Cards name OC & DC Coordinators

[Renz]

Cards hire Haley, retain Pendergast

NFL.com wire reports

TEMPE, Ariz. (Jan. 25, 2007) -- The Arizona Cardinals hired former Dallas assistant coach Todd Haley as their offensive coordinator, and retained defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast.

Haley, 39, is a 10-year NFL coaching veteran who spent the last three seasons as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach on the staff of Bill Parcells, who retired Jan. 22.

Pendergast, 39, spent the last three seasons as Arizona's defensive coordinator under Dennis Green and has been an NFL assistant for 12 seasons.

"I think these guys will be tremendous additions to our staff," said Ken Whisenhunt, who replaced Green this month.

Neither Haley nor Pendergast played college or pro football, a fact that seemed to surprise Whisenhunt when a reporter mentioned it during a conference call.

"I would guess that that's coincidence," Whisenhunt said. "Maybe that's a compliment to these guys that they're judged on the merits of what they've done (as coaches). Hopefully it doesn't make a difference. I don't think it does."

Whisenhunt has hired seven assistants, two of whom also interviewed for the Cardinals' head coaching position. Pendergast was a candidate, as was Russ Grimm, who has joined Whisenhunt's staff as assistant head coach/offensive line coach.

Pendergast's interview was widely viewed as a courtesy, but Whisenhunt said it was a sign of the organization's respect for the job Pendergast had done.

Before hiring Pendergast, Whisenhunt wanted him to explain why the Cardinals' defense had slipped in some areas last season, when the club went 5-11 and finished last in the NFC West. Whisenhunt said the conversation touched on "a number of things," but he would not provide specifics.

"I felt very comfortable with what his explanation was," Whisenhunt said. "It was not an issue of pointing fingers or blame on anything."

Pendergast, who graduated from the University of Arizona in 1990, returned to his hometown with Green in 2004. He held the job for three years, earning praise for devising a defense that helped contain Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick.

The offensive coordinator position wasn't as settled under Green, who employed three in his three-year tenure.

Whisenhunt, a former offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh, has said he will call the team's offensive plays. He said Haley's duties would include organizing and installing the game plan each week, as well as giving Whisenhunt "a crutch to lean on."

Whisenhunt worked with Haley on Al Groh's New York Jets staff in 2000.

"He understands the offense," Whisenhunt said. "He's been in the same system. We've worked together, so I know how he thinks."

Haley grew up around the NFL. His father, Dick Haley, was the former player personnel director for the Steelers and Jets. Haley was a Steelers ballboy while the club dominated the NFL in the 1970s, winning Super Bowls.

http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/ARI/9954378

 

[Duckjake]

"My father still has the dairy there too, and he still milks about 100 cows

A Dairy in the desert? I didn't know cows ate sand. No wonder the milk in Arizona tastes funny.

Before hiring Pendergast, Whisenhunt wanted him to explain why the Cardinals' defense had slipped in some areas last season, when the club went 5-11 and finished last in the NFC West. Whisenhunt said the conversation touched on "a number of things," but he would not provide specifics.

They never do. It would violate the NFL's policy of omerta and make all the other good ol' boys mad.

 

[Sandan]

Pretend the Bidwills are George Bush. Then pretend that Clancy is the relative of one of Bush's biggest campaign donators and Clancy just got appointed judge of a Federal Court.

I'm all for retaining Clancy because what he is as a coach but, jeeeesh.

Except nobody donated nothing to nobody. It is a coincidince nothing more. CP has been an NFL coach for years and got the job based on his experience.

jeeeesh, yourself, some folks are really looking for new creative ways to take jabs at the Cardinals here. This BS came up when he was first hired

 

[KingofCards]

Except nobody donated nothing to nobody. It is a coincidince nothing more. CP has been an NFL coach for years and got the job based on his experience.

jeeeesh, yourself, some folks are really looking for new creative ways to take jabs at the Cardinals here. This BS came up when he was first hired

You are funny man.

