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New York Times
13-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Bengals' bet on new DC Al Golden has shifted from safe to reckless during free agency
This was supposed to be a rebuild, remember? How could it not? Maybe the surge of the final five games or the glitz of the award shows honoring Trey Hendrickson, Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase made people forget. For a refresher, during a critical five-game stretch midseason, the Bengals' defense allowed an average of 35 points per game while going 1-4 and seeing an MVP-caliber season from Burrow sink into the Ohio River. Advertisement Sound familiar? They tied for most losses in a season this century when scoring at least 25 points in a game. They somehow went 5-6. The NFL winning percentage in those circumstances is 81 percent. Old players fell off, young players regressed and the quarterback became a weekly embodiment of exasperation while publicly pressuring the front office to pay its stars. The Bengals brass shared the same emotions. 'We're a championship-level team that didn't get an opportunity and that irritates us,' director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Scouting Combine. 'It irritates all of us. It irritates our fans and we're not happy about it and we're going to attack the offseason to make sure it doesn't happen again.' In response, the Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. A man once believed to be the club's secret weapon in toppling Patrick Mahomes became its scapegoat. They hired Al Golden, fresh off a legendary three-year run turning Notre Dame's defense into one of the best in the country and winning the Broyles Award as top assistant coach in college football. Voices get stale, even respected ones. A collection of recent premium draft picks who failed to develop could use fresh motivation. Cool. Great. Makes sense. What's happened since suggests the Bengals forgot what transpired last season. Or, maybe more precisely, have made clear their opinion on what happened last season. That failure was Lou's fault. Had to be, apparently. How else would you explain not only failing to add impact players to a defense lacking across multiple deficient position groups but doubling down on players who lived at the scene of the crime? Blow it up? Nope, that was far from the theme of this week for the embattled Bengals defense. They opted for 'Run it back.' They brought back defensive tackle B.J. Hill ($11 million/year), along with edges Joseph Ossai ($7 million) and Cam Sample to the defensive line. All fine enough bets in a vacuum, but outside of 330-pound, run-stuffing nose tackle T.J. Slaton ($7 million/year), Cincinnati didn't add a single new player to a group among the worst pass-rushing teams in the NFL. They didn't go there for the Raiders' Malcolm Koonce (one year, $12 million), Detroit's Levi Onwuzurike (one year, $5.5 million) or even Azeez Ojulari (still a free agent), to name a few who all owned pressure rates higher than everyone not named Trey Hendrickson on the team last year. Lack of activity cleared the path for 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy to assume a starting role in the wake of Sam Hubbard's retirement. This comes after touching the quarterback three times in 215 pass-rush attempts last season, contributing zero sacks. For even the most ardent supporter of his upside and win-rate analytics (I sheepishly raise my hand), that zero is hard to look past. Advertisement They didn't add any of the big-name linebackers amid a trade request from Germaine Pratt, who appears out of their future plans. Time still remains for a solution there, but outside of replacing Akeem Davis-Gaither with Philadelphia's Oren Burks, the group currently looks the same. They could have demanded more from the safety position, specifically last year's free-agent Geno Stone, who only trailed Pratt in missed tackles with 17 and struggled to look comfortable in a new system. Maybe the area worthy of the most optimism is at cornerback where the Bengals also stood pat with a projected starting group that all either got benched or tore their ACL last season. Try saying that sentence out loud and gauging the response. All this before mentioning that Hendrickson, the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and producer of more sacks than anybody in football, is in a contract dispute and has been given permission to seek a trade to assess his market. The offseason is a marathon. Riding the daily transaction wire and doom-scrolling 'Do Something' memes isn't recommended. There will be some kind of move at linebacker. One or two potential safety upgrades are available, too. A draft overflowing with defensive linemen, particularly those capable of bringing pass-rush juice, awaits. It could also deliver an answer at safety and linebacker (and offensive guard). The Bengals only possess six picks. The 'winners' of free agency are essentially non-correlative to the winners in the regular season. Perhaps this was a knee-jerk reaction to failed free-agency periods of the last two years and a reemphasis to invest in those you know best. Even Slaton was coached by new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery in Green Bay. Don't judge a book by the first chapter, of course. You should patiently follow the plot twists between now and September. Those mantras still ring true. Advertisement What we learned about the Bengals' plan to fix their historically poor defense was abundantly clear: Bet on Golden. Few, however, could have expected a bet this big. The man with a track record for developing young players, attention to detail and familiarity with the Bengals' model will be given the same core of players that got Anarumo fired last year and be asked to deliver dramatically different results. Perhaps, along with Montgomery, Murphy develops into a solid No. 2 edge, Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson take a Year 2 leap and Ossai's contract-year December surge proves his new normal. Perhaps this draft class hits the Bengals just right and pass-rush juice comes from two breakout draft picks in the same vein as it did for the Rams with Jared Verse and Braden Fiske last year. Perhaps young DBs DJ Turner, Cam Taylor-Britt, Jordan Battle and Dax Hill all morph premium-pick flashes into consistency that matches their elite athleticism. Perhaps. None of these quantities are known, proven or reliable. The Bengals believe Golden can make them all three. Even for a coordinator who felt like a safe hire, that's a daring bet. Then the Bengals doubled down on it this week. How much difference can a coordinator make? The Bengals are about to find out while hoping this big bet doesn't bust another year in Burrow's Super Bowl window.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fans react as Iowa football hires former Wake Forest OC Warren Ruggiero
