Titan Sized
FanSided

Titans “promoted” the wrong position coach to Defensive Coordinator

By Will Lomas

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 01: Inside linebackers coach Tyrone McKenzie of the Tennessee Titans watches game action during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 1, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tennessee defeats Indianapolis 31-17. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 01: Inside linebackers coach Tyrone McKenzie of the Tennessee Titans watches game action during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 1, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tennessee defeats Indianapolis 31-17. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
Tennessee Titans defensive end Jurrell Casey (99) pushes past defensive line coach Terrell Williams during practice at Saint Thomas Sports Park Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn.Nas Titans 8 10 Observations 006
Tennessee Titans defensive end Jurrell Casey (99) pushes past defensive line coach Terrell Williams during practice at Saint Thomas Sports Park Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn.Nas Titans 8 10 Observations 006 /

Terrell Williams, DL coach

Williams has been a great coach wherever he has been. When he got his start in Oakland he made a…less than ideal group of players and made them into a respectable unit.

He was so good that Florida wanted to sign him to be their defensive line coach (which was a pretty big deal at the time consider how great that defense was), but the Miami Dolphins poached him.

That move worked out well for the Dolphins as Williams helped Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh have three of the best seasons of their career. I’m not just talking about hollow stats or sacks, they were a talented and well-rounded unit similar to what the Tampa Bay Bucs have had for most of this season.

In Tennessee, all he has done is overseen the transformation of DaQuan Jones from borderline role player to heavy-hitting run-stuffer and helped develop some guy named Jeffery Simmons? I’m not sure, I’ll have to check my notes but I think the consensus is that he is a pretty good player.

Most notably, his unit is the only unit on the Titans defense this year that hasn’t been a colossal trainwreck.

Knowing that and looking at the terrible job Shane Bowen is doing, clearly not knowing how to use his EDGEs (the position he coached!) correctly, it is pretty evident that Williams is the better position coach.

Stacking that up along with the fact that he has more experience as an NFL position coach (8 years) than McKenzie (2 years) and Bowen (2 years) combined, and I still can’t quite understand why he wasn’t even considered.

Maybe I’m wrong and Williams wasn’t an overlooked coach who has the resume to be a great prospect as a DC (I don’t think I am wrong), but I can tell you that when you look at these four resumes and you try to figure out which one should be the DC, I can’t help but scratch my head with the decision that Mike Vrabel made.

It was a bad decision at the time and there is a good chance that it turns what should have been a great season, into a disappointment.

Home/Titans News