Edger Bennet new OC, Clements Assoc HC & will call plays

This was first reported by Chris Havel/WDUZ:

The Fan's Chris Havel per NFL source: #Packers to promote WR coach Edgar Bennett to OC; Tom Clements to Associate HC w/ play-calling duties.

— The Fan 1075 (@WDUZ) February 8, 2015

 

that's awesome news!  have always felt MM is too focused on his offense on game day, even clueless as to a player getting hurt at times - opponent and his own.

 

 

Be careful, source is Chris Havel.

 

Having said that, if true:

 

1) Great news and deserved move for Edgar Bennett. Has been a tremendous position coach and certainly would be a candidate for other teams in the future barring a promotion;

 

2) We'll have to see about Clements as playcaller, total unknown in that regard. Rodgers swears by him so that's good. Have to think MM will remain a strong presence in this area.

 

3) Agree about getting stuff off of MM's plate. Needs to keep applying the boot during game prep be it defense or now STs. His game management as has been noted on the board ad infinitum isn't top drawer so hoping for improvement there if this happens.

Wow. Well that is a pleasant surprise, as I've long felt Bennett was due to be OC. The Clements move kind of feels like a soft title for him to ride out until his retirement, but if he's up to playcalling, I'm all for it.

 

Now get Driver to take over as WR coach. Please?

Well, we've wanted change and I guess we've got it.

I agree it looks good on the surface; Bennett has done well at each position he's coached, it does relieve MM from some game-day duties, and Clements...

There's no reason he, ARod, and MM can't work together, and I hope thrive, within this new 'system'.

Does this mean the worthless assistant/associate HC moniker is removed from Winston Moss or are they getting creative with the language?  James Campen, once removed HC? 

 

I like it.  Edgar and Clements managing game day, I'm down with it.  

Slow down, folks:

@TomSilverstein: It makes sense. More changes coming, but can't confirm those now. @MarkWWellner: if it's @TyDunne or @TomSilverstein I'll believe, not havel

 

@TomSilverstein: Team lost its way in NFCC; needed MM's direction. Oversight is hard when calling plays. @jrehor: Cryptic @TomSilverstein More changes coming

 

@RobDemovsky: From 2 sources: #Packers coach Mike McCarthy looking at different possibilities w/ his offensive/play calling staff but nothing finalized.

 

@RobDemovsky: I cannot confirm the @WDUZ report, but it does sound like McCarthy is looking at several different options.

And the off season self scouting has begun.  A very good move by a very good coach that has identified weakness in his team and vowed to make them better.  Whether it was the run game 2 years ago and defense this past year I look forward to continued growth and an even better Green Bay Packer football team in 2015.

I'll wait for more definitive confirmation. Indications that he may well be leaning in that direction is a positive.

McCarthy seemed to be miffed by the lack of interest in his assistants for all the HC opportunities- this is the answer. Delegate more, allow others to shine. Bellichik doesn't call plays, but you know who's making decisions.

Plus with Rodgers out there, how much play calls are being made anyways. He's an OC on the field.

It's good to see McCarthy willing to evolve and diversify the roles, though. Hope it has an affect on the whole team...

New LB coach to go along with new LBs?  That would be another good move.  Or maybe a DC who actually strategizes AND coaches.  

@TomSilverstein: What I know about #Packers staff: MM not done finalizing any changes. Team oversight a concern after NFCC. Play-calling part of discussion.

I hope this means MM will ride shotgun on Zook.  If we're still at the bottom 3rd in special teams at the half-way point of the season I could see Zook being booted right then and there.  Maybe there were rumors that somebody wanted Clements or Bennett and these are preemptive moves, if they are in fact true. 

Could you imagine making all these changes on offense and leaving the defense alone? That would be bizarre.

Anyone know Havel's record? Definitely not one of the usual suspects for breaking Packer news.

AJ Hawk new LB'r coach?

Does Winston Moss do anything besides clean MM's office at 1265?

 

How about concern over the D melting down yet again in a playoff game. Where's the changes there

 

I'm all for MM passing off some play-calling duties elsewhere, but will Clements actually do just as well as MM does? The offense has been elite for years in production and points

The bogus asst HC designation I thought was a one time thing so that may mean Moss is on the hot seat.   I wouldn't mind a similar setup on the defensive side of the ball with Compers and maybe someone like Whitt.  

 

It's pretty clear that when MM turns his attention to areas in need they've improved.  He's transitioning himself into new role that will hopefully deliver some real consistency across the board including giving TT a better read of the talent on the field.

