Falcons’ next offensive coordinator: Jaguars’ Koetter (really?)
Dirk Koetter has spent the past five seasons as Jacksonville's offensive coordinator. (AP photo)
I’ve long made it a practice to not pre-judge coaches. We’ve seen enough examples of guys who can win the press conference but lose on the field, and vice versa.
That said, the Falcons’ hiring of Dirk Koetter as offensive coordinator isn’t going to spark any block parties.
Koetter has been working for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who this season finished 32nd in total offense, 32nd in passing and 28th in scoring – which wouldn’t be so bad if the NFL had, say, 100 teams and not 32. The assumption in Flowery Branch must be that there’s only so much a coach can do with Blaine Gabbert.
Koetter has been a known candidate from the outset. The news of his hiring leaked out Sunday morning and later was confirmed by the Falcons, although Koetter said he was under instruction from the team not to comment.
The second sentence of Koetter’s bio in the Jacksonville media guide begins, “Known for his expertise of the passing offense …” In his first season as Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator in 2007, the Jaguars finished seventh in total offense, 17th in passing and sixth in scoring. That also was Mike Smith’s last season in Jacksonville, before he was hired as Falcons’ head coach.
But this is what has happened to the Jaguars’ offense since:
• 2008: 20th total offense (15th passing), 24th scoring.
• 2009: 18th total offense (19th passing), 24th scoring.
• 2010: 15th total offense (27th passing), 18th scoring.
• 2011: 32nd total offense (32nd passing), 28th scoring.
The Jaguars have had some obvious personnel deficiencies. The organization was a mess and head coach Jack Del Rio clearly had lost his effectiveness. But it’s safe to conclude Koetter was not viewed as anybody’s “hot” candidate.
Two factors may have played into this hiring: 1) Smith wanted somebody he is comfortable with, and in this case that’s somebody he has worked with; 2) The Falcons’ third straight immediate playoff exit has, for the first time, put some heat on Smith, and that perceived uncertainty sometimes affects a team’s ability to hire a high-profile candidate.
That said, Koetter had a solid offensive reputation when he was Arizona State’s head coach, and was viewed by some as one of the rising coaches early on at Jacksonville. As recently as July, an NFL.com blog on Koetter included this: “The Jaguars’ offensive coordinator is on the cusp of taking that next step [in coaching]. If he can continue to get what he has gotten out of Jacksonville’s offense without an abundance of talent, especially if he manages to get Blaine Gabbert ready to play despite this lockout, then a move up is imminent.”
It’s ironic that Koetter should come from the organization that just hired the Falcons’ recently maligned offensive coordinator, Mike Mularkey, as head coach. Mularkey might have been fired even if he had not gotten the Jacksonville job, given the predictability of the Falcons’ offense and the widely held belief that he did not fully utilize the weapons on the roster.
That’s on Koetter’s shoulders now. But it will be at least September before anybody is too excited.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,029 comments Add your comment
GDawg
January 15th, 2012
1:24 pm
Just saying could have done better I am sure.
Cal
January 15th, 2012
1:24 pm
DONE BLANK, I done blogging and talking about it. maybe i’m wrong about this, maybe the problem is the owner not knowing anything about football. It dosen’t take a genious to know we’re headed down the same road again. tired of waiting to the next year, every year. Done with this foolishness……………………….OUT FOR GOOD. (thanks Falcon fans for the great blogs over the years)
GDawg
January 15th, 2012
1:26 pm
Can’t wait till next year.
Great Falconi
January 15th, 2012
1:27 pm
I’m not at all confident in this hire, but I wouldn’t be confident in hiring any of the people I saw mentioned for this job. If we had hired Brian Schottenheimer, I wouldn’t be confident about him because I saw the Jets struggle regularly. If Mike Martz had been hired, I wouldn’t have been confident in him to do anything worthwhile. If Billick had been hired, I would think back to all those crappy Ravens offenses he helped author. If Hue Jackson had been hired, I would look back at his power-hungry and scheming ways during his failed season as the Raiders head coach. Rick Neuheisel? Hahahaha. Who else did we see connected to this job?
