Sue Ogrocki - AP
12 months ago: Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, left, talks with Paul Guenther, left, of the Cincinnati Bengals at Oklahoma's Pro Day footbal workout in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, March 8, 2011. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The other day, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis hinted at the fact that there could be another opening aside from the one left by Kevin Coyle. In case you haven't heard, Coyle is was named defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins earlier today. With Lewis' comments, people began speculating that he was referring to linebackers coach, Jeff Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald joined the team in 2008, but his contract had expired and with many in Bengaldom not liking the progression of Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers, it has become increasingly apparent that Fitzgerald won't be retained.
Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer has a thought on who will be replacing Fitzgerald in that capacity.
That means there are two openings on the Bengals staff, with the team going for an outside hire to fill Coyle’s spot. Assistant special teams and defensive backs coach Paul Guenther is expected to become the linebackers coach, replacing Jeff FitzGerald who is not being retained. Guenther assisted with the linebackers from 2006-10.
The move makes sense for a couple of reasons. First, the Bengals like to promote coaches from within and with Guenther being with the team for eight years now, they probably felt like he was suited for this position. Secondly, as the assistant special teams coach, Guenther likely works with a lot of the linebackers on the coverage team already.
Bengals fans can only hope that this works out better than the disaster in Philadelphia last year. If you remember, Eagles head coach Andy Reid named his offensive line coach, Juan Castillo, as his 2011 defensive coordinator. That situation didn't end well at all, as both Reid and Castillo caught a lot of criticism about the defense's performance. This isn't as drastic of a move as that one, but there is a transition that will have to take place.
Again, nothing is official yet with Fitzgerald or Guenther, so we'll be sure to keep you posted once something official takes place. However, if Guenther is the guy that the team hires, let's hope he can mold the group into a dominant one.
0 recs | 47 comments
So what have people hear about guenther? New gruden?! Or just filling space. Never hear of him
njbengalstat - January 27, 2012
Wow
I’m guessing you really had to dig deep for that pic.
emeybee - January 27, 2012
lol
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
On topic
Special teams were stellar this year, so if he’s at all responsible for their progress then I’m excited to see what he does with the LBs.
emeybee - January 27, 2012
Funny caption
Oregonbengalsfan - January 27, 2012
So which one is which...or does this mean Bob Stoops is the new LB coach....lol
Ochocinco - January 27, 2012
d'oh, i was going to comment on the exact same thing...but you beat me to it.
ephram - January 27, 2012
How about a Zim favorite Dhani Jones for LB coach?
sofakingood - January 27, 2012
He played outside and inside throughout his career.
whodeycommish14 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
ENOUGH
Just because a player was good (or in Dhani’s case, average) does not mean they will be a good coach! Everytime an opening comes up everyone wants to put various players in the spot. Why don’t we hire a COACH.
emeybee - January 27, 2012
Okay genius Who?
sofakingood - January 27, 2012
I'm not a coaching expert, and I don't claim to be.
I’m just saying that a player and a coach are not the same thing, and don’t require the same skills. So for people to say that Woodson/Munoz/Sanders/Dhani?!/Willie should be our new position coaches is ridiculous. Why don’t we just get rid of all the coaches in that case and let the current players handle things.
emeybee - January 27, 2012
I understand what you're saying but
most coaches have played football at higher levels than most of us, albeit not NFL. So my point with Dhani is he was respected by his peers and Zim. Zim trusted him to organize the defense as that units QB of sorts.
So I feel players would listen more to former NFL types than coaches that played at a Wilmington College type. Woodson and Munoz are both HOF players and I guarantee they would be welcomed to any NFL coaching staff.
sofakingood - January 27, 2012
The players that make good coaches
are guys that were never considered exceptionally talented, but smart guys that worked hard and managed to mold themselves into “average players” (think Gary Kubiak, Jason Garret).
Guys that were physically gifted aren’t able to explain/teach, because it’s something they were just inherently able to do…Anthony Munoz isn’t going to be able to teach you how to be Anthony Munoz.
shibacle - January 27, 2012
This
emeybee - January 28, 2012
I'm sorry but you are absolutely wrong about Munoz
You need to take some time and listen to Munoz break down an offensive lineman. Once you do that, you’ll see that he would absolutely be a great coach and mold this O line into a dominant force. Will someone be “Anthony Munoz”. No b/c there isn’t an O lineman on the Bengals with his immense talent (no offense Whit), but he will make them infinitely better.
