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View Full Version : "Aggressive" key word to describe new Broncos defensive coordinator Martindale



Denver Native (Carol)
02-12-2010, 10:04 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14386016

Faced with a pressure situation, one in which he felt he needed to make a play, Don Martindale chose to blitz.

Because Mike Nolan and Broncos coach Josh McDaniels had parted ways, the team needed a defensive coordinator, and Martindale believed he knew just the man for the job.

"I went in to Josh and I said, 'I want this job,' " Martindale said Thursday. "I felt I was ready and I wanted this job. I'm excited about the possibilities."

And two weeks since the Broncos formally announced his promotion from linebackers coach, Martindale still is sifting through all that the Broncos did, and did not do, this past season as their 6-0 start turned into an 8-8 playoff miss — all part of the first steps in his first run as an NFL defensive coordinator.

"My plan of attack right now is the same as every defensive coordinator around the league," Martindale said. "Evaluate what you do, evaluate what you did, the scheme, what you keep, what worked, what didn't, what you throw out. All of those things.

"It's still ongoing, we're still looking at it, but we want to be that tough, smart group."

Since entering the NFL as an Oakland Raiders assistant coach in 2004, Martindale always has coached linebackers, but he had been a defensive coordinator in his final two stops in college football — Western Kentucky and Western Illinois.

As far as what that means and what folks can expect from the Broncos' defense in 2010 and moving forward, Martindale said he hopes to call on his coaching roots in a scheme he and McDaniels put together. Martindale worked with Jets coach Rex Ryan at the University of Cincinnati and with Rob Ryan with the Raiders. The Ryan brothers are considered two of the most aggressive coaches in the league.

"I'm an aggressive guy by nature," Martindale said. "I believe in physical, smart football, and I have an aggressive attitude about things. The players already know that by being with me."

What that will mean specifically on the field for the Broncos won't be known until the games start to count next September, but the Broncos know where the trouble spots are.

They finished seventh in yards allowed last season under Nolan, a vast improvement over their 29th-place finish in 2008. But things unraveled in the team's 2-8 collapse down the stretch, particularly in run defense, when five of their last nine opponents rushed for at least 173 yards and three topped the 200-yard mark.

The Broncos surrendered at least 27 points in seven of their eight losses and allowed an average of 25.8 points per game over the last 10 games.

"I feel like I'm ready for this job, I want this job and I'm going to work hard at this job," Martindale said. "We're excited about it, and I hope everybody else is. You're going to continue to see a tough, smart, disciplined group that's very aggressive, and I know we're going to be better."

Footnotes.

Broncos chief operating officer Joe Ellis strongly refuted an Internet report that Broncos owner Pat Bowlen is shopping the team. "The team is not for sale. The rumor is false," Ellis said. . . . The Broncos hired Craig Aukerman as a defensive assistant. He enters his first season in NFL coaching. Aukerman, 33, was on the same staff at Western Kentucky as Martindale in 2003. Aukerman also has coached at Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and the University of Findlay (Ohio).

NightTrainLayne
02-12-2010, 10:07 AM
So much for the theory that Nolan is gone because he blitzed too much.

broncofaninfla
02-12-2010, 10:52 AM
Since the early reports that Denver felt Nolan was too agressive, Denver has made it a point to say they will be as or more aggresive. I hope that is the case and they are sending mixed signals just to bluff the leauge.

Denver Native (Carol)
02-12-2010, 11:22 AM
So much for the theory that Nolan is gone because he blitzed too much.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/01/23/broncos-busy-filling-out-coaching-staff/

Also, contrary to a published report, McDaniels and former defensive coordinator Mike Nolan — now with the Dolphins — didn’t clash over how much the team should be blitzing, and the Broncos have no trepidation about continuing to run an aggressive scheme.

arapaho2
02-12-2010, 12:09 PM
Since the early reports that Denver felt Nolan was too agressive, Denver has made it a point to say they will be as or more aggresive. I hope that is the case and they are sending mixed signals just to bluff the leauge.


its called covering your tracks :rolleyes:

arapaho2
02-12-2010, 12:13 PM
regardless...i hope it goes well for him this year..he is a good position coach, lets hope his ideas and skills carry on for the whole defense....im not even talking improvments...im hopeing for stability and at least staying close to the same as 09 and not dropping off

our offense couldnt handle a dropoff in the defensive play

T.K.O.
02-12-2010, 12:15 PM
i remember reading it was'nt so much how often we blitzed ,but whether or not it was to stop the run.
also i dont care as long as we dont give up more than 170 yds rushing in 5 of our last 7 games !:mad:

rationalfan
02-12-2010, 12:54 PM
i remember reading it was'nt so much how often we blitzed ,but whether or not it was to stop the run.
also i dont care as long as we dont give up more than 170 yds rushing in 5 of our last 7 games !:mad:

i don't have time to find the article, but i remember reading that one issue of division between mcd and nolan was nolan's regular use of run blitzing.

Denver Native (Carol)
02-12-2010, 01:07 PM
i don't have time to find the article, but i remember reading that one issue of division between mcd and nolan was nolan's regular use of run blitzing.

I don't remember either Coach McD, or Nolan stating that, so therefore, it apparently was the writer's opinion.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/01/19/nolans-jump-from-denver-to-miami-clarified/

* Possibly factoring into Nolan’s decision, his contract with the Broncos supposedly was set to expire after next season, as will a lot of the team’s assistant coaches’ deals. With the possibility of a work stoppage, Nolan foresaw being able to negotiate a contract that would pay him through a lockout with the Dolphins, should the NFL and the NFL Players Association not be able to finalize a labor deal before the 2011 season.

* With a deal coming together so quickly with the Dolphins –- one day after Nolan split from Denver –- parameters of a deal had to have been in place before or shortly after he left the Broncos.

broncofaninfla
02-12-2010, 01:13 PM
The offense is going to have to pitch in this season and give the defense a rest from time to time. The constant 3 and outs and the added pressure of not scoring wore on our defensive players as the season progressed. IMO the defensive schemes were sound, players were in postion to make plays, they just didn't.

With that being said I'm happy with the "wink" Martindale selection and feel even though we have a different DC, we get some level of continuity with him heading up the defense.

Lonestar
02-12-2010, 02:00 PM
I firmly believe that the defense spiral downhill was two fold. One was the lack of quality players on the LOS on both sides of it. While most may have the "skills" to play their position they are just not big enough to last the grueling season and with "LITTLE" quality backups they flat wore down especially on the dline.

With better continuity and being more comfortable on Offense and a rebuild of the interior OLINE and Quality backups there will be less pressure on the D.


Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel.

silkamilkamonico
02-12-2010, 02:28 PM
I wish some of this aggressiveness would rub off on the offensive side of the ball.

HORSEPOWER 56
02-12-2010, 02:31 PM
"Aggressive". Hmm.

After seeing his picture, I'd think "husky", or "fluffy", or "portly", or "rotund" would be better "key" words for describing Martindale.

Just sayin'......

T.K.O.
02-12-2010, 03:33 PM
maybe he is just as aggressive at the dinner table...;)

Dean
02-12-2010, 05:12 PM
maybe he is just as aggressive at the dinner table...;)

:lol:

GEM
02-12-2010, 06:09 PM
It's indicative that our LB corps played above their level of play. He got guys to give more than what was thought possible. Sometimes you might not have stars, but you've got heart. It's the coach that can pull that heart out and use it to the teams advantage. I'm looking forward to seeing what he has out there for us next season.

Doom took him to the SB as his special guest. Doom was a DE, not a LB. Martindale had something to do with changing his position and getting him to #1 in the league.

rcsodak
02-12-2010, 07:37 PM
regardless...i hope it goes well for him this year..he is a good position coach, lets hope his ideas and skills carry on for the whole defense....im not even talking improvments...im hopeing for stability and at least staying close to the same as 09 and not dropping off

our offense couldnt handle a dropoff in the defensive play


Yea....


...cuz I'm sure they won't address their weaknesses/deficiencies at all, and will more than likely, digress.

:rolleyes:

Really, rap...do you EVER move on, or constantly just live in the past?

:coffee:

rcsodak
02-12-2010, 07:41 PM
"Aggressive". Hmm.

After seeing his picture, I'd think "husky", or "fluffy", or "portly", or "rotund" would be better "key" words for describing Martindale.

