Getting to Know the Chiefs 2009 Coaching Staff: Clancy Pendergast
by Chris Thorman on Feb 18, 2009 9:30 AM CST
in 2009 Offseason
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As the Arizona Cardinals entered the 2008 playoffs, the conventional wisdom told us that the team had the firepower on offense to reach the big game. But it was their defense that would be their Achilles Heel.
The Cardinals ranked 19th in the NFL in overall defense in the 2008 regular season, giving up 331.5 yards per game. They were 22nd in pass defense and 16th against the run.
Pendergast's Cardinal defense gave up nearly 27 points a game and didn't fare much better in the playoffs, giving up an average of about 22 points a game. The squad didn't play great but they did play just well enough to help the team reach the Super Bowl.
Right after the Super Bowl, Clancy Pendergast was fired and for good reason. From 2004 to 2008, Pendergast was the Cardinal's defensive coordinator. Here are the Cardinal's league rankings from that time:
| Def. Rankings | ||
| Year | Pts | Yds |
| 2008 | 28 | 19 |
| 2007 | 27 | 17 |
| 2006 | 29 | 29 |
| 2005 | 26 | 8 |
| 2004 | 12 | 12 |
Since Pendergast is now a Chief, I'm looking for a way to spin his Arizona tenure in a good way. And I can't do it. You can't defend numbers like that. You just can't.
Which is why I believe that Clancy Pendergast, despite coming from a DC position, will not be the Kansas City Chiefs next defensive coordinator. He will likely take over coaching the linebackers, which is what he did in Cleveland in 2003.
Pendergast also coached linebackers with the Dallas Cowboys from 1996 to 1999, before handling responsibilities in the secondary until 2003.
Here is his full resume:
| 1995 | Houston Oilers |
| 1996-2002 |
Dallas Cowboys |
| 2003 | Cleveland Browns (linebackers coach) |
| 2004-2008 | Arizona Cardinals (defensive coordinator) |
| 2009- | Kansas City Chiefs |
The Peter Principle
Yesterday, DThomasReigns mentioned the Peter Principle yesterday in regards to our defensive hires. And I wanted to point out, in response to the criticisms of our new coaches' past performances, that being a failed defensive coordinator does not automatically dismiss a coach from success as a position coach.
This principle is best summed up by saying that "In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence." Basically, when talking about Pendergast, what this means that is he's likely a very competent position/unit coach but that the responsibilities of a defensive coordinator are simply beyond his ability.
Pendergast is a fine position coach, otherwise he never would have been hired as defensive coordinator in Arizona.
We'd better hope this principle is true. The Chiefs hired two former defensive coordinators yesterday.
He's a Haley guy
Todd Haley worked with Clancy Pendergast for the last two seasons in Arizona so our new head coach knows him well. If we're going to trust and believe in Todd Haley at all, we need to trust his instincts with his coaching hires.
Important coach for the Chiefs right now
With Gunther Cunningham coaching the linebackers last year, the unit was basically neglected. Injuries destroyed the linebacking corp but I can't say there was much hope to begin with there.
The Chiefs really only have one viable linebacker in Derrick Johnson, who has failed to live up to expectations. Hopefully Pendergast, if he is indeed the linebackers coach, can turn DJ around and help select some better personnel for that position.
The Chiefs can't afford to let the defense lapse another year. We desperately need Clancy Pendergast to succeed in Kansas City with our linebackers.
Chiefs Coaching Coverage
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LB Coach
If he is here to coach the linebackers great, but if he is going to be the DC…bad hire.
To be the man you got to beat the man!!!!
by Major Tom on Feb 18, 2009 9:34 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Ditto
I am not a fan of him as DC. Unfortunately I’m a bigger fan of him as DC than I am of Gibbs.
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 10:10 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
your post may be the very definition
of damning with faint praise
NONE of these guys have much of a track record of NFL success
The only measure of true success in the NFL is the Vince Lombardi trophy. Anything less is a rationalization.
by sm7600 on Feb 18, 2009 10:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Pretty Much My Point
This is the payoff for all the secrecy? These guys? Were people pounding down Clancy Pendergast’s door begging him to coach their linebackers or run their defense?
