Bill Sheridan will run Schiano's defense, talks about bringing pressure

by Sander on Feb 21, 2012 6:49 PM EST in Scheme Analysis

Bill Sheridan is the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator, and he faced the media for the first time today. Speaking to the press, he answered questions on a variety of topics, most importantly on the kind of defense he'll be running. Here are the key points I took away from this press conference:

This will continue to be a 4-3 defense, although there will be some odd-front alignments as well (defensive linemen aligned head up on offensive linemen, rather than shaded in gaps). Note that alignments and assignments are two different things: the Bucs aligned in odd fronts plenty of times last season, but still played an up-the-field, one-gap scheme.
Scoring defense is the most important aspect of defense, according to Sheridan. This seems rather obvious: stopping opponents from scoring is a key part of any defense. Whether this means the Bucs will play a bend-don't-break defense, or whether it just means an emphasis on red zone defense isn't clear.
He noted that allowing all those big plays was correctable. I don't know why he'd say anything else. "Yeah, guys, I can't prevent big plays" seems like an awful way to introduce yourself as a defensive coordinator.
As with all new defensive coordinator, Sheridan promised an aggressive style of defense. We'll see whether he actually brings that, but he did talk about the importance of manufacturing pressure to disrupt passers, both with four down linemen and with blitzes.
On the subject of techniques, he noted that the Bucs would play a one-gap system but would occasionally ask a defensive end to two-gap, as that's what defensive ends need to do when you don't have eight men in the box. That's why John Lynch was so crucial in the old Bucs' Tampa 2, as he had the ability to come down into the box quickly and help stuff the run.
He said that he really liked Mason Foster in last year's draft, but he didn't know whether the linebacker would play in the middle or on the outside, but he did note that he expected linebackers to be able to play all three positions. This could have some implications for the type of linebackers the Bucs go after, as it seems to imply versatility is very important.

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we shall see

by trueace on Feb 21, 2012 7:03 PM EST via Android app reply actions

So in your opinion Sander,

Is there any evidence so far that Sheridan was even a decent hire? I wasn’t terribly impressed with either his hire or his press conference, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

by KRoa on Feb 21, 2012 7:04 PM EST reply actions

He has plenty experience as a coach, at least

And when we’re evaluating his track record as a DC, we’re going off just one year, so who knows? I mean, it’s certainly possible this will turn out well. But I’m not overly impressed, either.

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by Sander on Feb 21, 2012 7:06 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed, I am not overly impressed either.

I will give him the benefit of doubt and reserve my true opinion until after the upcoming season. I hope that he can do the job though. His one season in NY may have been a reflection of the injuries they incurred, however, other teams have had somewhat decent defenses with injuries too.
If he can run a decent defense with input from Schiano and Butch, maybe this will be the impetus that he needs……..

East Coast Fan

by Bucfan on Feb 21, 2012 7:27 PM EST up reply actions

Giant fan here

Sheridan is garbage, if you enjoy your D Linemane dropping into coverage, 3 man rushing the QB, and no second half adjustments Sheridan is your man. We had some injuries for sure, but Sheridan’s D was all time bad and worse the players quit on him.

I no Coaches don’t tackle or miss tackles and all that, but there was a reason he only lasted one season.

Respect all fear none.

by Late for Dinner on Feb 22, 2012 8:43 AM EST up reply actions

It is amazing to me how many giants fans have come on here to bash this hire

Not knocking you, I am really disappointed with the hire. Our only hope is that he’s a figurehead for Butch Davis so he can rip off UNC.

by aakks on Feb 22, 2012 9:10 AM EST up reply actions

Most Giant fans can't believe he got another shot as a coordinator so fast

Not trying to hate on him, just passing along some info on him, turst me you guys are going to hate this hire. Not only that his personality is terrible, our players started walking out of meetings in training camp and it only got worse as the season went along untill they finnally quit on him.

Bottom line is Sheridan had the 2nd worst defense in Giants history wich I might add goes back over 80 years. I like Schiano, but didn’t think he did enough to warrent an NFL head coaching job, but would still like to see him succeed but this hire is definitly going to set him and the Bucs back.

Respect all fear none.

by Late for Dinner on Feb 22, 2012 5:16 PM EST up reply actions

I'm am sort of new here having only posted once....

but I always read the blogs and posts, and Sander you are very knowledgeable. But I must say that I really like this hire. If you go back to the year that he was the defensive coordinator for the Giants through the first five or six games they had the number one defense. Then injuries happened to that defense, and if I believe correctly that was the year Plaxico shot himself, so a lot was going on so I don’t think you can hold it against him. I also believe he was made to be the scapegoat. He said himself during the press conference that he made some mistakes and he has learned from them I think this will be a very good hire especially with Schiano and Davis there to help.

by TombsEN on Feb 21, 2012 7:30 PM EST reply actions

Welcome, bro...

I said the same thing above, about the injuries. I hope you are right.. Time will tell.

East Coast Fan

by Bucfan on Feb 21, 2012 7:35 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

The injuries are just excuses.

The Packers won a superbowl when it seemed half of their team was on IR. The Patriots had a top 15 scoring defense with receivers playing corner due to their injury issues. Good coaching overcome injuries. Bad coaching use injuries as a justification for their ineptitude.

Oderint dum metuant

by jBen05 on Feb 21, 2012 7:40 PM EST up reply actions

The injuries were certainly factor

But the Giants also had a very easy schedule in those first five games, so you can’t take that as too big of a factor, either.

