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Rams’ visit to Buccaneers reunites Gregg Williams, Dirk Koetter
By Jack Wang, Los Angeles Daily News
[www.dailynews.com]
THOUSAND OAKS >> Gregg Williams once tried to put in a good word for Dirk Koetter.
Five years ago, the Denver Broncos were looking for a new head coach, the first move by John Elway as he transitioned from franchise legend to top executive. Williams and Koetter were both in the running, but the former removed himself from consideration.
Instead, according to the Denver Post, Williams texted Elway: “Dirk Koetter is a GREAT find on your part. I have very high regard for him.”
The pitch didn’t work then, as Elway eventually settled on John Fox. But this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, Williams — now in his third year as the Rams defensive coordinator — gets his first close look at his former co-worker in a new role: head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Each one is familiar with the other. In 2008, both served as coordinators for the Jacksonville Jaguars on opposite sides of the ball. How much of a boost that experience could give the Rams (1-1) this weekend is unclear.
“The fact that I’ve been in the fire with him a couple times helps a little bit,” Williams said. “But they probably think the same thing about me, too, because we went against each other in practice all those times.”
Promoted from offensive coordinator this offseason at 57, Koetter is among the latest in a crop of late bloomers. Across the league, only six men got their first head coaching jobs at age 50 or older. Of those, four were hired within the last four years: Koetter, Chip Kelly (49ers), Mike Zimmer (Vikings), and Bruce Arians (Cardinals).
Although Koetter had to wait for his chance, Williams’ opinion of him hasn’t changed: “Dirk Koetter is a very, very good football coach.”
The Buccaneers coach was similarly complimentary of Williams: “Any time you’re going up against a Gregg Williams defense, you know you’re going to have your hands full all day.”
“The challenge is that Gregg always got plenty up his sleeve,” Koetter added. “He’s always multiple, he’s always going to give the quarterback a lot of looks, he’s willing to bring pressure from any place on the field, he’s willing to bring unusual pressures. Everywhere he’s been, his guys on that defensive unit play extremely hard for him.”
The Rams need that assessment to hold true again. The team has yet to score a touchdown through two games, and are sitting at .500 due to a stingy defensive performance. Williams’ crew will be tested again this week, particularly by Jameis Winston, the former No. 1 overall pick who is equally capable of throwing four touchdowns as he is four interceptions.
But despite Koetter’s reputation for grooming quarterbacks, the Buccaneers (1-1) are hitting a rough patch early in the season. Star running back Doug Martin, the NFL’s second-leading rusher last season, has already been ruled out with a hamstring injury, leaving Tampa Bay with a combination of either Charles Sims — who has never started a game — and Jacquizz Rodgers, who signed with the team only this month.
The team also waived Austin Seferian-Jenkins on Friday in the wake of his second DUI arrest in three years. Another tight end, Luke Stocker, is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Williams, however, won’t be surprised if Koetter makes do with what he has.
“I always teased him about the fact that he could coach defense, too,” Williams said. “Because that’s the way he coaches offense. Because he’s no-nonsense, he’s very aggressive in his ways, he’s very detailed in his ways. I have a lot of respect for him. They do a really good job of adapting the offensive concepts to the skill sets of their players similar to what we try to do, too.”
By Jack Wang, Los Angeles Daily News
[www.dailynews.com]
THOUSAND OAKS >> Gregg Williams once tried to put in a good word for Dirk Koetter.
Five years ago, the Denver Broncos were looking for a new head coach, the first move by John Elway as he transitioned from franchise legend to top executive. Williams and Koetter were both in the running, but the former removed himself from consideration.
Instead, according to the Denver Post, Williams texted Elway: “Dirk Koetter is a GREAT find on your part. I have very high regard for him.”
The pitch didn’t work then, as Elway eventually settled on John Fox. But this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, Williams — now in his third year as the Rams defensive coordinator — gets his first close look at his former co-worker in a new role: head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Each one is familiar with the other. In 2008, both served as coordinators for the Jacksonville Jaguars on opposite sides of the ball. How much of a boost that experience could give the Rams (1-1) this weekend is unclear.
“The fact that I’ve been in the fire with him a couple times helps a little bit,” Williams said. “But they probably think the same thing about me, too, because we went against each other in practice all those times.”
Promoted from offensive coordinator this offseason at 57, Koetter is among the latest in a crop of late bloomers. Across the league, only six men got their first head coaching jobs at age 50 or older. Of those, four were hired within the last four years: Koetter, Chip Kelly (49ers), Mike Zimmer (Vikings), and Bruce Arians (Cardinals).
Although Koetter had to wait for his chance, Williams’ opinion of him hasn’t changed: “Dirk Koetter is a very, very good football coach.”
The Buccaneers coach was similarly complimentary of Williams: “Any time you’re going up against a Gregg Williams defense, you know you’re going to have your hands full all day.”
“The challenge is that Gregg always got plenty up his sleeve,” Koetter added. “He’s always multiple, he’s always going to give the quarterback a lot of looks, he’s willing to bring pressure from any place on the field, he’s willing to bring unusual pressures. Everywhere he’s been, his guys on that defensive unit play extremely hard for him.”
The Rams need that assessment to hold true again. The team has yet to score a touchdown through two games, and are sitting at .500 due to a stingy defensive performance. Williams’ crew will be tested again this week, particularly by Jameis Winston, the former No. 1 overall pick who is equally capable of throwing four touchdowns as he is four interceptions.
But despite Koetter’s reputation for grooming quarterbacks, the Buccaneers (1-1) are hitting a rough patch early in the season. Star running back Doug Martin, the NFL’s second-leading rusher last season, has already been ruled out with a hamstring injury, leaving Tampa Bay with a combination of either Charles Sims — who has never started a game — and Jacquizz Rodgers, who signed with the team only this month.
The team also waived Austin Seferian-Jenkins on Friday in the wake of his second DUI arrest in three years. Another tight end, Luke Stocker, is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Williams, however, won’t be surprised if Koetter makes do with what he has.
“I always teased him about the fact that he could coach defense, too,” Williams said. “Because that’s the way he coaches offense. Because he’s no-nonsense, he’s very aggressive in his ways, he’s very detailed in his ways. I have a lot of respect for him. They do a really good job of adapting the offensive concepts to the skill sets of their players similar to what we try to do, too.”
