Giants Try Something New
New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is already giving the Giants “D” a new flavor. He’s added a new dimension to the defensive practices that will hopefully add some points to the board on the opposite side of the ball this season.
“We call it scoop and score,” cornerback R.W. McQuarters said. “We don’t get enough work during practice, because the offense does a good job catching the ball and securing it and tucking it away. We figured if it’s an incomplete pass or however the ball is on the ground, we’ll pick it up as if it were a fumble or somebody knocked it out.
“It’s another level of conditioning. It gets guys running to the football. Even though you’re on the backside and it’s an incomplete pass, or you’re on the right or the left and it’s an incomplete pass in the middle of the field, when you see the ball hit the ground you think, ‘Run, go get it, pick it up and go.’ Even if it’s incomplete, you keep going because you’re going for the scoop and score.”
I certainly like the sound of this for a variety of reasons. First, it keeps the defensive players on their toes and has them play to the whistle — something that hurt the Giants (Mathias Kiwanuka letting Vince Young loose) a few times last season. Secondly, it shows a more aggressive approach then Tim Lewis was taking last year. Not that he didn’t want the defense to score, just that he was more focused on not allowing a big play rather than creating a big play.
Finally, it’s great to hear that the Giants offense isn’t turning the ball over very often. I realize that has nothing to do with the defense improving, but you’ve got to like to hear that. Turnovers are killer and if Eli Manning and the Giants offense can limit them, they’ll stand a good chance to be in every game they play.
Non-Giants Notes:
- The Arizona Cardinals may release defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy.
- It has been working well so I’m going to keep it up — Add MVN to your MySpace! The page will eventually go under a redesign and become much more interactive to help promote G101 as well as MVN.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, May 31st, 2007 at 8:31 am and is filed under Steve Spagnuolo, Kendrick Clancy, Former Giants Players, Tim Lewis, Former Coaches, Giants Coaches.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
THE AUTHOR
RECENT ARTICLES BY DIVISION RIVALS
ARCHIVE
SPONSORS
Online Seats
NY Giants Tickets NY Mets Tickets
Ticket Specialists
New York Giants Tickets New York Jets Tickets
Coast to Coast Tickets
New York Yankees Tickets Tickets NFL Football Games New York Giants NFL Tickets Game Tickets Super Bowl Sports Tickets College Football
Great Seats
New York Giants Tickets Jets Game Tickets Tickets - New York Yankees Mets tickets Broadway Tickets
57 Responses to “Giants Try Something New”
May 31st, 2007 at 8:39 am
Yeah, any changes are welcome. Obviously what Timmaay was doing wasn’t working too well. I really think this guy is gonna bring a little bit of a swagger to our d this year, something we’ve been lacking for a while. Can’t wait to see….
And Dan, just curious…were you thinking about the Giants actually resigning Clancy or was it just you relaying the info?? Its funny, I remember alot of people freaking out when he left…I’m glad we didn’t give him a ton of money. Obviously if his release is in question, he didn’t stand out much on a mediocre at best D. Was he injured last yr?
May 31st, 2007 at 8:41 am
TonyB - Just relaying the info for the same reason you noted — people freaked out when he left. He only played 11 games last season due to various (most small) injuries.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:51 am
I think we’re stacked at DT now…I’d rather let guys like Alford and Bell get a shot than Clancy. Clancy had his chance here, he decided to leave. Let him go play somewhere else.
As for what Spags is doing, I absolutely love it. He’s making the defense be heavily involved in every play and this will actually help build reaction time & help condition them. Now when they see a ball incomplete, they’ll be all over it so when the time comes and it is a fumble…they’ll be the 1’s going right after the ball. Very smart coaching IMO.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:01 am
Dan, quick question. I hear TONS of people talking about Spags “scheme”……since he’s never held an NFL coordinator job, do we really know what that is. Assuming he takes knowledge from Jim Johnson, and runs a similar defense, I can guess its gonna be attacking, but also the middle of the Eagles D has been soft to the run as of late. Is this something we can expect being scheme based, or was it more of the Eagles personnel in your opinion. I’m kinda just curious if anything has been said publicly about the plans for our D, or is it all just speculation at this point?
May 31st, 2007 at 9:29 am
I actually read an article last year about how Brad Childress brought this scoop and score mentality to the vikings last year. I like it alot. In every sport, it is always benefitial if you find ways to practice playing through the end of plays. Something like this might have been benefitial when hester took that kick back on us next year.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:40 am
I think Spags’ scheme will be similar to Johnson…they’re going to blitz a lot and be more of an attacking defense.
