Finally, a Defensive Coordinator: Bill Davis
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Finally, a Defensive Coordinator: Bill Davis
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
So, it turns out Chip Kelly wasn't waiting for the Super Bowl, national signing day, or the vernal equinox. He was waiting ... well, we have no idea why he was waiting. The Eagles' new defensive coordinator, a league source confirms, is former Browns linebackers coach Bill Davis, who has been available to be hired for weeks now, and in fact interviewed for the job two weeks ago.
The hiring was first reported by CSNPhilly.com's Geoff Mosher.
Davis was an Eagles ball boy in the Dick Vermeil years, when he was known as "Billy," and his father, Bill Davis, was a Vermeil assistant. The elder Bill Davis later ran Eagles player personnel in the Buddy Ryan era.
The younger Davis, 47, was the Cardinals' defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010, the 49ers' coordinator in 2005 and 2006, without great results -- his teams finished 32nd, 26th, 20th, and 29th in NFL defense. But he also was not blessed with great talent.
Davis has great experience with the 3-4 setup Kelly is believed to prefer. He also has worked with 4-3 schemes and described his Arizona defense as a hybrid.
Now that he is hired, presumably we will get to meet the rest of Kelly's staff, some of whom have been working at NovaCare for several weeks. Kelly refused to confirm any hires until his staff was complete.
Fans will note that the Eagles now have hired, unofficially, as their offensive and defensive coordinators, two guys from the 2012 Browns, in Pat Shurmur and Davis. Shurmur was the head coach of the 5-11 Browns, one of four teams to actually lose to the Eagles last season.
But when Kelly was hired, everyone made a big deal of how important it would be for a college coach with no NFL experience to hire NFL guys as coordinators, and Kelly seems to have done that. Both coordinators have Eagles roots, as well, with Shurmur having been Donovan McNabb's QB coach.
The Gold Standard strikes again! FFS if they were going with a retread, they should have brought it Rob Ryan...at least the entertaining press conferences would lessen the pain of another 4-12 season.— Only in Philly...- There isn't one coach on this entire staff that has had sustained success in the NFL let alone success in the NFL playoffs. NOT ONE!
Eagles new tag line should be "all gimmicks all the time".
If this team were a stock on the NYSE/NASDAQ....the tickers would all say SELL SELL SELL!
— Professor1982 - Great, I waited all this time for a perennial mediocre coach that had one good year, that was solely predicated on the play of Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. Here's to another long football season. SMH...— PSU_Chuck
- Davis was the DEFENSIVE Coordinator......Fitz and Warner play offense. You dope — kozykoz26
- Your the Dope kozykoz.... That was his whole point. His 1 good season wasn't really a good season because the offense covered for a so, so defense that didn't have to work hard.
— Kumaryu 
Weak, weak hires.. or at least hires with so many question marks to go with the endless number of college coaches. It's not an inspiring start. Hope they know something we do not. But this makes you shudder: "
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Finally, a Defensive Coordinator: Bill Davis
POSTED: Thursday, February 7, 2013, 11:53 AM
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
So, it turns out Chip Kelly wasn't waiting for the Super Bowl, national signing day, or the vernal equinox. He was waiting ... well, we have no idea why he was waiting. The Eagles' new defensive coordinator, a league source confirms, is former Browns linebackers coach Bill Davis, who has been available to be hired for weeks now, and in fact interviewed for the job two weeks ago.
The hiring was first reported by CSNPhilly.com's Geoff Mosher.
Davis was an Eagles ball boy in the Dick Vermeil years, when he was known as "Billy," and his father, Bill Davis, was a Vermeil assistant. The elder Bill Davis later ran Eagles player personnel in the Buddy Ryan era.
The younger Davis, 47, was the Cardinals' defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010, the 49ers' coordinator in 2005 and 2006, without great results -- his teams finished 32nd, 26th, 20th, and 29th in NFL defense. But he also was not blessed with great talent.
Davis has great experience with the 3-4 setup Kelly is believed to prefer. He also has worked with 4-3 schemes and described his Arizona defense as a hybrid.
Now that he is hired, presumably we will get to meet the rest of Kelly's staff, some of whom have been working at NovaCare for several weeks. Kelly refused to confirm any hires until his staff was complete.
Fans will note that the Eagles now have hired, unofficially, as their offensive and defensive coordinators, two guys from the 2012 Browns, in Pat Shurmur and Davis. Shurmur was the head coach of the 5-11 Browns, one of four teams to actually lose to the Eagles last season."- Why repeat what has just been written? Are you that bored?
— The Truth Hurts - Now now...let's not panic until we see what Howie does with the draft. The Tonner can't wait to see Howie and the Gold Standard outsmart the rest of the league yet again!
- You know what? For the first time in a long time Andy won't be involved in any way with the process. That alone should give you a 1 year free pass period. — srf466
- Looks like the guy they wanted (somebody from the Ravens or Niners)turned them down so we are stuck with this clown.— namtac
- From the browns??? Another RINGLESS team...— toiletofphilly
- Davis, 47, was the Cardinals' defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010, the 49ers' coordinator in 2005 and 2006, without great results -- his teams finished 32nd, 26th, 20th, and 29th in NFL defense.
and better yet, Brandon Grahama who looks like a pro-bowler will be gone. Trent Cole, a pro bowler will be gone. And Demeco Ryans who left a 3-4 will be gone.
So rebuilding the Eagles begins with the Browns Blueprint???— Sports4Life - They (the Eagles) DO NOT intend to play 3-4 full time. They plan is to feature a hybrid 3-4/4-3 depending on the offensive alignments presented by the teams on their schedule. — essell
- Now having any knowledge on the subject you're posting about isn't allowed here. I'm going to have to report you!! — srf466
- The 'birds' now have a DC; look forward to the draft and the next step in coach Chip's plan. johnnyu— john ullman
