MTK
09-07-2004, 02:43 PM
The Redskins enter the season with perhaps the most experienced staff in the NFL, including Gregg Williams (http://65.54.187.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=79441325280b27a5feeab4542db9f8a8&lat=1094578935&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fletters%2ewashingtonpost% 2ecom%2fW8RH044F0A17E5865884F3FA12B6E0), the assistant head coach for defense. Williams, who coached the Buffalo Bills the past three seasons, was one of Coach Joe Gibbs's (http://65.54.187.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=41d817df77a4acbfa606ce536811938e&lat=1094578935&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fletters%2ewashingtonpost% 2ecom%2fW8RH044F0A7795865884F3FA12B6E0) first hires. Gibbs consulted Williams about hiring top defensive coaches, including position coaches who had been defensive coordinators.
"We wanted to put together the best staff we could at the time," Williams said. "He wanted to make sure, because he was going to spend most of his time on the offensive side of the ball, that we had a senior-laden defensive staff too.
"And part of looking at who was going to be the position coaches, I was looking at coordinators, guys who were available who had been good position coaches. Usually, that's what happens. Usually, you move up in this profession because you could do your job really well at the starting point and then you're moved up."
Greg Blache had been the Chicago Bears's defensive coordinator before being signed as Washington's de facto defensive line coach. (His official title is defensive coordinator.) Dale Lindsey had been the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers before joining Washington as linebackers coach. They joined a few accomplished offensive assistants who were with Gibbs during his first NFL tenure.
"Greg [Blache] has been a great d-line coach for so many years. And then his coordinator background really helps," Williams said. "It helps me a ton. I lean on him a lot as I do Dale because of his coordinator background.
"But you know what? I'll make a statement right now. If we're successful here, [secondary coach] DeWayne Walker and [safeties coach] Steve Jackson will both be coordinators in this league. Both of them. They're both more than capable of intellectually running the system.
"They're good speakers in the room. They're good position coaches. They have a good presence about 'em.
"All that goes into making the staff. But the fact that Lindsey and Blache have stood in my shoes means a lot to me in the room. It's helped our meeting structure so much because they've done it so many different ways. I don't have to sell the coaching staff on why we're doing what we're doing because they've done it before, or they've done a version of it before."
– Nunyo Demasio
"We wanted to put together the best staff we could at the time," Williams said. "He wanted to make sure, because he was going to spend most of his time on the offensive side of the ball, that we had a senior-laden defensive staff too.
"And part of looking at who was going to be the position coaches, I was looking at coordinators, guys who were available who had been good position coaches. Usually, that's what happens. Usually, you move up in this profession because you could do your job really well at the starting point and then you're moved up."
Greg Blache had been the Chicago Bears's defensive coordinator before being signed as Washington's de facto defensive line coach. (His official title is defensive coordinator.) Dale Lindsey had been the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers before joining Washington as linebackers coach. They joined a few accomplished offensive assistants who were with Gibbs during his first NFL tenure.
"Greg [Blache] has been a great d-line coach for so many years. And then his coordinator background really helps," Williams said. "It helps me a ton. I lean on him a lot as I do Dale because of his coordinator background.
"But you know what? I'll make a statement right now. If we're successful here, [secondary coach] DeWayne Walker and [safeties coach] Steve Jackson will both be coordinators in this league. Both of them. They're both more than capable of intellectually running the system.
"They're good speakers in the room. They're good position coaches. They have a good presence about 'em.
"All that goes into making the staff. But the fact that Lindsey and Blache have stood in my shoes means a lot to me in the room. It's helped our meeting structure so much because they've done it so many different ways. I don't have to sell the coaching staff on why we're doing what we're doing because they've done it before, or they've done a version of it before."
– Nunyo Demasio