These are actual Blitzes from a Gregg Williams defensive playbook.  Not the Jaguars, of course, this is from the 2002 Buffalo Bills. 

Who is Gregg Williams?

When Mike Smith left for the Atlanta Falcons, the Jaguars were faced with a dilimma as to who would lead their defense.  Internal hires were considered, but eventually the former defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins would take the helm of what was a generally dissappointing Jaguars defense.   With Gregg Williams, the Jaguars would inherit a man with high standards, huge expectations, and a fair share of emotional baggage from his engagements with other teams.  This was the coach who created a number one defense in Washington in 2004, this was the same coach who felt that his system was so above the players that he dissuaded Dan Snyder from resigning key players like Antonio Pierce.  Gregg Williams brought a terribly aggressive man-to-man defense to the 1999 Tennessee Titans but went on to be a numbingly timid play-caller in Buffalo from 2001-2003.  He is a man of dichotomy, a man of great confidence, and one who's whole story is marked with contradictions.  Some players love him, others would rather leave the team than stay under his watchful eye. 

Coaching the hard way:

When Gregg Williams was hired by the Buffalo Bills in 2001, he was asked to bring a hard-line disiplined approach to a team that needed it.  A dissappointing loss in the 1999 playoffs (to the Titans, no less)  and a mediocre 8-8 season in 2000 forced Wade Phillips out.  When replacing the very player-friendly Phillips, the Bills front office insisted on creating a change in culture within their team.  Gregg Williams had already established a hard-line reputation with the Titans, the Bills asked him to intensify his approach and turn it to results on the field:

He already had a reputation for being a taskmaster with the Titans, but in the new job he was supposed to be extra brutal. "They wanted me to be hard," he recalled.

Reading about Gregg's first months in Buffalo reminds me of the first Jaguars training camp in 1995.  Rules, yelling, intensity, all the things we look back on with Coughlin stand out when looking at Williams:

He barked out orders, swore profusely, laid out a list of rules and had everyone awakened at training camp to the blasts of a bullhorn. He made everyone run laps when somebody made a mistake. "Gregg did everything that was asked of him. He was a team player," said Tom Donahoe, who was the Bills' president at the time and hired Williams.

This was the dream job for a guy who wanted nothing more than to be an NFL Head Coach, yet when he got there, it was nothing like he expected.  Within a month of moving to Buffalo he was accused by his neighbors of being drunk and fighting with his wife at a welcome to the neighborhood party, a charge that Williams completely denies :

In his hand, he said, he held a can of beer from which he insisted he took no more than about two sips. He stayed for close to three hours, never leaving the corner. Nonetheless, two days later on sports radio, he said, it was reported that he was drunk, embarrassed himself, got into a fight with his wife and fell into a nearby pond.

This, according to Williams is why he shut himself off from the City and the Fans.  Despite nearly taking the Bills to the playoffs in his second season, Gregg would find himself on the hot-seat, accused of being arrogant and difficult to work with.  There was, of course, the 20 million dollars in dead cap money that Gregg inherited, which qualifies as a "mitigating situation", according to Donahoe, the man who both hired and fired Williams.

Attack Style Defense:

As the Jaguars dance with Gregg Williams began, no phrase was more overused than "attack style".  The images of blitzers began dancing in our heads as we slept off the hangover of Tom Brady's playoff pass completion percentage that ruined our January.  Gregg Williams would be the antidote to an otherwise vanillia defense fielded by Mike Smith.

Scouts and sports-pundits would explain that Gregg liked to attack, that the Jaguars would be more aggressive, and that 2008 would look light years away from 2007.  What is unclear, as far as I'm concerned, is what exactly that will look like.  The actual history of Gregg's defenses reads differently than what we're told.  Reading through the history, I see a defensive coordinator who makes the most out of what he's given, but despite the "system", he still builds a defense around his players:

"My motivation comes from knowing how to place athletes in the best possible positions. I work at putting my defense under heavy stress in practice. Producing under stress is the best measure of a person."

The defense fielded by the Tennessee Titans under Williams should be very familiar to Jaguars fans, it's the one that ruined the 1999 season, twice:

The Titans play a hybrid version of Buddy Ryan's old 46 defense but with a lot more intelligence, probably as much quickness and not quite as much recklessness. Their comers talk about wanting to be left man-to-man, but rival coaches say most times at least one corner gets safety help... Guess wrong and put the ball into double coverage, and that is when the Titans pounce.

This is a frustrating defense, with its movement and quickness and willingness to try to force mistakes. "They did a good job of mixing up the blitzes, putting the pressure on," Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell said after Sunday's loss. Brunell's first lesson came in the second quarter, when he thought he had tight end Damon Jones open in the end zone only to have Robertson step in front of the 6-yard throw for an interception.

The 46 defense is best known for the 1985 Chicago Bears.  It is not a four linemen, six linebacker formation, rather it took it's name from Doug Plank's jersey number.  He was the Bears safety and would line up as a linebacker (4-4) might be a better description.  The defense requires defensive ends that can bring great pressure as it is deigned to quickly collapse the pocket and attack the quarterback.  Cornerbacks are left in man-to-man coverage, as there is usually only one deep safety to provide backup.

I highly doubt the Jaguars will use a regular 46 formation, though as a now-and-then sort of thing, it could work.  In it's pure form, the formation uses a nose tackle, two defensive ends, two linebackers and a rush backer (designated pass-rusher), all on the line of scrimmage.  The Jaguars lack a serious candidate at nose tackle, though something could be improvised for a trick play or two.

The challenge in attacking this defense is getting the ball from the quarterback to the single covered receiver before getting sacked.  It's largely a "Dead Defense" now because of the quick timing routes of the West-Coast offense, though the Baltimore Ravens have used it from time to time. Which makes sense, considering that Rex Ryan, Buddy's son, coordinates their defense.

Returning to our subject, Gregg Williams "attack style" defense is typically a reaction to the type of players on the field.  Attacking the quarterback when Javon Kearse is in his prime makes perfect sense.  When lacking the pass-rushers, Gregg Williams has used the Cover-2/Tampa-2 made famous by Tony Dungy.

What made Williams a defensive legend is what he did in his first year with the Washington Redskins:

"I'll give Williams his credit. A lot of us were surprised by what he got out of them, but there is not a lot of talent there," said one general manager who did not want to be quoted by name because he was speaking about another team. "They kind of did it with smoke and mirrors."

Smoke and Mirrors should sound familar to Jaguars fans, it's what Mike Smith did a few years ago when our defense performed far better than it should have.  Greg adapted around the talent and put a season together with less than top shelf talent.  With this high bar, Gregg struggled in later seasons in managing talent.  Letting players go like Antonio Pierce, struggling to work with the late Sean Taylor, the entire Adam Archuleta debacle.  All of these things are indictive of a coordinator that roamed a little to far in his job description. 

