ESPN reports ALL defensive assistants fired except Moss!!!!

[HarveyWallbangers]

I have no problem letting him go but lets remember who gives him the players to run the scheme he had a couple of key injuries with no suitable backups and two first round busts on his line-up card it will be hard for anyone to be successful under those conditions. And I guess now that I think about it maybe Moss isn't to blame for the LB's sucking he has very little to work with.

I agree that it's not all on Sanders, but I've had a bad feeling about his leadership style. You want your defense to be aggressive and fierce. The DC doesn't have to be an emotional wreck, but he needs to instill that in his players. He was more of a tactician than motivator. I want both. Let's be fair, injuries really affected this defense. Sanders was dealt a bad hand by the injuries. Moss was dealt a bad hand with his LBs being nicked up or out much of the year. When the players stayed healthy last year, they played well. Same could be said for Sanders and his group, but a good DC adjusts better than he did. A position coach can't really adjust the scheme to deal with these injuries.

[Cleft Crusty]

The only defensive coaches who were retained was assistant head coach / linebackers Winston Moss and quality control assistant Joe Whitt Jr.

McCarthy also fired strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson.

Rock is out also.

There go the free weights again. Perhaps I could be so humble as to recommend the Packers switch to the the Blowflex motivator 2 home gym - three easy 20 minute workouts per week are all they need to get in the best shape of their lives.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Harv, where did you get this one?

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/37092484.html

[pbmax]

Rock is out also.

And here I came to believe that free weights solved everything.

That was an expensive three years, two remodels, two sets of equipment and now two coaches.

[pbmax]

I'll go out on a limb and say this source is credible.

from Packers.com, press release by team

Six Assistant Coaches Released

posted 01/05/2009

The Green Bay Packers have released six assistant coaches, Head Coach Mike McCarthy announced Monday morning. Those released are Defensive Coordinator Bob Sanders, Defensive Ends Coach Carl Hairston, Defensive Tackles Coach Robert Nunn, Secondary Coach Kurt Schottenheimer, Defensive Nickel Package/Cornerbacks Coach Lionel Washington and Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Rock Gullickson.

"These are difficult decisions," McCarthy said. "I hold each of these men in high regard on a personal level, and I want to thank them for their service to the Green Bay Packers."

[Pugger]

Well guys, it's now official.

http://www.packers.com/home/

Every D assistant but Moss. Now we wait to see if Moss gets it or if MM goes elsewhere...

[cpk1994]

I'm suprised the board hasn't exploded in celebration of Schottenheimer's firing.

[pbmax]

Good move by TT.

IMO its best to get a DC with previous experience as DC (recall Sanders) and someone willing to keep the 4-3 with more blitzing.

Recall when Woodson blitzed against N.O.? Truth is, the Packers have poor blitzing corners, safeties and linebackers, and their d-line cannot generate pressure on it's own. It's redundant to mention it, but Pressure only works when you have the guys who can actually generate pressure, without compromising the entire scheme. Packers need better players - Moss - or any other DC - can only do so much with crapola.

True, but you can't wait until you find LeRoy Butler or Polomalu to blitz either. The scheme has to free someone up. And too often the single CB or single LB blitzes we saw were easy to pick up. They did run that interior LB blitz with Hawk and Chillar with a twist that seemed to find a free path to the QB, but that was not often the case with other attempts.

[HarveyWallbangers]

And too often the single CB or single LB blitzes we saw were easy to pick up.

Bingo. I don't think it takes a ton of talent to blitz. If the offense knows the blitz is coming and picks it up, it often doesn't matter who is blitzing. There has to be an element of surprise. We saw a blitzer get free reign on the QB, but not very often.

[gbgary]

McCarthy also fired strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson.

There go the free weights again. Perhaps I could be so humble as to recommend the Packers switch to the the Blowflex motivator 2 home gym - three easy 20 minute workouts per week are all they need to get in the best shape of their lives.

more genius thinking!!