Clancy Pendergast Interviewed for Cardinals HC

[Derm]

But, it's a message to the new head coach that management likes him.

 

[bratwurst]

I guess if I'm CP I'm thinking if they thought I was the guy, they would have fired Green during the bye week and given me the job already. They had all that time to evaluate me, they fired Green, and instead of promoting me, they retained me and now interviewed me. It's pretty unlikely I'm the next coach unless I have pictures similar to the ones Step used to keep the starting C job for so long.

Very good point.

We need a clean break.

 

[DeAnna]

What is so wrong with Pendy? Seems to me like the players loved playing for him and he can definately motivate them. Graves said he's also looking for someone who is organized.

I wouldn't mind Chow as HC and keeping Pendy as Asst. HC

 

[Russ Smith]

What is so wrong with Pendy? Seems to me like the players loved playing for him and he can definately motivate them. Graves said he's also looking for someone who is organized.

I wouldn't mind Chow as HC and keeping Pendy as Asst. HC

I don't have a huge problem with him other than the defense wasn't very good the last 3 years. Maybe that wasn't all his fault, maybe he was running the system he was told to run, but I don't know that as a fact all I know is the defense wasn't ever consistent under him.

 

[Second Deck]

I thought the D played well at the beginning of the year then when the O started giving away games they kind of gave up. Seems like they were able to focus again at the end of the year and did a good job stoppiing Alexander, Jackson Gore and thought did not give any big runs to Tomlison. I like Pendy and hope he is here as D cordinator.

 

[ajcardfan]

I don't have a huge problem with him other than the defense wasn't very good the last 3 years. Maybe that wasn't all his fault, maybe he was running the system he was told to run, but I don't know that as a fact all I know is the defense wasn't ever consistent under him.

That sounds remarkably similar to what people said about McGinnis when he got the job after Tobin. It wasn't really his fault, he ran Tobin's "system".

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Maybe we're just interviewing him to satisfy the Rooney rule that you have to interview at least one white coach?



I guess if I'm CP I'm thinking if they thought I was the guy, they would have fired Green during the bye week and given me the job already. They had all that time to evaluate me, they fired Green, and instead of promoting me, they retained me and now interviewed me. It's pretty unlikely I'm the next coach unless I have pictures similar to the ones Step used to keep the starting C job for so long.

I'm fairly certain that Pendy was and is realistic about the process. He's a young coodinator who still needs some seasoning and this interview is part of that process, and more important. a sign of respect. As I said earlier: At a minimum it means that management appreciates your work, and helps guarantee that he'll be part of the new regime. I'd venture to say that Pendy is probably quite happy with how things have turned out so far. Wouldn't be surprised if they add to his title in the not too distant.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

Maybe we're just interviewing him to satisfy the Rooney rule that you have to interview at least one white coach?



I guess if I'm CP I'm thinking if they thought I was the guy, they would have fired Green during the bye week and given me the job already. They had all that time to evaluate me, they fired Green, and instead of promoting me, they retained me and now interviewed me. It's pretty unlikely I'm the next coach unless I have pictures similar to the ones Step used to keep the starting C job for so long.

 

[kerouac9]

I'm with Skkorp.

I also think MB and RG interviewed Clancy to get a "baseline" (consisting of a guy they were very familiar with) from which to compare other guys in their interviews.

It's conceivable but not likely that all the other candidates they interview don't measure up to Clancy. But you never know - maybe they'll throughly check out what's available out there and conclude the guy they've got gives us the best chance of winning after all.

But, to support Skkorp's position - some of Rod's comments point to (a) good offensive personnel who didn't perform well enough and (b) not-as-good overall talent on defense that overachieved as a unit. Logically this should point to bringing in an offensive-minded coach to get the offense to play to potential while leaving it to Clancy P to continue working with a (hopefully) upgraded defensive roster.

Maybe it's just me, but I think we probably have better talent on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side, overall. Yeah, the skill position players are better, but of the positions that we're probably best in the division in, it's probably more on D than on O. I guess they "overachieved as a unit" if you expected them to finish 32nd overall instead of 28th, but this was unit that didn't play good defense for long stretches of the season, and I think that it was generally agreed that it was because of scheme not talent.

Now, who was the guy responsible for scheming on the defensive side of the ball?

 

[Redsz]

Totally agree, Canuck.

I like Pendy, I think he has the talent to be a sucessful coach here or somewhere else. The criticism about him is just, but he has a future and I would rather it be here.

 

[ajcardfan]

Now, who was the guy responsible for scheming on the defensive side of the ball?

Dennis Green. That's why he missed all those offense meetings, he was busy telling Clancy EXACTLY what to do.

We now know exactly what Green did --- he made crazy roster moves and ran the defense. That's it. Well, except for the games where the defense played pretty well. In that case, he was coaching the special teams. In fact, he was the one who told Rackers his ball "needed more of a left hook to it."

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Dennis Green. That's why he missed all those offense meetings, he was busy telling Clancy EXACTLY what to do.

We now know exactly what Green did --- he made crazy roster moves and ran the defense. That's it. Well, except for the games where the defense played pretty well. In that case, he was coaching the special teams. In fact, he was the one who told Rackers his ball "needed more of a left hook to it."

Could this be described as "facetious".

 

[Stout]

Seems like just a courtesy to me. I don't think there is any way that Pendergast gets that job.

God, I hope not. For a while, he seemed like the new beau of the ball in the NFL, but then he stopped being aggressive. To me, having a non-aggressive DC kills a defense. If you're playing a rookie that gives in to pressure, you HAVE to pressure them. Throw the sink at them. Same goes for an injured QB. We need a DC that, sure, may get burned, but is willing to be aggressive a lot.

 

[Russ Smith]

That sounds remarkably similar to what people said about McGinnis when he got the job after Tobin. It wasn't really his fault, he ran Tobin's "system".

Just to be clear, I don't want Pendergast to be the HC. If he was deserving they would have fired Green and hired Pendy during the bye week IMHO.

I think he did ok as DC and it wasn't all his fault, remember Green is the one who wants the under scheme, that wasn't Pendy's scheme he just tried to make it work.

The guy has been here 3 years through all this losing, without the defense being great, if he was the guy, I'd think the front office would already know it.

 

[az1965]

Why so ?

Said interviewed, not hired

Why is he even considered? Do you think he is HC material?

Its possible he himself requested it and Cardinals obliged as a formality. Never heard his name mentioned by either Graves or Michael, or any media for that matter.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Doesn't Clancy's family own the land that the stadium was built on? Maybe they are trying to cut a deal. You know, if we make you HC, your family gives us a refund or price break . I see no problem with interviewing him. Like everyone else i think it was a couretsy interview.

 

[Red Dawn]

Lemme see, the Cards extended Francisco on December 30 and canned Denny on January 1. I thought it was strange that they would extend a player right before they canned a coach...not so strange if the new HC is our current DC.







BTW, j/k here, I think we are interviewing better candidates

 

[vinnymac]

CP defense has been inconsitant throughout his tenure here. his defense went from 8th in the nfl last season to one of the worst this season. for the first 4 games berry was invisible. the cardinals defense is one of the worst scoring defense in league and they given up a lot big plays on defense. the cardinals defence is one of the best in causeing turnovers, but it doesn't matter if you keep on giving up points and big plays. i say get better at the cordinator position before you get promoted.

 

[ARZCardinals]

at this point I don't care who runs the ship so long as it ends at the Super Bowl with a Victory Parade down Central!

 

[Totally_Red]

Maybe it's just me, but I think we probably have better talent on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side, overall. Yeah, the skill position players are better, but of the positions that we're probably best in the division in, it's probably more on D than on O. I guess they "overachieved as a unit" if you expected them to finish 32nd overall instead of 28th, but this was unit that didn't play good defense for long stretches of the season, and I think that it was generally agreed that it was because of scheme not talent.

Now, who was the guy responsible for scheming on the defensive side of the ball?

I disagree on the level of talent. Even if you're right on the talent level, you have to agree that the majority of the money has been spent on the offensive side, big money to James last off-season, moderate money to sign Milford Brown, big money to extend Anquan Boldin a couple years ago, big money to high draft choices Fitz and Leinart two of the last three years, and using the first three draft choices on offense last April. And this doesn't even include what the Cardinals are paying Leonard Davis,

 

[stewdog1]

As for talent on the Defensive side of the ball, it is there but many may be playing out of position due to lack of depth or talent in some places.

Those who are upset about Rolle playing so far off the receiver, I'm curious how much of that is based upon Rolle's lack of cover skills, unable to keep up with quality NFL receivers and Clancy doing his best to utilize his skills and still cover up his deficencies.

 

[JeffGollin]

You can't ignore the fact that we ranked poorly in points-allowed and yards-allowed, but you have to be impressed by our number of takeaways.

Although our net turnover figure was a +3, it masks the fact that our offense gave up a lot of turnovers so that the defense ended up creating even more takeaways than average to get us to a +3.

Still, when assessing a DC (or a potential HC) things you have to determine are (a) is he good at adjusting on the fly to what offenses are doing? (b) when things aren't going so well, does he come up with good answers? (c) roster-wise, does he know how to fix what's broke? Or is he "winging it" (i.e. picking up on the job training) as he goes along?

I think one thing missing on the Cardinals for quite a number of years have been HC's and assistants who know what to do when the wheels are coming off.

Whomever we hire, I hope that we wind up with someone who knows what he is doing in every conceivable football circumstance - whether it be keeping special teams on its toes during a critical return, not letting a winning team get complacent (or get down on itself in adverse times) or finding a way to cool down a hot opposing receiver.

 

[D-Dogg]

I think one thing missing on the Cardinals for quite a number of years have been HC's and assistants who know what to do when the wheels are coming off.

Which is astounding considering how often the wheels come off.

 

[Billy Flynt]

The D played pretty well for being small and fast. Also they spent a lot of time on the field in the games that we could not run the ball. I think Clancy is a good candidate but not the best.

 

[Duckjake]

I disagree on the level of talent. Even if you're right on the talent level, you have to agree that the majority of the money has been spent on the offensive side, big money to James last off-season, moderate money to sign Milford Brown, big money to extend Anquan Boldin a couple years ago, big money to high draft choices Fitz and Leinart two of the last three years, and using the first three draft choices on offense last April. And this doesn't even include what the Cardinals are paying Leonard Davis,

I disagree also. I think you could go into this fall with the same 11 guys starting on offense that ended the season and compete with any other team in the league especially if Leinart,Latui and Pope progress like 2nd year players should. They may not be the most talented at individual positions but as a unit, which is more important on offense, they have the potential to be very good.

The defense is weak in the one area you can't be in today's NFL and that is pass coverage. They force turnovers (5th), put pressure on the QB (12th in # of sacks) and are decent against the run (16th) but the inability to properly cover receivers just killed them. The Cards need vast improvement at both Corners. They also need a DE to eventually replace Berry and a S to replace Robert, and an upgrade at Huff's position. It would also help if they could get more push in the middle of the Dline instead of just holding ground.