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  • Most Important Offseason Move

    Maybe things will work out.




    Malcolm Jenkins: Biggest move in secondary was coaching change









    In his first season with the Eagles, Malcolm Jenkins recorded 80 tackles, 15 pass deflections and three interceptions. (USA Today Images)













    Maybe the biggest move the Eagles made in the secondary wasn’t signing Byron Maxwell or Walter Thurmond.

    Maybe the biggest move the Eagles made in the secondary wasn’t cutting ties with Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen.

    Maybe the biggest move the Eagles made in the secondary wasn’t drafting Eric Rowe, JaCorey Shepherd and Randall Evans.

    Malcolm Jenkins suggested this week it was replacing John Lovett with Cory Undlin.

    The Eagles quietly “re-assigned” two veteran position coaches on Jan. 20, moving tight ends coach Ted Williams and defensive backs coach Lovett into retirement positions in the scouting department.

    They replaced Lovett with Undlin, and after just a few months, Jenkins can see a huge difference.

    “Adding Cory Undlin is really probably the biggest addition we had when you talk about upgrading that (defensive backs) room,” Jenkins said.
    That does not reflect well on Lovett.

    It was no secret that the veteran defensive backs on the Eagles the last couple years were not in lockstep with Lovett, who had 17 jobs from 1977 through 2014. Which means he lasted about two years and three months on the average per job.

    Lovett was considered limited when it came to teaching technique, and it showed on the field in his two years as the Eagles’ secondary coach.

    The Eagles allowed 4,636 passing yards in 2013, fifth-most in NFL history, and 4,238 last year, 20th-most in NFL history.

    The 8,874 yards they allowed in Lovett’s two years as secondary coach is the second-most any NFL team has ever allowed in a two-year period. The Eagles are also one of only two teams in NFL history to allow 4,200 or more passing yards in consecutive years.
    The Eagles' corners were especially lacking in technique when it came to jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. Their inability to prevent receivers like Dez Bryant, DeSean Jackson and Jordy Nelson from free runs down the field is the main reason the Eagles allowed 18 completions of at least 40 yards last year, the most in the NFL in 13 years.
    The Eagles actually ranked third in opposing completion percentage at 58.4 percent but allowed an NFL-high 12.3 yards per completion. They became the first team in NFL history to allow more than 4,000 passing yards while limiting QBs to less than 59 percent completion.

    Jenkins said the scheme and personnel weren’t the problem, the guys just weren’t prepared on game day.
    And that is a direct reflection on coaching.

    “The biggest thing is keeping the ball in front of us,” Jenkins said after OTA practice Thursday. “It’s that simple. Fooball’s not a complicated game. When you keep the ball in front of you as a secondary, nine times out of 10 you’re going to win.

    “And we had tight coverage. If you look at the completion rating against the secondary, we were really good from that standpoint. … The biggest thing is just keeping the ball in front of us, and that has nothing to do with scheme and nothing to do with personnel.

    “That’s just awareness and knowledge of the game.”
    And awareness and knowledge of the game are directly related to coaching.

    The Eagles also cut ties this offseason with assistant defensive backs coach Todd Lyght, who accepted a position at Vanderbilt before quickly accepting another position at his alma mater, Notre Dame.

    Undlin, 43, is beginning his 12th NFL season and most recently spent the last three years with the Broncos, the last two as secondary coach. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2004.

    Undlin is the Eagles’ 10th secondary coach since 2007, following John Harbaugh, Trent Walters, Sean McDermott, Dick Jauron, Mike Zordich, Johnnie Lynn, Todd Bowles, Bobby April and Lovett.






    can't wait to see how they play
    We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

  • #2
    Great minds.........I posted this 2 weeks ago

    #1
    Eagle60
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    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Hidden Difference
    Posted: May 13th, 2015 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under:


    The Eagles are better at CB. At least I think so. They have more quality bodies this year at the very least. We won’t know if Safety is improved until we see if Earl Wolff can stay healthy, if Ed Reynolds has NFL talent or if Jaylen Watkins can make the transition to full-time S. Chris Prosinski and Jerome Couplin may also have a say in matters.

    The one spot where I think the Eagles are definitively better is DB coach, where Cory Undlin takes over for John Lovett. Undlin has a good NFL track record. He understands what it takes to be a good NFL secondary. Lovett has a strong resume at the college level, but his unit struggled in the past 2 years. Lovett wasn’t given great talent, but he certainly didn’t seem to help the situation.

    Malcolm Jenkins is excited about the change.

    “The change in philosophy is the biggest change,” Jenkins said after one of the team’s workouts at the NovaCare Complex. “And Cory Undlin is the most important pick up in that room. Even Maxwell, who has great technique and knows how to win, but I think getting coach Undelin is the biggest difference.”

