Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

In the 35 year history of Saints linebacker coach Joe Vitt’s NFL assistant coaching career, his now nine seasons spent in New Orleans is the longest amount of time that he has ever spent with any team. Normally that would suggest that either:

A) as a valued member of the coaching staff, he has turned down other better coaching opportunities and has remained loyal to the organization; or


B) he is being passed over time and time again because teams feel that he simply isn’t good enough to be their defensive coordinator or head coach

Now while part of A is some what true; not only is B considered accurate, but as far as the fans of the Who Dat Nation are concerned — it’s the gospel truth.

It goes without saying, that you can go to ANY Saints-themed message board right now; and find a post calling for Vitt’s head as one they’d like to see among the promised coaching staff changes being made by the organization as they are currently undergoing their off-season evaluation process.

With defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, whom it was revealed Wednesday Morning would be returning for his third year in 2015, no longer the recipient of some of the anger by fans as the perpetrator of the Saints’ disappointing result in 2014 — the Who Dat Nation’s attention (and its ire) has now been turned directly towards Vitt.

Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

now now why hang the this coach? SP is on record as to the many hats he wears with the saints.

besides none of this was an issue at the start of the season, everything was rosie.

skate goating is not cool.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I woudn't keep him as an assistant head coach either. I agree 100% he has to go. Johnson has fell into the same way as Vitt. I use to like Johnson by the way. Neither do their job the way they should.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Again, it is NOT the fault of the coach, and I am no Vitt fan. We do NOT have a dominant LB, we have Lofton and some supporting cast at best.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I've made this argument for much longer than recent memory...

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Love the definitive statements being thrown around on this board of late, as if anybody on this message board has any clue of what goes on within the coaching staff. I'm glad SP is more levelheaded than some of you bozos.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

One COULD make the argument that ALL of the coaches need to go.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I'm not exactly a Vitt defender, but the argument in the article that there must be something wrong with him for being an assistant, that he SHOULD be a head coach somewhere or SHOULD want to be one, or the idea that no other team wants him, is ridiculous. Plenty of people find jobs or positions that are suited to them and stick with them throughout their life. Not everyone is a head coach candidate, or aspires to be one, just like not every single football player is suited to play any and every position on the team or be quarterback. Vitt is an NFL guy, to the bone, through and through.

Now if his performance is lackluster, that's another thing to discuss. But to suggest that he should be fired simply because no one else on other teams is poaching him to be a head coach or coordinator, or because he apparently doesn't really want to be a head coach somewhere else, is completely ludicrous.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

The reason people want his head is because he hasn't developed a single linebacker into a playmaker in his tenure. You could argue any linebacker we brought to the team either significantly regressed (hawthorne) or only stayed the same or marginally regressed (lofton). Now the FO has been horrible at acquiring LB talent, but still you'd think he'd polish one guy enough to be decent in his time here. He has to go or stop being the LB coach. I know he has other duties with the team why can he just be asst head coach or something. Now we don't know the real intracacies, but it appears on the surface that he hasn't made anyone look better than they are, and thats exactly what good coaches do. They bring some players to the next level and make avg guys look good and bad guys look avg.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I dont want Vitt or Johnson to go because they're bad coaches....hell, we had a top pass rush last year. Except for this past season,, Cam Jordan has been developing well since we drafted him. I just think some fresh coaching would inspire these guys to develop and play better.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Fujita didn't regress, I would argue he became better. Shanle certainly didn't regress until age/injuries took hold. Humber has become at least a reliable role player. Lofton is a better player now than he ever was for the Falcons. Dunbar became a pretty decent player and now starts for the Rams I think. Casillas moved on to become a starter for another team. The problem is more, as you said, we haven't made strong efforts to get prime linebacker talent in the system. That's likely not Vitt's fault.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Some people must have read a different article than me or they didn't read the entire article. The moral to the story was, he is a valued member of the staff and SP right hand man but he SUCKS at coaching Lb's and SP needs to find a person to coach the LB unit.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Exactly, there's no evidence that Vitt can't coach LB's. Free agents that came here either stayed the same or got better, and free agents that left here played basically the same or worse than when they were Saints.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I don't know that we've drafted a true LB with promise in the entire SP era, maybe even going back to Haslett with the possible exception of Courtney Watson. They've all been projects or upside guys.

I really really wanted Ryan Shazier this past draft. I feel the same way about Perryman this year. Put a guy with some real speed and instincts next to Lofton and this defense will take off. I think that was the plan when they originally signed Lofton to put with Vilma but then Vilma fell apart.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Exactly right. Please, please, please get us a LB that can cover, get us two.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I don't think this is anything new at all. Maybe the articles stating the mood of the fans is relatively new, but I know I've been tired of this guy for years, and I haven't gotten the sense from too many people that they liked him either. But he's not the only one I'm tired of, either. Too many "old school" guys that have been on this staff for too long and don't understand how to adjust to the changing NFL.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Simple, fair question remains...

Name one linebacker in Vitt's tenure with the Saints that he's developed since 2006?!?

Other than Vilma (who's ProBowl appearances were after immediately after his arrival to the Saints and only as alternate and then as an injury replacement) name Saints ProBowl Linebackers that we've had?!?

So after we traded for Vilma who arrived and had an impact, he declined after a couple of seasons...

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Hey Has is out of work ! LOL

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I'll answer that. ZERO,NONE,NADA,NOTHING.Vilma came from the Jets and was already a stud.In 35 stinking years Vitt has not developer a SINGLE LB. How many DC's have we gone through since he has been here? Just look at the LB. that we let go to New England, think Vitt can evauluate talent? Think he hasn't had talent over his 35 years? New blood is needed at LB coach,period. He may be a he!! of a great guy and friend to Payton but being a great guy and friend don't mean he's a great or even good LB. coach.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

"Joe Vitt not fit to Coach Saints LB's anymore"

When did he start?

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Maybe Vitt is part of the problem but I really don't recall us getting a top LB out of the draft to fix the issue. I mean someone like a Luke Kuechly.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Oh look, a position coach also knows to work with scouting to find talent he needs to improves his group...

So, that's another aspect to consider...

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Right now it appears that Joe Vitt is the weak link.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

I agree with the idea of getting some fresh coaches for defense & the OL.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Maybe Dick LeBeau can teach him a few things. Of course, if he wants to listen.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Rick Venturi is on the radio everyday here in Indy. He sounds like a football genius. How was he as a "real" coach?

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

But some teams can make average players look like pro bowl talent, its never happened for the Saints until last year when Rob Ryan first arrived, then it took a back seat.

What you have to think about.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Great teacher, great with X's and O's, but just couldn't cut it as a DC.

He had a reputation for being a good assistant coach and players respected him a lot.

I love hearing him talk football. He can break down any play, tell you exactly who did their job right, who did it wrong, and who should have done what and why.

Re: Vitt Not Fit to Coach Saints LB's Any More
 

Rick Venturi and Matt Millen both talk a good game.