One week after the team’s dismal performance on both sides of the ball against the New York Giants and the exits of offensive coordinator, Mike Mularkey, who took the head coaching job in Jacksonville, and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, who filled the same position at Auburn, the Falcons wasted little time in filling the coaching voids. Replacing Mularkey is Dirk Koetter, who served as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2011. Koetter brings a strong knowledge of the passing game, which he hopes to implicate well with Matt Ryan, who has been criticized throughout his career for his troubles with throwing the deep ball.
Falcons head coach Mike Smith praised the Koetter hiring, believing that he is the man that can utilized the Falcons offensive weapons to their maximum potential. Koetter will look to improve the overall style of the Falcons’ passing attack, focusing on the vertical game, as well as utilizing more screen passes. “Dirk is a veteran offensive coach who will bring years of NFL experience as an offensive coordinator as well as a fresh set of ideas to our offense,” Smith said of the hire. Koetter also posseses a knack for the run game, which, in 2011, saw Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew lead the NFL in rushing with 1,606 yards on the ground. Before landing in Jacksonville, Koetter coached Arizona State for six seasons, leading the Sun Devils to four bowls and an overall record of 40-34. He also coached Boise State from 1998-2000, with two bowl appearances and a 26-10 record.
On the other side of the ball, the Falcons went with a familiar name in Mike Nolan, who has 14 years experience as a defensive coordinator and spent the last two seasons coaching the defense of the Miami Dolphins. Nolan also has head coaching experience with the San Francisco 49ers to go along with his other defensive coordinator stops, which includes the Broncos, Ravens and Jets. Nolan and Mike Smith have a history of working together, when they both were coaches with the Ravens. Nolan hopes to blend his 3-4 style of defense with Falcons personnel that has shown strides in stopping the run, but has struggled to defend the pass with any form of consistency.
Nolan has coached some of the NFL’s most stout defenses, including a Ravens’ defense from 2001-2004, which includes five Pro Bowlers and two AP Defensive Players of the Year in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, who will no question be Hall of Famers one day. During his time with the 49ers, the team was of the NFL’s most consistent in stopping the run, which the Falcons have proven to be strong at.
Coming off of a disappointing season, the Falcons hope that these two new voices will utilize the team’s strengths on both sides of the ball and help the team reach the potential that everyone had predicted for them over the past two seasons. With uncertainty looming within the Falcons’ locker room, let’s hope that Koetter and Nolan help bring a new energy to the Dirty Birds.
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