Coaching pieces fall into place

[Lonestar]

Lineup changes: Coaching pieces fall into place
POSTED: 01/23/2010 01:00:00 AM MST



The Broncos have not made an official announcement, but NFL sources have confirmed the following new arrivals or job changes on tap for the team's coaching staff:

Defensive coordinator.

Veteran assistant Dean Pees, like many in the league, initially believed he was the front-runner to replace Mike Nolan. But Broncos linebackers coach Don Martindale, 46, appears to be the choice after meeting with coach Josh McDaniels.

The Ohio native has been a linebackers coach since arriving in the NFL in 2004 with the Oakland Raiders. He was last a defensive coordinator in 2003 at Western Kentucky.

Two league sources said Friday night McDaniels also gave a look to Patriots linebackers coach Matt Patricia, who is a candidate to be promoted to defensive coordinator in New England.

RBs coach Eric Studesville.

The 42-year-old had been with the Buffalo Bills since 2004 as the running backs coach and run-game coordinator. He was on the Chicago Bears staff from 1997-2000 and with the New York Giants from 2001-03. He has coached Tiki Barber, Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson — all 1,000-yard rushers — during his NFL career.

With a change in offensive play-callers just before the start of the season, and an inconsistent offensive line, the Bills' offense finished among the league's bottom eight for the seventh year in a row in '09. They were 16th in rushing.

Assistant OL coach Bob Wylie.

Wylie, 58, played at Colorado and coached for two seasons at Colorado State in the late '80s. He's a longtime NFL assistant who has had stops in Arizona, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Cincinnati and with the New York Jets.

Wylie has coached the past three years in the Canadian Football League. He holds a masters degree in economics, is a licensed pilot and an amateur magician.

Assistant OL coach Clancy Barone.

Barone, 46, was the Broncos' tight ends coach this past season but was an assistant offensive line coach with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004 when Broncos general manager Brian Xanders was with the team.

The '04 Falcons played in the NFC championship game, which they lost to Philadelphia.

Barone also coached the offensive line in several college programs: Houston, Wyoming, Eastern Illinois, Texas A&M and Sacramento State.

Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post



Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14250879#ixzz0dQwKZyVQ

[gobroncsnv]

Let's make sure we hang on to that fella who's a magician.

[turftoad]

Pretty hard to get to excited.

Why the hell is McD hiring all these guys anyway when he can do it all himself.

[Nomad]

McDaniels needs to get his staff in place so he can focus on FA and the draft. I anxious to see what moves they make because the oline and dline need to be focused on!!

[Davii]

None of those signings does anything to excite. But, we shall see how they do.

[SoCalImport]

The only thing I'm sure of when it comes to hiring coaches is that I don't know anything. Seems that guys you'd think would be a perfect fit, don't make an impact and no-names can come in and make squads into world beaters.

I'm just going to put faith into the pros that've been selected (including our HC) and look forward to the draft/FA. That's a lot more fun at least......................

[turftoad]

Last time Martindale was a DC was in 2003 for Western Kentucky.

The inexperienced hire more inexperience.

This is just getting better all the time.

[spikerman]

To be honest, I was kind of hoping for Tom Cable as the OL coach if the Raiders would have fired him. That guy is all kinds of nasty and that's the attitude the Broncos need.

[Hoser]

To be honest, I was kind of hoping for Tom Cable as the OL coach if the Raiders would have fired him. That guy is all kinds of nasty and that's the attitude the Broncos need.

Yeah but weren't they running a ZBS? With us switching to a power blocking scheme I don't think he'd fit.

[Hoser]

Last time Martindale was a DC was in 2003 for Western Kentucky.

The inexperienced hire more inexperience.

This is just getting better all the time.

Everybody has to start somewhere.

[spikerman]

Yeah but weren't they running a ZBS? With us switching to a power blocking scheme I don't think he'd fit.

I understand there are specialties, but I've always heard that the ZBS is more complicated than the power blocking scheme. I'm sure he could do it, plus playing on the LOS on either side of the ball is 90% attitude.

[dogfish]

Last time Martindale was a DC was in 2003 for Western Kentucky.

The inexperienced hire more inexperience.

This is just getting better all the time.

doesn't mean he won't do a good job-- if he really is the hire, i'll be satisfied with it. . . after nolan left you knew another big rep coordinator probably wasn't going to be coming here (not that there are many available right now anyway). . . but at least hiring martindale allows us to hopefully keep some continuity in terms of scheme, playbook and terminology-- which will let guys like doom, DJ and ayers build on the foundation that was laid last year, instead of starting from scratch again. . .

he and pfifer got a strong performance out of an odds and ends kind of LB unit last season, i'm looking forward to seeing what he can do as DC-- hopefully he was paying attention and learning from nolan. . .

the other nice thing about promoting a first-time guy is that he won't be as likely to be in immediate demand the way nolan was-- so maybe we can actually end up with the same DC for a few years in a row. . .

