Fire Boudreau, hire Nolan: A productive day for the Falcons
Paul Boudreau had early success here, but less lately. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Remember Mike Smith, the dullard who’d rather hang out with his old coaching pals than do something like, oh, maybe win a Super Bowl? Turns out he’s not so wild about his old pals that he’ll let that bond stand in the way of progress.
Smitty the alleged dullard — so alleged for having hired Dirk Koetter, with whom he worked a year in Jacksonville, as offensive coordinator — just fired Paul Boudreau, the offensive line coach whose success in 2008 helped get the whole Smith-as-Falcons-coach operation off the ground. And then he turned around and hired Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator.
Pretty instructive day, I’d say. First the Falcons make a move they needed to make. (As noted, GM Thomas Dimitroff wasn’t pleased that his smallish line couldn’t produce the push required to make it on fourth-and-inches twice against the Giants.) The Boudreau Method — coaching up smallish-but-bullish O-linemen — had run its course. Time to find a new man. And now the Falcons will.
As for Nolan: He was one of the two hottest DCs on the market, Steve Spagnuolo being the other. Nolan could have had his pick of jobs. He picked this one. That’s another good sign, and one very productive day.
By Mark Bradley
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127 comments Add your comment
Rickster
January 17th, 2012
5:02 pm
Mark… just curious. Did you happen to pick the Packers over the Giants this past weekend?
rivercard
January 17th, 2012
5:02 pm
Radio talk which is often no better than gossip.
Rickster
January 17th, 2012
5:03 pm
Wow. First on page 2 two threads in a row!
Kramer
January 17th, 2012
5:12 pm
Only in the south would race be interjected into a discussion about a great hire. What a bunch of losers.
Nicely done Smitty, TD and Blank. Now we need to address the OL coach, QB coach, and get some big boys on the line to make those 4th and 1’s.
FalconJim
January 17th, 2012
5:12 pm
Could be a good hire……we’ll see.
And, Mr. Nolan, we need some SERIOUS help in our secondary, and pass rush. Could you please fix those two things first??? Thank You!!!
Heisenberg
January 17th, 2012
5:22 pm
Jim Caldwell is available for the QB coach position. Once you stop laughing, consider that is what he was before being the HC of the IC. What other names might be out there to help get Ryan to the next level?
marko
January 17th, 2012
5:22 pm
Nolan’s a great hire. I feel bad about Boudreau. I think he over estimated how talented his reserves really were. I think Smitty and Thomas were led to believe that the line could get the job done with the parts it had in place. Poor Paul made the mistake of believing in his guys. Guess the jokes on him. I bet the next guy doesn’t make the same mistake. While I’m making predictions, best guess , the dudes that cost Boudreau the use of his paycheck won’t be far behind.
Charleston Jacket
January 17th, 2012
5:23 pm
Be interesting to see if other coaching changes and what player personnel changes will transpire over the winter and spring. Still puzzled over the OC hire.
GM R
January 17th, 2012
5:26 pm
The Falcons front office finally woke up. You have to be aggressive against the quality QBs, make them hurry. Also dump the soft zone on 3rd downs – if your secondary can’t cover man to man replace them. Not so happy about the new OC but at least the need for screen passing is recognized. The Ravens and 49ers proved you don’t need a stellar QB – but you do need a line that can block.
Charleston Jacket
January 17th, 2012
5:26 pm
May want to think about a running back that can “gut out” those 4th and 1’s. As Dandy Don Meridith proclaimed on MNF years ago – When it is 4th and goal you don’t hand off to a milk drinker (or words to that effect)
Paddy
January 17th, 2012
5:26 pm
If you still think defense wins championships you are not watching the same games that I am. Great offense wins championships. You get alot of moral victories with defense. You get “Rings” with offense. If you have both you win almost evey game. If you don’t believe, go look at Mike Ditka’s comments on how the NFL has changed in the last 4-5 years.
Heisenberg
January 17th, 2012
5:29 pm
Uh Paddy, 2 of the high powered offenses lost last week and the third stands a good chance of getting knocked out this weekend. 3 of the 4 finanlists are old fashioned defense and ground game.
Stinger2
January 17th, 2012
5:48 pm
Mark: Where do you draw the line on comments such as those made by Great Sign and then rivercard?
I thought you and the other AJC writers did not tolerate such and screened them out.
ibelieve
January 17th, 2012
5:56 pm
The GM will not sign Nicks, because he was a black dot coming out of college, along with TE GRAHAM, LB 49ers BOWMAN and the list goes on.
rivercard
January 17th, 2012
6:00 pm
Stinger2 – My comment merely was pointing out the stupidity of KJ and Great Sign injecting race into this blog. Probably shouldn’t have said anything at all.
Stinger2
January 17th, 2012
6:12 pm
rivercard: I realize you did not start it. Sorry I mentioned you.