Assuming Havel is correct, I wonder who the next WR coach will be for GB

Brandon Bostick

Greg Jennings sister, she's an expert on NFL offenses. Twitter told me so.

Dark hose candidate

 

Taco Wallace or Robert Ferguson

Still not confirmed, but there's something here:

 

Talked to NFL source, confirmed McCarthy strongly considering changes, including Clements calling plays & Bennett as OC, per @WDUZ report

— Pete Dougherty (@PeteDougherty) February 8, 2015

 

Peaking in the shower?

 

Peak or Peek?

 

Peaking the dark hose.  

But seriously I think this is a really good move for McCarthy. It's not that I don't necessarily like his play calling, but I'd rather have him focused on managing the game than constantly distracted by play calling. It's a great move also to show a guy like Bennett, who has been a really good position coach, that he's important and they want him to remain in GB. I'm guessing this arrangement will be similar to what we're seeing a lot of college programs go to with one guy being Co-OC/Running Game Coordinator and then another guy be Co-OC/Passing Game Coordinator. Clements, Rodgers, and Van Pelt obviously know the passing game inside and out while Bennett's background, even though he was WR coach, is in the running game as a former RB coach and former RB. It's a great set-up IMO. 

 

I sure hope that McCarthy's considering changes on the defensive side of the ball too. Our offense was fine, defense could use a little work.

Nothing a capable NT and NFL-caliber inside linebacking can't fix. Packers' defense down the stretch showed that. The sieve-like moments occurred when Hawk and Jones were getting PT.

I don't understand this move at all. If you had to make a prioritized list of where coaching changes should be made, it was: 1) Special Teams; 2) Defense; and distant 3) offense.

 

Special teams apparently will just go to an unproven assistant…that's not the change many were looking for.

Radio silence so far on a defense that annually comes up small in the clutch.

 

Meanwhile, MM is apparently willing to make significant changes to an offense that is coming of an incredible year. While injecting some new blood into play calling may make some sense, what has Clements done to inspire confidence in that front? 

What significant changes though? It's the same people who maybe have earned a greater share of responsibilities. What can you say Clements has done to NOT earn any kind of promotion? McCarthy obviously feels comfortable turning over the keys to the Ferrari to Clements, I'm not going to question it. Some of you suggest it was McCarthy's influence that made the D better, maybe it was, so how can McCarthy having more free time to help with STs and the D not be beneficial? Perhaps this will allow McCarthy to get back to being the innovator that got him a HC job and a SB in the first place? 

It's not beneficial because ideally they would have a ST and D coordinator who don't require MM's free time. Wouldn't it be better to simply hire a ST guy who's actually good and let MM not waste his "free time" helping out Ron Zook? Likewise, get a D coordinator who is younger and doesn't need MM's hand-holding to get creative. 

 

I think the HC SHOULD be looking in on each department regardless of who the coordinator is. That's not to say he should be micro-managing, but I don't see any problem with him being able to spend equal time on each discipline.

How is a HC, that's Head Coach, of the entire team being able to delegate across all aspects of the team be a bad thing?  

 

MM's attention gets the units on track.  Capers hire originally worked because MM was still maturing as a coach.  The coaching game has passed Capers by and MM is becoming a whole coach.  This means the offensive shifting of duties may very well signal changing up of the DC and ST coaching to younger, up and coming guys that he can help foster because he is more of a complete coach.  

Our offense was not fine in the NFCC game. 

 

According to Silverstein, team oversight was a concern after NFCC choke job. Gotta believe that points to all three phases....as it should. 

nfl.com

MM loves playcalling. Loves it. He's not cavalierly considering surrendering that part of his job, believe me, especially since the Packer offense has been among the league's best since he became HC.

 

I for one am willing to trust his judgment on this one, only he knows how he has been balancing his different duties and how satisfied he is in his performance. If he is willing to give up something he has been doing, and relishing, since 2000 for what he believes is for the overall good of the team then more power to him.

I'm enjoying the fact that people that bitched for years that ZOMG!!  MM MCSTUPIDFACE NEEDS TO GET HIS DAMN EYEBALLS OFF THAT STUPID PLAY-CALL SHEET! are now already bitching that he's ZOMG!! TINKERING WITH THE OFFENSE THAT DOESN'T NEED ANY TINKERING!

 

Pick a position and at least have some consistency.  

 

I'd bet quite a bit that there is a lot more coming in terms of these adjustments, whether they're brought out in the open or not.  This isn't so much a move about the offense but about the team as a whole and how the games are managed.  Good.  

Leaders recognize the strengths and the put their people in positions to succeed. As Henry, mentioned, McCarthy is continuing to grow as a complete coach. This seems to be just part of that growth.