In hiring Koetter, Mike Smith deserves the benefit of the doubt
Slogan suggestion: His name is Dirk, and his responsiblity he won't shirk. (AP photo)
Flowery Branch – No, it doesn’t look so good: An offense that couldn’t manage a point in losing its playoff game has been handed to a man whose most recent unit finished last in the NFL. Why not hire Darrell Royal and have him install the Wishbone?
But here’s where we take a deep breath and say: Dirk Koetter isn’t as bad as all that. For what the Atlanta Falcons need in the year 2012, he’ll be better than Mike Mularkey. (Though you know that Jacksonville fans are thinking what we around here were wondering when the Jaguars made Mularkey their head coach: Is that team nuts?) And here’s where we must take a bunny-hop of faith.
At Falcons HQ Monday, Mike Smith stuck his head in the hallway where the media relations staff has its offices and was spotted by this correspondent, who posed three questions.
Is Koetter the guy he wanted? “Yes,” Smith said.
Is the head coach comfortable that Koetter is indeed the right guy? “Yes,” Smith said.
Is the head coach confident this offensive coordinator can lead the Falcons upward? “Absolutely,” Smith said.
And there you have it — yes, yes, absolutely. Skeptics among us will sneer: “So what did you expect him to say? ‘I hired a moron’?’ ” But ultimately every hire in every profession comes down to one thing: Do you trust the guy doing the hiring?
Me, I trust Mike Smith.
He knows Dirk Koetter (pronounced “Cutter”) better than you or I, having worked with him in Jacksonville in 2007. Smitty also knows his personnel better than you or I, having watched every move made in a practice or a game both live and on tape. The latest numbers don’t flatter Koetter, but let’s ask this: After seeing the Jaguars lose 41-14 here in December, where should that offense — with a rookie quarterback and receivers Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson was overheard to call “jokes” — have ranked?
Another stat to consider: The 2010 Jaguars, as coordinated by Koetter and with a quarterback (David Garrard) who would subsequently be cut in training camp, finished 8-8 but outgained — by two yards over 16 games — a Falcons team that finished 13-3 and had Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez.
With the Falcons, Koetter will have access to better players than he ever did in Jacksonville, and if he hadn’t managed to articulate a coherent vision regarding those players he wouldn’t have gotten the job. This is the biggest hire Smith has made since he first arrived, much bigger than having to replace Brian VanGorder as defensive coordinator. (The defense wasn’t the unit that grossly underperformed in the Meadowlands.) He didn’t hire Koetter because the guy once bought him lunch at Wendy’s. He hired Koetter because he believes this is the man he needs.
Speaking with the Atlanta media via a conference call Monday, Koetter said some of things you hoped he’d say: That he “believe(s) in the vertical [passing] game”; that he was prodded by Smith to make the Falcons “a better screen team” and that he’s “a big believer in the screen game.” He also extolled the virtues of offensive “balance,” which is as sexy as suggesting that veggies are good for you, but he also made a salient point.
Loading ...“It’s easy to say it’s a passing league and that defense doesn’t matter and running doesn’t matter,” Koetter said, “but look what happened this weekend.”
The Packers and Saints, the NFC teams who sling it best, were undone in the playoffs by more prosaic opponents. Koetter again: “Ask any defensive coordinator, and he’ll say the hardest thing to defend is balance.”
Little about Koetter’s background suggests he’s a stick-in-the-mud. He worked on a three-man staff with Andy Reid, who’s one of the NFL’s better schemers, at San Francisco State. As head coach, Koetter had consecutive 10-win seasons at Boise State before anybody cared about Boise State. He spent six seasons as Arizona State’s head coach, and the Pac-10 was always ahead of the national curve offensively. Also this: He has spent 25 years calling plays.
No, Smitty didn’t hire the mad scientist we around here were hoping he would, and yes, it looks a little funny for a team desperate to win a Super Bowl to turn to a guy whose staff got fired in Jacksonville, but let’s recall: In 2008 Mike Smith hired four assistants — Mularkey, Keith Armstrong, Terry Robiskie and Glenn Pires — who had just overseen a 1-15 season with Miami. That foursome helped the Falcons go 43-21 over the best four-year run in franchise history.
Lest we forget, Smith himself wasn’t the hottest name on the market four Januarys ago, but he has spent four seasons earning the benefit of the doubt. Here’s where we need to extend it.