No more of this “zone” stuff where the defenders play 10 feet away from the targets…I think it’ll be more constant blitzing to get into the QB’s face, I believe Gibril is going to blitz a lot, and I also think the CBs are going to be more aggressive right off the line of scrimage. I was so tired of seeing them not even bump the WRs lastyear, I think that will change…I think they’ll give a hard bump, then cover like a blanket…at least I’m hoping that.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:48 am
Positive Giants News!! I love it…I find it interesting that R.W. is practicing with the first team…not all that surprising to me but interesting considering a lot of people thought he would be cut…tomorrow
May 31st, 2007 at 10:12 am
Clancy will probably be released because of who is behind him on the depth chart. Namely Gabe Watson and Alan Branch. Cards might have a good run stuffing unit.
May 31st, 2007 at 10:13 am
Anyone have any ideas who the G-men will cut? Guessing R.W. won’t be one of them.
May 31st, 2007 at 10:22 am
Johnson’s scheme has always been smallish Dline and a deemphasis on LBs. More emphasis on pressure blitzing from CB/S when necassary and preventing the big play. Give them a soft middle where they can get 4 yards on a run or pass, but don’t let them get the big play, because they won’t be able to drive the length of the field. Very “bend but don’t break.” On the upside, its best utilized when playing wtih a lead.
Whether Spags likes that theory, or even believes in it, is another question. You can’t assume its “his” style just becuase he worked under Johnson, though you would think there was some carry over.
Unfortunetly, Johnson’s style was/is designed to stop a “pass-first, pass-often” offense like the Rams’ Greatest Show on Turf. Teams have started to move away from taht model and began running more, especially in the East, where each team now has 2 pretty good RBs (minus maybe the Skins).
May 31st, 2007 at 10:30 am
Charlie - Certainly not. I doubt there will be many cuts before camp starts and the mandatory roster size requirements mandate cuts.
June 1 cuts aren’t likely to be very big this year with the increased cap space everyone has.
May 31st, 2007 at 10:42 am
I think Spags is going to be great for the G men.
Remember 2 years ago how our D was thought of highly coming into the season, the first 4 games they flopped. After the San Diego game they turned it around big time until injuries took thee toll (Alonzo Jackson who ran with an attached ball and chain was a starter). Point being we have a lot of our core D still intacted and Spags with bring nothing but good to Giants football with the talent we have.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:38 am
Bryan - I think that we can at least assume that our D will be similar to Jim Johnson’s based on personnel moves made so far. Everything that the Giants have done so far points toward man coverage and pass rushing. Maybe not a carbon copy but similar to what you described above.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:50 am
Dan Benton-I’m very happy to hear this. When I was in high school we use to do something like this. We’d do it during a session called Team Defense and the drill was called Swarm To The Ball. Basically no matter where the ball went EVERYONE and I mean everyone on the defense would swarm to the ball and as a group we’d all return the ball past the line of scrimmage. What that did was make sure we kept in good field condition and gave our defense the mentality of swarming to the ball which led to lots of gang tackles. It also made led to our DB helping one another out which cut down majorly on long ball plays.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:55 am
On a different note, I’d gladly take Kendrick Clancy back over William Joseph anyday!
May 31st, 2007 at 12:02 pm
bryan - you’re forgetting ladell betts for the skins so i think the skins should be included on that … but they still suck
May 31st, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Pierce said Spag’s had a swagger to him and Spag’s is going to give this defence swagger. Spag’s is building attitude on this defence, just wait till they can hit and Spag’s is blitzing Kiwi, Pierce and Gibril Wilson!!!! The whole NYG defence is excited about Spag’s. This defence will have attitude.
As for Clancy, I hope the Cards cut him, I’d like him back here in blue. He’d proboly come cheap too. He can play NT and DT.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:24 pm
R.w wont get cut, hes an excellent nickel corner. RW is practiceing with the starters because he eneded the year as starter, in all likleyhood in minicamp Webster or Ross will take over the 2 spot, the loser will be 4rth CB bhind RW at nickel.
May 31st, 2007 at 1:01 pm
I love this new defense, and I do agree that its going to be an agressive, blitzing, press in your face type defense. Only one thing, that kind of defense does leave you vulnerable to the big play. You send a safety (gibril) a linebacker (kiwi) and play your corners with press, you better get the qb before the WR w 1-1 coverage gets deep. Its a high risk high reward D. I LOVE IT. occasionally youll give up the big play, but especially with our personnel i think opposing offenses will be looking at 3rd and very long very often, and/or our d will finallt have alot of turnovers produced.
