Alan Williams Hired As Defensive Coordinator As Personnel Changes End

A few weeks into the offseason, the Vikings are done making personnel changes after hiring Alan Williams as defensive coordinator and Brendan Daly as the defensive line coach. Before I jump into more details about the two new Vikings coaches (although, one of them was previously a Vikings coach in 2006-08), below is a quick recap of the few changes that were made to personnel.

  1. Karl Dunbar is fired as defensive line coach.
  2. Vikings interview anyone and everyone for the defensive coordinator position (while Fred Pagac officially holds the position)
  3. Fred Pagac is officially demoted to linebackers coach
  4. Alan Williams and Brendan Daly rumors surface. Mike Singletary remains Vikings Assistant Head Coach.
  5. Alan Williams and Brendan Daly officially announced as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, respectively.

The Alan Williams and the Brendan Daly signings should be no surprise as the Vikings, for the longest time, are apparently only capable of hiring friends.

Alan Williams was previously the Colts defensive backs coach for 10 years. For two of those years, Leslie Frazier worked with Williams (including the Colts team that won the Super Bowl in 2006-07).

Williams will have his work cut out for him as the Vikings tote one of the NFL’s worst pass defenses. Hopefully, with the addition of a long-time defensive backs coach, the Vikings depleted secondary will receive some attention this offseason and can come back as a stronger unit in 2012. The hiring of Williams ensures that the Vikings will remain a 4-3, Tampa-2 style defense as that is what Williams ran with the Colts.

Brendan Daly, who was an assistant defensive line coach for the Vikings from 2006-08, was hired back to replace Dunbar as the defensive line coach. He comes from being the defensive line coach with St. Louis Rams from 2009-11. It should be noted that Daly was with the Vikings as an assistant defensive line coach during a stretch of time where they were the NFL’s best run defense.

For my own personal opinion on the additions to the Vikings personnel, continue reading by clicking the button below.

OPINION:

Leslie Frazier has announced that, with the signing of Alan Williams, the Vikings personnel is set and there will be no more changes made to it this offseason.

That has me a little disappointed…

Why does it seem that this team is only ever capable of bringing in personnel who are friends of someone who is currently personnel or people who have previously been personnel? Is it that we can’t afford to bring in better people? Is it that it was probably difficult to convince anyone to join a team that was 3-13, being ran by a coach who is on the hot-seat and has a young, unproven quarterback? Is it the uncertainty of the stadium situation and whether or not the Vikings even have somewhere to play?

Regardless of what the reason is, the fact remains that the only changes made to the personnel of a 3-13 team was the addition of two coaches from 2-14 teams. Have the Colts, under Williams, ever been known for having a strong secondary? Have the Rams been known for ever having a particularly strong defensive line?

This is not to suggest that either coach will be inadequate of performing well. In fact, I have heard good things about Alan Williams, mainly in the form of comparisons to Mike Tomlinson. I guess I just don’t see the justification behind the decisions other than “doing your friend a solid.”

After signing a two-year contract, Alan Williams said, “It was another opportunity to work together, first of all, and to win some more championships.”

Shouldn’t the winning championships part be the “first of all?”

With all this being said, I wish Williams and Daly the best of luck and really, truly hope they can make the changes necessary to get this defense back up to par.

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