What will he bring to Jacksonville:

Gregg Williams has dabbled in a little bit of everything.  4-3, 3-4, 46, Cover 2, name drop just about any system and you'll find tape of Gregg Williams running it.  It certainly leads credence to the idea that despite his reputation, he's a player not plays type of coordinator.  Vic Ketchman describes him like this:

He’s a 4-3 guy who believes in a gap-control scheme, which means he likes his defensive linemen lined up in the gaps instead of head up on the offensive linemen. As I said yesterday, it’s what you do up front that defines a team’s defensive philosophy. What you do in the back in the way of coverages is dictated by your ability to control the line of scrimmage. If you’re dominating up front, you can be as aggressive or as soft as you’d like in the back. In fact, most coordinators would mix aggressive coverages with soft coverages in an attempt to disguise what they’re doing and confuse the quarterback. I repeat: It’s all about what you do up front. If you can stop the run and rush the passer, you can play anything you want in the back.

Williams ran a lot of “46 defense” when he was the Titans’ defensive coordinator. Jeff Fisher, of course, played in the “46” and was the impetus to the Titans’ use of it, but Williams likes the “46” and all forms of getting pressure on the quarterback because he knows that the best pass-defense is a pass-rush.

Of course, Gregg Williams refused to give any hint his his OTA press conference:

What defensive scheme are you going to play?

“We’re going to play everything that’s ever been played in football before,” Williams answered.

Williams needs to sort through a multitude of position battles, identify expectations, and decide what approach to take through training camp.  The rookie defensive ends will have to be evaluated as to how much they can handle and to determine if they're situational players or if they're ready to participate fully right out of the gate.  No discredit to Derick Harvey, but Quentin Groves seems perfect as a guided missle in a Williams pass rush.  Pinching a quarterback between the two ends with a linebacker going up the middle or crashing around one side is a dream play for the Jaguars defense.

But it all depends on how things play out up front.  If the Jaguars are unable to show a serious pass-rush, Williams is just as likely to drop into safe and soft zones and play like Mike Smith did in the playoffs.  You simply cannot send multiple blitzers into the offensive line if you cannot get to the quarterback.  If our defensive line fails to win the battles in the trench, there's no need to send in the Mike, Will, or Sam. 

Expectations for our defense should be high.  The Jaguars were defined by their defense two seasons ago, now it's a point of critique.  While there's nothing wrong with putting the ball in David Garrard's hands and expecting him to win the game, the combitnation of the "Grindhouse" offense with an effective 3 and out defense reduces the times an opposing offense has the ball, and eliminates their gameplan right out of the gate.  The only time the Jaguars have stopped Peyton Manning is when they've kept him on the sidelines.  Beating Tom Brady requires the same thing.

Conclusions:

Some think that Gregg Williams is a one-and-done defensive coordinator. If the Jaguars do what they're expected to do, and that's compete for a Super Bowl, Gregg might very well receive another phone call inviting him to interview for a head coaching job.  Then again, he might recall what happened in Buffalo and the fiasco in Washington and decide to roll with the hot hand in Jacksonville.  One thing is clear, the Jaguars have very little contractual leverage with Williams.  They are splitting the final year of his Redskins contract with Washington and leaving Gregg as a free-agent next year. 

Will he bring the Blitz to the "teal curtain"?  I think so.  But it will not be from a clever scheme or design, rather it will emerge from identifying what players will excell and putting them in the position to win the battles.  Riddled with cliches, no doubt, but the way a tough football team plays.  The Jaguars do not need fancy schemes, they need players that can run, hit, and tackle consistantly.  They need opponents to feel like they have to tape up twice as much because they know they'll get pounded for 60 minutes.  They need the swagger that comes with aggressive play calling, and that play calling can only happen when the defense shows they can do the fundamentals consistantly well.

Remember, above all else, sending the blitz means someone else has to step up in coverage.  Calling the blitz means having absoulte confidence in the entire defense to cover the offense like they're a man down.  Can the Jaguars put Rashean Mathis on an island with Reggie Wayne?  Until Williams feels comfortable doing dangerous things like that, I'd expect a little less attack and a little more careful probing out of our new coordnator.

-Chris

[Note by River City Rage, 06/22/08 11:43 PM EDT ]: Collin has done a fantastic job here breaking down the career of Jaguars.com's Vic.  In the comments, I'd love to hear what everyone thinks of Vic, Ask Vic, and other coverage of the Jaguars.

Better know the Jaguars' Official reporter

 Victor J. Ketchman

Introduction:

Vic Ketchman is an excellent and highly lauded sportswriter who joined the Jaguars' organization in 1995. He is now in control of most of the material on the Jaguars.com official website, and his "Ask Vic" column has developed a cult following of readers both inside and outside of the Jaguar fanbase.

Victor J. Ketchman comes from very humble roots; his father was the epitome of the American entrepreneur. Victor R. Ketchman served in WWII and returned home to work in the newspaper industry at the Valley Daily news. It was there he quickly rose to a prominent role in advertising with the paper. He eventually saved enough to join with a group of investors and purchase a weekly newspaper called the Standard-Observer.

Immediately, the senior Vic was put in place as publisher and the paper was changed to run 6 days a week. Soon thereafter the paper's popularity began to grow; however, in 1994 he retired from the industry for good. He passed away recently in 2005, leaving behind a legacy in the newspaper industry especially in the Pittsburgh area.

The younger Vic joined with his father to write for the news for over 23 years, some of that time spent as the sports editor. All of this explains Vic's affinity for the old ways of ink and paper, and I really can't blame him. I'm one of the few young people who get a paper everyday, and let me tell you, it isn't for the sports section. The newspapers' have to do more with less, and that's been the case for years now since the explosion of the internet, but I digress...

Below, Vic shares some memories of his father and his humble background. Oh, the stories Vic must have about his father; I'd love to hear some more about the guy.

"The industry defined him," the younger Ketchman said." He's ink-stained all the way. He had the personality of a newspaper man, he had the pace of a newspaper man. In many ways, he did not retire so much as he surrendered to the new media."

"Back then it was a glitzy profession," the younger Ketchman said. "Back then, if you said you worked for a newspaper, that was a big deal. Back then, if you said you worked for the Valley Daily News, that meant something."

Ketchman, who now works in communications for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, eventually went to work for his father at the Standard-Observer for 23 years and eventually became the sports editor.

He described his father as "the best boss I ever had" but then with a trace of wry humor, he added, "I don't ever remember getting paid real well. In fact, toward the end, that became kind of a sore spot."