See what I mean? If you’re not drinking the Kool-Aid, you’re not going to feel good about anybody. Therefore, it’s up to Koetter (and whoever gets the job on the other side of the ball) to surprise us with success. I don’t mind being surprised. As a Falcon fan, I’m used to being disappointed and can handle that quite well.
mj
January 15th, 2012
1:28 pm
Alright Smith, your round ones are definitely on the table now. Hope you are making choices out of sound mind instead of respect. Good luck and we will see! Next? Don’t tell me Bill Billick as defensive cord? Oh, he’s an offensive guy. Come on Man!!!
Section 335
January 15th, 2012
1:28 pm
Alan-I mean Coach Smith, I’m not drinking that Gatorade again. Why don’t you look at the NFL numbers of “your boy” against any of the guys you just named and get back with us.
Good luck with unemployment next season!
Dan
January 15th, 2012
1:29 pm
I thought Mr. Blank was serious about improving the coaching staff.
They hire one that a college team (Alabama) just turned down and make him OC.
That tells me that the Falcons really don’t care as much about winning as they do about unemployed friends.
GDawg
January 15th, 2012
1:29 pm
No Spags no Nolan let’s go after GB DC 32nd on offense why not 32nd on defense?
JSS
January 15th, 2012
1:30 pm
The smile on my face is as wide as the Sahara Desert! I said the following last Wednesday: “Do you really trust (Mike) Smith with the choice?
Again he has proven that it is his philosophy and conservative nature. Rivera and Williams will chew him up and spit him out! Good luck with that!!!
Michael
January 15th, 2012
1:30 pm
Thank you Alan, that was my point. None of the other candidates came without their own faults. If any of them were so great then they’d be getting HC interviews. @Falcons4Eva, thanks for clarifying what you meant about Chip Kelly. Goes to the point Alan and I are making, Chip Kelly would be exciting but he’s not going to leave to be an OC, he’d want to be an HC just like most of the “exciting” candidates.
Relax people, good coordinators put their players in position to do what they do well. See the Alex Smith rushing TD yesterday versus NO, that was a brilliant call. That is what Mularkey lacked. The ability to be creative when the moment called for it. Let’s see what Koetter can do in his moment.
tree rollins
January 15th, 2012
1:32 pm
Falcons just opened a new season tickets package today – you can now see half of the Jaguars games and half the Falcons games in the same season. This way, you can now see coaches Smith, Mularkey, and Koetter all in the same season and watch some of the most explosive offenses in the NFL! Watch the 2 young star QB’s – Gabbert and Ryan. Who cares about the Packers? Watch these great offensive minds put on a clinic on where the new NFL is headed with offensive coaching.
Dirk Koetter
January 15th, 2012
1:33 pm
I guess all you falcon fans no more than me since you run your own fantasy football teams. Let’s see. What’s the payout for winning the championship? $250 a season. That ought to be enough for bus passes for the year. Bunch of losers.
GDawg
January 15th, 2012
1:33 pm
Enter your comments here
Greg Mendel
January 15th, 2012
1:34 pm
Maybe Koetter isn’t a genius, which could be a reason for optimism. The last offensive genius, the one he’s replacing, couldn’t figure out how to get the most out of Ryan, White, Jones, Gonzalez, Douglas, Rodgers, Weems, or Turner. Maybe Koetter is smart enough to figure out how to lock and load his new weapons with live rounds.
chris
January 15th, 2012
1:34 pm
you gotta be kidding…you cant tell me we couldnt have waited a few weeks did a real search and gotten someone with a proven track record of SUCCESS….???? well its looking more and more like we wont be worrying about first round playoff loss in 2012 – wont be any playoffs with this setup–disappointed…very
rivercard
January 15th, 2012
1:34 pm
Michael- While the other candidates had issues, they also had some evidence based success. None for this guy. Actually , quite the opposite. So it is just a hope and prayer. Give me one reason to justify the hire.
