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.
0 recs | 43 comments
Rumblings in Indy that Zimmer could bring Coyle with him to be DC.
Leave our defense alone :(
Cry - January 21, 2012
they wont get both
we lose zimmer to indy and bengals will move coyle to our DC to block his exodus
palewook - January 22, 2012
I like Coyle.
He’s always done a good job getting the most out of the talent he has.
sexsalad - January 21, 2012
Really guy Dbs r not our strong point We r cleaning house
njbengalstat - January 22, 2012
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.
keithp - January 21, 2012
He's definitely their backup DC..
Cry - January 21, 2012
For once MB's stubbornness might have payed off.
Bigcatdaddy - January 22, 2012 via Android app
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?!
BeWarned - January 22, 2012
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.
Cry - January 22, 2012
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.
palewook - January 22, 2012
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.
Cry - January 22, 2012
Sounds like Simpson,on the other side of the ball!
keithp - January 22, 2012
Coyle thought Crocker was worth keeping. Lol
Hoke Hogan - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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.
jim0ijk - January 22, 2012
+1
I wonder if Mays had not had an injured hamstring, if he would not have been out there instead of concrete hands crocker….
pemci - January 22, 2012
probably not
Crocker played probably 95% of the snaps at saftey, Mays may have got 5%.
JCompton41 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
Coyle thought Crocker was worth keeping. Lol
Hoke Hogan - January 22, 2012 via mobile
im sure marvin and zimmer thought so too
AMAS85 - January 22, 2012
RE:
And a lot of us. There were no better options at the time.
Josh Kirkendall - January 22, 2012
sounds like you're saying
we settled for crocker
palewook - January 22, 2012
I don't know about that...
is that why they signed Whitner (for all of 5 seconds) and went out and got Mays?
pemci - January 22, 2012
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.
whodeycommish14 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
Guys you have to remember
The head coach doesn’t like playing young guys unless there’s no alternative!
ashunte23 - January 22, 2012
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.
pray4gm11 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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.
EPK1979 - January 22, 2012
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.
EPK1979 - January 22, 2012
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?
pray4gm11 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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.
Josh Kirkendall - January 22, 2012
FACE!
JCompton41 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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….
ticalcaldwell - January 22, 2012
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.
pray4gm11 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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.
pray4gm11 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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.
Bigcatdaddy - January 22, 2012 via Android app
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.
EPK1979 - January 22, 2012
+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
ticalcaldwell - January 22, 2012
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.
JCompton41 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
damn straight
palewook - January 22, 2012
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.
Mexal - January 22, 2012 via mobile
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.
EPK1979 - January 22, 2012
i agree with you about barron
Will have to look into the notre dame guy.
JCompton41 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
Not a Notre Dame fan but
Had a lot of friends talk about him and started watching their games. He definitely made a lot of plays for them. He seems to take all the right angles and never out of position. He isnt the big bopper Barron is but never saw him missed tackles.
EPK1979 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
Im not against Barron
I just dont think he warrants a first round pick
EPK1979 - January 22, 2012 via mobile
Agreed
If both RIchardson and DeCastro are gone, and we take a corner at 17, I would not mind trading back and taking Barron, then use our second round pick on a guard and take a couple of running backs in the third.
jim0ijk - January 22, 2012
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