COYS
January 17th, 2012
6:14 pm
Hope Saints don’t get Spags.
rivercard
January 17th, 2012
6:19 pm
Stinger2- No problem. Again, I probably should have left it alone.
Ron Roberts
January 17th, 2012
6:19 pm
So lemme get this right; the GM drafts or snags, via free agency, “smallish” linemen, then isn’t pleased that the o-line coach can’t get the push needed on short yardage situations?
Sure, fire the chef when your grocery bags come with bad ingredients. Got it.
tony
January 17th, 2012
6:26 pm
the falcons need championship assistent coaches not a experimentalist
Son Of Bart
January 17th, 2012
6:35 pm
Nespotistic, incestuous hire. All Mike Smith knows how to do. Hire your former “yes men”. Fire Mike Smith. Sorry fans, two more years of the “same ‘ole — same ‘ole”. Take Dimitroff with you…idiot. And Blank as well. It is incomprehensible the absolute stupidity of these hires.
72 Million Bust
January 17th, 2012
6:35 pm
now stop using the Ravens defense excuse!
bigdon
January 17th, 2012
6:41 pm
I’m liking the Nolan hire, but don’t feel love for the Koetter hire. Seems like SOS, just a different dude. time will tell. Hopefully El Sid will get to play a little more next year. Don’t know what he did wrong, but I did notice he was in 3rd place with sacks at 4 although he played squatola for time. Every time I watch him the dude seems to be busting it. WE DO need some large charles’s on both lines. Look at the T-bones on teh Ravens’ lines and compare us with Beerman (Who I’m tired of them trotting out) and Joe Hawley. Really? Six 2 or 3 and 290 something? Really? Have you seen that guys arms? They are flacid at best. And nobody has mentined Ben Jones as a replacement center for Todd McClure. And I am starting to believe Matt Ryan has arm deficiencies. And I know Micheal Turner is low on air pressure in his tires. And Roddie White needs to cut back on the blunts so he can catch the ball.
Nativebird
January 17th, 2012
7:09 pm
Bierman? Bierman? Bierman is the answer to our pass rush problems? Are you freaking kidding me? Here’s hoping that mike Nolan will come in and immediately identify this fraud of an NFL calibur DE that he is and send him packing. 10to 1 says this hack reality TV self promoting fraud doesn’t even make another teams practice squad. Bierman and his fellow Arena league and Canadian league level football players masquerading as NFL professionals is the problem.
Delbert D.
January 17th, 2012
7:09 pm
“Outstanding” is my vote on the Nolan hire.
Dawglasville
January 17th, 2012
7:27 pm
Kramer – “Only in the south would race be interjected into a discussion about a great hire. What a bunch of losers.”
That is as ignorant as the other comments. Why don’t you just call us crackers. You need to look at the stats on hate crimes and where they occur in this country. Black and white have lived in the south together for a very long time. I think we are pretty comfortable together. Now, if you don’t like the south, as the late Lewis Grizzard would say, “Delta is ready when you are.”
That said, great hire and fire again. We fans are a little fickle on the offensive line. UGA had plenty of beef on the line and now, “we need to get more athletic.” The Falcons had plenty of athletes on the line and now, “we need to get more beef.” We need to figure out our playing philosophy and build around it.
layinlow
January 17th, 2012
7:29 pm
It’s clear to me that the real problem with this team is a lack of talent at many key positions. For the life of me I can’t understand why thomas dimitroff is getting a free pass and all of these assistant coaches are being made the scapegoats. Is it paul bordreau’s fault that TD drafted all these OL bust- sam baker, mike johnson, hawley, garret reynolds, etc. We have needed another pass rusher opposite Abraham ever since dimitroff arrived and he has delivered nothing. Ditto for a young starting corner to groom- chris owens? lol. How about two of his big free agent acquisitions? Dunta Robinson is an overpaid bust and how about ray edwards? Where is the blame for the general manager?
Jimmy The Greek
January 17th, 2012
7:33 pm
I told you this years back but all you busted my ash for telling the truth. Not one of you came to my defense because just as Col Nathan Jessup said…”you can’t handle the truth”.
Throw the damn ball to Julio!
Perspective
January 17th, 2012
7:41 pm
Nice hire. Feel like a bit less wait and see than OC. I agree with layinlow that issue now will be alent at key positions. With limited draft choices and many fairly key free agents it will be a challenge to get playmakers on D and O-line
Son Of Bart
January 17th, 2012
7:52 pm
Dumb incestuous hire after dumber incestuous hire. Falcons 6-10 2012. At best.
John
January 17th, 2012
8:01 pm
Welcome Coach Smith. Glad to have you aboard… I’ve been a great admirer of your work. I believe that by adding you to coach the defense that the Falcons now become a true Super Bowl contender.
Good Luck You Mighty Birds of Prey.
