Raiders hiring Waufle will help out significantly
Tommy Kelly and co. should be happy with Mike Waufle
Several media outlets on Friday reported that the Oakland Raiders have hired Mike Waufle to coach the defensive line.
Waufle was the Silver & Black’s defensive line coach from 1998-to-2003 and was in that same capacity the last six campaigns. The Giants fired him earlier in the year.
Waufle was one of the more beloved coaches on the Giants staff for some time. His teaching techniques were applauded by standouts such as Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora – players who strived and were very productive linemen within his schemes.
Tom Coughlin admired his style – tough work ethic – as the former Marine was methodical in his approach with his players.
“I am extremely saddened by it,” Umenyiora reported to The Associated Press in an e-mail after his firing. “He is a great coach and we have a special relationship. I’m sure he will be OK though because there should be very high demand for a coach of his caliber.”
Waufle, 55, will inherit a unit with a lot of young talent.
But the biggest key will be the return of Richard Seymour. If Seymour is back in Oakland and Matt Shaughnessy and Desmond Bryant can continue to develop into competent contributors, this bunch could be very good.
Veterans like Greg Ellis, Gerard Warren and Tommy Kelly should benefit from Waufle’s arrival.
But the keys here is how he will improve their discipline, gap control and make them a better run stuffing unit.
The Raiders have had one of the worst run defenses since 2003:
2009 – 29th in the NFL – 155.5 yds/g
2008 – 31st in the NFL – 159.7 yds/g
2007 – 31st in the NFL – 145.9 yds/g
2006 – 25th in the NFL – 134.0 yds/g
2005 – 25th in the NFL – 128.1 yds/g
2004 – 22nd in the NFL – 125.8 yds/g
2003 – 32nd in the NFL – 156.9 yds/g
Dwaine Board was the Raiders defensive line coach last season.
So far this off-season, Oakland has done a great job adding good coaching to their sideline. But this is just one move – hiring Waufle. There are many to go, and one of utmost importance that we have awaited for weeks.