"He was the funniest man I've ever known in my life," Ketchman said. "My sons couldn't wait to go to his house because they knew it was inevitable he would do something hilarious."

"When he came back from the war, he had basically seen nothing but hard times for the first 18 years of his life," the younger Ketchman said. "After eight years of Depression and then World War II and then you come back into a world of thriving commerce -- man, that had to be exciting.

Vic Ketchman's got quite a reputation in the Steelers' organization and is beloved by many from his time there. Myron Cope wrote a book entitled Double Yoi! in which he provides detailed information regarding the Steelers' during their heyday in the 70's. Myron writes of the first time he saw the young Vic, and how impressed Coach Chuck Noll was with the lad.

Vic was only 15, but he was inside the Steelers' locker room and firing questions at the imposing Noll. No wonder Vic's so good at his gig, sports journalism has been his life. Below I copied an excerpt from Myron's book detailing his encounter with Vic and his early fascination with Psychology. Myron even speculates the reason for Noll's tolerance of a 15 year old grilling him was the promise Noll saw in the young Vic as a journalist, quite the compliment. Read the book yourself here... Vic is first mentioned on page 71.

At his weekly news conferences Chuck presented himself to the media in a crowded conference room, seated at the head of the table. One day a kid named Vic Ketchman showed up. I thought, "If that kid were Jewish, he'd be only a couple of years past his bar mitzvah." I figured him for 15. He had gained admittance because he really was a sportswriter - he wrote for a small-town paper, the Irwin Standard-Observer, owned by his father. Not bashful, Vic would pose questions to Noll every week, most of them going something like this:

"Coach, in the second quarter Sunday, you punted on fourth-and-one. Would you explain the psychology behind that decision?" Vic may not have been shaving yet, but he was heavily into psychology.

"The psychology?" Noll would reply, always careful to maintain a straight face-oh, maybe furrowing his brow only slightly.

"What I mean, Coach, is, there had to be factors forming a psychological pattern that led you to believe it was the right time to punt, weren't there?"

"No."

Today Vic Ketchman is senior editor of Jaguars Inside Report, the official weekly tabloid of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and knows football as well as any journalist would would care to meet, and I suspect Noll treated him with endless patience because he saw promise in Vic, if for no other reason than that he dared to show up and come prepared with, well, avenues of inquiry.

Coming to Jacksonville without leaving Pittsburgh:

As a longtime resident of the Pittsburgh area, Vic has a deep seeded love of the region that resonates whenever he talks about his life there. His memories are all still so detailed for him and it shows in his written recounts of times long past. Vic's a guy who loves tradition and is proud of his "Steel City" roots.

In an interview for the New York Times, Ketchman speaks lovingly of the Steelers by using language only  Vic would consider using. He harkens back to a time before fast-food and home owner's association fees and dotes over the Steelers' style of football... as their legacy deserves.

For displaced Pittsburghers, who left in pursuit of work no longer available here, the Steelers hold a particular resonance, Vic Ketchman, 53, said. He left at 44 and is senior editor of the Jacksonville Jaguars' team Web site.

"Iron City beer had a slogan, 'It tastes like coming home,' " Ketchman said. "That's what the Steelers are, like coming home."

The Steelers also represent another sentimental longing, Ketchman said, apologizing if he sounded like a "hopeless romantic."

"They are the team for all the ones who like the old things," he said. "For all of us who don't want fast food, who don't want to live in a new bedroom community and pay association fees, who don't want progress forced upon us. Pittsburgh is an old place. It feels just right."

Victor J Ketchman is highly regarded by his peers and is known as a controversial and brutally honest journalist who understands football. A former colleague of Vic's, Jim Wexell, credits Vic for creating the Steelers' following at their paper. He further details their relationship in his book, Tales from Behind the Steel Curtain.

The Vic we know:

You may not be aware of this, but Vic Ketchman is the sole designer and purveyor of a special, and as of now unutilized, defense. Its title from this day forward shall be, "The 0-0-11 PreVic Defense". He suggests this in one of his famous Ask Vic columns and I found a site out there that took him seriously enough (or had too much time on their hands) to design the idea for him. It's really quite interesting how even Vic's sarcastic comments get enough of a rise out of people to elicit the responses they do from fans.

John from Jacksonville: Why do teams go to these extremely soft zones, especially at the end of the game. I just finished watching the Florida game and this is the third time we have blown a lead in the fourth quarter against a rival team in the past two years, and it is due largely in part to the prevent defense.

Vic: I guess it's human nature to prefer to die slowly rather than all at once. I used to defend the "prevent" because coaches told me it was the thing to do in protecting the lead. Well, I'm older than most coaches now and I'm not nearly as impressionable as I once was. I'm with you on the "prevent." It doesn't work. Hey, if you're going to go to the "prevent," then why not go all the way? Put in 11 defensive backs. Why even bother with a token rush? Let the quarterback stand back there the rest of the day, if he wants. All he's doing is burning time, right? Isn't that what you want him to do? I have great respect for coaches. They are great innovators and have provided for the evolution of this game. But when it comes to defensive strategy in the final two minutes of the game, they have plowed very little ground. They're playing the same "prevent" that was driving fans crazy in the 1960's. It's time for something new. How about the 0-0-11?

Here's the Ketchman Defense diagrammed for your viewing pleasure.

Here's another "Ask Vic" excerpt where he lays down the law on some out-of-state reader whining about anything and everything. Vic's style is unmistakable and his brash, sarcastic, and witty retorts have garnered him both a large following, and the respect he deserves.

I've already had a tough day and it's not even 10 a.m., so your e-mail is catching me in an agitated state. I've read over 200 e-mails from fans complaining about everything from [Jaguar running back/return man] Alvin Pearman catching a punt inside the 10-yard line to not having a g/back, whatever that means, and I've decided you're the one I'm gonna tell to hit the road. So, get your banjo, give Ned Beatty a call and take a nice, long canoe ride.

Saying that Victor J. Ketchman has been around awhile would be more than a mild understatement. He was the first reporter asked to do a piece in a series that never materialized about encounters and inside views that only a sportswriter would know.

In classic Vic style, the attention to detail is excellent, and although the piece was written in 1981, it still is just as interesting a read now.

I know it's hard to believe, but everyone doesn't love our Vic. In fact, his controversial style has led some to absolutely loathe the guy. I discovered a website devoted to nothing but bashing Vic. You may either love him or hate him...but you know him.

http://vicketchmanisanidiot.blogspot.com/

Outspoken

Vic has never been one to mince words. He'll call out a guy in broad daylight, a perfect example being his claim that Mike Holmgren is overrated. He backed his assessment up with viable stats and should be commended for speaking his mind, even though some Seahawk fans weren't too happy with the comment.

