DCC: Chuck Pagano
While many in the NFL are busy speculating about Harbaugh taking the Colts job when Pagano gets fired, not enough are talking about the possibility that Pagano finds a new home in Ann Arbor. This hire makes complete sense based on the timeline and the pace at which our coordinator search is moving. Pagano is in the Harbaugh family, having worked for John in Baltimore with Mattison. When the NFL season ends and Pagano is sent to the curb look for him to be packing his bags and heading North to Ann Arbor.
December 17th, 2015 at 6:01 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 6:38 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 7:23 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 8:54 AM ^
Dude, that's a great and hilarious GIF, but I suggest homoerotic chubby fetishism waits until a little later, maybe after 10 AM or so?
December 17th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^
It's after 10 AM somewhere so I say we allow it.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
It's only homoerotic if you find it homoerotic. I think you have some soul searching to do.
December 17th, 2015 at 3:19 PM ^
i think that's the 2nd time you've used the word "homoerotic" in the last week, not that there's anything wrong with that.
December 17th, 2015 at 8:55 AM ^
I'm not sure that the MGoLadies on this blog are thanking you for that one.
December 17th, 2015 at 9:18 AM ^
I have been so afraid to get out of bed this AM because I was sooo nausiated I figured if I stand I am going to need to run to the head. So then I stumble across that GIF and thats all she wrote. The only thing I will say do to the nature of such nastyness is I feel much better now. Thanks again.
December 17th, 2015 at 6:06 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 6:21 AM ^
Coached UNC D in 2007.. so no, not really. We hired Durkin, one of the best D-coordinators in college football, and he couldn't stop the spread. I have no problem giving an NFL guy a chance + his experience would be a useful tool on the recruiting trail.
December 17th, 2015 at 7:30 AM ^
He's beaten cancer. He can beat the spread.
December 17th, 2015 at 8:56 AM ^
Harbaugh, Mattison, and Fisch also HATE college coaches who come from the pros.
December 17th, 2015 at 9:15 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 9:36 AM ^
Can he beat the spread of cancer?
/ got nothin'
December 17th, 2015 at 9:58 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 8:48 AM ^
...is really the most important thing for this DC hire. The right fit from the NFL should not be dismissed merely because he has not faced a spread offense in the NFL
We you want is the following:
(1) A guy with a proven recored of getting the most out of the players he has on D. That is what makes Harbaugh so great. He gets the most out of the players he has available, in terms of teaching proper technique, personal motivation, optimal use of players in a system that fits the available skill set, and even in-game tactics.
(2) A very smart but also mentally flexible defensive mind. A very smart but flexible mind can spend the weeks and months after signing day breaking down every game film where teams were successful and not sucessful in slowing down the OSU offense, and then build a defense from the lessons learned.
On the other hand a guy who stubbornly sticks to 'his way' of playing D would not be great, even if he has a couple of games where he slowed down spread offenses on his resume.
(3) To a lesser degree it would be nice to get a 'slash' name that will give instant credibility on the recruiting trail. Ultimately, however, credibility on the recruiting trail will stand of fall on improving from 9-3 in 2015 to 11-1 (or better) in 2016.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:54 AM ^
(1) is vague and difficult to determine.
(2) is right, but a good indicator of that would be how well he has done against the spread. How do you evaluate (2)?
December 17th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
have Peppers tackle the QB every tiime no matter what, and every one else go after the RB if he hands off.
December 17th, 2015 at 9:37 AM ^
I get the concern, but Durkin was the only coach on our staff last year that hasn't coached in the NFL. High football IQ translates. I think he'd be a killer hire
December 17th, 2015 at 6:10 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 6:53 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 6:43 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 10:00 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 6:49 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 7:04 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 7:10 AM ^
Do you have a single piece of evidence to support the idea that an NFL head coach is going to be a college DC?
This hire makes complete sense based on the timeline and the pace at which our coordinator search is moving.All nfl coaches are fired on black monday. You could write this about anyone
December 17th, 2015 at 6:59 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 7:43 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 7:59 AM ^
That's cold.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:26 AM ^
So's Cleveland.
