Yet another name has surfaced in the Vikings somewhat bizarre effort to fill the role of Defensive Coordinator.
Here is what we know so far: Fred Pagac is out, but may return as the linebackers coach. Raheem Morris and Mel Tucker were interviewed, but accepted other jobs. Steve Spagnuolo may have the Vikings interested, but he is likely to return to Philadelphia after being dismissed by the Rams. Finally, Mike Singletary is thought to be a candidate and things could get interesting since Pagac was offered his job with the linebackers.
Phew!
Okay, onto the new news.
According to Jason LaConfora’s Twitter account, the Vikings are expected to interview Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams on Tuesday morning. After all, an organization that promotes a guy to General Manager after a 3-13 season would logically be interested in a guy that coached for an organization that just went 2-14.
Williams has worked with Leslie Frazier in the past, having been with the Colts for 10 years, and as Judd Zulgad points out he has a lot of similarities to former Vikings coordinator Mike Tomlin. Williams is a Tampa-2 guy, which is something that is likely to sit well with Frazier and his vision for his defense.
This search for a Defensive Coordinator is bordering on goofy, as the Vikings seem to be having trouble convincing candidates to join a coach that will enter 2012 on the hot seat in coaching a team that may or may not have a place in which they can, you know, play football.
It is an understandable challenge.
However, I can’t help but wonder if one or more other things aren’t at play here.
First, if Mike Singletary were a serious candidate for this job, why is Frazier continuing to bring in candidates now that Singletary’s previous position has been offered to Pagac? If I had to guess, I would say Singletary and his 3-4 scheme is not the direction that Frazier wants to go, and that he is doing his buddy a solid by trying to put out there into the universe the idea that Singletary is actually coveted by at least one NFL team.
Secondly, I can’t help but wonder if Frazier is purposely not pulling the trigger because he actually wants to talk to a coach that is still a part of a team that is alive in the playoffs. Perhaps Frazier expected this guy’s team to already have lost their playoff game and that he would now be available for an interview? Perhaps this guy’s defense recently held the 2012 Super Bowl Champion Packers to 388 yards and 20 points while employing a 4-3 defense?
Perhaps.
Why else would it be taking so long for Frazier to fill a position that has unofficially, at least for practical reasons, been vacant for nearly two months now?