God bless you, Cary Godette

[Ed B]

After 7 years of "Mean Joe Greene" and his lawn-chair style of coaching, we finally have a coach who knows up from down.




New philosophy frees 'D' front 4
Attack trumps containment

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 12, 2003 12:00 AM


The Cardinals are hoping a change in philosophy will allow their defensive front four to become more disruptive than in recent years.

Since Vince Tobin took over as head coach in 1996, the front four has been asked to lock up with offensive linemen, read their blocks and then react. Their main task was to control the gaps on each side of them and keep offensive linemen from reaching the linebackers.

This year, however, defensive linemen are being asked more often simply to beat the man in front of them off the ball. That might free the offensive lineman to get to a linebacker, "but it also means they have to deal with us," tackle Marcus Bell said.

It's a welcome change for the front four, which has been maligned in recent years for its lack of pass rush. The Cardinals have finished last in the league in sacks the past two years, totaling just 40.

No defensive lineman has had more than four sacks in either of the past two seasons.

"We're working a lot more on penetrating and getting into the backfield," end Kyle Vanden Bosch said. "It's not so much reading and gap control as it is hitting your gap and making them (the offensive players) adjust.

"The way we're playing it now gives us the opportunity to make a lot more things happen in the backfield, make them commit a lot quicker."

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I love it...now when does the season start?

ugh ugh...

Mike

 

[Ed B]

You watch and see how much "magically" and "suddenly" our D Linemen are going to improve with a <b>real</b> coach who actually <b>coaches the players</b> on the field.

Godette will end up being the best offseason pickup, mark my words.

 

[maddogkf]

Here is our new ass't DL coach!

 

[maddogkf]

Cary Godette, a five-year NFL assistant with the Carolina Panthers (1995) and Miami Dolphins (1996–99) and a 21-season college coach, is Arizona’s first-year assistant defensive line coach where he will assist defensive line coach Joe Greene.

Last year, Godette served as assistant head coach at Western Carolina.

An all-America defensive end at East Carolina in 1976, Godette entered the coaching arena in 1977 at his alma mater as defensive line coach, then served for three years at Wyoming, tutoring the Cowboys’ defensive ends (1980) and linebackers (1981–82).

In 1983, Godette began a six-year stint at the University of Cincinnati where he coached the Bearcats’ defensive ends (1983), outside linebackers (1984), tight ends (1985–86), and defensive line (1987–88) in addition to recruiting and game operations responsibilities.
After a season as an assistant at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, N.C. in 1989, Godette returned to the college coaching ranks, beginning with two seasons at East Carolina (1990–91) and Georgia Tech (1992–93) and another at North Carolina State (1994).

His first NFL assignment came in 1995 as defensive line coach for Carolina, followed by four years with the Miami Dolphins (1996–99). He also participated in the NFL’s Minority Internship Program with the Dallas Cowboys during their 1992 training camp.

In 2000, Godette returned to the college level for two seasons at North Carolina State before spending the 2002 campaign at Western Carolina.

Overall, Godette has coached in five college bowl games, the 2002 Tangerine, 2000 Micronpc.com, and 1994 Peach Bowl with N.C. State, and the 1991 Peach and 1987 Independence Bowl with East Carolina.

Godette and his wife, Ruby, are the parents daughter Rhonda, son, Paul, and three grandchildren.

 

[Ed B]

You could throw a damn set of pads on Godette. Jeez.

 

[pinnacle]

godette and blake...appears their time at east carolina overlapped in 1990 - 1991..

 

[MadCardDisease]

Was this change brought about by Goddette? I think it was more Mac saying "AH Crap", we didn't really upgrade our pass rush so we had better try something else.

I think this instantly improves our pass rush but the question now shifts to can we stop the run.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Another Carolina boy for the Cards! Keep em' comin'.

 

[Stout]

Ease up on Mean Joe. I have a very strong feeling he's been following orders. After all, it's not the DL coach's decision on what kind of defense to play.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Stout
Ease up on Mean Joe. I have a very strong feeling he's been following orders. After all, it's not the DL coach's decision on what kind of defense to play.

But it is his job to teach techinque, and frankly the defensive line's technique has been terrible.

 

[Sack Daddy]

I'm thinking along Krang's line here. If "Mean Joe" is so/was so mean why hasn't the DL ever taken on that identity? I think the new defensive philosophy will make things better, but someone needs to light a fire. AND, I don't wanna' here any retorts about a lack of talent, even a blind squirrel can find a nut sooner or later.

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by Sack Daddy
I'm thinking along Krang's line here. If "Mean Joe" is so/was so mean why hasn't the DL ever taken on that identity? I think the new defensive philosophy will make things better, but someone needs to light a fire. AND, I don't wanna' here any retorts about a lack of talent, even a blind squirrel can find a nut sooner or later.

I would be curious to know if Greene was against the Cards 2 gap read/react deal. I mean maybe he was crying out for more aggression and was stymied and that bled over into his coaching or lack thereof. Not making excuses for him but if he was unhappy with the environment, maybe he just pay the DL enough attention.

Also, it would be interesting to know if GREENE was somehow responsible for the change in direction this unit has taken. I mean, we are asking if it was Godette but who is to say it wasn't Greene? Oh to be a fly on the wall.......

 

[Wildman©]

Cary Godette: Another coach/player with North Carolina State connections... the beat goes on...

 

[Stout]

Originally posted by AZCB34
I would be curious to know if Greene was against the Cards 2 gap read/react deal. I mean maybe he was crying out for more aggression and was stymied and that bled over into his coaching or lack thereof. Not making excuses for him but if he was unhappy with the environment, maybe he just pay the DL enough attention.

