Off-Season Step #1: Bengals Fire Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach

by Kirkendall on Jan 2, 2008 6:00 PM EST in Coaching News Comment 12 comments

FYI, all news and updates for the Bengals defensive coordinator will be updated on THIS post only. At least for the time being. You can access this page on the right hand side under "Interest Stories".

UPDATE VIII: Search over. Bengals hire Mike Zimmer.

UPDATE VII: Signs point to Bengals hiring Zimmer

The Bengals are expected to remain quiet through the weekend but could name Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator as early as next week. Zimmer interviewed Jan. 4 with the Bengals in Cincinnati. [Curnutte]

UPDATE VI: Tim Lewis, DENIED; Rex Ryan NOT possible through a trade of draft picks

Carolina denied the Bengals permission to interview secondary coach Tim Lewis for Cincinnati's vacant coordinator position, though it would have been a promotion. The rumor was floated this week that the Bengals might be willing to trade a draft choice or two to the Ravens for Ryan's release. The Bengals are expected to receive several compensatory draft picks - one possibly as high as the third round - for the significant number of unrestricted free agents lost in the last free agency period. (Those picks won't be known until late March or early April.) But a league rule listed in its anti-tampering policy prohibits the exchange of draft picks or cash for any individual under contract with another team - except for a head coach or high-level club employees, such as a club president or general manager. [Enquirer]

UPDATE V: Bengals interview Mike Zimmer

Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will interview today with the Bengals. Zimmer is still under contract with the Falcons, but was given permission by the team to pursue other opportunities. The Falcons are in the process of interviewing for a new head coach. Zimmer previously was defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys. [Curnutte's Blog]

Zimmer was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys in 2000 primarily using the 4-3 defense. He implemented the 3-4 -- likely persuaded by Bill Parcells -- with no background of using that defense in 2005. Mike Zimmer also turned down the head coaching position at Nebraska when the school let Bill Callahan go to stick around in the NFL. There was even speculation that Zimmer would get the Dallas head coaching position once Parcells retired. His 2003 Cowboys defense allowed a league best 253.5 yards per game. In 2004, the Cowboys went through a series of major injuries in the secondary

If you're curious, here's Zimmer's history as coordinator and where his defenses ranked in the league with points and yards allowed respectively. I would ignore his results in Atlanta simply because that team was, well, distracted. Is that a good word?

Season	Team	Points	Yards
2000	Cowboys	22	19
2001	Cowboys	20	4
2002	Cowboys	13	18
2003	Cowboys	2	1
2004	Cowboys	27	16
2005	Cowboys	12	10
2006	Cowboys	20	13
2007	Falcons	29	28

UPDATE IV: DB Coach Kevin Coyle? Rex Ryan?

Don't discount Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle in the race to become Bengals defensive coordinator as Chuck Bresnahan's replacement. He and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese are two of the hardest workers on the staff and are known for watching untold hours of film.

Coyle was defensive coordinator for five college programs: U.S. Merchant Marine, 1981; Holy Cross, 1986-90; Syracuse, 1991-93; Maryland, 1994-96; Fresno State 1997-2000. Then-Bengals defensive coordinator Mark Duffner, Coyle's boss at Holy Cross and Maryland, brought him to the Bengals after the 2000 season.

Coyle also isn't afraid to speak his mind with head coach Marvin Lewis.

Other defensive coordinator candidates are Carolina Panthers secondary coach Tim Lewis and former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, fired along with Brian Billick and his entire staff Monday. [Curnutte's Blog]

Note: Rex Ryan is interviewing with Miami for the head coaching job there.

UPDATE III: Job Search Begins. Bengals looking at Tim Lewis.

Panthers defensive backs coach Tim Lewis is being considered for the vacant Cincinnati defensive coordinator position, according to a league source. Lewis joined the Panthers before this season and previously was defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. It’s unclear if the Panthers have given the Bengals permission to talk to Lewis. [Charlotte Blog]

UPDATE II: Bengals also fired linebackers coach Ricky Hunley. Donnie Henderson leading candidate for Defensive Coordinator Job.

For the third time under Marvin Lewis the Bengals appear to be looking for a defensive coordinator with one of the candidates possibly former Jets and Lions coordinator Donnie Henderson. ESPN reported Wednesday that the Bengals let go Chuck Bresnahan and linebackers coach Ricky Hunley. Bresnahan, 47, led the defense to finishes of 28, 30, and 27 in the NFL rankings the past three seasons. The Bengals, through public relations director Jack Brennan, won't confirm the reports. He did say the club could have an announcement on coaches as early as Thursday. [Bengals.com]

UPDATE I: ESPN confirmed it. Chuck Bresnahan fired.

The first off-season shot was fired. The man targeted? Chuck Bresnahan. Expected. While Lewis made note that we shouldn't expect anything big, firing your defensive coordinator would, in our eyes, constitute as big. Are you shocked? Seriously. Are you? Though we should point out this report is coming out of Pro Football Talk and not confirmed at either the official site or any of the local beat writers.

Bresnahan, an assistant coach in 2004, was promoted to defensive coordinator before the 2005 season after the team fired Leslie Frazier -- now defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.

In three seasons as the defensive coordinator, Bresnahan's defense averaged 21st in points allowed and 27th in yardage allowed. The Bengals became his first gig as Defensive Coordinator in the NFL. Below are year-by-year rankings for the defense.