Let us not forget the now infamous asterisk either, as it may be his most audacious move ever. What reporter so slyly calls out the opposition as Vic did with the Pats. Usually it's the players talking smack, but our Official Team Reporter was bashing on ‘em! Way to go, Vic!

Jason from North Pole, AK: Do you think Shaun Alexander is overrated? I know he broke the touchdown record and all, but anyone could have run behind that offensive line. Put any starting running back in this league in Seattle's backfield and he would have done the same. Matt Hasselbeck deserves more recognition but Alexander gets it all.

Vic: The guy rushed for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. He rushed for 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2004 and for 1,435 yards and 14 touchdowns in '03. That's 5,011 yards and 57 touchdowns in the last three seasons. What does a guy have to do to earn your respect? He's just shy of 8,000 yards rushing in his career and he's still in his prime. I don't care if his offensive line was Munoz, Boselli, Hannah, Hickerson and Webster. When you rush for those kinds of numbers, you are one heckuva running back. Hasselbeck had a nice season; led the NFC with a 98.2 passer rating. If you wanna say he's underrated, I'll agree with you, but don't tell me Alexander is overrated. I'll tell you who's overrated; his coach. How could you have that kind of running back and not make him the focus of your offense in the Super Bowl? It was one of the all-time blunders in Super Bowl history.

This, of course, begged for a follow-up:

Thrill from Jacksonville: Yesterday you wrote that Mike Holmgren made one of the all-time blunders in Super Bowl history by not featuring Shaun Alexander in his offense. What are some of the others? How about a top five ranking?

Vic: The number one blunder in Super Bowl history, in my opinion, is John Fox's decision to go for two. He made the mistake of being too aggressive and going for two too early in the game. It ended up being the difference. It's a shame because Fox did everything else right. One little goof will haunt him forever. The number two position is a tie between Holmgren and Holmgren. Make the Shaun Alexander blunder 2a and make the decision to allow the Broncos to score a touchdown 2b. The blunder against the Broncos was twofold: Holmgren lost track of the downs and never, ever concede the winning touchdown. My number three all-time Super Bowl coaching blunder belongs to Bill Parcells for throwing the ball 14 times (I think that's right) in a row after Curtis Martin had run up the middle for a touchdown against the Packers that gave the Patriots the lead and established control of the line of scrimmage. The Packers returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown but, hey, why the panic? The Packers seized control of the game during Parcells' panic..

You have to love the way he calls it just like he sees it, no sugar-coating. Comments like these exemplify why Vic is so beloved, his honesty. Couple the fact that you know he'll shoot straight with you as a fan with his entertaining style of reporting, and you've got one heck of a journalist. He goes so far above and beyond what is required of him and works so diligently at providing an interesting perspective through his Ask Vic column that you have to respect the guy. We're lucky to have him covering our beloved Jags... even if he is from Pittsburgh.

-Collin

Todd Monken

Coaching Experience
1989-90  Grand Valley State (assistant coach)
1991-92  Notre Dame (graduate assistant)
1993-99 Eastern Michigan (defensive backs, 1993; wide receivers, punt return unit, 1994-97; offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, 1998-99)
2000-01 Louisiana Tech (running backs/recruiting coordinator, 2000; wide receivers, 2001)
2002-04 Oklahoma State (pass game coordinator, wide receivers)
2005 LSU (passing game coordinator/wide receivers)

Todd is the son of a high school coach and was a QB while at Knox College. He never dreamed of being an NFL coach and it wasn’t until 2003 when Oklahoma State University went to the Cotton Bowl that he realized coaching would be his career. A class act all around, Todd is known as a coach who demands the best from his squad and doesn’t mince words. Here’s what he had to say shortly after his arrival to Jacksonville in regards to Reggie Williams and Matt Jones.

“If they don't do it right, they can't be here,” he said. “I don't know what else to say. I can't put my family on the line for guys that don't do it right. . . . Guys take reps based on where they're at. If they (Williams and Jones) can't figure it out, you can't paint more of a vivid picture. It's time for Reggie and Matt to do it. If not now, when?”

 Precisely the kind of guy we want in there! It looks like Reggie responded to the challenge put forth by his new coach, while Matt just decided to go fishing.   From what I’ve heard, Reggie and Todd were connected at the hip last year and Reggie responded with a breakout season. Troy Williamson is currently employing the same tactic, and hopefully he will replicate Reggie’s results. If Todd can cure Troy’s pervading case of the drops, than his Guru status will be unquestioned.

Troy Williamson seems to be "catching" on.
Impression: The Vikings bust of a receiver has caught everything during OTA practices and was the star of this past weekend's minicamp. He has routinely run by defensive backs and caught long passes. It seems receivers’ coach Todd Monken continues to have a positive impact on his receivers.

  Our receiving corps is arguably the most improved position on the field and we have Todd to thank for that. Todd came to us last year and this will be his second season with the team. He presided over Reggie Williams career season last year and he appears to connect with the players. Northcutt went from a slot receiver in Cleveland to our #1 last year. Overall, he coached up what was an abhorrent group in 2006 and led them to become an average group last year. There’s no reason not to expect the trend to continue this season due to the influx of new talent at WR.

 Monken has never been a head coach either at the collegiate or professional level and this is his first NFL gig, however, he had tremendous success in the NCAA and coached a few top receivers. Dwayne Bowe, who was the Chiefs’ best WR last year, flourished under the tutelage of Coach Monken and he obviously came to the NFL ready to compete at a higher level.

 Todd coached current Jaguar and OTA standout D’Juan Woods at LSU along with his older brother Rashaun (a former first round pick). D’Juan’s familiarity with Monken may be a contributing factor to his lightning quick development from last year to now, although I doubt he’ll make the team this season. My point is that Todd can really coach up the WR position and has an uncanny ability to make even pedestrian players look like professionals.

 Here’s what he had to say about the difference between the NFL and college game.

Monken is trying to adjust to a new level of competition in the NFL. "We don't have the recruiting," he noted. "In college, there's always one more letter to write, one more text message to send or call to make. Now, that's not even on my mind." Monken knew when he accepted the job that adversity will come—as it always does in the pros—but he signed on anyway. "The safe thing would have been to stay at Louisiana State," said Monken. "But without risk, there's no reward. And the risk was worth it."

He may not be able to turn Matt Jones from a fisherman into a wideout, but if he can turn Troy’s hands from stone, back to flesh and blood, then I’ll dub him a miracle worker.

