La Canfora: Kevin Coyle May Be A Candidate For Defensive Coordinator (and why it won't happen)

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 21, 2012 8:43 PM EST in Coaching News

It was always presumed that if defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer left for a vacant head coaching position, one of the candidates to replace him as the team's defensive coordinator would be defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle. According to Jason La Canfora with the NFL Network, Miami's newest head coach Joe Philbin could be targeting Coyle for his defensive coordinator.

@JasonLaCanfora
Jason La CanforaIf the Dolphins do hire outside the team for a DC, and Todd Bowles departs, Bengals DBs coach Kevin Coyle would be candidate #insideslant 13 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · powered by @socialditto

Unlike open head coaching positions, the Dolphins simply can't sign Coyle away from the Bengals. Miami must request and be granted permission from Cincinnati if any interest is to materialize. Considering that the Bengals outright denied the Eagles an interview last year for their vacant defensive coordinator spot, it would seem unlikely that Cincinnati would have a change of heart. This is especially true if Zimmer becomes a head coach this year because Coyle is believed to be one of the team's top contingencies at defensive coordinator.

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Rumblings in Indy that Zimmer could bring Coyle with him to be DC.

Leave our defense alone :(

by Cry on Jan 21, 2012 8:47 PM EST reply actions

they wont get both

we lose zimmer to indy and bengals will move coyle to our DC to block his exodus

"the bengals are not a west of the 104 longitude team."

by palewook on Jan 22, 2012 5:56 AM EST up reply actions

I like Coyle.

He’s always done a good job getting the most out of the talent he has.

Cincy Jungle: Where the Rocky Mountains are in the Pacific Ocean

by sexsalad on Jan 21, 2012 10:22 PM EST reply actions

Really guy Dbs r not our strong point We r cleaning house

by njbengalstat on Jan 22, 2012 6:59 PM EST up reply actions

Dolphins are in Shambles

Singletary needs to clean up that front office!

I may have underestimated Coyle’s ability,i’m not sure if i was him and the Bengals kept blocking my
interview’s,that i would want to re-up ,i have no idea how long he is under contract for.

"A team is more than a group of individuals,its a group of individuals that come together to make a team"

by keithp on Jan 21, 2012 10:49 PM EST reply actions

He's definitely their backup DC..

by Cry on Jan 21, 2012 10:57 PM EST up reply actions

For once MB's stubbornness might have payed off.

by Bigcatdaddy on Jan 22, 2012 12:48 AM EST via Android app reply actions

This might seem inflamatory but

Has Kevin Coyle really done that good a job with our secondary? it’s been our weakest unit on defense for years.

Not getting anything out of Ghee so far, Leon Hall not being in the top tier of cornerbacks, Jonathan Joseph had a much better year in Houston than he had last year with us (ratings from pro football focus), and he’s putting Crocker in there?!

When the Bengals didnt let the eagles interview Coyle last year, I reconsidered my stance on his coaching abilities, but he still didn’t do anything special this year. kelly jennings was mediocre and again, he’s starting chris crocker?!

DeCastro is my dream pick

by BeWarned on Jan 22, 2012 1:57 AM EST reply actions

Zimmer makes the call on who starts.

There is a reason he’s held in high esteem by teams in the NFL. GMs aren’t throwing darts at a board. Weakest unit on defense for years? Huh? I guess you don’t remember 2010 when we couldn’t buy a sack but the secondary made up for it. You don’t notice that every corner we cut is instantly picked up by another team? People respect the technique this guy is coaching.

There is a reason Ghee was the last player in the green room in the draft. Physical tools are all there but he’s not getting it together, coaches can only do so much for a player. I think I’ve hashed this out with you before and when I mentioned that Leon Hall and JJoe were far from finished products entering the league you (or someone) laughed it off. JJoe had a much more HEALTHY year in Houston than he did last year with us. In 12 games in 2010 JJoe almost matched his production from 2011.

Your criticism of the secondary is just unfounded, I can’t see where it’s coming from.

by Cry on Jan 22, 2012 5:58 AM EST up reply actions

ghee

is a mystery to me. so many times the bengals could have used him, not just this season, and he fails to get any playing time. not sure what the issue with ghee is. could our scouting ‘dept’ have failed on their initial assessment of ghee? did coyle fail ghee? or is ghee a bust? something is keeping him off the field.

crocker, as cry pointed out, is zimmer’s call. crocker is solid enough for run support and tackling. his coverage skills haven’t deteriorated in 2011, they were exposed from the lack of coverage DBs on the field. we’ve always tried to hide the fact crocker can’t cover, we had the depth of coverage talent on the field to carry crocker as the weakest coverage link. while using him for tackling.