Another thing to note. I just want to say this is precisely the reason i like Kawika Mitchell. Theres no doubt that this type of D leaves the middle soft, but with someone like mitchell ( a true MLB) in there w Pierce, we have not 1 but 2 tackling machines. Mitchell isnt going to wow you with blitzes, but he makes all the tackles in front of him (i think he avg over 100 pr yr in KC as thei starting MLB). His play will be key to being able to run this type of D as we will be succeptible to cutback and up the middle plays. I think Mitchell will rise to the occassion.
May 31st, 2007 at 1:02 pm
They should start doing the Bears Defensive Drill, First guy who gets to the ball carrier keeps the offensive player on his feet so the other guys can go after the ball.
May 31st, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Giantthinker, seconded on that Clancy motion.
I don’t know how much our scheme will represent that of Phillies. Frankly I doubt it will mirror it, probably just take elements. What I do know, what most know, is that they won’t be running a Cover 2, 3-4 hybrid. Just listening to that makes me wonder how the team even made the playoffs.
May 31st, 2007 at 1:43 pm
This is good to here. It sounds like Spags knows what he is doing and turning the defense in the right direction. If you ever watch the Bears you will see them attack the ball all game and never give up on it. They created alot of turnovers and they got alot of fumbles last year. When the ball hits the ground their defense is on it.
I am excited about what this defense will bring this year.
May 31st, 2007 at 1:53 pm
I dont know how many times in the last couple of years balls have hit the ground and it seemed like we had 30+ guys on the field all around it but 1 player from the other team somehow comes up with the ball. It drives me crazy! Hopefully these drills will help us get in the mode of getting the ball.
Bill D-I hear you about making the playoffs with our old scheme. Thats why I think people are crazy when hey say we’re gonna be a bad team. We obviously have a lot of talent to be able to win with gameplans on offense and defense that are half-assed. With inteligent schemes on both sides of the ball we should do very well.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Spags is trying to get these guys attacking the ball and giving 110% all the time. I think he will really like Aaron Ross because he gets the ball when it is around him and he had a good sense for where the ball was going. He always attacked the ball when it was in the air or on the ground. Plus, when he gets it, he knows what to do and he is a threat to score whenever it’s in his hands.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:13 pm
[…] Giants Try Something New New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is already giving the Giants D a new flavor. Hes added a new dimension to the defensive practices that will hopefully add some points to the board on the opposite side of the ball this season.We call it scoop and score, cornerback R.W. McQuarters said. We dont get enough work during practice, because the offense does a good job catching the ball and securing it and tucking it away. We figured if its an incomplete pass or however the ball is on the ground, well pick it up as if it were a fumble or somebody knocked it out. Its another level of conditioning. It gets guys running to the football. Even though youre on the backside and its an incomplete pass, or youre on the right or the left and its an incomplete pass in the middle of the field, when you see the ball hit the ground you think, Run, go get it, pick it up and go. Even if its incomplete, you keep going because youre going for the scoop and score. First, it keeps the defensive players on their toes and has them play to the whistle something that hurt the Giants (Mathias Kiwanuka letting Vince Young loose) a few times last season. Secondly, it shows a more aggressive approach then Tim Lewis was taking last year. Not that he didnt want the defense to score, just that he was more focused on not allowing a big play rather than creating a big play. Giants 101 | MVN - Most Valuable Network Blog Archive Giants Try Something New __________________ "When it’s third and ten, you can take the milk drinkers and I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time." […]
May 31st, 2007 at 2:21 pm
To be honest I don’t really like this. I mean it’s an important thing to work on and we always seem to be a big play/turnover away from winning the tough games but this will teach players to try and pick up the ball and run with it rather than just falling on it. I consider myself to be a Traditionalist and I was always taught as a player to fall on the ball unless it is legitimately bouncing high off the ground. This team is already lacking discpline on the field and the last thing Coughlin needs is to see a knucklehead like Gibril Wilson bobbling and fumbling away a loose ball when we should have just fallen on it for a turnover.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Big Ray-I hear you about falling on the ball but we’re not good at that so at least this will get guys heading to the ball quicker and more instinctively so maybe they can fall on it.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Big Ray - That’s way too old school. Pick it up and score man.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Bobby, Im still looking for EJ Underwood to make a push probably not for a starting spot, but maybe nickel packages. he did nothing but impress until he was injured last summer. If you read about him at Ohio State and Picklersville, also nothing but good things.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Davey Boy- I agree