Mo
January 15th, 2012
1:35 pm
My sources tell me that the former equipment manager of jaxville during the time Mike Smith was there
is currently being interviewed for the DC position for the Atl Falcons. True? He did work for Jaxville so clearly he’s the odds on favorite.
ohhhhYEAH
January 15th, 2012
1:35 pm
JP
“All the great OC’s have elite QB’s or QB’s who play elite….as I mentioned prior, the OC is only as good as the QB and the QB’s ability to make plays…elite QB play equals playoff wins……just look at the games already played thus far in this year’s playoff’s…..some of you are way too emotional to post on a sports blog..!!!! LMAO…!!!”
I agree. Alex Smith and TJ Yates are DEFINITELY elite quarterbacks right….RIGHT? Ha. That was a good joke my friend; started my morning off right. IT ALL STARTS WITH COACHING! Mularkey NEVER put the game in Ryan’s hands, and as a result, we got crappy play calling and a quarterback handcuffed by his OC. Get a clue son. IT STARTS AT THE TOP!
Mr. ATL
January 15th, 2012
1:38 pm
At a minimum, politically bad choice.
Arthur Blank = Rankin Smith
January 15th, 2012
1:38 pm
Poor Matt.
He might have been a star with good coaching.
He’s probably a year from being the second coming of David Carr (who also had no chance).
KennyRK
January 15th, 2012
1:39 pm
I totally agree with D Man’s comments. For the last 4 years we have been able to watch regular season games THAT MATTER. I will take that over all of the past season in a heartbeat. This team needs stability; I understand that we took a step back this year but that doesn’t mean that both MS and TD should be fired. I believe this hire will allow Matt to call a majority of the plays, which is fine with me. This is why everyone says Atlanta has the worst fans in America.
5150 UOAD
January 15th, 2012
1:41 pm
Falcons and Dwags are the same.
Will the FALCONS start the season with a RED OUT? I am sure the Dwags have plenty of those Power Ranger uniforms and Helmets they can sell the Falcons.
ibelieve
January 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
He will do well if he get the highest rated players on the board and not be over rules with some black dot criteria. The GM is killing the Falcons with this criteria and other teams in the NFL are drafting them and going to the playoff ! This staff has made a lot of misses the last three years. Jones is a good player but please do not mortgage the organization with a trade like this again. Blank would not have trade with Lowe’s by giving up the Atlanta, Jasksonville market etc. for the New York market improve his over all bottom line when he was number one the year before, (13-3) Remove the darn dots and draft the best players. If they screw up after they have being giving a chance cut them. But at least give the men a chance. He with out fault throw the first stone.
Driver 8
January 15th, 2012
1:43 pm
Dirk Diggler would have been a better choice
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 15th, 2012
1:44 pm
Flacco 2 touch down passes in the 1st quarter…………………….
Everybody say it with me………………………………….
SHOULD HAVE DRAFTED FLACCO…………………..
HA HA HA
The Duke
January 15th, 2012
1:45 pm
Are you freaking kidding me? This guy just got his last boss fired at JAX. Mike Smith and his cronyism is sickening really. And shame on Arthur Blank for allowing mediocracy. If I were a season ticket holder I would certainly not renew now.
Gman 84
January 15th, 2012
1:46 pm
Love how Blank comes out with his, “I’m angry and demand a Super Bowl” talk and then they hire this guy. Talk is cheap and so are the Falcons – a doomed enterprise
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:48 pm
OK, before we pass judgement on the guy, like Schultz, remember this. Jacksonville has not exactly given this guy alot to work with at the WR posituion and QB. Look at the starters for both positions since he has been there. A great rb is not a balanced offense. If he is an expert at passing the ball then we have the weapons for him to prove his bio. Now, you arm chair coaches / gm’s can b*tch and complain the rest of the day. It does not mean you or Schultz are right.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 15th, 2012
1:48 pm
Everything about the Ravens is lite years ahead of the Falcants:
GM………………….Better
COACH………………………..Better
QB…………………….Give me a break………………..Better
While the Falcants fans keep celebrating back to back winning seasons, the Ravens are not satisfied until they win ANOTHER superbowl…………….
