Rob Ryan an assistant on the rise

[sbk92]

By Todd Archer


IRVING, Texas -- Rob Ryan might not be around the Cowboys too long.

The guys over at ESPN.com have turned their attention to rising assistant coaches in the Power Ranking series and the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator came in second to New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.

Ryan is about to enter his biggest stage as a coach as the Cowboys’ coordinator. He is in position to earn a lot of points because of how far the defense sunk in 2010, and he has said there is more talent here than what he had to work with in Oakland or Cleveland.

Ryan will have to do it with little or no off-season work depending on the collective bargaining talks. While I don’t believe that will hurt as much as some people think, it will be a small issue.

If Ryan can turn the Cowboys around, then he will become sought after as a head coach. He has a style and personality that players love and the success of his twin brother, Rex, with the New York Jets will help his cause, too.

Carolina, Cleveland, Oakland, Minnesota, Tennessee and the Cowboys went with first-time head coaches this off-season. Maybe that’s a trend, but at some point Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden and Brian Billick could get back in the game.

Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis received a vote and tied for 22nd. Former Cowboys assistants Mike Zimmer (Cincinnati) and Todd Bowles (Miami) were 11th and tied for 13th in the voting.

The fact that Ryan is considered head coach material is a good thing. You want teams to look at your staff because that means you have the right guys coaching. Just as Jerry Jones keeps a small list in his desk drawer of future head coaches, I’m sure Jason Garrett has a list of guys he could add to his staff depending on moves in the future.

If you’re looking for an in-house candidate, start with linebackers coach Matt Eberflus. He came with Ryan from Cleveland and has earned rave reviews from the folks at Valley Ranch. He has only two years of NFL experience, but he is considered smart and tough.

 

[sbk92]

Yep. More than likely a short term tenure on his way to being a head coach in 2012 or 2013.

 

[Rock Slamdance]

Joe D was on one of these lists as well.

 

[Midswat]

You almost have to root against the Jets, and hope Rex does more embarrassing stuff (foot fetishes, stupid comments, etc). Scare conservative owners away from his brash twin.

But going to back to back AFC Championship games certainly hasn't helped.

I don't recall... did Rob Ryan get any head coaching interviews this year?

 

[dbair1967]

I don't recall... did Rob Ryan get any head coaching interviews this year?

I dont recall all the details, but there was some talk that perhaps the Raiders or Titans would have interest, not sure all the details.

 

[cmd34]

We knew it when we hired him. He isn't long for our sidelines. Hopefully he helps establish some defensive toughness and his replacement keeps it rolling.

 

[Jon88]

We knew it when we hired him. He isn't long for our sidelines. Hopefully he helps establish some defensive toughness and his replacement keeps it rolling.

That's what I was going to say.

 

[DoomsdayDefense]

We knew it when we hired him. He isn't long for our sidelines. Hopefully he helps establish some defensive toughness and his replacement keeps it rolling.

If Rob leaves for a head coaching job in the next year or two, the possibility exists that we could promote one of his trusted assistants to defensive coordinator, thus lessening the drop-off.

 

[Cythim]

If Rob leaves for a head coaching job in the next year or two, the possibility exists that we could promote one of his trusted assistants to defensive coordinator, thus lessening the drop-off.

Does he have any trusted assistants?

 

[Theebs]

Does he have any trusted assistants?

Matt Eberflus is his right hand man. Wherever ryan goes matt will almost certainly go with him.

I wonder if rob makes it two years here, if capers would then be available one way or the other and end up here anyway.

Still like the idea of Todd Bowles in charge of a defense and I bet he would be on the short list again in a year or two.

 

[Cythim]

Matt Eberflus is his right hand man. Wherever ryan goes matt will almost certainly go with him.

I wonder if rob makes it two years here, if capers would then be available one way or the other and end up here anyway.

Still like the idea of Todd Bowles in charge of a defense and I bet he would be on the short list again in a year or two.

If Ryan goes on the HC somewhere I imagine guys like that will go with him to fill his new coaching staff. I don't see why any would be loyal enough to the Cowboys to want to take on this job.

 

[Midswat]

Matt Eberflus is his right hand man. Wherever ryan goes matt will almost certainly go with him.

He'd have a decision to make. Either follow Rob, and likely take over a bad defense with a bare cupboard (assuming he went to a losing team that was replacing an entire coaching staff), and essentially start over.

Or make a name for himself in Dallas, with players like Ware, Ratliff, Lee, etc.

If he had head coach aspirations, staying in Dallas is the quickest route.

I wonder if rob makes it two years here, if capers would then be available one way or the other and end up here anyway.

Capers is a fall back plan. But I'm not sure he'd leave Green Bay to come here.

Still like the idea of Todd Bowles in charge of a defense and I bet he would be on the short list again in a year or two.

Bowles will be a token interview until he's eventually hired somewhere as a head coach.

 

[sbk92]

Ben Bloom.

 

[Theebs]

He'd have a decision to make. Either follow Rob, and likely take over a bad defense with a bare cupboard (assuming he went to a losing team that was replacing an entire coaching staff), and essentially start over.

Or make a name for himself in Dallas, with players like Ware, Ratliff, Lee, etc.

If he had head coach aspirations, staying in Dallas is the quickest route.



Capers is a fall back plan. But I'm not sure he'd leave Green Bay to come here.




Bowles will be a token interview until he's eventually hired somewhere as a head coach.

Capers was garretts first option that is why he tried bringing him to the team in 08. He will always be garretts first option. I think he has the same type of relationship with jason that jimmy robinson does.

I disagree 100% on bowles. I dont think he is a token interview at all.

 

[Midswat]

I disagree 100% on bowles. I dont think he is a token interview at all.

I'm not really sure what he's ever done to distinguish himself. But he's been on the interview circuit the last few years and never gets a gig.

 

[Cr122]

That's the thing that sucks about having Ryan. He won't be here for long.

Hopefully one of our defensive assistants will be as good as Ryan in teaching the defense.

I always hated to see assistants leave. The only one I didn't care about leaving was Wannstedt.

 

[Midswat]

That's the thing that sucks about having Ryan. He won't be here for long.

Yeah, I'd rather have a mediocre DC who has no shot of ever getting promoted.

 

[Cr122]

Yeah, I'd rather have a mediocre DC who has no shot of ever getting promoted.

lol you're missing my point. It's just short lived.

 

[Cythim]

A good coordinator won't last long as other teams are hungry to find the next great head coach. It takes a few failures before a good coordinator stops chasing the unicorn and accepts his role as a #2. I don't think Dom Capers or Wade Phillips will be on any more HC lists.