I was on my way home from a trip to Massachusetts. My phone rang and it was my buddy on the other end. Within seconds of answering the phone he informed me that the Eagles had finally selected their defensive coordinator. Curious, I paused… anticipating the name I would hear. “Juan Castillo,” he blurted sarcastically. I laughed and again paused, waiting for the real answer.
Silence.
“Juan Castillo.”
How appropriate that yesterday was Groundhog Day. Yet another day that the Eagles are once again trying to prove how much smarter they are than everyone else. Only the Eagles would jump on the other side of the ball to make their defensive coordinator hire. Juan Castillo? The offensive line coach?
Obviously, it is way too premature to judge this move. Neither you or I know what will happen tomorrow let alone next week and next year. I remember a no-name quarterbacks coach with very little coaching experience who got the Eagles head coaching job: Andy Reid. Reid showed up with binders on top of binders full of scenarios, plays and situations. He is one of the most prepared coaches in the NFL, despite your personal opinions of him as a coach. Up pops Castillio’s name. Is it any coincidence that Castillo has the reputation as one of the most prepared and dedicated offensive line coaches? It’s true. Players and coaches rave on the amount of time Castillo puts into his job.
In addition, Castillo has always wanted to be a defensive coach. In fact, Castillo even assisted defensive genius, the late Jim Johnson, on blitz packages. Wait, Johnson was getting blitz package help from the offensive line coach? Either the defensive coaches around were that bad or Castillo actually knew what he was talking about. If I remember correctly, Jonson had some darn good defenses, so I’ll assume it was the latter. He even assisted former defensive coach Leslie Frazier at times.
But c’mon…is that really enough to determine the defensive coordinator position? Aren’t there a few other things that should be considered?
Castillo may have been a defensive player in his day, but at the end of the day, he has been an offensive coach. He has been groomed to target and develop offensive players and now they are trusting him to target and develop completely different types of players and positions? Is it really that simple? To his credit, Castillo approached Reid some 13 years ago and stated that he wanted to coach… regardless of the position, he was confident in his ability to coach any position on the football field. Is he overconfident or really just that good?
And are we really supposed to believe that, because of his knowledge of an offense, he will be better prepared to attack it? It may sound intriguing, but I’ll take my chances with an experienced offensive coordinator taking advantage of an inexperienced defensive coordinator rather than the other way around. See; McDermott, Sean.
Speaking of McDermott, one of his biggest flaws was his simple lack of experience. He struggled to gain the command of his own locker room because of it. While I’m not certain, there are whispers that players struggled to buy into his system and what he was coaching. If these guys aren’t buying into you and your direction, regardless of the reason… you either change the players or the coach. They changed the coach… and hired another guy with no real experience. Actually, I should be more specific… no NFL defensive experience. Guys must be lining up around the block to buy into this system.
And if this was your guy, why didn’t you just hire him weeks ago when you fired McDermott? What was the point of all the interviews and posturing? Maybe it was that they simply weren’t impressed with the other options out there. Sure, there were no “sexy” names, but at the very least, an outside hire would have brought in a new voice and quite possibly some new players.
Nope, no need for a new voice. Reid continues to hire within and keep everything, “in house”… even if he has to hire his offensive line coach as defensive coordinator. Again, it is too premature to judge this move and Castillo could very well go on to be a successful defensive coordinator. But the sour taste of arrogance lingers.
WOW! LOL…….. I guess you were thinking you had an April Fools Joke in Febuary when you recieved that call………!!!! My peoples from Philly called me and I couldnt believe it as well on my way home from work……. Out of all the canidates in the world….. Who would expect Castillio……
I know Where’s Waldo book is a well liked book for the kids…….. We as fans have to read the same thing as my five year old reads……… But this book is Where’s the loyalty……. We cant find that………. We are loyal fans who want to win just atleast one championship……… But this book will never be published because it’s too real of a story………. Only fables and fiction or tall tales can only come from this story behind AR……. MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!
*broke pencil*
JC!
Whats really scary about this whole thing is, From what i just heard Castillo wasent even on the radar until this past tuesday, the story is he walked in Reid’s office at 4am, they talked until 9am and Reid came out of that meeting convinced Castillo was his guy, again people, Thats scary ! I guess we can look at the bright side, at least it wasnt the janitor that walked in there.
I agree that this is a very strange and questionable move, but I do not like the argument, “And if this was your guy, why didn’t you just hire him weeks ago when you fired McDermott?” This has a fairly simple answer that Reid provided in his press conference. Castillo is considered a very good O-Line coach and Reid was not going to further weaken that area without finding a suitable replacement. I think that the trigger was pulled on this the moment that Howard Mudd agreed to come out of retirement. IF Mudd had been available the day that McDermott was fired, then yes, perhaps Castillo would have been selected sooner.