December 17th, 2015 at 8:53 AM ^
suggesting Cleveland was going to make a run at Urban Meyer.
Probably just made up click-bait, but who knows?
In theory Manziel would be the sort of QB that Meyer could use to adapt his system to the NFL (leaving out his off-field issues).
December 17th, 2015 at 9:35 AM ^
Was written by Chat Sports. So it was 100% click bait.
I knows.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:38 AM ^
prefers guys with off-field issues
December 17th, 2015 at 7:01 AM ^
his Harbaugh connections are indisputable, I'm having a hard time believing a NFL head coach who is coming off of 3-straight 11-5 seasons and had just one bad year with his QB injured would just jump right into an NCAA DC role. He could easily get a HC job in the NCAA if he wanted it.
The only logic here is if he only wants to be a HC in the NFL again and he wants to bide his time until a job opens up. But even doing that I think he'd want to be biding his time in an NFL job.
Fun to think about this happening, and not 100% crazy due to the leaked info (NFL connecctions, home run hire, etc.) but I just can't see why Pagano would make this move.
December 17th, 2015 at 7:24 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 7:36 AM ^
The Colts' GM is a complete moron. They haven't addressed any of the teams' issues in the draft. The Patriots ran all over the Colts last year and instead of drafting a DT to address that concern, they drafted a WR. They needed OL to help their running game, they didn't do that either, as witnessed by Andrew Luck turning into trauma case Devin Gardner. I could totally see him using Pagano as the scape goat and letting him go.
On Pagano's side, I don't know where he's going. The idea of going to a place where he has the opportunity to coach his nephew and have control over the players that are brought in may appeal to him versus the stress of being a NFL HC. There are probably other NFL places where he may see more eye to eye with his GM. Who knows?
December 17th, 2015 at 8:49 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 9:01 AM ^
Funny thing is, in spite of all of this and the injuries and stuff, the Colts are still tied for first in the AFC South and should they win the division they would have a winnable home playoff game against somebody like the Chiefs or Jets.
December 17th, 2015 at 7:15 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 7:38 AM ^
December 17th, 2015 at 7:45 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 7:47 AM ^
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December 17th, 2015 at 8:07 AM ^
Because they have no experience stopping it. They don't see it very consistently in games.
The spread is designed to create mismatches in space. But in the NFL there are no mismatches . . . they are all "5-star" athletes.
You don't get those perfect storm situations like happened to us this year with our linebackers matched against Elliott on the edge.
December 17th, 2015 at 8:40 AM ^
Now I agree you won't see many or any spread option offenses in the NFL. I can't really say why but Id guess it has to do with running the franchise QB too much and the risk of injury if you're designing more QB runs.
The spread can be run at any level.
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December 17th, 2015 at 8:52 AM ^
I think this hits the nail on the head. The only "spread" element that hasn't come to the NFL is heavy emphasis on QB running, and the only real explanation for that is the importance of hanging on to your franchise QB, who might be with you for 10 years if you're lucky. Here's a nice article I hadn't previously read summarizing all of the ways the NFL is slowly moving toward the spread.
I still think some NFL team is going to have success picking up a group of cheap QBs in the JT Barrett mold and running full-on spread & shred, knowing that if one gets hurt, they plug in the next guy without breaking the bank. In addition to the fact that it's a great offense that has come to dominate every level of football other than the NFL, they would get the added bonus of being unique and difficult to prepare for.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:05 AM ^
Considering a running QB executing spread option is central to Urban's offense, I don't think you can just dismiss that as a small part of the spread that hasn't come to the NFL. The fact that it hasn't and we're talking about hiring a guy who hasn't dealt with that is an issue. Maybe Pagano is fine, but it's not something to write off.
I'd say the other possible explanation for why it hasn't come to the NFL is that playing assignment defense in tight spaces is much easier in the NFL. It's a bit different than Calvin Johnson on the outside. The guy is a freak athlete who is difficult to match up with.
Anyway, people talk about the athletic ability in the NFL, which is obviously above what college teams have, but I'm guessing just their general knowledge of football and knowing your assignment and analyzing plays is also much higher.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:36 AM ^