Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I have one main reason why I want Todd Grantham over all others.

The instillation of the 3-4 defense. Focus on his experience with "installing".

Grantham has successfully installed a 3-4 defense in Georgia.


Georgia Bulldogs (2010-present)

Grantham has installed a 3-4 defense. Despite breakdowns in coverage at times, the Bulldogs ranked 23rd nationally in total defense and 35th in scoring defense (22 points allowed per game). His defense also forced 26 takeaways, over twice as many as Georgia had in 2009 (12), and helped them move from 118th nationally in 2009 to 18th in 2010 in turnover margin.
Georgia's defense under Grantham finished the 2011 season ranked 3rd nationally in total defense, 7th in pass defense and 9th in rush defense. They also finished 2nd in the SEC in sacks (34), tackles for loss (94) and turnovers forced (29). In 2012, despite falling to 27th nationally in total defense, the unit was revered as one of the top in the country as the team finished the season 12-2, winning the Eastern Division of the SEC. Grantham's defense sported some of the top talent in the country with playmakers at every position including linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree, defensive linemen John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers, cornerback Sanders Commings, and All-American free safety Bacarri Rambo. Jones was Grantham's star player and was once again a consensus All-American in 2012, finishing the regular season leading the nation in tackles for loss, and 3rd in sacks.
Grantham is perhaps most famous for giving the University of Florida kicker, Chas Henry, the "choke" sign as Henry lined up for the winning kick in the 2010 Florida-Georgia game.[4]

Cleveland Browns (2005-2007)

He has also worked under Crennel.

Todd Grantham's first year as coordinator of the Browns defense under head coach Romeo Crennel was an eclectic mix of good and bad. They once again fielded one of the NFL's top pass defenses, actually stepping up in rank from 5th to 4th in the NFL. When starting cornerback Gary Baxter went down with a knee injury that ended his season, Leigh Bodden emerged as a solid playmaker. Overall, their secondary continued to play at a high level. They also ranked 11th in scoring defense despite possessing one of the leagues worst run defenses. Orpheus Roye would post a career high with 88 tackles and also make 3 sacks.
After Michigan State dismissed head coach John L. Smith in 2006, Grantham was one of the candidates to be his replacement. However, Michigan State would hire Cincinnati head coach Mark Dantonio.[2]
He was fired on January 11, 2008 after the 2007 season with the Brown's defense ranking 25th against the pass, 27th against the run, and 30th in total-yards-against among 32 teams.



Rob Ryan's installation of the 3-4 in Dallas did not go as well.
2011 - Dallas defense 14th over all, 23rd against the pass , 7th against the run
2012 - Dallas defense 19th over all , 19th against the pass, 22nd against the run


Why is the installation so important to me?

I do not want to have to wait until week 5 to know if it will work! We need to learn our lesson from the Spags year.

We need to hit the ground running week 1 of the 2013 season.

Grantham giving a kicker the choke sign tells me he has enough attitude to handle the Saints.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Hes interviewing today, lets hope SP wants to hire him

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

From what I've heard, Grantham has said he is not leaving Georgia. He has told all his players/media and said the same when recruiting.

Sean is going to have to pull a rabbit to get him here...

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

If that were 100% true, he wouldn't be interviewing with us today.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Isn't that exactly what we would expect him to say?

I mean, he can't really go and say that he's going to be leaving as soon as he is offered a NFL coaching/coordinator position, because that would not bode well for recruitment or the school.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I heard he's saying that so that he doesn't hurt Georgia's recruiting on signing day

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Which was yesterday, and oddly enough he's interviewing today. Coincidence?

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Exactly....its not a coincidence that he scheduled his interview for the day after signing day. Get the kids he recruited for the school to sign that dotted line first. Then do what you have to do.

Chip Kelley said he wasn't leaving Oregon....guess what happen a couple weeks later.

And supposedly the only competition for Grantham's services was the Eagles....they wanted to interview him BEFORE signing day...he said no, and scheduled his interview with the Saints a day after signing day. Eagles just hired Browns LB coach as their DC today....we just so happen to have Grantham in the Saints facility as we speak.....

