DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns Hire John DeFilippo as OC

Maybe, maybe not. Who knows defensive weaknesses and how better to attack them than a defensive "guru"...

I was wondering the same thing. what happens if a Defensive GURU (you used that term) works closely with a young offensive mind to develop a scheme that will defeat tough D's on a regular basis?

I'm not trying to say that suddenly, Pettine is going to turn into a Offensive genius or anything close to that. Just using his insight into how defenses would attack a certain Offense then reverse engineering it to combat the D.

Makes sense to me on paper, no idea if it would work in real life.

It's pretty much what Belicheck has done over the passed 10 years...

At some point I assume he realized (probably after Weiss left) that with a successful offense, he was going to continue to lose OCs (O'Brian, McDaniels, etc)

So he learned more of the offensive side of the ball, so that regardless of who the OC is, they can keep the same system basically forever..

There was a great article on Belichick on Grantland today. I will only link to it because there are many great gifs and footnotes and whatnot.

http://grantland.com/features/new-englan...attle-seahawks/

One of the quotes from the article:



Belichick knows more about offense than most offensive coordinators. He also knows more about defense than anyone.

Belichick is the wild card against Seattle.

I think he's the only coach in the league that can come up with a way to stop them and move the ball on them.

And figure out a weakness on their cover four.

After I wrote what I wrote, I thought of Belichick and how many different OC's he's had and how nothing seemed to chance. At first, I thought it's because of Brady. But then I realized, there was a year there when Brady missed a bunch of games with an injury. And the Pats just kept rolling on like nothing happened.

So I can only hope that we arrive at something like that with Pettine.

The best part about Seattle's defense, is that it's not "scheme"

It's not a confusing 3-4.. a "UFO" or anything..

They just match up.. And are more physical.. and better..

I love, and envy it..

When you have three players (Sherman, Thomas, and Chancellor) who are probably the best at their position in the league, you can do that.

but, when 2 of them may be injured, then you could be in trouble. it's the biggest wild card going into the Superbowl IMO.

I think a coach should ALWAYS have input on the draft..

I would not necessarily give them a "say" in who we draft..

j/c

Familiarity key for Mike Pettine as he fills Browns offensive staff

Joker Phillips’ connection to John DeFilippo was ‘important,’ coach says

Before a couple of days ago, Mike Pettine had never sat down with Joker Phillips. Still, when the two coaches shook hands for the first time, there was a sense of familiarity.

Though Pettine hadn’t worked with Phillips before Thursday -- when Phillips was announced as the Browns’ new wide receivers coach -- offensive coordinator John DeFilippo had. DeFilippo’s father, Gene, was an associate athletic director at Kentucky when Phillips was hired as a graduate assistant in 1988. Thirteen years later, Phillips and DeFilippo worked alongside each other at Notre Dame, with Phillips as a wide receivers coach and DeFilippo as a graduate assistant.

Fourteen years after that, DeFilippo thought of Phillips as a potential fit for his offensive staff. So, when Phillips’ name came across his desk, Pettine called one of his top mentors, Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan, to gather some perspective from someone he trusts.

“Very first thing he said was music to my ears,” Pettine said. “He goes, ‘Well, I know your receivers are going to know how to block.’”

It was a win-win.

Not only did Pettine get a solid recommendation from Ryan and had those good words confirmed within 10 to 15 minutes of sitting down with Phillips, but he also brought in a coach whom with DeFilippo had comfort and a rapport.

“That's important,” Pettine said. “I like kind of weaving those personal connections throughout the coaching staff. That's important. I think that's one of the reasons why you look at the defensive staff and a lot of those kind of connections. It's nice to have those going through a staff. You don't want to be in the business of hiring friends but at the same time, if you've worked with somebody before, a recommendation only paints so much of a picture.

“To have it where you've worked with somebody and you know their work ethic and how they attack their job, all the things that come with that, I think that's important.”

