HTTR24-7:Coordinated Chaos- Mike Shanahans History With Defensive Coordinators

Greg Robinson – Defensive Coordinator 1996-2000

1996 Denver Broncos (Shanahan) Team Record 13-3

-7th pts. allowed -4th yds allowed -31 sacks -35 TOs

1997 Denver Broncos (Shanahan) Team Record 12-4 *Super Bowl Champions

-6th pts. allowed -5th yds allowed -43 sacks -36 TOs

1998 Denver Broncos (Shanahan) Team Record 14-2 * Super Bowl Champions

-8th pts. allowed -11th yds allowed -47 sacks -31 TOs

1999 Denver Broncos (Shanahan) Team Record 6-10

-11th pts. allowed -7th yds allowed -50 sacks -37 TOs

2000 Denver Broncos (Shanahan) Team Record 11-5

-23rd pts allowed -24th yds allowed -44 sacks -44 TOs

Read More-http://httr24-7.com/?p=3328

Sounds like a familiar story for the most part. Aside from Larry Coyer, anyways.

I didn't realize Shanahan's first few coordinators had such success. Hopefully the tradition of canning DC's continues this offseason and is then put on hold for a few seasons.

Let's hope you're right, LL, and if so, that the revolving door finally ends after this stop. I've been a vocal supporter of Has during his tenure, but even I've grown weary. We've got to get Robert a defense that can at least create turnovers, if not even be above average, to right the ship. With an RG3 led offense for the next decade, the future is looking awfully bright, if we can fix the D.

Sounds like a familiar story for the most part. Aside from Larry Coyer, anyways.

Pretty much. The Broncos message boards looked the same as well with all the Scheme vs players vs player injuries debate.

If Raheem Morris really is the next in line for the DC job, it makes sense to me to make the change after the game this weekend. That would allow 2 weeks for players to get used to it. Plus, it would give him a jumpstart on next year. Also, if he totally bombs out, the door is still open to bring in someone else this coming offseason.

If he's not, then let Haslett finish out the year and move on.

Let's hope you're right, LL, and if so, that the revolving door finally ends after this stop. I've been a vocal supporter of Has during his tenure, but even I've grown weary. We've got to get Robert a defense that can at least create turnovers, if not even be above average, to right the ship. With an RG3 led offense for the next decade, the future is looking awfully bright, if we can fix the D.

With Robert set as the franchise QB a lot of money will be invested into the offensive side of the football to maximize his ability. I think it is very important to have a DC that can still put a good defense on the field without a ton of pro bowl talent. Redskins are going to have to draft and cultivate their own talent more so now than ever.

Interesting article LL. Not sure why Shanahan brought Bob Slowik with him, but him and Haslett both need to go. There was a thread not too long ago about bringing Lou Spanos or the ND DC to take over and I couldn't agree more. Both are young and I can see them being here for a while. If either took over we can still continue using the 3-4 and wouldn't have to change to an entirely different scheme and have to put up with another few years of rebuilding to see results, especially with Spanos.

So if history tells us anything then Slowik will take over defensive playcalling after the bye and will be our new DC next year

So if history tells us anything then Slowik will take over defensive playcalling after the bye and will be our new DC next year

I would laugh at that but you never know bro.. ES would implode

With Robert set as the franchise QB a lot of money will be invested into the offensive side of the football to maximize his ability. I think it is very important to have a DC that can still put a good defense on the field without a ton of pro bowl talent. Redskins are going to have to draft and cultivate their own talent more so now than ever.

The bright side I see to that, is we have had a pretty good track record (at least it has seemed to me) at finding late round talent on both sides of the ball (Perry Riley, Alfred Morris, Crawford, etc.) that hopefully our scouting department can continue the success and fill the glaring holes we still have in the secondary to patch it up. That combined with competent defensive play calling would HAVE to be a massive step in the right direction, one would think.

What this shows me is that when Mike finds a good defensive coordinator, he sticks with them. The narrative is that he fires guys in rapid succession, but I think that's a fairly good track record of sticking with his coordinators until they under perform, rather than the idea that he chews through them at a record pace.

Here's hoping we find a good one pretty soon...

What this shows me is that when Mike finds a good defensive coordinator, he sticks with them. The narrative is that he fires guys in rapid succession, but I think that's a fairly good track record of sticking with his coordinators until they under perform, rather than the idea that he chews through them at a record pace.

Here's hoping we find a good one pretty soon...

Nice thread LL. I agree with you NLC, for some reason people keep acting like Shanny goes through coordinators like napkins. If you do a good job, you get to keep it.

Oh...and is that a Slowik mug shot? If so, I'm laughing my arse off.

I didn't realize Shanahan's first few coordinators had such success. Hopefully the tradition of canning DC's continues this offseason and is then put on hold for a few seasons.

I've tried to point this out to people at various times over the last few years to no avail. No one remembers that the Broncos had a solid defense up until the last few years of Shanahan's tenure there. The lack of success at the end was a fairly complicated beast, as well. It was a strange combination of coaching problems, guys getting old very suddenly, and tragedy that ultimately caused things to completely fall apart.

