Daronte Jones and the Defensive Staffing Thread

[heisenberg]

I really liked the press conference, loved the way he speaks and represents himself.
One little thing that really stood out to me is how quickly and effortlessly he was able to recite the names of our defensive players despite only having been here a short while.
Clearly he dove headfirst into his work the second he got here.

Far cry from introductory press conferences where they refer to us as the maroon and black.

 

[ntotoro]

Memories of "Darkerian" McCants.

 

[Conn]

So AP’s drinking buddy Welker is now on the coaching staff

He was last year, too. Was a defensive/specs assistant. Going to O this year

It’s telling what the league thinks of him as a coach. After a career as one of the greatest slot receivers in NFL history and then 6 years as a lead receivers coach, it’s telling that no one gave him a real job last year and now he is a generic offensive assistant

To be fair, when we signed Deebo the Welker addition was lauded a bit because Deebo apparently speaks very well of him and he had his best seasons when he worked directly with Welker. Welker was described as the guy who was able to keep Deebo in great shape and keep him motivated.

Not sure keeping Welker means we’re keeping Deebo around necessarily, but just a positive account of what Welker can bring I guess.

Putting a guy on the other side of the ball is a Shanahan/McVay thing, too. To help a guy gain a new perspective and raise his ceiling. It was done with Raheem Morris. So I guess it could signify that they thought he plateaud and wanted to reset him a bit, or it could mean they have higher hopes for him in the future. Or it could mean nothing and he’s just someone’s buddy, yeah.

 

[Conn]

 

[DWinzit]

He also spoke of loving Luvu

 

[Conn]

Despite everything I’ve said today, all the skepticism I have for our hiring process (and the types of assistants we could lure in given our situation with Quinn)…despite all that:

Jones is the hire I’m most interested in and excited by, and he’s the hire that can save everyone’s jobs, to be frank.

On offense, this is the score: if we add enough weapons for him and he stays healthy, Jayden Daniels is good enough to buy Blough time to learn and grow, and honestly he’s good enough to even hide if Blough turns out to be straight up bad, for a long while at least.

So if Jones can take this terrible, embarrassing, historically bad defense and make it good. Top-12, even. Then we’re cooking. Everything else aside, all my worries about our generally flawed hiring processes aside…Jones being legit and making this a D that can contend, it saves everything and buys time for Daniel to save things on offense.

So Quinn better hope he got this hire right. The last guy he interviewed, clearly not on their radar at first, and then immediately hired with a surprised Quinn wondering why he didn’t already have a DC job…could save him.

 

[method man]

To be fair, when we signed Deebo the Welker addition was lauded a bit because Deebo apparently speaks very well of him and he had his best seasons when he worked directly with Welker. Welker was described as the guy who was able to keep Deebo in great shape and keep him motivated.

Not sure keeping Welker means we’re keeping Deebo around necessarily, but just a positive account of what Welker can bring I guess.

Putting a guy on the other side of the ball is a Shanahan/McVay thing, too. To help a guy gain a new perspective and raise his ceiling. It was done with Raheem Morris. So I guess it could signify that they thought he plateaud and wanted to reset him a bit, or it could mean they have higher hopes for him in the future. Or it could mean nothing and he’s just someone’s buddy, yeah.

It’s the latter given he was fired by McDaniel and not offered a job by anyone from the tree. He’s been everywhere AP has been.

 

[HOF44]

If he can make Quan good he’s gonna be the greatest D coordinator we’ve ever had.

 

[DWinzit]

If he can make Quan good he’s gonna be the greatest D coordinator we’ve ever had.

Quan does have a lot of good qualities that got him deservedly drafted in the 2nd round and having a decent showing in his early NFL career. He may need to be handled differently than the other players but Jones appears up for those challenges.

 

[Bulldog]

Motivating Kinlaw to do more than jaw bone like Dirty Harry and actually impact the stat sheet with sacks, pressures and tackles for loss is going to be a good challenge for Jones and Co.

This is a player that has now been moved out of two organizations and Robert Saleh wasn't able to get that much out of him despite being a #1 draft choice.

 

[BayouBrave86]

Yeah the more and more we see from Daronte, I think this could be a potential HR hire. Our defense will probably play with the meanest streak since ST.

 

[Canuck]

Do we have any idea if we run a 3-4 or a 4-3, or some other variation?

Probably more current talent on DL (Payne, Kinlaw, Newton, Armstrong) as opposed to LB (Luuvu & ??).

 

[KDawg]

Do we have any idea if we run a 3-4 or a 4-3, or some other variation?

Probably more current talent on DL (Payne, Kinlaw, Newton, Armstrong) as opposed to LB (Luuvu & ??).