I highly doubt that is a coincidence. But saying that......it can go either 2 ways....he's our guy or he gets a raise from UGA.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

If he's interviewing, he's interested.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Translated in Sabanese or Urbanese or Chipkelliese - "I'm leaving Georgia"

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Rob Ryan didn't install the 3-4 in Dallas. It had been in place long before he got there via Wade Phillips. The reason Ryans defense regressed against the run can be attributed to losing Sean Lee, Bruce Carter and Jay Ratliff for most of 2012. The improvement in the secondary and passing defense came via adding Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne.

Take any defense and remove the top 3 players versus the rush and add two top tier secondary players and you will see the same result. This is absolutely nothing to do with Rob Ryan.

I have no issue with Grantham as a candidate although his defense also regressed much the way Ryan's did in Oakland. I think he would require surrounding himself with positional coaches with more NFL experience to avoid tripfalls, but I don't see the relevance of the 3-4 installation arguement. If that is the case, Crennell is the clear cut best candidate.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

He installed his own "version".... Did not continue with Wade Phillips 3-4...

So yes, he installed a 3-4.

One of the pleasures of Cowboys camp is watching Rob Ryan install his version of the 3-4. It's a far more motion-based version, compared to Wade Phillips'. Thus far, Ryan has stuck to the templates he established in Cleveland. Look for base 3-4s on early downs. When Ryan gets an offense into passing situations, or when he's facing a spread offense that used three or more receivers as a base, look for Ryan to go ''psycho.''
Dallas Cowboys News & Analysis | Cowboys Nation: Rob Ryan -- Psycho Like a Fox?

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

he went psyco after we continued to eat up that defense year in and year out.

please pick a DC already and please not this guy but then again i wanted Jack and had to accept Spags.

i hope i do not have to go through that again

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

In Payton I trust. errr..........mostly. Everybody makes bad decisions.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Here's some info on Granthams 3-4 from a Bulldawg site...



In my opinion the talent on hand fits this scheme much better than a 4-3.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Yeah, especially the quote about the ILBs - both Lofton and Hawthorne are thumpers who have led the league in tackles over the past couple of seasons, neither is great at coverage but can probably cover "a little bit."

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

that brings me back to my point

CB and S coverage and tackling skills are key

i still think their roles are a bit simplistic in the write ups.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

oh we were talking about Todd Grantham - Georgia. i am on the fence with him. interesting move.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I hope Hawthorne can make the coverage calls because Lofton doesn't do it.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

From what I understand; Spags didn't give the MLB the opportunity to change the calls from the huddle...

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Installing a 3-4 on a 3-4 and installing a 3-4 on a 4-3 are two vastly different concepts. He's putting a 427 in a 396 car. The other is putting a Ford engine in a chevy. The semantics of your link are just that. He's adding wrinkles to a base scheme. Not completely changing overall front 7 personnel formations and gap responsibilities. He was working with guys who experienced a 3-4 and not trying to fit square pegs in round holes like he will be doing here. Absolutely any coach going to a new team is installing their own version of any base defense. I do not credit Spags with installing a 4-3 when he came here last year. We already were a 4-3 but under a different coverage and pressure concept. Certain responsibilities change and that's it.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Fairly moot point to argue as I am not an advocate for Ryan.... So thanks for proving my point... Grantham > Ryan

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I don't get the love for Grantham. Just because he runs a 3-4 and Georgia (which by virtue of being UGA has favorable recruitment in the SEC) has had success against lesser teams, doesn't mean he's going to come here and turn the Saints D into the Dome Patrol 2.0. Then you have a distinct lack of in-game adjustments, and rumblings about character from NFL players from his time in Cleveland.

Spagnuolo's demise came about because he refused to adjust his game plan to the personnel at hand, a complete lack of in-game adjustments, and there were rumblings players didn't like him (regardless of Vilma's attempts to keep matters in house). Are you sure you want more of the same?

Ryan, on the other hand, may be a character, but by all accounts, his players like him, and while none of the defenses he's fielded have been what you'd call great, he at least has been able to field mid-tier defenses, even while working in dysfunctional franchises like Oakland, Cleveland, and Dallas, and going through rashes of injuries, like the Cowboys last year, who lost 5-6 starters, and still finished in the second tier (10-20 rank) in defense.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I read something about player grumblings but it sounded like heresay. Do you have more info on this?