Iowa football made a splash on Monday by reportedly hiring former Wake Forest offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero as a senior analyst. Ruggiero spent the past 11 seasons with the Demon Deacons as Wake Forest's offensive coordinator. Ruggiero was a Broyles Award finalist in 2021 when he combined with star quarterback Sam Hartman to lead the nation's No. 4 scoring offense. Wake Forest scored a program-best 574 points and averaged a school-record 41.0 points per game during the 2021 college football season. A 1988 graduate of the University of Delaware, Ruggiero was previously the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Bowling Green (2009-13) and the quarterbacks coach at Kansas State during the 2008 season. As Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz added to his coaching staff with the addition of Ruggiero as an analyst, here's how Hawkeye fans and sports fans took in the news from Monday night. It's safe to say that fans are excited to see the "Slow Mesh" arrive in Iowa City. Iowa has hired former Wake Forrest offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero to be a senior analyst We're back — Barstool Iowa (@BarstoolUIowa) March 4, 2025 Since the start of the 2017 season, Wake Forest's 185 touchdown passes are the most of any school in the ACC and that total ranks tied for seventh nationally during that span (prior to start of 2024 season)Iowa's new senior analyst Warren Ruggiero was the offensive coordinator. — David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) March 4, 2025 A little over 1 year ago we had Brian we have Tim Lester and Warren Ruggiero.I can't believe this is my life. — Phil Parker fan (@dmcbride77) March 4, 2025 You can just tell the Warren Ruggiero hire was more of a Tim Lester move than a Kirk Ferentz Tim cook — Phil Parker fan (@dmcbride77) March 4, 2025 Pretty interesting news with the Hawks hiring OC Warren I had to take a guess…he's being brought in to help speed up the RPO process that Lester wasn't able to incorporate last year. — JeffreyTheGreek (@JeffreyTheGreek) March 4, 2025 Gronowski seems like the perfect QB for the slow mesh — FullbackU (@u_fullback) March 4, 2025 Get ready to learn the slow mesh, Hawk fans — Hawkeye Historian (@Hawk_Historian) March 4, 2025 Mark Gronowski and Kamari Moulton with the minds of Tim Lester and Warren Ruggiero is going to absolutely feed families — Hawkeye Enjoyer 🐤 (@HawkGuyEnjoyer) March 4, 2025 I have a confession.I went to bed thinking of Iowa mastering the #SlowMesh after Kirk Ferentz's latest hirehttps:// — Doug Samuels 🏈 (@CoachSamz) March 4, 2025 Slow mesh with only Tight Ends could go extremely hard. — RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) March 4, 2025 The potential Iowa Slow Mesh has me kinda excited. — Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) March 4, 2025 Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Fans react as Iowa football hires Warren Ruggiero as senior analyst
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Petal coach receives 2024 High School Broyles Award
PETAL, Miss. (WHLT) – Leaders with Petal High School announced that Offensive Line Coach Matt 'Pete' Holeman was named the recipient of the 2024 High School Broyles Award. The award recognizes the top high school assistant football coach in every participating state. Petal High leaders said the award highlights Holeman's dedication, leadership, and lasting impact on the Petal Panther football program, as well as his unwavering commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field. Hattiesburg High welcomes new head football coach 'Coach Holeman's passion for coaching and commitment to students is truly exceptional. We are so Panther Proud to see him recognized for his impact on our football program and the district,' said Dr. Matthew Dillon, Superintendent of Schools. The Broyles Award was established in 1996 to honor the legacy of Coach Frank Broyles. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Notre Dame hires former West Virginia assistant as defensive analyst
Notre Dame is looking at the right personnel to hire for the 2025 season. That includes on the defensive side, especially after the departure of coordinator and Broyles Award winner Al Golden. The hope is their latest hire will be up to the stands Golden set. The Irish reportedly have hired Jevaughn Codlin as a defensive analyst. He most recently worked at West Virginia as an assistant secondary coach. That means he likely will most closely work with Irish defensive backs coaches Mike Mickens and Marty Biagi in addition to new defensive coordinator Chris Ash. Codlin previously worked as a graduate assistant on the staff at Emporia State. This came off a playing career at Kansas Wesleyan and one year professionally with the Indoor Football League's Spokane Shock. Those working in college football mainly if not unanimously have a positive impression of Codlin, and he could be a force in the distant future: Notre Dame is hiring former West Virginia assistant secondary coach Jevaughn Codlin as an analyst, a source tells @247Sports/@ is considered a rising star by those in the profession. He helped coach those like WVU All-American Beanie Bishop in 2023 and was often… — Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) February 17, 2025 Here's hoping Marcus Freeman got the perfect addition to his staff. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions. Follow Geoffrey on X: This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame hires former West Virginia assistant as defensive analyst
NBC Sports
16-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is named Broyles Award winner
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden has been named the Broyles Award winner as the nation's top assistant coach. Golden helped Notre Dame reach the national championship game last month before he was hired as the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive coordinator. The Fighting Irish ranked second in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense (14.3 points per game) and ninth in total defense (298.3 yards per game). The other four finalists were Arizona State offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks and Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. The selection committee for the award announced Thursday night included former coaches, members of the Football Writers Association of America and broadcasters. Golden is the 29th assistant coach to receive the Broyles Award. It was created in 1996 to recognize former Arkansas coach Frank Broyles' history of developing assistant coaches.