-Collin

Todd Monken articles

http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=28715&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=175225&Q_SEASON=2006

http://www.knox.edu/x17305.xml

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/nfl/trotter/20070812-9999-1s12trotter.html

Better Know the Jacksonville Jaguars

Cornerback/Returner Brian Witherspoon

[Note by River City Rage, 06/16/08 1:44 AM EDT ]: Once again, Clodknocker has gone above and beyond the call of duty.  He's interviewed Jaguars UFA Brian Witherspoon, who's certainly got the speed to play in the NFL.  BCC gives a hearty thanks to both Brian and Clodknocker for the hard work!

Get to know Brian Witherspoon:

Brian was born and raised in the small town of Butler, Ala. He ran track and played football for Stillman College in Tuscaloosa. Stillman is a Division II college in the Southern Intercollegiate Conference. Rashod Moulton (Fort Valley State) and Drayton Florence (Tuskegee) are the only other players on the team to play in that conference.It is ironic that all three are competing for the cornerback position.

At Stillman he had the honor of becoming the college's first track and field NCAA Division II All-American in 2006 for running the 100 meter dash in 10:31 seconds at the national championships. In August of 2007, he was named to the pre-season first-team All-American Football Team by d2football.com. That made him the school's first two-sport All-American.

A player scouting report says that he is a natural athlete with blazing speed, and terrific hands with the ability to be a playmaker. To not have played against top competition, with the need to add weight, become stronger, and become a better tackler were other concerns. One report said he might be more of a track star playing football rather than the other way around. One said that he would be  'an intriguing developmental prospect who might be a perfect candidate for the practice squad'. That idea does not suit him at all. He was upset when he wasn't drafted and he will be upset again if he doesn't make the team. He feels his best chance is on special teams.

I asked how the OTA's had been going. He said the speed of the plays was not a problem as it is with other players, but the terminology was. I asked who was the most helpful. He named all the veteran backfield players. I asked who impressed him the most. The answer was Rashean Mathis. He said Rashean is a great playmaker, a great student of the game, and has fun doing it. He didn't know that Rashean was a co-host on a weekly Jaguar TV sports show. It is on Channel 4 (3 on cable) during the season

Why did he choose the Jaguars? First; He feels this is the team where he has the best chance to make the team. Second; He likes his position coaches; Donnie Henderson (backfield) and Joe Camillis (special teams). Three; The team is close and family-like and he enjoys playing golf and fishing with the guys.

Notable Quotables:

On reaching the NFL:

All the hard work I've put in, and coming from a small area, my parents and all my friends are happy for me. I'm proud of myself. Realizing I actually have the chance to play in the NFL is pretty exciting.

Stillman Head Coach Greg Thomson on Brian's Speed:

"When I first got here, I didn't feel comfortable with the speed of our team. So I started testing the kids' speed. Our staff timed everyone on the team. When Brian ran his, I thought something was wrong with my clock. He ran it again, and the clock read the same thing. At that moment I told our coaches, ‘This man is fast.'

On being named a first team All-American despite missing games due to injury:

"It feels great getting this type of recognition, considering I missed the majority of the season because I was hurt. It just lets me know that all of the hard work has been paying off and this will definitely motivate me to work even harder this season."

Statistical Medley: (note: I only have numbers for 2007 and 2005)

2007 Kick Returns:
14 returns, 388 yards, 27.7 average, 1 TD, longest return 90 yards

2007 Punt Returns:
14 returns, 153 yards, 10.9 average, 1 TD, longest return 68 yards

2007 Interceptions:
2 Int, 18 ards, 9.0 average, 0 TD, longest return 13 yards

2007 defensive results
11 games played, 25 solo tackles, 6 asst, 2 passes defended, 7 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and THREE blocked kicks.

2005 Punt Returns:
2 returns, 61 yards, 30.5 average, 1 TD, longest return 51 yards

2005 Kick Returns:
7 returns, 148 yards, 21.1 average, 0TD, longest return 41

2005 Interceptions:
3 INT, 28 yards, 9.3 average, 0TD, longest return 17 yards

2005 Defensive results:
4 starts, 6 solo tackles, 1 assist,

Scouting Report:

Positives:

A smooth natural athlete...Blazing fast with rare timed speed...Has an outstanding burst to break and recover when beat...Very fluid hips and flips them well....Great leaper...Terrific hands and can be a playmaker...Lots of potential as a return man.

Negitives

Did not play against top competition...Isn't very strong or physical....Needs to bulk up and add weight...Sub par tackler...Struggles to get a jam at the line...Lacks top instincts and awareness..Is raw in terms of technique and will need a ton of work.

You Tube!

Better Know a Jacksonville Jaguar: University of Florida Center Drew Miller:

[Note by River City Rage, 06/10/08 12:10 AM EDT ]
A good friend of Big Cat Country, Clodknocker, was kind enough to write this fantastic article about one of the newest Jaguars, Drew Miller.  Drew is the only offensive linemen acquired by the Jaguars during the offseason and has a better shot to make the team than most of our UFA's.  Enjoy!

Drew comes from the University of Florida, where Jack Del Rio seems to have developed a relationship with Florida Coach Urban Meyer, and where the Jaguars have seemingly developed a pipeline for drafting 1th round picks; Reggie Nelson in 2007, and Derrick Harvey in 2008.

He also played on a National Championship team. When asked about starting for the Gators on that team by GatorBait.net , he said:

'That was amazing! There is nothing you can compare that to...It's the best feeling I can think of for a player on a team to feel...'

Mark Wheeler, the interviewer continued, ' You snapped the ball to and blocked for a Heisman Trophy winner. How big is that?'

 It's definitely something I'll always remember. Playing with such a special person such as Tim Tebow-I'll never forget that. That's something the entire line took a lot of pride in. Everyone thought he would get killed keeping the ball as much as he did...When he won it (the Heisman Trophy), I was as happy as if I had won it. He's such a great person...'

Drew spent his time after the season's end training in Sarasota with Rich Lansky's O. P.T.I. He participated in the East-West All-Star game in January. Since then, he has been training at home eight hours a day doing position work or working on his speed and lifting weights.

He tells me that he feels equally comfortable playing center, guard, or tackle. His OTA reps, however, were mostly at center with a few at left guard. He practiced with the second team some which featured Cleo Lemon as quarterback, but most of his reps were with the third team which featured Todd Bauman and Paul Smith as quarterbacks.

I asked, ' Of the veteran players who has been the most helpful'? Without hesitation, he answered, 'Tony Pashos'  Tony is willing to stay after practice and watch films with him. I added, ' What player are you most impressed with?' Again, without hesitation, he said, 'Brad Meester'. He said that Brad makes playing center look easy and he knows how to leverage his position. Right now, Brad is busy trying to raise money for the victims of a tornado that hit his home town , Parkersburg, Iowa. The Jaguars are selling ball caps with the logo of Brad's high school to help raise additional monies.