By Mark Bradley
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254 comments Add your comment
Whopper Dawg
January 16th, 2012
5:14 pm
If screens were our problem and MS has a lust for them, just tell MM to call some. He is the head coach by the way. So, MM quits and all of sudden we need a bunch of screens. This is comedic material we have going here, and don’t let TD or Blank off the hook, they had to approve this most important hire in TD/MS tenure. (TD always gets a pass, he is the teflon GM.
That dude won 6 games more than he lost at AZ ST in six years, finished no better than 3rd and usually a lot lowere and at J’ville presided over the worst offense in the league last year and at best a middle of the pack offense, read that as about 20th on average. And this is the guy a complete and thorough, non-emotional analysis by the brain trust offers up? What a joke.
I can hardly wait for the DC and personnel moves if this is the best they have.
In TD we trust.
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
5:18 pm
How many coaches can get their offenses to finish in the top 3 in the country, at 2 different mediocre programs?
Koetter did it at Boise, and again at ASU.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
5:18 pm
The whole NFL is who you know and trust. It is a bussiness just like your or my jobs. If you don’t think so, Williams just left NO to go to STL to be DC. WHY Because he has worked with Fisher before. Man some people just don’t get it.
If you don’t like the fact we have 4 winning season for the first time and you want to go back to whatever feels good today as coach. Get off our bandwagon and don’t get back on it. No one makes you buy the tickets or watch the games.
I am glad we don’t loose 3 games out of 4 any more.
bigeasy830
January 16th, 2012
5:22 pm
Terrible hire, Mike Mularky’s offense was limited due to Matt Ryan’s arm strength. Jacksonville hired a good coach in Mularky. Van Gorder did not run is style of defense, he rand Mike Smith’s style of defense. Van Gorder runs an attack style defense. Watch a few Auburn games next season and you will see a true Van Gorder defense. Mike Smith is ultra conservative and he put pressure on his coordinators to run conservative schemes. Mike Smith has done a wonderful job in Atlanta, but, much of the credit for his success was due to Mularky and Van Gorder doing a fine job with what they had to work with. In order for the Falcons to continue to be a play-off and contending team they need to attack on offense and defense. Mike Smith is not the type of coach that will be comfortable running attack style schemes. If the Falcons miss the play-offs next season it’s all on him cause the talent level is there. True the offense and defense lines need to be improved but overall they are good enough. Ray Edwards said his biggest adjustment was the Falcons ran a read type scheme and not attack scheme that he was use to in Minn.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
5:25 pm
Van Gorder???? really. He has never been a GOOD DC much less great. Yea you can get awa
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
5:29 pm
Van Goder ???? Really. He has never been a good DC much less GREAT. Sure you can run soft zone defenses in college. They don’t work in the NFL where only the best of the best are. He is lucky that Auburm was desperate enough to want him. He may be in line collecting unemplyment. Coaches can be great college coaches and not succeed in the NFL NBA, MLB etc. That is just where they need to stay and I am glad VAN GORD HEAD is no longer in Georgia.
nuffsaid
January 16th, 2012
5:30 pm
ARTHUR BLANK<>How do YOU spend YOUR money on the WORST hire in the NFL???
0-3
January 16th, 2012
5:32 pm
0-3 in the playoffs? why does he get “benefit of the doubt?
My Buddy
January 16th, 2012
5:33 pm
instead of hiring a top OC, smith just hired his good buddy from jacksonville. Look for more of the same mediocrity next year—ATL = loserville!
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
5:37 pm
How many teams go to the playoffs ever year? We made it. That is why…. 20 other teams and fans would like to make it and lose.
I hated we lost. But the fact is Mularky couldn’t make in game adjustments nor could VAN GORD HEAD. If you look at the halftime score it was 7-2 NY made adjustments and our bone headed coordinators didn’t. The didn’t for 4 years so why would they start then?
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
5:40 pm
You guys must not have been old enough to go to the games and be fans in the 80s and 90s. Ridiculous comments while we have winning season. 1 GAME doesn’t make your carreer.
Should one day of pathetic work at your job cost you your career?
Ed
January 16th, 2012
5:45 pm
I trust that Mike Smith, a coach that has led this Falcons to 4 straight winning seasons when it comes to hiring Koetter. Smith wasn’t exactly high on everyones list when he was hired. Surely to God Koetter can be more creative than Mularkey. He certainly has a lot more to work with here.
Loserville USA
January 16th, 2012
5:48 pm
With a guy like JacQuizz the screen game is what WILL make the Falcons EXPLOSIVE.