Jroc, I am not sold on your accusation of Eagles organization being disloyal to the fans. If there are more obvious solutions that only you know about then, please, let Joe, Andy, Jeff, and Howie know. I am sure they would be pleased with your criticism of their oversights, but until then go easy on the blame game. Saying that they are disloyal is a much deeper stab at character than simply stating that they have let the fans down.
I think people are over the top with there gloom and doom with this move.
Washburn will help immensly in this process. Juans job is easy with Fat Albert beating the dogsnot out of o-lineman weekly. And what if they dont get Fat Albert and Nmanda”Human Blanket” comes too the Birds..i think that helps the d-cord as well. I coached youth football for years..offense and defense….give me one of those free agents and i could call defense and win in the NFL.
This is non-issue when we’re 4-0 and blazing through teams like heat off a hellfire.
Go Phills…Mount Hushmore….cause when the 4 pitchers are done working everyones silent.
Well written Jason….lots of good points there
I think the bottom line here is that Coach AR job is now on the line
I really think Coach AR has become the de facto DC of this club and has Castillo to focus on the
fundamentals for the players but it will mostl likely be Coach AR calling blitz packages,coverages,player packages.. this could work out or this could be a disaster, time will tell…
Paulman, again, what good is it if Andy helps out with the D? What good did it do for Mcdermett? they said he was on that side of the D with him the whole time, Bottom line is we need people that have experience on that side of the ball, I will agree with you though, if we get a good secondary coach to go along with our D-line coach that would greatly help, just dont let it be zorich, we need experience!
Anyone who questions the Eagles philosophy and maneuvers is always called negative. We are just supposed to agree and not question any of their decisions because they are the experts and we are just dumb fans. To me they have made several boneheaded moves and are farther away from the Super Bowl
than ever. The interview with Andy and Juan made no sense. THERE STATEMENTS AND REASONING WERE REAL ELEMENTARY AND LACKED SUBSTANCE.
I am not saying it’s a good move Andrew or that I agree with it all..
I just think that this is what AR plan is moving forward…
If Castillo does do a nice job as DC he will be hired away quickly. Head Coach material right there.
Gotta see this play out. I think we will pleasently suprised.
And if we go 0-4..what then? Good thing we got a OK to easy sched next year. Our O shouldn’t have too much trouble outscoring what the D gives away. Just like this past year.
Bottom line…Andy’s Job is on the line with this move. If successful, it’s genious, if not… then, well a lot of you will get your wish and get a new Head Coach. Again, I don’t see a problem with it, especially if he’s as thorough and well prepared as people are saying. A coach can coach… bottom line. I think McDermott last year tried too hard to create these elaborate defenses, instead of simplifying it, and playing physical and getting that QB. When Harbaugh got the job in Baltimore, how many people said, huh?? Tomlin in Pittsburgh, huh?? Second point, define a good secondary coach… how do you know if he’s good or not, and why is he on the street if he’s good, same with LB coach. I for one am ready for some new blood, fresh ideas… As great is Jim Johnson’s schemes were, how many Superbowl’s did we win with it. Hey Andy is not going anywhere this year, so we might as well get behind him and support the team. Believe me I feel the frustration as much as the next person… My wife grew up in the Pittsburgh area, they’ve won like 2 or 3 Superbowls since we’ve been married, how frustrating is that. I’ve had to allow a terrible towel and Steelers blanket in my Eagles Man cave 🙁
a woman in the man cave!!! lol
If Andy was helping DC McDermott(which he should have anyway), during Packers playoff game, our blitz was confusing Rodgers and he was 40 QB rating when we blitz. Trouble is we did not blitz much…Why did our genuis coach say “hey keep bliting” i have been studying and watching Super Bowls last few days and coaches did that all the time…..just stupid
Andy is a winner, i don’t care if it weak NFC, he always makes the right decision!!! When we needed a Wr we got thrash,when we needed LB Harrison,Woodley,and Mathews(all playing Sunday) we got Earnie Sims, Dt to stop the run we got bunkley,Babins sack total was not enough we got rid of the slacker(the jerk only got 12.5 sacks this yr)when we go to battle in war they send the airforce and the army,we just send airforce why risk the army,brilliant, this is the game of inches,when u need a great clock management,Andy is our MAN!! when it is 3rd and 2 or 4th and 1 u have complete faith in andy reid cause u know he will pass and we always get the first down cause our RB only ave 5.2 yds a carry,save the army,but at the end of the day i can go to sleep knowing andy reid is our coach
If you think tydm is a sexually frustrated homo with half a brain…….. Post after me.
Reid will be our coach as long as he wants the job. He may loose his GM hat, but you had better get use to it!
I honestly don’t know the answer to this question and am not insinuating anything, but…….
Does the rule on interviewing minority head coaches apply to Coordinators also? Do you think maybe the Eagles were filling a Equal Opportunity quota per the league policy? Maybe that’s why it took them so long? Just wondering. (and yes, i do understand that Castillo is a minority)