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by Sander on Feb 21, 2012 7:53 PM EST up reply actions

I liked that he said

it is schiano’s D, and the comment about Davis. Sounds to me this could turn out to be a good hire. Time will tell. GO BUCCS

by Jason Meyers on Feb 21, 2012 7:43 PM EST reply actions

Interesting

ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!

by dcbucsfan on Feb 21, 2012 7:52 PM EST reply actions

I'm going to remain positive

For the last 3yrs we didn’t have a DC at all. Granted Sheridan had his issues in the past, but I’m sure he’s grown since then. I’m excited to see a G-Men style defense that’ll bring pressure, & no longer that outdated bend don’t break crap.

by InfamousHp on Feb 21, 2012 7:56 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Injuries are not always excuses

sometimes they are facts, my argument wasn’t based on just the injuries but also the Burress situation it seems like they just hit a slide that they couldn’t recover from. You can not discount the fact that through the first five or six games they (Giants) had the number one defense. It is easy for you to mention the packers when they won the superbowl but Rodgers was playing out of his mind and that defense was very opportunistic that year with Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson to name a few that were really playing good ball. No one ever confused this last Patriots defense as a good defense they where ranked in the near bottom of every defensive cateogory. Once again Tom Brady was playing great and there offense is pretty good so they could compensate for the horrible defense. After the Giants lost there starters and Plaxico shot himself that whole team lost their mojo so to speak and Sheridan was made to be the scapegoat.

by TombsEN on Feb 21, 2012 7:56 PM EST reply actions

Use the reply button.

Those teams were successful despite the injuries because of good coaching. The coaches relied on the key players left to pick up the slack of the injured players. Even though NE’s defense was horrible in terms of yardage, Belichick and his staff were able to put together a bunch of random guys off the street that were able to keep points off the board, i.e. field goals instead of touchdowns. He knew he had Tom Brady, so he focused on limiting points instead of yards.

Oderint dum metuant

by jBen05 on Feb 21, 2012 8:16 PM EST up reply actions

To Sheridans defense...

Belichick is a HOF coach/defensive guru. Not every team can overcome injuries to key players. I do agree to a certain extent that Sheridan was the scapegoat. That team was a mess that year, things snowballed a bit and someone had to be fired; I thought for sure Coughlin was gonna get the ax instead, Sheridan became the sacrificial lamb.

by ctd1977 on Feb 21, 2012 8:42 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I'm not expecting Sheridan to be Belichick,

but I don’t want to hear excuses of why he didn’t succeed somewhere else. It isn’t good form.

Oderint dum metuant

by jBen05 on Feb 21, 2012 9:21 PM EST up reply actions

Relax man

It is one guys perspective. What he said could be the reason for the drop off. No one here, including yourself knows with any certainty. We all agree, (hopefully) that he will be given a short leash if not successful in the here and now.

East Coast Fan

by Bucfan on Feb 22, 2012 4:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I have no problem with what anyone here said, they are all valid opinions.

I don’t like Sheridan up there giving excuses, when he said he expects his players to not give explanations or excuses of why something went wrong.

Oderint dum metuant

by jBen05 on Feb 22, 2012 6:12 AM EST up reply actions

Excuses dont work in the sports world nor due they at the regular joes

I know they espescially dont work with my family either…. Excuse are harbingers of bad things to come. Just look at the last 2011 buccaneer season for that.

East Coast Fan

by Bucfan on Feb 22, 2012 6:33 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Sheridan has plenty of experience...

and he clearly won’t be doing it alone. We have hired the entire Sioux Nation as assistant coaches.

by Cracker Ball on Feb 22, 2012 7:52 AM EST up reply actions

Not a great hire but not awful

I’ve read a criticism of the Giant’s season that said his defense was too simple. That it didn’t give the opposing OCs enough to think about. From the press conference today, Sheridan seems to understand this, and I suspect that with Schiano and Davis as the brain trust, that the schemes will be adequate. Execution and calls are another matter…

by MRWright88 on Feb 21, 2012 8:46 PM EST reply actions

I think Sheridan will do fine...

There’s a good support system/hierarchy in place. Between Shiano, Davis, Sheridan, and Cox I expect our defense to be very much improve; if nothing else better prepared and more disciplined.

by ctd1977 on Feb 21, 2012 9:02 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Well the bar isn't set very high.

When you compare us to last year lol.

I think if we just add a bit of discipline, even with our current roster we could jump up several defensive ranks. If we fix a few of our holes I could see us making it into the high-20s rank at the lowest….which doesn’t look like it’s that good, until you remember we were in the 30s last year ;)

by KRoa on Feb 21, 2012 9:19 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I swear that I was vomit if he starts chest bumping his players like rah rah.

East Coast Fan

by Bucfan on Feb 22, 2012 4:38 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Was * will

East Coast Fan

by Bucfan on Feb 22, 2012 4:38 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

you wont have to worry about that

Sheridan likes to sit in the booth, as opposed to the game field.

Regardless of what happens, No playoffs, playoffs, no superblow, superblow.... The 2011/2012 is one of my favorite Giants Teams of all time.

by Skii31 on Feb 22, 2012 11:19 AM EST up reply actions

Chest bumps in the booth...

Haha

by flash_kiley on Feb 22, 2012 12:00 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

ill have my fingers cross on all

the coach we have in tampa. as much as i am a die hard buc fan im still in that 50/50 about the coachs since the glazers have faith in them, shoot give me a shot of RUM and off to the ship…

IF U AIN'T A BUC GET THE BUC OUT OF HERE

by WE GOING TO THE SHIP on Feb 21, 2012 9:53 PM EST reply actions

He's alive

"Number one song and a Grammy, now I'm smashing
Maserati crashing, swerving through the traffic
Wrap it 'round a pole, sell a mil off the tragedy
I defy gravity "

by 4QB on Feb 22, 2012 12:03 AM EST up reply actions