On the defensive side, which has remained completely intact since the end of the season, Pettine has connections that run deep with the majority of assistants. Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil, linebackers coach Chuck Driesbach, assistant linebackers coach Brian Fleury, secondary coach Jeff Hafley and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver all worked under Pettine in Buffalo. Assistant defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn was a scout with the Jets during Pettine’s final season in New York.

DeFilippo and Pettine connected during a season with the Jets that ended with a trip to the AFC Championship. With Phillips on board, DeFilippo’s comfort level promises to increase as he prepares for his first season as an NFL offensive coordinator.

“It was important for him to not only surround him with experts at their craft but then have the bonus of somebody's he's worked with and he knows how hard they work and how they approach the game,” Pettine said. “There's certainly a trust and loyalty factor to it.”

It goes both ways in this case.

Phillips, who did not coach in 2014, said he had a number of opportunities to coach in the NFL before he opted to join the Browns. His connection with DeFilippo, which dates back to when DeFilippo was a third grader, made this the right time for the 51-year-old Phillips to take his first coaching job in the NFL.

“We always stayed in contact,” Phillips said. “This just felt like you wanted to come up here and help him and be with him again because he's such a young knowledgeable coach.”

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...25-3f3389fc0da3

I don't think it is a bad thing if our coaching staff likes each other.

not as long as they are all worthy of their post and not just being hired because they like each other

I fail to see any (obvious) reason why it wouldn't work...

Gee, what a funny guy.

Two guys laughed when you said it earlier, so I guess that justifies trotting it out there again.

I'm sorry I used a football term on a football board. I think this says way more about you than it does me.

J/C

Having Pettine get involved with the offense makes sense to me. Sure he is a defensive coach, but being a head coach, he must be able to understand the offensive strategy. As someone who studies how to defeat an offensive scheme, he could help the OC understand what a defense would do to stop a play.

A head coach too many times sticks with his specialty and counts on others to run the other side of the ball. Belichek was a defensive coach, but he has grown to the point that he can understand what to do on the other side of the ball.

Also, if your arse on the line, you better have some say in what is happening in a game.

IMO Nobody knows the weaknesses of a defense more than the person who puts it on the field.

Having a defensive guy give input to the offense on how to attack a defense is a very good thing

j/c:

The popular sentiment is that OCs at the NFL level don't understand defenses. Really?

The popular sentiment is that our offense is going to be so much better w/out Shanny and w/Pet involved. We'll see.

Of course, most will forget all about this debate just like they have all the other debates we have had on here and some clever soul will mock another phrase, such as "route tree" as if my point of view is ridiculous.

Popular sentiment where? On THIS board? I don't see that at all. I simply see people not panicking because a guy - who didn't want to be here - has left.

I would expect that they certainly do. OC's and DC's working together and picking each other's brain is beneficial to both sides of the ball...

I don't see where folks are saying OC's are ignorant of Defenses, of course they have knowledge of defensive schemes etc, how else do you put a game plan together?

What I read is that a DC knows more about a defense and how to attack it, and having another set of eyes from the D side can only add another perspective that should be able to enhance the offensive game plan.

I would hope the opposite will also be true and the O will help the D.

I don't think there is one person who has said this.

Honestly Vers, I don't see were you are gtting this from. Your love for Shanny has clouded your thinking

I got it from reading all the rosy posts at the bottom of the last page and top of this page. It's not hard reading.

I don't recall anyone saying that we are better off without Shanahan the play caller. But i think many are saying that we are better off witbout Shanahan the person. He didn't want to be here- it would have made for a very awkward situation. Pet was smart enough to avoid it. I hope Flip is as smart as people are saying he is. Sure, there will be some growing pains. I expect it. Shanahan should flourish in Atlanta. He has an established QB and receivers, with an offensive line that should be healthy again. I'd be shocked if he didn't put up good numbers.

