In a move that was expected, the club finalized a deal to make 72-year-old Monte Kiffin the next defensive coordinator, replacing Rob Ryan, who was fired earlier this week. Ed Werder of ESPN reported the news. Kiffin returns to the NFL after working with his son Lane at the University of Tennessee and USC. Andy Reid wanted to hire him with the Kansas City Chiefs but Kiffin was quickly drawn to the Cowboys, he will have to convert a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 unit but that isn’t expected to be too difficult. The Cowboys have some parts that will fit naturally including defensive linemen DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff and linebackers Sean Lee and Bruce Carter. Source: National Football Post
Good and bad. It'll take awhile for him to get the right players and by that time I'm guessing he will have croaked. Plus, Ware in a 3-4 was a mother freaking nightmare. I think he loses a lot of what made him dominant by switching back to a 4-3 DE or OLB. Might do good again at DE, but nothing like he was.
well, kiffin's defenses in the nfl are always dominant and that's what the cowboys need to take the next step. the only question is how much does kiffin have left in the tank?
I think him and Spencer would be better in a 4-3. At about 260 each they aren't toooooo small. In a they both rush every down, where as in a 3-4 they hardly ever did Sent from my HTC Vivid
Only two things I'm worried about are that IMO we need a starter at DE regardless, and if we do go Tampa 2, we need an upgrade at Safety Kiffin has said he isn't forcing Tampa 2 on Carr and Claiborne. However, both excel being physical at the line. Sent from my HTC Vivid
This means that moving Ware to DE will probably shorten his career. Plus, the local columnists are saying that it will take the Cowboys about two years to find the right personnel to run the Tampa 2 defense properly.