The Broncos wound up needing to rebuild their defense at the same time they were (very effectively) rebuilding their offense around Cutler. Then, once they fired Shanahan, they wound up re-re-re-building the offense and still needing to rebuild the defense by the end of McDaniels' tenure.

I've tried to point this out to people at various times over the last few years to no avail. No one remembers that the Broncos had a solid defense up until the last few years of Shanahan's tenure there. The lack of success at the end was a fairly complicated beast, as well. It was a strange combination of coaching problems, guys getting old very suddenly, and tragedy that ultimately caused things to completely fall apart.

The Broncos wound up needing to rebuild their defense at the same time they were (very effectively) rebuilding their offense around Cutler. Then, once they fired Shanahan, they wound up re-re-re-building the offense and still needing to rebuild the defense by the end of McDaniels' tenure.

It's much easier for some to just insist that Mike has no clue how to build a defense and that he went through defensive coordinators like crazy because he just doesn't get defense because he's too much of an egomaniac to not be hands off with his defense and he just doesn't know how to build one than to historically examine what was going on.

Looks like both Greg Robinson and Larry Coyer aren't working, maybe we should give them a call.

My favorite quote:

Mike Shanahan determined a defense that allowed 19 ppg was not good enough and moved on from Coyer.

Man, what we wouldn't do for 19 ppg.

What this shows me is that when Mike finds a good defensive coordinator, he sticks with them. The narrative is that he fires guys in rapid succession, but I think that's a fairly good track record of sticking with his coordinators until they under perform, rather than the idea that he chews through them at a record pace.

Here's hoping we find a good one pretty soon...

Very true.. If the defensive coordinator is doing their job then he he stuck with them mostly. I still find it a little odd how he jumped from Robinson and Coyer so quickly. Both had a good history then one bad season and he canned them both. Coyer in particular got the boot after what was really a bad 8 game stretch in 4 seasons.

On last weeks’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers:

Haslett- “Well, obviously we weren’t pleased with the way we played and the outcome. That’s something we’ll deal with every week.”

Good to know that they wont be pleased with how they play and the outcome of every game for the rest of the year.... Hate that quote

On last weeks’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers:

Haslett- “Well, obviously we weren’t pleased with the way we played and the outcome. That’s something we’ll deal with every week.”

Good to know that they wont be pleased with how they play and the outcome of every game for the rest of the year.... Hate that quote

Haha. "We suck, get used to it."

Haha. "We suck, get used to it."

It's the opposite of Norv's "What we do works!"

At least Haslett is honest. +1 point. That's his first point this year.

---------- Post added November-1st-2012 at 08:36 PM ----------

I would laugh at that but you never know bro.. ES would implode

Well it couldn't get much worse. I'd prefer if he just found a real DC though.

Very true.. If the defensive coordinator is doing their job then he he stuck with them mostly. I still find it a little odd how he jumped from Robinson and Coyer so quickly. Both had a good history then one bad season and he canned them both. Coyer in particular got the boot after what was really a bad 8 game stretch in 4 seasons.

I suspect the reasoning was similar to that of replacing Jake Plummer after reaching the AFC Championship game. It's something you have to be a little concerned by... but none of those guys has had much of a career since Shanahan axed them.

Coyer was the coordinator for a terrible Colts defense ('09-'11), Robinson was the coordinator for a terrible Chiefs defense ('01-'03) before going back to the college game, and Rhodes was the coordinator of some middle-of-the-pack Seahawks defenses ('03-'07) and is now an assistant in Cleveland.

In my opinion the top Defensive Coordinators in the league right now are Dick LeBeau, Dom Capers, Vic Fangio, Mike Zimmer, Wade Phillips & Mel Tucker. I don't know if any of these guy's contract's are up after the season but if they are I would love to see Mr. Snyder open up his check book and pay whatever it takes to get a first rate DC and defensive position coaching staff. Pittsburgh's LB coach Keith Butler is supposedly a great DC canidate but I think he has turned down chances in the past because he is going to take over for LeBeau when he retires. Fangio has done a great job in San Francisco but he will propably get Head Coach chances in the next year or so. Romeo Crennel & Ron Rivera might be available once the season is over. I feel pretty sure though that Raheem Morris will get the job if/when Haslett is let go but I haven't been to impressed with the secondary that he has coached through eight games.

Would Shanahan consider Rex Ryan if he were to be let go from the Jets?

Very true.. If the defensive coordinator is doing their job then he he stuck with them mostly. I still find it a little odd how he jumped from Robinson and Coyer so quickly. Both had a good history then one bad season and he canned them both. Coyer in particular got the boot after what was really a bad 8 game stretch in 4 seasons.

Perhaps Shanny has learned to be more patient, hence he's stuck with Haslett whereas history shows Haslett likely would have been fired by now under old Shanahan.

Perhaps Shanny has learned to be more patient, hence he's stuck with Haslett whereas history shows Haslett likely would have been fired by now under old Shanahan.

I can't remember who, but someone suggested that the way he's sticking with Jim Haslett is basically to prove that he's willing to give his defensive coordinator a decent shot to turn things around, in the hopes of enticing someone who ordinarily wouldn't want to come to the team.

Cynical, probably not true, but not entirely crazy.