Webster, Ross, Dockery, and Underwood could all fight for time over RW. Webster and Madison will most likely start. RW and Ross could fight for a starting spot too. Underwood could get the nickel back spot if he impresses again. Dockery played pretty good in his time on the field last year. I think the CB spot will be the most competitive in camp and preseason because anyone on the roster could win a starting job.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Ideally, all of the CBs will impress in camp and Spags will be able to pick who starts on a game to game basis depending on the WRs they would have to face. Basically assign an opposing WR to each CB and say if your guy is on the field so are you. I doubt that will happen…but it would be pretty cool to have the talent to do that.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Kevros- Something like that may happen if guys have cetain things they do better then others. Dockery obviously wouldn’t go out and cover Calvin Johnson or Terell Owens. He will probably give everyone some time if they are matched up good.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Kevros - Sorry, never happen. Two guys will start. You are going to have two guys who rise above and give you the best consistency. If you have 4 starters at CB who you shuffle, you essentially don’t have any one good. A good CB can do all types of things. If you only have certain guys for certain plays or types of WR, you are in BIG trouble.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:32 pm
i expect our D to be a whole lot better than it has been the past couple of years under lewis. i cant wait till the season starts. the gmen will suprise a lot of people this year
May 31st, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Dan S. - yes, your #1, or tallest starting CB might match up against the tallest WR, or your fast CB might match up against the fast WR, but generally, you have two starters who are expected to play. You are paying them ALOT of money to be able to cover all (or most) comers.
Four starters not only requires guys to constantly be running on and off the field, but what happens when you have your two, faster but smaller corners out there to cover the speed WR and, oh no, its a screen to Portis, who bounces off your two undersized (but whew are they fast) CBs and scores?? Talk about predictable. If I see you ran out two smallish corners, I’m going run a wide running play and seal the LB. My RB will run over the CB, if he isn’t blocked.
Plus, what you and Kevros are suggesting negates ANY chance at running a zone D. One of the things Johnson does so well is hide what D the Eagles are in. The QB (especially young/inexperienced) can’t tell if its zone or man. Without that its hard to know whose going to be the most likely to get open, if and where a blitz will come from and who the check down guy might be.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Plus, hiding your D confuses the WRs, who don’t know what route to run or how to run it wihtout knowing the D, so you end up with errant passes because the WR thought he was supposed to run a deep route, while the QB was looking slant.
Gmen may end up with 3 “starting” CBs, but they will play just like everyone else’s CBs. Linking them to one WR just makes it too easy to pick out man coverage and throw it deep to the guy with 1-1 coverage.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Bryan - Good points… I was more or less fantasizing that we would have 4 starting quality CBs. But I agree that we will have 2 declared starters for sure…
May 31st, 2007 at 3:53 pm
This is great news. Hopefully more takeaways to go with all kinds of blitzing. Its funny to me how Giants fans can always turn negative. Just practicing swarming to the ball will do more good than harm. Looking for something wrong to happen doesnt help anyone. Im ready for this season and some more BALLLLLIIIINNNNN!!!!!
May 31st, 2007 at 3:55 pm
the way i see it we are aalready better on the D. every postions was upgrades, and out Dbacks have a year under thier belts together. we need to add more depth at our Oline. i dont care if we get a starter but we sure do need more depth at the postion.
May 31st, 2007 at 4:23 pm
If you scroll down to the “Alphabet Soup” portion of this article there is an informative bit on the different reciever positions.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10203071
May 31st, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Theres no point to pick up depth at the O-line. We need a starting LT. All we have is quality back-ups, or just people that are unproven(Adam Koets, Guy Whimper). They could be good but no one really knows. Whats the point of adding another back-up. We either need a deffinate starter or give these guys a shot. There just as good as any other unproven LT.
May 31st, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Jon - Yeah I agree…we actually have pretty decent depth on the O-line.
May 31st, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I think Mitchell beats out Wilkinson, but Wilkinson will split plays with Mitchell. But you never know Wilk is impressihg coaches with his work this off-season. In the end maybe Mitchell starts and Wilkinson splits plays.
May 31st, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Come June 1st, I think the GMEN should be active, and pick up guys like a Clancy, or Franks, and maybe try to get Shaffer.
