Tampa Bay Buccaneers hire Bill Sheridan for defensive coordinator - NFL News
Tampa Bay Buccaneers added another new face into their coaching staff this Friday with the addition of Bill Sheridan as the new defensive coordinator.
Sheridan, joins Tampa Bay after a stint coaching linebackers at Ohio State University since January 2011 and makes his return back in the National Football League (NFL).
The announcement comes on the back of fervent rumours surrounding problems faced by new head coach Greg Schiano to complete his coaching line-up.
Schiano had been asking many franchises for permission to interview their coaches but has been consistently been receiving refusals.
The head coach was rumoured to favour the hiring of San Francisco 49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell but had to settle for Sheridan after once again being refused permission.
Sheridan was welcomed to the franchise by Schiano who released a statement praising the new defensive coordinators past experience and knowledge.
Schiano said.
"Bill is a great teacher who brings a tremendous understanding of defensive football to the Buccaneers organization. Over the last three decades, he has had the opportunity to work under some great head coaches like Bo Schembechler, Nick Saban, Lloyd Carr
and Tom Coughlin. His experience and knowledge will be a great benefit to our defensive staff."
Sheridan has had experience coaching defensive lines for NFL franchises such as New York Giants, and most recently Miami Dolphins who he left in January to join Ohio.
The new defensive coordinator will have a ton of work on his hands as he takes over the duties.
The Buccaneers defence in the 2011-12 regular season was one of the worst in the league.
Tampa Bay was 32nd overall in the NFL against the oppositions rushing game and 21st in the league as they gave away an average of 238.4 passing yards per game to their opponents.
The franchise’s poor performance in the season led to the firing of young coach Raheem Morris as Tampa Bay ended the season at 4-12 while losing their last ten games.
With Morris’ firing the Buccaneers searched long and hard for a new coach before settling for Greg Schiano.
With Schiano finally making good progress in shaping his coaching staff the Bucs will now turn their attention to the free agency as they look to bring in players that will help them end the 2012-13 season on a high.
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