Packers fire defensive coordinator and five other coaches

Reuters
Monday, January 5, 2009; 9:08 PM

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Green Bay Packers dismissed defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and five other coaches on Monday after a 6-10 season.

Defensive ends coach Carl Hairston, defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn, secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer, defensive cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington and strength and conditioning coordinator Rock Gullickson were also let go. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Packers fire defensive coordinator and five other coaches - washingtonpost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/05/AR2009010502766.html)

I was writing in another thread about how i thought the defensive line and especially the defensive ends underperformed this year. It fairly common knowledge around the league that the Redskins couldn't/didn't get sacks.

IMO the problem isn't just personnell but also an issue of coaching.
What would you guys think about adding Carl Hairston to the staff?

Carl Hairston:Packers.com » Team » Coaches » Carl Hairston (http://www.packers.com/team/coaches/hairston_carl/)

Under Hairston's tutelage, defensive end Aaron Kampman has now gone to two straight Pro Bowls, Cullen Jenkins has emerged as a quality every-down end, and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila continues to thrive in his pass-rush specialist role.

Kampman has 27 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons, including a career-best and NFC-high 15 1/2 in 2006. That year, Kampman also set a franchise record for tackles by a defensive lineman with 113.

Jenkins' emergence also began in 2006, when he moved from tackle to end on early downs late in the year to bolster the team's run defense. The move, which helped produce a three-sack game from Jenkins, keyed the defensive resurgence and season-ending four-game winning streak.

Meanwhile, 'KGB' posted 9 1/2 sacks last season as a third-down pass-rush specialist, his best sack total since 2004, and surpassed Reggie White as the franchise's all-time sack leader in the process.......

Under Hairston, Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen accumulated 20 sacks from 2004-05. That figure tied for 10th in the NFL during that period but ranked first among players drafted in 2004, including 23 defensive linemen taken before Allen. Led by Allen's nine sacks as a rookie, the second-highest total by a rookie in Chiefs history, the club finished 2004 with 41 sacks, seventh in the league.

No thanks, I rather have Jerry Gray get promoted to DC.

Wow, I thought their defense was above average. I guess if you got scapegoat you can't go wrong with tossing the mob coordinator meat.

No thanks, I rather have Jerry Gray get promoted to DC.

Que? Carl Hairston is a Defensive Ends coach, and a darn good one.
Considering the production or lack thereof from our Ends wouldn't it be nice to add him to the staff?

This has nothing to do with Coach *Gray* our defensive backs/secondary coach.

They're saying Nolan will probably take over as DC there, though Gregg Williams is also a possibility (as well as in other places)

By the way, does anyone else find it peculiar that the Packers had one coach for the ends and another for the tackles?

I guess they liked to departmentalize their team. I noticed they had a secondary coach and a CB's coach. So I would assume the secondary coach works with the safeties? So in essence they had a coach for each position on defense and they didn't mention if there were coach's for the LB's.

By the way, does anyone else find it peculiar that the Packers had one coach for the ends and another for the tackles?

I've never heard of two different coaches for ends and tackles either. But, Hairston has done a good job with the ends regardless of the set-up.

I guess they liked to departmentalize their team. I noticed they had a secondary coach and a CB's coach. So I would assume the secondary coach works with the safeties? So in essence they had a coach for each position on defense and they didn't mention if there were coach's for the LB's.

We do the same thing here except Gray has the the secondary coach title and Steve Jackson coaches the safeties.

What do you guys think of Hairston's track record with ends though?

If it's an improvement over what we have or don't have then sign him up. I think Zorn needs to constantly look for ways to make this team better and that includes coach's.

We'll probably stick with Palermo as our D-Line coach, but, and people may laugh at this because of his horrible record this year as head coach, I think Rod Marinelli would be a great addition the staff.

We'll probably stick with Palermo as our D-Line coach, but, and people may laugh at this because of his horrible record this year as head coach, I think Rod Marinelli would be a great addition the staff.

They might laugh but they'd be wrong too. Marinelli is well respected around the league and has already been contacted by the Bears.

(I doubt they'll change the staff except to fill open positions like for Coach Simmons, but like many fans i still enjoy speculating what i think the team should do)

:food-smil