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Farrior likes what Butler brings to 'D'

Tibs

Tibs

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Former LB James Farrior thinks the Steelers defensive will be aggressive under Keith Butler.
http://www.steelers.com/news/articl...ngs-to-D/d0ccdb35-32bc-4213-9201-33e27b492b7d

Former Steelers linebacker James Farrior was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro (2004, 2008) under Keith Butler when he was the team’s linebackers coach. Now that Butler is the team's defensive coordinator, Farrior is among those excited about what he is going to bring to the defense.

“He is an aggressive coach,” said Farrior. “Some coaches lay back and let athletes make plays. He is an aggressive coach and they will have some exciting things going on this year.”

Farrior doesn’t anticipate any type of major overhaul on the defense, but definitely thinks that Butler will put his own twist on things.

“I think it’s going to be similar,” said Farrior. “He coached under Dick LeBeau and being around him and the system. It will be similar, but he will add a little spice to it.

“He has been around the team for a long time. He knows the heartbeat of the defense, what the guys like to do. He will make the calls accordingly. They have been around him enough for them to be comfortable with his personality.”

Butler has coached the Steelers linebackers since 2003, after serving in the same role for four seasons in Cleveland. Butler brought playing experience with him when he arrived in Pittsburgh, after a 10 year career with the Seattle Seahawks (1978-87).

“He is a fiery guy, a passionate coach and understands the game well, playing in the league for a long time,” said Farrior. “He understands where the players are coming from and how the players see the game. That helps make him a good coach, he can relate to the players that way.”
 
sometimes a change is necessary sometimes a change is good

I think there is enough young talent for a D to improve

think he has the kind of energy to push them in the right direction.

On a young team that seems to be what is needed.
 
So is Farrior saying Dick lost his edge?
 
stillwright said:
So is Farrior saying Dick lost his edge?
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That appears to be exactly what he is saying
“He is an aggressive coach,” said Farrior. “Some coaches lay back and let athletes make plays. He is an aggressive coach and they will have some exciting things going on this year.”
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Isn't that what many of the complaints about Dick were; that his more recent defenses weren't aggressive and he just let the plays come to the defenders rather than going after the offenses? As someone said in the Polamalu hates everyone but Dan thread, once a player ofTroy's/Farrior's stature confirms something one way or the other, it's gospel.
 
I hope Coach Butler does well. I have reservations though because Mr Tomlin is still drafting 4/3 Cover II personnel for our 3/4 defense.
 
DBS1970 said:
I hope Coach Butler does well. I have reservations though because Mr Tomlin is still drafting 4/3 Cover II personnel for our 3/4 defense.
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We must have stupid coaches and a stupid front office if this is the case. We have been doing this this since Tomlin came aboard and yet our DC's are 3 - 4 guys that stay on. Go figure.
 
Interesting article. We shall see what other former players have to say about the differences between Coach LeBeau's Defense vs. Coach Butler's New Defense.
 
stillwright said:
We must have stupid coaches and a stupid front office if this is the case. We have been doing this this since Tomlin came aboard and yet our DC's are 3 - 4 guys that stay on. Go figure.
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Well they keep drafting small "fast" LBs. Mr Tomlins experience is with the 4/3 cover II style defense that Tampa ran while he was an assistant there.
 
DBS1970 said:
Well they keep drafting small "fast" LBs. Mr Tomlins experience is with the 4/3 cover II style defense that Tampa ran while he was an assistant there.
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Tomlin worked here with DL for longer than he worked with or under any other DC in his career. One could argue that he has more experience in a 3/4 zone defense than any other. Now, whether they have drafted for that type of defense or not is another issue.

BTW, other than Spence, who are the "small, fast" LBs they have drafted? Shazier is bigger than Farrior was. And Jones may be light, but he hasn't shown that he's fast.

Edit: Did you know that Kendrell Bell was the same height as Shazier and only weighed 10 lbs more? I'd imagine that Shazier has put that much on this off season from the pics circulating.
 
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DBS1970 said:
Well they keep drafting small "fast" LBs. Mr Tomlins experience is with the 4/3 cover II style defense that Tampa ran while he was an assistant there.
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His point is that the DC's who don't run that D still stick around even though the players drafted are players they don't want and/or can't use? Why did DL stick around for 8 years of that ****? It, simply, makes no sense.
 
meanwhile, Titans happy to have LeBeau



Dick LeBeau likes what he sees in Titans

Moving to Nashville: "I love Nashville. The people of Nashville have been so kind to me."

On the challenge of implementing his defense at a new place: "I am enjoying it. It's especially great once the players got back in here and we got off the blackboard and on the field. I got to stay in a couple of places a long time, but in this business you do move around a little bit. It's a fresh challenge; we are looking forward to it. I really like the athletes here, the attitude that they've come to work here with here in the 2015 season."

http://www.tennessean.com/story/spo...ck-lebeau-ray-horton-ken-whisenhunt/27244847/
---

Titans excited by adding Dick LeBeau to defense

Hiring a Hall of Famer in defensive coach Dick LeBeau has plenty excited about his arrival in Tennessee this offseason.

Outside linebacker Brian Orakpo is looking to re-ignite his career after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in 2014. And he said Monday that LeBeau made moving to the Titans from the Washington Redskins an easy decision for him as a free agent

LeBeau, 77, will oversee the Titans defense after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers in January. He joins familiar faces in Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt and defensive coordinator Ray Horton with all three previously working together as assistant coaches with the Steelers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...7c8380-e7b3-11e4-8581-633c536add4b_story.html
 
So Tomlin draft players regardless of what his coordinators think? I find that hard to believe.
 
