JGMcD2 Posted February 10 Posted February 10 (edited) This is a pretty niche role that doesn't get a ton of coverage, but here are some potential options: These names are currently employed as and have experience as Assistant Special Teams coaches on top units in the league: Jett Modkins - Detroit Lions (2021 - 2024) Son of Curtis Modkins (Bills OC under Chan Gailey) and is an original member of Dan Campbell's staff He received an interview for the 49ers ST Coordinator role that was filled by Ben Boyer Sam Koch - Baltimore Ravens (2022 - 2024) Former All-Pro and Pro Bowl Punter for Baltimore Been on staff dating back to 2022 Andy Hill - Kansas City Chiefs (2020 - 2024) Formerly at Mizzou for nearly 30 years, brought on to work under Dave Toub who is considered the preeminent ST Coordinator in the NFL today Former ST Coordinators who are available: Chris Tabor Most recently Carolina ST coordinator (2022 - 2023) but has stints with Cleveland (2011 - 2017) and Chicago (2018 - 2021) Ranked as the 2nd best ST coordinator via a poll conducted by the NFLPA after the 2023 season Ben Kotwica Most recently Denver ST coordinator (2023 - 2024) but has stints with Jets (2013), Commanders (2014 - 2018) and Falcons (2019 - 2020) Darren Rizzi Most recently New Orleans ST coordinator/Interim Head Coach (2019 - 2024) Ranked as the 5th best ST coordinator via a poll conducted by the NFLPA after the 2023 season This seems unlikely as many are connecting him to the open vacancy in Denver reuniting him with Sean Payton Seems VERY unlikely, but looking at the college options: Joe DeCamillis Currently Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at South Carolina 2x Super Bowl Champion with a ton of NFL experience Unlikely to make the jump as he's making $800k at South Carolina LeVar Woods Currently the Special Teams Coordinator at Iowa Former NFL Linebacker and Special Teams standout Iowa is the only place he has ever coached, making $700k Pete Lembo Current University of Buffalo Head Coach Special Teams Coordinator at Maryland, Rice and South Carolina before dipping back into the Head Coach ranks Nominated multiple times for the Broyles Award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. Feels unlikely, but we've seen college head coaches leave their post for lesser roles in recent years with NIL creating a massive gap Jeff Hafley left a head coaching job at Boston College -- with three years left on his contract -- to become an NFL defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. Chip Kelly left one Big Ten job for another. The surprise being he gave up a head coaching job at UCLA to become an offensive coordinator at new conference rival Ohio State. Kelly was nine months removed from having his contract extended at UCLA. Two head coaches at the Group of Five level left to become coordinators at Alabama: Kane Wommack (South Alabama) and Maurice Linguist (Buffalo). Another Group of Five head coach, Shawn Elliott of Georgia State, left to become mostly a position coach at South Carolina. Jerry Kill, who gave up his head coaching job at New Mexico State after a 10-win season to become a consultant at Vanderbilt. Edited February 10 by JGMcD2 5 1 6 Quote
RyanC883 Posted February 10 Posted February 10 23 hours ago, TBBills Fan said: McD said he would be back. I for one am glad he is gone makes you wonder what happened? 1 Quote
Richard Noggin Posted February 11 Posted February 11 14 hours ago, JGMcD2 said: This is a pretty niche role that doesn't get a ton of coverage, but here are some potential options: These names are currently employed as and have experience as Assistant Special Teams coaches on top units in the league: Jett Modkins - Detroit Lions (2021 - 2024) Son of Curtis Modkins (Bills OC under Chan Gailey) and is an original member of Dan Campbell's staff He received an interview for the 49ers ST Coordinator role that was filled by Ben Boyer Sam Koch - Baltimore Ravens (2022 - 2024) Former All-Pro and Pro Bowl Punter for Baltimore Been on staff dating back to 2022 Andy Hill - Kansas City Chiefs (2020 - 2024) Formerly at Mizzou for nearly 30 years, brought on to work under Dave Toub who is considered the preeminent ST Coordinator in the NFL today Former ST Coordinators who are available: Chris Tabor Most recently Carolina ST coordinator (2022 - 2023) but has stints with Cleveland (2011 - 2017) and Chicago (2018 - 2021) Ranked as the 2nd best ST coordinator via a poll conducted by the NFLPA after the 2023 season Ben Kotwica Most recently Denver ST coordinator (2023 - 2024) but has stints with Jets (2013), Commanders (2014 - 2018) and Falcons (2019 - 2020) Darren Rizzi Most recently New Orleans ST coordinator/Interim Head Coach (2019 - 2024) Ranked as the 5th best ST coordinator via a poll conducted by the NFLPA after the 2023 season This seems unlikely as many are connecting him to the open vacancy in Denver reuniting him with Sean Payton Seems VERY unlikely, but looking at the college options: Joe DeCamillis Currently Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at South Carolina 2x Super Bowl Champion with a ton of NFL experience Unlikely to make the jump as he's making $800k at South