[Nomad]

To be honest, I was kind of hoping for Tom Cable as the OL coach if the Raiders would have fired him. That guy is all kinds of nasty and that's the attitude the Broncos need.

If he does get fired, then USC (Kiffin) will be bidding hard for him!! But I agree and I could care less if he punches people!!

[Ziggy]

Last time Martindale was a DC was in 2003 for Western Kentucky.

The inexperienced hire more inexperience.

This is just getting better all the time.

Super Bowl winning coach Mike Holmgren started his career coaching high school. They all have to start somewhere. I know you hate McDaniels Turf, but you can't even give Martindale a chance before you bury him?

[turftoad]

Super Bowl winning coach Mike Holmgren started his career coaching high school. They all have to start somewhere. I know you hate McDaniels Turf, but you can't even give Martindale a chance before you bury him?

I hope we don't have to wait that long................................:D

[Reidman]

As long as they are all "yes" men, they will suit McDaniels and this organization fine....

[rationalfan]

Pretty hard to get to excited.

Why the hell is McD hiring all these guys anyway when he can do it all himself.

typical fan mentality; prefer big/known names under the assumption a familiar quantity has to be better than the unknown. or, when faced with facts/info you don't understand/aren't familiar with, denigrate it to the point that you appear to be an expert.

on a personal note, i'm not sure any of these supposed hires are better than what we had. and i'm totally cool admitting that.

[NightTrainLayne]

You gotta love it.

Pees = Experienced, known name DC with experience running the type of defense McD wants to run, with some success.

All the McD detractors hate him because he's just another Patriots Crony.

Martindale = Promotion from within. Well-liked by the players, seemingly a motivating kind of personality.

All the McD detractors hate him because he's inexperienced.

It would appear that any decision made by McD would be met with resounding criticism.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

You gotta love it.

Pees = Experienced, known name DC with experience running the type of defense McD wants to run, with some success.

All the McD detractors hate him because he's just another Patriots Crony.

Martindale = Promotion from within. Well-liked by the players, seemingly a motivating kind of personality.

All the McD detractors hate him because he's inexperienced.

It would appear that any decision made by McD would be met with resounding criticism.

Same as it has been since he got off of the airplane at DIA :tsk:

[KyleOrtonArmySoldier#128]

I sincerely wish the Broncos had more draft picks, maybe McD will trade down in the second or third round to get extra late picks.

[Lonestar]

I sincerely wish the Broncos had more draft picks, maybe McD will trade down in the second or third round to get extra late picks.


Do not worry this was Bellys rule and I suspect now that we have had MORE time to plan for Joshes style on player, coupled with the couple of choices we get from marshall and schedulers departure we should have penalty of picks to play with.

[turftoad]

typical fan mentality; prefer big/known names under the assumption a familiar quantity has to be better than the unknown. or, when faced with facts/info you don't understand/aren't familiar with, denigrate it to the point that you appear to be an expert.

on a personal note, i'm not sure any of these supposed hires are better than what we had. and i'm totally cool admitting that.

You don't know a damn thing about me so don't assume that I don't know anything or don't understand anything. I'm pretty sure I was a Broncos fan before you were even a twinkle in your fathers eye.

I am given the right to form my own opinion. And...... my opinion is McD is tearing this team apart from the inside out.

He is inexperienced so I wanted him to keep/hire a DC with some experience cuz he has NONE as a DC. I don't see anything wrong with that.

So............... express your opinion but don't criticize others.

[pnbronco]

doesn't mean he won't do a good job-- if he really is the hire, i'll be satisfied with it. . . after nolan left you knew another big rep coordinator probably wasn't going to be coming here (not that there are many available right now anyway). . . but at least hiring martindale allows us to hopefully keep some continuity in terms of scheme, playbook and terminology-- which will let guys like doom, DJ and ayers build on the foundation that was laid last year, instead of starting from scratch again. . .

he and pfifer got a strong performance out of an odds and ends kind of LB unit last season, i'm looking forward to seeing what he can do as DC-- hopefully he was paying attention and learning from nolan. . .

the other nice thing about promoting a first-time guy is that he won't be as likely to be in immediate demand the way nolan was-- so maybe we can actually end up with the same DC for a few years in a row. . .



