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Over the past 20 days, there has been a flurry of activity out at Redskins Park. Former head coach Mike Shanahan was fired the day after the team’s final game (December 30th) and 10 days later, Jay Gruden replaced him. Names of coaches coming and going have gotten tossed about and it can be hard to keep track.
Eight assistant coaches were let go the same day Shanahan received his pink slip: Kyle Shanahan (offensive coordinator), Bob Slowik (linebackers) and his son Bobby Slowik (defensive assistant), Keith Burns (special teams), Larry Coyer (Advance Scout), Richmond Flowers (coaching assistant), Matt LaFleur (quarterbacks) and Mike McDaniel (wide receivers).
Defensive coordinator, Jim Haslett, was not let go however. This has been a source of discussion both locally and nationally because of what people perceive as poor overall performance and stats of the defense over Haslett’s tenure here. Actually, there were people calling for his firing even in the first quarter of this past season when, after the first three games, the Redskins’ defense allowed 1,464 yards, 78 first downs and 98 points and were allowing scores on 43.2 percent of drives against them.
The first game of the season, versus the Philadelphia Eagles, was a stunner. Let it be noted: it would have been difficult for many teams to have successfully combated new head coach Chip Kelly’s offense. The Redskins’ defense allowed 263 yards rushing that day and were constantly on their heels. In their defense however (no pun intended), the offense did not do much to help, what with quarterback Robert Griffin, III having just recovered from ACL/MCL surgery and coming into his first game play since 2012 as well.
At the end of 2013, Washington’s defense ranked 18th in total yards, 27th in yards per play allowed and were tied at 30th in points allowed. But the squad played hard and made life difficult for opposing teams at times. In 2012 the unit was integral in the seven game win-streak that earned the team the NFC East division title and a shot at the playoffs.
Since Shanahan’s exit, the word is out that Haslett was not totally in control of his defense all of the time. It has been said that his was not the last word regarding the defensive play-calling during games and that he was frequently over-ruled by Shanahan on the schemes (for instance, man- versus zone-coverage) used as well.
Given that, it could be a good thing that he’s been retained. Haslett seems to have a great relationship with the players on his squad and they play hard for him. As General Manager Bruce Allen said during his press conference on the day that Shanahan was fired:
“I see some people who have to be given an opportunity to succeed.”
While Allen, at the time, was specifically addressing Scott Campbell and Morocco Brown in the personnel department, he may have also been talking about Jim Haslett.
The important thing is that the new head coach is behind the retention of the defensive coordinator. Having worked with him while they were both with the Florida Tuskers of the UFL, Gruden knows Haslett personally. But he obviously also likes what he sees in the former linebacker as a coach.
“It was a lot of issues and schematically it wasn’t the issue,” Gruden said. “It was special teams and depth issues. But to see them compete on a weekly basis. … They played well. I know a lot of offensive coaches that have a lot of respect for what coach Haslett brings and how difficult it is to go against them. I’m one of those guys.”
The team has also retained Raheem Morris as Defensive Backs Coach, Jacob Burney as Defensive Line Coach and Chris Foerster as Offensive Line Coach.
Morris, 37, will return for his third season in Washington in the same role. The Irvington, N.J. native originally joined the Redskins in that capacity on Jan. 23, 2012, after three seasons as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Burney is entering his fifth season as the Redskins’ defensive line coach in 2014. The 54-year-old Chattanooga, Tenn. native originally joined the Redskins on Jan. 19, 2010
Foerster, 52, is entering his fifth season in Washington after originally joining Washington as the team’s offensive line coach on Jan. 21, 2010. In the last two seasons, Foerster’s unit has paved the way for the Redskins to rush for 4,873 yards, the most in the NFL in that time frame. Under his tutelage, tackle Trent Williams earned Pro Bowl berths following each of the past two seasons.
Other signings so far this off-season are as follows:
Brian Baker, Outside Linebackers Coach – Has 30 years coaching experience, 18 in the NFL. Baker was with the Cleveland Browns’ in 2013 at the same position where they finished third in the AFC and ninth in the NFL in total defense (332.4 yards per game). Players that have gone to Pro Bowls when coached by him: Jay Ratliff, Julius Peppers, Kevin Williams, Robert Porcher, Luther Elliss, DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer.
Ben Kotwica (COT-wee-kuh), Special Teams Coordinator: Eighth NFL season, first seven (2007-2013) in various coaching capacities with the New York Jets’ special teams. The Jets accounted for 10 combined kick and punt return touchdowns during his time as an assistant, tied for most in the AFC and tied for second-most in the NFL. They averaged a league-best 24.6 yards per kick return in those six seasons and had a kick returner finish in the Top 5 in the NFL in kick return four times (Joe McKnight, 2011 and 2012; Brad Smith, 2010; and Leon Washington, 2007). Additionally, Kotwica helped Washington earn his first career Pro Bowl berth as a kick returner following the 2008 season.
** Kotwica is a decorated United States Army officer who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom II, serving as a Combat Attack Helicopter Commander. Played for Army from 1993-96 and was a three-year starting linebacker. He was the captain of the only 10-win team in Army history, leading the Black Knights to a 10-2 record and the program’s most recent Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in 1996.
Thank you for your service, fine sir.
Kirk Olivadotti, Inside Linebackers Coach: Olivadotti returns to the Redskins after coaching the inside linebackers at the University of Georgia from 2011-13. He spent 11 NFL seasons in Washington in various capacities from 2000-10. He began as quality control coach in 2000 and, in 2004, while he remained in quality control, he also took on a role assisting the Redskins’ special teams units. In 2006, his role expanded to working with the Redskins’ defensive line. Then, he took over as linebackers coach in 2007 where he remained until 2011.
During Olivadotti’s previous 11-season tenure with the club, the Redskins finished in the top 10 in the NFL in total defense on eight occasions. The Redskins allowed an average of 313.1 yards per game in Olivadotti’s 11 years on staff, fourth-fewest in the NFC and seventh-fewest in the NFL in that time frame.
The son of Tom Olivadotti, a long-time defensive coach in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Houston Texans; the returning coach was a four-year letter-winner as a wide receiver at Purdue from 1993-96.
Wes Phillips, Tight Ends Coach: This is Phillips’ eighth season in the NFL, having spent the first seven with the Dallas Cowboys in various coaching positions. He was tight ends coach in 2013 and previously worked with the offense in multiple roles across the 2007 to 2012 seasons. He is the son of longtime NFL coach/defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and grandson of legendary former Houston Oilers head coach, Bum Phillips.
During Wes Phillips’ seven seasons with Dallas, the team’s offense finished in the Top 10 on six occasions (2007-12). In that same seven-year span, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten led all NFL tight ends in receptions (627), receiving yards (6,961) and yards after catch (2,589), while earning five Pro Bowl berths.
Phillips, 34, played quarterback at the University of Texas-El Paso from 1999-01 and, interestingly, held a coaching position at Baylor — Griffin’s Alma mater — in 2006.
Hail.
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