VanGorder - New DC!

Irish YJ

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University of Georgia[edit]

In 2001 he was hired as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. During his first year as defensive coordinator in 2001, the Bulldogs allowed just 18.9 points per game, ended up fifth in rushing defense and ranked 17th in scoring defense.[3] The 2002 season saw VanGorder's defense not only lead the SEC in scoring defense, but finished fourth nationally.[4] The Bulldogs allowed less than 15 points per game during the season on their way to eventually winning the Sugar Bowl and finishing third in the final national poll. For his performance, VanGorder named as the seventh recipient of the Valvoline Southern Sports Tonight Assistant Coach of the Year.[5]

In 2003, VanGorder's defense ranked third nationally in scoring defense, fourth in total defense and sixth in passing defense.[6] In turn, VanGorder received the Frank Boyles "Assistant Coach of the Year" award, which honors the nation's top assistant coach.[7] During his final season at Georgia in 2004, the 10–2 Bulldogs were ranked seventh in the final national poll as VanGorder's defense finished the season ranked eighth and ninth in scoring defense.[8]

During his Georgia tenure, six of VanGorder's players were selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, including defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan, safety Thomas Davis and defensive end David Pollack in the first round, and safety Sean Jones and linebackers Boss Bailey, as well as Odell Thurman in the second round. During his four years at Georgia the Bulldogs defense only gave up 30 points one time, against LSU in the 2003 SEC Championship Game.

IIRC, those years were pretty darn good for UGA.
 

RyCo1983

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I approve of the hire...not that any of the coaches care.
 

DomeX2 eNVy

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I'm not sure if I like this or not - seems to have good years and bad ones. But I hope this hire is as bad as Hiestand - lol. It will be interesting to see if he goes with a 4-3 like at Auburn in 2012; or 3-4 like the Jets this year. I just hope to see more blitz packages like the Jets run.

I may be way off base with the amount of wine drank, but I think this is an accurate history.
 

Irish YJ

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I'm not sure if I like this or not - seems to have good years and bad ones. But I hope this hire is as bad as Hiestand - lol. It will be interesting to see if he goes with a 4-3 like at Auburn in 2012; or 3-4 like the Jets this year. I just hope to see more blitz packages like the Jets run.

I may be way off base with the amount of wine drank, but I think this is an accurate history.

I'm going to ring up several of my UGA buddies tomorrow. IIRC correctly, the Ds during his years at UGA where pretty darn aggressive. All I know is that I hate bending....
 

Brooklyn

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Reading some on him he seems to play a 4-3 multiple defense:

VanGorder promised on his arrival that he'll run a 4-3 defense, which coach Gene Chizik likes, and that he'll easily make the switch back to college coaching.

VanGorder's defensive philosophy rings of old-school football.

"We talk about effort to the football and our ability to run to the football," he said.

And that's out of a defense featuring four linemen and three linebackers.

"But multiple in its makeup. That's today's football," VanGorder said.

VanGorder said he'd have no trouble switching back to college football after five straight years in pro ball.

"You have more of an influence than you do at the NFL level, but when you start talking about X's and O's and standards and expectations with a group, it is very similar and not as different as people might think," he said.

Recruiting first up for Brian VanGorder after agreeing to Auburn deal worth $850,000 a year | al.com
 

cody1smith

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I'm not sure if I like this or not - seems to have good years and bad ones. But I hope this hire is as bad as Hiestand - lol. It will be interesting to see if he goes with a 4-3 like at Auburn in 2012; or 3-4 like the Jets this year. I just hope to see more blitz packages like the Jets run.

I may be way off base with the amount of wine drank, but I think this is an accurate history.
Im feeling that with our personal we will have no choice but to run the 4-3. With no true NT I do not see how a 3 man front can work efficiently. Hints why we very rarely ran it today.
 

Brooklyn

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More on him:

VanGorder's defense in Atlanta has steadily improved since he took over, and finally seemed to reach it's peak in 2011. The Falcons' defense finished 12th overall in 2011 and carried the team to some victories throughout the season.