Just sayin'......


Because "fit" Nolan was such a great DC the last half of the year, right?

Any of the Ryans "fit"?
Parcells?


:tsk:

Unbelievable.

rcsodak
02-12-2010, 07:43 PM
It's indicative that our LB corps played above their level of play. He got guys to give more than what was thought possible. Sometimes you might not have stars, but you've got heart. It's the coach that can pull that heart out and use it to the teams advantage. I'm looking forward to seeing what he has out there for us next season.

Doom took him to the SB as his special guest. Doom was a DE, not a LB. Martindale had something to do with changing his position and getting him to #1 in the league.

Hate to correct you, Gem, as you're usually 'spot-on'.

But Doom IS a LB this year. *wink*

GEM
02-13-2010, 10:49 AM
Hate to correct you, Gem, as you're usually 'spot-on'.

But Doom IS a LB this year. *wink*

No kidding. I said he was a DE, now he's a LB. I was giving credit to Martindale for coaching Doom through that change. ;)

HORSEPOWER 56
02-13-2010, 12:04 PM
Because "fit" Nolan was such a great DC the last half of the year, right?

Any of the Ryans "fit"?
Parcells?


:tsk:

Unbelievable.

It was a joke. I can do that, right? Maybe not.

rcsodak
02-13-2010, 12:46 PM
No kidding. I said he was a DE, now he's a LB. I was giving credit to Martindale for coaching Doom through that change. ;)

Oops. Sowwy. :-(

rcsodak
02-13-2010, 12:52 PM
It was a joke. I can do that, right? Maybe not.

Hardly.


And usually a "joke" has a smiley face or such.

Lonestar
02-13-2010, 12:58 PM
OK folks lets keep it on track and stop the personal stuff.

HORSEPOWER 56
02-13-2010, 12:59 PM
Hardly.



And usually a "joke" has a smiley face or such.



I'm just that bad, I guess. Strange how just about everyone else knew I was joking. Maybe you've just reached the pinnacle of being oversensitive to anything that could anywhere near be construed to be negative about McDaniels, Orton, Bowlen, or anyone currently on the staff?

I'm sure they'll be just fine without you rushing to their aid at the drop of a hat to criticize and attack anyone who says anything even remotely negative (even in jest).

Hoser
02-14-2010, 01:42 AM
I'm not sure where the whole Nolan being aggressive deal came from. I remember being on some 49er forums when he was the HC there and they hated how unaggressive they were on defense.

I had always seen Nolan as a guy who kept everything in front of the team and then swarmed to the ball and held them to very small gains. Basically like a bigger 3-4 version of the Colts D without the pass rushing DE's.

I was fully expecting a rather conservative defense when we brought him in, and was quickly surprised when I saw all the blitzing we were doing. How much of this was Nolan changing his schemes or McDaniels I guess we'll never know for sure, but considering Nolan was let go because the two couldn't co-exist and McDaniels has said if anything we'll be MORE aggressive, it seems like maybe McDaniels had a bigger role in the defense than many of us think.

Lonestar
02-14-2010, 01:55 AM
I'm not sure where the whole Nolan being aggressive deal came from. I remember being on some 49er forums when he was the HC there and they hated how unaggressive they were on defense.

I had always seen Nolan as a guy who kept everything in front of the team and then swarmed to the ball and held them to very small gains. Basically like a bigger 3-4 version of the Colts D without the pass rushing DE's.

I was fully expecting a rather conservative defense when we brought him in, and was quickly surprised when I saw all the blitzing we were doing. How much of this was Nolan changing his schemes or McDaniels I guess we'll never know for sure, but considering Nolan was let go because the two couldn't co-exist and McDaniels has said if anything we'll be MORE aggressive, it seems like maybe McDaniels had a bigger role in the defense than many of us think.

IIRC they did not have much D in SFO to start with not much talent and he did little IIRC to bring in talent.

He did bring in Willis but beyond that from what I remember not many panned out.
Balmer their first pick in 08 was a bust.
Smith their #3 did little either.

mcdonald#3 in 07 IMO was a bust also.

I do not count on anything past #3 as a player it is IMO more luck thatn skill after that point.


I think you may be correct about Josh having more to do with the D than some want to give him credit for.