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 10:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I was just thinking...
…after the “rush” we experienced with the Pioli hire and the “blase” feeling most are having the past 24hrs. with the coaching hires, it’s kind of like….
Going to third base with the Prom Queen only to find out she doesn’t shave her legs, armpits or cookie.
Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."
"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
by THE_TRUTH on Feb 18, 2009 10:42 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Perfect Analogy
Man, I hope Pioli doesn’t turn out to be one of those Belichick mirages (appears to be good at his job only because he’s working with Belichick).
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 10:44 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I Once Dated A Girl Who Didn't Shave
She said she’d get herself waxed if I did the same.
The single most physically painful experience of my life.
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 10:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
hope it was worth it
you’d hate to go through all that…for a negative return
The only measure of true success in the NFL is the Vince Lombardi trophy. Anything less is a rationalization.
by sm7600 on Feb 18, 2009 11:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
It Was Worth It :)
And the waxing had nothing to do with the breakup. The reasons were actually pretty unremarkable and boring (having to do with distance, primarily).
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
gotta love a football blog where we can poke fun at a Guppy
and talk casually about nekked Vagenas! :)
We need a future defensive leader, his name is James Laurinaitis and he can be selected in round 1 of the upcoming Draft.
"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"
by Lanier63 on Feb 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
having to do with distance, primarily
And they say penis size doesn’t matter ;)
Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."
"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
by THE_TRUTH on Feb 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Touche :)
More like, it was a long distance relationship that showed no signs of ever putting us within two states of each other in the forseeable future.
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Clancy Pendergast?
Isn’t he related to Englebert Humperdink?
Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."
"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
by THE_TRUTH on Feb 18, 2009 10:24 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
"Humperdinck...Humperdinck...Humperdinck..."
“I’m not listening”
I have absolutely no idea who the Chiefs will draft or sign in free agency and anyone who thinks that they know is talking out of their fourth point of contact.
All I know is that the Chiefs are going to field a better team in 2009. Prediction of team record will be submitted after the 2009 draft.
by UCrawford on Feb 18, 2009 10:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Imagine you are OC and you have Terrell Owens. You decide since he is taking up double coverage, just don’t ever throw him the ball. So he ends the season with 0 catches for 0 yards.
Now he’s a free agent. You are the GM of a team looking at him. ‘Why would we want the worst receiver in the league? look at his numbers….’
That’s what judging coaches by their past numbers reminds me of. Sure, they had the worst defense in the league – but how many resources was the team flowing into the defense? What was the personnel? So many factors — not the same as looking at individual statistics for a player.
Also, A TEAM THAT HAS A GOOD OFFENSE AUTOMATICALLY HAS A WORSE DEFENSE.
Studies have been done that show that offensive production correlates to higher statistics for the opposing offense. Simple explanation – the more touchdowns you score, the more times the other team gets a kickoff and chance to score. The more possessions you have, the more possessions the other team is going to have.
current Chiefs roster + 1 premiere LB FA + Crabtree + defensive draft = CONTENDAHS
"at least we don't need a punter"
by nayjevin on Feb 18, 2009 4:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
makes you wonder
how many Super Bowl winners have had a top 10 offense and defense?
Now if someone poops my point, I’ll throw in Special Teams also :)
We need a future defensive leader, his name is James Laurinaitis and he can be selected in round 1 of the upcoming Draft.
"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"
by Lanier63 on Feb 18, 2009 6:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
How about some comparisons.
Everyone seems to be disappointed with the success of these coaches——-but lets say someone compared them to another team right before they went on to big success——-not a team that already has a long winning streak like the Patriots, unless it was before the streak. Maybe the Giants? Anyway my bet is that they wouldn’t look any better than these guys. For one thing teams are constantly hiring the best coaches——-at least the ones they think are best. The head coach may make everyone look better. Who knows Haley may take this group, meld them together and boom—right to the Super Bowl before too long at all.
by route 66 on Feb 18, 2009 7:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
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