Dog I totally agree with the having continuity with the D. From what I saw at camp Martindale is the nice guy with serious nasty undertones. He barked left and right at those guys and would get right up in their faces, you could hear him every day.

Also I saw this article on the Bronco's site page about Haggan and Ayers and noticed this part of the article:

Haggan's starter-captain combo was not handed to him for free. In his five seasons in Buffalo, he showcased his skills in a different dimension as a special-teams stalwart.

Regardless of whether he was playing on first down or fourth down, Haggan stressed to Ayers that his mental moxie stayed high.

"I told him to understand what he has ahead of him and no matter what guys write in the paper or what's said in the news, it's all about what's inside his heart," Haggan said. "If he's got it in his heart to be a good player, then he can do that. But if he let everybody else talk about what he has and hasn't done, it won't happen for him."

While the two linebackers have grown next to each other in the locker room and on the field, coaching has been integral in both of their spurts. When Ayers arrived at Dove Valley, linebackers coach Don Martindale showed no reserve in letting the rookie know his expectations.

"I'm going to coach you to be great and not good," said Ayers of Martindale's first words to him. "He took that role with me and everybody else in the linebackers group. He expects you to be great and he doesn't settle for anything less."

With that swagger in hand, Martindale did his part in making the "4" an active piece of the Broncos' 3-4 scheme. D.J. Williams led the club with 122 tackles. Elvis Dumervil led the NFL with 17.0 sacks. Haggan, Dumervil and Williams all tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles apiece.

To Haggan, players are modeled after their coaches. By that rule, it was Martindale's confidence that helped keep he and the rest of the linebackers thinking big.

"I've always had the never-give-up attitude," Haggan said. "But with Coach Martindale coming in and giving me an opportunity to put my talents on display, when you don't give up, there's a breakthrough."

the entire article is here:

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9752

I don't know anything about coaches and will not pretend to, but he seemed to get a lot out of the players he had. I would think that DJ and Doom would be happy to not have to learn everything from scratch. Also it would seem that they would have a better understanding on what their needs are since he's worked with the team this last year.

[Lonestar]

Yo Turf you are ok to have an opinion no issues. And I suspect I also was a fan before you were a twinkle in YOUR daddies eye also. :D

That said I believe you are wrong about tearing the team apart from the inside. I have seen/heard of NO player that has even hinted of that. Now I know that would be stupid on their part but NOT even as an anoymous source and I can guarantee that the local reporters have tried to get them to talk.

Now I do not live there so your insight in this is valuable to all of us that are fans from afar. We don't get to see the local "players shows" which could be giving you hints that we do not get.

Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel.

[rationalfan]

"So............... express your opinion but don't criticize others. "

does that rule/suggestion apply to coaches and players on the broncos? because, there are a lot of opinions paired with criticisms of players and coaches, yet no one seems to get ticked off at that.

i mean no ill will toward anyone personally, but i can't help but criticize the fan mentality when it ignores any notion of objectivity. it's just who i am.

[KyleOrtonArmySoldier#128]

Every single interview I've seen of Broncos the last three weeks they're talking about how McDaniel has them in the right direction and they plan on making a deep run in the playoffs next season, every single interview. If Marshall and Sheffler aren't on board...
fugg' em

[sakic_avs]

"So............... express your opinion but don't criticize others. "

does that rule/suggestion apply to coaches and players on the broncos? because, there are a lot of opinions paired with criticisms of players and coaches, yet no one seems to get ticked off at that.

i mean no ill will toward anyone personally, but i can't help but criticize the fan mentality when it ignores any notion of objectivity. it's just who i am.

At this web site we name call people who run the Broncos organization, because we are children. But God forbid you tell someone their opinion is ridiculous. Again, we are children here and we act as so.

[Lonestar]

Yes we try real hard to have a civil and mature forum.

It was designed that way. Trying real hard to be in the middle of BC and OM. Where in some cases nothing is allowed to almost the other extereme where it can get out of hand with attacks.

So if you feel that we are childish you may wish to test drive or try the other Broncos forums to see if they suit your ideas better.


Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel.

[Dean]

If a person's ideas have merit. Present them along with supporting evidence and people will listen to you. If either the ideas are without merit or merely they are your opinion don't exect blind allegiance.

Let's face it changing someones beliefs over the internet without first person evidence of the coach/player being discussed does not have a high likelihood of occurring. IMO having a person who I don't know and will probably never meet not sharing my beliefs is not something I will lose sleep over.

Yes, we do discuss players/coaches because they are the team and the team wins or loses based upon what they do right/wrong. Fans on message boards have no sway in what occurs between the lines.

:hi: