Davis looks to be Cards Choice for DC

[Ronin]

This would be awful.

He was terrible with as the 49ers DC....granted the 49ers didn't have much talent to work with.

 

[Duckjake]

I was asking about Davis earlier this year. I had noticed a real improvement in the linebackers, especially Gerald Hayes.

I like what he's done with the Cardinals.

Besides any guy who has 4 Daughters has got to be tough.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

I don't know about Davis unless he's got some new tricks up his sleeve. The 49ers defenses that he coached were one of the few teams that were actually worse than the Cardinals on defense over the last few years.

I'd rather give a new guy the chance and have a new face in the locker room to help start fresh on the defensive side. That's drawback #2 to promoting from within in this case. He's been a part of the unit that's been a problem. Seems hard for me to believe that he's going to have a completely different approach if he's been here the past two years.

Whiz has talked several times about how important it was for him to take over as the OC in Pittsburgh and "..begin calling my own plays". He did the same for Haley here.

The importance of promoting from within has been spoken about in interviews several times. This isnt suprising at all.

 

[moklerman]

The importance of promoting from within has been spoken about in interviews several times. This isnt suprising at all.

No, but Butler was Whis' first choice in '07 and he would be promoting him as well. Not directly from within but I could see how Whis would view it along the lines of bringing Grimm with him but a couple years removed.

Like most of you, I trust Whis but if it were my choice I would give it to Butler. I like the idea of a fresh face, used to results guy from Pittsburgh over a guy who had little success while in the same division. Perhaps that's too broad a stroke but it scares me that the 49ers defense was so bad under his direction. They gave up 400+ points each year he was there and it wasn't like the West was a juggernaut those years.

Also, it's not like the Arizona defense is loaded with stars either. Some good players but as Clancy proved, the scheme is going to have to be a big part of their success. I really don't want a lateral move for the defense especially when they'll be converting to a 3-4.

 

[Brewster10]

Reason?

He was terrible in that capacity in SF

 

[perivolaki]

No, but Butler was Whis' first choice in '07 and he would be promoting him as well.

I hear what you're saying about Butler being his first choice, but Whiz has had two years now to size up his coaches.

Pendy was obviously found lacking but maybe he liked what he saw in Davis. Maybe after having him as linebacker coach for two years he found Davis to be Butler's equal or better. Who knows for sure.

 

[moklerman]

Pendy was obviously found lacking but maybe he liked what he saw in Davis. Maybe after having him as linebacker coach for two years he found Davis to be Butler's equal or better. Who knows for sure.

I'd be more inclined to go along with that idea if Arizona hadn't asked permission to interview Bulter(again).

 

[TheHopToad]

He played quarterback and receiver at the University of Cincinnati from 1985 through 1988, and he spent some time in training camp with the Dolphins, as a receiver.

So just how common is it for an offensive player to become a defensive coach? Shouldn't you have at least played on the same side of the ball to have a little credibility in teaching it to others?

Kinda like a pitcher becoming a hitting coach. Doesn't make sense to me, but if it works, and it looks like it does, then more power to him.

 

[Capital Card]

Butler would be great and my first choice, but face it... Pittsburgh blocked us from grabbing him once before, and there isn't any reason to doubt they'll do it again.

As for Davis, his lack of success in San Fran doesn't totally scare me off. We've seen coaches bomb at one place and have success elsewhere. Billicheat is the poster child for this.

Also, for all we know, Davis may have been in Whiz's ear all season, just as frustrated with Pendy as we were.

Whiz has earned the benefit of the doubt for a few season's in my book. Whomever he picks is great with me.

Go Cards!!!

 

[WisconsinCard]

He was terrible in that capacity in SF

In that line of thinking Bill-a-cheat would have never got got another head coaching job after Cleveland then. He could have been hired under Whis with the thought if CP didn't work out he was the heir apparent.

 

[D-Dogg]

Butler would be great and my first choice, but face it... Pittsburgh blocked us from grabbing him once before, and there isn't any reason to doubt they'll do it again.

Yes there is. That was a lateral move interview they blocked. This would be a promotion to DC, a money and prestige move. Blocking that would be seen as a dick move by the Steelers...something that franchise doesn't seem to have ever been about. It's fine to block a guy from going elsewhere to do the same job, but not giving permission to seek promotions when they aren't available internally isn't good practice.

If Whis wants to interview Butler, I'm pretty sure Pittsburgh will allow it.

 

[JeffGollin]

All of us are grasping at straws.

The questions needing to be answered first are:

"Why did Pendergast get fired?"

"What did Wiz mean by "going in a different direction?"

We don't know if the Pendergast release was due to: (a) training inadequacies, (b) friction with assistants, (c) poor talent evaluation, (d) unfair treatment of players, (e) poor game planning, (f) inconsistent play calling, (g) they like someone from outside (Butler?) better, (h) defense is "too finessy" and not tough enough or (i) Wiz wants to go to a 3-4.

Or none of the above.

Without knowing this, it figures to be difficult if not impossible to predict who'll be brough in as DC.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Whatever the decision it better be made quickly the offseason is short this year for us.

 

[football karma]

Yes there is. That was a lateral move interview they blocked. This would be a promotion to DC, a money and prestige move. Blocking that would be seen as a dick move by the Steelers...something that franchise doesn't seem to have ever been about. It's fine to block a guy from going elsewhere to do the same job, but not giving permission to seek promotions when they aren't available internally isn't good practice.

If Whis wants to interview Butler, I'm pretty sure Pittsburgh will allow it.

I tend to agree. The way you get really good up and coming coaches is if they know that its a place that encourages development and opportunity.

The only thing working against this is the timing -- its so late in the process that it may be hard to find a replacement, making a team less likely to let a good assistant go.

 

[lauraw]

either way, whizz wont be messing around. he'll move on the coordinators' jobs this week, preferably early in the week.

 

[CardLogic]

All of us are grasping at straws.

Hey, it's what we do!

 

[Renz]

He was terrible with as the 49ers DC....granted the 49ers didn't have much talent to work with.

That was Nolan's defense. I thought it was comical at the time that Nolan fired his DC when the team was running Nolan's defense.

I wonder how much control Davis really had there or if he was DC in name only.

 

[spyboots]

I don't see Tomlin blocking the interview. He himself was a position coach at Tampa before getting the DC at Minnesota. I also don't think the Steelers are the type to keep a coach from getting a promotion. Only thing is -- does it matter if their contract isn't up yet? I remember that when Grimm asked the Steelers to let him out of his contract, they did so.