What are his expectations for the future? He plans to work hard  with the offence and also earn a position on Special Teams. One thing is for sure; he wants to stay in Jacksonville. These are the three reasons. One; It is close to his home in Sarasota. Two; He likes the city. Three; He likes the chemistry of the team.

Scouting Report:

NFL Draft Scout :

Positives: Works hard every snap, and is athletic enough to get into position to reach or wall off a defender. ... Adequate burst and feet to combo block and get to the linebacker. ... Handles shotgun snaps well. ... Able to pull and trap fairly quickly, and gets out in front of screens. ... Smart player who makes line calls.

Negatives: Does not play to size and weight room strength on the field. ... Gets blown off the ball by better, stronger tackles. ... Reaches too much in pass protection, instead of moving his feet. ... Often off-balance and lunging when blocking downfield, so he is only adequate at finding and adjusting to targets on the move. ... Lacks a mean streak. ... Not much of a drive blocker. ... Punch is lacking and he does not sustain well

Stats:

Measuring an offensive lineman is tricky without hours and hours of coaches film to breakdown and diagnose plays.  What we do know is that the anchor of the University of Florida offensive line that generated 200.2 rushing yards per game and surrendered only 13 sacks in 13 games. Tim Tebow would not have been Tim Tebow were it not for the offensive line, and Drew Miller was the center of it all, no pun intended.

Why will he make the team?

He's a young and developing talent on a team that has an opportunity for putting a jar on the shelf on for the offensive line.  He's the only acquired player on the line, and if you're not adding the big guys, you'll be hurting in a very short time.  Brad Meester is secure as can be as a starter, but it's certainly not a bad thing to look at his long term replacement.  More likely than not, Drew is playing for a spot on the practice squad, as the numbers battle will probably preclude him from the starting roster.  His best interest would be to show an ability to play other positions on the line in the case of injury and build his value from there. 

[Note by River City Rage, 06/10/08 12:19 AM EDT ]: Big thanks to Drew Miller and Clodknocker for putting this together!

To say that Donnie Henderson is a “shouting” coach is more than just a mild understatement, it does a disservice to a coach who is highly competitive and demands excellence in all aspects of defense. Donnie is vocal, active, and has an amazing ability to communicate effectively, driving his point home while screaming at the top of his lungs.

Below is his coaching record as listed on ESPN’s minority coaching page keep in mind it is three years old.

In addition to the above positions, he also coached at Cal, Idaho University, and Utah State. Leading the linebackers and defensive backs while at those schools.

As the stats show, Coach Henderson’s specialty is the secondary, an area of upheaval for the Jaguars this season. We have position changes, multiple corners competing, young players needing guidance, and proven veterans to aid in the process. Some veterans from the Jets spoke very highly of Donnie's willingness to call out players when they make mistakes.

Team veterans like John Abraham say that Henderson's take-no-prisoners style has already had an effect. ''A lot of time people need to hear what they're doing wrong,'' he said. ''If you don't call a person out, the person won't say anything about it. They'll just let the bad things they do go,'' Abraham added. ''He won't let the bad things go.''

I’ve read that coach Henderson has explained in no uncertain terms to D. Florence that he expects quite a bit from the young man. This is really important because Florence is at a crossroad in his career. He's reached his second contract as a player and just got paid... Now the Jags must keep him motivated and continuing to improve.

"If I can put you in a lot of pressure and stressful situations [in practice], Sunday should be a piece of cake," he said.

Henderson doesn't mind putting pressure on his players. Of cornerback Drayton Florence, who signed a six-year, $36 million free-agent contract, Henderson said he's very talented, but "I'm putting a lot of pressure on him, and we all know why."

He has twice been a defensive coordinator in the NFL, although both times he was fired. However, this isn’t indicative of his talent as he was forced to teach a style he was unfamiliar with in Detroit (Cover 2). 

Henderson gained a reputation as a defensive coordinator for his creative blitz packages and tendency to blitz often. That style didn't mesh well with Marinelli's background in the famed "Tampa Two," which he brought to Detroit from his days as the Buccaneers' defensive line coach.

His first defensive coordinator position was under Herm Edwards for the Jets. Herm is a coach I highly respect and he had a great impression of Donnie after interviewing him for the position.

Donnie Henderson so impressed Jets Coach Herman Edwards during his interview in the early stages of the search for a defensive coordinator that every other candidate was compared to him after that… Edwards is looking for a coordinator who favors an ultra-aggressive approach and plays a variety of different defenses. He described Henderson, 46, as being "thorough, good with young players, demanding, detailed, very organized and very energetic."

Donnie’s style of defense is one of relentless aggression; much like Greg Williams, Jack Del Rio, Joe Decamilis (on-side kicks etc.), and many other Jaguar’ coaches. A cohesive unit has been born on the coaching side of the team and their strategy is more than clear. They are out for blood. The cognitive impact of a player’s entire coaching staff, teammates, and fan base all buying into an aggressive, physical, attacking style of football has to be considerable.

That’s precisely what they had in Baltimore while Donnie was there. An NFL coach’s game plan and philosophy is like his calling card. It’s what he preaches in job interviews, and what he expects his players to adhere to. Let’s see what Coach Henderson says himself about his coaching philosophy.

"We're going to be aggressive," Henderson said. "That's what I'm used to, that's what (the players) want to do, so let's go do it. Go back and look at what I did in Baltimore; that's what we did. If we get beat, we get beat.

"The slow death is what I don't like. If you get beat for 81 yards, let it be on one play, not 18 plays."

Henderson emphasized that he's not going to take any "stupid" chances. But he told his players to expect high-octane game plans.

"I told the guys, from here on out, we'll be playing man-to-man," he said. "There won't be too much zone. You take your cat and we'll find out who beats who."

Whoa, talk about my kind of coach. This guy doesn’t pull any punches when describing his beliefs about football. I love the “we’ll find out who beats who” comment. That’s the school of thought physical and dedicated athletes especially love, but it only works if you’ve got the personnel to execute it. I believe the Jaguars do, and I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to think they could be as good as the Ravens used to be. This team now has the same attack mentality that those Ravens had, and we’ve got a similar group of players in terms of both skill-set and overall athleticism.

Last season (2003), Baltimore ranked third in the NFL in total defense, fourth against the pass and sixth against the run. He seems to have done an excellent job with the Ravens' young secondary.

Henderson is credited for “coaching up” a young group of players in the secondary. The Jaguars’ future is directly tied to our defensive performance, and it’s now crystal clear that the days of Mike Smith’s conservative approach are long over. These Jags are out for blood, and if you thought we used to be physical, the coaches we’ve added will bring a whole new dimension to our physicality… Quarterback pressure and a focus on turnovers.

