A closer look at the Steve Spagnuolo intrigue
Steve Spagnuolo is now available, sending a portion of Eagles fans into debate about the prospect of hiring the former Eagles linebackers coach/Giants defensive coordinator/Rams head coach/Saints defensive coordinator.
A closer look at the Steve Spagnuolo intrigue
Zach Berman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Steve Spagnuolo is now available, sending a portion of Eagles fans into debate about the prospect of hiring the former Eagles linebackers coach/Giants defensive coordinator/Rams head coach/Saints defensive coordinator.
Of course, the Eagles defensive coordinator job might not be as available as it appears, if the job is simply waiting on ice for 49ers defensive backs coach Ed Donatell after the Super Bowl.
But any potential marriage between Spagnuolo and the Eagles might also be complicated by the Eagles' potential scheme. There have been hints that the Eagles will switch ot a 3-4 under coach Chip Kelly. (Donatell ran a 4-3 in his stops as a defensive coordinator, but coaches in San Francisco, where they run a 3-4.) Spagnuolo's career has been marked by an attacking 4-3 defense similar to the one Jim Johnson used with the Eagles. In fact, one of the reasons the Saints made the change was because they want to run a 3-4. (It also didn't help that the Saints gave up more yards than any team in history under Spagnuolo last season.)
But for argument's sake, let's examine Spagnuolo. There is a faction of fans who see what happened in New Orleans last season and don't want anything to do with Spagnuolo. Of course, he also won a Super Bowl in his first season as defensive coordinator with the Giants. He's well thought of around the NFL, and especially in the NFC East. The Eagles know him, he knows Philadelphia. He also has head-coaching experience, which could be a benefit on the staff.
Spagnuolo has a connection to Kelly. They both have New England roots (as do many members of Kelly's prospective staff), and coached in the same conference in the early 1990s. Because Spagnuolo just became available on Thursday, his candidacy is a recent development. Perhaps there's a different spot on the staff for him -- an assistant head coach role, or something of that nature -- or maybe Spagnuolo can find a coordinator job elsewhere.
But if the Eagles go to a 3-4, don't expect Spagnuolo to be the coordinator.
fightins4ever, exactly what I said. RB Coordinator. I just checked a handful of teams. No one has that. It's some made up position by Harbaugh to get his friend a job. Again, nothing against Castillo, but for years all I've heard was that he was one of the best OLIne coaches in football, and his only other offer, supposedly is from Reid himself, and I don't know how true that is. I mean Marty M even got a coordinator job.— watsonmr- You obviously do have a problem with Castillo, because you keep going back to this. The man was a highly regarded O-line coach in the NFL, not some creation of Reid. Then the fat man decided to try and turn him into a DC, a position for which he had no prior experience mainly because the fat man decided to hire Washburn first and then couldn't find a DC with experience who wanted to run the wide nine. Then the fat man allowed the creep Washburn to undermine Castillo for a season and a half before firing Castillo. So I guess in your mind, it's Juan's fault. Harbaugh is not a stupid man and the Ravens are not an organization that would pay a coach to do nothing, so Harbaugh must have thought that Castillo had something to add to his coaching staff. Regarding the job offer, maybe you can do some research on that or maybe you think you know more than the NFL insiders who were reporting it at the time. As for Marty, any OC above corpse level is an upgrade over Tony Sparano. — fightins4ever
- This guy has been a constant non-performer every stop besides the Giants and it's clear the Giants talent was the difference. Given sufficient talent with the Rams and Saints and he crashed and burned. Why would he bring any thing different to the Eagles if we are moving in a different direct with a new college coach and looking to distant ourselves from mediocre effort? Apples to Apples comparison, Juan Castillo's defense performed better than anything Spagnuolo put on the field in Saint Louis.— Dexter