I actually think that Wilkinson will beat our Mitchell for OLB, and that Whimper is ready to play LT. Maybe the whimper thing wont happen, but Wilkinson is ready and if he doesnt start, hes atleast going to be on the field for blitzs, this kid is dynamic
May 31st, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Come season start, i think the starting CB’s will be Webster and Madison with R.W and Ross at nickel. But im sure there will be times where Spag’s wants Ross on the larger reciever.
They said on 3rd and lnog that Kiwanuka will put his hand down, that would be a time where Wilkinson would come on the field.
Now that I know clancy mgiht be dropped i reaaaaally hope we geth im back.
May 31st, 2007 at 5:35 pm
5 players who will benefit from Spag’s the most:
Gibril Wilson- Spag’s will unleash him and use him liek Dawkins.
The corners- Webster was drafted because he was a great press corner in college and he was a rd 1 talent, Madison made pro bowls in the press, and Ross won thorpe award in it. RW will be nickel specialist.
Antonio Pierce- Hes already a pro bowler and will get better.
Coefield- no more NT, now he can just focus on one guy
Gerris Wilkinson- Has all the tools, could start now, but will get better udner Spagnolo, that can be said for all of our linebackers, especially Kiwanuka
May 31st, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Great post Dan Berton but i am really getting annoyed by the fact that Giant fans are blaming Kiwanuka for letting go of Vince Young, “something that hurt the Giants (Mathias Kiwanuka letting Vince Young loose)” He only let go because he thought he heard a whistle. The rule meant to protect quarterbacks has hurt lineman last season
May 31st, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Bobby - Any chance you can post all your thoughts into a single comment or two?
Dante From Florida - I deleted your post by accident, dude. Sorry! I don’t know the current cap situation and whatever it is will likely change tomorrow.
May 31st, 2007 at 6:23 pm
I really like what spags is doing with this new drill, I remember hearing that the bears do this exact drill and look what it got them..they’re number 1 in the league for takeaways..
Being realistic here, the jury is still out for spags and his schemes, given he had gained a lot of expereiences from great DC, but Im just a little worried how he’ll handle being The Man in defense..I really hope they do improve coz there’s nothing more I would like for the D to be on the top 3…Im just a little cautious even when pierce said that spags brings a certain swagger on defense..pierce also said before the season started last year that they’re expecting to be on the top 5 in defense..so, I hope this time he’s right..
May 31st, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Blue56,
Maybe Pierce would have been right if we didn’t suffer so much injuries to the defense. We maybe would not have been a top 5 defense last year, but we could have been easily a top 10 defense, Just to bad with that injury bug hitting our D like that…
May 31st, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Bobby - June 1st is tomorrow…fyi
May 31st, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Bobby - what makes you think Whimper is going to work out? Are you just hoping or do you know something?
I think Whimper is going to be the story of camp, followed by the competion for the 3rd WR.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:10 pm
luzz-Every report, weather its from a player(Bob Whitfield) or teh coaches is that Whimper is making great progress and at a great rate. If hep lays well in pre-season i think tehres a good chance Diehl goes back to LG.
kevros- yea i know it’s tomorrow thats why im excited!
Spag’s will have this defence playing great.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:36 pm
It would be great if Whimper could start at LT this season and play good. Then Diehl could play LG and the O-line would be very solid. Diehl is a good guard, and the other 3/5 of the line is above average. Then Seubert could do what he did last year and block as a TE on some plays.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Wow - If we got a quality season out of Whimper at LT what a steal of a draft pick he would have turned out to be. I’ll will routing for him bigtime!
May 31st, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Any word on guys around the league at OL, FB, TE that will be cut tomorrow? I’m hoping June cuts help us out at at least one position.
May 31st, 2007 at 10:14 pm
A couple of you mentioned that the “scoop and score” was a drill that da Bears used last year and you are absolutely right. It goes along the same lines as DB’s and Saftey’s that do the tip drill. I used drills like that in high school and college. Any drill that builds up the awareness of the players is going to be effective in situations where the opposition let’s their guard down. All last season I kept seeing Chicago win games simply because their players were more ALERT than the opposition. Aside from the fact that, Rex “his lack of skills grosses me out” Grossman regularly got lucky because he could almost always play with a lead, I believe their defense’s ability to SWARM on balls is what got them to the Superbowl. Trust me, I’d really like to see if the defense playing “scoop and score” will help Eli’s confidence and thereby win some hardware!!!
Leave a comment