I don't think it was his coaching that has people put off, at least not me I'd have loved to kept him for a few years. I think the sentiment comes more from the fact that he didn't want to be here. The reasons for him feeling that way mean nothing now, as that what is done is done.

I'm not happy he is gone, but it looks like the staff is being assembled to be together for a while, that could be a good thing.

We seem to think that every time a coaching staff is hired. I think I'll wait until these "newbies" are here for a while before I bother learning their names.

I think that most of us have put his departure behind us. The only residual is that IF there was a lesson to be learned on our part, I trust that we have taken it to heart...

Look man, I am not upset w/you or chaffing your behind. I am just upset that Shanny wanted out in the first place. The guy was a good coach. What kind of person he is is just a bunch of garbage designed to divert the real reason for his departure.

He thought this FO was toxic. That's a bad sign. If this would have happened while Banner and Lombardi were here... the outrage would have been unreal. Most of you flipped last year when Chud was fired. Freaking Chud who lost his team. All I read about was The Three Stooges.

This year, the facts were more damning than last year, but most want to turn it into some rosy picture and talk about Shanny--the person.

Sorry, that aggravates me. Not asking you--or anyone--to agree. But, I have followed this team for longer than most of you have been alive and if I wanna complain, I will........because I have seen this horror movie too many damn times!

Again, nothing personal w/you. You seem like a good dude. I am just really upset about what is going down.

We draft Gilbert and Manziel in round one in an extremely excellent draft. We lose the best OC I have ever seen in Cleveland. We fire an experienced QB coach because he talked about a text. We get rid of a WR coach who did a lot w/very little talent and we replace them w/stiffs.

After all of that, most are happy! Yet, they slammed Banner last year and he did a much better job.

Nonsense!

Yea this years regime was so much better, I mean they managed to win 1 out of their last 8 games. That was some damn fine coaching by the offensive staff. They moved the ball almost a half a dozen times during those last 8 or 9 games. I dont know how we can ever replace that kind of perfection.

You don't think the offensive coaching was better this year than last? Seriously?

You don't think losing three Pro Bowlers for most of the season was a factor?

You don't think inserting Manziel into the lineup was a factor?

Seriously?

The team was done after the colts game, didnt matter who the QB was. Mentally and physiclaly exhausted and that was why they made a hail marry attempt with Manziel. Last year we had Weeden and Jason at QB and no RB at all and they outscored this years team. Norv and Chud got the most out of this offense. Shannahan got the most he could out of this offense.

The strength of this years team was the rookie backs and the offensive line. We kept the RB coach and the OL coaches. We will see if its an improvement or not. Right now it looks like we are setting up a team that is gonna run the ever loving crap out of the football.

Not sure why you are mad at me. You are not usually the type of poster who needs others to agree w/you.

I don't like the fact that Shanny wanted out. You don't have to agree. But for me, that is not a good sign for the FO and ownership, especially after such a piss poor first round of the draft.

We would have loved for a season 2 of Shannahan but he resigned his position to go elsewhere. You keep pushing for this outrage Vers but noone else has it. He quit. We kept our best coaches imho. Most see this as a chance to build some long term continuity. I hope it is but I fully expect Haslam to completely blow this thing up after this season.

We hired joker for WR coach. He is the kinda coach you will love. Sucks as OC but man he really pushes the fundamentals of the position, whether its hand placement, making that cut with the side shoulder stance, he wants his receivers to be great blockers, if they arent they wont play.

Flip was the guy I thought we were getting last year and was shocked when it was Shanny. Smart young coach by all accounts lives and breathes football 18-20 hrs a day. Whether he is good or, its a wait and see.

I just dont see the point of complaining over and over and over that Shanny quit. Would rather talk about the people that want to be hear. When Mack signed with Jags last year, hey I was the first one yelling let him walk and draft his replacement. If someone doesnt want to be here, they can move on and so will we.

Mac, I think this is a great point.