[UPDATED FROM EARLIER] Depending on Whom You Want to Believe, Rob Ryan May or May Not Be the Next DC for the New Orleans Saints

Posted by Mejdy Jabr on Tuesday, February 05, 2013
Last week, we speculated that Rob Ryan would very likely surface as a candidate for the job, so the news comes as no surprise.

While I'd rather not do any real, in-depth breakdown of what either hire would mean for the Saints until somebody is actually hired, there is one very important point to be made here.

Just because they both run base 3-4 defenses does not mean that they have the same philosophies.

Romeo Crennel's defensive philosophy is dedicated to playing a traditional two gap 3-4 scheme, which, as Spin IT contributor Sal Marino broke down last week, the Saints mostly have the personnel to do. His defenses are known for playing more zone coverage instead of man and being more conservative in general with corners receiving consistent help from safeties to protect against the long ball. He can do this because he is not one to blitz very often. It will be vital that the Saints have the kinds of players needed, specifically on their front line, in order for Crennel to succeed. His defenses in Cleveland and Kansas City have paled in comparison to his old Patriots' defenses because of a lack of proper personnel.

Rob Ryan's scheming is a bit more complex, and he'll adjust based on the personnel he has available to him. His secondaries play more man-to-man defense as opposed to zone, and the defense is generally much more aggressive compared to Crennel's defense.

In the Saints' case, assuming that they don't greatly improve their current personnel in the offseason, Ryan would likely employ a lot of his patented Man-Under and 2-Deep coverage schemes to give his corners some help. Similar to the Man-Under scheme on the surface, Saints fans should be familiar with the 46 defense from Gregg Williams, who used it so that he could bring a safety down into the box and more effectively blitz his opponents or play the run.

The difference between Williams' 46 defense and Ryan's Man-Under/2-Deep is that Ryan's schemes are basically rotation coverages, which can help to open up better opportunities for corner blitzes and provide more of a "read and react" kind of assistance from safeties in pass coverage. The Saints have intelligent enough safeties to thrive in such a defense and make reads difficult for opposing offenses.

Rob Ryan could very well end up facing the same problems Spags did, though. He uses a number of different situational personnel packages. He and the team will need some time to get in sync with one another, and besides Cam Jordan, the Saints don't have the kinds of athletes in their front 7 at the moment who could be lined up at varying positions, which is something that he'd certainly prefer to have in his arsenal.

Have I mentioned the PR circus that would come with him?

New Orleans has to be slightly tired of that...

[UPDATE] 
 

About that PR circus...

[UPDATE] Larry Holder vs. Adam Schefter? It's the Spin IT Hates You Bowl!

Also, an important update from Bleacher Report:
"Don't go buying your Rob Ryan Saints jersey just yet."
It truly is a night of journalism's brightest stars.

[UPDATE] Not only is ESPN standing by Schefter's report, local New Orleanian outlets (WDSU and WWL) are with him as well. Holder's released three tweets since Schefter's tweet; Schefter's been silent for the past hour.

What's interesting is that, if Schefter's news is based upon leaked information, Holder's reporting is basically moot here, and he's just being the kind of media attention whore that he can be at times.

Again, nothing new from Schefter.

[UPDATE] Recap via Pro Football Talk:
Earlier tonight, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Saints plan to hire Rob Ryan to be the team’s next defensive coordinator.  Thereafter, Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that Ryan will be interviewed on Friday, a day after coach Sean Payton interviews Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.
While we can’t confirm Schefter’s report that the Saints plan to hire Ryan, we can confirm Holder’s report regarding the plan to interview Grantham on Thursday and Ryan on Friday.
It’s possible both reports are correct.  But plans, as we’ve seen, can change — whether they’re virtually certain or 95-percent complete.
So maybe it will be Ryan.  Or maybe it will be Grantham.  Or maybe it will be someone else.
Again, still nothing new from Schefter... so, absolutely fantastic reporting and abuse of power on his end whether he's right or wrong about his initial tweet.

Meanwhile, Holder appears to have calmed down now that he's drawn the attention of his national media idols.

Also, for what it's worth, Corey White is apparently a Rob Ryan fan.

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