Bills tab Edwards to Run Defense
As the Buffalo Bills continue to retool a coaching staff that started from scratch, it seems that Chan Gailey has a firm grasp on what he's looking for: guys that know what they're doing.
The Bills announced the hiring of George Edwards as their defensive coordinator Thursday afternoon. Edwards replaces Perry Fewell, who was the interim coach after the firing of Dick Jauron midway through the 2009 season. Fewell has since gone on to take the defensive coordinator role with Tom Coughlin's staff on the New York Giants.
Edwards was slated to take over the defensive coordinator role at the University of Florida after Charlie Strong accepted the Louisville head coaching job. To be honest, I pay as much attention to coaching movements in college as I do to weight loss success stories in Taco Bell commercials: I yawn, snicker and change the channel. Seriously, there is so much overhaul in most staffs you would need a constantly updating transaction log to know who was coming or going.
Edwards has coached in the NFL. He was the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 1997 under Gailey, then went on to do the same with the Washington Redskins from 1998-2002. Following a one season stint as the defensive coordinator for Cleveland in 2003, he coached linebackers for the Dolphins since 2004 before he was tabbed as the replacement for Strong as the defensive coordinator in Florida.
Edwards' departure has quite a few people up in arms, especially since it happened right after National Signing Day, the big day for high school athletes to declare where they are going to play college sports. There is a lot of animosity and speculation that Urban Meyer had Edwards hold off accepting the job until National Signing Day was completed, and all letters of intent were in. I wouldn't expect the fervor over that to die down anytime soon, especially with there being so much hatred toward Gator Nation.
Edwards has announced that the team will switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense in 2010. Last year, the Bills were the only team in the division to play a 4-3. That could bode well for Aaron Maybin, who was a bust as a reserve defensive end last season, and also could free up Aaron Schobel, should he decide not to retire and return for another season in Buffalo. With solid inside linebackers like Paul Posluszny and the recovering Kawika Mitchell, the Bills linebackers and defensive backs look to be solid. The big key will be finding a capable nose tackle. Marcus Stroud can play it, but isn't keen on the idea. He has said that he doesn't care about the scheme as long as he is "on the field."
The Super Bowl is Sunday and then it's the quiet solitude of the offseason. Free agency and the NFL draft loom for everyone. What the Bills do in the offseason may very well be a good barometer for how the 2010 product will look. There's been an overhaul in the coaching and front office ranks. What shakeups will the roster have? We'll find out.
The Bills announced the hiring of George Edwards as their defensive coordinator Thursday afternoon. Edwards replaces Perry Fewell, who was the interim coach after the firing of Dick Jauron midway through the 2009 season. Fewell has since gone on to take the defensive coordinator role with Tom Coughlin's staff on the New York Giants.
Edwards was slated to take over the defensive coordinator role at the University of Florida after Charlie Strong accepted the Louisville head coaching job. To be honest, I pay as much attention to coaching movements in college as I do to weight loss success stories in Taco Bell commercials: I yawn, snicker and change the channel. Seriously, there is so much overhaul in most staffs you would need a constantly updating transaction log to know who was coming or going.
Edwards has coached in the NFL. He was the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 1997 under Gailey, then went on to do the same with the Washington Redskins from 1998-2002. Following a one season stint as the defensive coordinator for Cleveland in 2003, he coached linebackers for the Dolphins since 2004 before he was tabbed as the replacement for Strong as the defensive coordinator in Florida.
Edwards' departure has quite a few people up in arms, especially since it happened right after National Signing Day, the big day for high school athletes to declare where they are going to play college sports. There is a lot of animosity and speculation that Urban Meyer had Edwards hold off accepting the job until National Signing Day was completed, and all letters of intent were in. I wouldn't expect the fervor over that to die down anytime soon, especially with there being so much hatred toward Gator Nation.
Edwards has announced that the team will switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense in 2010. Last year, the Bills were the only team in the division to play a 4-3. That could bode well for Aaron Maybin, who was a bust as a reserve defensive end last season, and also could free up Aaron Schobel, should he decide not to retire and return for another season in Buffalo. With solid inside linebackers like Paul Posluszny and the recovering Kawika Mitchell, the Bills linebackers and defensive backs look to be solid. The big key will be finding a capable nose tackle. Marcus Stroud can play it, but isn't keen on the idea. He has said that he doesn't care about the scheme as long as he is "on the field."
The Super Bowl is Sunday and then it's the quiet solitude of the offseason. Free agency and the NFL draft loom for everyone. What the Bills do in the offseason may very well be a good barometer for how the 2010 product will look. There's been an overhaul in the coaching and front office ranks. What shakeups will the roster have? We'll find out.
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