Let Me Upgrade You? Why Manuel Helps Ease the Loss of Undlin
Four score and seven years ago the Eagles had a complete coaching staff. Well, it’s been about a month, but it was a highly anticipated wait for the team to announce its staff changes.
With openings at offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, and defensive line coach, Philadelphia obviously had their work cut out for them. The Eagles also had an opening at defensive backs coach, after Cory Undlin left to become the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. However, it’s been reported that Philadelphia have hired former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel as Undlin’s replacement.
While many would say Undlin wasn’t part of the problem defensively, he certainly wasn’t part of the solution.
Since arriving in Philadelphia in 2014, Undlin’s defensive backs certainly haven’t thrived.
On average they have ranked 16th in passing yards allowed, 20th in passing touchdowns allowed, and 12th in interceptions.
Undlin was able to make a name for himself during his time in Denver as the defensive backs coach, where he had the opportunity to lead a room that featured Aquib Talib, Chris Harris Jr, and T.J. Ward. This isn’t to say that Undlin isn’t a good coach, however, it makes life so much easier when you’re the coach of a second the featured three pro bowl players.
It often seemed as if his schemes and how he teaches his cornerbacks to play never really matched with the style of defense Jim Schwartz likes to play. Cornerbacks often were out of position due to bad technique and when they were in position oftentimes failed to make a play. Then there’s the lack of development from former second-round pick Sidney Jones; the arrow for Undlin certainly wasn’t pointing up. In the video above, it’s highlighted how multiple times in the same game the Eagles cornerbacks failed to execute leaving the team in vulnerable positions. We’ll address later on why the play above is so important, but as of now, it is another example of why the newly hired Marquand Manuel is an upgrade over the recently departed Cory Undlin.
Speaking of Marquand Manuel, the hire is certainly something to be excited about. So exciting that even former Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard had to chime in. Sheppard raved about the former safety whom he once shared a secondary with during their days at the University of Florida. Sheppard even went as far as saying that Manuel would bring a “Brian Dawkins-like inspirational mentality,” which is something considering how Sheppard saw Dawkins reign as the heart and soul of the Eagles defense during his tenure. Manuel also received a vote of approval from Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn: “he can communicate concepts and ideas quickly to people on the run, in the moment, that’s a really valuable asset for a coach.”
Manuel just like Undlin is most notably known for the success he had with multiple pro bowlers in the secondary, known as the “Legion of Boom” in Seattle.
So, what makes this hire any different you ask?
In contrast to Undlin’s inconsistency after leaving his situation, Manuel left Seattle and joined Atlanta where he continued to thrive. Manuel oversaw the development of many key contributors during his time in Atlanta, most notably guys like Keanu Neal and Desmond Trufant. His impact even dates back to his days with Seattle, after all, there was a reason we were all clamoring to sign Bryon Maxwell.
What makes Manuel’s time in Seattle and Atlanta so interesting is all if the things that Undlin struggled with, including the details from the video mentioned previously, are known as strengths for Manuel. Cover 3, coverage that the Eagles run quite a bit is the primary cover for both Seattle and Atlanta.
This is important because in a Jim Schwartz defense cornerbacks are often left on an “island”, so it becomes a priority to makes sure your cornerbacks are well equipped at doing so. It also helps that Manuel played with Schwartz during his time in Detroit.
While no one knows exactly how Manuel’s tenure with the Eagles will turn out, he certainly brings a much-needed glimpse of hope to Philadelphia and the future of its secondary, at a time it looks bleak.
Featured Image Vaughn McClure / ESPN
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Categorized:Eagles