Carolina LeVar Woods Currently the Special Teams Coordinator at Iowa Former NFL Linebacker and Special Teams standout Iowa is the only place he has ever coached, making $700k Pete Lembo Current University of Buffalo Head Coach Special Teams Coordinator at Maryland, Rice and South Carolina before dipping back into the Head Coach ranks Nominated multiple times for the Broyles Award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. Feels unlikely, but we've seen college head coaches leave their post for lesser roles in recent years with NIL creating a massive gap Jeff Hafley left a head coaching job at Boston College -- with three years left on his contract -- to become an NFL defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. Chip Kelly left one Big Ten job for another. The surprise being he gave up a head coaching job at UCLA to become an offensive coordinator at new conference rival Ohio State. Kelly was nine months removed from having his contract extended at UCLA. Two head coaches at the Group of Five level left to become coordinators at Alabama: Kane Wommack (South Alabama) and Maurice Linguist (Buffalo). Another Group of Five head coach, Shawn Elliott of Georgia State, left to become mostly a position coach at South Carolina. Jerry Kill, who gave up his head coaching job at New Mexico State after a 10-win season to become a consultant at Vanderbilt. Well this is a mighty fine list you've categorized for us. You manage to make most of them sound to me like potential slam dunks. I keep wanting to prefer the assistant ST coaches in the top section, but the next two groups probably have comparable merit. I could be talked into any of them tbh. Your work on establishing precedent for college HCs leaving their posts for lesser roles in the NFL is 🤌 1 1 Quote
Old Coot Posted February 11 Posted February 11 On 2/9/2025 at 12:12 PM, Roundybout said: Goodbye, loser. Rejoicing at another's misfortune. I'll bet the Germans even have a word for that. Quote
ndirish1978 Posted February 11 Posted February 11 Happy they made the right decision in the end and made a change Quote
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted February 11 Posted February 11 (edited) Blocked punts and FGs were far too often, and i felt like fakes always worked on us and our own fakes were... largely terrible. Needed a change here. It's also an area of frequent rule changes and rule tweaking - and we always seemed somewhat behind the 8-ball in innovation. Edited February 11 by Bleeding Bills Blue 1 Quote
hondo in seattle Posted February 11 Posted February 11 On 2/9/2025 at 7:33 PM, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said: I find it hilarious that our last 5 playoff losses are due to the defense playing like absolute garbage and McD's response has been to fire 2 special team coaches. We've yet to fire a defensive coordinator under McD. Ok, ok, Farwell wasn't 'fired' per se, we just didn't renew his contract. Reading between the lines McD blamed him for the 13 second meltdown. Smiley was not good as ST coach, but I'd love to see this type of accountability for our defensive minded HC / DC's I hear you but what do you expect McD do? Fire himself? Fire Beane for not giving him better talent? Fire the trainer for not keeping defenders healthy? Quote
Solomon Grundy Posted February 11 Posted February 11 On 2/9/2025 at 12:12 PM, TBBills Fan said: McD said he would be back. I for one am glad he is gone McDermott speaks with split tongue 1 Quote
TheWeatherMan Posted February 12 Posted February 12 Additional by subtraction…dudes a complete bum and shoulda been canned before mid season. Quote
HomeskillitMoorman Posted February 12 Posted February 12 On 2/9/2025 at 11:42 AM, JohnNord said: I was really surprised to hear McDermott commit to Smiley at the press conference. Say what you will about him, but McDermott usually makes good decisions about his staff. When there’s a unit that struggles badly, he almost always moves on from that assistant. 2017 - Rick Dennison 2018 - Danny Crossman/Juan Castillo 2021 - Bobby Johnson 2023 - Ken Dorsey Didn't the D struggle for years in big games when we had Frazier and he kept him? Also ST were terrible in '23-'24 and he still kept Smiley. Quote
TBBills Fan Posted February 12 Posted February 12 16 hours ago, Solomon Grundy said: McDermott speaks with split tongue Heard the ladies love that 1 Quote
T master Posted February 12 Posted February 12 On 2/9/2025 at 11:09 AM, SoonerBillsFan said: Thank you God! Now the 50,000 question,who is out there that is an outstanding ST coach? I say pay whatever needs to be paid to get a dang good one in here. I agree but it hurt them when they had to let the corp players on ST's walk that they did in Matakevich & Neal plus a few lessor players that still had good production on ST's . I think Neal should have been one that they should have kept because he was not only a good Teams player but he helped out on the back end of the defense too which could have helped a lot this season with Rapp being hurt . There has to be someone out there that Beane has their eye on i hope anyway ... Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.