New DC assistant hired / Carolina ReTread

[Doc Brown]

Panthers defense was pretty aggressive in the few games I saw.  Maybe it’s a positive hire.

[Augie]

34 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Leslie Frazier not from Carolina.

 

It may be in his retirement future. We are new to this, but it may come full circle. My sons were born in the Carolinas. Just sayin’……

[schoolhouserock]

Holcomb has been a DC before - on two different teams.

 

This is the exact opposite of desperation. It is forward thinking/contingency planning. Frazier won’t be here for forever.

 

I don’t see how folks think this is a bad hiring.

[MrEpsYtown]

I mean I like his hire. Dude is a good coach and knows what McDermott wants. He developed Thomas Davis, Kuechly, Shaq Thompson. When he was with the Browns Joe Shobert had his best year and turned it into a huge contract. 
 

Like Joe Danna, Al Holcomb is a guy who learned a bunch under Perry Fewell, so more than being a Carolina guy, he’s a Ron Rivera-Lovie Smith guy in that Tampa 2 world. 
 

Honestly I think it could be one of two things..either Holcomb is being brought in to help implement some more of McDermotts stuff waiting to replace, or he is there to assist Frazier, essentially doubling down on it. With these hires you are probably getting further away from the Jim Johnson world and closer to the Tony Dungy world. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by MrEpsYtown

[ghostwriter]

2 hours ago, balln said:

Hey remember beane traded for kelvin benjamin! Hahahahahhahahahahhahaha

[BigAl2526]

I don't see this as desperation or insanity.  I think it's quite logical.  Holcomb is very familiar with McDermott's defensive scheme.  This tells me that McDermott is absolutely committed to pursuing and tweaking the defensive scheme he has always used.  Frazier, I think, has brought his own biases to the scheme.  I think bringing Holcomb in actually shortens the leash a bit on Frazier.  McDermott is actually saying to Frazier, "We're going to run this a little more like I used to run Carolina's defense."  Specifically, I think that means being a bit more aggressive.  McDermott is not into heavy blitzing, but I think he is inclined to do a little more than Frazier is, following the thinking of his mentor who coached defense for the Philadelphia Eagles, Jim Johnson.

  

[WideNine]

2 hours ago, JackKemp said:

Well to me this is a move to add a new voice and outsider who may have some fresh eyes on our defensive system. It may also mean Frazier is on his way out by next year. 

 

This is a reasonable take.

 

Giving Frazier the boot after a string of playoff embarrassments is just not how this team operates.

 

However, if OBD has come to the conclusion that some changes are needed, then this is the kind of first step they would make.

 

It will be interesting to see how much Frazier is willing to give up - doubt we will know, but game planning has to be better, player prep better, and game day adjustments quicker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Jerry Jabber said:

McDermott is lining this guy up be the new DC in 2024. Guess the writing is on the wall for Frazier.

If you know he's horrible and you know he's done then why waste a final year with him calling the same crap?

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, schoolhouserock said:

Holcomb has been a DC before - on two different teams.

 

This is the exact opposite of desperation. It is forward thinking/contingency planning. Frazier won’t be here for forever.

 

I don’t see how folks think this is a bad hiring.

Frazier shouldn't be here tomorrow.  Why are we tiptoeing thru an obvious firing and replacement.  Good Lord enough of this adorable loyalty crap. Slap a pink slip on his ass.

[chongli]

3 hours ago, Augie said:

If we joined the ‘72 Dolphins as the only other undefeated team and SB Champs, our strength of schedule would be too weak, and our point differential would be disappointing. 

 

 

With some….. 

 

There needs to be a "confused" icon in the choices for reactions. 😃

[Starr Almighty]

2 hours ago, JGMcD2 said:

You made the comment they have a tough time going out of their comfort zone/circle with the Carolina connection. You really want me to do this?

 

The Bills have 26 members listed under their coaching staff (not including McDermott)… Al Holcomb will be #27. 
 

These are the guys who crossed over in Carolina (6):

 

Ken Dorsey

Bobby Babich

Mike Shula 

Eric Washington

Matt Worswick

Al Holcomb

 

These are the guys who don’t have any Carolina connection (21): 

 

Leslie Frazier

Matthew Smiley

Rob Boras 

Joe Brady

John Butler

Joe Danna 

Chad Hall

Aaron Kromer 

Jaylon Finner

Austin Gund

Cory Harkey 

Marc Lubick

Kyle Shurmur 

Kelly Skipper

Ryan Wendell

Marcus West

Eric Ciano

Will Greenberg 

Hal Luther 

Nick Lacy

Jason Oszvart

Looking at the front office quick… they have 9 people with VP, Director or Assistant Director titles in football operations. 