Anyhow, my favorite is still Romeo.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

If you say so I guess you must be right.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I live in the DFW area (Bedford) and saw a fair amount of Rob and the 'boys' play on D this past season. Yes he was lively on the sidelines, however when his team was healthy they executed in his system. Romo and that offense with no running game didn't give the D much help. I think he would bring an an 'attacking style' that Spaggs didn't effectively utilize. When their studs Bruce Carter, Ratliff, Sean Lee & Ware went down, that team fell apart and he was basically stuck with coaching guys off the street. If he is at least 'average or middle of the road' we will be OK. I think Payton knows that we don't have to have the best defense in the land to be successful.

With the acquisition of a few new faces on D with playmaking ability & an effective pass rush, things will be a lot different for us in 2013. In saying all of that I'd take Rob as our new DC in a NY minute. Dallas and delusional Jerry Jones let go the wrong guy. You fire Rob and bring in Kiffin who was exposed big time at PAC-10 USC??

Last coach we brought over from Dallas did ok ..... I'm just saying.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

You probably read the same things I read, so I don't think I could shine any more light in the situation.

Grantham hasn't really been THAT successful in UGA. Had he fielded a high-ranked defense at Miss St., ok.. but UGA, while no LSU or Alabama in the recruiting dept, still has better prospects that many in the SEC, let alone college football in general. There is a lot of talent in that UGA defense, and it is easier to work with talent than without; and according to some, the Saints have no talent at D, so why would you bring a guy like that?

BTW, I am with you on Crennel.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Yes, I know. We do have some talent on defense, probably about NFL average. We just lack those 2 or 3 difference makers, especially in the front 7.

I just shake my head when I hear someone say we have gaping holes everywhere on defense, or that we have absolutely no talent on defense.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

We need some Bama and Bengal Tigers on the Saints' team!

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

I'll take a CB Dee Miliner, DT Jessie Williams, RT DJ Fluker, DE Barkevious Mingo or Sam Montgomery, and S Eric Reed, and throw in SS Robert Lester and TE Michael Williams.

I'm down with that.:p

The potential front three of Bunkley,Hicks and Jordan really excites me.If we can get a edge rusher and a good coverage MLB I think the unit looks pretty good on paper.Its pretty young and will need to play to its potential but I'm quite optimistic.
I'm not that keen on parts of the secondary but they have been hung out to dry at times with the amount of time the front 7 gave the opposing QB.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

As long as its NOT Rob Ryan !

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Nick Saban was given a 5 year deal and made the highest paid college coach, at LSU, and said he would never leave. He left a year later. And he has pulled similar things at other places. Todd Grantham ain't the highest paid anything, and he's just a coordinator. I think he'd much prefer be a coordinator in the NFL, rather than College.

I could be wrong, but I don't think it matters if he told someone he won't leave. Personally, I don't think he's a good choice. But if he's offered, I'd be surprised if he turned it down.

(Saban might not have been a proper example, given his douchebaggery is legendary).

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Yeah I think a more recent Chip Kelley is a perfect example. Said he was not leaving Oregon....couple weeks later he's doing a press conference with the Eagles.

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Then change the team name to the ALA-SU Saints :)

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

What do you want them to say (after being pestered non-stop about it),

"Yeah, if the offer is good enough I'm a gone pecan"?

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

surprise surprise surprise surprise

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

*** Grantham withdraws name from consideration for Saints job



Statement from*Todd Grantham*through UGA Sports Communications ..."I want to thank Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints organization for the opportunity to interview and get to know them. They are a first class organization in every respect. As I said Wednesday, Georgia is a great place, my family loves it here, and I do as well. This is where our heart is and today I have withdrawn my name from consideration for the position with the Saints. I'm excited to start preparations for another season and along with the rest of our defensive staff look forward to coaching some really good returning players as well as developing some very talented newcomers."

Re: Todd Grantham - Georgia
 

Romeo, pretty please?