way too much under him in '05.

Matched up does not neccessarily mean manned up. If it means lined up zone could still be in play and you said 51%, which he would be roughly equal to if always on the right or left side of the defense.

My mistake on Mularkey. Still, he has not produced.

[The Unseen]

Paul Spicer (veteran Jags DE last year's sack leader FYI) was interviewed on the radio and refuted Wiley's comments, saying that Mike Smith made all the calls, and that the Falcons got a "gem."

Like I've said, I think the gist of Wiley's comments aren't false, but I think he's exaggerating the situation. Also when you consider that Wiley has a big ego for such a mundane player and is now a media soldier, that's kinda his job.

[BamaFalcon59]

Mularkey's offenses:

3, 5, 22, 25, 28, 20

[katnip]

Ehh. This hire gets a B- from me. Not a big name. Always had great talent to help him out. Not saying he don't know how to coach. But I think he'll help them out. Don't think he'll ever be great coach though. I liked watching the Jags, my pick to make the playoffs since before preseason.

[ny10804]

[Number 10]

It kind of seems like the Falcons didn't get what they wanted. I mean...arguably the worst team in football has made it clear the coaching situation was going to be very thought out and they would strive for the best. Time was running out and it looks like they settled for mediocrity.

[BamaFalcon59]

It seems like he is our fourth option.

Jason Garrett
Jim Caldwell
Spagnulio
Smith

Sad.

[fondoffilm]

Mularkey kinda fell off the face of the earth for a while there. Should be very interesting to see how he does running an offense again (granted he takes the OC position and not the quarterbacks coach one in Tampa).

[JagHombre22]

it's funny how everyone is writing him off before he even gets going....

how about everyone chill and give him a chance...he could turn out to be a very good coach....

[BamaFalcon59]

Maybe.

But I think there could have been better hires, and Mularkey is eh.

[iloxygenil]

Don't listen to Bama and the down trodden fans in Atlanta. We had an AWFUL time this season, really, no team has ever had to deal with what we did, and some of them are just all sour grapes right now. It's not a flashy hire (good thing imo) it's not something that someone is doing just because everyone wants them to, and because all the talking heads are saying that's the hot coaching candidate...people gripe about the fact that we hired him because he had a great interview...uh...isn't that what you're supposed to hire upon, if 5 candidates for the job are all qualified who's going to win? The person with the best interview.

I think all of us really wanted Spags cause what he's done has been so clear cut and out in the lime light because of New York's success this season. I like a guy who has had to work his way up, he'll appreciate it and not make big splashy moves to get a 1 hit wonder, we're trying to break the worst record in all of sports...40 consecutive years without back to back winning seasons.

[scar988]

Originally Posted by iloxygenil

Don't listen to Bama and the down trodden fans in Atlanta. We had an AWFUL time this season, really, no team has ever had to deal with what we did, and some of them are just all sour grapes right now. It's not a flashy hire (good thing imo) it's not something that someone is doing just because everyone wants them to, and because all the talking heads are saying that's the hot coaching candidate...people gripe about the fact that we hired him because he had a great interview...uh...isn't that what you're supposed to hire upon, if 5 candidates for the job are all qualified who's going to win? The person with the best interview.

I think all of us really wanted Spags cause what he's done has been so clear cut and out in the lime light because of New York's success this season. I like a guy who has had to work his way up, he'll appreciate it and not make big splashy moves to get a 1 hit wonder, we're trying to break the worst record in all of sports...40 consecutive years without back to back winning seasons.

it's not like Smith wasn't qualified for a HC job though. all of the candidates we brought in were.I just hope we brign along Rex Ryan and Mularkey seems just fine.

[UK Cards Fan]

Steve Spagnuloa has indeed proven himself to be a terrific DC this year.

However, why does this automatically make him a better HC than Mike Smith?

The qualities required to be an excellent DC, and the qualities required to be an excellent HC are very different.

Sure, being an excellent defensive mind would help in being a HC, but that is only one part of the jigsaw. The comments coming out of Jacksonville, with the exception of one Marcelius Wiley who seemed to just want some attention, seem to indicate that he has a good football mind, is a tireless worker and has earned the respect of the players.

You can never tell how good a guy is going to be as a HC until he gets into the job, but those above qualities (which Spagnuloa may or may not have had) would appear to be a good foundation for him to build on.

One additional thought, a NFL HC job is like golddust and I am sure that the Falcons, despite the messy off-season, would not have offered Smith the job unless they were indeed truly impressed by him. No matter how the search has gone so far, I'm sure they would not hand the job to someone unless they thought he would suceed.

[BamaFalcon59]

Reasons I had Spags over Mike Smith...

1. Defensive style. Agressive vs. passive, and overall I think our personel is more suited toward that.

2. Players and fans love him. I have not heard one bad thing on the guy.

3. Production. While I know Mike Smith was statistically great, it is known that he has imput but Jack Del Rio is the main defensive guy, much like Hue Jackson was imput to Bobby Petrino's playcalling. Similar setup. But more importantly Spags did it with what I consider little talent. New York has some defensive ends, a middle linebacker, a safety, and a good young cornerback. Jacksonville was stacked on the defensive line, good linebackers, Rashean Mathis, and a good young safety.

Same gos for Rex Ryan. But I have Spags over him because we basically let the interview process draw out in an attempt to get a shot to interview him. We obviously thought highly of him.

But my mood over it is improving. I will give him a shot.

[JT Jag]

Brian VanGorder has apparently been hired as the DC of the Falcons.

This from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a Gamecocks site on Rivals.com.