 

No Carolina connection (9):

 

Jim Overdorf

Kevin Meganck

Brian Gaine

Terrance Gray

Malik Boyd

Matt Bazirgan

Lake Dawson

Chris Marrow

Curtus Rukavina 

 

So what? 36 people across coaching and football operations and 6 of them have ties to Carolina. 

 

Could also point to people like Dan Morgan (SEA), Joe Schoen (NYG) and Brian Daboll (NYG) as guys outside their comfort zone who were brought in to fill roles on the staff. There’s also David Culley, Bobby Johnson, Shea Tierney, Bob Babich, Jim Salgado, Danny Crossman and Heath Farwell. 
 

 

You might want to read this

https://theathletic.com/3169524/2022/03/09/joe-brady-wasnt-the-bills-first-choice-but-hiring-him-as-their-new-qbs-coach-is-a-coup/

 

[BillsFan4]

3 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Here is what I believe they desperately wanted to add Steve Wilkes to the staff the 49ers gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse…Bills went with plan B his defensive coordinator 

this could be true. It would make sense. I was hoping they'd offer Wilks the DC job. Maybe they did? The 49ers DC job has proven to be a quick way to a head coaching job, where as Buffalo's DC will always be in the shadow of McDermott. Even if buffalo offered Wilks the DC job I could see where he would pick SF.

 

I am not disappointed by this hire nor do i think it reeks of desperation. I actually think it might show Frazier's seat is getting hot.

 

I really don't get why so many are so upset by this hire. They aren't going to bring in someone who runs a completely different defense than what the head coach ran or what the current DC runs. Our problem on defense isn't McDermott's defensive system anyway IMO (which has proven to work with 3 different teams now - Philly, Carolina and Buffalo. Anyone who thinks MCDermott played it as safe as Frazier as a DC needs to go back and watch his defenses before he got to Buffalo). It's frazier's tendency to play it so safe and his inability to adjust in game. Maybe Holcomb will help? Or even possibly replace Frazier if he's unable to make the adjustments McDermott may want.

 

I know people wanted Frazier fired. But it hasn't happened. At least Adding someone like Holcomb could help bring changes to the defense.

[LeGOATski]

I think we can assume Frazier's on the hot seat. This is another guy who knows the defense inside-out and can step right in if they don't like what they see from Frazier early on.

 

 

Not sure how "desperation" plays a part in it. It'd be desperation if, for instance, they fired Frazier in week 2 and just grabbed the first warm body available.

[Bferra13]

3 hours ago, JackKemp said:

Well to me this is a move to add a new voice and outsider who may have some fresh eyes on our defensive system. It may also mean Frazier is on his way out by next year. 

Yeah, but to be replaced by this jabroni? 🤢 

[somnus00]

I hear his responsibility will be to pick a play out of a hat on third and long.

[PBF81]

4 hours ago, balln said:

Hey remember beane traded for kelvin benjamin! Hahahahahhahahahahhahaha

 

Benjamin, they grossly overpaid for Lotulolei, McD hired Beane from there, and I think at least two more players.

 

It's gotten ridiculous.

[Richard Noggin]

2 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

This hiring is so embarrassing in so many ways I can't even comment anymore.  What the hell is McD thinking. Your DC has struggled in the playoffs.  He runs the exact same scheme using no adjustments ever. He doesn't have enough pass rush for this flawed scheme to even work. So let's turn to our beloved sister team for more random help that doesn't solve the problem. Is there a combo vomit-face palm-eye roll emoji?

 

How was Carolina's defense following the Rhule firing? 

 

Take a moment to be an adult and breathe, think, and NOT vomit all over others.

 

And of course, this could be Frazier's 2024 replacement. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Richard Noggin

[gobills1212]

This feels like a balln troll thread and nothing more. Its like he just discovered the buttons on the keyboard type words

 

 

[Pirate Angel]

7 hours ago, balln said:

I mean ….. your head HC is a defensive coach. You don’t fire your DC….. so why hire a senior defensive coach????? It’s bizarre 

Don’t need a bandaid ! Need an overhaul !

Fraziers contract is up so there is no need to fire him...This may be his replacement so they can keep the scheme. 

[davefan66]

8 hours ago, balln said:

Beane traded for a Carolina panther  kelvin Benjamin for a 3rd and a 7th on a rebuilding team and then released him the very next year 

And?  What does this have to do with adding a guy to help bolster our defensive staff?  
 

If it’s pointing out what a failure Beane is as GM?  Doesn’t work.