 

[earthsci]

Except nobody donated nothing to nobody. It is a coincidince nothing more. CP has been an NFL coach for years and got the job based on his experience.

jeeeesh, yourself, some folks are really looking for new creative ways to take jabs at the Cardinals here. This BS came up when he was first hired

You did see where I said that I was all for retaining Clancy, right? I don't think that there is anything to it but, the way you brush off people's concerns as if there was absolutely no merit to their questions is laughable. Some of the people who are questioning this aren't Bidwill bashers. I don't consider myself one. I will question some of the things that they do sometimes though.

 

[Stout]

Dare I ask:

Was Clancy forced on Wis?

I wonder if the LB coach from Pittsburgh were allowed to leave if Clancy would still have gotten the job?

IMO -- the length of time it took to name Clancy suggests to me that he wasnt forced on Wis.

I came out early on highly critical of how they were handling Pendy. I did not want him retained and felt that, because they liked him so much, the FO would force him on our new HC. I do not think that has been the case, though. Whiz has had more than enough time to find another DC, and has tried to do so. He could not get permission, so he ended up keeping Pendy. This does not smell of coersion (sp?) at all. In fact, I like how the team has handled it. True, I wanted Pendy gone, but that does not mean I do not believe for sure that he cannot turn it around; I'm just worried that he might not. Well, he is here, so I will support the decision and hope that Pendy can indeed become the aggressive DC we truly need. Go Cards!

 

[BACH]

Are we sure nobody else interviewed? I asked that on page 2 but nobody answered yet.

People are saying Whiz had plenty of time to hire someone else and didn't do they mean he interviewed others or just since he took the job he's had so many days to pick his staff and still chose CP?

Actually, Whiz asked to interview Keith Butler (the LB coach) for the DC job, not Labeau.

 

[AZCB34]

Well, thus far I have seen no indication PEndy has been extended thus it means he will be a lame duck DC next year unless something changes soon. If true, this could effect how the defense plays as if thing start to go badly, they might tune out Pendy knowing "he won't be around next year".

I just don't see this defense as being much better with Denny gone. Pendy will be exposed as the DC he has been up to now but he gets a small pass because of the Denny fiasco.

 

[spanky1]

Well, thus far I have seen no indication PEndy has been extended thus it means he will be a lame duck DC next year unless something changes soon. If true, this could effect how the defense plays as if thing start to go badly, they might tune out Pendy knowing "he won't be around next year".

I just don't see this defense as being much better with Denny gone. Pendy will be exposed as the DC he has been up to now but he gets a small pass because of the Denny fiasco.

The notation of a "lame duck" coach really only applies to the HC position. How often do you hear of Coordinators being extended before their contacts expire.

 

[kerouac9]

The notation of a "lame duck" coach really only applies to the HC position. How often do you hear of Coordinators being extended before their contacts expire.

Usually for the really good ones, like Monte Kniffin, Jim Johnson, Gregg Williams, and the DC for the Dolphins. Just because they don't always make the headlines doesn't mean that it never happens.

 

[Pariah]

Well, thus far I have seen no indication PEndy has been extended thus it means he will be a lame duck DC next year unless something changes soon. If true, this could effect how the defense plays as if thing start to go badly, they might tune out Pendy knowing "he won't be around next year".

I've read this twice in as amny minutes this morning.

It's interesting to me that everyone is up in arms about CP's retention (assuming neferious meddling by the Cards), and in the same breath are critical that he hasn't been extended.

Maybe this is the comprimise: Cards brass wants him. Whiz isn't so sure. So, we keep him this year (when there's slim pickins for DCs anyway) and see if he can EARN a new contract.

I don't think that's a bad thing.

CP showed flashes of brilliance in the last few years, but weaknesses on the defense also remained. So, we'll see now if he was hamstrung by Green's defensive "philosophies," or if he just comes up short. If he's found wanting, then by all means, find someone else. But relatively speaking, I think CP is the best DC we could have this year.

 

[JeffGollin]

I think CP is the best DC we could have this year.

Them's strong words, but I tend to agree.

Plus - as Whizzer said - it provides a degree of continuity at least on one side of the ball.

 

[kerouac9]

CP showed flashes of brilliance in the last few years, but weaknesses on the defense also remained. So, we'll see now if he was hamstrung by Green's defensive "philosophies," or if he just comes up short. If he's found wanting, then by all means, find someone else. But relatively speaking, I think CP is the best DC we could have this year.

