Mikell: Spagnuolo wouldn't be against return to Eagles
There might not be another player in the NFL that has a better grasp on the Eagles' defensive coordinator situation and how it relates to Steve Spagnuolo than former Eagles and current Rams safety Quintin Mikell.
Mikell: Spagnuolo wouldn't be against return to Eagles
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
There might not be another player in the NFL that has a better grasp on the Eagles' defensive coordinator situation and how it relates to Steve Spagnuolo than former Eagles and current Rams safety Quintin Mikell.
Mikell played under Spagnuolo when he was a defensive assistant with the Eagles in the mid-2000s and then signed with St. Louis last year largely because the Rams head coach recruited him.
In fact, Mikell said that he recently spoke with Spagnuolo, not long after he was fired by the Rams, about the speculation that he would return to the Eagles and replace Juan Castillo as the Eagles defensive coordinator.
"He said he wasn’t sure if that was in the cards," Mikell said Wednesday during a phone conversation. "At the end of the day I feel he's a really good head coach, but I think he missed being involved in the play-calling. As the head coach you're not as involved. It’s a different type of job. Maybe he wants to get back to play-calling."
Spagnuolo, of course, would return to calling the defense if he took the job. He was defensive coordinator for the New York Giants from 2007-08, and in his last season was part of a Super Bowl winner. He took the Rams job the following year, but went only 10-28 in three seasons and was let go on Monday.
"I would say he wouldn't be against" returning to the Eagles, Mikell said. "You got to remember he was a head coach and it's not easy to go from being a head coach to taking a step down. But I would also say that if he did something like this he would have to be somewhere he was comfortable with the situation and the people.
"If he decided to do that he should be an assistant head coach. If I was him I wouldn't do it for anything less than that."
There is still a question as to what the Eagles would do with Castillo, a loyal assistant to Andy Reid, if they hired Spagnuolo. Some have suggested that Reid could name Castillo as an assistant head coach alongside offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. But it could only be viewed as a promotion in name only. Perhaps he would become a linebackers coach.
There are other obstacles to a Spagnuolo return. For one thing, the Eagles don't run a defensive scheme similar to one he employed in St. Louis and with the Giants and the one he learned at the foot of former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.
The Eagles, with their wide-nine scheme up front, blitzed much less this season than they did under Johnson and his successor, Sean McDermott. The wide-nine, with the ends split three feet further outside than normal, isn't built for most blitzing teams. Mikell, though, said he saw no reason why Spagnuolo couldn't adjust.
"I think Spags would do what any good defensive coordinator would do and that's use the guys around you and use them to the best of their abilities and you put them in position to make plays," Mikell said. "He would use his normal aggressive, Jim Johnson defense, but also incorporate some of the wide nine."
Keeping the wide nine would make sense based off the success that defensive line coach Jim Washburn had implementing the scheme this season with his linemen racking up 46 of 50 total sacks for the Eagles.
Another potential hurdle is that Spagnuolo reportedly did not leave Philly under the best of circumstances. A source close to the coach told the Newark Star-Ledger back when the Giants hired Spagnuolo that the one-time defensive backs and linebackers assistant felt as if Reid had blocked his chances to become a coordinator because he wanted him to succeed Johnson.
"I never got that impression. He never said anything to me about it," Mikell said. "But I'm sure anyone would feel the same way. If you want to move up and become a coordinator and head coach I would be pissed off, too. But now that he's a head coach I bet you he understands why Andy had to do that. As a head coach you have to make tough decisions."
As much as Mikell, who played for the Eagles from 2003-2010, endorsed the idea of Spagnuolo returning, he said it would not bode well for his Rams and the rest of the league.
"If it does happen I think Philly is going to be a force," he said.
Can we get Spags and Mikell back - I think that would make us a force.
— gb2007- Sorry Spagnuolo, we won't even know ya. We've got our D.C. and he's a keeper. A keeper of AR's horse sh*t.— Sam Crow
- Seriously, the local media has to get over their fascination with the wide 9. It's an alignment technique, not a defensive scheme. A good DC will use it when necessary/applicable. As I said before, it's an advantage to carry that arrow in the quiver, along with a blitz SCHEME. They gotta figure this out ASAP, so they can plan and draft athletic defenders with size who can play in that defense.— beegal99
- Yeah great our linemen get sacks, but it exposes our linebackers and safeties...Did anyone forget we were 8-8....we need a coordinator who can make adjustments on game day not in the film room...if Spags is available grab him ASAP...— softballdude
Comment removed.- Mikell doesn't need to worry about how it bodes for the Rams. They're not going anywhere anytime soon anyway.— SteveS11
- There's a reason why Mikell wasn't resigned when he became a free agent. I highly doubt if he'd ever be asked to come back.— SteveS11
- Okay STEVES11- What did you see in Mikell's play to back that up besides the BS the Eagles put out because they didn't want to pay him and go with cheap rookies? I read all those articles and didn't know whaty [people were talking about then because on film he had solid professional year. Maybe not an all-pro but every player on the team can't be on their way to Canton, parrot boy.— UncleStosh
- Mikell was a 2nd team All-pro in 2008(not Pro Bowl but All-Pro) He was the NFC East alternate in 2010 and played in the Pro Bowl when the starter voted in was injured. This year he had a terrific year and may end up in the Pro Bowl again becasue he has to be the first alternate after the season he had. 91(78 solo) Tackles, 5 FF(3rd in the entire league), 2 Int's, etc.— UncleStosh
- "I have to do a better job of finding D coordinators"...AR— Luriesucks
- It does not matter who coaches where on this team next season. Read our schedule for 2012!— TBear
- Mikell wiil have a great career as a coach or maybe an agent, when he finishes playing center field.— tommy_the_k
- Nice comment luriesucks - very funny & very true. The fat man needs to get smart & act quickly. HIRE SPAGS NOW. Don't let him test the market or run around or be offered other gigs. Give him a nice salary, whatever title will make him happy (asst head coach? sure. whatever) & let him come home dammit!! Bye bye Juan - I don't know what kinda dirt you have on the fat man that allows you to still have a job but please let the door hit you on the way out - maybe it'll teach you something about tackling (since that was something your defense didn't bother to do much of for most of the season).— thomaspfoolery
- Comment removed.
- If Reid don't get Spags he's more hard headed than I thought.— greenflyer
