Rams Officially Name Coordinators

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[wrapimg=left]http://cbsstlouis.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/slp2012011708.jpg?w=300[/wrapimg]ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOX) – The St. Louis Rams announced the addition of a new offensive and defensive coordinator today. Brian Schottenheimer has been hired as the team’s offensive coordinator and Gregg Williams will serve as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Schottenheimer joins the Rams after spending the previous six seasons in the same position with the New York Jets.

“I am really excited to have Brian join our staff,” Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher said. “He is a well respected coach in this league who has had success for many years at a high level as an offensive coordinator. We share the same philosophies on the offensive side of the ball and I think he is a tremendous addition to our staff.”

Williams, who spent the last three seasons as the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, brings 22 years of NFL coaching experience to St. Louis, including six as an assistant under Fisher.

“I have worked with and known Gregg for a lot of years and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a defensive coordinator and value his past experience as a head coach,” Fisher said. “He brings an aggressive approach that I’m sure will benefit our defense and he has a wealth of knowledge that will aid our entire team.”

During Schottenheimer’s time in New York, he constructed an offense that helped the Jets earn back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game. In 2009, the Jets led the NFL with an average of 172.3 rushing yards per game.

Schottenheimer joined the Jets in 2006 after spending four seasons as the quarterbacks coach of the San Diego Chargers. In 2004, Drew Brees earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time. Schottenheimer also oversaw the development of Philip Rivers, who worked with Schottenheimer as Brees’ understudy during Rivers’ first two NFL seasons.

Prior to his stint in San Diego, Schottenhimer worked for his father, Marty, in Washington and Kansas City. He was an offensive assistant with the Chiefs and held the title of quarterbacks coach during his lone season with the Redskins. He was an offensive assistant on Dick Vermeil’s Rams staff in 1997 and tutored tight ends at Southern California in 2000 and wide receivers at Syracuse in 1999.

Schottenheimer played quarterback at the University of Florida, where he played under Steve Spurrier and was a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel during the Gators’ 1996 National Championship season.

Williams owns the distinction of presiding over five separate top five total defenses during his coaching career: Tennessee Titans (No. 1 in total defense in 2000), Buffalo Bills (No. 3 in 2001 and no. 2 in 2003), Washington Redskins (No. 3 in 2005), and the New Orleans Saints (No. 4 in 2010). As a defensive coordinator or head coach (15 seasons), Williams has racked up seven top-10 overall defenses.

During his most recent post in New Orleans, Williams helped the Saints capture two division titles (2009 and 2011), an NFC Conference Championship (2009), and the Super Bowl XLIV championship, as well as an NFC Wild Card berth in 2010.

Williams, a Missouri native who played quarterback at Northeast Missouri State, arrived in New Orleans in 2009 following a one-year stint in Jacksonville as defensive coordinator. He spent the previous four seasons (2004-07) as assistant head coach/defense of the Washington Redskins.

Prior to joining the Redskins, Williams spent three seasons as head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Williams’ reputation as a defensive coach was forged in his years with the Houston/Tennessee franchise, where he served for 11 seasons (1990-2000), including as coordinator during his last four years with the club. Initially hired as a defensive quality control coach, he was promoted to special teams coach in 1993, and took over as linebackers coach from 1994-96 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1997.

In 2000, the Titans led the NFL in total defense for the first time since joining the NFL and allowed 191 points – the third-fewest in league record books since the adoption of a 16-game schedule in 1978. Tennessee also set club records with 55 sacks, fewest passing yards allowed (2,424) and fewest touchdowns allowed (17). It completed a two-year stretch where the Titans posted an NFL-high 109 sacks.

Prior to arriving in the NFL, Williams was a graduate assistant at the University of Houston from 1988-89 under former NFL head coach Jack Pardee. From 1984-87, Williams was the head coach at Belton, Mo., High School after opening his coaching career at Excelsior Springs (Mo.) High School.

Williams played both football and baseball at Northeast Missouri State and later earned a master’s degree from Central Missouri. He and his wife, Leigh Ann, have a daughter, Amy, and two sons, Blake, who served as a coaching assistant with the Saints the last three years, and Chase, a linebacker on the Virginia Tech football squad.