Thread: Coaching pieces fall into place

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/br...#ixzz0dQwKZyVQ

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

Pretty hard to get to excited.

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

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!!

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

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......................

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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by 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.

Everybody has to start somewhere.

Originally Posted by Hoser

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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. . .

Originally Posted by 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.

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!!

Originally Posted by 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.

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?

Originally Posted by Ziggy

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................................