NFL Offseason Coaching Update (Part 5)
This is the fifth part in a series of articles discussing coaching changes in the NFL as of 17 February, 2011.
Gray decided to leave after the season and went to the Buffalo Bills as their defensive coordinator. When the time came, Munch knew exactly who his defensive coordinator would be.
"I knew him as a player, as a coach and as a coordinator," Munchak said. "I got to witness all three of those over a 20-year span."
Gray thinks that he does best as a defensive coach in the NFL, which is why he didn’t let the chance go by. He said that 10 of his former players called him and supported his decision to return to the big leagues.
Just one month after Gray joined the University of Texas as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, he left to join Munch. He left behind a lot of unhappy Longhorns fans. However, Gray was offered one of only 32 defensive coordinator jobs and a chance
to work on some of the most watched games in America. He couldn’t refuse.
"The position was different, gives me a chance to make calls on Sunday as compared to listening to the calls being made on Saturday," Gray said. "It's not a dictatorship, but I think I'm at my best on Sundays."
Munchak wants a defensive coordinator that can do it all, which is why Gray is a perfect fit. He knows the 4-3 formation like the back of his hand and was exposed to the 3-4 scheme when he was the defensive backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks in the 2010
season. He focuses his defensive line on a limited number of options to keep them from getting confused on the field. He knows enough about both schemes to be flexible and alter the defense to fit his players but he is going to have a lot of work to do with
the Titans.
The team had a 6-10 record this season and was ranked 29th in allowed passing yards per game and 26th in allowed total yards per game. They were the team that had the least ball possession time in the entire NFL. However, they had 40
sacks which ranked them eighth in the NFL and they were also ranked 11th in interceptions made. Gray has already been looking at the reviews of the team’s past couple of games and sees that the Titans missed a majority of plays that were really
close.
"Now if you make those plays, you go 13-3 like we did in 1999 and 2000,” he said, “If you miss those, you don't. That's the biggest difference I think in winning or losing in the NFL is that fine a line."
He wants to be introduced to the Titans’ defense as soon as possible but there is very little time before the labor contract expires on 3 March. Coaches won’t be allowed to talk to players at all after that date if there is no new labor agreement.
To see what else went on related to coaching changes in the NFL, check out the next part of this article. But beware! Your favorite coach might be on the list!
Continued in Part 6...
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