We’re running 7-man spacing for the most part. Which means it’s a mix. They are both “7-man” boxes. Hence 7-man spacing. It’s a one gap style of defense

 

[Dlts20]

Do we have any idea if we run a 3-4 or a 4-3, or some other variation?

Probably more current talent on DL (Payne, Kinlaw, Newton, Armstrong) as opposed to LB (Luuvu & ??).

He comes from a 3-4 tree so most think that's what he will be but this is what he said:

"I think 3-4, 4-3, they're just numbers. Still seven man spacing, so I always say it's not how they line up it's how they wind up. So you can create that number system in numerous ways."

 

[Primus Porcus]

He comes from a 3-4 tree so most think that's what he will be but this is what he said:

"I think 3-4, 4-3, they're just numbers. Still seven man spacing, so I always say it's not how they line up it's how they wind up. So you can create that number system in numerous ways."

but when he was the actual DC at LSU he ran a 'multiple 4-3 with heavy nickle' so I dont know that he's going to be boxed in to a 3-4, even if it's what Flores ran in Minnesota. Even if it's the 'base' on paper, i don't think any particular formation will be set, it'll be all about matchups and situation.

edit: I just went back and looked, and dating all the way back to 2016 when he first entered as an Assistant into the NFL and the only time he's actually coached under a 3-4 is most recently under Flores. The rest of his career, he's been working within a 4-3, most of which also labelled as 'aggressive.'

 

[Canuck]

I don't see Bain doing well in space, where Bailey or a player like Marsh would be a better edge fit.

 

[Dlts20]

but when he was the actual DC at LSU he ran a 'multiple 4-3 with heavy nickle' so I dont know that he's going to be boxed in to a 3-4, even if it's what Flores ran in Minnesota. Even if it's the 'base' on paper, i don't think any particular formation will be set, it'll be all about matchups and situation.

View attachment 14116


edit: I just went back and looked, and dating all the way back to 2016 when he first entered as an Assistant into the NFL and the only time he's actually coached under a 3-4 is most recently under Flores. The rest of his career, he's been working within a 4-3, most of which also labelled as 'aggressive.'

I am glad that you said this because I was going to check LSU before I said that but I was just going by what everyone was repeating on here. Now I did my own research and it does seem like he's been more typical in the 4-3 so why does everyone keep repeating this stand up edge stuff and guys in space? Is everyone just assuming because of Flores? LSU had 4 guys in the dirt.

To me this changes the whole draft board and puts Bain highly back in play while dropping guys like Reese and Bailey. With that being said, I watched someone give an interview speaking on him when LSU hired him. He said something that was music to my ears and makes me truly believe that Jones doesn't just talk but truly means what he says.

One thing I hate about coaches, even some of the best ones is that they force guys into their system instead of building around the strength of their players. They lack the ability to show versatility. It's just flat out one system and that's it.

This reporter said that Jones took the Bowie State defense from worst to first in the conference. He also said that he truly believes in 7 man. That he was predominantly 4-3 but one year he got a stud edge outside edge rusher and moved to mostly a 3-4.

Again I just watched lsu when he was there and they were 4-3 even though the way he lined all 11 up made it look different than a normal 4-3 but I think after being under Flores, he will truly go by what is best for the players we have, including the draft. I honestly think right now today he sees us as a traditional 4-3 with no upright guys but drafting Reese or Bailey can change us to a 3-4 along with some free agent moves.

If we get Crosby or Bain then I think that we are 4-3. I personally also feel like our tackles are underrated and the scheme hurt them. I could see them being dominant in the middle of a 4-3 under Jones which is another reason why I could see him running it.

 

[Conn]

Do we have any idea if we run a 3-4 or a 4-3, or some other variation?

Probably more current talent on DL (Payne, Kinlaw, Newton, Armstrong) as opposed to LB (Luuvu & ??).

Jones’ answer to this direct question was “it’s not how they line up, it’s how they wind up”.

Meaning versatility over rigidity. As KDawg pointed out, either way you’ve got 7 guys in that area creating confusion, if you’ve got enough horses who can move around and not just do one thing well.

Edit: I should’ve kept scrolling before quoting, people already covered this well!

 

[Dlts20]

 

[KDawg]

7 man spacing means you can be in any alignment. Over, under, tite, okie, etc that employs a 7 man front situation. That essentially means that there are 6 base gaps. 7 man spacing covers each… +1.

That means some of the players need to be strong in their reads and coverage recognition. But where these guys align is of no consequence. It’s what they are responsible for.

34, 43… those are just numbers. You can do a lot of different things with looks. You need two A gap guys, 2 B, 2 C and a D.

From there you want these guys to flow well and get + to the play side while some players maintain strong backside integrity.