Also burns blitz teams like New Orleans (although who knows with Williams going).
In any case, how much worse COULD it be? Not much. We will see.
If Smitty flames out, he’s going down with his buddies. I expect Nolan as DC if form holds true.
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
5:50 pm
If Nick Saban thought enough of Koetter to interview him last week, good enough for me. Saban knows football.
Looks like we got somebody on here that thinks he’s smarter than Nick Saban.
Funny.
Not.
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
5:53 pm
A lot of uninformed bloggers here, looking at 1 year, this past season at Jax, instead of what Koetter has done at Boise, ASU, and at Jax from 2007-2010.
What a great hire. Snatched Koetter from Nick Saban.
Love it.
BooBoo
January 16th, 2012
5:53 pm
All coaches and coordinators are reflections of the sum of the parts. Good parts make good coordinators. The Falcon offense needs to change a couple of tires and spark plugs (i.e.: Turner ain’t Burnin, and the O-line needs to get a reputation for being able to block, rather than being called dirty – such as push the line a yard on 4th and 1). If they do that, then Koetter will be a good coordinator. Did Indy fire its coaching staff because Peyton broke his neck and was lost for the year? That was a similar situation to Jax. Back-up parts are like those embarassing spare tires – only good enough to get you to the tire store to buy new tires.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 16th, 2012
5:54 pm
When does it become a quarterback problem?
I mean even Tim Tebow & J.T. Yates took their teams deep into the playoffs in their 1st shots.
The facts don’t lie
Jim
January 16th, 2012
5:55 pm
“Deserves the benefit of the doubt.” Are you serious? After this season and the “aberration” and ‘I didn’t expect that” talk, this guy deserves a thorough and sifting cross examination and zero slack about everything.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 16th, 2012
5:59 pm
0-3
January 16th, 2012
5:32 pm
0-3 in the playoffs? why does he get “benefit of the doubt?
_______________________________________________
Because that’s what they do in this city when the qb’s name is other than Vick or D.J. Shockley
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:01 pm
YOUR belove TEBO and YRAPES had a defense which we couldn’t muster with VAN GORD HEAD who buy the way was let go from GA Southern. YEP GA. Southern.
Choke you need to go to the AINTS blog. I have read enough of your idiot comments this year.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:02 pm
CHOKE we can all tell your ethenic group. Go watch the Hawks.
Jockich Smelley, II
January 16th, 2012
6:06 pm
Hey wasn’t Coach Smith’s fav TV show “Welcome Back Kotter”???
Bill
January 16th, 2012
6:09 pm
Hope he brings ERNEST BYNER running back coach with him..Cutter will be ok..now get it done.
Whopper Dawg
January 16th, 2012
6:26 pm
ValientOne – He was at Boise two years and had a good record as HC. Moved up to AZ ST as HC and won six more games than he lost in six years and got canned. At J’ville he had about the 18th ranked offense on average, and last year he was he worst in the league.
If you are surprised at the outrage, I guess you would support getting the worst DC in the league too.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:28 pm
Dawg- What was the talent level at J’ville? What OC could have done more? Give me a coupe and you are credible. Garrard and a rookie was QB.
Jackson
January 16th, 2012
6:33 pm
Mark, thanks for reminding us of the Miami coaching hires. I was a little disappointed with the hire, wanting a “name” OC, but given that this regime has given us four years of hope, where before it was hopelessness….yes I’m willing to give them the benefit of doubt. Besides the more I read of DK, the more I like.
And honestly, I think Mike Smith is several bad years from loosing his job. I really don’t think he is on the “hot seat”‘ far from it. He is highly respected, and I think AB will give him the tools he needs to take us to the next level.
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
6:37 pm
Dang, if Koetter’s so bad, Nick Saban is the dumbest coach for trying to hire him.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:37 pm
And while we are 0 and 3 in the playoffs (which nothers me) I don’t want to fo back to where we were! Many teams would like our 4 years running.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:37 pm
(bothers)
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:39 pm
Sorry V-I am not a Saban fan so I really don’t care what he thinks or was trying to do.
Phil
January 16th, 2012
6:42 pm
I can’t believe I am saying this, but Bobo may have been a better hire!
As Charles Barkley would say. “Turrible decison, just Turrible!”
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
6:44 pm
Koetter wasn’t hired to Head Coach the Falcons. So his record as a Head Coach is irrelvant.
He was hired to be the Offensive Coordinator.