"the bengals are not a west of the 104 longitude team."

by palewook on Jan 22, 2012 6:04 AM EST up reply actions

Ghee is frustrating.

The kid runs a 4.37 40. He’s got good size at 6’0 200ish. He lays the wood like no other, the kid is a tackling machine. Everything is there. He was a projected 2nd rounder at the latest and was even invited to the draft to sit in the green room and walk up on stage, he slid all the way to the Bengals in the third round and was the last one in the green room.

The problem is all technique. And I think he’s stubborn. The knocks coming out of Wake Forest were that he was more interested in the big hit than making a play on the ball. He could be beat by sharp route runners. He often gave up too much cushion allowing a reception and hoping his crushing tackling would stop the completion. I don’t think Coyle is failing him as a coach, I just think the kid is having a hard time knocking bad habits.

He has a full offseason ahead of him and can get it together. Perhaps they can move him to safety as several draftniks suggested when he came out. Who knows.

by Cry on Jan 22, 2012 7:38 AM EST up reply actions

Sounds like Simpson,on the other side of the ball!

"A team is more than a group of individuals,its a group of individuals that come together to make a team"

by keithp on Jan 22, 2012 8:23 AM EST up reply actions

Coyle thought Crocker was worth keeping. Lol

by Hoke Hogan on Jan 22, 2012 8:26 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Did they?

They tried to sign Whitner to replace him and when that failed they traded for Mays. I don’t think they thought he should start so much as they couldn’t find someone better.

It must be inordinately taxing to be such a boob. ~ The Brain

by jim0ijk on Jan 22, 2012 10:06 AM EST up reply actions

+1

I wonder if Mays had not had an injured hamstring, if he would not have been out there instead of concrete hands crocker….

by pemci on Jan 22, 2012 10:20 AM EST up reply actions

probably not

Crocker played probably 95% of the snaps at saftey, Mays may have got 5%.

by JCompton41 on Jan 22, 2012 12:14 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Coyle thought Crocker was worth keeping. Lol

by Hoke Hogan on Jan 22, 2012 8:26 AM EST via mobile reply actions

im sure marvin and zimmer thought so too

AMAS

by AMAS85 on Jan 22, 2012 9:58 AM EST up reply actions

RE:

And a lot of us. There were no better options at the time.

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 22, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

sounds like you're saying

we settled for crocker

"the bengals are not a west of the 104 longitude team."

by palewook on Jan 22, 2012 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know about that...

is that why they signed Whitner (for all of 5 seconds) and went out and got Mays?

by pemci on Jan 22, 2012 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

He wa worth keeping this season

The Bengals tried signing better talent in the offseason but it didn’t work out. Can’t chalk it up as a loss. Just have to play your best hand.

by whodeycommish14 on Jan 22, 2012 10:24 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Guys you have to remember

The head coach doesn’t like playing young guys unless there’s no alternative!

by ashunte23 on Jan 22, 2012 10:43 AM EST reply actions

GREAT teams dont play young players

Young players barely play on Great teams. Look at the teams still playing, how many play there young guys? U might have 1 or 2 at most getting real time. It’s not a good sign when u have to play 15+ young guys.

by pray4gm11 on Jan 22, 2012 11:57 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Injuries

Brandon Ghee has been held back because he has battled all sorts of injuries. He has got through those injuries. Coaches midway through the season talked about him finally putting it together. Thats why he was promoted from the practice squad. If he can continue to avoid injuries, I think he will be a good player for us. He was a stud at Wake Forest.

by EPK1979 on Jan 22, 2012 11:03 AM EST reply actions

also

When he came out he was known as the best tackling corner in the draft. Some people thought he would move to safety eventually. He is definitely a guy that can shut down bigger WR as his problem is covering smaller,quicker players.

by EPK1979 on Jan 22, 2012 11:08 AM EST up reply actions

Coyle wanna worst coaches we have

Our dbs never play the ball, too soft and conservative. There technique is to go for tackle not the ball. I know guts got hurt but u had over 20+ years of experience in our secondary and we were never on same page. Secondary was actually was better before Zimmer so his scheme might be to blame. How many big plays does our secondary give up every game?

by pray4gm11 on Jan 22, 2012 11:51 AM EST via mobile reply actions

RE:

The Bengals have generated 150 interceptions, fifth-most in the NFL during Coyle’s reign as a DB coach. Of those 150 picks, 125 have been collected by defensive backs.