The Falcons' defense was a major factor this season and ended up being a strength towards the end of the season. Even in the playoff game, the Falcons' defense did relatively well against a high-powered Giants' offense.

Atlanta Falcons Lose Defensive Coordinator Brian VanGorder | Bleacher Report

Seems like a homerun hire.
 

alohagoirish

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Kelly knows this guy which is important. This isn't some selection by elimination scatter shot hire that we have often seen before. Coach has clearly followed this guys career since the GVS days , that's what Kelly does. I'm sure he has his little black book of coaches and i am also sure he has thought about working with him previously. Kelly KNOWS what he is getting and that's a big plus.

He is also a young guy with college age children that has Southern connections and NFL experience that should all fit with recruiting very well. Hopefully we get some SEC style attacking defense.

I like this hire.
 

cody1smith

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Kelly knows this guy which is important. This isn't some selection by elimination scatter shot hire that we have often seen before. Coach has clearly followed this guys career since the GVS days , that's what Kelly does. I'm sure he has his little black book of coaches and i am also sure he has thought about working with him previously. Kelly KNOWS what he is getting and that's a big plus.

He is also a young guy with college age children that has Southern connections and NFL experience that should all fit with recruiting very well. Hopefully we get some SEC style attacking defense.

I like this hire.
I thought with the recent down fall of the SEC defense that the phrase SEC defense was gone. Guess I was wrong
 

alohagoirish

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What i hope is gone is the bend but don't break style we have been playing. Lots of youth and speed on our defensive roster i look forward to some fresh, and hopefully more aggressive thinking.
 

Irishbounty28

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The good thing is he has plenty of experience at all levels. I think I read he has ties to American Heritage as well which is a plus if it is the school I'm thinking of. I am sure that there isn't much he hasn't seen thrown at him football wise which boxes well with the diversity of our schedule. The hire matches up exact with what Coach Kelly said he was looking for in a coordinator (experience with multiple fronts, being able to gameplan for multiple offenses, and experience in general). I like the hire.
 

Irish YJ

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Better hair than Diaco?

vangorder_original_display_image.jpg
 

Irish8248

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He's perfect .. Intense DC with HC aspirations. Hell get us to the next level after a couple years, get interest from bigger programs that he's not accustomed too, and by time he's ready -- Cooks will be ready to take over
 

Brooklyn

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What i hope is gone is the bend but don't break style we have been playing. Lots of youth and speed on our defensive roster i look forward to some fresh, and hopefully more aggressive thinking.

He has played bend but not break 4-3, so might be out of luck there.
 

PerthDomer

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What do you think his recruiting area will be? Seems to have Florida/Georgia roots, but we already have Alford.
 

Irish YJ

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What do you think his recruiting area will be? Seems to have Florida/Georgia roots, but we already have Alford.

He will definitely have a play in the SE. I love Tony, but it would be foolish not to play to his strengths. No reason they both can't tag team the area.
 

NOLAIrish

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This guy looks like he's got a good pedigree, and I'm hopeful he'll have a positive effect on our defense. I thought Diaco was solid developmental coach but a fairly pedestrian game-day play-caller. With that as background:

I was hanging out with an Auburn fan tonight and asked for feedback on VanGorder. He wasn't very high on him -- his exact reaction was, "Oh, no. Good luck with that. That's a bad hire." Apparently, he was completely befuddled by the spread; it sounds like he made some comment about having no clue how to stop it.

That's one year of fan feedback to weigh against a lot of well-respected coaches who seem to have high opinions of VanGorder. I think it adds to the picture, though.
 

Irish YJ

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I was hanging out with an Auburn fan tonight and asked for feedback on VanGorder. He wasn't very high on him -- his exact reaction was, "Oh, no. Good luck with that. That's a bad hire." Apparently, he was completely befuddled by the spread; it sounds like he made some comment about having no clue how to stop it.

That's one year of fan feedback to weigh against a lot of well-respected coaches who seem to have high opinions of VanGorder. I think it adds to the picture, though.

He had one year with Auburn in a transitional year (coach and D scheme). I think his time with UGA and the Falcons are a better sample of his ability.
 
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