New York Giants Defensive Coaching Staff Purge May Be Over: New Giants’ defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was interviewed on Sirius Radio yesterday and he indicated that the Giants will not be firing anymore defensive coaches.
Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and defensive line coach Mike Waufle were fired earlier this month. The defensive coaches still with the team include linebackers coach Jim Herrmann, cornerbacks coach Peter Giunta, safeties coach David Merritt, and defensive quality control coach Al Holcomb.
“I have a lot of confidence in the staff that’s presently here,” Fewell said. “Both secondary coaches have a Super Bowl ring. One guy (Giunta) has two Super Bowl rings. Our linebackers coach is well known and an excellent linebackers coach. So we just want to fill that defensive line (coach) position with another knowledgeable person that can help us get over the top.”
“My first order of business is to get our coaching staff on the same page so we can talk Giant football language,” said Fewell. “More so than diving in with the players, it’s getting our coaching staff on the same page because the language of football is not always universal. And then, I’m evaluating the players – seeing what they do and how they do it and what they do well. Trying to form a plan in my mind so when we go into OTAs (Organized Team Activity days) and mini-camps and whatever, we can construct our defense to take advantage of what our players do.”
Fewell was asked why he signed with the Giants. “Just being the New York Football Giants,” replied Fewell. “Great offense. Good offenses have you help you have great defense. That’s the key to having a great defense. The talent level that’s here. Our front four – really we have six, seven, eight guys up in the front that can play football and I’ve enjoyed watching them over the years play football. We have some talented linebackers as well as secondary guys. So it was an exciting opportunity to come work with a new group that knows how to win and that can win. And this NFC East is one of the toughest divisions in football. What an exciting opportunity to be involved in the NFC East.”
Speaking of the defense he wants to implement, Fewell said, “I like to run a defense that’s multiple. Multiple in that they’re fundamentally sound, good tacklers and aggressive. Coverage-wise it can be flexible. It can be Tampa Cover 2, it can be a lot of different things. But I want to be very flexible and aggressive with what we do. I have to find out what the talent level allows me to do. I think we take advantage of what our talent level does. And if it is more of an attacking style, blitz style of defense, that’s what we’ll do.”
Fewell said the Giants will be aggressive on defense. “It’s something that comes and goes, but offenses are so aggressive now,” said Fewell. “It’s a game that you must be aggressive on defense, you must take advantage of some of the things the offenses are doing. The players today like to be aggressive and attacking. That’s our mindset now; we’re going to attack the offense a lot more now.”
On a related note, The Star-Ledger is reporting that Fewell signed a 2-year contract with the Giants.