Season	Points	Yards
2007	24	25
2006	17	30
2005	22	28

Under Frazier
2004	21	19
2003	28	28

Sadly, I don't suspect much change with this firing. Firing one defensive coordinator for another equally anti-climatic coordinator is what we saw the last time the position changed hands. So call me suspect until the team can actually formulate a team that will advance beyond mediocrity into an expectation to win.

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I didn't expect Hunley

If he was fired because his LBs couldn't tackle (which they couldn't), or because he couldn't coach them then that's one thing. But, he couldn't control the LB situation this year.

Hunley coached Landon to where he is. Caleb Miller has played well. These were both later round (wasn't Landon 3rd?) LBs. Plus, he coached Dhani up this season. And Jeanty has played well for coming from the CFL as a warm body.

I'm kind of surprised by Hunley being fired.

by sledridge on Jan 2, 2008 8:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Firing of Coaches.

I must say that I'm not surprised by this because it is know far and wide that the multitudes of fans in cincinnati have been clamoring for the dissmissal of Bresnahan. This should be treated as spectacular news but I think the course was set during the season when the brought in a defensive assistant to help out.

However, I do not think that this is what Palmer was referring to when he made his comments. Based on he being the QB I'm thinking that he was aiming his comments on the offensive coaches.

I wonder if other things are going to fall out in the next couple of days and whether Palmer will get a new QB coach or perhaps the OC is leaving to take another position with another team.

I can't help but think that there will be major things happening all the way up to training camp with this team. Maybe, just maybe, Cincinnati will have enough b..... to make a trade for a draft pick or a proven player.

What's your best guess?

by davidincincinnati on Jan 2, 2008 8:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Palmer has been very complementary of Zampese...

in the past.

I wouldn't mind seeing Brat pack his things with Chuck. Maybe Palmer would like for Zampese to be OC.

by sledridge on Jan 3, 2008 12:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can I get an AMEN!

I don't know if it was the injuries/suspensions, the Xs and Os, or the talent level, but the Chuck Bresnahan was -- bottom line -- not getting it done. (I personally think it was all three) As such, his tenure in Cincinnati needed to end. In the games where our defense played particularly badly (e.g., the 1st Cleveland game, the San Francisco game), the cameras caught Bresnahan on the sideline with an utterly bewildered, blank look on his face. He didn't even have the cajones to get angry at his players. For God's sake, at least YELL at someone!!

As for Hunley, I think he failed to coach linebackers into an aggressive, punishing mold. Landon Johnson et al. might make tackles - but they are usually three, four, ten yards down the field when they do so. They were either out of position badly enough (or blocked far enough down the field) that most tackles were from the side or from behind. Whatever happened to "Filling the Hole?" Further, opposing runners would inevitably fall forward against Bengals linebacker tackles. The team needs somebody that can hit intimidatingly - something Thurmond or Brooks might be able to do.

Whatever the reason, I'm happy for the fresh start.

"Ryan, Things in here don't react too well to bullets." - Marko Ramius

by TarZander on Jan 2, 2008 8:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

AMEN!

Ding-dong the Bresh is dead! Which old Bresh? The chitty Bresh! Ding-dong the chitty Bresh is dead! He's gone where the Coslet's go, below, below, below!

I think we'll see more besides Huntley, but the Bengals can't afford to cut loose their whole defensive scouting staff quite yet...

by BeerRun on Jan 2, 2008 8:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Chuck Bresnahan had to go

It was time. It is good news. Marvin needs to find a coordinator to run his defense. Marvin needs to get that defense right. The Bengals have to fix that D.

Now, step two is to get talent on that D line. They need to draft D linemen. They need to look to sign a veteran or two, if they can. They look like they need to be creative to fix that D line. If you run a 4-3, you need a good D line.

Linebackers ... defensive backs ... they look like they are about 80 percent there.

thankyouverymuch

by oldcleat on Jan 2, 2008 9:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Half a solution

If Marvin hires Donnie Henderson then I will lose what little respect I have for him. Henderson led the Lions to 27th in defense in 2006 after a 2005 season with the Jets that saw them dead last against the run. How about trying to get Rex Ryan or Jeff Fitzgerald to be the DC here and maybe getting rid of Bratkowski for Hue Jackson or Ken Zampese.

The Bresnahan move is bittersweet. Marvin took zero respsonsibility for the defense's performance and set up Bresnahan to take the fall. There are no winners in this scenario.

by bg on Jan 3, 2008 1:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ryan isn't coming to Cincy...

If the new HC in Baltimore doesn't want him, I'm sure he'd rather be a HC some where.

by sledridge on Jan 3, 2008 10:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tim Lewis?

by Kirkendall on Jan 3, 2008 10:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Henderson

I agree with you. Why don't we get someone from the Jacksonville. The seem to have a very good defense and it would appear that someone knows what they're doing down there.

Better yet, I know that others will lamemnt, but how about someone like a Forest Gregg type who will not take s.... for anyone.

by davidincincinnati on Jan 3, 2008 6:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

More Anger

The rest of the coaches are back though, sigh. Is it me or did the offense need shaken up?

And what about the rumblings that the Bengals may switch to a 3-4 defensive alignment. I'm wondering what exactly this solves. The defense's problem isn't one of strategy and tactics. They don't tackle well or have enough talent-those are issues of technique, effort and personnel.

Wow this franchise is stupid.

by bg on Jan 3, 2008 3:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs