Chiefs defensive coordinator in charge of turnaround

ROYC75 · 08-03-2005, 07:53 AM

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/new...e/12284686.htm

Chiefs defensive coordinator in charge of turnaround
DOUG TUCKER
Associated Press

RIVER FALLS, Wis. - The hard-driving and perpetually sleep-deprived defensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs trudged slowly up the long flight of stairs toward the lunchroom.

Sorry, Gunther Cunningham said through heavy eyelids, no time now to chat. Maybe later. Too many things to think about. Too much to do.

Then he disappeared behind closed doors, but not without permitting one sneak peek into a troubled soul.

"I'd better not mess this up," he said.

In total agreement will be about 80,000 excited fans packed into Arrowhead Stadium for the Sept. 11 season opener.

Also nodding yes are team president Carl Peterson, executive vice president Denny Thum, player personnel director Lynn Stiles, director of scouting Chuck Cook and all their assistants, interns, secretaries and scouts.

All those cogs in the Chiefs machine have done their jobs. They've gotten very high marks for a productive offseason geared toward taking a sorry defense and turning it into an ace.

Through both free agents and trades, they acquired cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Sammy Knight from the Dolphins, signed linebacker Kendrell Bell off the Steelers and defensive end Carlos Hall from the Titans. They also brought in free agent cornerbacks Ashley Ambrose and Dwayne Washington.

And, hardly able to believe their luck, they grabbed Derrick Johnson with the 15th pick in the first round of the draft after figuring there was no way the Texas All-American would still be left.

That's at least five new starters, all trying to learn a new scheme and get acquainted with each other and create that elusive, hard-to-define substance called team chemistry.

The front office has done its job. The rest is up to the players - and a grizzled old coordinator with a raspy voice and a patch of gray stubble on his weathered, grandfatherly face.

"Sometimes I walk to my car and feel like I need an IV or something," Cunningham said with a grin.

"The scheme is being taught well by the assistant coaches. I'm real happy about that. But where we're lacking is in fundamentals, the fundamentals of the game. That is really disappointing to me right now."

Cunningham is not a man to take his sport lightly. A history buff and student of warfare, he recently read "The War Fighters," a manual provided to U.S. Marines in Iraq, and was inspired to pass its message along.

"It talks about the brotherhood. When you go out there and fight for real like those fine young men and women, you'd better stay together," he said.

"To me, that's the most critical thing we have to do. We have to change the culture of the defense - the attitude we bring on the table, the brotherhood, the respect we have for each other."

Improved tackling would also help.

Teaching such a thing to NFL veterans might seem akin to teaching Tiger Woods about the proper use of the sand wedge. But it has been an Achilles' heel for the Chiefs for more than three years.

"There's only one way to do it, and that's to tackle," Cunningham said.

"The wrap-up you feel on the field, that's live. Tackle! You don't take the guy to the ground, but you wrap. What happens is you get your feet, you get your angles, you get your arms and body involved."

The spirited tackling Cunningham is insisting upon during two-a-day workouts in River Falls is not making a lot of friends on the offense.

"Sometimes the offensive guys don't like it," Cunningham said. "But we try to make sure we talk to them about why we do it. That's what we're trying to do."

A week into camp, things do seem to be coming together.

"I think the defense is getting better," head coach Dick Vermeil said after Tuesday morning's practice. "They were very disruptive today to everything the offense wanted to do. I was pleased with that."

The he players who've been with Cunningham before believe their leader is up to the task.

"Gunther is a master motivator," said defensive end Eric Hicks.

"He takes a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He thinks it's all his fault when things go wrong. When in all reality, he did the best he can. We're the ones out there running it."

**Lzen** · 08-03-2005, 09:02 AM

Tackling has been an area the Chiefs have been lacking in. Heh, the whole NFL has gone downhill in tackling the past several years. It's good to hear that they're focusing on it this year. I remember reading somewhere last year that the Chiefs didn't even practice tackling at all. I was like WTH, how can a football team not practice something as fundamental to the game as tackling?

teedubya · 08-03-2005, 09:09 AM

amazing how tackling helps defenses, innit?

htismaqe · 08-03-2005, 09:17 AM

I've heard Holthus say on several occasions now that Vermeil asked Gunther to tone it down last year and he realized that it was a mistake. Vermeil is asking Gunther to "take it to" the offense.

It's about time.

Amnorix · 08-03-2005, 09:23 AM

Tackling is THE fundamental skill for a defense. Teams SUCK at tackling anymore, on average, compared to the old days.

The Patriots are one of the best tackling teams in the NFL, and it's one of the main reasons for their recent successes.

More than once I've heard Belichick say about what makes a good defensive player "but if he can't tackle, what good is he?"

RedThat · 08-03-2005, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Tackling is THE fundamental skill for a defense. Teams SUCK at tackling anymore, on average, compared to the old days.

The Patriots are one of the best tackling teams in the NFL, and it's one of the main reasons for their recent successes.

More than once I've heard Belichick say about what makes a good defensive player "but if he can't tackle, what good is he?"

I hear ya. It's a basic fundamental bud. Tackling was one of the knocks on our 1st round pick. That's why he fell to us at 15.

htismaqe · 08-03-2005, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBull

I hear ya. It's a basic fundamental bud. Tackling was one of the knocks on our 1st round pick. That's why he fell to us at 15.

What?

The knock on Derrick Johnson was that he had trouble taking on offensive linemen.

RedThat · 08-03-2005, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

What?

The knock on Derrick Johnson was that he had trouble taking on offensive linemen.

That too. It was both... bad tackling technique, and trouble shedding blockers.

**Dave Lane** · 08-03-2005, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBull

That too. It was both... bad tackling technique, and trouble shedding blockers.

Actually it was running around blocks and getting off blocks. Tackling was not an issue with DJ. They thought he wouldn't be able to run around people on the next level.

Dave

htismaqe · 08-03-2005, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBull

That too. It was both... bad tackling technique, and trouble shedding blockers.

No it most certainly was not.

http://www.fantasyfootballjungle.com...ndex.php?id=93

Not much to gripe about, only a few minor things. Needs to add a few pounds but has the frame to do so. Not a lights out hitter but a rock solid tackler, nonetheless. Not an LB who will rack up big sack totals unless a team tries to use him in a different way.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/20...ck_lb#analysis

huskerdooz · 08-04-2005, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

What?

The knock on Derrick Johnson was that he had trouble taking on offensive linemen.

The knock on Johnson is that he ran around blockers rather than take them on. No one knew whether he could take on blockers at this level because he had never had to do it before.

htismaqe · 08-04-2005, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huskerdooz

The knock on Johnson is that he ran around blockers rather than take them on. No one knew whether he could take on blockers at this level because he had never had to do it before.

6 of one, one half dozen of the other.

Every scouting report I read on the guy said "not as strong at the point of attack as he is in space".

ROYC75 · 08-03-2005, 09:32 AM

I bet I have said thisat least 50 times on this site..... Players in general now days want to see themselves on the highlite reels of SportCenter laying a crushing blow rather than wrapping up the ball carrier.

**the Talking Can** · 08-03-2005, 09:53 AM

"But where we're lacking is in fundamentals, the fundamentals of the game. That is really disappointing to me right now."

So we're going to learn all the fundamentals in a month?

Scary.