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 22, 2012 12:23 PM EST up reply actions

FACE!

by JCompton41 on Jan 22, 2012 12:33 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Those are good stats

I just think we need a change…You can’t argue that it is hard to judge our secondary after losing our two top guys in Hall and J.joe…but the truth is…our secondary was a liability this year(even with Hall)…..I just dont agree with him getting promoted after this year….If he would of kept our secondary strong, I would be singing a different tune…but the fact is, he didnt….

"In a battle between patience and power, patience always wins"

by ticalcaldwell on Jan 22, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

and

Coyle might be only coach in league to have all 1st rd picks but one in secondary. In our game 2nd against Houston Jennings was still trying tackle Johnson out of bounds instead of just stripping ball.

by pray4gm11 on Jan 22, 2012 1:10 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

josh how many have came while we been under Zimmer

Our dbs just don’t go for ball at all. Most our int came from James/O’neal. Hall/Joseph never got a lot of picks. Secondary had most experience of all groups on defense and was horrible. Josh I watch games I really don’t go off stats anyway. I believe Pats/Packers were top 5 in picks this year and there secondary may be worse than ours. Coyle CAN’T coach.

by pray4gm11 on Jan 22, 2012 1:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

One thing I've noticed

Is that the DB’s do go for the ball. Their coached to try and knock the ball out before the receiver secures it and the do a great job of that. I think they really put emphasis on it in 09 and it shows.

by Bigcatdaddy on Jan 22, 2012 2:15 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Coyle hasn't really had any good safeties here.

I think he developed Hall and Joesph pretty well. Yes you have to be able to coach up talent but he hasn’t really had anyone great besides Hall and Joesph. Kelly Jennings was horrible before coming here and I actually thought he got better as the season went on. People talk about Pacman but I thought Jennings played way better than him. It will be interesting to see how the 3 young safeties develop. If Coyle can’t get one to develop into a solid starter, then maybe can say he can’t coach. Also, even though I don’t think he is as great as everyone thinks he is, Coyle has made taken Reggie Nelson from a castoff first round pick to a decent player. I think what has held this secondary back is the front office plugging castoffs in the safety positions, instead of bringing in higher quality players.

by EPK1979 on Jan 22, 2012 1:24 PM EST reply actions

+1

Its time to SERIOUSLY address the safety position….I am also tired of us picking average guys or castoffs to play this postion…..We need to have at least one great safety back there….Reggie and Barron……WHODEY

"In a battle between patience and power, patience always wins"

by ticalcaldwell on Jan 22, 2012 1:35 PM EST up reply actions

for sure

We’ve had many mediocre players in the secondary that have produced for us. Jennings, crocker. Nelson, kewan rattlif, ndukwe. He’s had Joseph and Hall as the studs, and used them great when they were together. And as bad as we say this pass defense was this year, we still finshed the season 9th I think.

by JCompton41 on Jan 22, 2012 1:37 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

damn straight

"the bengals are not a west of the 104 longitude team."

by palewook on Jan 22, 2012 1:42 PM EST up reply actions

I think Coyle has done as good a job as he could

He doesn’t make the defense calls on game day. It’s entirely possible that the defense, scheme and lack of talent are the reasons for secondary breakdowns. I don’t think it’s the individual coaching.

by Mexal on Jan 22, 2012 1:45 PM EST via mobile reply actions

As for Barron, I'm not sold on him.

As a team, Alabama played great team defense. But as singular prospects they all have a lot to be desired in my opinion. They were put in positions to where their strengths were utilized and their weaknesses were hidden. Not saying I don’t think Barron could be a great player, I just don’t think he will be the all-pro people are making him to be. I think Harrison Smith from Notre Dame could be just as good as him or better. He isn’t the big hitter Barron is but he is a sure tackler. He is way better in coverage than Barron. He could be taken late second early third and I think he will end up being a steal in this draft.

by EPK1979 on Jan 22, 2012 3:17 PM EST reply actions