And, your rationale goes completely against the reaction that Dhani won’t be a good coach and the Bengals should stay away. Dhani was far and away the smartest guy on the Bengals team and he wasn’t the best athlete, he simply outworked everyone on the field, in the film room and in the weight room. Zim has credited Dhani with being a key component in getting the defensive scheme and helping to mold this defense. He would be a great pick for LB coach.
LB is about making the right reads and being in the right spot. You can’t teach instincts but you can teach how to read and react to an offense so you are in the right spot. Then it is on the player to make the play. A guy who has experience at the position is a much better fit for that. Your most successful position coaches have experience at the position.
WOOD98 - January 28, 2012
Woodson was just fired by the Raiders actually
emeybee - January 28, 2012
He owns a cafe in Cincy, runs his bowtie business and charity, and does lots of media work.
Why would he take a pay cut and give all that up to be a LB coach for the Bengals?
Cry - January 27, 2012
Dhani's life is "bigger than football"...he's an amazing guy.
That said, I don’t think he would be a very good football coach, mostly for all the same reasons he is such a unique individual.
There are a few former players that I would love to see with a whistle around their neck (I think Rich Braham would be an excellent OL coach), but for the most part, former players don’t make for good coaches.
shibacle - January 27, 2012
ehhh
doesn’t inspire much…but who knows…
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
dont like move
He been here all this time and we still suck what’s going to change? And look where he at a Pro Day so he helped us draft Odell, Brooks, Rivers and Rey?
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
trying to figure out the 2nd sentence..
You’re saying he helped choose Thurman, Brooks, Rivers and Maualuga? Or that he didn’t?
indesignkat - January 27, 2012
everyone needs to go to this site at least once
if you hate the blackout rule and want it changed….go to this site and fill out a quick(preset message) and your done
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
endblackouts.com
FAIL
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
DOUBLE FAIL....just terrible...i know it
http://endblackouts.com/
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
Cool
Done.
Oregonbengalsfan - January 27, 2012
guess we'll see
Was really hoping for someone with some proven record with backers but.
JCompton41 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
was really hoping duffner would be brought back to cincy
guess we’ll see how this plays out instead
palewook - January 27, 2012
Duff was a good coach...I kinda forgot about his time here.
Considering what has happened with our LB corps since he left, it’s definitely time to move on from Fitz. I feel like we have some talent at the position, maybe Guenther’s background on Teams can get the guys fired up.
shibacle - January 27, 2012
tlccaldwell
WHAT SLAVE BLOG SPEAK MEAN?
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
your killin me....
slave is probably a terrible word usage….I am just messing around…but you are missing some words buddy…are you from this country…do you speaka da english
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
na i speak spanish the real language
Lol u guys killing me
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
Espero que tu español es mejor que su inglés
shibacle - January 27, 2012
translate
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
Y usted tiene la respuesta. No lo es.
emeybee - January 28, 2012
Im just messin with you pray
its all good man…
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
see Bengals fans must unite
we cannot be like these other teams bickering with one another…we need comprehensive solutions to real-world NFL problems face by our Bengals franchise on a daily basis….lol
ticalcaldwell - January 27, 2012
No hard feelings, I’m fair game I can take the heat. I mess with Yall to have fun and entertainment during off season. If nothing else I’ve boasted cj ratings
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
You're full of shit.
shibacle - January 27, 2012
hehehehe.....
Get off my ass and u want smell it. Piss pot
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
ok.. so what about Hayes and Anderson?
The bad Hayes, the TE coach, not his awesome brother the DL coach. Can we get new o-line and TE coaches, please?
indesignkat - January 27, 2012
Anderson I think is rb coach. Alexander coaches o line. All 3 need to get fired
pray4gm11 - January 27, 2012 via mobile
meant Alexander, but what has Anderson done?
indesignkat - January 28, 2012
you mean alexander
(and not anderson – i hope)
palewook - January 27, 2012
Not excited about it. Bengals need someone with experience and success coaching LB's
WOOD98 - January 28, 2012
Hire Adam Zimmer as LB's coach
in order to retain his father here
Antoniomagon - January 28, 2012
Marvin Lewis LB
Marvin should have the best LBs in the league given that he played linebacker and is now the head coach. Yeah I know injuries and such have not been friendly but I think it is time to get a dominate MLB, sorry Rey, maybe UFA Curtis Lofton (ATL) the price will have to be right whoever or draft someone like Donta Hightower.
Backyard Bengal - January 28, 2012
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