HA HA HA
RGO67
January 15th, 2012
1:48 pm
Q and A with Dirk….http://xandolabs.com/2011/07/dirk-koetter-exclusive-interview/
Non-season ticket holder ever (& early retiree)
January 15th, 2012
1:49 pm
Kenny, maybe u have unlimited funds to support mediocrity but I and many others don’t.
With the Packers, Niners, Pats, etc, you know u can give them a few years and they’ll be back in the Super Bowl.
With the Falcons, had you been a season ticket holder since 1966, you would have no Super Bowl wins and only one appearance for your money.
Had you instead saved the money, you would be able to retire early.
Did I mention I have never bought a Falcon ticket and retired in my fifties.
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:49 pm
Matt Choke, worry about your own team that is out of the playoofs and choked again.
Truth
January 15th, 2012
1:50 pm
@5150 UAOD
Fact is, UGA is a relevant player in the NCAA, Tech isn’t and hasn’t been for a long time. We average 10 wins a year over the last 11 years and we still have heat on our coach, rightly or wrongly. We are relevant, you aren’t. Envy is ugly still at your age. Get over it.
ohhhhYEAH
January 15th, 2012
1:50 pm
Kramer dont feed him, he’s a cry baby who has nothing to live for. He will be fine if we dont talk to him
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 15th, 2012
1:50 pm
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:49 pm
Matt Choke, worry about your own team that is out of the playoofs and choked again
____________________________________________________
My team is your team, I’m just Embarrassed to say it…………….
HA HA HA
Reality
January 15th, 2012
1:51 pm
A thought out of left field: Mike Singeltary as DC. Yes, I know he isn’t coaching the Niners but he turned them around.
Did you see the niners D yesterday? Intense and hard hitting. Brees had nobody open all day.
Singeltary may be wired a bit too tight as a HC but I give him a ton of credit for instilling a toughness in what was a soft, awful team.
5150 UOAD
January 15th, 2012
1:51 pm
Guy could be a great hire but I doubt it.
Maybe we can get KEN WHISENHUNT as the HC next year.
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:51 pm
Matt choke, the only thing light years ahead is the fact that your football inteligence is so far behind. Let me guess, you were a aint’s fan yesterday and today you are a die hard Ravens fan. That is until they lose at Foxboro next week then you love the Pats.
falconfansince03
January 15th, 2012
1:52 pm
Allowing such a quick decision on an OC with the record Koetter had at the Jags, seems to speak VOLUMES about Mr. Blank’s trust and faith in TD and Smitty. I’m guessing that trust will last just one more season.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 15th, 2012
1:53 pm
ohhhhYEAH
January 15th, 2012
1:50 pm
Kramer dont feed him, he’s a cry baby who has nothing to live for. He will be fine if we dont talk to him
__________________________________________________
Ravens 17
Texans 3
Flacco 2 touch downs………………..
Isn’t that the same team that CHOKE had a 50 qb rating and lost to a rookie?
HA HA HA
steven A.
January 15th, 2012
1:53 pm
Falcons will miss the playoffs next season. They will be swept by the Carolina Panthers. Stick a fork in him, 3rd in the NFC South, “Smitty will be done.” YES!!!!
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:54 pm
Matt choke, first off, stop with the ha ha’s and smile faces. This is not facebook and you might be 16 but, most of us on here are not. If you are to embarrassed to be a Falcon fan then jump on the Packers or 49ers, or Patriots bandwagon. Quite frankly we do not need your dumba** with our base.
ohhhhYEAH
January 15th, 2012
1:54 pm
Didnt Flacco put up a goose egg against the JAGS? Dont worry Choke, I’ll still be your friend, maybe one day you’ll find peace
LaVelle
January 15th, 2012
1:55 pm
As a TRUE FALCON Fan, This pick DISAPPOINTS ME IN NUMEROUS WAYS, I have watched every single game of Matt Ryan Tenure and he needs a guy who can bring out his full potential..
