Packers hire Jeff Hafley as their DC

[HSVLion]

@Mr.Peabody

Also, the bio says there was a co-defensive coordinator with Hafley. While it was Hafley’s first coordinator gig, the other guy had several stints as DC. He was the DC for the Baltimore Ravens after Rex Ryan and he was the DC at U of M and Florida.

Greg Mattison was a co-DC by title, but I struggle to figure out what he actually did at Ohio State. When Hafley left, former DBs coach Kerry Coombs was hired to replace him. Mattison stayed on as co-DC.

It was astonishing to me that all our creativity was just lost in the 2020 season. We still ran the same base formations and coverages, but we were just so vanilla in everything we did. Mattison to me came in solely to help with the front 7, and the front 7 was going to regress anyways after losing Chase Young, but Hafley’s absence with the secondary was VERY apparent.

FWIW, Hafley and Coombs were the playcallers. Mattison wasn’t.

[Dan01]

Another HC to leave college ball? Chip Kelly has been very vocal about his displeasure with the current college game.

https://twitter.com/FootballScoop/status/1753224678045311029

[Mr.Peabody]

@HSVLion

It was astonishing to me that all our creativity was just lost in the 2020 season

So you are wondering why they didn’t spend as much time teaching and practicing exotic and creative defensive schemes during covid lockdowns and a cancelled but suddenly revived at the last minute season?

The players were on lockdown thru much of what should have been team activities in the spring and early summer. The season was officially announced as cancelled in August. Then in mid-September it was announced the season would go forward in October. The team only played 5 regular season games with the constant threat of positive tests and missing players and coaches. All normal human interactions in football facilities were altered.

A visual reminder of what 2020 was like. This is from the opening game of Ohio State’s season.

[CuriousHusker]

Is it weird of me to think DC of GB is every bit as good of a job as HC of BC. Money may be a bit worse but there’s a decently high degree of parlaying it into a head gig.

[HSVLion]

@Mr.Peabody

So you are wondering why they didn’t spend as much time teaching and practicing exotic and creative defensive schemes during covid lockdowns and a cancelled but suddenly revived at the last minute season?

I mean, we clearly taught and practiced exotic and creative schemes on the offensive side of the ball.

And I might be wrong for thinking it’s not crazy to have some of the same stuff installed when a co-DC returns from the season prior, where exotic looks were run semi-regularly (Greg Mattison).

All of my playing experience and 99.9999% of my knowledge of football has to do with offense, so there’s a really good chance I just don’t know how much harder it is to teach and install defensively.

[JerseyJungle]

@HSVLion

The Packers getting Okudah somehow would not shock me at all this offseason.

So his shtick at OSU was just let the players play. So letting Okudah just go out and play like Okudah? I’m all for it! Let him replace Jaire.

[Mr.Peabody]

@HSVLion

@Mr.Peabody

So you are wondering why they didn’t spend as much time teaching and practicing exotic and creative defensive schemes during covid lockdowns and a cancelled but suddenly revived at the last minute season?

I mean, we clearly taught and practiced exotic and creative schemes on the offensive side of the ball.

And I might be wrong for thinking it’s not crazy to have some of the same stuff installed when a co-DC returns from the season prior, where exotic looks were run semi-regularly (Greg Mattison).

All of my playing experience and 99.9999% of my knowledge of football has to do with offense, so there’s a really good chance I just don’t know how much harder it is to teach and install defensively.

I don’t think this is an offensive mind vs defensive mind disagreement. This is an NFL vs college disagreement. No matter which side of the ball, college is a game where you “out athlete” the opponent. And when matched up against a similar opponent in terms of talent, the playcalls make the difference.

The best way to view the NFL is playing a game against yourself. You know what the other guy is going to do and how to stop it. He knows what you are going to do and how to stop it. You can’t rely on one version of yourself being bigger, faster, stronger than the other. So the version of you that will have the upper hand is the one that is the most committed to teaching the details of how to execute the plan. Another advantage can come from having a better understanding of the timing of certain concepts.

It takes time to master these concepts enough to be a long term effective coordinator. Guys with Hafley’s resume don’t tend to succeed because they see the game as “acquire talent and call the right plays.” They don’t see how similar the talent is in the NFL, nor do they see the play within the play that is the difference in NFL football.