And at Boise & ASU, he took mediocre teams from horrible to top 3 in the nation.
His offenses at Boise & ASU averaged @30 points a game.
5 out of 6 seasons at ASU, his pass offense was top 20 in the nation.
At Jax, he was asked to run the ball and limit turnovers, he did that, finishing in top 5 in rushing over 4 years 2007-2010, and top 10 in LEAST turnovers.
good enough for Saban, not good enough for a blogger here.
sad.
Ellis Island
January 16th, 2012
6:47 pm
How come Saban failed to win the 2011 SEC West title ?
Phil
January 16th, 2012
6:48 pm
“I trust that Mike Smith, a coach that has led this Falcons to 4 straight winning seasons when it comes to hiring Koetter.”
Well I did too up until now with this boneheaded move. Add in the boneheaded in game decisions, giving away all our draft picks for Julio Jones, can’t win a playoff game.
My trust in Smith is fading.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:49 pm
Ca
RedandBlackPeachy
January 16th, 2012
6:50 pm
People unless you are planning to boycott the Falcons than giving Mike Smith the benefit of the doubt is sound reasoning. Why? Because your choice is that our being riled up. Since the state of anger is not going to change a doggone thing then accept the hire, hope the things that are said about this guy around the league are true (not just what Smitty says) and give the guy a chance. I am hugely disappointed in this hire. I am also not so naive to think a different situation can garner different results. If anyone doesn’t believe that, than I want tickets to the fantasy world the live in because that happens everyday (and you would be a liar if you haven’t PERSONALLY experienced that in your lives). So, Koetter is our OC. Let’s see what he can do and what happens. After all, what choice do we have?
Ellis Island
January 16th, 2012
6:50 pm
If you come in 2nd place in the SEC West,
big deal.
Mark Bradley
January 16th, 2012
6:51 pm
I don’t think Mike Smith is on the hot seat. Not even close.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:52 pm
If you don’t like it (Which is done) then get off the bandwagon and lighten the load!!
Phil- Is the Hawks game over? Bobo ca
in SMITH we trust
January 16th, 2012
6:52 pm
Smith keeps having winning seasons, unlike all previous Falcon coahes.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:54 pm
Bobo can’t even do good at GA. It is good you didn’t say it.
fred w
January 16th, 2012
6:57 pm
I’m 60 miles from Jacksonville and get to see Jaguars often..That said, DK never had crap to work with except his first year here. After that the team under Re-o turn to pot. No o-line and no-d. DK will do a damn good job for Falcons and I’ll watch more Falcon games than Jaguars in future.
Hope Falcons get a good D-c. Spago would be great.
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
6:59 pm
Anyone know, where did Nick Saban end up in the rankings this year? Wasn’t it #1? And Saban, the Head Coach of the #1 team, interviewed and wanted Koetter to run his offense. And one of you bloggers want us all to believe that Saban is dumb, and you’re a genius? I’ll go with Saban’s judgement.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
7:00 pm
Mark- I agree. I have been a Falcons fan since 76 This is the best ride I have ever been on as a Falcons fan regardless of the bloggers on here. We are all arm chair QB’s and coaches at times.
But to undermine hirings before the first snap or play call is baffling to me.
We do need though a GREAT DC. That is what wins rings. That and a lot of luck.
Ellis Island
January 16th, 2012
7:01 pm
Saban should have a statue in Washington D.C.
also.
Mark Bradley
January 16th, 2012
7:02 pm
I hear you, Jeff. I’m as guilty as anyone. But I’ve kind of learned to step back and say, “Why would a man whose livelihood rides on winning and losing hire a guy if he didn’t think he’d help him win?”
Stinger2
January 16th, 2012
7:03 pm
Mark: You mentioned that this is by far Smith`s biggest hire.
Do you think it was his hire or whas it his recommendation
which was approved by Dimitroff and Blank? Based on Blank`s perception of being a micro manager type owner, its hard to believe he let Smith bring in a ned OC because of friendship.
Sid
January 16th, 2012
7:03 pm
Falcons running screens…………………OMG…….NO WAY……….!!!
Mark Bradley
January 16th, 2012
7:04 pm
I think this was Smitty’s hire, Stinger2. He’s the coach. It’s his staff.
ValientOne
January 16th, 2012
7:04 pm
Name all the coaches that took over a mediocre college team, and got it to a top 3 finish in offense, at 2 different schools, like Koetter did at Boise & ASU?