1. Brian Billick and Tom Clements, were the guys I was so hoping for. Billick with his KNOWN offensive expertise and winning a Super Bowl and Clements because of the amazing job he has done with Rogers.
2. We need to become a PASSING Offense, we have one of the top QBs, explosive WRs and Yet, our coaches do not want to or refuse to use this to our advantage.
3. The Jaguars have always been a RUN FIRST TEAM, in order to be like the PACKERS, SAINTS, PATRIOTS, this philosophy has to change, and it definitely will not change under Mike Smith.
4. FANS wanted an EXCITING HIRE, ARTHUR BLANK does not listen to the FANS. SOmetimes you have to do what will make your FANS happy and also create a BUZZ around the league while during the Offseason. YES the drafting of Julio created Buzz last year, but this YEAR we have nothing and this pick only makes it worse.
5. If they do not do something very BOLD when it comes to the Defensive COACH pick, it will be a long offseason, full of worry.
OVERALL, Blank and Smith, you guys need to stop holding Matt Ryan Back and let him go and see what he can do, running the ball more and more, you will never be able to realize his full potential, yes there was a lot of times we passed a lot, but it was the CHOICE of play calls that were being made, look at the Patriots offense last night or saints, they will run 3 or four recievers out there at at a time with unique play sets. I will not stop being a Falcons Fan, but this was really disappointing to here, Blank YOU SAY YOUR GOAL IS TO WIN A SUPER BOWL, WELL YOU NEED TO STOP LETTING SMITH PICK HIS FRIENDS, AND PICK GUYS WHO WILL BRING THE TOUGHNESS WE TRULLY NEED, YOU HAVE COMMERCIALS SAYING RISE UP ATLANTA, BUT YOU YOUR OWN SELF WILL NOT FOLLOW THE SLOGAN, COME ON FALCONS, ARTHUR BLANK TAKE A CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 15th, 2012
1:55 pm
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:51 pm
Matt choke, the only thing light years ahead is the fact that your football inteligence
________________________________________
Is that the same football intelligence that predicted in 2008 that your boy will be a CHOKE or…………………..
Your intelligence that said he will win in the playoffs………………..
Put down your brain before you hurt yourself…………………..
HA HA HA
Kramer
January 15th, 2012
1:56 pm
ohhhhyeah, maybe that is chokes problem, he needs a piece. To much chokin’ the chicken has clouded his judgement. Packers, Pats, 49ers, they always want more fans chokey.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 15th, 2012
1:57 pm
steven A.
January 15th, 2012
1:53 pm
Falcons will miss the playoffs next season. They will be swept by the Carolina Panthers. Stick a fork in him, 3rd in the NFC South, “Smitty will be done.” YES!!!!
____________________________________________
HA HA HA
2004 is a LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG time ago…………………
It will be 10 plus years before they win another playoff game…………………
HA HA HA
slad3
January 15th, 2012
1:57 pm
good thought reality. he could take the D up a notch
5150 UOAD
January 15th, 2012
1:59 pm
CHOKE is just another angry black QB fan. He is mad because no AA are leading their teams to the SB like his favorite player MV7.
CHOKE is not a Falcon Fan. He WAS when MV7 was here but not anymore.
CHOKE would NEVER say his real name. Never PROVE he is a Falcon season ticket holder or ever has been.
We know you CHOKE and what your issue is.
New Age Offense
January 15th, 2012
1:59 pm
Wow the Falcon fans aresck of cronyism, well lets see America is the land of cronyism….By the way I am not sure Matty Ice can become an elite quarterback therefore the Falcons will need an elite running back… Matty Ice lacks pocket presence….he has a tendency to panick when the pocket gets tight…