Peter Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 It looks like they are discovering the real Greggo in DC. Greggo's arrogance and losing his players Some money quotes: " I asked a Redskins player what he thought of defensive guru Gregg Williams, and he said, "Arrogant. Thinks he invented the wheel." "I think guys are fed up, man," the Redskins player said. "This is what I heard. Guys are talking. They're saying that's why Gregg started losing the team in Buffalo. Because guys got sick of it, sick of getting disrespected. There's a difference between being hard and coaching and disrespecting people all the time and calling people out. He started calling three or four guys out in the team meeting the Saturday night before the Philadelphia game. Just calling certain guys out for certain behavior and this and that. We're talking about 12 hours before the game, and you're calling different guys out for stuff? On- and off-the-field stuff? Just talking mess, going through your rant or whatever. Man, look, guys are getting fed up. And they're saying, a lot of guys in Buffalo, his last year in Buffalo, a lot of guys started popping back to him, popping off to him. Because you can't be a Buddy Ryan anymore in this league. You can't do it. Gregg Williams, I don't understand. They're so arrogant around here, they think they can stop the run in Cover 2. When it's an obvious running down, he calls Cover 2. That's a seven-man front. They're going to get 4 yards a carry every time. There might be some games where, hey, we're playing the crap out of the run in Cover 2. Well, that's great. Then, you call it. But when you're getting gashed Cover 2, Cover 2, and they come out in two tight ends, two running backs, and one wide receiver and we're in Cover 2. … And if we don't call Cover 2, we blitz. And you live by the blitz, you die by the blitz." To be specific, Redskins defenders, particularly in the secondary, have regressed, Taylor being the main culprit. Out of the University of Miami, Taylor was arguably the most-talented cover safety to enter the league in years. His first preseason game, he intercepted two passes, returning one for a score. But he's been tinkered with so much now, Redskins players say he no longer plays on instinct. A lot of Taylor's woes can be traced a lot to the hiring of Steve Jackson as Redskins safety coach. Jackson came with Williams from Buffalo, where he was a lower-level defensive coach, and Jackson supposedly was hurt when Williams chose DeWayne Walker as his main secondary coach in 2003 and 2004. He wanted the job himself, and when Walker left after the 2005 season, he assumed he'd get it. But Williams' old defensive coordinator in Buffalo, Jerry Gray, had just become available, and Williams hired him. Jackson was ticked. So Williams threw him a bone, a bone which has literally torn up the secondary. He made Jackson safeties coach and Gray cornerbacks coach and allowed Jackson to run his own meetings. That means that the Redskins' safeties and corners do not meet together, which is practically unheard of. "Talk to any coach in the league, and ask them, 'Have you ever heard of corners and safeties not meeting together?'" the Redskins player says. "They'd say, 'What are you talking about?' That's crazy. But ever since minicamps, OTAs, training camp, we hadn't met as a secondary. On the field, the corners will start making a call or doing something, and the safeties will be, 'What are you talking about? We didn't go over that.' So now the corners are expecting help in certain situations, and the safeties aren't getting there in time. And people got beat in the secondary. "Everybody was saying they had to start meeting together. So the last three weeks they have. But 40 percent of the time Steven Jackson's not in the meeting. Because he pouts, because Jerry's running the meeting." On the field, Jackson's (and presumably Williams') techniques aren't working, either. The innovators of Cover 2, such as Monte Kiffin and Tony Dungy, want their safeties staying deep, 2 yards inside the numbers and staying squared up. They want them reading the quarterback and breaking downhill on everything. But Jackson began teaching Taylor and Co. not to read the quarterback, but to read the receivers' breaks and releases and react accordingly. He wanted them to be aggressive out of Cover 2, to help on the run, even though Cover 2 is not known to be a run-stopping defense. Williams wants to call it a lot because, ideally, if you can stop the run with a Cover 2, you have the best of both worlds, because it's specifically designed to prevent the deep ball. But Jackson kept exhorting Taylor and his early-season safety mate, Adam Archuleta, to be aggressive playing the run out of the Cover 2, and they began to get beat on the play-action pass repeatedly. According to the Redskins player, Jackson then began berating his players profanely -- although he tends to go lighter on Taylor -- and they reached bottom in Philadelphia, when Donte' Stallworth beat Taylor deep for an 84-yard touchdown. Witnesses say that at that point, the other defensive coaches became officially peeved at Jackson for making Taylor "play like a robot," and for turning him into a confused, regressing player who now tunes out coaches and teammates. "And then Steve Jackson began pouting at practice," the player said. "He pouts at practice. He'll stand by himself and won't coach anybody. This last game in Tampa, we had a player at halftime go up to him and say, 'Are you going to just sit there and pout, or are you gonna f------ coach your guys up?'" 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Chilly Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Gregg's worth that 2 mil a year that they're paying him eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJPearl2 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Nice find, great article. What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time Greggo was being called a genuis and rumors of another head coaching job were swirling. On an unrealted note, well, sort of, the Skins' biggest problem, obviously, is completely overpaying for players. They are a team of mercenary players and overpaid coaches who are all gunning for head coaching jobs. Too many egos. But seriously, look at the contracts that Archuletta and Randel-El got. Those guys are good players, but they got All-Pro/Hall of Fame contracts. The team had no chemistry and no real good young players to develop. And it couldn't happen to a better owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJPearl2 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 One more point, did you see this part: "and owner Dan Snyder's jet -- Redskin One -- is probably already fueling up to greet Nate Clements and Dwight Freeney on the first day of 2007 free agency. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Wow, if true, that's some pretty damning stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I have a "moll" at One Bills Drive...this person tells me that, unlike Mike Mularkey who was generally liked by everyone, Gregg Williams not so much...this person always described him as arrogant and condesceding (the same words they use to describe the man who hired him)...it sounds like things haven't changed much. Funny, I was just thinking a week or two ago, watching the Redskins, how nobody talks about Williams as a HC candidate this year. It will be interesting to see who runs that team, if Gibbs retires again...it always seemed a foregone conclusion it would be Williams again, but after reading this, I have my doubts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrLocke Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I have a "moll" at One Bills Drive...this person tells me that, unlike Mike Mularkey who was generally liked by everyone, Gregg Williams not so much...this person always described him as arrogant and condesceding (the same words they use to describe the man who hired him)...it sounds like things haven't changed much. Funny, I was just thinking a week or two ago, watching the Redskins, how nobody talks about Williams as a HC candidate this year. It will be interesting to see who runs that team, if Gibbs retires again...it always seemed a foregone conclusion it would be Williams again, but after reading this, I have my doubts. 847307[/snapback] I could be wrong, but Ithought there was a clause in Greggo's contract that if he didn't get the job after Gibbs retired he got a million dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Sounds like too many cooks in the kitchen. Also sounds like they're getting the Gregg we knew we had by the end of his tenure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I 90 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Wow, great read, thanks. Who is that source ? That is some hatchet job considering the generic Tiki Barber stuff of last week. Does Tom Friend have a reputation around Washington for "greasing the wheels" for Snyder's moves ? That article is an indictment of the beloved Gibbs as much as anything. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 One more point, did you see this part: "and owner Dan Snyder's jet -- Redskin One -- is probably already fueling up to greet Nate Clements and Dwight Freeney on the first day of 2007 free agency. " 847230[/snapback] The Redskins are proof that you can't buy a championship in the NFL or barely even a playoff birth. It would be a shame for Joe Gibbs to end his career on a sour note as he is a class guy. Sounds like he needs to take a greater command of the team. I doubt his way is the same as Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Renko Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Wow, great read, thanks. Who is that source ? That is some hatchet job considering the generic Tiki Barber stuff of last week. Does Tom Friend have a reputation around Washington for "greasing the wheels" for Snyder's moves ? That article is an indictment of the beloved Gibbs as much as anything. . 847331[/snapback] Wouldn't be surprised if it was someone in the secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 This one wasn't posted here: But Jackson kept exhorting Taylor and his early-season safety mate, Adam Archuleta, to be aggressive playing the run out of the Cover 2, and they began to get beat on the play-action pass repeatedly. Sound familiar? I am mentally replaying Tom Brady killing us over and over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finknottle Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I could be wrong, but Ithought there was a clause in Greggo's contract that if he didn't get the job after Gibbs retired he got a million dollars. 847308[/snapback] That's what I remember, and he was actively discussed as the heir apparent two years ago. This year, on local talk radio he is shaping up the be the fall guy (rightfully so) and a possibility to be let go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC-Bills Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 That's what I remember, and he was actively discussed as the heir apparent two years ago. This year, on local talk radio he is shaping up the be the fall guy (rightfully so) and a possibility to be let go. 847361[/snapback] That's what I was thinking as well with regards to the money. I wouldn't have an issue if he is let go. You would have thought he had learned a little humility after failing as a head coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finknottle Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 That's what I was thinking as well with regards to the money. I wouldn't have an issue if he is let go. You would have thought he had learned a little humility after failing as a head coach. 847364[/snapback] In fact, the best part of listening to DC sports radio is all the irate callers and commentators asking why the Williams-Gray defence keeps playing the corners 10 yards off the receiver, lol. Feels like old times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRW Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 So apparently having one coach per player is not a good move. Who knew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 It will be interesting to see who runs that team, if Gibbs retires again...it always seemed a foregone conclusion it would be Williams again, but after reading this, I have my doubts. 847307[/snapback] 2 words Bill Parcells I'd be surprised if Parcells doesn't retire again this year. Then a year or two from now Gibbs will have had enough and retire again. Thus opening the door for an unholy union between The Tuna and Dan The Fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Renko Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Dan Snyder runs his team like a trust fund baby daytrading all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaboo Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Because you can't be a Buddy Ryan anymore in this league. You can't do it why not? bunch of prima donnas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 In fact, the best part of listening to DC sports radio is all the irate callers and commentators asking why the Williams-Gray defence keeps playing the corners 10 yards off the receiver, lol. Feels like old times. 847373[/snapback] great stuff. Every team plays their corners off every once in awhile which is fine, but williams/gray made that their base package. It was maddening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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