New York Giants Name Steve Spagnuolo New Defensive Coordinator

New York Giants Name Steve Spagnuolo New Defensive Coordinator: The Giants have officially announced that Steve Spagnuolo will be the team’s new defensive coordinator, replacing Tim Lewis who was fired earlier this month.

Spagnuolo has spent the last eight seasons with the Philadephia Eagles, first as a defensive quality control coach (1999-2000), then as a defensive backs coach (2001-2003), and then as a linebackers coach (2004-2006).

“Steve Spagnuolo is a young man that I had an opportunity to interview and I was very impressed by his detail, his energy, his enthusiasm,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “His resume is outstanding. He’s had a lot of different football jobs. He’s been in the scouting end of it, he’s been a defensive line coach. When he first went to Philadelphia eight years ago he coached the corners and then the safeties. Then the last three years, he’s coached the linebackers there. He’s been with Jim Johnson and that outstanding defense for a number of years. His philosophy is an aggressive philosophy.”

Coughlin said Spagnuolo was the only candidate that he formally interviewed. “I was obviously looking for a guy who had had the opportunity to work with some outstanding defensive people in this league,” said Coughlin. “It wasn’t just a matter of the aggressiveness because the scheme that we have played here has been an aggressive scheme. Steve is familiar with the fire-zone theories. He’s also familiar with absolute blitz coverage, which obviously you’ve seen over the years from the Philadelphia defense. I just thought it was such an attractive commodity to have a guy who has worked to a great extent and in great detail with one of the recognized outstanding defensive coaches in our league.”

“Obviously you guys have seen the Giants-Eagles contests the last few years,” said Spagnuolo. “That’s obviously going to be the bulk of what I am and what I do, because I believe in it. It’s been successful. But I will pick pieces and parts of where I’ve been in a lot of different places. This business is a beg, borrow and steal, so whenever you can get an idea of something new or innovative, you try to incorporate it into what you have and what you do. I’ll try to put all of the pieces together and come up with something new.”

“I’m a little overwhelmed,” said Spagnuolo. “I’m excited and certainly proud to be a part of the New York Giants. When you think of the NFL and you think of NFL football, there are certain teams that jump out in your head and I think the Giants are one of them. I think it goes without saying that I’m a lucky, lucky man to have the opportunity to hold that position with that particular team.”

“We don’t want a passive coordinator with the type of players we have,” said LB LaVar Arrington. “If is coming in with that Eagles style, that get-after-it style, that’s a good thing for us.”

Tom Coughlin Says Other Defensive Coaches Will Be Retained: Head Coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday that all of the defensive position coaches will be retained.

“I expect to retain all of the position coaches on the defensive side of the ball,” said Coughlin. “I do want to say this: I think we have an outstanding group of coaches. Steve is familiar with a number of them and I think that one thing that was a huge plus is I have a great sense that he will work very well with our current coaches and that the transition for him will be smooth.”

New York Giants Still Searching for Quarterbacks Coach: Head Coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday that the search for a new quarterbacks coach continues. “It’s ongoing,” said Coughlin.

The quarterbacks coach vacancy was created when the Giants promoted Kevin Gilbride to the offensive coordinator position.

Injury Update on LB LaVar Arrington: LB LaVar Arrington, who missed the bulk of the 2006 season with a torn Achilles tendon, told Newsday that he is ahead of schedule on his rehab.

Quotes: Phil Simms on QB Eli Manning: “They all want him to be more vocal, but if that’s not you, it’s not you. I don’t think I ever saw Joe Montana get irate with a player on the field. All you can do is be who you are. That’s what everybody wants to see from Eli Manning, but that’s not how he leads football teams. It’s got to be who you are. To be a great leader, you work hard, you do the right thing and you win games.”