Castillo: I'd Take a Bullet for Andy
Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo has more weapons and more teaching time than he had last year. Castillo said Tuesday the way his defense was playing at the end of 2011 is how it must start 2012.
Castillo: I'd Take a Bullet for Andy
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Juan Castillo still shows up for work every morning at 4 a.m., and when he does, he thinks about Andy Reid, who ensured that Castillo would still have work to show up for, after Castillo's turbulent first season as the Eagles' defensive coordinator.
"I've worked for coach for a lot of years," said Castillo, Reid's offensive line coach from 1999 to last year. "We've not won the Super Bowl, but we've won a lot of games ... I come to work every morning at 4 o'clock. There's a reason I'm coming to work that early, because I want to get it done for coach. It's coach, the organization and the city. That's very important."
Asked about Reid sticking with him when lots of people were predicting Castillo would be fired in the aftermath of an 8-8 season, Castillo said: "You never forget that, as long as you live. You'd take a bullet for him, you know? Just like he does for us."
Castillo has more weapons and more time to teach than he had a year ago. Not surprisingly, though, his message, in his first real media availability of the offseason, as the Eagles' defensive staff met with reporters in the NovaCare cafeteria Tuesday, was not about analyzing or comparing. It was about turning the page.
"Last year's gone," Castillo said. "It's about this year. It's about us getting off to a good start, and starting where we left off last year" when the Eagles won their final four games.
"It's about being able to teach. All the coaches ... when you have four days to teach one coverage, now you're able to break that coverage down vs. different personnel, really teach that coverages, whereas last year, if we had four days, we put almost all our coverages in," Castillo said. " It's a big difference ... It's been good for us as teachers to be able to break everything down."
The biggest change to Castillo's unit is the addition of veteran middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
" 'Meco' is an experienced leader," Castillo said. "Somebody asked me -- has he been yelling? Is he loud in the classroom? No, you know what, he's a professional. The way he carries himself in the classroom. The way he carries himself outside ... right now he's one of our leaders, and we haven't even put on the pads, just by the way he carries himself."
- Exactly....How is Marty responsible for receivers bobbling passes into the defender's waiting arms? How is Marty responsible for Vick's many fumbles? Not to say that Marty is blameless. Everyone had a stake in last year's failures. This year they will have no excuses, and will ALL be fired together if they miss the playoffs again.
— SteveS11 - It's probable that Castillo will keep improving as he gains experience. He did much better at the end of last year. Let's see if his improvement continues. Plus any D-coordinator would have had a problems succeeding with our inefective linebackers. Hopefully we solved that problem.— swinger18
Comment removed.- Castillo did fine his first year. Any dreams of a Super Bowl in 2011 were just fantasies, with all the new players and coaches. In no way is he a weakness on the Eagles' coaching staff.— armchairGM
- "Castillo: I'd Take a Bullet for Andy"
Hey Juan, I'd settle for competence out of the DC. But I guess what we get is someone who takes bullet for the head coach instead.
Knucklehead.— fmMD - 'turning the page'?
If it's "how to coach D in the NFL" let's hope he gets through the whole manual before the season starts.— raoool - Castillo: I'd Take a Bullet for Andy. Reid: I'd Take a Ham Sandwich.— watsonmr
- Why is he coming to work at 4am? It's football not brain surgery. What could you possibly be doing at 4 am ? You already have a play book, right? Then there is "coach", really. I guess you just can't call him Andy? The bubble you guys live in is unbelievable. This explains why Reids press conferences are so poor, you guys really do think you are doing something special. It's sports you goofball.— Here I am
- I'd still prefer a defensive coordinator who came with a system and philosophy that could be described as more than "unknown."
But if Castillo keeps it simple and gets good help from his positional coaches, I think he can put together a good defense with this talent.— bc3030 - I'm tired of hearing about his early to work and long hours. Results is all that matters and rather have someone work less hours and work smarter then someone making mistakes and learning on the job in such an important position. We'll see if he comes thru this year. I sure hope so. He seems like a fine fellow but worry about his ability as a DC— connorjr
"Andy: I'd take a burrito for Castillo".— ANDY-IS-FAT- He better turn all the pages. What a joke— Ssteve115
- Why does he say, "last years gone" and then two sentences later in the same quote he says," Its about us getting off to a good start and starting where we left off last year?"— Geno D
- How many people go to work everyday and are tasked with the most complicated, intellectually rigorous occupations with serious outcomes and none of them have to come into work at 4am and work 'til midnight but football coaches need to? Really? Get over yourselves guys and stop using it as an excuse for not being the father/parent you should have been. While you are wasting time everyday hanging around the office mostly doing nothing, your kids have grown up without you and might just end up like Andy's. Perspective and priorities, man. You aren't impressive, you are stupid for placing a kids game above your family when it is completely unnecessary to be successful at what you do.— ccheung
- juan....please resign so the eagles can hire hire an actual experienced d-corrodinator— psualum