Also, it would be interesting to know if GREENE was somehow responsible for the change in direction this unit has taken. I mean, we are asking if it was Godette but who is to say it wasn't Greene? Oh to be a fly on the wall.......

Exactly. Now, I'm not saying it wasn't Greene that was in favor of playing the 2-gap system, but what if he had wanted the 1 gap system? It's kind of hard to breed aggressive, attacking defenders when they HAVE to read and react. There's more than one possible side to this, obviously.

 

[Red Air Force]

Does anyone know if there are any other teams that run a 2-gap system?

Ya know, the more an more I think about it, the more I realize what a ******** scheme it was. I mean, if the D-linemen are expected to lock up with a blocker to protect the LBs, and the LB's are either going to the RB, or droping into coverage, then...WHO IS RUSHING THE QB?

 

[CardNots]

WHO IS RUSHING THE QB?

BINGO!

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by CaliforniaCard
Does anyone know if there are any other teams that run a 2-gap system?

Ya know, the more an more I think about it, the more I realize what a ******** scheme it was. I mean, if the D-linemen are expected to lock up with a blocker to protect the LBs, and the LB's are either going to the RB, or droping into coverage, then...WHO IS RUSHING THE QB?

Well the lineman are supposed to still try and get to the QB.

It doesn't work unless you have really good personell, which of course, isn't a description of our front line.

 

[BIGDADDY_REDBIRD]

Krang, Imo... our D linemen are not that bad. It appeared that we had no one to stop the run or rush the passer. Actually the design of the defense was to contain gaps & control the line of scrimmage. That is exactly why it was a rarity to see someone get penetration, & make tackles in the opposing teams backfield. Football sense tells me that if I run the ball vs the 2 gap, I'm at the very least going to get to the line if scrimmage, because , the d line is not trying to penetrate & be disruptive. This weak scheme did the players a dis-service, as well as us Cardinal die hards. Now that they will be asked to be more aggressive, watch how many people say "those Cardinal players have really stepped up this year" & they'll credit Emmitt Smith & his veteran leadership for the improvement All along we've had pretty adequate talent on the D-Line. I jokingly stated that Godette had something to do with the switch in schemes, but in reality I was not joking!!! Defensive linemen should be taught to get up the field. That's at any level...

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by bigdaddy_redbird
Krang, Imo... our D linemen are not that bad. It appeared that we had no one to stop the run or rush the passer. Actually the design of the defense was to contain gaps & control the line of scrimmage. That is exactly why it was a rarity to see someone get penetration, & make tackles in the opposing teams backfield. Football sense tells me that if I run the ball vs the 2 gap, I'm at the very least going to get to the line if scrimmage, because , the d line is not trying to penetrate & be disruptive. This weak scheme did the players a dis-service, as well as us Cardinal die hards. Now that they will be asked to be more aggressive, watch how many people say "those Cardinal players have really stepped up this year" & they'll credit Emmitt Smith & his veteran leadership for the improvement All along we've had pretty adequate talent on the D-Line. I jokingly stated that Godette had something to do with the switch in schemes, but in reality I was not joking!!! Defensive linemen should be taught to get up the field. That's at any level...

I hope they improve, and I can actually see it happening.

KVB at full health is a decent left end, Wendall Bryant is one of the most athletic tackles in the league, Marcus Bell is a fire hydrant with some quickness, and Calvin Pace brings legit speed and size for a right end. The depth actually isn't too bad with Wakefield and Russell Davis as swing linemen (playing end and tackle) and Barron Tanner the beef in the the middle. Dennis Johnson, Alton Moore, and Nate Dwyer also could compete.

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Well the lineman are supposed to still try and get to the QB.

It doesn't work unless you have really good personell, which of course, isn't a description of our front line.

Exactly.

The system only works if you have 4 phenomenal DLs. That was the theory behind the Rice-Wadsworth-Swann-Mark Smith line. The LBs and DBs have other responsibilites and it is up to the DL to get the pass rush.

Tampa uses this read-react system, and it works because no one can frickin' block their linemen. It obviously didn't work for us because our DL is the worst in the league over the last 2 seasons.

Frankly, after the Swann-Rice-Wads group fell apart, we were morons to try to stick with this system and I've been harping on that for years, and it's why Marmie almost got fired this offseason. When the talent simply isn't there, you need to use some scheming to get a pass rush and that hasn't happened enough.

We have not had a good pass rusher for 3 seasons and honestly we're still not sure if we do, so the LBs and other defensive personnel are going to have to be utilized more in pass rushing.

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by Ed B
Tampa uses this read-react system, and it works because no one can frickin' block their linemen.

I thought Tampa uses the play-the-run-on-the-way-to-the-QB type attacking scheme, like we're switching to? Or is that only Sapp?

 

[ChiCard]

I thought Tampa Played the knock-'em f***ing silly and hit everyone thing that moves system?

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
I thought Tampa uses the play-the-run-on-the-way-to-the-QB type attacking scheme, like we're switching to? Or is that only Sapp?

I think (of course I may be wrong) from watching them that Tampa's defensive philosophy is quite similar to our read & react. Read the blocking, hold the line on runs, and get in the backfield on pass plays.

There's no way their undersized speed LBs (look at how small brooks, singleton, and quarles are) would make as many tackles as they do if the DL just recklessly attacked upfield. They make a zillion tackles because Sapp, McFarland, and Darby do a great job of plugging between the tackles on running plays.

 

[Stout]

I heard a quote from the Tampa organization (can't remember who said it) last year. It was to the effect of 'we slash into the backfield, charge the QB and tackle the RB on the way if it's a running play.' I don't think they play the read and react. But I could be wrong.