08-03-2005, 07:53 AM	Topic Starter
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $5709400	Chiefs defensive coordinator in charge of turnaround http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/new...e/12284686.htm Chiefs defensive coordinator in charge of turnaround DOUG TUCKER Associated Press RIVER FALLS, Wis. - The hard-driving and perpetually sleep-deprived defensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs trudged slowly up the long flight of stairs toward the lunchroom. Sorry, Gunther Cunningham said through heavy eyelids, no time now to chat. Maybe later. Too many things to think about. Too much to do. Then he disappeared behind closed doors, but not without permitting one sneak peek into a troubled soul. "I'd better not mess this up," he said. In total agreement will be about 80,000 excited fans packed into Arrowhead Stadium for the Sept. 11 season opener. Also nodding yes are team president Carl Peterson, executive vice president Denny Thum, player personnel director Lynn Stiles, director of scouting Chuck Cook and all their assistants, interns, secretaries and scouts. All those cogs in the Chiefs machine have done their jobs. They've gotten very high marks for a productive offseason geared toward taking a sorry defense and turning it into an ace. Through both free agents and trades, they acquired cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Sammy Knight from the Dolphins, signed linebacker Kendrell Bell off the Steelers and defensive end Carlos Hall from the Titans. They also brought in free agent cornerbacks Ashley Ambrose and Dwayne Washington. And, hardly able to believe their luck, they grabbed Derrick Johnson with the 15th pick in the first round of the draft after figuring there was no way the Texas All-American would still be left. That's at least five new starters, all trying to learn a new scheme and get acquainted with each other and create that elusive, hard-to-define substance called team chemistry. The front office has done its job. The rest is up to the players - and a grizzled old coordinator with a raspy voice and a patch of gray stubble on his weathered, grandfatherly face. "Sometimes I walk to my car and feel like I need an IV or something," Cunningham said with a grin. "The scheme is being taught well by the assistant coaches. I'm real happy about that. But where we're lacking is in fundamentals, the fundamentals of the game. That is really disappointing to me right now." Cunningham is not a man to take his sport lightly. A history buff and student of warfare, he recently read "The War Fighters," a manual provided to U.S. Marines in Iraq, and was inspired to pass its message along. "It talks about the brotherhood. When you go out there and fight for real like those fine young men and women, you'd better stay together," he said. "To me, that's the most critical thing we have to do. We have to change the culture of the defense - the attitude we bring on the table, the brotherhood, the respect we have for each other." Improved tackling would also help. Teaching such a thing to NFL veterans might seem akin to teaching Tiger Woods about the proper use of the sand wedge. But it has been an Achilles' heel for the Chiefs for more than three years. "There's only one way to do it, and that's to tackle," Cunningham said. "The wrap-up you feel on the field, that's live. Tackle! You don't take the guy to the ground, but you wrap. What happens is you get your feet, you get your angles, you get your arms and body involved." The spirited tackling Cunningham is insisting upon during two-a-day workouts in River Falls is not making a lot of friends on the offense. "Sometimes the offensive guys don't like it," Cunningham said. "But we try to make sure we talk to them about why we do it. That's what we're trying to do." A week into camp, things do seem to be coming together. "I think the defense is getting better," head coach Dick Vermeil said after Tuesday morning's practice. "They were very disruptive today to everything the offense wanted to do. I was pleased with that." The he players who've been with Cunningham before believe their leader is up to the task. "Gunther is a master motivator," said defensive end Eric Hicks. "He takes a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He thinks it's all his fault when things go wrong. When in all reality, he did the best he can. We're the ones out there running it."
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08-03-2005, 09:02 AM	#2
Lzen Supporter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Jan Quadrant Vincent 16 Casino cash: $2250692	Tackling has been an area the Chiefs have been lacking in. Heh, the whole NFL has gone downhill in tackling the past several years. It's good to hear that they're focusing on it this year. I remember reading somewhere last year that the Chiefs didn't even practice tackling at all. I was like WTH, how can a football team not practice something as fundamental to the game as tackling? __________________ If at first you don't succeed ...skydiving is not for you.
Posts: 41,318

08-03-2005, 09:09 AM	#3
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $9490002	amazing how tackling helps defenses, innit?
Posts: 36,649

08-03-2005, 09:17 AM	#4
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $10269900	I've heard Holthus say on several occasions now that Vermeil asked Gunther to tone it down last year and he realized that it was a mistake. Vermeil is asking Gunther to "take it to" the offense. It's about time.
Posts: 100,022

08-03-2005, 09:23 AM	#5
Amnorix In BB I trust Join Date: May 2003 Location: Boston, Mass. Casino cash: $10029808	Tackling is THE fundamental skill for a defense. Teams SUCK at tackling anymore, on average, compared to the old days. The Patriots are one of the best tackling teams in the NFL, and it's one of the main reasons for their recent successes. More than once I've heard Belichick say about what makes a good defensive player "but if he can't tackle, what good is he?" __________________ "I love signature blocks on the Internet. I get to put whatever the hell I want in quotes, pick a pretend author, and bang, it's like he really said it." George Washington
Posts: 43,125

08-03-2005, 09:32 AM	#14
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $5709400	I bet I have said thisat least 50 times on this site..... Players in general now days want to see themselves on the highlite reels of SportCenter laying a crushing blow rather than wrapping up the ball carrier. __________________ Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it. John Lennon
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08-03-2005, 09:53 AM	#15
the Talking Can Supporter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: street Casino cash: $10022208	"But where we're lacking is in fundamentals, the fundamentals of the game. That is really disappointing to me right now." So we're going to learn all the fundamentals in a month? Scary. __________________ Clark Hunt: "Thank god for the Dominican pool boy"
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