Donnie is even featured in a video series for youngsters teaching about how to play secondary. If you want to learn the guts of the position, check out the video. This is a highly respected coach who can obviously commuicate the ins and outs of the defensive back positions and the fact he's part of a video series only exemplefies his expertise in the secondary.

"Defensive Backs: Safeties" (video) by Donnie Henderson (VHS)

This is just a funny piece I stumbled across which exemplifies Donnie’s sense of humor. He and Coach Herm Edwards apparently caught a Patriots cameraman trying to steal their signals a few years ago. What did they do you ask, send in fake signals and waved to Beel Beelichick’s (see south park) undercover agent. 

Edwards had made the proper adjustments before the game to avoid Belichick stealing the defensive signals. They went into the game knowing this was a practice Belichick employed and when they saw the camera, they put on a show.

 Finally, I’ll close with a scout's overview of Coach Henderson; it’s very positive and is a good well-rounded breakdown of the man who’ll teach our secondary.

Scouts take: Fiery guy with a lot of intensity and a demand for excellence from his players ... runs an aggressive defense with a lot of exotic blitzes and man-to-man coverages ... loves to gamble and attack ... gets in players' faces and will challenge them ... a little bit of a yeller and screamer, but also organized.

When asked about his style, Henderson said, ''It will be tough love.''

 I can't wait to see the results this coach brings!

Below are links to some of the articles on Donnie.

1 http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/052308/jag_281997668.shtml

2 http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E2DF1538F934A15752C0A9629C8B63

3 http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E3DD143CF937A3575BC0A9629C8B63

4 http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2006/01/kirwan_lions_hire_donnie_hende.html

5 http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2008/03/02/2008-03-02_4_years_before_scandal_herm_edwards_wave.html

    Although regularly overlooked by the common fan, special teams consistently has been a hallmark of quality football teams, and can literally make or break a game. DeCamillis has been nothing short of a godsend for the Jags. He started his career at Denver, and moved to coach special teams under his now father-in-law Dan Reeves in NY. Afterwards, he jumped to Atlanta where he presided over a special teams monster for the better part of a decade. This man can flat out coach, and he’s got a reputation for doing so. 

 This is from an article about Harbaugh and the Ravens written this year, and DeCamillis had enough of an impact on Ed Edholm that he puts Joe into the same category as the Coach he’s evaluating.  That speaks volumes about Joe’s ability to both communicate and coach. He's another coach who may leave for greener pastures in the future should the opportunity present itself.

 Let’s look at the playoff power rankings from 2006 when the Falcons were in the playoffs and Joe was the special teams coach. His unit was a major part of their campaign that entire season and had been solid for years by that point. 

Here again, we hear about Mora’s pleas to keep him around. He knew his value. Here again there special teams is praised. The whole article is close to two pages, but here’s the best excerpt from the NY Times  piece. All these articles point to the same fact, this guy's a freakin' guru!

There is one more article I dug up from the NY Times from back in 1994 , which is again very positive in its review of the coach. That is one thing I've noticed, no negative pieces on Joe anywhere. All the stories I've seen have been glowing in their overviews of Coach DeCamillis and he seems to have an uncanny ability to dissect and breakdown special teams. Everywhere he's gone, success has followed. The Jags are lucky to have him and he's the reason we don't have to sweat the Titans new KR who runs a 4.24.

Who doesn’t remember the onside kick against the Texans during the fist half of our sixth game last season. It turned the whole game around and apparently; the call was all Joe’s. I like to see a coach who's gutsy, and it sure is comforting to know his unit was prepared enough to successfully run the play at the drop of a hat. Preparation is the key to superiority.

 Joe will be entering his second season with Jacksonville and we should continue to see improvement in his group. It isn't to much to expect a top 5 special teams unit this year as Joe typically demands more time be spent on them in practice than is commonplace. This work ethic is a large part of his success and it rubs off on his players.

 There were players who said last season that DeCamillis was too rigid and that he didn't have a true feel for the game. Some players thought they spent too much time on special teams in practice. No one is complaining now and many players say they have respect for DeCamillis because, they say, it's evident he worked hard in the off season.

Now, that's how you earn respect.

Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice gives President Bush a football jersey in Minneapolis.

Position: TE

Height: 6-7    

Weight: 253 lbs.

Born: February 2, 1959 in Bay Shore, NY

College: Maryland

Coaching in Minnesota

The above link shows all of Tice’s records while coaching for Minnesota.

The following excerpt is from an article I found scouring the web and it delves into detail about the personality and approachability of Coach Tice. It really makes you want to have a beer with the guy at the local pub.

"I am a big, tall, deep-voiced, loud, arrogant New Yorker who thinks he is right all the time. That rubs some people the wrong way. I don't mean anything by it. But I am opinionated."

"Father, forgive me, I'm Catholic and go to church, but my order of priorities are family, church and football," Tice says. "That's maybe why I look at what is going on around here a little differently. Don't get me wrong. Football is very, very important, but there are other things in life I care very deeply about, too."

The entire article is about 4 total pages and I could fill this whole article with quotes, but you might as well read it yourself as it really goes into more detail than most coaching pieces would. It closes with a list about Mike Tice that belongs in a "Highlights" magazine, but is interesting nonetheless.

This is ... Mike Tice.

Favorite TV show: Grilling and Chilling with Bobby Flay

Favorite movie: Cool Hand Luke

Favorite classical music piece: "O Sole Mio" by Andrea Bocelli

Favorite oldie record: "Dancing Queen" by ABBA

Favorite athlete growing up: Dave DeBusschere (see "Favorite non-NFL team")

Favorite meal: Pasta

Favorite non-NFL team: New York Knicks

Favorite actor: Robert DeNiro

Favorite actress: Jamie Lee Curtis

Favorite relaxation: Smoking a cigar

Favorite vacation spot: Seattle

Favorite singer: Dean Martin--P.A.

 The following quotes are pulled from an article way back in 2000 which talks about Mike’s ability provide solid mentorship to both the OL and TE position. He was TE coach in Minnesota in 1996 and was promoted to OL coach where he served from 1997-2001. After leading an incredibly successful and highly lauded OL he was promoted to head coach without any prior coordinator experience (usually common amongst first time coaches). The move spoke to how highly he was regarded in that even with no play calling experience he still landed the head coaching gig in Minnesota.

In three seasons coaching the Vikings offensive line, Mike Tice has guided three players to seven Pro Bowl starts. In his four seasons coaching with the Vikings, the team has compiled a 43-21 (.672) record and has made the playoffs each season.