Hallmarky said:
So Tomlin draft players regardless of what his coordinators think? I find that hard to believe.
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He drafts players that his coordinators don't want but he has no say who his coordinators are.....Go figure.
 
Doesn't matter who the coordinator is if we keep drafting players that cannot win their one on one matches. You can't scheme but so much regardless of who is coaching.
 
people will want to scapegoat Lebeau for the defense's recent struggles, especially if it's better this year. But that will be ignoring the fact that this year's defense is the first in a few years that appears to have some actual young playmakers.

Heyward is now established, Tuitt started to look good and will likely be much better. Shazier missed most of last year. Mitchell played with an injured groin. Golson is the best cover player they have drafted in years. Dupree has tremendous physical skills as a pass rusher.

I expect the defense to be better because the talent will be better. Of course that won't stop the stupid posts that attribute the success to getting rid of old man Lebeau.
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
people will want to scapegoat Lebeau for the defense's recent struggles, especially if it's better this year. But that will be ignoring the fact that this year's defense is the first in a few years that appears to have some actual young playmakers.

Heyward is now established, Tuitt started to look good and will likely be much better. Shazier missed most of last year. Mitchell played with an injured groin. Golson is the best cover player they have drafted in years. Dupree has tremendous physical skills as a pass rusher.

I expect the defense to be better because the talent will be better. Of course that won't stop the stupid posts that attribute the success to getting rid of old man Lebeau.
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I just find it hard to believe that a bunch of posters believe that Tomlin has the power to draft players that didn't fit Dick's system(and Dick put up with it and stayed. Now Butler), but Tomlin even now can't decide who his coordinators are. I don't know if he has ever picked one on his own.
This one one area where I believe ArtII is doing his best Al Davis impersonation. If you don't trust your HC to pick his own coordinators than get one in here that you do trust.
As much as I think Chip Kelly has done a horrible job in Philly at least it is his work and his alone. If he fails it is on him. With Tomlin you have so many people with their fingers involved. So it looks like he will stick around even if we go farther south than we already have.
 
TAS said:
We finally drafted a lb that fits and right after Lebeau leaves... I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.
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Drafted a LB that fits and drafted a late round DE conversion in Chickillo ... just like the old days ... and yeah, right after Lebeau leaves.
 
SteelBuckeye said:
Drafted a LB that fits and drafted a late round DE conversion in Chickillo ... just like the old days ... and yeah, right after Lebeau leaves.
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So wait a second....Who is drafting now? Since Dick left we have gone back to how Cowher drafted. Maybe it was Dick they gave the drafting power and now that he is gone..........
 
stillwright said:
I just find it hard to believe that a bunch of posters believe that Tomlin has the power to draft players that didn't fit Dick's system(and Dick put up with it and stayed. Now Butler), but Tomlin even now can't decide who his coordinators are. I don't know if he has ever picked one on his own.
This one one area where I believe ArtII is doing his best Al Davis impersonation. If you don't trust your HC to pick his own coordinators than get one in here that you do trust.
As much as I think Chip Kelly has done a horrible job in Philly at least it is his work and his alone. If he fails it is on him. With Tomlin you have so many people with their fingers involved. So it looks like he will stick around even if we go farther south than we already have.
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Interesting points. Tomlin has been here 8 years has there ever been a coach that has left less a personal mark on a team than him ? He doesn't hire or fire his coordinators, he is not known for a particular style of play and he really doesn't set the tone for the franchise. Would love for him or any head coach stand up and be the man for better pr worse, why they have hamstrung him in hiring and firing is very odd. Either you have faith in him as the head coach or you don't but he seems to never have really been on complete charge like a Harbaugh or Chip Kelly.
 
If all that is true, then nobody should be calling for the "figurehead coach" to be fired. Since everyone else makes all the decisions, then Colbert should be fired, ARII should be replaced with another member of the Rooney family and all the coordinators should be let go. This mess is on them and them alone. :popcorn2:

However, I have heard that Tomlin's input can be seen with the Tampa 2 personnel being brought in, the previously poor Oline, the decline in "The Steeler Way", etc. etc. So, I guess he has put his stamp on the team. It's just not one that some like. Because he'll never get credit for any of the positives.

Btw, if Lebeau was the father of the zone blitz and Whiz was responsible for developing Ben ... what was the previous coach's stamp on the team? Steely McBeam?
 
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I wouldn't call him a figurehead but I will say he has never really had total control of the team like similarly tenured coaches . He has had a lot of success but I have never felt it was his team like with a Belicheck , Parcells, Harbaugh, Cowher or a Chip kelly.
 
I wouldn't know ... I'm not employed by the Steelers, don't sit in on their meetings and have no idea what truly goes on. Of course, I've heard and read the "rumors". But to me it seems a little foolish for the Rooney's to be paying the guy MILLIONS of dollars each year just to have him "not" make any real decisions or have any real power as a HC. Then of course there's the matter of the players. Seems to me that if this was the case and the players got wind of it, there would be something akin to anarchy or dissension on a wide scale basis.

But again, I wouldn't know for sure how they have things set up. And to me rumors until proven factual are just rumors.

Edit: G'nite fellow members of SN ... the Glenlivet has me feeling all contrarian. lol
 
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Good call, buckeye. We dont need any drunken tomlin lovers slurring their soliloquys about him:FatboyDance.png:
 
I don't give a **** what "they like to do", and I hope we discard the current "heartbeat of the defense" and find one that works better. I guess I also don't give a **** if they are comfortable with his personality either.
 
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