AzPatsFan

Bill Belichick has fortified every position on the team.There is ample competition everywhere.

But there is one exception, left.

Belichick has not named a or hired a coach designated as Defensive Coordinator.

Why do you think that is? It is a fact that the Defensive stats have not been as good as the Offensive stats where there is an Offensive Coordinator. As soon as Bill O'Brien left, he hired another.

Is it because he thinks the position is too crucial?

He thinks:
a) he himself is the best DC that is available?
b) or that he has found no one to promote,
c) or no one to hire with the proper credentials?
d) or He wants to reorganize the Defense himself?

Is he spreading himself too thin, acting as GM, Head Coach, and Defensive Coordinator?

If Belichick were to go looking for a DC, who would you like to see him appoint? Any Nominees?

Big-T

Doesn't Matt Patricia make the defensive play calls most of the time?

Ivan

I think Belichik knows that he has to have the defense in good shape before he names a DC. Had he named Patricia or Johnson over the past 2 seasons fans and media would have been screaming for their heads, and by not naming a DC he takes the responsibility and heat for their performance, and he knows that only a few really really dumb fans would be stupid enough to call for his head. He may feel confident enough going forward to name a DC, most likely Patricia, before camp or he may wait one more season. By this time next year I think there will be one.

patfanken

One of of the unreported curious factoids about the Pats I find fascinating is that the Pats have fewer assistant coaches than any other staff in the league (IIRC). This seems odd in that I'm Kraft would allow him as many as he wanted.

Bill could be one of the best developers of coaching talent around. One thing you notice is that BB switches his coaches from position to position giving them a greater knowledge of their AOR. For example Reiss mentions today that after 6 year with the DL, Pepper is going to coach the LBs this year, and the LB coach will work with the DL.

I can remember one my first WTF moments I had in the Bellichick era, was back in 2001 when BB appointed HIMSELF the QB coach after Dick Raybein's passing. I can remember wondering why the best defensive coach in the league was taking on coaching a position that he had no previous experience coaching.

Looking back on that, one reason was his complete confidence in Romeo running the defense, and the other was perhaps more of a chance for HIMSELF to learn more about the offense and QB's in particular, than to actually share his "expertise" on the QB position with his players.

I go to about 10 TC practices as season, and one of the things I enjoy most is watching BB interact and actually work with so many individual players as he does...on both sides of the ball.....AND ST's. The man is "coaching" all the time. He's actually the opposite of the Bear Bryant stereotype of the HC, standing on his tower watching the "big picture". If you didn't know who he was, you'd think he was just another assistant working with his players.

It probably where his is the most relaxed and happiest.

BTW- Ivan's take sounds as solid a hypothesis as any.

mayoclinic

I think that BB has already delegated game-day DC responsibilities to Mike Patricia. But the defense is in evolution, and BB is probably the only guy who can see that process through. He seems to be creating a hybrid that fuses 3-4 and 4-3 elements, 1-gap and 2-gap elements, and elements of an "amoeba" defense. Fencer addressed some of this, as did a pre-Super Bowl article on Grantland :

Clues to next year's defensive scheme
Bill Belichick, Vince Wilfork, and the New England Patriots defense - Grantland

It's not a 1 year job, and it's required getting the right personnel. The moves made in the last draft and FA have addressed some of this, and now BB has a full off-season in which to implement it. I agree, by this time next year I think the process should be mostly complete, and a formal DC can be named to manage things.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi

thenepatsrule

This

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supafly

In all seriousness, as silly as it may sound, sometimes I wonder if it's just best kept the way it is.

Naming another DC will only contribute to his being plucked as a HC candidate within a yr or so anyway. This way no one is officially 'titled' but all parties still know and delegate their responsibilities.

I think the responsibility level is BB, MP, PJ--with some interweaving sometimes happening in certain situations.

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Patiently waiting to defend the next "bubble" player in this summer's training camp.....

AndyJohnson

My opinion is that doing this way helps develop his staff.
The coordinator position has numerous duties. Its not just calling the plays.
Coordinators are responsible for running practice, developing game plans, strategy, personell decisions, as well as play calling and coordinating the assistants. The coordinator is the supervisor of the coaches on that side of the ball.
It seems to me that what BB is doing is dividing these responsiblities among his assistants rather than assigning them all to 1. It would make sense that if he has a "DC in training" he is adding these responsibilities, one or a few at a time, so that he can master them step by step without being overwhelmed.
That appeared to be what he did with McDaniels and BOB as well.

Avenger

I think the responsibilities of the DC are spread between multiple coaches

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danmateus

None of the above.
It's because Bob Kraft doesn't not feel the need to pay the going rate of at least 1.5-2 million dollars for a competent DC when he pays Bill 8 million a year.