M
Mark Eckel
Guest
By MARK ECKEL
Mike Pettine, a Rex Ryan disciple who was also head coach of the Cleveland Browns for two years, will be the Packers new defensive coordinator according to several reports.
ESPN first reported the hiring of the 51-year-old Pettine, who will replace Dom Capers on Mike McCarthy’s new-look staff.
The Packers, who also interviewed in-house candidates Winston Moss, Darren Perry and Joe Whitt, were believed to be interested in Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio as well.
Sources told bobmcginnfootball.com that Fangio, who is close to Capers, would check with his friend before talking to the Packers. It now appears Fangio will stay with the Bears and new head coach Matt Nagy.
Pettine, who was the Browns head coach in 2014 and 2015, becomes the second former head coach hired by McCarthy in the past week. Joe Philbin, who was head coach of the Miami Dolphins, will reportedly be the team’s new offensive coordinator. Philbin replaced Edger Bennett, who like Capers was fired after the team’s 7-9 2017 season.
A native of Doylestown, Pa., Pettine’s father, Mike Sr., is a legend in Pennsylvania high school football where his Central Bucks West teams went 326-42-4 over the span of 33 years.
Pettine played for his father in high school and then went on to play safety at the University of Virginia.
He went from a high school coach at his father’s rival North Penn to a coaching assistant with the Baltimore Ravens in 2002 when Ryan was the team’s defensive coordinator.
Pettine spent seven years with the Ravens under Ryan. When Ryan became the New York Jets head coach in 2009 he brought Pettine with him as his defensive coordinator.
In his four years as the Jets’ defensive coordinator the team ranked 1st, 3rd, 5th and 8th in total defense.
Pettine then spent a year with the Buffalo Bills in 2013 as the defensive coordinator to head coach Doug Marrone. The Bills finished 10th in total defense that season.
Pettine was named the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and in his two seasons recorded a 10-22 record. His 7-9 first season was the Browns’ best record since they went 10-6 in 2007. And those seven wins are more than Cleveland has had in the three years since (4-44).
He spent last season in a consultant role with the Seattle Seahawks.
Like Ryan, Pettine employs a 3-4 defense with press-man coverage and likes to use a variety of blitz packages. That means the Packers won’t be making drastic changes to the defense Capers used for the past nine seasons.
Capers defense, however, ranked in the bottom third of the league in four of the past seven seasons, including a 22nd ranking this past season.
Pettine and McCarthy could be looking for at least four assistant coaches on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac and inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley were fired, while quality control assistant Tim McGarigle left for a job at Northwestern and assistant defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery left for a spot on Jimbo Fisher’s new staff at Texas A&M.
It remains to be seen if Moss, Perry and Whitt stay after being passed up for the coordinator’s job.
The post Packers will hire Pettine as defensive coordinator appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.
Continue reading...
Mike Pettine, a Rex Ryan disciple who was also head coach of the Cleveland Browns for two years, will be the Packers new defensive coordinator according to several reports.
ESPN first reported the hiring of the 51-year-old Pettine, who will replace Dom Capers on Mike McCarthy’s new-look staff.
The Packers, who also interviewed in-house candidates Winston Moss, Darren Perry and Joe Whitt, were believed to be interested in Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio as well.
Sources told bobmcginnfootball.com that Fangio, who is close to Capers, would check with his friend before talking to the Packers. It now appears Fangio will stay with the Bears and new head coach Matt Nagy.
Pettine, who was the Browns head coach in 2014 and 2015, becomes the second former head coach hired by McCarthy in the past week. Joe Philbin, who was head coach of the Miami Dolphins, will reportedly be the team’s new offensive coordinator. Philbin replaced Edger Bennett, who like Capers was fired after the team’s 7-9 2017 season.
A native of Doylestown, Pa., Pettine’s father, Mike Sr., is a legend in Pennsylvania high school football where his Central Bucks West teams went 326-42-4 over the span of 33 years.
Pettine played for his father in high school and then went on to play safety at the University of Virginia.
He went from a high school coach at his father’s rival North Penn to a coaching assistant with the Baltimore Ravens in 2002 when Ryan was the team’s defensive coordinator.
Pettine spent seven years with the Ravens under Ryan. When Ryan became the New York Jets head coach in 2009 he brought Pettine with him as his defensive coordinator.
In his four years as the Jets’ defensive coordinator the team ranked 1st, 3rd, 5th and 8th in total defense.
Pettine then spent a year with the Buffalo Bills in 2013 as the defensive coordinator to head coach Doug Marrone. The Bills finished 10th in total defense that season.
Pettine was named the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and in his two seasons recorded a 10-22 record. His 7-9 first season was the Browns’ best record since they went 10-6 in 2007. And those seven wins are more than Cleveland has had in the three years since (4-44).
He spent last season in a consultant role with the Seattle Seahawks.
Like Ryan, Pettine employs a 3-4 defense with press-man coverage and likes to use a variety of blitz packages. That means the Packers won’t be making drastic changes to the defense Capers used for the past nine seasons.
Capers defense, however, ranked in the bottom third of the league in four of the past seven seasons, including a 22nd ranking this past season.
Pettine and McCarthy could be looking for at least four assistant coaches on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac and inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley were fired, while quality control assistant Tim McGarigle left for a job at Northwestern and assistant defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery left for a spot on Jimbo Fisher’s new staff at Texas A&M.
It remains to be seen if Moss, Perry and Whitt stay after being passed up for the coordinator’s job.
The post Packers will hire Pettine as defensive coordinator appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.
Continue reading...