Say that the Cards go 8-8 and lose two games 27-31, or in that range. Wouldn't it then be pretty easy to say that had the Cards gotten an average D-coordinator (like Tim Lewis) to replace Pendergast that they'd likely be in the playoffs? The window of opportunity on this team is brutally small, with players like Edge, Berry, and Okeafor rapidly entering their NFL dotage. Anqan and Fitz get older with every passing season, and a fraction of a step slower. Personally, I don't think this team has time to wait around to find out if Pendergast can get his head out of his keister.

 

[kerouac9]

Tim Lewis or Larry Coyer are both guys presently without jobs that are more accomplished and probably overall better than Clancy Pendergast that we didn't even take a look at.

I don't think it's about the Cardinals being cheap; I think it's about the Cardinals being stupid. A hallmark of the Rod Graves era in Arizona has been the continuing overestimation of the talent already on the team by the VP Football Operations. Assuming that Clancy Pendergast was "the best DC we could have had this year" without actually looking around and interviewing anyone else is as stupid as assuming that Rod Graves is the best Personnel man that the Cards could have without talking to anyone else.

 

[Pariah]

Say that the Cards go 8-8 and lose two games 27-31, or in that range. Wouldn't it then be pretty easy to say that had the Cards gotten an average D-coordinator (like Tim Lewis) to replace Pendergast that they'd likely be in the playoffs?

Call me a year from now and we'll talk about it.

I think, based on games like the Falcons game a few years ago, that Pendergast is a solid defensive mind and can come up with fairly innovated ways to utilize his strengths. I think the problems we're seeing (CBs giving 10 yards/getting beat/generally sucking) is correctable, and based on what we've seen him do situationally leads me to believe he can correct it.

For example, he did shore-up the run D last year pretty well. For the most part none of the "star" RBs could do anything against us. That certainly wasn't the case the year before.

I'm certainly not saying he's a slam-dunk--I'm just saying I think we'd be foolish to dismiss him when there were a number of factors working against him last year (i.e. Soloman, lack of a true #1 CB).

If Pendergast is released and on the market, I think he'd be the #1 option for teams looking for a DC (which, unfortunately would be us, too).

 

[kerouac9]

So you're for keeping CP this year based on a Falcons game 3 years ago? What about the Falcons game last season when we got dismantled on both sides of the ball? That doesn't factor into the equation?

The two games where we had young or injured QBs that we didn't attack doesn't factor into the equation?

Shoring up against the run doesn't mean anything if you then get killed through the air. The results in Ws and Ls the three years under Clancy Pendergast is the same as Denny Green. What's the argument for keeping him around? That he contained Michael Vick for three-and-a-half quarters in a game we still lost because--wait for it--Michael Vick still made the game-deciding play?

We didn't even talk to anyone else. It's impossible to say that if Pendergast were released he'd be the #1 option for most teams looking for a DC. He didn't get any looks at a HC job, and if another team wants Pendy for their DC they're as stupid as the Cardinals are. That said, there aren't many openings for DCs in the NFL right now. Where would he end up? New York? Denver? Please.

 

[Pariah]

Larry Coyer

Coyer got a bum deal in Denver, but he's not without his warts. He had one of the only true shut-down CBs to take away half the field and the fastest bunch of LBs in the league and still couldn't field anything but a middle-of-the-road D. Defenders of Coyer say, "but he didn't have a pass rush!" You know why? Because he was part of the brian trust that jettisoned Pryce and brought in the Browncos DL.

Coyer's okay, I don't think he's better than Pendergast.

 

[Pariah]

So you're for keeping CP this year based on a Falcons game 3 years ago?

Dude. It was an example.

 

[kerouac9]

Coyer got a bum deal in Denver, but he's not without his warts. He had one of the only true shut-down CBs to take away half the field and the fastest bunch of LBs in the league and still couldn't field anything but a middle-of-the-road D. Defenders of Coyer say, "but he didn't have a pass rush!" You know why? Because he was part of the brian trust that jettisoned Pryce and brought in the Browncos DL.

Coyer's okay, I don't think he's better than Pendergast.

