Trotter: McDermott wasn't ready
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Trotter: McDermott wasn't ready
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
As the Eagles continue to search for their next defensive coordinator, reaction to Sean McDermott's firing continues to trickle in.
McDermott's already landed a new job in Carolina and turned down an offer to become defensive coordinator of the Broncos, according to the Daily News' Les Bowen.
But for whatever reason (here's a look at the numbers), McDermott didn't work out here.
And one former player says he's not surprised.
Jeremiah Trotter, who played 13 games (starting seven) in 2009 for McDermott, doesn't think McDermott was ready for the job.
"I may be the only guy in the city that wasn't surprised," Trotter said during an interview with Derrick Gunn of Comcast Sportsnet. "The writing was on the wall, and especially a lot of things that happened last year during the course of the year and then going into this year, Sean digressed as a coordinator. The defense went backwards. It was worse in the red zone. And we had a better year last year on defense. So any time you see a young coach that in my opinion really wasn't quite ready to step into that defensive coordinator role just yet, and have two bad seasons, sometimes you just gotta cut your losses."
I mentioned this in a weekend post, but in case you miseed it, Trotter also said on WIP that he spoke to an Eagles defensive player this year who called McDermott the worst defensive coordinator he had ever played for.
Trotter was asked during the CSN interview if he thought McDermott tried too hard to put his own stamp on the defensive system that Johnson ran.
"Oh yeah, without a doubt," he said. "Any time you got a legend like Jim Johnson... I said before that if Jim Johnson had gotten fired because he didn't get the job done, then you come in and change things up. But Jim Johnson's a legend around here. I think he's a Hall of Famer. And when you do something that works for 10 years and you were really great at it, you want to try to duplicate those things when you come in as a young coordinator. You don't come in and try to put your own stamp on things. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
To be fair, Johnson was McDermott's mentor. He talked constantly about what he learned from Johnson and how he was trying to use those things. McDermott's job was to carry out Johnson's system, but to also add his own wrinkles.
Those wrinkles obviously did not always work, and now McDermott will get a chance to try again with the Panthers.
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its amazing how fast carolina signed mcdermott. its obvious they want to keep there losing ways in tact! they must have figured, if we sign mcdermott fast we can keep losing without missing a beat! its nice to see there's still some consistency in the n.f.l.— Geno D- Finally. Someone said it. He wasn't ready. Defenses got worse under him. Good luck, Carolina.— 76er
- Man, I wish I had some work so I wouldn't read all this.....but since I don't and I do here is what me thinks. Coach needs respect and brains. A good coach gets average players to play over their head. I don't feel very good about any prospects out there rite now. Bring back Buddy Ryan.
- Ok, Sean McD was young and inexperienced (I agree). What's Andy's excuse? A dozen AR years and the future of this team does not look any better than it did 10 years ago.— jhjack
- andy's excuse is he can out eat his staff! which makes him the winner!— Geno D
- Reid gets bumped upstairs. Mornhinweg head coach. Childress offensive coordinator. Wannstedt defensive coordinator and associate head coach. Announcement tomorrow.— lcfd
- I saw this interview on Comcast site last night. Look, lot of you may have a problem with Trot but what he said was dead on. As a new coach you don't come in trying to change something that doesn't need to be changed, he tried to and it blew up in his face maybe this is a lesson well learned. Like Trot said, if it ain't broke don't fix it.— realtruth
Comment removed.- The Eagles had said for years that McDermott was smart, and an up and comer. I guess either that their evaluation of him was incorrect, or their evaluation of defensive talent need to improve. I agree with Ray Didinger that McDermott was likely used as a fall guy, but it is important that the defense improve, and that the players are willing to go all out for him. One question I have is: Why did Dawkins and Sheldon Brown have to go? Did it have anything to do with their relationship to McDermott? Another thing: During the Eagles' playoff game vs the Packers, Troy Aikman said that McDermott told him that if McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers had their way, "they would pass every down". Aikman didn't agree with that assessment, and the Eagles seemed very unprepared for any Packers running game, let alone a good one.— 76erfn
- First of all Didinger is a goof, McDermott hung himself out to dry by trying to outdo JJ. I think he was instrumental in getting rid of Dawk and Brown because they didn't agree with his scheme and the other players (especially young players) in that locker room looked up to them so that challenged his authority. — realtruth
- Well if the truth be told non of the linebackers did a good job this year covering the TE. Poor pass rush and poor linebacker coverage against TE's dooooomed us all season. I think the guy trogovac would be a good fit. Another guy that know defense is Herm Edwards— 2phillynupe
- if Reid got bumped upstairs, it should be Gruden or Childress before Morningwig. Remember he was horrible with the Lions— 2phillynupe
- There is no talent on this D; the fact that Trotter was there last year proves that!
Not one player on this D would start for the Ravens or Steelers; McDermott is better off in Carolina! Good Luck Sean!— JBinPA - There is plenty of talent on this D the problem is McDermott was too busy trying to outshine JJ with his own bogus scheme instead of continuing to teach these guys a scheme that worked. He confused the heck out them with his indecisive play calling; he turned what used to be an aggressive, dictating, attacking D into a soft mush D. If Im not mistaken Rivera was here with JJ, I wonder how long it will take before he too give McD the boot. — realtruth
- How about getting Tom Bradley out of Penn State?— ngfs66
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