    Undlin replaces John Lovett, who was re-assigned to the scouting department after the season.

    “I didn’t know him at all,” Jenkins, the Piscataway native said of Undlin. “But seeing him and how he works, he puts a lot of emphasis on technique and eye placement. We’ve only been with him a month, or so, and our room has already gotten better in that month. Just from a standpoint of fundamental football and that’s what we really didn’t get the past two years. I heard that when I got here. And then you saw it last year.
    “With Coach Undlin it’s going to be a lot different.”


    This doesn’t mean the secondary is going to magically be better. Undlin has to teach his players better technique. It can take time to learn this and to play consistently good football.

    Undlin also has to push his players. He isn’t walking onto a team that is loaded with physically gifted defensive backs. The Eagles have some talent, but most of the players have the kind of talent/athleticism that requires they do all the little things right. That wasn’t happening in the past 2 years. It is up to Undlin to get this unit playing better football.
    "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

    Comment


    • #3
      As bad as the secondary played the last 2 years I'm thinking it may
      have been another guy named Lovett who was coaching them up.





      Comment


      • #4
        Not completely buying it.

        Players play. Players have instincts.

        Seeing Nate Allen get burned on deep balls because let receivers get behind him.....you can blame The coach, but that is so elementary and fundamental, I have to blame the player. AND , when you see Fletcher in good position, but unable to play th ball, again, I think good corners have that knack. Coaches can fine tune that stuff, come on.......a professional corner can't read a receiver to know when a pass is coming???
        http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by FRESH View Post
          Not completely buying it.

          Players play. Players have instincts.

          Seeing Nate Allen get burned on deep balls because let receivers get behind him.....you can blame The coach, but that is so elementary and fundamental, I have to blame the player. AND , when you see Fletcher in good position, but unable to play th ball, again, I think good corners have that knack. Coaches can fine tune that stuff, come on.......a professional corner can't read a receiver to know when a pass is coming???
          Well at some point shouldn't a coach have screamed at Fletcher "turn your head you friekin moron"? I seem to remember some BS about putting your hand in the receiver's face being quoted last year.
          "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

          Comment


          • #6
            Have said it for years. Coaches are far more important than people give them credit for.
            Wait until next year is a terrible philosophy
            Hope is not a strategy
            RIP

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by NoDakIggle` View Post
              Have said it for years. Coaches are far more important than people give them credit for.
              I think it's even more important in the Pros, the stars have been coddled and allowed to get by on talent. Everyone is a stud in the NFL and coaching, attitude and a desire to be better is what puts a player over the top IMO. Chip Kelly has decided to surround himself with teachers and IMO that's a very good thing.
              We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

              Comment


              • #8
                Oh coaches are important, no question. But on the flip....you can't polish a turd.
                http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by FRESH View Post
                  Oh coaches are important, no question. But on the flip....you can't polish a turd.
                  Philadelphia Eagles 2014 DB group photo

                  We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by FRESH View Post
                    Oh coaches are important, no question. But on the flip....you can't polish a turd.
                    Disagree to an extent.

                    I hate to recognize/say anything good about Dallas, but Marinelli has done a pretty good job of polishing some of the turds on the Dallas D. Maybe they weren't really turds,but they sure had played like turds 'til he became the DC.

                    There are crappy coaches and there are good coaches. Most fall in one category or the other. Then there are a select few that are really 'special'. They somehow get more out of individual players than anyone would have thought possible. And, like Marinelli, they get more out of the 'whole' than the sum of it's parts.

                    It seems Lovett probably belongs in the 'crappy' category. Let's hope Undlin is at least 'good'.
                    Last edited by tinopuno; 05-31-2015, 04:08 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      To tell you the truth, I'd say it's 90% coaching on the Pro level, maybe more. All the players are talented. If you're a good coach you get rid of the turds! When the coaching is even then the talent takes over.
                      "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Well. If Chip is such a great coach, why could he sufficiently polish the turn known as Nick Foles?
                        http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by FRESH View Post
                          Well. If Chip is such a great coach, why could he sufficiently polish the turn known as Nick Foles?
                          He won a lot of games with that turd!
                          "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            yeah, I don't have anything bad to say about Foles, he has a pretty good career record, gives his all and stood in and occasionally took a good beating.
                            We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by FRESH View Post
                              Well. If Chip is such a great coach, why could he sufficiently polish the turn known as Nick Foles?
                              Turd? A little harsh maybe?

                              I think Foles was a hard worker, a good team guy and an all round class act.

                              Comment

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