Coyer was told by Shanahan (it's been widely reported) to tone down his blitz packages from a season before (when they blitzed all the time) and play more vanilla. At the same time, he did have a defense that set a record for fewest points scored in the first quarter of the season.

Coyer is the second D-coordinator in Denver in a row to take the fall for Shanahan's disappointing late-season performance. And if you really think that Coyer was the power behind letting Trevor Pryce leave in the offseason, well, I don't know what to tell you other than that you might want to pay more attention to some of the other front offices around the league.

 

[Totally_Red]

I've read this twice in as amny minutes this morning.

It's interesting to me that everyone is up in arms about CP's retention (assuming neferious meddling by the Cards), and in the same breath are critical that he hasn't been extended.

Maybe this is the comprimise: Cards brass wants him. Whiz isn't so sure. So, we keep him this year (when there's slim pickins for DCs anyway) and see if he can EARN a new contract.

I don't think that's a bad thing.

CP showed flashes of brilliance in the last few years, but weaknesses on the defense also remained. So, we'll see now if he was hamstrung by Green's defensive "philosophies," or if he just comes up short. If he's found wanting, then by all means, find someone else. But relatively speaking, I think CP is the best DC we could have this year.

Since Darren Urban said in today's Tribune that Pendergast had some input into the assistants hired thus far, I would say that alone is going to be a far better indicator of his abilities than the season just past when he was saddled with Richard Solomon. Evidently what he said to Whis in their private (and lengthy) conversations was convincing enough to retain him for another year.

It's obviously to Pendergast's advantage if his defense performs closer to 2004 and 2005 than to last season. He'd then figure to be in demand as a free agent whether with the Cardinals or elsewhere. Just as a player is under pressure to perform in his so-called "contract" year, Pendy will have the same pressure in 2007. I'm sure Whis has factored that into the equation.

 

[Mulli]

Say that the Cards go 8-8 and lose two games 27-31, or in that range. Wouldn't it then be pretty easy to say that had the Cards gotten an average D-coordinator (like Tim Lewis) to replace Pendergast that they'd likely be in the playoffs?

I do not think it would be so easy to say that. For example, the Cards lost 24-23 to the NFC Champion Bears and CP was not the problem. If Tim Lewis was the DC, it wouldn't have helped in that game.

 

[kerouac9]

Dude. It was an example.

Well, what are some other examples? The way that we contained the Chiefs for three-and-a-half quarters until discipline broke down in the form of an 85-yard screen pass? The Cards don't have a single signature defensive performance under Clancy Pendergast. What's the argument for keeping him around? Continuity? When you've had a defense that has ranked in the bottom third in scoring of the NFL for his entire tenure, is continuity what you're looking for?

 

[kerouac9]

I do not think it would be so easy to say that. For example, the Cards lost 24-23 to the NFC Champion Bears and CP was not the problem. If Tim Lewis was the DC, it wouldn't have helped in that game.

I know. That's one game. But if the Cards defense had shown up against the Chiefs, Raiders, Cowboys, or Packers, then the Cards very well could have been in the playoffs.

Obviously, Denny Green is responsible for being totally hands off with the coaching staff and not getting involved either during the week or on Sunday. Unless you're talking about defensive preparation and game plans, where he was constantly shouldering aside Clancy Pendergast. C'mon, guys.

 

[Pariah]

I don't know what to tell you other than that you might want to pay more attention to some of the other front offices around the league.

Yeah, maybe I should. I'll try to pay more attention when the radio/television/newspapers prattle on about the broncos 24/7.

psst--I live in Denver. I've got a pretty good feel for what they're doing.

 

[Mulli]

I know. That's one game. But if the Cards defense had shown up against the Chiefs, Raiders, Cowboys, or Packers, then the Cards very well could have been in the playoffs.

Obviously, Denny Green is responsible for being totally hands off with the coaching staff and not getting involved either during the week or on Sunday. Unless you're talking about defensive preparation and game plans, where he was constantly shouldering aside Clancy Pendergast. C'mon, guys.

You asked the question about losing the two games next year by a certain score. I was only pointing out that a loss by a certain score can't always be pinned on the DC. CP was part of the problem this last year, but, in my opinion, lack of talent at more than one position was a bigger problem.