In 1999, the offensive line made room for Robert Smith to become the second running back in team history to have three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons (the other was Chuck Foreman 1974-76). The Vikings rushed for 175 yards in their playoff win over Dallas (1/9) and helped Smith break a team mark for rushing yards (140) in a playoff game. Leroy Hoard led the club in rushing touchdowns with a career-high 10. With Hoard's 555 yards rushing it was the first time since 1991 the Vikings had two backs go over the 500-yard mark. The Vikings offense finished the 1999 campaign third in the NFL.

In '98, the offensive line paved the way for numerous Vikings records including points in a season (556), which also set a NFL record for touchdown passes (41), total yards (6,264) and fewest sacks allowed in a 16-game season (25). The offensive line cleared the way for Robert Smith to top the 1,000 yard mark for the second consecutive season with 1,187 yards on the ground. The Vikings rushed for over 100 yards in 13-of-the-18 games, including playoffs, and broke the 150-yard barrier in five contests. Three of the five starting offensive linemen (Todd Steussie, Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel) in the 1999 Pro Bowl were Vikings. They became the first Vikings trio of offensive linemen ever selected to the Pro Bowl, let alone start.

In his first year coaching the offensive line in '97, Tice guided an offensive line that sent two starters to the '98 Pro Bowl, McDaniel and Steussie. The offensive line also enabled Smith to break the team record for rushing yards in a season with 1,266. The Vikings offensive line was a big factor in the squad gaining a first down on 18-of-19 carries on third or fourth down with less than three yards to go in '97. In 10-of-the-16 games, the team rushed for over 100 yards. Tice's offensive line also finished third in the NFC in sacks per pass play (17.4 attempts per sack). Tice helped coach the Vikings into the playoffs for the second straight season in '97 despite having to work with numerous line combinations due to injuries.

Full article

Mike Tice has brought this tenacious physical style with him to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and as a result, our line has performed better than ever, maybe even as well as when Leon Searcy and Tony Boselli roamed the trenches. Our O-line has been playing immaculate football since Tice’s arrival.

The two areas he oversees are TE and OL, and those two areas have improved immensely under his tutelage. We’ve seen George Wrighster become a pass-catching threat and Marcedes Lewis become a blocking force. Neither player had both talents in their repertoire prior to becoming Jags, those are learned skills.

Look at the closing paragrah from the quote above... Having to deal with numerous line injuries will typically de-rail a team's season. However, we see in 1997 that Mike dealt with numerous injuries on his line which shows the depth of his unit. Many back-ups are young in the league, especially when you start getting to 3 or 4 injuries on your starting OL. Those Vikings didn't miss a beat because Tice had instilled disiplined and physical play in his entire unit.

You can’t argue with success, and Tice has been successful everywhere he’s coached. He only had one losing season as the Vike’s head coach. I truly believe that he needed some more experience under someone before getting the head coaching opportunity he got in Minnesota.

One issue that arose in 2005 surrounding Tice was the ticket scalping scam he was involved with. Apparently, he was selling Super Bowl tickets he received each year. What he did was illegal, unethical, and shameful. He was, however, fined, punished, and had his name dragged through the mud, which seems fitting to me.

I believe from what I’ve seen that he truly didn’t think it was a huge deal (even though it amounts to a federal crime because of the fact it carried over multiple states depending on the SB location each year) at the time. He seemed very contrite and I see no reason this issue should be held against him.

Tice has also acknowledged that he scalped Super Bowl tickets as a Vikings assistant coach from 1996-2001, and that he told his assistants this year it was all right for them to sell their Super Bowl tickets to a California ticket agency that he has long dealt with.

Tice acknowledged purchasing 12 Super Bowl tickets from the NFL this year, but he said he did not scalp his entire allotment. Each NFL player and assistant coach has the right to purchase up to two Super Bowl tickets at face value, which this year was $500 and $600 depending on the location of the seat.

According to club sources who have said that Tice was the point man for the scalping operation within the Vikings organization, and has been for years, the tickets scalped by Tice and Dalton this year brought $1,900 each -- a profit of at least $1,300.

Full article

I really like Mike and feel like he deserves to be an NFL coach somewhere in this league. He'll undoubtedly be given the chance again somewhere as the Jags coaching staff is picked apart next off-season. There was already speculation he was in the mix as a possibility for the formerly-vacant Miami Dolphins coaching job, however, as he's been previously known to do, Del Rio MAY HAVE* denied permission.

I'll close with this: Mike is a quality individual who most likely won't be with us much longer. He knows football and players love working with him. He's notorious for his sense of humor and provides great leadership and locker-room presence. He's a player's coach and his style fits right in with Del Rio's. which is why their pairing has been so successful. A run first offense needs a superior offensive line and great blocking tight-ends, that's exactly what Mike Tice brings from a coaching perspective.

Shack comes from the Deep South during a time of segregation and played quarterback for Grambling in college. The Buffalo Bills drafted him in the 8th round in 1969. Shack tells this story about signing his first contract...

Sounds like a different world from today's NFL. Still, you have to recognize that anyone who goes through all that would have a lot of resolve. It's really amazing how far the NFL has come since those days. 

Enough depressing history lessons... Let's examine Shack's coaching career.

That was one heck of a team Shack put together. Those Ravens absolutely destroyed everyone defensively. Now I grant you their offense wasn't great from a passing perspective... It was adequate though, and their running attack with Jamaal Lewis was devastating. Harris has a very high opinion of JDR's evaluation ability and says as much in an interview.

That relationship has produced quite a bit of fruit and is the core reason for the Jaguars' success. Let's look at some of his picks.

Leftwich - Bust

Matt Jones- Bust

Marcedes Lewis - Lookin' Good

Reggie Nelson - Lookin’ Good

Rashean Mathis - STAR

Daryl Smith - STAR-lite

M. Jones Drew - STAR

Those are only the first two rounds. Players like Clint Ingram (3rd) or Sensabaugh (5th) came in later rounds. Let's not forget about all the un-drafted free agents the Jags sign and end up contributing. Players like that keep your special teams strong, your bottom line down, and your salary cap with plenty of room.

This perspective is exactly right. Shack has been too successful to be cut loose, but he may indeed leave for greener pastures. Below is an interview excerpt from last year that only solidifies the above point.

Hmmm, does that sound like an owner who thinks his VP is lacking in evaluating ability? Not a chance.

Lets examine Shack's character and what he's done for the community.

I think you all know where I stand Harris, however, I realize he is a bit controversial and some of you may not agree with me. Please comment and let me know what you think. Call me out. Call Shack out, or any coaches I've praised thus far. Just keep it clean, we're better than that y'all.

-Collin