John
January 17th, 2012
8:07 pm
I hear you complaining SOB. Can you offer some solutions instead? If we get rid of Arthur Blank, will you plop down the money to purchase this franchise? Probably not….. Stop your complaining and go back to your job as a street sweeper.
wait until next year
January 17th, 2012
8:10 pm
The offensive line was built for a cutback running scheme that the Falcons haven’t used in years. Perhaps, they can get one that works best with Michael Turners or considering his age, the back that will replace him. As for those fourth and short mishaps, it proved just how much the Falcons missed Ovie Mughelli clearing a path.
As for Mike Nolan, Van Gorder took the current group about as far as it could go. He did a pretty good job of covering up their weaknesses but he was pretty much out of tricks. Time for some new blood and new tricks.
Don
January 17th, 2012
8:49 pm
Get rid of Mike Smith and Matt Ryan Tim Tebow has more playoffs wins dosent matter what COS u bring in Matt Ryan suck and Joe Flacco will be in the Bowl!
tyger
January 17th, 2012
8:54 pm
O-Line Scapegoats:
With their second playoff win on the line, with 2 min left and driving, the Houston Texans could not get a 1/3 of a yard against the Baltimore Ravens. Sound familiar?
Wonder why?
1. All of a sudden their 300 lb. behemoths became Eunuchs…
2. The Houston O-line coach is incompetent…
3. The Ravens don’t play that $hit…
No. 3 is most likely correct. At this time of year, especially w/o trickery, these defenses are awesome. The Giants, like the Ravens, are not going to let anyone stuff it down their throats.
You are kidding yourself and sounding increasingly delusional.
Blank's Brain
January 17th, 2012
8:54 pm
Paul Dunn will be promoted to offensive line coach.
Iowahorse
January 17th, 2012
8:55 pm
Good hire. I like this move.
Great Sign
January 17th, 2012
9:00 pm
People always have to think something is racist when you say “black” or “white”
Wake up and stop being ignorant because it is obvious that your thought process needs to expand and outside of the box. I’m just being honest that the Falcons need another black O-lineman. What is wrong with signing/drafting a black O-lineman?
Stop pulling out the racist card and use your brain that you are wasting
Dawglasville
January 17th, 2012
9:16 pm
Great Sign – Wow. Good night.
RA
January 17th, 2012
10:38 pm
Bradley and Schulz agree on this hire? Sounds like a winner to me.
Getaway
January 17th, 2012
11:07 pm
I have no problem with these coaching hires. Coordinator positions are always in flux anyway. Successful franchises are ones that have stablilty in the GM and HC positions, regardless of how many playoff games are won in the first few years.
I think the Falcons are getting there. It’s pretty obvious that improvements have to be made on both the lines for this team to advance. But this is not going to be an easy or single season fix.
Why???
January 17th, 2012
11:25 pm
It’s funny how fans of a team that’s NEVER WON ANYTHING get on a blog and gripe about who the OC and DC is. Be a real friggin fan, support the team through thick and thin, and stop being a bunch of female dogs!! Be glad you arent the Browns, or the Jags! My goodness….
Bipolardawg
January 17th, 2012
11:52 pm
To be honest l like 3-4 defense just look The Baltimore Ravens
dawgforlife
January 17th, 2012
11:58 pm
kramer….been to NY city…been to Atlanta…prefer Atlanta…as the gentleman said, go back home where everyone loves everyone….oh wait let me make just as ridiculous a comment…only someone from the north would be that buffoonish and rude…my apologies to people from the northern mid-west. Ya’ll are a pretty level headed bunch all in all.
Tree rollins
January 18th, 2012
12:07 am
At least one half of the team got a better coach! The half that wasn’t the real problem. Better be glad we got anything better after that first hire. Pariah Jerry’s going to be a great guy in the middle of that 3-4 (not). Ok Thomas, now step up your game – don’t trade away your entire draft to move up 15 or 20 slots.
Tree rollins
January 18th, 2012
12:11 am
Someone asked Belichek if the team missed Dimitroff in New England – he spit on the sidewalk and grunted “who’s that?” and walked on by!
Timmy
January 18th, 2012
12:19 am
I don’t care about offensive or defensive … I need Matt Ryan to step it up. Stop thinking so much and turn it loose. You’re not Peyton Manning … Start making some plays. If he can’t get it done, then it’s time to start over. Just sayin … by the way, I do care about the offensive and defensive lines, I just need my quarterback to step it up!!! I want to believe it Matt Ryan. I just need to see it!!!
cmc
January 18th, 2012
12:43 am
great choice…good move…BOTH the firing and the hiring…the offensive line was awful on so many levels this year and much of the struggles on offense at times I felt was tied to them..let’s find us another winner and get this team blocking again
Tree rollins
January 18th, 2012
1:10 am
And what is it that Rich McKay does again? I’m told his main duties now are to rub talcum powder on Arthur’s arse whenever Arthur pee’s himself during the exciting parts of the games.
clay
January 18th, 2012
4:10 am
So who do you think they will hire as the new QB coach?