Monte Kiffen As Cowboys DC?

[Kodiak]

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/8832382/monte-kiffin-focus-dallas-cowboys-search-defensive-coordinator

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Jason Garrett have focused their search for a defensive coordinator on longtime NFL assistant Monte Kiffin, according to team and league sources.

It is unknown whether the 72-year-old Kiffin has been offered the job, but he has emerged as the leading candidate from a list that also includes Ray Horton, a former Cowboys player and current Cardinals defensive coordinator who has interviewed for several head-coaching positions recently.

If Kiffin is hired, the Cowboys would be switching from a 3-4 defensive front to a 4-3, forcing pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware to play defensive end, with his hand on the ground for the first time in his career.

Kiffin resigned as defensive coordinator at USC, where his son Lane is the head coach, and expressed his desire to return to the NFL.

Jones, Garrett and Kiffin could not be reached for comment.

Andy Reid was interested in appointing Kiffin to be his defensive coordinator when he took over the Kansas City Chiefs but Kiffin was not interested in that opportunity.

Kiffin has been an NFL defensive coach for 26 years, half of those with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped the franchise win its only Super Bowl after Jon Gruden replaced Tony Dungy.

Garrett was a backup quarterback with the Bucs in 2004 when Kiffin was the defensive coordinator.

Kiffin is creator of the Tampa 2 defense and is the mastermind of one of the most successful defenses in league history. The Bucs ranked in the top 10 in fewest yards and points allowed 10 times, a league record.

The Cowboys fired Rob Ryan on Tuesday after two seasons as defensive coordinator.

ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen contributed to this report.

[Kodiak]

Dallas runs a 3-4 and I find it very interesting that they'd target Monte (who I'd think would bring in the Tampa 2 4-3 scheme). Ware could easily play a DE I would think...but they'd still need to find a player to play the Under Tackle in the 3 technique. I am sure their Nose Tackle could play the NT position in a 4-3.

[NotDeadYet]

    That would be a radical change for either a 72 year old DC, or for an organization which has ALWAYS,  as far as I can remember, been a man-to-man coverage D. And Claiborne might actually have to TACKLE somebody... They did switch to a 3-4 under Parcells after much success with a  dominant front 4's in their "Doomsday Defense" though, so ya never know...

[chace1986]

Dallas runs a 3-4 and I find it very interesting that they'd target Monte (who I'd think would bring in the Tampa 2 4-3 scheme). Ware could easily play a DE I would think...but they'd still need to find a player to play the Under Tackle in the 3 technique. I am sure their Nose Tackle could play the NT position in a 4-3.

Ratliff and Hatcher would probably be the two starters at UT and NT, and they would probably draft a DE since they won't have the $ to tag or resign Spencer again.

[The Anti-Java]

Retire already Monte, enjoy life.

[Benchwarmer#1]

They'll win a Superbowl if they hire kiff.

[The Anti-Java]

Claiborne and Carr are not Tampa 2 type guys. if Monte plans on running that scheme.

[JavaRay]

It would be awesome if Kiffin coached the Cowboys D and they hired Gruden as HC.

[chace1986]

Claiborne and Carr are not Tampa 2 type guys. if Monte plans on running that scheme.

Disagree. Those guys are versatile enough to be successful in the Tampa 2. Especially Carr.

[Bucs_Rule]

I heard on NFLN that Reid might hire Monte as DC in KC.

[replica]

Can't stand the Cowboys, hope he doesn't go there..

[Buc on the Move]

Can't stand the Cowboys, hope he doesn't go there..

I'm right there with you. 

And also +1 to the comment about Monte enjoying his retirement.  Hell, I guess he wants to go out with a bang after some pretty bad defenses at USC with Layne.  I just hope he doesn't take years off his life by putting up with Jerry's BS.

[Kodiak]

I heard on NFLN that Reid might hire Monte as DC in KC.

Last I heard, they wanted to bring Monte in but he turned them down for Dallas.

[michael89156]

January 10, 2013


Derrick Brooks: Monte Kiffin is motivated to "earn his reputation back"



Monte Kiffin soon could be the Cowboys new defensive coordinator. Even his old players didn't see this one coming.
 
Former Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks said he figured the 72-year-old Kiffin would get another shot in the NFL. He just didn't expect it to be with Dallas.
 
"I would never have guessed Dallas two weeks ago," said Brooks, who still keeps in touch with Kiffin.
 
Kiffin would convert the Cowboys back to a 4-3 scheme. The Cowboys played the 4-3 from their first season in 1960 until Bill Parcells' third season in Dallas in 2005 when he switched to the 3-4. The Cowboys have played the 3-4 since.
 
"I don't know if he has the players there yet. I hope he does," Brooks said. "I just know what we did to make our defense great. Some would say it's so simple, but at the same time, it's so complex. You always hear about Dallas, 'They've got talent. They've got talent.' Well, now it's time to roost. They can answer the question: Do they really have talent?"
 
Brooks compared DeMarcus Ware to Simeon Rice. Rice had 69 of his 122 sacks in his four years in Kiffin's Cover 2 defense.

"For the most part, all he's doing is going after the quarterback," Brooks said. "We know [Ware] can do that."
 
The Bucs had John Lynch at safety, Warren Sapp at defensive tackle, Brooks at linebacker, Ronde Barber at corner to go along with Rice. Sapp and Lynch are Hall of Fame candidates this year.
 
That is a big reason in 13 years in Tampa, Kiffin's defenses ranked in the top 10 in total defense all but two years -- 11th in 1997 and 17th in 2006 -- and top 10 in fewest points allowed for all but 2006 (21st). Six times they ranked in the top 10 in takeaways.
 
Kiffin also had top assistants in guys like Rod Marinelli, Lovie Smith, Joe Berry, Mike Tomlin, Herm Edwards.
 
"That was a big part of his success was his assistants," Brooks said. "They have to know how to teach. ...He believes every player can be coached."
 
Brooks knows one thing: Kiffin will be more motivated than ever after four years in the college game coaching for his son and a disappointing departure from the Bucs in 2008.

"Our defense once he made that announcement he was leaving, it's on record we didn't play well," Brooks said. "That doesn't sit right with him. I know that bothers him. He is motivated in that sense. He wants to earn his reputation back."



Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2013/01/derrick-brooks-monte-kiffin-is-motivated-to-earn-his-reputation-back.html#storylink=cpy

[1sparkybuc]

It would be awesome if Kiffin coached the Cowboys D and they hired Gruden as HC.

Gruden is the reason Monte quit the NFL in the first place. He was fed up carrying those anemic offenses year after year.